▁previously ▁in ▁a ▁band ▁called ▁" C ow g irl ", ▁he ▁combined ▁the ▁names , ▁and ▁christ ened ▁his ▁new ▁band ▁" Number ▁Girl ". ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁inc arn ation ▁of ▁Number ▁Girl ▁was ▁un success ful , ▁and ▁the ▁collabor ating ▁mus icians ▁quickly ▁left ▁the ▁group . ▁Mu ka i ▁invited ▁bass ist ▁Kent ar ō ▁Nak ao , ▁who ▁in ▁turn ▁invited ▁guitar ist ▁His ako ▁Tab uch i , ▁whom ▁Nak ao ▁knew ▁from ▁her ▁former ▁job ▁operating ▁light ing ▁at ▁the ▁Viv re ▁Hall ▁ven ue . ▁Mu ka i ▁convinced ▁a ▁fellow ▁Fu ku oka ▁scene ▁music ian ▁Ah ito ▁In az awa ▁to ▁play ▁drums , ▁final izing ▁Number ▁Girl ' s ▁line up . ▁The ▁band ▁self - re leased ▁two ▁dem os , ▁" At ari ▁Sho ck " ▁and ▁" O mo ide ▁in ▁My ▁Head ", ▁and ▁was ▁also ▁featured ▁on ▁several ▁comp il ations . ▁Number ▁Girl ▁released ▁their ▁first ▁full - length ▁studio ▁album , ▁School ▁Girl ▁By e ▁By e ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁on ▁independent ▁label ▁Autom atic ▁K iss , ▁and ▁released ▁their ▁first ▁single , ▁" D run ken ▁Heart ed ", ▁several ▁months ▁later . ▁▁ 1 9 9 8 – 2 0 0 1 : ▁Major ▁Label ▁Deb ut ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁the ▁band ▁began ▁playing ▁shows ▁in ▁the ▁Sh im ok it az awa ▁area ▁of ▁Tokyo . ▁G aining ▁a ▁higher ▁profile