Guitarist Kenichi leaving MERRY in late 2020

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Soooo MERRY just announced that Kenichi (guitars) will be leaving the band in May 2020.   A final tour is in the works as five-piece. Afterwards, MERRY will continue with four members (no word yet on whether they will recruit a support or fulltime 2nd guitarist).

 

Announcement on YT:

 

Message from the band:

Quote

メリーからの大切なご報告です。

この度、2020年5月を以ちまして

Gt 健一が脱退する事になりました。

2001年の結成から19年間、一度のメンバーチェンジも無くこの5人で活動をしてまいりましたが、

今回、健一からの申し出を受け協議を重ねた結果、この様な運びとなりました。

5月以降メリーはガラ、結生、テツ、ネロの4人で活動をして行きます。

日頃よりメリーを応援して下さる皆様に、突然のご報告となってしまいましたが、5人で行う最後のツアーを予定しています。

これに伴い、Ba テツをプレイングマネージャーとし、以後活動していく事もここにご報告させて頂きます。

詳しい脱退理由や、最後のツアーに関してはメリーのYouTubeチャンネルで随時ご報告させて頂きます。

心に羊が住む人達へ

メリー一同

 

Jesus, this sucks... they've been practically together without any member changes for almost 20 years... Hoping for the best!

Edited February 1, 2020 by Jigsaw9

[suji 8317]

bitch what the fuck....:( 💔

[nekkichi 6043]

not good 💔

 

I hope they'll pull an angelo with a replacement w. someone who can actually upgrade their sound though.

[Tokage 5930]

I haven't really been feeling most of their recent releases AT ALL but this still fucking sucks  

Hope they'll pull a cali gari and keep on trucking even in spite of the lineup change (or alternatively like @nekkichi said recruit sb who can give em some extra oomph)

[Jigsaw9 6783]

3 minutes ago, Tokage said:

I haven't really been feeling most of their recent releases AT ALL but this still fucking sucks  

Maybe he wasn't feeling them either... I don't know about the last mini album and the full-length, but before those the number of Kenichi's songwriting credits were on a steady decline from album to album as far as I could see.

[sads123 147]

19 minutes ago, Jigsaw9 said:

Maybe he wasn't feeling them either... I don't know about the last mini album and the full-length, but before those the number of Kenichi's songwriting credits were on a steady decline from album to album as far as I could see.

Is there a source where we can see who contributed to the songs in every single & album. Even their Japanese wiki doesn't touch upon that much. 

 

I wonder if their current songs require any rewriting to cater to only 1 guitarist during future concerts. 

[saishuu 3220]

this is heartbreaking 😞 I haven't been feeling their music for quite a while now, I'm still hoping they can push through this.

[Kiyoharu is God 283]

Sad/shocking to see. I really liked seeing the unity and longevity in bands like Merry and MUCC when other younger bands rotate through members like every few weeks.

 

Anyway, I'm happy to see the band continue on. I've been very happy with their music. Even when I'm not fully on board with a release initially, I've always eventually gotten around to loving it. I think they really should seek a replacement. The duel guitars is something that I always felt was very strong in this band compared to most other bands and I can't imagine Merry without someone else in that position.

[crossparallel 180]

I just want to go home and listen to all Kenichi's songs on repeat... Jigsaw's onto something with his sparse credits on recent albums, but still I was not ready for this. I can't even imagine Merry without Kenichi. I hope he finds happiness and the band continue being strong - they've been through so much!

Edited February 1, 2020 by crossparallel

[Jigsaw9 6783]

2 hours ago, sads123 said:

Is there a source where we can see who contributed to the songs in every single & album. Even their Japanese wiki doesn't touch upon that much. 

The old albums had that info in the booklets iirc. I don't have my MERRY CDs with me at the moment so I just quickly ran through that one lyrics translation site, it has the composition credits for everything that is known I guess (probably also taken from the albums' booklets?).

 

Also yeah, it's weird to imagine the band without Kenichi... I just hope both him and the band will find their ways that will make them happy.

[*littlelamb 78]

Such a bummer. I doubt there's anything dramatic behind it though, he's probably just sick of the band life after two decades. Can't really blame him. I can't imagine Merry with a brand new member after all this time, but I also can't see how they'll keep playing their old material with just one guitarist. Maybe they'll just hire a support member.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

^ Yeah, honestly I hope they either go with a support member at the very least, and not end up like some lame-ass bands who have one guitarist and a wall of playback while playing gigs.

[Lereku 717]

This is unexpected and surprising news that will be strange to see become a four band with a session guitarist or quintet again with a new member, I  hope it will have a last release with Kenichi on guitar.

7 hours ago, sads123 said:

Is there a source where we can see who contributed to the songs in every single & album. Even their Japanese wiki doesn't touch upon that much.

All songs composed by Kenichi per albums (except Beautiful Freaks which was composed at 100% by Yuu) :

- Gendai Stoic : Bruisy Night, Yellow Girl, Dramatic Children

- Modern Gate : Haraiso, Seishun Neurose, T.O.P

- Nu Chemical Rhetoric : Kubitsuri Rondo, Dekiai no Suisou,Bara to Katasumi no Blues, Shambara, Karappo na Uta

- Peep Show : Kyousou Carnival, Sentimental New Pop, Kimatteru Taiyou,Mado Kara Nigeta Love Song

- M.E.R.R.Y : Blind Romance, LULULU LALALA, Shaite no Parade, Hirahira Tonderu, Komorebi Ga Boku Wo Sagashiteru, Utagoe Kiss Modern

- Underworld : Piranha, under-world

- Non Sense Market : Kurayami ni Pink

- M-Ology : Happy Life

[zombieparadise 487]

Really sad news coming from a great veteran band. I hope this doesn't set the trend for other long-time acts :0

Still, 18-19 years with one band?! Such dedication. I admire it, especially in this scene.

[saishuu 3220]

5 hours ago, Lereku said:

- Gendai Stoic : Bruisy Night, Yellow Girl, Dramatic Children

 

- Modern Gate : Haraiso, Seishun Neurose, T.O.P

- Nu Chemical Rhetoric : Kubitsuri Rondo, Dekiai no Suisou, Bara to Katasumi no Blues, Shambara, Karappo na Uta

dude was on a roll with these. those are basically the best songs from nu chemical rhetoric and haraiso is top 5 best merry songs.

from karin leaving nogod after almost 15 years to this, it's been a rough time for the ojiisans

[Tokage 5930]

9 hours ago, Lereku said:

This is unexpected and surprising news that will be strange to see become a four band with a session guitarist or quintet again with a new member, I  hope it will have a last release with Kenichi on guitar.

All songs composed by Kenichi per albums (except Beautiful Freaks which was composed at 100% by Yuu) :

- Gendai Stoic : Bruisy Night, Yellow Girl, Dramatic Children

- Modern Gate : Haraiso, Seishun Neurose, T.O.P

- Nu Chemical Rhetoric : Kubitsuri Rondo, Dekiai no Suisou,Bara to Katasumi no Blues, Shambara, Karappo na Uta

- Peep Show : Kyousou Carnival, Sentimental New Pop, Kimatteru Taiyou,Mado Kara Nigeta Love Song

- M.E.R.R.Y : Blind Romance, LULULU LALALA, Shaite no Parade, Hirahira Tonderu, Komorebi Ga Boku Wo Sagashiteru, Utagoe Kiss Modern

- Underworld : Piranha, under-world

- Non Sense Market : Kurayami ni Pink

- M-Ology : Happy Life

Almost all of those happen to be among my fav tracks on their respective albums/in the band's entire discography. Damn 😕 Putting an extra hard F down in that case

[meat 135]

When my phone lit up this morning with the message that “Merry has an important announcement”, I thought oh finally that European tour! What bum news 😢  Kenichi adds so much to Merry’s sound over the years and his guitar skills is amazing. It’ll be extraordinarily hard to find someone else that talented to join. 

 

The fact that the band is not providing the reason he’s leaving for now makes me think it’s not due to a happy occasion, like “graduating” to get married, etc. After 19 years making great music with one of my favourite band, I just hope he’s found something else wonderful to focus his time and energy on 😔

Edited February 2, 2020 by meat

[suji 8317]

2 hours ago, meat said:

The fact that the band is not providing the reason he’s leaving for now makes me think it’s not due to a happy occasion, like “graduating” to get married, etc. After 19 years making great music with one of my favourite band, I just hope he’s found something else wonderful to focus his time and energy on 😔

I think they said they'll reveal the reason later on their YouTube channel

[nekkichi 6043]

I really hope it's a personal reason/family situation or something, because finding another line-up with the same character and talent for him would be incredibly difficult, and I don't want him to end up in a Zin/Leda bullshit senile-kei arrangement

[mopkins 42]

oof, reading that list of Kenichi’s songwriting credits is a gut punch.  that’s a whole lot of my favorites

 

thanks for the memerrys.........

[suji 8317]

oh BTW NEW LOOK ✨✨✨

 

 

Individual pics:

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

This alternate pic has also been used on various news sites covering/copypasting the announcement, which is...unusual, but a'ight. 👌

[sads123 147]

On 2/2/2020 at 6:37 AM, Lereku said:

This is unexpected and surprising news that will be strange to see become a four band with a session guitarist or quintet again with a new member, I  hope it will have a last release with Kenichi on guitar.

All songs composed by Kenichi per albums (except Beautiful Freaks which was composed at 100% by Yuu) :

- Gendai Stoic : Bruisy Night, Yellow Girl, Dramatic Children

- Modern Gate : Haraiso, Seishun Neurose, T.O.P

- Nu Chemical Rhetoric : Kubitsuri Rondo, Dekiai no Suisou,Bara to Katasumi no Blues, Shambara, Karappo na Uta

- Peep Show : Kyousou Carnival, Sentimental New Pop, Kimatteru Taiyou,Mado Kara Nigeta Love Song

- M.E.R.R.Y : Blind Romance, LULULU LALALA, Shaite no Parade, Hirahira Tonderu, Komorebi Ga Boku Wo Sagashiteru, Utagoe Kiss Modern

- Underworld : Piranha, under-world

- Non Sense Market : Kurayami ni Pink

- M-Ology : Happy Life

Thanks for the summary! Wow, alot of them are my favourites; there was a time when I was absolutely bonkers over  Blind Romance, Shaite no Parade & komorebi Ga Boku Wo Sagashiteru phrase cos there was a no sound like these songs then (and even now, actually).

 

I wonder if the upcoming tour will consist of songs mainly by Kenchi; it'll be a good sendoff IMO. Realistically, their popularity has dropped drastically (playing in smaller & smaller venues and frequency of releasing DVDs of their concerts lowered since "Underworld" album) so it's unlikely there's a DVD of this upcoming tour. Maybe FC only where they produce confirmed orders with minimal risk.

 

Btw, anyone has any idea if the anime version of 'Shaite no Parade' was ever released in CD format?

 

 

 

As you can hear above, its different from the single & album versions, especially the instrumental portion at the end that was longer. 

 

Edited February 4, 2020 by sads123

[suji 8317]

Message from Kenichi:

 

 

[Jigsaw9 6783]

The English Street Team posted a translation of the message... sounds like maybe he just got tired I guess?

 

 

[suji 8317]

I don't blame Ken for being wore out from band life, it's been almost 20 years now that he's been a part of Merry. I know I wasn't around during their heyday, but all my years I've stanned this band, I've noticed how quiet Kenichi is, especially now that the members all have social media (even Gara!) and Tetsu sometimes posts on the band account about deadman stuff, and Ken is just...there. I hate to see him go, but he deserves to live his best life, whether moving onto something different, or taking a break from music altogether.