Def Tech

Def Tech is a Japanese pop band signed to Mind Shift Music, an independent label.

Career

Jesse, the vocalist from Rize, named the band, the members of which did their own songwriting, arranging, and production. Def Tech had the 3rd best-selling album in Japan in 2005 and performed at Live8 in Tokyo in July of that year. Def Tech started in 2003 and debuted in 2005. They rocketed in popularity, especially due to their song “My Way,” and their first, self-titled album charted at #1 and went on to sell 2.2 million copies. That same year (2005), they became the first indie label artist to perform at NHK’s Kohaku Uta Gassen.

Band's break-up

As posted on their webpage in September 2007: Def Tech dispersed, citing different opinions on music direction as the cause for the split. Again, according to their web site, the band reunited in June 2010.^[1]

Members

• Shen (b. Shenan Brown.^[2] on May 9, 1981 in the People's Republic of China) - grew up in Hawaii. He visited Japan many times growing up because of his father's job (J.D. Brown is a well-known applied linguist). Shen is bilingual in both English and Japanese.
• Micro (b. Yuki Nishimiya (西宮佑騎, Nishimiya Yūki) August 28, 1980) - originally from Ōta, Tokyo. A Hosei University graduate, née created a label, Primary Color Recordz, under Universal Music in February 2007.

Def Tech in popular culture

The band's 2006 album, Catch the Wave, includes the title track that was used in trailers for the 2006 film Catch a Wave (キャッチ・ア・ウェーブ),. Micro played the part of a surfer, using his real name Yuki Nishimiya in the film.

The PlayStation drumming simulation game Taiko no Tatsujin (太鼓の達人) Vol. 6 includes the Def Tech track "My Way", from the band's self-titled 2005 album.

Album Oricon sales milestones

Album

• [2005.01.22] Def Tech (2,000,000) [2 million]
• [2005.06.29] Lokahi Lani (500,000) [double platinum]
• [2006.04.26] Catch The Wave (1,000,000) [million]
• [2010.10.27] Mind Shift (100,000) [gold]
• [2012.04.18] Greatest Hits (100,000) [gold]

Top 5 highest weekly Oricon chart ranking milestones

Album

• [2005.01.22] Def Tech (No.1)
• [2005.06.29] Lokahi Lani (No.2)
• [2006.04.26] Catch The Wave (No.1)
• [2007.08.08] Laid Back ((Micro of Def Tech)) (No.4)
• [2010.10.27] Mind Shift (No.4)
• [2011.10.05] UP (No.4)
• [2012.04.18] Greatest Hits (No.2)

Awards

2005

• J-WAVE Tokio Hot 100 Awards - Best Song - "My Way"
• J-WAVE Tokio Hot 100 Awards - Best New Artist

2006

• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Group Video - "Konomama" (re-introducing RIZE)

Discography

Single

• [2005.09.03] Canción de la expansión - Only on iTunes (Limited)
• [2012.07.15] Bolero - Only on iTunes
• [2013.05.15] Be The One - Only on iTunes

Album

• [2005.01.22] Def Tech
• [2005.06.29] Lokahi Lani
• [2006.04.26] Catch the Wave
• [2010.10.27] Mind Shift
• [2011.10.05] UP
• [2013.07.10] 24/7
• [2015.06.03] Howzit!?
• [2016.07.06] Eight

Best Album

• [2005.06.29] 1 x 2 (Def Tech & Lokahi Lani in a full Album) - Only on iTunes
• [2012.04.18] GREATEST HITS (1st Best)
• [2012.08.29] Official Bootleg Mix - Only on iTunes
• [2014.11.19] Def Tech Best Mix (2nd Best) [Mix CD]
• [2015.06.03] Micro's Collection (Select Best Album) - Only on iTunes
• [2015.06.03] Shen's Collection (Select Best Album) - Only on iTunes

DVD

• [2006.12.27] Def Tech - BUDOKAN Live [Live DVD]
• [2006.12.27] Def Tech - OKINAWA Live [Live DVD]
• [2007.06.13] Footage (Music Video Collection) - Only on iTunes
• [2012.04.18] GREATEST HITS - [Music Video collection included with Greatest Hits release]
• [2013.07.10] Def Tech: Concert Film 2006 - Only on iTunes
• [2014.11.19] Def Tech Best Mix - [Music Video collection included with Best Album Mix release]

Def Tech selects Omnibus Album

• [2006.06.28] Def Tech presents Jawaiian Style Records ～Haleiwa～
• [2006.06.28] Def Tech presents Jawaiian Style Records ～Laniakea～
• [2006.06.28] Def Tech presents Jawaiian Style Records ～Waimea～
• [2006.06.28] Def Tech presents Jawaiian Style Records ～Ehukai～

Remixes [Produced & performed by Def Tech]

• [2006.06.28] Broken Hearts [Jawaiian Mix]
• [2006.06.28] Emergency [Jawaiian Mix]
• [2006.06.28] In Outside [Jawaiian Mix]
• [2013.07.10] He'eia [Jawaiian Mix]
• [2014.11.19] My Way [Original Acoustic Mix Version]
• [2015.06.03] Gone Surfin' [Jawaiian Mix]
• [2016.07.06] Journey [Tropical Juice Mix]

Collaborations [With Def Tech]

• [2005.01.22] Quality of Life (feat. YUKI from Bennie K)
• [2005.06.29] Lokahi Lani (feat. JAMOSA)
• [2005.06.29] KONOMAMA (Def Tech re-introducing RIZE)
• [2005.07.06] KONOMAMA-Tensaibaka [Original Version] (RIZE backing Def Tech)
• [2006.04.26] Lift Up (feat. Lafa Taylor)
• [2006.04.26] Off the Edge (feat. WISE from Teriyaki Boyz)
• [2006.04.26] Inori (feat. SAKURA)
• [2010.10.27] F.M.B!! (feat. MAYA)
• [2011.10.05] My Baby Love (feat. Ernie Cruz Jr.)
• [2011.10.05] Muteki (feat. Ernie Cruz Jr.)
• [2013.07.10] Anniversary (feat. SONPUB)
• [2013.07.10] The Key (feat. Emi Meyer)
• [2013.07.10] Just a Little Longer (feat. Xavier Boyer Of Tahiti 80)
• [2013.07.10] He'eia [Jawaiian Mix] (feat. Makana)
• [2015.06.03] One Day (feat. Jake Shimabukuro)

List of songs featuring Def Tech

• [2003.01.22] VIBRATION (RIZE introducing Def Tech)
• [2004.05.08] Better Days (Bennie K feat. Def Tech)
• [2006.06.02] Jump Around (Dan feat. Shen [from Def Tech])
• [2007.06.27] Mahaloha (Yuna Ito feat. Micro [from Def Tech])

Music videos

2004

• "My Way"
• "High on Life"

2005

• "Lokahi Lani" (feat. JAMOSA)
• "KONOMAMA" (Def Tech reintroducing RIZE)

2006

• "Catch The Wave"
• "Inori" (feat. Sakura)
• "Blacklist" (SHEN [from 'Def Tech with 'E.D.O.'])

2007

• "HANA Uta" (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])
• "Cuz" (feat. Lafa Taylor) (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])
• "You Don't Know" (SHEN [from 'Def Tech' with 'E.D.O.'])
• "Revolvers" (SHEN [from 'Def Tech' with 'E.D.O.'])

2008

• "Always Summer" (SHEN [from 'Def Tech'])
• "PEACE" (SHEN [from 'Def Tech'])
• "カミヒコウキ meets Char" (SHEN from 'Def Tech' with 'E.D.O.')
• "4 Seasons" (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])
• "Odore" (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])
• "Yukiyanagi ~We're watching you~" (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])

2009

• "Piece of Africa" (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])
• "Aoi Ito" (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])
• "Iz This Love?" (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])

2010

• "A-1"
• "The Come Back"
• "Rays of Light"

2011

• "Golden Age"
• "take it HIGHER!!"

2012

• "Vocaline"
• "4 Eye, for You"

2013

• "Marathon"
• "The Best Time"
• "Be The One"

2015

• "One Day" (feat. Jake Shimabukuro)
• "B-3"

2016

• "Journey"

Collaborations

• Rize introducing Def Tech - "Vibration"
• Dan feat. Shen of Def Tech - "Jump Around"
• Yuna Ito feat. Micro of Def Tech - Mahaloha

References

External links

• Official Def Tech Website
• Primary Color Recordz (Japanese)