P-Model (also typeset as P-MODEL and P. Model) was a Japanese electronic rock band started in 1979 by members of the defunct progressive rock band Mandrake. The band has experienced many lineup revisions over the years but frontman Susumu Hirasawa was always at the helm of operations. P-Model officially disbanded in 2000, although many of its members continue to release solo albums and collaborate with each other on different projects.
Hirasawa has since released work under the name "Kaku P-Model" (核P-Model, lit.'nucleus of P-Model'), effectively a solo revival of the band.
Yoshikazu Takahashi (高橋 芳一) – Systems (23 January 1986 – 27 September 1987)
Hikaru Kotobuki (ことぶき 光) – keyboard, synthesizer, vocals, Compact Macintosh, programming (1 November 1987 – 28 December 1988; 23 September 1991 – 11 October 1993)
Yasuchika Fujii (藤井 康親) – electronic drums, cymbals (23 September 1991 – 11 October 1993)
Hajime Fukuma [ja] (福間 創) – System-1 (1 December 1994 – 20 December 2000; 11 – 14 January 2014 KAKU P-MODEL guest appearance)
Kenji Konishi (小西 健司) – System-2, bass (1 December 1994 – 20 December 2000)
Wataru Kamiryo [ja] (上領 亘) – AlgoRhythm (1 December 1994 – 15 May 1997)
Tainaco – Virtual drums (21 October 1997 – 20 December 2000)
Amiga program operated through MIDI signals; three types, 1, 2 and E (enhanced) were created. CG model based on drummer Sadatoshi Tainaka, later replaced with photos of Tainaka. Never reappeared after 2000.
Live Video "Music Industrial Wastes〜P-Model or Die", 2000
Music Videos
All videos from the Great Brain to Harm Harmonizer were directed by Yuichi "You1" Hirasawa (Susumu's brother). "Fu-Ru-He-He-He", "2D or Not 2D" and "Grid" were included in "Bitmap 1979–1992"; "Monotone Grid" was included in "Phton-3"; "http" was included in "Rocket Shoot"; "Logic Airforce" was included in "Live Video Music Industrial Wastes〜P-Model or Die".
"The Great Brain", 1979
"I Am Your Only Model", 1980
"different≠another", 1981
"potpourri", 1981
"natural", 1981
"disgusting telephone", 1981
"Heaven", 1982
"Perspective", 1982
"Be in a Fix", 1982
"Hoka No Keikaku", 1983
"Echoes", 1983
"Fu-Ru-He-He-He", 1983
"Atom-Siberia", 1984
"Harm Harmonize"r, 1984
"Karkador", 1986
"Another Day", 1986
"2D or Not 2D", 1992
"Grid", 1992
Monotone Grid", 1994
Power to Dream", 1995
"http", 1996
"Ashura Clock (Discommunicator)", 1997
"Logic Airforce", 1999
Legacy
P-Model, as well Susumu Hirasawa through his solo career, have been influential both on musicians, as well as on artists that work on other mediums, with a reputation for having many fans in the manga and anime industries.[1] Their creative collaborators (and even 6 of the band's members) often started out as big fans of and directly influenced by their work: BerserkmangakaKentaro Miura has found that listening to Hirasawa's songs has helped him regain focus on the themes of his writing multiple times,[2] mangaka/anime director Satoshi Kon wrote that Hirasawa's work was "a source of imagination and creativity for me" over the last 20 years of his life,[3] film director Daihachi Yoshida considers Hirasawa as the creator of "about half of my way of thinking".[4]
Beyond associates, P-Model and/or Hirasawa have been cited as influences by musicians such as Fukusuke [ja] of Metronome,[5]Hiroyuki Hayashi of Polysics,[6]Daoko[7] (whose song "Welcome to the Parade", from 2012's HyperGirl: Mukōgawa no Onna no Ko, was directly influenced by Hirasawa's worldview[8]), Toby Driver of Kayo Dot (who claims the album Plastic House on Base of Sky was an attempt to "make [his] version of [Hirasawa's] music")[9] and Kenshi Yonezu (who has said that a Hirasawa song "changed [his] life").[10]
The five main characters of the K-On! franchise (Yui Hirasawa, Mio Akiyama, Ritsu Tainaka, Tsumugi Kotobuki and Azusa Nakano) are in a band, share the surnames of late '80s P-Model members and play their respective primary instrument (save for Nakano).[22][23] All referenced members who are still active have acknowledged the connection.[24][25][26][27][28][29][30] Besides that, P-Model references can also be found on the manga The Sorrow of a Perfectly Healthy Girl[31][32] and Opus;[33] as well the anime Sailor Moon, Perfect Blue,[34]BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad and Space Dandy. In the world of theatre, musician/playwright Keralino Sandorovich [ja] named 2 of his stage plays (Frozen Beach [ja] and Blue Cross) after P-Model songs and 1 (Haldyn Hotel) after a Hirasawa solo song.
References
Citations
^Kon, Satoshi (November 1998). "救済の技法" [Technique of Relief]. Recommendation. Kon's Tone. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
^Shibasaki, Ko (16 February 2020). "神様平沢進様". Ko Shibasaki 柴咲コウ (@ko_shibasaki). Archived from the original on 17 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020 – via Twitter.
^Yotsumoto, Toshimi (7 June 2009). "なぜ我々は「けいおん!」に萌えてしまうのか?" [Why are We so Moe for K-On!?]. テレビを捨てよ、動画サイトを観よう [Throw Away Your TV, and Let's Watch Video Sites] (#6). ASCII.jp. ASCII Media Works. p. 1.
^Maname (4 November 2009). "Twitter「平沢唯じゃない」でも1万人がフォロー" [Twitter - "I'm Not Yui Hirasawa", but 10,000 People Still Follow]. 週刊Twitterなう! [Weekly Twitter Now!] (#17). ASCII.jp. ASCII Media Works.
^Yotsumoto, Toshimi (16 December 2009). "ソロデビュー20周年記念・平沢進ロングインタビュー【前編】「私は平沢進だぞ。平沢唯じゃない」 本人に聞いてみた" [Solo Debut 20th Anniversary Susumu Hirasawa Long Interview [Part 1] We Asked the Man Himself about "I am Susumu Hirasawa. Not Yui Hirasawa"]. ミュージック・ギークス！ [Music Gigs!] (#10). ASCII.jp. ASCII Media Works. p. 5.
^Akiyama, Katsuhiko (12 July 2010). "「けいおん」グッズ！" [K-On Goods!]. 秋山勝彦の宅録日記 [Katsuhiko Akiyama's Home Recording Diary] – via Yahoo! Japan Blog.
^Akiyama, Katsuhiko (24 July 2010). "「けいおん」で想い出した事" [Things K-On Made Me Remember]. 秋山勝彦の宅録日記 [Katsuhiko Akiyama's Home Recording Diary] – via Yahoo! Japan Blog.
^fake rev.歯堅ゑ儀 [Dental Firmness Ceremony] (Plaque inside temporary art installation venue Planis Hall). JR Tower Art Planets 2016 北海道新幹線開業記念「夢・つなぐ風景」 [Hokkaido Shinkansen Opening Commemoration Memorial: "The Dream — Connected Landscapes"]. Sapporo Station General Development. 2–24 July 2016.
