cali≠gari (カリガリ) is a Japanese visual kei/experimental rock band which formed in 1993. They paused their activites from 2003 to 2009. On March 4th 2026 they announced their disbanding on September 10th 2028 after 35 years. Members: ** Vocals: 石井秀仁 (Shuuji Ishii; 2000-2003, 2009–present) ** Guitar: 桜井青 (Ao Sakurai; 1993-2003, 2009–present) ** Bass: 村井研次郎 (Kenjirou Murai; 1996-2003, 2009–present) Ex members: ** Vocals: 紅梁樹 (Kureiju; 1993) ** Vocals: 真 (Shin; 1993-1995) ** Vocals: 秀児 (Shuuji; 1996-2000) ** Bass: 圭児 (Keiji; 1993-1994, 1996) ** Bass: 和也 (Kazuya; 1995) ** Drums: 克弥 (Katsumi; 1993-1999) ** Drums: 武井誠 (Makoto Takei; 1999-2003, 2009–2014) Shuuji left cali≠gari on June 1, 2000, and was replaced by Shuuji Ishii of float. Due to their identical names there was some confusion in the beginning and the new vocalist, Shuuji Ishii, always introduced himself as "the OTHER Shuuji". Biography: cali≠gari is a Japanese visual kei rock band. Its origins trace back to the spring of 1989 in Ibaraki, when Aoi and Katsumi formed a band under the name cali+gari. The project formally began in 1993 and has since undergone numerous lineup changes and shifts in activity, establishing a singular presence within the scene. The band’s name derives from the film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Beyond an affinity for the film’s visual aesthetics and historical context, the members were drawn to the peculiar sound of the word “Caligari” itself and to its coded quality, recognizable only to those familiar with the reference. Fans are called “Caligarists,” often shortened to “Garists,” meaning those who revere cali≠gari. 1989–1995 (Phases 1–3) In June 1993, bassist Keiji joined, and the name cali+gari was formally adopted. In August, original vocalist Kureiju entered the lineup but later departed. On September 11, 1993, the band performed its first live show at Ikebukuro CYBER. In November 1993, second vocalist Shin joined. During this second phase, the lineup consisted of Shin (vocals), Aoi (guitar), Keiji (bass), and Katsumi (drums). In January 1994, they released their first recording, Dai 1 Jikkenshitsu (“Laboratory No. 1”). They distributed the demo tape Sennō (“Brainwashing”) at a free show in February. In August 1994, Keiji left just before a regional tour and was replaced by bassist Kazuya, marking Phase 3. On June 11, 1995, following a performance at Mito LIGHT HOUSE, Shin left and the band entered a hiatus. Kazuya departed that December, and Aoi and Katsumi formed a unit called Kashimiya. 1996–May 2000 (Phases 4–6) In January 1996, third vocalist Shūji and returning bassist Keiji, now under the name Mitsuo, joined. The band renamed itself cali≠gari, initiating Phase 4. After a revival show at Meguro Rokumeikan on April 4, they recorded and released Dai 2 Jikkenshitsu. Mitsuo left again in September 1996, and in October Kenjirō joined as fourth bassist, beginning Phase 5. Throughout 1997 and 1998, the band distributed demo tapes such as Oto (“Vomiting”) and Oyasuminasai (“Good Night”), expanded into the Kansai region, and released their first CD album Dai 3 Jikkenshitsu. In December 1998, they held their first solo concert at Shinjuku LOFT and released Dai 4 Jikkenshitsu. On October 31, 1999, drummer Katsumi left after a show at Shibuya ON AIR WEST. In November, Makoto joined as second drummer, launching Phase 6. They released Dai 5 Jikkenshitsu and toured extensively. In 2000, after issuing revised editions and the single “Kimi ga Saku Yama,” vocalist Shūji abruptly disappeared and left the band on June 1, just before recording a new mini-album. 2000–2003 (Phase 7) In June 2000, fourth vocalist Shūji Ishii joined, forming the Phase 7 lineup: Ishii (vocals), Aoi (guitar), Kenjirō (bass), and Makoto (drums). They released the mini-album Blue Film and began the “Private Erotica 2000” tour. In 2001, they issued newly recorded retrospectives titled Saikyōiku (Right/Left) and later Dai 6 Jikkenshitsu. On April 4, 2002, they made their major debut through Victor Entertainment’s gai RECORDS with the single “Dai 7 Jikkenshitsu Yokokuban – Maguro –.” Albums such as Dai 7 Jikkenshitsu and 8 followed. The single “Shitasaki 3-pun Size” was produced by Keiichi Suzuki. In March 2003, the band announced an indefinite hiatus. On June 22, 2003, they held their final show of the period at Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall and ceased activities. A best-of album, Good, Bye., and the live DVD Kyū (“Rest”) were released. 2009–2014 (Limited-Time Revival and End of Phase 7) On April 1, 2009, cali≠gari announced a revival with an “expiration date.” They resumed live performances in June and released the album 10. In November 2009, they declared the “expiration” a ruse and announced a concert at Nippon Budokan, held on February 11, 2010. Subsequent releases included the mini-album ≠ and the album 11. On April 4, 2012, they declared a “suspension of the suspension,” left the major label system, and returned to independent status. Fan clubs were reorganized. On September 27, 2014, during a 20th anniversary show at Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall, the band announced the conclusion of Phase 7 and drummer Makoto’s departure. 2015– (Phase 8) In January 2015, Phase 8 began with a three-member lineup: Shūji Ishii (vocals), Aoi Sakurai (guitar), and Kenjirō Murai (bass). They moved to Nippon Columbia and released the album 12. Subsequent works include 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.5, and 18, alongside numerous tours and anniversary events. On April 4, 2018, following a concert at Differ Ariake, the band entered a temporary break but resumed activities in September of the same year. They celebrated their 25th and 30th anniversaries with large-scale projects, self-cover albums, and extensive touring. On March 4, 2026, during a show at Shinjuku LOFT, cali≠gari announced that they would disband on September 10, 2028 after 35 years. Musical Style and Influences cali≠gari’s music is rooted in rock but freely incorporates pop, punk, jazz, and new wave, blending genres without restraint. Their lyrics range from grotesque imagery to references drawn from underground culture, creating a body of work that is at once theatrical and deeply idiosyncratic. Aoi Sakurai has cited influences including Yōsui Inoue, Dōji Morita, Maki Asakawa, Hako Yamasaki, Jun Horie, Southern All Stars, Kōzō Murashita, Bauhaus, and The Cure, particularly the song Boys Don't Cry. He has also spoken of his admiration for the works of Seishi Yokomizo, Shūji Terayama, and Edogawa Ranpo. Across more than three decades, cali≠gari has repeatedly dismantled and reconstructed itself, treating each lineup as a distinct “phase.” The band’s history is one of rupture and reinvention, held together by a persistent drive toward experimentation and theatrical intensity. They were a big influence for bands like MUCC and MERRY. https://www.kyakusitsu.com/ https://x.com/caligari_offici https://x.com/SHUMI_MISSITSU https://x.com/kenjiro_murai https://x.com/GOATBEDofficial https://x.com/ao_sakurai <a href="https://www.last.fm/music/cali%E2%89%A0gari">Read more on Last.fm</a>. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.