Their first major label release, wonder style, was released in 1995, and produced in London, United Kingdom, by Chris Brown, who previously engineered albums and tracks for Radiohead and Pink Floyd. Their breakthrough album, however, was 1998's Gear Blues which sold more than 500,000 copies, a huge number in the Japanese recording industry. Gear Blues was released in the United States in 2000 by Alive Records, but the band's success in that country never reached the level that they had in Japan, although they had moderate success in Europe. With the release of Gear Blues, the band stopped using lowercase letters in their name, and became known as THEE MICHELLE GUN ELEPHANT, with capitalized letters. The band announced that they would break up on October 11, 2003, after their Last Heaven tour of Japan.
After breaking up, the members have all continued activities in other bands. Chiba Yusuke recorded two albums and several smaller releases while in ROSSO, and has participated in projects of smaller scale, such as Midnight Bankrobbers, RAVEN and THE MIDWEST VIKINGS. In 2006, he and drummer Kuhara Kazuyuki got together again and formed The Birthday. As for the other TMGE members, bassist Ueno Koji was part of the three-piece rock band Radio Caroline for several years before suspending activities in 2009, and helped record the HIATUS' album Trash We'd Love. While not as active after the breakup as some of the other members, guitarist Abe Futoshi has among other things appeared in a band called KOOLOGI.
On July 22nd, 2009, it was announced on the band's official homepage that Abe Futoshi had passed away due to an acute epidural hematoma, a condition often caused by a blow to the side of the head. Abe was 43 years old.
Members:
Chiba Yusuke (チバユウスケ) – Vocal, guitar
Abe Futoshi (アベフトシ) – Guitar
Ueno Koji (ウエノコウジ) – Bass
Kuhara Kazuyuki (クハラカズユキ) – Drums
Official Webpages:
http://www.rockin-blues.com/
http://www.universal-music.co.jp/tmge/
http://columbia.jp/~michelle/
赤毛のケリー
Thee Michelle Gun Elephant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
焼かれた森の運命を知った
赤毛のケリー
針の錆びている 欠けたブローチには
月から来た石とだけ書かれていた
太陽と道が溶け合う場所の
あの娘描くのは そこに住む魚
タツノオトシゴ アザラシの悲鳴
赤毛のケリー
あの娘描くのは 底に住む魚
タツノオトシゴ アザラシの悲鳴
ケリーの赤毛が西風に浮かぶ
湖の化粧して月の石をつける
ウインカーの出ない車には
ラムのブランケットが一枚まるまっている
あの娘描くのは 砂漠に降る雪
ゆらいで光る オアシス・アイス
赤毛のケリー
あの娘描くのは 砂漠に降る雪
ゆらいで光る オアシス・アイス
The lyrics to “赤毛のケリー” by Thee Michelle Gun Elephant paint a vivid picture of the title character, an enigmatic figure who seems to exist outside of time and space, observing the world with detached curiosity. The opening lines describe a city made of buffalo horns, where Kelley learned of the fate of a burnt forest. From there, the lyrics hop around to various scenes – a rusted pin with a cryptic message, a frozen sea, a girl drawing fish and sea creatures, Kelley’s red hair blowing in the west wind, and a car with a ram’s blanket – all of which seem to be separate snapshots of the same surreal universe.
One of the key themes in the lyrics is the presence of nature in human constructs – from the burnt forest to the frozen sea – and the way that it can be both beautiful and destructive. The girl drawing fish and seals is another example of nature crossing over into human experience, as well as a nod to the mysteriousness of Kelley herself. Ultimately, the lyrics paint a picture of Kelley as a wild, unpredictable force, whose presence evokes both awe and fear.
Interestingly, the lyrics to “赤毛のケリー” are entirely in Japanese, which may make it more challenging for non-Japanese speakers to fully appreciate the nuances of the song. Nevertheless, the poetic imagery and haunting melody make it a standout track from Thee Michelle Gun Elephant’s catalog.
Line by Line Meaning
水牛の角でつくられた街で
In a city made of buffalo horns
焼かれた森の運命を知った
I learned the fate of the burned forest
赤毛のケリー
Red-haired Kelly
針の錆びている 欠けたブローチには
On a rusty needle and a broken brooch
月から来た石とだけ書かれていた
Only the words 'a stone from the moon' were written
太陽と道が溶け合う場所の
In the place where the sun and the road melt together
先に広がるのは 凍りついた海
What lies ahead is a frozen sea
あの娘描くのは そこに住む魚
That girl draws the fish that live there
タツノオトシゴ アザラシの悲鳴
The screams of tadpole shrimp and seals
赤毛のケリー
Red-haired Kelly
あの娘描くのは 底に住む魚
That girl draws the fish that live in the depths
タツノオトシゴ アザラシの悲鳴
The screams of tadpole shrimp and seals
ケリーの赤毛が西風に浮かぶ
Kelly's red hair floats in the west wind
湖の化粧して月の石をつける
Decorates the lake and wears a moon stone
ウインカーの出ない車には
On a car without blinkers
ラムのブランケットが一枚まるまっている
A blanket made of lamb's wool is wrapped around
あの娘描くのは 砂漠に降る雪
That girl draws the snow that falls in the desert
ゆらいで光る オアシス・アイス
Shimmering oasis ice
赤毛のケリー
Red-haired Kelly
あの娘描くのは 砂漠に降る雪
That girl draws the snow that falls in the desert
ゆらいで光る オアシス・アイス
Shimmering oasis ice
Contributed by Christopher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-qb1cj1wv1t
今日も聴きにきた。
安らかに眠ってくれ。
@user-iq9wh4qt8n
星に成った二人の偉大なロックスター、奇跡の4人。素晴らしく美しいメロディー、、永遠に残る。
@user-ew6gx4ni6s
悲しいです。あなたは永遠に私のヒーローです。ありがとう。
@user-se1fz5to6s
チバさんの訃報を今このコメント欄で知った、
青い春だったかな、でこの曲を聞いて衝撃を受けてBOOK・OFFでベストアルバムも買った、
今聞いても唯一無二感がすごい、かっこよすぎ！
ご冥福をお祈りします。
@zepperin4
こんなかっこいいことあるかよ・
ミシェルガンエレファント最高なのです。
ゆっくりしてください。
@ishidax2006
当時まだ10代で、赤毛のケリーが入ったアルバムを買った同時期に親父が亡くなって、毎日爆音で聞きまくって気を紛らわしてました。
当時貧弱な自分でしたが、あなたの曲に支えられてました。
チバさん、本当にありがとうございました。
@user-me7ge6pf9o
この曲のＭＶで、メンバー達がスーツ姿で歩いてるシーンが。
まるで、Ｖシネマに登場するチンピラか悪徳ホストみたい。(笑)
@user-vs6ow8nu4m
なんか久しぶりにpv見て泣いた。あらためて、ありがとうございました。
@rubytuesday820
この曲、、すごく良いよね。才能あるrockerでした。
チバユウスケさん、ありがとうございました。
@user-rf8hx5qm3w
ありがとう。
シンプルなのに複雑でカッコいい唯一無二のバンドでした。