Keisuke Kuwata's watch choices: a vintage Rolex, and another one...

Despite having an average age of 69, Southern All Stars have led a hugely successful nationwide tour, drawing a total audience of 75 people. 47 years after their debut, the band's bandmaster, Keisuke Kuwata, continues to perform energetically this year. His favorite timepieces are the classic Rolex "Bubble Back" and the sophisticated IWC "Bubble Back." His sensibility in choosing watches speaks to the greatness of an artist who anticipates the times.

The hugely successful nationwide tour "THANK YOU SO MUCH"

　Southern All Stars released their latest album, "THANK YOU SO MUCH," in March 2025. The nationwide tour of the same name featured 26 shows at 13 venues, drawing a total of approximately 750,000 attendees, including approximately 600,000 in-person audiences and 150,000 live viewings. Starting with a performance in Kanazawa on January 11th, the tour followed with arena shows in Hiroshima, Kobe, Saitama, Miyagi, Kagawa, Okinawa, and Kanagawa, before expanding into a five-dome tour in Fukuoka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Osaka, and Tokyo from April. It was rumored that tickets were difficult to obtain, even for fan club members, and in fact, even seats with open equipment sold out immediately.

　They broke the record for the oldest band to perform at the five major domes. As of 2025, the average age of the band members is 69, but their powerful performances continue to captivate audiences. The original "Southern All Stars" was formed in 1975 by a folk song club at Aoyama Gakuin University. I say "first" because they changed their band name repeatedly. At the time, Yuko Hara saw Keisuke Kuwata with his spiked hair and sunglasses, and bassist Kazuyuki Sekiguchi with his chest-length hair, and told her classmates, "Let's stay away." Eventually, Yuko Hara joined the band, and the band's name eventually became "Southern All Stars." The idea was a friend's idea while bathing.

　They made their major debut in June 1978 with the single "Katte ni Sindbad," featuring a Latin-influenced performance and wild vocals. In 1979, they had a huge hit with "Itoshi no Ellie," a song whose beautiful melody line was later covered by R&B legend Ray Charles and became known around the world. They continued to produce memorable works after that, and many people know that they became one of Japan's leading rock groups.

Keisuke Kuwata's personality and attitude towards his fans

　In addition to his musical achievements, Keisuke Kuwata is known for his considerate personality towards his band members, staff, and fans. Even during the band's hiatus in 2008, he said, "Southern All Stars wouldn't exist without the members," demonstrating his commitment to his teammates. While their performances often contain humorous and provocative elements, at their core is a spirit of "love and peace," which has earned them widespread support from a wide audience.

　Fans still vividly remember the outdoor concert they held in their hometown of Chigasaki in the summer of 2000 and the song "HOTEL PACIFIC," which was used as a campaign song at the time.

A Rolex "Bubble Back" that I've loved for many years

　The watch that Keisuke Kuwata has been using for many years seems to be an early model of Rolex's "Oyster Perpetual," commonly known as the "Bubble Back." The nickname "Bubble Back" comes from the fact that the case back bulges out like a large bubble to accommodate the automatic winding rotor. Another distinctive feature is the slightly protruding shape of the case around the crown.

　Rolex produced the Bubble Back from the 1930s to the mid-1950s. It is interesting that the Rolex that Keisuke Kuwata, born in 1956, has been using for many years is a vintage model that is older than his own age.

　The same model was seen being worn in an image posted on the Rockin' On website in 2008, and was also frequently worn at bowling events hosted by Keisuke Kuwata. Its unique shape, combined with Keisuke Kuwata's personality, is very impressive.

IWC's smart decision in "The Sad Pro Bowler"

　Keisuke Kuwata spearheaded the KUWATA CUP bowling tournament, which was held in all 47 prefectures across Japan from 2019 to 2023. A bowling fanatic who once aspired to become a professional bowler during his school days, Keisuke Kuwata is also a skilled bowler, having achieved a perfect score (300 points) three times.

　In the image posted on the official KUWATA CUP X account announcing the release of "Sad Professional Bowler," the IWC Da Vinci Automatic 36 stands out. The image of "Sad Professional Bowler" was posted on the official KUWATA CUP X account in December 2019. The IWC Da Vinci Automatic 36 can be seen on Keisuke Kuwata's left arm.

　This collection is inspired by the inventive spirit of Leonardo da Vinci, and even within the IWC collection, it has a strong elegant and intellectual atmosphere. It is particularly noteworthy that Kuwata chose the exquisite case size of 36mm. While there is a noticeable return to smaller diameter models in the watch world today, the foresight to choose this size in 2020 is nothing short of impressive.

　One can surmise that the small-diameter model was chosen to create a nostalgic feel for the purpose of reproducing Bowling, but it also shows the sharpness of his expression in accurately capturing the sensibilities of the times. In other words, Keisuke Kuwata's keen sensibility is on display not only in his music but also in his choice of watches.

　He wears a Rolex Bubbleback, a vintage watch from his generation or older, on a daily basis, and chooses an IWC modern classic model for song promotions or event planning. His use of timepieces suited to the occasion is something you'd only expect from Keisuke Kuwata, who has been at the forefront of the Japanese music scene for 47 years.

　Just as analog records coexist with digital distribution, Kuwata Keisuke's ability to freely switch between classical and modern music impresses with his unwavering sensibility, remaining true to his own style without being swept away by the times.

　As we approach the 50th anniversary of his major debut in 2028, we look forward to the new music that Keisuke Kuwata will create with his band members, as well as the watch he will wear. We are sure he will always have a watch that he is happy with by his side.