In 1998, Riki Kinoshita moved from Osaka to Tokyo to start a solo career an… Read Full Bio ↴In 1998, Riki Kinoshita moved from Osaka to Tokyo to start a solo career and after the release of his first and sold out mini-album, TEENAGE LAST in 1999, he decided to start the band ART-SCHOOL in March 2000, with his support musicians at that time Hinata (bass), Sakurai (drums) and later Oyama (guitar).

The same month, they gave a concert in the Shimokitazawa Shelter. Their first mini album SONIC DEAD KIDS was released on September 8th, followed by their single-tape and two other releases the following year.

Together with the band Straightener they released a split-cassette on March 6th, 2002, which has been long sold out since its release. The band's success continued into summer for two main reasons; first because of their appearance at the Fuji Rock Festival and second because of their contract with the major label Toshiba EMI. ART-SCHOOL released a new single that October and their first full-length album, REQUIEM FOR INNOCENCE, the following November.

Their first nationwide tour took place in January 2003, with the gig in the Shibuya Club Quattro being sold out on the first day. EVIL, their second major single, was released in April and again they were part of a big Japanese rock festival, the Japan Circuit in June. The following tour left a great impression and ensured the band's future success. The year continued with more releases and, unfortunately, ended with Oyama and Hinata leaving the band in December.

2004 began with the release of their first live album BOYS DON'T CRY in March. The support musicians Masafumi Todaka (guitar) and Takeshi Uno (bass) became official band members and would become a big influence on Art-School's future musical progress. To celebrate this new formation, they gave a free concert in the Shibuya O-East, which was attended by 10,000 people.

Their following releases were successful as well and made it possible for them to play at several festivals and events. They changed their label to Pony Records in the middle of the year, published a new mini-album and spent some time in Glasgow, Scottland to record their third full-studio album PARADISE LOST. The following PARADISE LOST TOUR 2005 provided enough material for their fist live DVD, sleep flowers, which was released in December 2005.

ART-SCHOOL continued to go strong from 2006 to 2007 with the release of two singles and two albums. Along with their releases, they kept themselves busy with various live shows and ended 2007 with a coupling tour with OGRE YOU ASSHOLE.

As for 2008, ART-SCHOOL released ILLMATIC BABY, a new mini-album which was produced by Yutaka Furukawa of DOPING PANDA. ART-SCHOOL then embarked on a tour with DOPING PANDA, OGRE YOU ASSHOLE, the telephones, THE NOVEMBERS, UNCHAIN and VOLA & THE ORIENTAL MACHINE as guests.

In April of 2009, Yuichi Sakurai (Drums) announced that he is leaving the band to form his own. ART-SCHOOL's last show with Sakurai was on the 8th May 2009 at the Chiba LOOK Livehouse.

ART-SCHOOL have since released two more albums, 2009's full-length 14SOULS and 2010's mini-album Anesthesia.

Takeshi Uno (Bass) and Hiroyuki Suzuki (Drums) left the band in December 2011 and started other projects.
Then On May 21st, the band held a free live, ‘DAY OF THE DEAD‘, at Shibuya CLUB QUATTRO with their new support members, bassist Nakao Kentaro (from Crypt City) and drummer Fujita Isamu (from MO'SOME TONEBENDER).

In August 2012 they released a new album called "BABY ACID BABY" under Ki/oon (means sony.jp)
and continue in March 2013 they released a mini album called "The Alchemist"

Members:
Riki Kinoshita (木下理樹) － vocals/guitars
Masafumi Todaka (戸高賢史) － guitars

flowers
ART-SCHOOL Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

明日も俺呼吸してるか
なんて知らない
失くした物冬の朝の君の体温
人間じゃねぇ
犬みたいに這って生きる
でも歌う以外に何かできるなんて
青になって I wanna singing
犬になって I wanna singing

恵みの雨真っ黒な血
空っぽのゴム
貴方がただ飲み干すかななんて
青になって I wanna singing
犬になって I wanna singing
空っぽの君でいいさ
そのままの君のままで
l wanna singing

明日も俺呼吸してるか
なんて知らない
人間じゃねぇ
犬みたいに這って生きる
青になって I wanna singing
犬になって I wanna singing
青になって I wanna singing
犬になって I wanna singing
空っぽの君でいいさ
そのままの君のままで

俺は俺で君は君だ
俺は俺で

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to ART-SCHOOL's song "FLOWERS" are contemplative and introspective. They express a sense of detachment from life and existential uncertainty. The vocalist questions whether he will be breathing tomorrow, indicating a lack of control over his own existence. He compares himself to a dog, crawling through life but finding solace in singing. The imagery of loss and winter adds a feeling of desolation and coldness.

The chorus, "青になって I wanna singing 犬になって I wanna singing," translates to "I wanna sing blue, I wanna sing as a dog." The color blue can represent sadness or melancholy, and the desire to sing as a dog could symbolize a longing for simplicity and instinctuality. The last line, "俺は俺で君は君だ," means "I am me and you are you," signifying a separation between the self and others.

Overall, the lyrics to "FLOWERS" evoke a sense of longing for connection and meaning in life, while acknowledging the transience and vulnerability of existence.

Line by Line Meaning

???? ??????
I don't know if I'll be breathing tomorrow

???????
I have no idea

????? ????????
The warmth of you on a cold winter morning is what I've lost

??????
I'm not even human

???????????
I crawl through life like a dog

??????? ????????
But other than singing, I can't do anything

???? ?????
Blessed rain, black blood

??????
An empty rubber

????? ?????? ???
Do you just want to drink it all up?

????? I wanna singing
I want to sing until I'm blue in the face

????? I wanna singing
I want to sing like a dog