238 replies to this topic

[mixedmedia]

Go get a whole bunch of SPEED's PVs!

Hopefully these are good quality as they peaked before the whole revolution of music/video sharing thing picked up speed (pun intended).

[Country Musume FanBoy]

Takako is my most favorite!!! She's been in a music recently also
I have alot of her singles, and her first album is amazing

[REtiRO]

Actually H!P KIDS kindda introduce me to SPEED.
As I was watching the audition for H!P KIDS... Erika Umeda sang a SPEED song...
White Love! I just fell in love with that song!
Then when I listen to the full version I totally love SPEED!
My fav member would have to be Hiroko... Shimabukuro Hiroko!
(IMO) Best singer in SPEED. I even love the solo songs... one of them is As Time Goes By.

[mixedmedia]

HITOE makes an appearance on the March 6th 2008 episode of Utaban. Showing off her yoga skills in the Nakashima Mika segment. Picture below is not from the show but is nice nonetheless.


Also of note is Jero the quarter Japanese hip hop enka singer and the Matsuda Seiko birthday special.

[AikaAction]

omg. i love all of them! since 1999 i think i heard "My Graduation".

I still would probably pick SPEED over momusu, but then again Id rather choose both to listen to..

theres something about SPEED that can't be beat. they were like the first REAL soulful pop group in japan. like TLC in US.

Hitoe has ALWAYS been my favorite, due to her extremely cool dance-style and personality. she is really funny.
Takako follows closely and then Eriko and Hiro are still really cool too.

[sailormari]

man that song "My Graduation". brings back memroies for me such a great song

and my other fav song alive is what help got me into jpop back in 99

has anyone seen their movie

at the end was kinda sad and they played their song alive

[Europa]

SPEED gets back together
Wed, August 20, 2008 (1:32am EDT)

The 4-member girl group SPEED will soon be reuniting again. They will officially resume activity with an appearance on NTV's charity telethon "24 Hour Television" at the end of this month.

The group debuted in 1996 but broke up in 2000, at the height of their popularity, in order to pursue solo careers. They had two short-lived reunions in 2001 and in 2003. However, this time is said to be a complete return, with plans extending beyond 2009.

The decision to reunite started with this year's "24 Hour Television." SPEED previously hosted the program back in 1999, when they first met a young girl named Yui Nojiri who was battling spinal muscular atrophy. Last year, Nojiri reached her 20th birthday, and NTV producers decided to bring her and SPEED back for this year's show.

After learning about the idea, SPEED member Eriko Imai revealed that her own 3-year-old son is having hearing problems. Motivated to reach her son through song and to provide inspiration for other young children, she asked the other SPEED members to join her.

For "24 Hour Television," the group is scheduled to perform a 25-minute set at the Nippon Budokan on the afternoon of August 31. They plan to stay together for the time being, aiming to keep SPEED alive for at least 2009.

Source:
Tokyograph (en)
Sponichi Annex (jp)

Other:
Mainichi (en)
Mainichi (jp)

Just to note, one of the other articles just says that "Speed will consider getting back together permanently depending on the reaction of their fans," but regardless this is great news for all SPEED fans.

[ah-ger]

True true! I am in Japan now....saw it on TV that Eriko mentioned that Speed will regroup. I only saw it with no sound. They mentioned september!

Yes! I wana them back as a group! A group that is the best ever vocals n dance! I miss them so much! They are the ones that made me like Jpop. They are the ones i respected the most!

[mixedmedia]

Did anyone see that show way back when? If it was anything like the show where Maki met that disabled boy it'll be a tearful show for sure.

Glad to hear SPEED is coming back if only for a little while. They broke up too early I think as they were peaking right around the MoMusu explosion and could have provided some good competition for them. Hopefully all the girls are up to singing and dancing and Eriko's son gets through his challenge. Hitoe looks to be in great shape after seeing her on Utaban doing yoga but not sure about her singing even though she was the weakest one.

If SPEED did make a successful comeback and MAX got their career out of 'aimlessly drifting mode' then two of the greatest girl groups from the 90's (possibly ever) would be back.

Not sure how recent this picture is but if it is then they good for having been out of the big spotlight for so many years. I think this is an old pic but this thread needs more pictures anyway.

[ah-ger]

This is a new pic of them!
I saw them on 24 HR TV today! Eriko's son is called Raimu. He is born with hearing-impaired.
In the clip, can see Eriko with her son, she n Raimu is working hard on sign-language now. In the show Eriko talk with sign language. Its very touching to see her love her son so much and they had promised each other to continue their lives with a smile on their face. The other members also visited Raimu and they went to Eriko's house and cook a meal together!
Besides of featuring Raimu, they also feature another patient whereby SPEED know her many years ago from 24hr TV. Its a promise to her that they will sing again on stage. Hiro n Hitoe when to visit her and tell her that SPEED will be performing on 24Hr Tv again.
Then after the clip, SPEED perform on stage. They sang White Love, Steady,All My True Love, Alive and Body & Soul! Everyone enjoyed their performance! Arashi was swaying along , Yukie Nakama loved it also!
It was a great performance! I was singing along...enjoying the very bit performance. Hope they really will get back together again...

[mixedmedia]

Was this the same 24hr TV episode that MoMusu was on? Hopefully a full decent quality version of the full show surfaces shortly.

[ItsudemoAibon]

Well, it didn't take long for their performance to show up on YouTube plus some other videos where they talk about Eriko's son, Lime who was born with an auditory affliction:







And since this is THIS year's 24 Hour TV, it IS the same show as MoMusu+Mari+Ayaya...............

[mixedmedia]

Broke down and watched the youtube version despite the blurry quality. The first part was really sad and the second part kind of sad but cute because of watching Eriko and her son. Raimu's name seems to be made up of the characters for 'god' and 'dream'. Eriko seems to have had the most difficult life after SPEED disbanded.

If SPEED did that well after only a few rehearsals after so many years off then the rest of the music industry in Asia (and maybe the rest of the world) better watch out.

Hopefully this leads to more SPEED media from the past (drama series, movies, etc) becoming available online.

Off topic: Still disappointed the show where Maiko from ZONE/MARIA went to Hawaii did not show up anywhere online.

[TheFrustrated]

It really was sad but I really like the fashion in which they returned by...like with Eriko wanting to reach out more to her son through music...I completely respect her for that.

And SPEED began a long time ago and are considered legends in Japanese music...and for good reason. They all had solo careers and now that they are all adults with much improved voices and all, hearing SPEED make new music as well as perform their old songs in their current state will be a joy to listen to.

[Rmagnus]

best news ever!!!! I really hope they get back together for good. Currently i only own Hiro's latest single.. lost all my old speed album... Speed & Hikki are the only jap group & singer I listen to.

[Rmagnus]

http://en.wikipedia....:SPEED_2003.jpg

The cover for their upcoming single??

[sailormari]

but is this a one shot deal just like walk in the rain they did in 2003 or will they stay togethjer

i hoping they stay together for a while

[ckrocks]

hey im new here.
was googling for speed and end up here..
its damn exciting knowing ppl are still discussing about them tho its already
almost 9 years since the official disband..

anyways, they are having a new single CONFIRMED..
launching on 29 oct 2008, titled : Back in Style..
i think there's 5 or 6 songs. new songs...
with 1 song called ALIVE(yes, the alive we always hear from Speed)
but they calling it the 2008 version.. New arrangements i believe so..
i guess it will only be launch in japan?!

im in singapore.!!!!

sorry.. 4 songs..
details as follow..


10/29 on sale

SPEED
New Single "Back in Style" 10/29 Release!
1.Back in Style　作词作曲:伊秩弘将 编曲：水岛康贵s
2.Wanna Be Your...! 作词作曲：伊秩弘将　编曲：水岛康贵
3.Last Winter　作词作曲：伊秩弘将　编曲：水岛康贵
4.ALIVE (2008 New Version) 作词作曲：伊秩弘将　编曲：水岛康贵

[sailormari]

hi ckrocks and welcome to forum

i big speed fan too

they were one the first Jpop groups i got into
when they broke up i ended up here but i use to go to a speed forum before here .....its gone now

how long you been a fan?

as for me since 1998

[ckrocks]

I only gotta know them from thier 3rd album, which was *Moment*..
i think that was also about 1998/1999 period..

i was only 11, 12 years old then!
and im now like 21+.. haha!

But i was lucky enough to find thier 1st 2 albums.. (=

where you're from?