The Pillows (stylized as the pillows) were an alternative rock band from Sapporo, Japan. Formed in 1989, their immense output included 22 studio albums and 40 singles. The band consisted of Sawao Yamanaka (vocals, rhythm guitar), Yoshiaki Manabe (lead guitar) and Shinichiro Sato (drums). Original bassist Kenji Ueda left in 1992 and was replaced by Tatsuya Kashima who was in turn replaced in 1999 by Jun Suzuki, though none of Ueda's successors are official members. Suzuki left the band in 20 ...read more
The Pillows (stylized as the pillows) were an alternative rock band from Sapporo, Japan. Formed in 1989, their immense output included 22 studio albums and 40 singles. The band consisted of Sawao Yamanaka (vocals, rhythm guitar), Yoshiaki Manabe (lead guitar) and Shinichiro Sato (drums). Original bassist Kenji Ueda left in 1992 and was replaced by Tatsuya Kashima who was in turn replaced in 1999 by Jun Suzuki, though none of Ueda's successors are official members. Suzuki left the band in 2015, with Yoshinori Arie of the band Vola & the Oriental Machine becoming the band's new bass player later that year. The early musical output of The Pillows was reminiscent of '80s post-punk/alternative/indie pop artists such as The Cure and The Smiths, but the band would later experiment with jazz, bossa nova, and even R&B sounds before arriving at their trademark alternative rock style in the mid-to-late '90s. Evocative of acts such as Pixies, Weezer and early Radiohead but with an unmistakable individuality to their sound, The Pillows have enjoyed a long and rewarding--if not widely recognized--career. The band toured regularly outside of Japan, especially after gaining a considerable international audience when their music was featured in the cult anime series FLCL. In 2025, after 35 years, The Pillows made an announcement on their official website that they decided to disband. Over a year later, Sato passed away due to illness. « hide
