Shinichiro Sato, former the pillows drummer, passed away on March 23 due to esophageal cancer. He was 61 at the time of his passing. The Pillows’ official X account revealed that a private funeral was held for Sato-san.
The Pillows (stylized as the pillows) were formed in Hokkaido in 1989. The band was active until January 2025. Shinichiro drummed from the band throughout their career. The Pillows gained widespread acclaim in the otaku world and internationally after providing the soundtrack to FLCL’s original OVA in 2000. They also provided the soundtrack to FLCL Progressive, FLCL Alternative, FLCL: Grunge, and FLCL: Shoegaze.
Additionally, they also performed Sket Dance‘s ending song, “Comic Sonic,” and Ahiru no Sora‘s opening song, “Happy Go Ducky!”
The original lineup included Shinichiro (drums), Sawao Yamanaka (vocals and rhythm guitar), Kenji Ueda (bass), and Yoshiaki Manabe (lead guitar). Ueda-san left the band in 1992 due to personal and musical differences. After his departure, the Pillows never welcomed a permanent bass player. Jun Suzuki, Takamura Anzai, Tatsuya Kashima, Tomoyuki Miyakawa, and Yoshinori Arie filled the bass player position between 1993 and 2025. Jun Suzuki’s time with the band was the longest. His tenure spanned from 1998 to 2015. The band’s final lineup consisted of Sawao Yamanaka, Yoshiaki Manabe, Shinichiro Sato, and Takumura Anzai.
Throughout their career, the Pillows released 22 studio albums, 4 EPs, and 43 singles. They also contributed to various soundtracks and compilations. The Pillows disbanded after their final concert, held at KT Zepp Yokohama on January 31, 2025.
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Source: The Pillows Official X, Oricon Japan
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