They first debuted in Europe in 1997 with their first single, "4 A Moment of Silence" which received rave reviews from such definitive European music magazines as Melody Maker, which compared their debut impact to those of The Chemical Brothers' and The Prodigy's. The band blends the energy of rock with the meticulousness of electronic music.
In 1998 the band traveled across Europe performing at six major rock festivals and opening for legendary electronic group Underworld. Right after their return to Japan, the band released their debut album OUT LOUD, which was later released in Europe and the USA as well. In 1998 the band embarked on a 3 month American tour with Moby. Their success was followed by releases of the albums UMBRA and PHOTON, released in 2001 and 2002 respectively.
In 2005 and 2006 their fourth album FULL OF ELEVATING PLEASURES was released in Japan and the US. They performed at the M3 Music Convention (Miami Music Multimedia) to further promote the album. In 2006, they released ON which featured the hit singles "KICK IT OUT" and "PILL" featured in Japanese television commercials. Their subsequent performances at the Rock In Japan Festival and SUMMER SONIC '06 attracted such a huge crowd of people that it went over capacity and venue staff were forced to bar the entrance halfway through the performance for safety reasons.
Boom Boom Satellites have had numerous songs featured in soundtracks for films, anime series, and television series. They collaborated with Tahj Mowry and Flo Rida on a new version of "Kick It Out"; the song features the lyrics of Tahj Mowry and Flo Rida while the chorus remains the same as the original, and BBS added a verse of their own different from the original version. A music video was also created for the song's release.
In January 2010, Boom Boom Satellites released their first best album, 19972007. The band released a new full-length album in Japan, To the Loveless, on May 26. In October 2010, the band toured North America beginning with a performance at New York Comic Con (FAR EAST TO EAST SHOWCASE 2010) and including a concert opening for Gary Numan at Nokia Theater (now Best Buy Theater) in Times Square, New York City. They also played at the CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival in New York. A version of 19972007, titled Over and Over, was released in US to coincide with the tour.
Boom Boom Satellites released a live CD/DVD set titled Experienced on February 23, 2011, consisting of their performance at Chiba's Makuhari Messe, the last stop of their Japan Tour 2010 2nd Stage.
In 2016, Boom Boom Satellites were announced to be performing the theme song for Kiznaiver titled "Lay Your Hands on Me". The version used for the anime was released as a single on April 17. A short music video was released on May 23, and it was announced that the full size version of the song would be released digitally on June 1 followed by a physical/digital EP on June 22 featuring 3 other tracks. On the day of the release, Nakano posted on the official website and on social media that the EP for "Lay Your Hands on Me" would be Boom Boom Satellites' final release, as Kawashima's tumors had relapsed for a fourth time and was then partially paralyzed. Despite this, Nakano believes that the "Lay Your Hands on Me" EP should end their career correctly.
A few months after their disbandment, unfortunately, BOOM BOOM SATELLITES's vocalist Michiyuki Kawashima has passed away and Masayuki Nakano left behind a comment in his friend's stead that read as below.
"At 5:12am on October 9th, BOOM BOOM SATELLITES's vocalist Michiyuki Kawashima set off on the next stage of his journey. I imagine he is soaring around the world, finally freed from the restrictions of his body. His passing is not a tragedy, but the achievement of a lifetime goal and a happy ending. The love of our many fans supported Michiyuki Kawashima and BOOM BOOM SATELLITES on their journey, and we are truly happy and lucky because of you. On behalf of Michiyuki Kawashima, I would like to thank all our fans and colleagues again.
"Thank you for supporting us up until now. Live your lives with passion and energy and keep the music we made, the time we spent together, and the memories we shared close to you."
“One more thing, we are BOOM BOOM SATELLITES!!”
Broken Mirror
Boom Boom Satellites Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No one can tear us apart
A look around
You’ll never feel alone
You’re my twin
We never come to terms forever
Who’s gonna take you home
Don’t wanna stay so long
I’ve felt like dying
Don’t wanna stay so long
I’m gonna fix your rules
You better look alive
You’re better off alone
You better back off now
You better back off now
Don’t wanna fall apart
You know I won’t back down
Nobody left to blame
Don’t be afraid
Into the hands of fate
A look around
The other me is you
You’re my queen
What do you think I have to follow
Been waiting for so long
Who’s gonna rise the road
I never knew love till I met you
Who’s gonna rise the road
I’m gonna fix your rules
Nobody hold you down
You’re better off alone you better back off now
You better back off now
Never go back again
You better back off now
Before the sky falls down
Turning into dust and fade away
Just can’t seem to get you out of my brain
The first stanza of Boom Boom Satellites' "Broken Mirror" depicts a strong sense of companionship, with the singer urging the listener not to be afraid because no one can tear them apart. They encourage the listener to look around, to see that they are never alone because they are "twins." Despite their bond, there is a sense of impermanence as the singer declares that they "never come to terms forever" and asks, "Who's gonna take you home?"
In the second stanza, the singer expresses their own struggles, saying that they feel like dying and don't want to stay so long. However, they are determined to fix the rules and make things better. They tell the listener that they're better off alone and should back off now. There is a hint of conflict as the singer repeats the refrain about not wanting to fall apart and not backing down. The stanza ends with the line "nobody left to blame," suggesting that something has gone wrong or that they are holding themselves accountable.
The final stanza portrays a more hopeful tone, with the singer stating that they are "into the hands of fate" and seeing themselves and the listener as reflections of each other. The listener is elevated to the status of "queen," and the singer wonders what they have to follow. They express that they've been waiting for so long and ask "who's gonna rise the road?" before declaring that they never knew love until they met the listener. They repeat the refrain about fixing the rules and assure the listener that nobody will hold them down. The song ends on a surreal note, with the lines "before the sky falls down / turning into dust and fade away / just can't seem to get you out of my brain."
Overall, "Broken Mirror" is a song about the fluidity of relationships and the difficulties that come with it. The lyrics touch on themes of companionship, impermanence, inner turmoil, and hope. The tone of the song is both somber and uplifting, with a sense of determination to make things right.
Line by Line Meaning
Don’t be afraid
Don't let fear control you
No one can tear us apart
Our bond is unbreakable
A look around
Observe your surroundings
You’ll never feel alone
I will always be there for you
You’re my twin
You are my equal and we share a connection
We never come to terms forever
We can never fully agree on everything
Who’s gonna take you home
Who will be there to support you when you need it?
Don’t wanna stay so long
I don't want to linger in this situation
All of my life
Throughout my entire existence
I’ve felt like dying
I have experienced intense emotional pain
Don’t wanna stay so long
I don't want to prolong this suffering
I’m gonna fix your rules
I am going to correct your flawed beliefs
You better look alive
You need to wake up and pay attention to what’s happening
You’re better off alone
You should be on your own
You better back off now
You should retreat from this confrontation
You better back off now
You should retreat from this confrontation
Don’t wanna fall apart
I don't want our relationship to crumble
You know I won’t back down
You know I will not give up easily
Nobody left to blame
There is no one else at fault
Don’t be afraid
Don't let fear control you
Into the hands of fate
Allowing fate to determine the situation's outcome
A look around
Observe your surroundings
The other me is you
We are the same person, just different versions of ourselves
You’re my queen
You are my most important and cherished person
What do you think I have to follow
What direction should I take in life, according to you?
Been waiting for so long
I have been anticipating this moment for a while now
Who’s gonna rise the road
Who will be the one to lead us forward?
I never knew love till I met you
You have shown me a kind of love that I have never experienced before
Who’s gonna rise the road
Who will be the one to lead us forward?
I’m gonna fix your rules
I am going to correct your flawed beliefs
Nobody hold you down
No one should prevent you from achieving your goals
You’re better off alone you better back off now
You should be on your own and retreat from this confrontation
You better back off now
You should retreat from this confrontation
Never go back again
We should not return to our past mistakes
You better back off now
You should retreat from this confrontation
Before the sky falls down
Before it's too late and things get worse
Turning into dust and fade away
Everything comes to an end eventually
Just can’t seem to get you out of my brain
I cannot stop thinking about you
Contributed by Cooper A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.