THE ALFEE

Japanese rock band. Originally named "Confidence," the band was formed by Sakurai Satoshi, Sakazaki Kohnosuke, Takamizawa Toshihiko, and Miyake Yasuo at Meiji University. In 1974, they signed with Victor and released their debut single. In 1975, Miyake Yasuo left the band. Subsequently, the release of their third single was unilaterally halted by Victor, leading the band to terminate their contract. From 1975 to 1978, without a record deal, they performed in live houses and worked as backing musicians for artists (including Ken Naoko and Kamayatsu Hiroshi). In 1979, the band signed with Canyon Records and released their re-debut single "Love Letter" ("ラブレター"). In the summer of 1982, they held their first outdoor concert. Later that year, after releasing the single "Farewell Rhythm" (別れの律動 (リズム)), they changed their name to "ALFEE." In 1983, they performed at the Nippon Budokan despite not having any major hits or chart-topping singles, which sparked a surge in popularity. Their single "Marie-Anne" ("メリーアン") became their first major hit, and that same year, they appeared on the 34th Kōhaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Contest). In 1986, after releasing the single "SWEAT&TEARS," they changed their name to "THE ALFEE." In 1994, to commemorate the band's 20th anniversary, Pony Canyon established its independent sub-label "Zeit." In 1997, the band's company moved to Toshiba-EMI. On December 21, 2016, celebrating all three members turning 60 (the traditional Japanese *kanreki* (還暦) age), they debuted under a new band name, "The KanLeKeeZ." On December 31, 2024, they performed "Under The Starry Sky" (星空のディスタンス) at the '75th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen'. Their appearance on the Kōhaku marked their first in 41 years, since their breakthrough in 1983, making this their longest gap between appearances to date. Band name changes: 1974-1979: Alfie and ALFIE 1979-1982: Alfee and アルフィー 1982-1986: ALFEE 1986-Now: THE ALFEE