THE BAWDIES | th

The Bawdies (ザ・ボウディーズ, ざ・ぼうでぃーず)
Years Active: 2004 - Present

Lineup:

Ryo "Roy" Watanabe - bass & vocals
Taku "Taxman" Funayama - guitar & vocals
Yoshihiko "Jim" Kimura - guitar & vocals
Masahiko "Marcy" Yamaguchi - drums & vocals

In The Bawdies' world, Chuck Berry, early Beatles and Stones, and Otis Redding soul are still at the top of the charts, and everybody is walking around in moptops and tailored suits. Founded on New Year's Day in 2004, boyhood chums Ryo "Roy" Watanabe (bass/vocals), Taku "Taxman" Funayama (guitar/vocals), and Yoshihiko "Jim" Kimura (guitar/vocals) teamed up with highschool pal Masahiko "Marcy" Yamaguchi (drums/vocals) and took up the mantle of early rock and soul, and bestowed it with their own uniquely Japanese sensibilities. In 2006, The Bawdies signed to Tokyo-based record label, Seez Records and released their first album, Yesterday and Today, essentially a cover album including such classics as I Got You (I Feel Good), Tutti Frutti, and Have Mercy, Miss Percy, to moderate indie success. In February 2008, they released their sophomore effort, Awaking of Rhythm and Blues, at which point the music industry pricked up their ears. The album saw the band stretching out musically, distancing themselves somewhat from the nostalgia act category and pulling back on the covers. Led by the raspy-voiced, yet charming Watanabe, the band stepped up the touring, playing alongside such indie legends as Guitar Wolf, Sheena & The Rockets, and The 5.6.7.8's and expanding their range abroad. In March 2009, The Bawdies released the single Emotion Potion, a precursor to their April long-player This is My Story, steering the band even further into original territory while maintaining the same retro vibe.

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