Happy New Year 2024.In Japan, it has not been the best start with the Earthquake in Ishikawa-ken on the 1st and then an airplane accident at Haneda Airport on the 2nd. Let’s hope it becomes a better year soon.Now not to keep on the theme of bad things but since I haven’t updated this blog in a while, let us pay respect to all those we lost in 2023.

• In Memorandum

One of my favorite bands Laputa who disbanded in 2004, Singer Aki (アキ) who had is own solo carrier after Laputa died on August 29th, 2023. They will have an Anniversary of Passing on 8/29/2024 at Club Phase in Takadanobaba. I am sure it will be a somber but good remembrance for him.

Now around exactly month before July 29th, we had Guitarist Kazuhide”Rudy” Shirota ex-Presence, Rajas, Grand Slam, and Daida Laid die. He was only 60 years old and was still active playing. One of the 80’s guitar heroes has gone to the next Greatest Stage.

Now in-between the two above we have on August 5, 2023 ISSAY from legendary band DIR ZIBET die from accidental accident at age 61! He actually was one of the greater Japanese vocalist and started his own band at 19 years old and went on to star in movies, musicals, and also professional pantomimist. I was able to see him live once in KA-F-KA which was also with Ken Morioka who we lost in 2016, and it was a wonderful performance. May he Rest In Peace.

So then we had a short break before another Legendary musician passed away on Oct 19th! Buck Tick’s Atsushi Sakura died after complications of bleeding from the brain while on stage during at show. He was rushed to the hospital after falling unconscious but could not be saved. He was only 57 years old and still had many years like all of the above to go. This was a true shocker as out of all of the bands, Buck Tick had be going pretty much non stop since debuting in 1987. Atsushi’s looks have been copied by various Visual Kei bands and his influence much like Morrie from Dead End hand be felt and seen over the years. I have had the pleasure of seeing Buck Tick many times and we even tried to get them in our film “The Nail that sticks out will Sing”. Their management was always kind and got to see them for free many times. Unfortunately never was able to meet the members in person but I am sure we can meet in the next life. May he Rest In Peace .

Shortly after although not publicly announced right away HEATH of X-JAPAN (bassist) at 55 years old, on Oct 29th, died from Large Intestinal Cancer. I actually meet him when he and Pata were in the Dope Headz. It was a big role to replace fan favorite Taiji Sawada but he did a great job and his bass playing will be missed.

THEE MICHELLE GUN ELEPHANT and The Birthday Vocalist and Guitar player Chiba Yusukei died from Throat Cancer on Nov 26th. This was also a shock as I just found out while writing this up. I met him and the band in London in 1999 while I was staying there for a month and just happened to see them playing at bar. Very nice guys all of them and it is a sad day losing another person who I have actually talked too. He was also only 55. May he Rest In Peace.

Here is a list of other influential musicians who passed in 2023.

Sakamoto Ryuichi ex-YMO and legendary Composer and Actor on March 28th.

Yukihiro Takahashi ex- YMO vocalist and drummer on Jan 11th.

Makoto Ayukawa ex-Sheena and the Rockets Guitarist on Jan 29th

Now if you didn’t know, there was a huge scandal last year the disrupted the Entertainment industry here in Japan. The famous “Johnny & Associates” who’s groups included SMAP, V6, SEXY ZONE, ARASHI, KING & PRINCE, etc was the subject of a British Documentary about the owner Johnny Kitagawa who had been accused of sexual molestation of minors until his death in 2019. Many of the victims who had remained quiet decided to come out and speak up in 2022. It didn’t get much press as people didn’t want to believe it. If you didn’t know, Johnny’s had his hand in every TV Network and all of his groups members on every talent show/TV program you can imagine. Therefore, if this was true then most of the entertainment would need to change the talent and that is not an easy thing to do. However, after this documentary that came out around May of 2023, things started heating up and finally in late September, they had a press conference about the situation. In the end, they acknowledged there was some wrong doings by the late owner and that would investigate further. So after that, the majority of the artist under’s Johnny’s got dropped from Various TV programs and even NHK decided not to work with them anymore until the company takes action about the accusations. Johnny & Associates officially changed their name to “SMILE-UP” on Oct 17th 2023.So we have yet to see the outcome of how much they plan to dish out the the victims but for the moment we shall just wait and see( the news has died down again).