Finger 5
Japanese pop group from Okinawa, teen idols of the 1970s.
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Finger 5 (フィンガー5, Fingā Faibu) was a Japanese pop group formed in 1967 in Okinawa, initially composed of the three Tamamoto brothers Kazuo, Mitsuo, and Masao, who performed as All Brothers. After winning a local talent contest, the group moved to Tokyo, where they struggled before adding siblings Akira and Taeko in early 1972 and renaming themselves Finger Five. They achieved major success in the 1970s with hits such as "Kojin Jugyo (Private Lessons)" and "Koi no Dial 6700 (Love Call 6700)," becoming teen idols known for catchy songs about school life and puppy love.
Background
The group began in 1967 as All Brothers, with three Tamamoto brothers performing at their father's bar in Okinawa. After winning a local talent contest, they relocated to Tokyo, where the eldest brother Kazuo was only 14. They struggled in the Tokyo area, often playing at venues catering to US military personnel, as they had done in Okinawa. In 1970, they signed with King Records as the Baby Brothers, but their three releases did not sell well.
In early 1972, Akira and Taeko joined, and the group became Finger Five. Later that year, they debuted on the Philips label with First Album, and in 1973 scored a huge hit with "Kojin Jugyo (Private Lessons)," which sold almost a million and a half copies. Follow-up singles "Koi no Dial 6700" and "Gakuen Tengoku" were also major hits.
The group attained superstar status, becoming regulars on the TV show Ginza NOW and making three movies in 1974: Hello Finger Five, Chonoryoku Dayo! Zenin Shugo, and Finger Five No Dai Boken. That year they also held a joint concert with Canada's De Franco Family.
Did You Know?
- The group was partly inspired by the Partridge Family TV show.
- After disbanding in 1978, members attempted comebacks as Fingers, Zapp, Finger Five, Finger Five Soul Band, and AM Fingers.
More in Japanese boy bands
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Finger 5 (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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