Boom Boom Satellites are an electronic duo formed in Japan in 1990, and had… Read Full Bio ↴Boom Boom Satellites are an electronic duo formed in Japan in 1990, and had disbanded in 2016. The band is made up of bassist/programmer Masayuki Nakano and guitarist/vocalist Michiyuki Kawashima. They also have a support member, Yoko Fukuda, who plays drums at live performances.

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!!”

Complicated
Boom Boom Satellites Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sunny side is up
the fight is over
What if I lost it?
I would try again
Funny how the glow
just makes you colder
What if it rains?
I wanna slide away

Always on my mind
Every time I breath
Always on my mind
Every step you take
Always on my mind
Every word you say
Always on my mind
Get so complicated
No way
Get so complicated
No way
Get so complicated
No way
Get so complicated
No way
Get so complicated
No way
Get so complicated
No way
Going nowhere
and I've been thinking
Why am I flying or am I falling
We're going nowhere
I'm always with you
I'm holding your hands
Just close your bright eyes
Close your bright eyes

Sunny side is up
the fight is over
What if I lost it?
I would try again
Funny how the glow
just makes you colder
What if it rains?
I wanna slide away
Always on my mind
Every time I breath
Always on my mind
Every step you take
Always on my mind
Every word you say
Always on my mind
Get so complicated
No way
Get so complicated
No way
Get so complicated
No way
Get so complicated
No way
Get so complicated
No way

Get so complicated
No way

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Boom Boom Satellites' "Complicated" are open to interpretation, but at the core of the song seems to be a reflection on a complicated relationship. The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the song with the singer expressing a desire to move on from the conflict- "Sunny side is up/ the fight is over/ What if I lost it?/ I would try again." However, there is still a feeling of being trapped in the situation- "No way/ Going nowhere/ and I've been thinking/ Why am I flying or am I falling/ We're going nowhere." The second stanza suggests that the relationship in question is one that the singer can't escape from- "I'm always with you/ I'm holding your hands/ Just close your bright eyes/ Close your bright eyes." The chorus repeats the phrase "Always on my mind" several times, followed by "Get so complicated/ No way," which could be interpreted as frustration with the never-ending cycle of smoothing things over and then having conflict again.

On a surface level, the song's lyrics can be seen as a reflection on a failing romantic relationship. However, the ambiguity of the lyrics opens it up to interpretation as a commentary on other struggles, such as addiction or mental health. The repetitiveness of the chorus highlights the cyclical nature of these struggles, whether it be the cycle of addiction or the cycle of emotional ups and downs in a relationship. The trippy, electronic instrumentals of the song add to the overall sense of disorientation and feeling trapped.

Line by Line Meaning

Sunny side is up
Things seem to be going well

the fight is over
There's no more conflict or struggle to endure

What if I lost it?
What if I failed or lost my way?

I would try again
I would never give up, and keep trying until I succeed

Funny how the glow
It's interesting how something that seems bright and positive can actually make you feel cold and disconnected

just makes you colder
It can actually have a negative effect on you

What if it rains?
What if things are difficult or unpleasant?

I wanna slide away
I want to escape, to not be in the midst of challenges or uncomfortable situations

Always on my mind
You're constantly in my thoughts

Every time I breath
I think about you with every breath I take

Every step you take
I'm aware of every move you make