SuG (サグ Sagu) is a five-member band formed in 2006, consisting of Takeru (vocals), masato (guitar), yuji (guitar), Chiyu (bass), and shinpei (drums).
SuG takes its name from “thug,” a slang expression in the U.S. black community meaning people or “partners in crime” who move in their own direction without caring about what other people think.
The concept behind the band, which made its major-label debut in 2010, is “heavy positive rock”: the band makes a determined effort to give messages from a positive outlook.
Songs are written by the entire band and are a fusion of many musical genres. Still, the band’s maverick genius vocalist, Takeru, creates a concept for each release and is responsible for the worldview derived from the lyrics he writes, music video direction, and all clothing and other artwork. He also plans the band’s releases and supervises the band’s purchases and production of clothing and props in order to string together albums, novels, videos, and fashion and present the entirety as “3D music.”
The band has won support for its 3D music not just from the music industry but also from the fashion industry and various subcultures. SuG’s music videos and fashions have been highly praised outside of Japan too, particularly in Europe and Asia, and Takeru has even appeared in a TV ad for a popular overseas bottled drink beverage.
But just as the band’s popularity, spanning countries, generations, and musical genres, started skyrocketing, the band announced they were going on hiatus after a December 29, 2012 show at Yoyogi National Gymnasium’s Second Hall.
BIOGRAPHY
2006
October
Core members masato, Takeru, and yugi form SuG
November
Drummer MITSURU joins the band
2007
Jan. 12
Band has first ever live show at Narciss in Urawa
Feb. 21
Contributes the song “7th Breeze” to the compilation album Cannonball Vol. 3
Feb. 16
Original bassist Shouta quits the band after a show at Area in Takadanobaba
Feb. 22
New bassist Chiyu joins the band for a show at Area in Takadanobaba
Mar. 16
Band plays at O-East in Shibuya as part of the Tour 2007 Cannonball Vol. 3 Final show
Aug. 1
1st independent single “Scheat” released
Sep. 2
Single “Yumegiwa Downer / Kyogen-heki” released, available only at live shows
Sep. 5
2nd single “Alterna.” released
Dec. 15
SuG Fes 2007 — Alternative Pop Show Vol. 1 held at Area in Takadanobaba
Dec. 19
1st EP I Scream Party released
2008
Jan. 12
dot.0, SuG’s first solo show, held at Rock May Kan in Meguro to mark the band’s first anniversary
Feb. 29
Play first overseas show at the Palladium in Cologne, Germany
Mar. 9
SuG Day!
1st SuG fan appreciation solo show Thank you & Sxxk you held at Area in Takadanobaba
Apr. 13
SuG Fes 2008 — Alternative Pop Show Vol. 2 held at Area in Takadanobaba
May 11
SuG Fes 2008 — Alternative Pop Show Vol. 3: Suugu, Strawberry On The Mikotogahou* held at Area in Takadanobaba
May 14
1st independent full-length album nOiZ stAr released
May 17
Start of the Devil na Konamaiki: 4th Dimension Kiss tour, SuG’s first solo tour (total of four shows)
June 21
SuG Fes 2008 — Alternative Pop Show Vol. 4 presented by PS Company at Area in Takadanobaba
Aug. 26
Dirty Chaos Beauty standing-only solo show presented by PS Company at Liquid Room in Ebisu
Sep. 3
2nd EP Punkitsch released
Dec. 1
Start of the Toriko Rollcaller Geki: tricolor color show standing-only solo tour presented by PS Company (total of nine shows)
Dec. 3
3rd single “Toriko Rollcaller” released
2009
Jan. 12
KillinG U Hardly standing-only solo show held at Liquid Room in Ebisu
Feb. 8
SuG Fes 2009 — Alternative Pop Show Vol. 5 presented by PS Company at Area in Takadanobaba
Feb. 26
1.5G SuG fan appreciation show Thnk you & Sxxk you: Hakata Shucchou Episode presented by PS Company at Drum Son in Fukuoka
Mar. 9
SuG Day!
2nd SuG fan appreciation show Thnk you & Sxxk you Episode presented by PS Company at Area in Takadanobaba
Mar. 28
Takeru appears in the movie Beat Rock * Love
Apr. 15
4th single “39GalaxyZ” released
May 9
***BL <> Rock Party MonstAr*** standing-only solo show presented by PS Company at O-East in Shibuya
Drummer MITSURU quits the band after the show
Aug. 1
Limited-edition DVD ***BL <> Rock Party MonstAr*** released, available only by mail-order
Sep. 3
GuS Day!
SuG fan appreciation show Sxxk you & Thank you held at Area in Takadanobaba
New drummer shinpei joins the band from this show onward
Oct. 14
5th single “life2Die” released
Reaches No. 1 on the Oricon indies chart
Oct. 30
SuG! The 1st Attack in Bangkok: Love Scream Party show held in Bangkok, Thailand
Nov. 18
6th single “P!NK masquerade.” released
Nov. 30
SuG Fes 2009 — Alternative Pop Show Vol. 6 held at Liquid Room in Ebisu
2010
Jan. 12
Start of the SuG 2010 tour The Daybreak Sweet Kiss (total of seven shows)
Jan. 27
1st major-label single “gr8 story” released
Mar. 9
1st major-label album TOKYO MUZiCAL HOTEL released
Mar. 9
Takeru launches fashion brand million $ orchestra
Mar. 9
SuG Day!
3rd SuG fan appreciation show Thank you & Sxxk you & Episode: Suppin Gentei Gig presented by PS Company at O-West in Shibuya
Apr. 13
Start of the SuG 2010 tour TOKYO MUZiCAL HOTEL (total of seven shows including May 9 show at Blitz in Akasaka)
April
Takeru selected as a model for Vantan Design Institute’s yearly advertisements
June 30
2nd major-label single “Koakuma Sparkling” released
July 31
Appears at the Sundown Festival in Singapore
Aug. 25
Live concert DVD SuG Tour 2010 — TOKYO MUZiCAL HOTEL released
Aug. 29
Sparking Hot Shot*: Chakka Seyo!! Daitan Emotion solo show held at C.C. Lemon Hall in Shibuya
Sep. 1
3rd major-label single “R.P.G.: Rockin’ Playing Game” released
Oct. 24
SuG First Taiwan Concert held in Taiwan
Nov. 17
Single “Mujouken Koufukuron” released on DVD
December
Takeru appears on the cover of the magazine Kera
First man to appear on the cover in eight years!
December edition sets a new record for copies printed since the magazine’s inception!
Dec. 14
Crazy “Live” Coaster standing-only solo shows (three performances)
2011
Jan. 12
5th major-label single “Crazy Bunny Coaster” released
Mar. 1
Takeru’s novel TRiP is released for a limited time on Mahou Island, a mobile-phone fiction site
Mar. 9
2nd major-label album Thrill Ride Pirates released
Mar. 9
SuG Day!
4th SuG fan appreciation show Thank you & Sxxk you & Episode: Kaizoku Cosplay Gentei Gig presented by PS Company at O-West in Shibuya
April
Selected as a model for Vantan Design Institute’s yearly advertisements
Apr. 9
Start of the SuG 2011 tour TRiP: Welcome to Thrill Ride Pirates
May 1
Total of ten shows including C.C. Lemon Hall in Shibuya
June 4
Takeru’s first book collection BURU! goes on sale
June 15
6th major-label single “*Gimigimi*” released
Sep. 21
Live concert DVD SuG 2011 Tour — TRiP: Welcome to Thrill Ride Pirates released
October
Takeru appears on the cover of the inaugural edition of Mix, a boys’ fashion magazine
Oct. 26
7th major-label single “Toy Soldier” released
Nov. 13
VIP Pop Show solo show held at NHK Hall
Dec. 10
Start of the 39GalaxyZ Only LiVE ADDICT Vol. 1 tour of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka, limited to 39GalaxyZ fan club members (total of 3 shows)
Dec. 28
TRiP: Welcome to Thrill Ride Pirates 2011 tour travels to Sendai and Fukushima (total of two shows)
2012
Jan. 19
Takeru’s debut novel TRiP goes on sale
Feb. 1
8th major-label single “Fukanzen Beautyfool Days” released
Mar. 9
SuG Day!
Fifth SuG fan appreciation show Thank you & Sxxk you Episode: Seifuku Gentei Gig at O-West in Shibuya
April
Model for Vantan Design Institute’s yearly advertisements
Apr. 15
First exhibition for Takeru’s fashion brand million $ orchestra held at Galley Abydogs in Harajuku
Apr. 19
Takeru selected as a one-day lecturer for Hosei University’s dclass series
Apr. 25
3rd major-label album Lollipop Kingdom released
May 1
Start of the SuG 2012 tour The Lollipop Kingdom Show (first nationwide tour of Zepp live venues, total of five shows)
May 27
Start of The Lollipop Kingdom Show tour in Asia, SuG’s first Asian tour, with four shows total in Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong
June 17
Final show of The Lollipop Kingdom Show tour at Sunplaza in Nakano
July 28
Takeru’s 2nd novel Lollipop Kingdom goes on sale
Sep. 19
9th major-label single “sweeToxic” released
Oct. 8
Band announces they were splitting with their label and would be going on hiatus after the Dec. 29 This iz 0 solo show at Yoyogi National Gymnasium’s Second Hall
Oct. 10
Start of the sweeToxic tour (total of 10 shows including all nationwide Zepp live venues)
Oct. 10
Live concert DVD and Blu-ray SuG 2012 Tour — The Lollipop Kingdom Show released
Oct. 31
Takeru’s book collection BURU 2 goes on sale
Dec. 29
This iz 0 solo show at Yoyogi National Gymnasium is the band’s last live performance before going on hiatus
2013
Mar. 6
Greatest-hits album Best 2010 – 2012 released
Apr. 10
Live concert DVD and Blu-ray This iz 0 released