[News] EXILE merges with J Soul Brothers - A new 14 man unit is formed

jimex289 · #1 1st March 2009, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Popular music group EXILE held a press conference on Sunday, announcing that they are merging with their related group J Soul Brothers, bringing EXILE to a total of 14 members.

J Soul Brothers started in 1999 with HIRO, MATSU, USA, MAKIDAI, and vocalist SASA. After SASA went solo in 2001, the group added ATSUSHI and SHUN before changing their name to EXILE. In 2007, HIRO served as producer in the revival of J Soul Brothers with new members, and the 7-man team made their major label debut in February 2008.

J Soul Brothers consists of two vocalists - NESMITH and SHOKICHI - and five performers - NAOKI, KEIJI, TETSUYA, NAOTO, and KENCHI.

EXILE's new 14-member lineup will release their first single on April 15, titled "THE MONSTER ~Someday~." In May, they will begin a nationwide arena tour.

http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-4475
http://natalie.mu/news/show/id/13885

There are some pics on the second source link. All I can say is wow...14 now. These guys will be unstoppable in '09 too. I can just feel it.

Aisha_Angel · #2 2nd March 2009, 05:34 AM

O________________________O

Dude, I don't even know the names of the ORIGINAL members, how the heck am I suppose to learn the names of seven more?! Oh well, as long as the music is good, I hope EXILE keeps 'em coming.

emi♡ · #3 2nd March 2009, 05:59 AM

god like morning musume? I hope they don't all look the same like them though...

It's okay I won't remember their names...they all look like this to me anyway

Luv ~Venus~ · #4 2nd March 2009, 06:05 AM

FAIL! Sales are gonna hit rock bottom for them in no time.

**milky_way** · #5 2nd March 2009, 06:09 AM

I'm sure it's just for this one single you guys :/

jimex289 · #6 2nd March 2009, 07:11 AM

I don't think so. Why would they turn it into such a huge thing just for one collaboration single. In that case wouldn't it be something like EXILE x J Soul Brothers? Instead it's EXILE as a whole. A nationwide tour has already been announced as well...

@ the fail comment: where do you get off saying that because I'd really like to know. (I smell an EXILE hater haha).

They've been pretty successful on the charts with all their releases and have been one of the biggest groups since '06 with their new line up. If anything I think this move will just increase their growing fan base and popularity. They aren't going to "hit rock bottom" or "fail" as you so nicely put it, whether you like it or not. It seems you neglected the fact that they are signed under the avex label. Do you really think avex will really let that happen after their stelllar "Perfect Year 2008" and its results? I see this move as just more incentive to aggressively promote them and turn them into an even bigger act.

In concluding, their popularity and success won't be seeing big dips anytime soon. These guys are established and they're here to stay, at least until their ability to move big sales figures starts to wane or avex finds another profitable act.

prussian blue · #7 2nd March 2009, 07:37 AM

i'm fine with EXILE, but i love J soul brother (the new one) and i dont think they should combine them together. or maybe JSB want to milking money from the name "EXILE"?

TITANIC · #8 2nd March 2009, 02:28 PM

woow. there's (ex-dancer ayu) Naoto,rite??

prussian blue · #9 2nd March 2009, 02:43 PM

^yah, he end up having a curly hair now

Luv ~Venus~ · #10 2nd March 2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimex289

@ the fail comment: where do you get off saying that because I'd really like to know. (I smell an EXILE hater haha).

I don't think Japan is too big on large groups. And no I'm not Exile hater at all even tho I really don't listen to them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimex289

They've been pretty successful on the charts with all their releases and have been one of the biggest groups since '06 with their new line up. If anything I think this move will just increase their growing fan base and popularity. They aren't going to "hit rock bottom" or "fail" as you so nicely put it, whether you like it or not. It seems you neglected the fact that they are signed under the avex label. Do you really think avex will really let that happen after their stelllar "Perfect Year 2008" and its results? I see this move as just more incentive to aggressively promote them and turn them into an even bigger act.

Tell that to Ai Otsuka and Koda Kumi.

The thing is Avex is promoting them TOO much. They popularity is bound to drop in a heartbeat soon because of it.

jkm444 · #11 2nd March 2009, 07:58 PM

Super Junior no.2 lol!
Morning Musume (female), Super Junior (male), Girls' Generation(female), and now Exile (male) lol!!

jimex289 · #12 2nd March 2009, 08:06 PM

Eh...wrong. There's a difference between "hit rock bottom" and losing popularity. To me, hitting rock bottom is a pretty extreme expression, the lowest of the low; like falling off the face of the Earth and becoming a nobody. It's interesting you bring Ai Otsuka and Koda Kumi into this. They are still VERY well-known and established avex artists. Equating sales/promotions with popularity now eh? I'd say they both have just as big a loyal fanbase as EXILE. In no way have they hit rock bottom either. Obviously they weren't the favorites this past year but that doesn't mean they have been neglected. In the end, promotion and popularity do not always go hand in hand. Look at Ayu as a great example. Do you think she'll fall out of popularity in a heartbeat if avex stops promoting her as much? I'd say she'd still be one of the biggest acts around. Same for Namie.

It's promotion and sales. Being aggressively promoted does not necessarily give a boost to your popularity. On the other hand, less promotion doesn't necessarily make you less popular either. Fanbase and how well established you are plays a big role too.

jeffycue · #13 3rd March 2009, 10:34 AM

hahaha! i had the same impression... they just became japan's male version of morning musume in terms of members, hahahaha.

NAOTO <3

jimex289 · #14 4th March 2009, 07:01 AM

Silly me...I saw the name NAOTO. What I didn't do was bother to look up if that was Ayu's former dancer or not. Never in a million years would I have expected to see him again in a group like this. He had a pretty awesome hairdo in 2004-2005. Just as I was wondering where he was after vanishing from Ayu's dancers, he shows up again.

zeroshin888 · #15 16th March 2009, 08:51 AM

i hope it's not permanent because i mean.. I started losing interest in them after SHUN left. With the new 14 member band I don't know if I will ever spare them my attention.