Members: Sawao Yamanaka, Yoshiaki Manabe, Kenji Ueda, Shinichiro Sato
Label: Avex Trax
Biography
the pillows are a Japanese alternative rock band formed in Hokkaidō, Japan in 1989. Their sound combines alternative rock, j-rock, and pop rock, and they are especially well known to anime audiences for their soundtrack work on FLCL. The band was originally called "Coin Locker Babies" before the name changed after Kenji left the band "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. Jun Suzuki served as bass as a support member since 1999, while former members included Kenji Ueda (born August 30, 1965), who played bass from 1989 to 1992, and Tatsuya Kashima, who served as a support bass player from 1992 to 1999. The band was associated with Avex Trax, officially disbanded on February 1, 2025, and drummer Shinichirou Sato died in March 2026.
