Bad Communication

Bad Communication
EP by
B'z
ReleasedOctober 21, 1989
StudioStudio Birdman (Brown & Gray Room)
Genre
Length22:15
LanguageJapanese, English
LabelAir
ProducerMasao Nakajima
B'z chronology
Bad Communication
(1989) 		Wicked Beat
(1990)

Bad Communication is the first mini-album by the Japanese rock duo B'z, released in 1989. The album was the first hit album for the band, debuting at number 15. The album also includes the band's first two English versions of previous songs—in this case, "Out of the Rain" and "Dakara Sono Te Wo Hanashite", both from their debut album—dubbed "Off the Lock Style". It peaked at number 12 on the Oricon weekly albums chart in 1991, and by 1993, was certified million by the RIAJ.[1] It was eventually certified 3× platinum, selling over 1,200,000 copies.[2] The song was used in a commercial for Fujitsu's FM Towns computers.[3]

"Bad Communication" has been remade three times: an edited "E-Style" version with English lyrics, which appeared on Wicked Beat and B'z The Best "Pleasure", the "(000-18)" bluesy unplugged version from the album Loose, and one version called "-Ultra Pleasure Style-" as the opening of B'z The Best "Ultra Pleasure".

The song is played very often in concert.

Writing

According to vocalist Koshi Inaba, he wanted the song title to mean "communication that is not half-baked or half-hearted." He also said he wrote the lyrics in a "thankless" manner, hoping people would hear them and think, "Oh, communication is necessary after all".[4]

Controversy

The guitar riff has been noted to be similar to Led Zeppelin's "Trampled Under Foot", which has led to accusations of plagiarism.[5][6][7]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Koshi Inaba; all music is composed by Tak Matsumoto

No.TitleLength
1."Bad Comunication"7:25
2."Out of the Rain" (Off the Lock Style)7:41
3."Da・Ka・Ra・So・No・Te・O・Ha・Na・Shi・Te" (Off the Lock Style)7:19
Total length:22:15

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes.[8]

B'z

Additional Musicians

  • Ikkies – backing vocals
  • Amy – voice

Production

  • Masao Akashi – production, programming, arrangement
  • Masayuki Nomura – mixing, recording engineer
  • Masahiro Shimada – recording engineer
  • Hisato Ishi – recording engineer
  • Yasuo Sasaki – assistant engineer
  • Takayuki Ichikawa – assistant engineer

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[12] 3× Platinum 1,200,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b "B'z、歴代No.1アーティストまでの軌跡！". ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). 2015-03-04. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  2. ^ "日本レコード協会 ミリオン以上認定作品". The Record (in Japanese). 443: 4. 1996-10-01 – via RIAJ.
  3. ^ "平成のテレビを彩ったＣＭキング＆クイーン｜ニホンモニターＣＭ起用社数ランキングまとめ | ニホンモニター株式会社" (in Japanese). 2018-12-12. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  4. ^ B'z TWELVE. Shodensha. 2000. p. 171. ISBN 4-396-61118-8.
  5. ^ Tsuzuki, Kyoichi (October 1994). Marco Polo (in Japanese). Bungeishunjū.
  6. ^ E., Tak (2001-07-01). 音楽誌が書かないJポップ批評14 「B'zの不思議」再考! [J-Pop Critisism that Music Magazines Don't Write 14: "The Wonder of B'z" Revisited!] (in Japanese). Takarajimasha. ISBN 978-4796623353.
  7. ^ Natsushi, Akari (2006). 「パクリ・盗作」スキャンダル読本 ["Practice/Plagiarism" Scandal Reader] (in Japanese). Takarajimasha. ISBN 978-4796650724.
  8. ^ "Bad Communication" liner notes. Air Records. 1989
  9. ^ "1990年 アルバム年間TOP100" [Oricon Album Top 100 1990]. Oricon. Archived from the original on 2019-03-31. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  10. ^ "1991年 アルバム年間TOP100" [Oricon Album Top 100 1991]. Oricon. Archived from the original on 2014-07-21. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  11. ^ "1992年 アルバム年間TOP100" [Oricon Album Top 100 1992]. Oricon. Archived from the original on 2018-11-06. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  12. ^ "Japanese single certifications – B'z – Bad Communication" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved August 24, 2021. Select 1993年6月 on the drop-down menu