Seatbelts (band)

Seatbelts (シートベルツ, Shītoberutsu, also known as Seat Belts or SEATBELTS) is a Japanese band led by composer and instrumentalist Yoko Kanno.[1][2][3] An international ensemble comprising both a stable lineup of musicians and various collaborators, the band was assembled by Kanno in 1998 to perform the soundtrack music for the Cowboy Bebop anime series. Their repertoire covered and blended many different genres, mainly jazz, but also a wide variety of rock, electronic, funk, blues, J-pop and other styles of genres.[4]

SEATBELTS
SEATBELTS logo, as of 2020.
Background information
OriginTokyo, Japan
GenresJazz, rock, electronic, J-pop
Years active1998–2004, 2020–present
LabelsVictor Entertainment, Captain Duckling Records
Websitestarducks.me

Band history

The name of the band, according to the fictional description given in their first album Cowboy Bebop, derives from how the performers wear seatbelts to be safe while they play hardcore jam sessions.[5]

The band performed the entire soundtrack of the anime series Cowboy Bebop and produced a total of seven albums (three new songs in Cowboy Bebop Tank! THE! BEST!) and one live DVD.[6]

The band reformed virtually in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to participate in new projects. In collaboration with Funimation, Sunrise, and composer Mason Lieberman, the band rerecorded the ending theme of Cowboy Bebop, The Real Folk Blues to raise proceeds for COVID-19 relief.[7]

In addition, the band began the Session Starducks project on a newly founded YouTube channel in April 2020. In collaboration with musicians as well as with the original members of the band, the project aims to virtually record new interpretations of various songs composed by Yoko Kanno. These include songs from Cowboy Bebop and Macross Frontier.[8]

It was confirmed in April 2020 that Yoko Kanno will be returning to compose the upcoming live-action adaption of Cowboy Bebop for Netflix. It is currently unknown if the Seatbelts will be contributing to the soundtrack.[9]

Discography
See also: Music of Cowboy Bebop

Studio albums
  • Cowboy Bebop (1998)
  • Cowboy Bebop Vitaminless (1998)
  • Cowboy Bebop No Disc (1998)
  • Cowboy Bebop Blue (1999)
  • Ask DNA (2001)
  • Future Blues (2001)

Live albums
  • Future Blues DVD (2001)

Remixes and compilation albums
  • Cowboy Bebop Remixes: Music for Freelance (1999)
  • Cowgirl Ed (2001)
  • Cowboy Bebop Boxed Set (2002)
  • Cowboy Bebop Tank! THE! BEST! (2004)
  • Space Bio Charge (2009)

Singles
  • TANK! Virtual Session 2020 (2020)[10]
  • "Real Folk Blues" For these days (2020)[11]
  • Don't Bother None 2020 (2020)[12]
  • Space Lion Virtual Session 2020 (2020)[13]
  • The Real Folk Blues (2020) (with Mason Lieberman)[7][14]

References
  1. McCarthy, Helen (2009). 500 Essential Anime Movies: The Ultimate Guide. HarperCollins. p. 1979. ISBN 9780061474507.
  2. "Seatbelts Reunite". Anime News Network. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  3. Xenophanes. "The Seatbelts – Cowboy Bebop". Sputnik. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  4. Watson, Elijah (May 15, 2015). "Yoko Kanno and The Seatbelts' 'Cowboy Bebop' Score Is Still the Coolest Anime Soundtrack Ever". Vice. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  5. "Cowboy Bebop (Album)". 1998.
  6. "The SEATBELTS".
  7. "This Charity Single Reimagines COWBOY BEBOP's Closing Theme". Nerdist. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  8. "Yoko Kanno's Session Starducks Project Takes on Cowboy Bebop OP from Home". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  9. "Netflix's Live-Action Cowboy Bebop Show Plans Season 2, Teases Yoko Kanno's Music". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  10. TANK! Virtual Session 2020, retrieved 2020-06-03
  11. "Real Folk Blues" For these days, retrieved 2020-06-03
  12. Don't bother none 2020, retrieved 2020-06-03
  13. Space Lion Virtual session 2020, retrieved 2020-06-03
  14. The Real Folk Blues, retrieved 2020-06-03
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