Shugo Tokumaru

is a Japanese singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who debuted in May 2004 in America with his album Night Piece. He creates every aspect of his music, including the lyrics, music, arrangements, recording and mixing. He is known for the variety of instruments he uses in his music, using over 100 different traditional and non-traditional instruments in his recordings. Tokumaru is also a member of the Japanese rock band Gellers. Tokumaru's 2010 album Port Entropy was his most commercially successful album in Japan, breaking into the top 40.

Biography

Early years Shugo Tokumaru was born and raised in Tokyo. His first instrument was the piano, which he started between 5–6 years old after seeing a friend playing it. Much later on in junior high school, Tokumaru started playing the electric guitar, originally playing songs only by The Clash. however had not had much of a need to earlier, as the other guitarist of the band was the chief songwriter. The label was impressed with the CD, and wanted to release the demo album just as it was; however, Tokumaru did not like the idea. It was released in Japan in August 2004 through the independent label Compare Notes. Also in 2007, Tokumaru's childhood band Gellers reformed, releasing their debut album and performing at high-profile festivals, such as the Fuji Rock Festival and Borofesta. However, the group went on hiatus in 2008. It was later used again in June 2014 by Sumo Digital in the E3 announcement trailer for LittleBigPlanet 3, and an instrumental version of the song was used as the title music when the game was released on November 18, 2014. In 2010, his fourth album Port Entropy broke into the top 40.

Discography

Original albums

Other albums

Year Album Information OriconAlbumsCharts Label: Our Small Label (OSR-CDR1) (US) Formats: CD ——2009852,800

Singles "Vista" (January 2006, vinyl single) "Sleigh Ride" (November 25, 2009, digital download)

Other appearances "Sleeping Bird (Remixed by Shugo Tokumaru)" (February 2006, Apartment's Apremix album) "Tournament (Remixed by Shugo Tokumaru)" (March 2007, Moools' "Tournament" remix single) (June 2007, various artists album Akairo Elegy Mania, featuring just covers of Morio Agata's song of the same name) "Spiderwoman w/ Shugo Tokumaru" (January 2008, David Fenech's album Polochon Battle) "Micro Guitar Music" (July 2008, various artists Kyokutō Saizensen 2) "With Pail (Shugo Tokumaru Remix)" (July 2008.Tape. remix album .Tape. Repainted) (July 2009, Unicorn URMX) "401 Circuit (Shugo Tokumaru Remix)" (March 2010, I Am Robot and Proud remix album Uphill City Remixes & Collaborations) Vicious Circles Vol 1 (Digital) "Video Killed The Radio Star" (September 2011, Polyvinyl Records's Japan 3.11.11: A Benefit Album) "Confusão / ざわめき" (October 2024, Afonso Cabral's Demorar album) (June 2022, sang by Makoto Tanaka (田中誠人) as Hachiware, ending theme for the Chiikawa anime)