The band got together in 2000 when 浅井健一 (Kenichi Asai), vocalist-guitarist with Kansai-based rock trio BLANKEY JET CITY, suggested to female vocalist UA that they collaborate on a new musical project. Asai was looking for something new to do, given that BJC was scheduled to break up at the end of 2000, and UA – who’s the type of artist that’s always looking for new musical challenges – agreed. Asai and UA had already worked together - he wrote the beautiful ballad ストロベリータイム (Strawberry Time) for her (that song appeared on UA’s 1999 album, turbo. Asai and UA then recruited Tokie, bassist with rock-rap trio RIZE, and drummer 椎野恭一 (Kyoichi Shino), who had also previously worked with UA.
Unlike many other supergroups, AJICO possessed an organic unity that made it much more than the sum of its parts, although UA’s distinct voice was easily the band’s most identifiable feature. The band released its first album, 深緑 (Fukamidori : Deep Green), in February 2001 and it immediately won rave reviews, although some critics were less than complimentary about Asai’s rather nasal vocal style. AJICO gave UA and Asai an opportunity to be a little more laid-back and experimental, which was especially good for Asai, who seemed to need a break from being BJC’s front man. The members of AJICO showed that the band wasn’t just a one-off project by touring and releasing an excellent live album, Ajico Show, in July 2001. Since then the AJICO project seems to have been put on the back burner permanently.
http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/speedstar/-/Artist/A015261.html |
