Feature

B’z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2018 -HINOTORI- will serve to commemorate the band’s thirtieth anniversary on the music scene and will culminate with a pair of performances to mark the exact date, on September 21 and 22. This is their tenth Pleasure outing in all—a moniker given to non-album tours that essentially serve the purpose of playing their best output without regard for a single era or recent release.

As part of a series of articles discussing the band’s catalogue to date, we are looking at which signature tracks we expect to hear on the live stage this year as well as those we think are probably not going to make an appearance. Additionally, we’ve taken guesses as to which lesser-heard songs may or may not make their way onto the setlist as well. Several different factors were weighed in judging each song’s chances, including how recently they’ve been performed, how recently they’ve made their way to home video, and the general unlikelihood certain songs would appear.

Naturally, this list is ultimately all conjecture. B’z always pack surprises into their setlists and we expect this year will be no different. Be sure to read beyond the break to see our Pleasure 2018 rankings for every song in the B’z catalogue!

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News

B’z have just released the logo proper for the upcoming thirtieth anniversary tour B’z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2018 -HINOTORI-. As expected due to its translation of “Phoenix”, the motif of the song is present in the image that will form the tone of the show and its tour goods which will be unveiled within the week prior to the first show. The tour begins on July 7 at the Okinawa Convention Center and runs through September 21 and 22 at Ajinomoto Stadium. A home video release should reasonably follow in January or February of 2019.

News

As part of the band’s 30th anniversary exhibition, “SCENES“, fans were given the opportunity to attend screenings of two presentations: B’z SHOWCASE 2017 -B’z In Home Town- and Behind the Scene: The 29th Year. The former tracks Tak and Koshi as they perform in both of their hometowns as part of B’z SHOWCASE 2017 -B’z In Your Town-. The latter recounts the recording of DINOSAUR and acts as a backstage pass to their time during B’z LIVE-GYM 2017-2018 “LIVE DINOSAUR”.

Each feature was set to be available only as part of the exhibit but due to its pre-sale tickets for screenings selling out long before it opened, the band has decided to do a double feature in Japanese theaters, nationwide, from June 15 to September 22. Participating theaters and screening dates can be viewed on the official website.

Though no announcement has yet been made, we expect a home video release that likely will combine the two and possibly arrive in November or December. Upcoming 30th anniversary tour B’z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2018 -HINOTORI- should likewise receive a home release in January or February of 2019. Naturally, it is possible all three could be collected into a single package around the same time instead.

News

On March 12, 2008, coinciding with their twentieth anniversary year, B’z were awarded a Guinness World Record for “Best selling album act in Japan” bearing the commendation:

The best selling album act in Japan is a hard rock duo B’z (Japan) who has sold more than 42 million albums by 2008. They have also sold more than 34 million singles which makes them the best selling music act in Japan overall.

Presently, with the release of late 2017 effort DINOSAUR, the band have sold over 46,000,000 albums. As noted in the Guinness record, this makes them the best sold act in Japanese history when combined with single sales. The album record is set to stand for some time as most contemporary acts combined are not within contention.

Other sales records held by B’z at this time include the most number one singles (49), most consecutive number one singles (49), longest streak of number one singles (49), total weeks singles were at number one (66), longest consecutive period with a single at number one (20 Years), most singles in the top 10 concurrently (9), the most million-selling albums (19), most number-one albums (26), total CD shipments (100,000,000), total CD sales (81,500,000), and the only artist in history to lead all six major categories tracked by Oricon. On November 19, 2007, B’z also became the first Asian artists to be inducted to Hollywood’s RockWalk.

News

Some five months after the close of the tour, we finally have confirmation of the first release for the B’z 30th year commemoration: B’z LIVE-GYM 2017-2018 “LIVE DINOSAUR” on DVD & Blu-ray! Their most recent tour, the eighteen-date stand featured all but one song from the titular twentieth studio album DINOSAUR alongside a slew of classics including “ultra soul“, “BANZAI“, and “MOTEL“.

Recent double A-side single tracks “Seimei” and “Still Alive” were likewise joined by the long-awaited return of 1997 single “FIREBALL” after lying dormant for fifteen years. The 1994 album ballad “Akai Kawa” from The 7th Blues receives similar treatment as it not only makes its home video debut but also is performed for the first time in twenty-three years!

As previously reported, the taping was done at the Saitama Super Arena.on January 13 and 14. Both the two-disc DVD and single disc Blu-ray packages will be available on July 4, 2018, for a price of 6,800 Yen ($61.28 USD) with 21 songs performed in all—thirteen of which are making their home video debuts!

B’z LIVE-GYM 2017-2018 “LIVE DINOSAUR” on DVD & Blu-ray
Release: July 4, 2018 (6800 Yen)

Pre-order DVD Edition: CDJapan / Amazon.co.jp

Pre-order Blu-ray Edition: CDJapan / Amazon.co.jp

1. Seimei ★
2. CHAMP ★
3. Kodoku no Runaway
4. Haruka ★
5. Rooftop ★
6. FIREBALL
7. MOTEL
8. Akai Kawa ★
9. SKYROCKET ★
10. Sore Demo Yappari ★
11. Itoshiki Yuurei ★
12. Yowai Otoko ★
13. Purple Pink Orange ★
14. Ichibu to Zenbu
15. DIVE
16. Dinosaur ★
17. King Of The Street ★
18. Fukiarenasai ★
19. Still Alive
20. ultra soul
21. BANZAI

★ Denotes a song receiving its home video debut

B’z will again be touring later this year for B’z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2018 -HINOTORI- with the first date coming three days after the release of today’s home video package. The tour will run through a two-night event at
Ajinomoto Stadium where B’z famously performed with American rock legends Aerosmith in 2002.

Tak Matsumoto News

As part of preparations for the ongoing B’z 30th Year exhibition “SCENES”, B’z staff were tasked with gathering hundreds of artifacts from the band’s history to present to the public. The staging follows the band’s full career with props never before displayed, including the original lyric sheets for various songs such as “ultra soul” and various costumes worn through the years. Of special interest to guitar aficionados was the prospect of seeing all of Tak’s instruments in one place. Yet, one of his iconic guitars is missing, and with good reason: it disappeared without explanation in 1997 and continues to be lost.

In the mid 1990s, Tak had taken a liking to Ernie Ball’s signature “MUSICMAN” EVH—Eddie Van Halen—signature series. One covered in a striking pink finish was used as part of numerous tours including Pleasure’95 “BUZZ!!”, LIVE-GYM ’96 “Spirit LOOSE” and Pleasure’97 “FIREBALL” as well as being pictured on the cover of double A-side single “Mienai Chikara ~INVISIBLE ONE~/MOVE“.

Staff first noticed the guitar was missing sometime after the close of B’z LIVE-GYM Pleasure’97 “FIREBALL”. It was being entered into storage when it simply disappeared. As a well-documented, stage-used guitar, its value would be immense on the second-hand market. Even with twenty years gone, it has never surfaced publicly as staff search for its location.

■ Manufacturer: ERNIE BALL
■ Model: MUSICMAN EVH model
■ Finish: Pink
■ Serial No.: 86255
■ Period of Use: 1995-1997
■ Primary Usage:
・B’z Single「Mienai Chikara ~INVISIBLE ONE~」 Cover
・B’z LIVE-GYM Pleasure ’95 “BUZZ!!”
・B’z LIVE-GYM ’96 “Spirit LOOSE”
・B’z LIVE-GYM Pleasure’97 “FIREBALL”
■ Characteristics:
・”GO NO FURTHER” logo painted onto headstock.

UPDATE: The guitar has been found! Within days of putting out the call on social media, numerous tips came in that eventually led to the recovery of the long-lost instrument. For the past two decades, the guitar has been stored in a prominent guitar manufacturer’s warehouse under careful conditions. The entity in question has not been named but were happy to return the guitar to Tak, who now has it in his possession once again:

The guitar will be on display as part of the second half of the B’z “SCENES” exhibition for fans to see for the first time in twenty years.