ONE OK ROCK Profile

Formed:2005  in Japan

One Ok Rock are a Japanese power pop/alt-rock band that draws on the sound of blink-182 and Foo Fighters. The group, which derives its name from the phrase one o'clock (the time of the band's scheduled practice), pronounced the same as one ok rock in Japanese, was established in 2005 by the high schooler Toru (guitar), who teamed with bassist Ryota; vocalist Takahiro Moriuchi (formerly of News); and another guitarist, the San Francisco-born Alex, who used to work as a fashion model. After a string of successful shows around Tokyo, One Ok Rock debuted with the EP One Ok Rock in mid-2006, followed by another mini-album, Keep It Real, by the end of the same year. In 2007 One Ok Rock finally found a permanent drummer in Tomoya, who played on their first single, Naihi Shinsho (2007), which made its way to national radio and secured the band a deal with the major label Amuse. A nationwide tour predated the release of the band's debut studio album, Zeitakubyou (2007), which was followed by two LPs, Beam of Light and Kanjou Effect, in 2008. ~ Alexey Eremenko, Rovi