FOX LOCO PHANTOM

Fox Loco Phantom (often stylized as FOX LOCO PHANTOM or Fox loco phantom or フォックス・ロコ・ファントム in Japanese) is a Japanese indie rock band that was formed in June 2007 in Tokyo.
== History ==
===2007–2008: Early career and release of Hyakkaryouran===
They released three demos with tracks from their upcoming album at the beginning of their career. At that time, ODK was their support drummer.
On November 21st 2007 they released their first album Hyakkaryouran.
On January 27th 2008 they released their first mini album Intermission which could only be obtained at concerts and was sold out soon, just as their tour final one-man show in February 2008 at Asakusa KURAWOOD. Sometime after November 2007 and March 2008 their support drummer peco joined the band. In March 2008 drummer Aiba „Andrew“ Takehiko officially him on drums. On May 25th 2008 they participated in "RISING SUN ROCK FESTIVAL 2008" in Ezo.
===1998–2009: Chaotic Monster, Gimu Gimu No Mori and live album===
Their second album Chaotic Monster was released on July 16th 2008 coming along with their tour named "MONSTER A GO-GO!" with 47 tour dates and a tour final at Shimokitazawa CLUB251. Two days after this release, on July 18th, they released another (demo) album Lonely Vacation, which was also only available at their shows and featured tracks like VELVET SLIDER or KICK ME OUT, which were re-released on official releases later. During that tour they have released many demo singles and maxi singles, including Symmetry (シンメトリー) a split single with befriended cold kitchen, HEDI SESSIONS or TAXI DRIVER. In November 2008 they had another one-man show as an additional performance of the tour at Osaka AtlantiQs.
From January 2009 on they had a monthly event called Kanjou X-Ray. On May 15th 2009 they released their album PUBLIC EYE, a TOWER RECORDS only release, followed by their tour GENERIC EYE with a tour final at Shindaita FEVER and TOUR '09 Makkuroke with a tour final at Shimokitazawa Basement Bar on December 18th. Shortly after that, in November 2009 they released their first full album Gimu gimu no mori on HOME BIRD JAPAN/PCI MUSIC also coming along with a tour and a special 100 people limited one-man live at Shimokitazawa DaisyBar In February 2010 which was sold out and released on DVD and CD.
===2009–2011: Member changes and hiatus===
In April 2010 their drummer Aiba „Andrew“ Takehiko left the band. For concerts Kenichi Tokunaga joined them as support drummer.
In 2010 they had several live distributions, such as Rebellion of Flowers EP followed by their mini album SHADOW in July 2010 and a release tour called "Empire of Shadows". At the end of 2010 they released GARDEN, another mini album. On October 30th 2010 they announced that guitarist Ryo Saito is going to leave the band, but support drummer Kenichi Tokunaga will be a new member, while Suichi Ryousuke will be their support guitarist.
Still suffering from those member losses, they held their "GARDEN tour final oneman show" at Shibuya CLUB QUATTRO in January 2011, which was also the last one before their hiatus.
===2012–2013: Comeback and release of Dare ga tame ni on wa naru===
In January 2012, after being on hiatus for one year they announced their comeback with the comeback show at Shimokitazawa CLUB251 "FOX LOCO PHANTOM NEVER DIES ~Ningen fukatsu~" (lit. "human resurrection"), but the band decided to continue as a trio: Vocalist Tatsuyoshi Yoda, guitarist Yoshii Izumida and bassist Hideo Nekota. For concerts and recordings they had support members from TEXAS STYLE and GAUCHE.
In 2012 they had several shows and played at several festivals, such as "ETERNAL ROCK FESTIVAL".
On December 11th 2013 they released their album Dare ga tame ni on wa naru (誰がために音は鳴る) and played gigs again, including their 2014 live series "Bakuon toshi - EXPLOSION CITY" with BYEE THE ROUND, Mohamead, Arukara, SUPER BEAVER and others.
===2015–2017: Semi-active era and release of Shinzou Distortion===
In May 2015 they held the oneman concert "Shoku Shoudou ~Asakusa riot~" at Kurawood and released the live limited CDs PIRATES EP & BLUE RIOT, a live compilation CD (May 9th 2015) followed by three new songs (as live distributed singles): Kaizou ningen (改造人間), Utsusemi (空蝉) and Kimi ni sasagu (君に捧ぐ). In January 2017 they held a 10th Anniversary oneman gig @ Shimokitazawa CLUB251 "Love story wa totsuzen ni..." after which ODK left the band. Later Sou joined them on drums. On November 3rd 2017 they released Shinzou distortion (心臓ディストーション) a mini album featuring these three singles and three new songs. It came with another live compilation CD called "LIVE BEST" which is their latest official release as of 2024. In 2020 they published a video of their early song Nora (ノラ) as a "quarantine version" during the COVID pandemic with each member performing from home. As members they credited Vo.依田タツヨシ (Yoda Tatsuyoshi), Gt.泉田ヨシイ (Izumida Yoshii), Gt.椎名ヨウスケ (Shiina Yousuke), Ba.猫田ヒデヲ (Nekota Hideo) and Dr.ソウ (Sou).
In May 2020 bassist Hideo Nekota announced that he's suffering from a long-time hearing loss and will therefore restrict his activities. However, it was not clear what this will mean for his activities.
===2017–present: Semi-active era and release of Shinzou Distortion===
The band has regularly met and posted pictures of the meetings online. However, it was not known if they are still active. On October 3rd 2022 they uploaded a new music video for Aoi riot from 2007 on YouTube.
On August 1st 2024 at 12 pm they announced their first gig in 4 years for October 19th 2024 at Shimokitazawa CLUB251 named after their first album Hyakkaryouran. Other bands will appear to and the gig is presented by Garden City Entertainment.
==Musical style and influences==
Fox Loco Phantom have changed their sound and musical approach several times. Their music combines several genres from new wave with disco-punk and garage-punk sound. Later in their career, their sound turned more raw and alternative. Some people compare them to Thee Michelle Gun Elephant.
Their first full album Hyakkaryouran has still a very soft and tender atmosphere and is sometimes also very poppish. The artwork was very traditionally Japanese and the lyrics and song titles included natural elements. The names and even the instruments were credited fully in Kanji. However, the album also contained songs that had punk/garage elements like Aoi Riot. 
For Chaotic Monster they changed their sound drastically. They described their music as disco punk/new rave with rhythms resembling prog-rock which is very prominent in D!D!D! and was way darker, soundwise as well as thematically (Sad monkeys, Koumouri gasa). Despite these more electronic danceable beats and influences, they also included songs which are more straight forward and punkish (Outsider, Human lost). The album carries the spirit of the time and is reminiscent of song like Dancing shoes by Arctic Monkeys or Spaceman by The Killers. 
Gimu Gimu No Mori sounds more dramatic, orchestral than its predecessors. With songs like Sumire Hanabi they included songs that remind of traditional Japanese music, fast paced songs (Sharekoube, Mogura Dive) and for the first time songs with a choir (Sekai no uta) and an organ (Neko-chou) which reminds of the music of the 70's.
Their mini albums Shadow and Garden had songs with a more raw and simple sound. While songs like Invader Action or Kitchen Monster might appeal to a more mainstream audience, Land, Duad or Girlfriend have a very dark atmosphere. This sound and mixture was continued on their 2013 album Dare ga tame ni on wa naru. 
With their mini album Shinzou Distortion which was released in 2017 they seemed to return to their roots, combining more uplifting sounding vocals with a toned down punk/garage sound (Hakumei, Utsusemi) mixed with faster paced songs which sound more raw (Kimi ni sasagu, Paranoia). 
==Members ==
Tatsuyoshi Yoda
Tatsuyoshi Yoda (依田達義, Yoda Tatsuyoshi, nicknamed ヨダロック, Yodarock, born March 1st in Adachi, Tokyo) is the vocalist and a founding member of the band. 
Before Fox Loco Phantom he was in a band called Gearman Headz (ギヤマンヘッズ) before joining Fox Loco Phantom.
Yoshii Izumida
Yoshii Izumida (泉田吉伊, Izumida Yoshii, born February 1st in Aizuwakamatsu) is the guitarist and a founding member of the band. 
He is also a member of GOLIATH and polyμ (formerly known as Polygon) with members of instrumental rock-band Miaou and re:plus band set. He used to be a support member for Super Beaver. He was also active in a project called Dead Girlfriend.
The guitarist cites Omar Rodríguez-López, Robert Smith (musician), Robert Fripp and Tony Iommi as his influences.
Hideo Nekota
Hideo Nekota (猫田ヒデヲ, Nekota Hideo, born January 1st in Hiroshima) is the bassist and a founding member of the band. He is the main composer and lyricist of the band who also takes care of most of the artwork and design of CDs and merchandise. Nekota is the owner of the label Garden City Records (also known as Garden City Entertainment) to which the band is currently signed to alongside 13.3g, QUADRANGLE, KAYO. and wi wick.
He is also a member of GOLIATH and QUADRANGLE, the latter being his solo project. He was also in The Teenage Kissers together with Nana Kitade. 
So Sasaki
So Sasaki (佐々木創, Sasaki So, also known as ソウ, Sou, born on January 30th) is the drummer of the band. He officially joined Fox Loco Phantom in 2017. 
He is also a member of BYEE the ROUND.
===Support Members===
Shiina Yousuke
Shiina Yousuke (椎名洋輔, Yousuke Shiina, born on February 27th) is their main support as a second guitarist since 2015. However, in their recent uploads on YouTube, he is listed as a normal member.
He is a member of GAUCHE, former member of BRIT BANQUET and PICK 2 HAND and has been a support guitarist for School Food Punishment.
Omar
Omar (オマー, Omaa) is their sub support as a second guitarist. Due not being listed in the line ups recently, it's unknown if he's still active for the band.
He was a member of Mohamead (モハメド) and was a guitarist for Hideo Nekota's band QUADRANGLE.
==Former (support) members==
peco
Peco (born on May 6th in Fukuoka Prefecture) was the support drummer of the band from 2007 on (after Odeki left the band) to 2008 where Takehiko Aiba joined the band.
Ryo Saito
Ryo Saito (齋藤亮, Saito Ryou, born on August 2nd in Gunma Prefecture was their guitarist from 2007 until the end of 2010.
Ryosuke Suichi
Ryosuke Suichi (須一了祐, usually credited as スイチ リョウスケ, Suichi Ryousuke) was their support guitarist after Ryo Saito left the band. 
He was in KOHL with Hideo Nekota before he joined Fox Loco Phantom and later joined Royal Cabaret until they disbanded in 2013.
Takehiko "Andrew" Aiba
Takehiko Aiba (相羽毅彦, Aiba Takehiko, born on October 17th in Chiba Prefecture) was their drummer from March 2008 (replacing support drummer Peco) and left the band after the two-man show with Inugami Circus-dan at Otsuka RED-Zone on April 3rd 2010.
Kenichi Tokunaga
Kenichi Tokunaga (徳永謙一, Tokunaga Kenichi) was their drummer from 2010 to to their hiatus in January 2011. After Takehiko Aiba leaving, he was listed as their support drummer while in November 2010 he was a regular member. He was also a member of zany.
Odeki (Hideki Satou)
Odeki (オデキ, real name 佐藤英樹, Satou Hideki, also known as ODK, born on December 15th) joined as their drummer right at the beginning in June 2007 and left the band in November 2007. After their hiatus in 2011 he rejoined them in 2012 and left the band in 2013 after the release of the album Dare ga tame ni on wa naru. He then joined the band again as a support member in 2015 and was listed as a regular member again in 2016. He left the band in 2017 and followed by So Sasaki.
Yousuke Ookiya
Yousuke Ookiya (大宮洋介, Ookiya Yousuke, also known as ハゼ, HAZE, born in June 1979 in Chiba Prefecture) was their live support drummer. He is a former support drummer of PICK 2 HAND and ex member of BRIT BANQUET.
==Discography==
Studio albums
* Hyakkaryouran (2007)
* Chaotic Monster (2008)
* Gimu Gimu No Mori (2009)
* Dare ga tame ni on wa naru (2013)
Mini albums and EPs 
* Lonely Vacation (2008)
* Public Eye (2009)
* Shadow (2010)
* Garden (2010)
* Shinzou Distortion (2017)
==Music videos== 
Song title
「妄想ガール」
「東京ロックス」
「群青バタフライ」
「midnight sky walker」
「Land」
「KITCHEN MONSTER」
「笑う世界〜DISSECTION」
Category:Music in Tokyo
Category:Musical groups established in 2007
Category:Indie rock groups