Tsunoda (guitarist) met Mar (vocals) in Tokyo during the summer of 2006 while he was a DJ. One day, looking down from his booth, he noticed her, the only girl there. Ill-matched with the summer and music in a long black skirt, she didn't blend in with the scenery. With a somber expression she told Tsunoda that she wanted to sing. So he wrote lyrics that conveyed her thoughts and words, until eventually a song had been written.
When Mar was young, she'd invented a big sister to be her constant companion. She had two older brothers who'd left, and the one who aimed to be a racer was the person who understood her the most. Recording progressed bit by bit and her brother looked forward to its completion more than anyone. Before she knew it, the relationship with her brother had made the existence of a big sister unnecessary.
But in the midst of recording the first album, her brother left and didn't return. Her desire to sing, the loneliness that made her need a big sister, the loss of her brother. She still hasn't found suitable words to explain all of these things.
Mar carved her brother's name into her body, and sang about everything in the songs on her first album. Watching her sing while thinking of the brother whose life had ended, the DJ Tsunoda pictured again his own musical roots. Removing the needle from the turntables, he picked up his guitar and formed MarBell with her.
Though MarBell formed originally with Mar and Tsunoda, who is also the producer and arranger, they've now been joined by bassist AZUSA and drummer yu-ya. Their first full album, Sister was released in May 2008. Four of the songs from the album were performed by the band at the hide Memorial Summit in early May, which was not only an amazing opportunity for MarBell to play for a huge audience, but also to commemorate hide, who has so greatly inspired Tsunoda.
The video for the song Miss All Birthday aired on the television shows "GIRLS WAVE" and "MUSIC FIGHTER," and in April and May, Mar appeared in visual kei magazine Cure. That summer, the band focused on live activities, participating in the Rock Kingdom 2008 vol.3 -Rock day Special!!- show and a Like an Edison store "SPECIAL LIVE" in June, followed by Night of Goth N' Romanesque in July.
In August they travelled to the U.S. and played at the large anime convention “Otakon” in Baltimore. In addition to the video for Miss All Birthday, MarBell made a video for Te no naru kata e, also from the album Sister. We look forward to many more lives and releases in the future from this talented band.
Many thanks to MarBell for the description of the band's formation.
