ARB (Alexander's Ragtime Band) is a Japanese rock band formed in spring, 19… Read Full Bio ↴ARB (Alexander's Ragtime Band) is a Japanese rock band formed in spring, 1977.

Members:
- 石橋凌 (Ryo Ishibashi) - Vocal - (1956.7.20 - Fukuoka Perfecture, Japan)
- 内藤幸也 (Koya Naito) - Guitar - (1961.11.26 - Tokyo, Japan)
- EBI - Bass - (1965.10.2 - Hiroshima Perfecture, Japan)
- KEITH - Drums - (1952.2.6 - Akita Perfecture, Japan)

First members were 石橋凌 (Ishibashi Ryo) - Vocal, 田中一郎 (Tanaka Ichiro) - Guitar, KEITH - Drums, エンマ (Emma) - Keyboard, 宮城伸一郎 (Miyagi Shinichiro) - Bass. They debuted 1978. with single 「野良犬」.
In 1979, went out new single in April 25 「ワイルド・ローティーン・ガール」 (Wild teen Girl), and soon after on May 25, ARB's 1st album 「A.R.B」. On October, Emma and Miyagi Shinichiro left band at the same time to become independent of the agency Shinko Music.
1979.12.20, as three member band they released single 「魂こがして」.
In 1980, 野中良浩 (Yoshihiro Nonaka) is joining band as the Bass. On May 21, same year, band released 2nd album 「BAD NEWS」. Already next year the band went with 2 full Albums, in March 21 - 3rd album 「BOYS & GIRLS」, and in November 21 - 4th album 「指を鳴らせ!/Snap Your Fingers」.
On 21 June 1982, came out 5th album 「W」 and release of album followed LIVE tour "LIVE! CRAZY! LOVE TOUR" when they toured cities Yokohama, Urawa, Mishima, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Hiroshima, Osaka, Tokyo, Sapporo.
ARB did many LIVE performances in 1983, and on April 21 they released 6th album 「トラブル中毒」(trouble poisoning). The same year in September, guitarist Tanaka quits the band. He was quickly replaced with guitarist 斉藤光浩 (Mitsuhiro Saito) from BOW WOW. In 1984, Yoshihiro quits the band. As the short replacement for Bass, Jean-Jacques Burnel from The Stranglers, joined the band when he visited Japan.
In May 1984, 岡部滋 (Okabe Shigeru) joins as the Bass, on Septembre went out 7th album 「YELLOW BLOOD」 and they did album follow up tour 'YELLOW BLOOD TOUR''. Next year om October, ARB released 8th album 「砂丘1945年」.
In June 1986, after the concert in Hyogo Gymnasium, guitarist Saito leaves the band. After one month came replacement from solo guitarist 白浜久 (Shirahama Hisashi) who joined ARB. In November 21, 9th album is released 「ONE and ONLY DREAMs」.
On 21 June 1987, quickly came out ARB's 10th album 「ROCK OVER JAPAN」, and after album release In October, Shigeru withdraws from the band, and as support Bass in December joins 浅田孟 (Asada Takeshi) previous member of Sheena & the Rokkets.
On 21 June 1988, ARB released 11th album 「PAPERS BED」. They did big tour around Japan in July, named "SWEAT, HEART&BRAIN TOUR". Soon, next year, 1989.11.8, came 12th album 「SYMPATHY」. In 1990, the band did long tour "LOVE THE LIVE '90 TOUR", where they announced hiatus, and soon after in October they released Best Album 「BALLADS AND WORK SONGS」. On December 28, ARB released Best live album 「RED BOX / ARB LIVE(1980-1990)」.
1991.1.21 came out VIDEO "THE LONGEST TOUR" release of their LIVE tour from 1990, and in June 「BLACK X'mas-ARB SECRET SINGLES」 release.
On 1993.11.21. went release「DAYS OF A.R.B. Vol.3 (1986-1990)」.
ARB came back to celebrate anniversary in 1997.7.24 at Nippon Budokan "LOFT 20th ANNIVERSARY ROCK OF AGES" (only as original members Ryo Ishibashi · KEITH).

ARB announced their comeback in January 1998, with 2 new members: EBI -Bass- and 内藤幸也 (Koya Naito) -Guitar- along with original members Ishibashi and KEITH, what stayed as current line-up.
In February 21, they are officially back with release Resurrection first bullet maxi single 「TOKYO OUTSIDER」, which follows release of 13th Album 「REAL LIFE」 on March 21, and a tour "REAL LIFE TOUR '98".
In August 1999, ARB went with 14th album 「EL DORADO」 and promo-album tour. KEITH released 1st Solo Album 「親孝行」 in November, 2000. On the same year ARB made compilation album 「武道館LIVE～1999.1.24Days of ARB～」.
2001 on June 13, came out band's 15th album 「HARD-BOILED CITY」 with the following tour.
For their 25th anniversary ARB did tour starting in October 2003, "ARB 25th Anniversary LIVE CIRCUIT IN TOHOKU", and 16th album 「KAZA-BANA」 was released on 17 December.
On 2004, ARB released new Best of Album, 「LOCUS 1998-2004 ARB LIVE BEST」.
In February 2005, new Single 「荒鷲のうた」 went out. Soon each member became more occupied with their solo projects and other bands.
After 2006, ARB went inactive.

Official website: http://www.arb-tamashii.com/
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BAD NEWS
ARB Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

黒い予感が近づいてくる
靴を響かせ砂煙り立て
悪い夢が続くと思ってた
やけに激しく風が吹き荒れた
陽がのぼり陽が沈む
静かだった日々が消える
お前想う夜があるけど
サーチライトがつけ狙う

あちこちでクーデターが起こり出す
あちこちでクーデターが起こり出す
だろうだろう

あの映画館もディスコティックも
土曜日だけど灯が消えたまま
テレビラジオは臨時ニュースONLY
流行の歌も流れてはこない
いつか見た映画の様に
しのび逢う奴ばかりで
もう誰も誰一人とて
声を上げて笑わない
一瞬に何もかも吹き飛ばす
一瞬に何もかも吹き飛ばす
らしいらしいらしい

あちこちでクーデターが起こり出す
あちこちであちこちで起こり出す
だろうだろう

あちこちであちこちで起こり出す
この町も戒厳令しかれ出す
一瞬に何もかも吹き飛ばす
あちこちでクーデターが起こり出す

だろうらしい
だろうらしい

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of ARB's song "Bad News" describe a feeling of impending danger and chaos. The singer describes how they hear the sound of their own footsteps causing clouds of dust to form, and how they had thought that their bad dreams would continue. Suddenly, a violent wind starts blowing, and the quiet days disappear. Although there are nights when the singer thinks about their loved one, they are overshadowed by the searchlights that strike and aim at them. In various parts of the city, coups begin to occur, and the movie theaters and discotheques remain closed on Saturday nights. The TV and radio only broadcast emergency news, and popular songs are no longer played. People who meet each other cautiously and quietly, reminiscing about the movies they once saw. No one raises their voice or laughs.

The singer then repeats the line "coups begin to occur here and there." The town is under martial law, and everything, in a blink of an eye, is blown away. The song evokes feelings of insecurity, vulnerability, and uncertainty in the face of an uncertain and potentially violent future.

Line by Line Meaning

黒い予感が近づいてくる
A foreboding feeling is approaching.

靴を響かせ砂煙り立て
My shoes echo and stir up sand.

悪い夢が続くと思ってた
I thought the bad dreams would continue.

やけに激しく風が吹き荒れた
The wind blows fiercely.

陽がのぼり陽が沈む
The sun rises and sets.

静かだった日々が消える
The quiet days fade away.

お前想う夜があるけど
I have nights where I think of you.

サーチライトがつけ狙う
The searchlights are targeting me.

あちこちでクーデターが起こり出す
Coups are happening here and there.

だろうだろう
It seems like it.

あの映画館もディスコティックも
The movie theater and discotheque.