Cornelius (musician)

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Cornelius
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Background information
Birth name Keigo Oyamada (小山田 圭吾)
Born (1969-01-27) January 27, 1969 (age 55)
Origin Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Genres
Occupation(s) Musician, producer, vocalist
Instruments Guitar, vocals, multi-instrumentalist
Labels Warner Music Group, Everloving Records, Cherry Red, Trattoria Records (1992–2002), Matador Records (1998–2005)
Associated acts Flipper's Guitar (1989–1991)
Takako Minekawa
Plastic Ono Band
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Salyu
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Pizzicato Five
Website http://cornelius-sound.com

Keigo Oyamada (小山田 圭吾 Oyamada Keigo?, born January 27, 1969) is a Japanese recording artist and producer better known by his stage name Cornelius (CORNELIUS(コーネリアス) Kōneriasu?).

Career

Oyamada was born in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan. His first claim to fame was as a member of the pop duo Flipper's Guitar, one of the key groups of the Tokyo Shibuya-kei scene. Following the disbandment of Flipper's Guitar in 1991, Oyamada donned the "Cornelius" moniker and embarked on a successful solo career.

American music journalists often describe Cornelius's musical style as being similar to Beck Hansen's, whom he acknowledges as an influence along with The Beach Boys, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream and the Brazilian band Kassin + 2, among others.

The music of Cornelius could be described as experimental and exploratory, and often incorporates dissonant elements alongside more familiar harmonically "pleasing" sounds. This tension, plus his practice of bringing in sounds and samples from mass culture, pure electronic tones, and sounds from nature (such as on his Point album), lead him to being sometimes categorized as an "acquired taste."

He chose his pseudonym in tribute to the character of the same name from the movie Planet of the Apes. He commissioned a song, about himself, on Momus' 1999 album Stars Forever.

Oyamada married fellow musician and collaborator Takako Minekawa in 2000 and they have one child, Milo, named after the son of Cornelius in Planet of the Apes. He is a second cousin of Joi Ito.

In 2005, The Spinto Band referenced him in their song "Japan Is An Island" on their album Nice and Nicely Done.

As of September 2006, he was no longer signed to Matador Records.[1]

Keigo Oyamada and Ryuichi Sakamoto in 2007.

In 2006 and 2007 respectively, the song "The Micro Disneycal World Tour" from the Fantasma album, was used for Nick Parks' "Creature Comforts" and Sky television's "See, Surf, Speak" advertisements in the UK. It had also been used several years earlier in an ironic NFL (US football) television commercial in the USA, which juxtaposed the song's relaxing qualities with video clips showing rapid, aggressive football playmaking.

In 2010, he contributed the song "Katayanagi Twins Battle Song" to the film Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.

In 2013, he participated with Taku Satoh and Yugo Nakamura directing the music for the exhibition Design Ah! at 21 21 Design Sight in Tokyo.[2]

Discography

Cornelius discography
Studio albums 5
Video albums 7
EPs 3
Singles 12
Soundtrack albums 3
Remix albums 8

The discography of Cornelius consists of seven studio albums, three soundtracks, eight remix albums, three extended plays, twelve singles and seven video albums.

Studio albums

Year Information Chart positions
JP
[3]
UK
[4]
US Elec
[5]
1994 The First Question Award 4
1995 69/96
  • Labels: Trattoria, Polystar
  • Released: 9 June 1995
3
1997 Fantasma 6
2001 Point
  • Labels: Trattoria, Polystar, Matador
  • Released: 24 October 2001
4 124 17
2006 Sensuous 8 18

Soundtracks

Remix albums

Year Information JP chart
[3]
Notes
1996 96/69
  • Labels: Trattoria, Polystar
  • Released: 9 June 1996
6
  • Remix LP of 69/96
1998 FM - Fantasma Remixes
  • Released: 26 November 1998
  • Labels: Trattoria, Polystar, Matador
39
  • Various artists' remixes of Fantasma
CM - Cornelius Remixes
  • Labels: Trattoria, Polystar, Matador
  • Released: 26 November 1998
40
2003 CM2 - Interpretation By Cornelius
  • Labels: Warner Music Japan
  • Released: 25 June 2003
29
2004 PM By Humans
  • Labels: Matador
  • Released: 20 January 2004
87
  • Various artists' remixes of Point.
  • Released together with the 5.1 DVD-Audio of Point as Five Point One + PM By Humans
2009 CM3 - Interpretation Remixed By Cornelius
  • Labels: Warner Music Japan
  • Released: 13 May 2009
32
2012 CM4
  • Labels: Warner Music Japan
  • Released: 5 September 2012
53
2015 Constellations Of Music
  • Labels: Warner Music Japan
  • Released: 19 August 2015
30
  • Collaboration and remix album with various artists

Extended plays

  • Holidays in the Sun EP (10 September 1993) JP #12[3]
  • Cornelius Works 1999 (1999), rare CD-R promo from 3-D Corporation Ltd. (Japan)
  • Gum EP (2008)

Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
JP
[6]
UK
[4]
1993 "The Sun Is My Enemy" 15 The First Question Award
"Perfect Rainbow" 29
1994 "(You Can't Always Get) What You Want" 27
"Moon Light Story" 40
1995 "Moon Walk" (cassette only) 30 69/96
1997 "Star Fruits Surf Rider" 17 142 Fantasma
"Freefall" (UK only) N/R
"Chapter 8" (UK only) N/R
2001 "Point of View Point" 16 142 Point
"Drop" 12 82
2006 "Music" 17 Sensuous
"Breezin'" 20

Video

  • Promotions! (1994), music videos
  • Love Heavy Metal Style Music Vision (1994) – live performances
  • EUS (2000) – live performances
  • Five Point One (2003) – a DVD package of music videos and PM
  • from Nakameguro to Everywhere tour '02-'04 (2008) – live performances
  • Sensurround (2008) – a DVD version of Sensuous with accompanying videos and 5.1 surround sound
  • Sensuous Synchronized Show (2009) – live performances

Compilation appearances

Other works

References

  1. Plastic Bamboo » Matador not releasing new Cornelius album
  2. Design Ah!
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External links