World's End Girlfriend

Katsuhiko Maeda (前田 勝彦, Maeda Katsuhiko, born 1 November 1975), better known by his stage name World's End Girlfriend, is a Japanese musician from Gotō Islands, Nagasaki Prefecture.[1] He is the founder of the record label Virgin Babylon Records.[2]

World's End Girlfriend
Birth name前田 勝彦
Also known as
  • World's End Boyfriend
  • Wonderland Falling Yesterday
Born (1975-11-01) 1 November 1975 (age 49)
Gotō Islands, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan
Genres
OccupationRecord producer
Years active2000–present
Labels

Biography

edit

Katsuhiko Maeda was born on 1 November 1975 in Gotō Islands, Nagasaki Prefecture.[1] At the age of 10, he started making music.[1]

His debut studio album, Ending Story, was released in 2000.[3] It was followed by Farewell Kingdom (2001).[4] In 2005, he released a collaborative album with Mono, titled Palmless Prayer / Mass Murder Refrain.[5] In February 2007, American webzine Somewhere Cold voted Palmless Prayer / Mass Murder Refrain No. 7 on their 2006 Somewhere Cold Awards Hall of Fame.[6]

He released Hurtbreak Wonderland in 2007,[7] Seven Idiots in 2010,[8] and Last Waltz in 2016.[9]

He has also written the score for films such as Air Doll[10] and Starry Starry Night.[11]

Discography

edit

Studio albums

edit
  • Ending Story (2000)
  • Farewell Kingdom (2001)
  • Dream's End Come True (2002)
  • Enchanted Landscape Escape (2002) (as Wonderland Falling Yesterday)
  • The Lie Lay Land (2005)
  • Palmless Prayer / Mass Murder Refrain (2005) (with Mono)
  • Hurtbreak Wonderland (2007)
  • Seven Idiots (2010)
  • Voices of Days Past (2015) (with Vampillia)
  • Last Waltz (2016)
  • Resistance & the Blessing (2023)

Soundtrack albums

edit

Compilation albums

edit
  • Last Waltz Remix (2017)

Live albums

edit
  • Song to the Siren: Live 3.11 (2015)
  • Live/10/10/2015 (2016)
  • Last Waltz in Tokyo (2018)
  • Sky Short Story (2000)
  • Division One (2010)
  • Division Two (2010)
  • Other Voices (2010)
  • I Know You (2012)
  • Story Telling Again and Again (2012)
  • Yudechang (2013) (with Bool)
  • Girls/Boys Song (2014)
  • Requiem EP (2017) (with Daisuke Kashiwa)
  • Meguri (2018)

Singles

edit
  • "Xmas Song" (2001) (as World's End Boyfriend)
  • "Halfmoon Girl" (2001) (split with Cinq)
  • "Kimi o Nosete: Nausicaa Requiem" (2007) (split with Special Others)
  • "Boy" (2017)
  • "Eve" (2019) (with Smany)
  • "Rendering the Soul" (2019)
  • "Re-Rendering the Soul (Yaporigami Remix)" (2020)
  • "In the Name of Love" (2021)
  • "Black Box Fake Fact" (2022) (with CRZKNY)

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "world's end girlfriend、6年ぶりとなるフル・アルバム『LAST WALTZ』その表現の核心に迫る". Ototoy (in Japanese). 26 November 2016. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  2. ^ Michel, Patrick St. (22 May 2016). "Katsuhiko Maeda builds a diverse musical arsenal at Virgin Babylon Records". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 22 June 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  3. ^ "world's end girlfriend、幻の1stアルバムが新装盤で復刻". Natalie (in Japanese). 7 June 2011. Archived from the original on 21 October 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  4. ^ "衝撃的な災害や事件を前に、音楽は? world's end girlfriendに訊く (page 1 of 3)". Cinra.net (in Japanese). 25 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  5. ^ "MONO×world's end girlfriendのコラボ作完成!". CD Journal (in Japanese). 10 November 2005. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  6. ^ Lamoreaux, Jason T. (7 February 2007). "2006 Somewhere Cold Awards". Somewhere Cold. Archived from the original on 22 May 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  7. ^ Mineo, Mike (6 July 2007). "Worlds End Girlfriend: Hurtbreak Wonderland". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  8. ^ "world's end girlfriend、破壊と構築の3年半ぶりアルバム". Natalie (in Japanese). 4 July 2010. Archived from the original on 14 July 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  9. ^ "world's end girlfriend、"存在そのものの強さと美で見せる"トレイラーに日南響子". Natalie (in Japanese). 6 October 2016. Archived from the original on 8 October 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  10. ^ "wegがカンヌ正式出品作「空気人形」の映画音楽を制作". Natalie (in Japanese). 27 June 2009. Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  11. ^ "world's end girlfriend×湯川潮音が台湾映画の音楽制作". Natalie (in Japanese). 26 October 2011. Archived from the original on 27 October 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
edit