SPEED are Shimabukuro Hiroko, Imai Eriko, Uehara Takako, and Arakaki Hitoe…
The re-grouping of SPEED has seen a few terrific new releases thus far, this latest one taking fans down an amazing road of nostalgia~. It’s really pure genius on their longtime producer Ijichi Hiromasa’s part to envision such a re-working of Japan’s most successful female pop group through not so much “remixes” but rather re-interpretations for a new generation of SPEED for today’s music generation. SPEED once held Japan’s staggering record sales figures for a female group all time, in their day unprecedented, and all done in just about a three year period~.
All tracks (with the exception of “Ashita no sora” which was released sparking their most recent re-grouping) are featured with all new recordings giving quite dramatic changes to their originals all the while never losing the listener to such re-inventions that would render the songs unrecognizable…..thus keeping their endearment in tact~. No doubt, longtime fans will find themselves falling in love with these classic J-Pop songs all over again and for reference…and for a side by side track comparison to their original song versions you can visit:
~ 「TGIF!」Idol♥’s unzipped on way back Fridays presents SPEED…Once Japan’s most popular female J-Pop group of all time (A Landmark J-Pop Group in Focus, the early years…..) (Volume 56)
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SPEED’s “SPEEDLAND” editions can be ordered here at YesAsia.
SPEED’s “SPEEDLAND” can be ordered here at HMV Japan.
Also most notable are the maturity and the nuance of changes heard in their voices with these new interpretations with their earlier discography of songs such as “Wake Me Up!”, “Body & Soul” and “ALL MY TRUE LOVE” in particular being the best examples~. Hiroko’s voice so piercing at times still holds that flame all the while reflecting such a polished poise and remaining most *remarkable*. Two honorable mention standouts in the re-interpretation sense would have to be the tracks “Wake Me Up!” as well as “Long Way Home” as their new arrangements are perhaps the most dramatically changed on the album~. In all the entire album of works *shines* brightly and each song given a second life is sure to attract today’s generation of J-Pop listeners~.
~Recommended listening~
“White Love”
“Wake Me Up!”
“ALIVE”
“Snow Kiss”
“Body & Soul”
“My Graduation”
“ALL MY TRUE LOVE”
While “SPEEDLAND”‘s 3990 yen price may seem a bit high the *pretty* packaging which includes a beautiful plastic (pictured labeled) outer slip case, the extra DVD with approximately 24 minutes of content as well as the quality of the tracks themselves…make this release so so worth it!!! And first pressings also include a most *beautiful* SPEED poster!! (above)
The bonus DVD includes all newly shot music videos for tracks “Wake Me Up!” and “Nettaiya”, the previously released pv for “Ashita no sora”, making of clips for both “Wake Me Up!” and “Nettaiya”, interviews as well as a cute video as seen through the lense of Eriko as she films fellow members Takako & Hitoe as well as staging a camera attack on a most amusing Hiroko!…plus more extras!
Each first press edition also gives each fan a most *cute* signal strap (right) which you’ll receive in one of four colors which are randomly inserted…..I received *pink*! (*´∀｀*) With two watch sized batteries your cell phone strap which is shaped to resemble a traffic signal light *illuminates*~. ＾ ＾
~Speed “Long Way Home” mp3~
~SPEED “Ashita no sora” mp3~
~SPEED “Body & Soul” mp3~
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~SPEED “Steady” mp3~
~SPEED “Wake me up!” mp3~
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~SPEED “ALIVE” mp3~
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~SPEED “White Love” mp3~
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~SPEED “Snow Kiss” mp3~
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~SPEED “Breakin’ out to the morning” mp3~
~SPEED “Nettaiya” mp3~
~SPEED “All my true love” mp3~
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~SPEED “Precious Time” mp3~
~SPEED “Go! Go! Heaven” mp3~
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~SPEED “my graduation” mp3~
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~SPEED “Wake me up!” (new music video)~
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(Click play!)
And leave it to Avex to present such large budgets and for even two bonus videos on an album here……both shot with *flair* and a full production team behind them~.
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~SPEED “Nettaiya” (new music video)~
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(click play!)
~SPEED “Ashita no sora” (music video)~
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(click play!)
Speed are….Shimabukuro Hiroko, Uehara Takako, Arakaki Hitoe & Imai Eriko.
And from the DVD extra clips~…..
~SPEED “Wake me up!” (music clip making)~
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(click play!)
~SPEED no Warau Yoga Kouza (clip)~
Mmm…the title says it all! =D
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(click play!)
~SPEED “Nettaiya” (music clip making)~
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(click play!)
~SPEED Cameraman Eriko no sutajio tanbou (clip)~
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Exploring the studio via Eriko’s camera view (also known as messing w/ Hiro =D!…most fun!
モーニングBerryz48...the morning after..... "Always wear protection before reading…(^q^)." 
Mesmerizing post.,jalal
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Really a monumental group and monumental part of Japan’s pop culture, thanks for visiting always Jalal =)!
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Excellent post for a most excellent group! Strangely enough, I’ve been listening to SPEED all week. While there are some great songs on Starting Over, at the moment my favourite album is Bridge. Favourite member’s solo album: First Wing. I have the video collection Speed Spirits, and while none of the videos has been remastered, it’s still really enjoyable.
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Eh? Really…what a coincidence!! They sure began with such a bang! right from their beginnings and yes some of their greatest songs are on their debut album for sure. “Bridge” was so special as it was an amazing collaboration between so many talented artists/writers all coming together with SPEED for that project, you probably already know from my “UNZIPPED♥” SPEED post from a short while back but one of my all time faves from SPEED is on “Bridge” as I opened the post with it. U~n Uehara Takako’s first solo album was so well produced and written with such wonderful songs and her videos were great too… “First Wing” was beautifully packaged too, although her later album did come with an actual Takako doll inside which is a first as far as I’ve ever seen. Oh wait….Kinki Kids’ dolls haha….musn’t forget those wacky things!…
https://morningberryz48.wordpress.com/2011/05/14/its-saturday-the-14th-do-you-know-what-your-kinki-dolls-are-up-to/
Still though Uehara Takako’s doll is an actual caricature of her…..Kinki Kids’ dolls still rock though and they’re poseable for some reason lol =P.
It was nice when SPEED at long last released both volumes of their SPEED SPIRITS onto a single DVD package =)….till then I only had my two VHS of volumes 1 & 2 and you know how VHS inevitably will deteriorate so that was a godsend! And getting back to Uehara Takako’s music videos I’ve still only gotten her pv collection on VHS and I’m not even sure if it had ever made it to DVD…?
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I’ve just looked up ‘Spirits Complete’ on Amazon jp. Are those early pas still video quality, or have they been remastered for this? The production of the music itself is phenomenal. You can hear pre-echos of Mai Kuraki, too. For me, the most addictive song on Starting Over is ‘Luv Vibration’. Can never listen it just once.
Love the KinKi Kids dolls! I wonder if anyone has done any stop-frame animation with them?
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Oh, and the award for catchiest song on Bridge has to go to ‘Stars to Shine Again’!
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Haha this comment was supposed to appear second but it’s somehow first here xD…
And “SPEED SONIC GROOVE CLIPS” is on wonderful Bluray!!!
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=AVXD-16325
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I was thinking Kinki Kid doll’s stop motion animation sex*! Kidding =P! And when you really ‘study’ them they’re sort of like Gumby’s cousins in a way.
The notes inside “SPEED SPIRITS COMPLETE” state that the clips have been improved for both sound and picture however it doesn’t mention remastering and on a large HD screen you’ll still see a bit of digital blur and fuzzy-ness but they do appear better and the audio is nice. Plus you get the four member version clips of “Body & Soul” which has a lot of fun candid footage added in for each girl….albeit they’re abridged versions of the song making them a lot shorter.
For “Bridge”….my fave goes to “Kimi to mata aeru hiwo”, “Stars to Shine again” is an incredible song too written by an incredible artist!!
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