THEE MICHELLE GUN ELEPHANT

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TMGE

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Tokyo, Japan (1991 – 2003)

THEE MICHELLE GUN ELEPHANT (also known as TMGE or in Japanese: ミッシェル・ガン・エレファント) was a garage rock band formed in Tokyo, Japan. Its music is known for the loud guitars of Abe Futoshi and lead singer Chiba Yusuke’s loud, gravelly yet melodious vocals. Other members of the band include Kuhara Kazuyuki (drums) and Ueno Koji (bass). The band was formed in 1991, while the band members were students at Tokyo’s Meiji Gakuin University. Their name came from a combination of the name of Billy Childish’s offbeat band Thee Headcoats and a former bassist’s mispronunciation of the name of The Damned’s album, Machine Gun Etiquette.

Their first major label release, wonder style, was released in 1995, and produced in London, United Kingdom, by Chris Brown, who previously engineered albums and tracks for Radiohead and Pink Floyd. Their breakthrough album, however, was 1998’s Gear Blues which sold more than 500,000 copies, a huge number in the Japanese recording industry. Gear Blues was released in the United States in 2000 by Alive Records, but the band’s success in that country never reached the level that they had in Japan, although they had moderate success in Europe. With the release of Gear Blues, the band stopped using lowercase letters in their name, and became known as THEE MICHELLE GUN ELEPHANT, with capitalized letters. The band announced that they would break up on October 11, 2003, after their Last Heaven tour of Japan.

After breaking up, the members have all continued activities in other bands.
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  • imfineinred

    Just found out that Boogie and Akage no Kelly have PVs, after almost ten years that i know and love TMGE :p

    4 May 5:42pm Reply

  • AnaCSodre

    vote up: http://www.lastfm.com.br/music/THEE+MICHELLE+GUN+ELEPHANT/+images/39741713

    2 Mar 10:10pm Reply

  • stwza

    Happy Birthday to Abe Futoshi. TMGE all day in honour. #RIP

    16 Dec 2012 Reply

  • barkbox

    same with me: 'Pornostar' -> Toshiaki Toyoda -> 'Aoi Haru' -> TMGE http://unit731.multiply.com/video/item/41/Aoi-Haru-Blue-Spring-2001-T.Toyoda

    30 Sep 2012 Reply

  • snkupo

    @mike: Because their official name (in press releases, album releases, magazine articles etc.) was capitalized during their final active years. They changed from using all lower caps when switching labels from Columbia to Universal. Japanese bands generally make a point out of capitalization. This makes it less confusing when the band names are mixed with Japanese text. For example, TMGE's vocalist Chiba Yusuke's post-TMGE band ROSSO is always capitalized, while his current one – The Birthday – never is.

    28 Sep 2012 Reply

  • VanillaLover

    FOREVER MICHELLE! Time has gone by so fast, it only seems like yesterday I found out about this wonderful band through the film Aoi Haru, think I see it the first time about 5 years ago now, been hooked since.

    29 Jun 2012 Reply

  • orpheusandsons

    akage no kelly, boogie, drop, G.W.D

    29 May 2012 Reply

  • pancakezor

    Their fist album called "MAXIMUM! MAXIMUM!! MAXIMUM!!!" is something you should get. Cause it's awesome :3

    19 May 2012 Reply

  • mike_716

    Why does it scrobble in all caps.

    8 May 2012 Reply

  • subterranean017

    still make everyone else look like they need to try harder. boogie will play at my funeral. [2] I'm still in denial that The Great Abe Futoshi passed away almost three years ago...

    19 Apr 2012 Reply

  • nimalewis

    My favourite song is "Boogie".

    15 Apr 2012 Reply

  • m-hide

    Akage No Kelly or Drop. Blue Spring soundtracks are great.

    4 Apr 2012 Reply

  • Jaina999

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    29 Mar 2012 Reply

  • ClassicAppa

    Too many perfect and awesome songs. Impossible to pick.

    27 Mar 2012 Reply

  • mirasawao

    Killer Beach or Lily!!!

    27 Mar 2012 Reply

  • Cedrino

    So. TMGE fans, what's your favorite song?

    25 Mar 2012 Reply

  • UnarmedFighter

    Oh! Burabura to Yoru ni naru Burabura to Yoru wo iku oyeee!

    2 Mar 2012 Reply

  • edwardkobane

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kobanes-Official/335422063151663

    18 Jan 2012 Reply

  • Inuzini

    still make everyone else look like they need to try harder. boogie will play at my funeral. r.i.p. abe~

    18 Dec 2011 Reply

  • taailiira

    Happy Birthday & R.I.P. Abe. we miss you♥

    15 Dec 2011 Reply
    • All 210 shouts

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