World's End Girlfriend

Katsuhiko Maeda (前田 勝彦, Maeda Katsuhiko, born 1 November 1975), better known by his stage name World's End Girlfriend, is a Japanese musician from Gotō Islands, Nagasaki Prefecture.^[1] He is the founder of the record label Virgin Babylon Records.^[2]

World's End Girlfriend
Birth name	前田 勝彦
Also known as	World's End Boyfriend Wonderland Falling Yesterday
Born	(1975-11-01) 1 November 1975 (age 49) Gotō Islands, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan
Genres	Electronic
Occupation	Record producer
Years active	2000–present
Labels	Noble Human Highway Virgin Babylon Erased Tapes

Biography

Katsuhiko Maeda was born on 1 November 1975 in Gotō Islands, Nagasaki Prefecture.^[1] At the age of 10, he started making music.^[1]

His debut studio album, Ending Story, was released in 2000.^[3] It was followed by Farewell Kingdom (2001).^[4] In 2005, he released a collaborative album with Mono, titled Palmless Prayer / Mass Murder Refrain.^[5] In February 2007, American webzine Somewhere Cold voted Palmless Prayer / Mass Murder Refrain No. 7 on their 2006 Somewhere Cold Awards Hall of Fame.^[6]

He released Hurtbreak Wonderland in 2007,^[7] Seven Idiots in 2010,^[8] and Last Waltz in 2016.^[9]

He has also written the score for films such as Air Doll^[10] and Starry Starry Night.^[11]

Discography

Studio albums

• Ending Story (2000)
• Farewell Kingdom (2001)
• Dream's End Come True (2002)
• Enchanted Landscape Escape (2002) (as Wonderland Falling Yesterday)
• The Lie Lay Land (2005)
• Palmless Prayer / Mass Murder Refrain (2005) (with Mono)
• Hurtbreak Wonderland (2007)
• Seven Idiots (2010)
• Voices of Days Past (2015) (with Vampillia)
• Last Waltz (2016)
• Resistance & the Blessing (2023)

Soundtrack albums

• Air Doll (2009)
• Starry Starry Night (2011)
• Tasha Tudor: A Still Water Story (2017)
• A Girl on the Shore (2021)

Compilation albums

• Last Waltz Remix (2017)

Live albums

• Song to the Siren: Live 3.11 (2015)
• Live/10/10/2015 (2016)
• Last Waltz in Tokyo (2018)

EPs

• Sky Short Story (2000)
• Division One (2010)
• Division Two (2010)
• Other Voices (2010)
• I Know You (2012)
• Story Telling Again and Again (2012)
• Yudechang (2013) (with Bool)
• Girls/Boys Song (2014)
• Requiem EP (2017) (with Daisuke Kashiwa)
• Meguri (2018)

Singles

• "Xmas Song" (2001) (as World's End Boyfriend)
• "Halfmoon Girl" (2001) (split with Cinq)
• "Kimi o Nosete: Nausicaa Requiem" (2007) (split with Special Others)
• "Boy" (2017)
• "Eve" (2019) (with Smany)
• "Rendering the Soul" (2019)
• "Re-Rendering the Soul (Yaporigami Remix)" (2020)
• "In the Name of Love" (2021)
• "Black Box Fake Fact" (2022) (with CRZKNY)

References

1. "world's end girlfriend、6年ぶりとなるフル・アルバム『LAST WALTZ』その表現の核心に迫る". Ototoy (in Japanese). 26 November 2016. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
2. Michel, Patrick St. (22 May 2016). "Katsuhiko Maeda builds a diverse musical arsenal at Virgin Babylon Records". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 22 June 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
3. "world's end girlfriend、幻の1stアルバムが新装盤で復刻". Natalie (in Japanese). 7 June 2011. Archived from the original on 21 October 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
4. "衝撃的な災害や事件を前に、音楽は? world's end girlfriendに訊く (page 1 of 3)". Cinra.net (in Japanese). 25 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
5. "MONO×world's end girlfriendのコラボ作完成!". CD Journal (in Japanese). 10 November 2005. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
6. Lamoreaux, Jason T. (7 February 2007). "2006 Somewhere Cold Awards". Somewhere Cold. Archived from the original on 22 May 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
7. Mineo, Mike (6 July 2007). "Worlds End Girlfriend: Hurtbreak Wonderland". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
8. "world's end girlfriend、破壊と構築の3年半ぶりアルバム". Natalie (in Japanese). 4 July 2010. Archived from the original on 14 July 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
9. "world's end girlfriend、"存在そのものの強さと美で見せる"トレイラーに日南響子". Natalie (in Japanese). 6 October 2016. Archived from the original on 8 October 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
10. "wegがカンヌ正式出品作「空気人形」の映画音楽を制作". Natalie (in Japanese). 27 June 2009. Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
11. "world's end girlfriend×湯川潮音が台湾映画の音楽制作". Natalie (in Japanese). 26 October 2011. Archived from the original on 27 October 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2020.

External links

• World's End Girlfriend discography at Discogs