the pillows

the pillows are a Japanese alternative rock band formed in Hokkaidō, Japan on September 16, 1989. Their sound blends alternative rock, j-rock, and pop rock, and they are especially well known to anime audiences for their soundtrack work on FLCL. The band first used the name "Coin Locker Babies" before becoming the pillows after Kenji left KENZI&THE TRIPS. Their core lineup included Sawao Yamanaka (born December 7, 1968) on vocals and rhythm guitar, Yoshiaki Manabe (born October 2, 1962) on lead guitar, and Shinichirou Sato (born August 16, 1964) on drums. Kenji Ueda (born August 30, 1965) played bass from 1989 to 1992, Tatsuya Kashima served as a support bass player from 1992 to 1999, and Jun Suzuki has served as a support bassist since 1999. the pillows were associated with Avex Trax, officially disbanded on February 1, 2025, and Shinichirou Sato died on March 28, 2026.