Straightener (band)

Straightener
OriginTokyo, Japan
GenresIndie rock, alternative rock
Years active1998–present
LabelsEMI Music Japan
MembersAtsushi Horie
Shinpei Nakayama
Hidekazu Hinata
Jun Ōyama
Websitehttp://www.straightener.net

Straightener (ストレイテナー, Sutoreitenā) is a Japanese alternative rock band. The band started out as a duo with Atsushi Horie (vocals/guitar) and Shinpei Nakayama (drums) in 1998. They established an independent label named Ghost Records in 2002. Hidekazu Hinata joined the band as bassist in 2003, giving the band a heavier sound. In October of the same year they released a single, "Traveling Gargoyle" from Toshiba EMI.

Straightener have performed at numerous festivals and live tours. The band toured all over Japan during their Linear tour in 2007, as well as performing a joint tour in December 2013 with Asian Kung-Fu Generation to celebrate both bands' 10-year anniversaries. Both bands performed in Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan along with a local band from each country.