Ezo (band)
Encyclopedia
was a Japan
ese heavy metal
band originally formed as FRATVACKER in the spring of 1982 in Sapporo, Japan out of the remnants of two high school bands, POWER-STATION and SCRAP. Ezo has been named a "seminal influence by such artists as Steve McDonald
of Redd Kross
and Michael Steele
of the The Bangles
."
), Taro Takahashi (bass
), Shoyo Iida (guitar
) and Hiro Homma (drums
). They released one demo cassette (Minagoroshi) in 1984 and two album
s (1985's Senzo and 1986's Esa) in Japan as Flatbacker in the mid-1980s before coming to the U.S.
Rumor has it that Gene Simmons
of KISS
, who produced their self-titled U.S. debut album, was behind the band's name change to Ezo, inspired by Eizo, an ancient name for Hokkaidō
. They released two albums for Geffen Records
, 1987's E-Z-O and 1989's Fire Fire, before being dropped from the label and internal differences led to the band's demise.
Vocalist Masaki Yamada joined fellow Japanese metalheads Loudness in 1992 and drummer Hiro Homma joined Loudness in 1994. In 2000, the original Loudness lineup reunited and Masaki and Hiro left the band. Hiro Homma is currently the drummer for the Japanese metal band Anthem and vocalist Masaki Yamada is now the bass player for the New York-based band FiRESiGN.
A single guitar riff from E-Z-O song "House of 1,000 Pleasures" served as the signature sound of syndicated radio network Z Rock
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band originally formed as FRATVACKER in the spring of 1982 in Sapporo, Japan out of the remnants of two high school bands, POWER-STATION and SCRAP. Ezo has been named a "seminal influence by such artists as Steve McDonald
Steven Shane McDonald
Steven Shane McDonald is the bass player in the Los Angeles alternative rock/power pop band Redd Kross. He is also a member of the hardcore punk band OFF!, which formed in late 2009. Other projects included The SMG and Green and Yellow TV - both were Los Angeles-based groups from the 2000s...
of Redd Kross
Redd Kross
Redd Kross, a rock band from Hawthorne, California had their roots in 1978 in a band called The Tourists begun by Jeff and Steve McDonald while the brothers were still in middle school...
and Michael Steele
Michael Steele (musician)
Michael Steele is an American bassist, guitarist, songwriter, and singer. She performed with The Bangles and numerous other bands.-Career:Steele began her professional career as Micki Steele in the teen-girl band The Runaways, among the first all-female rock groups.Steele's stay in the Runaways was...
of the The Bangles
The Bangles
The Bangles are an American all-female band that originated in the early 1980s, scoring several hit singles during the decade.-Formation and early years :...
."
History
Ezo consisted of Masaki Yamada (vocalsSinging
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
), Taro Takahashi (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), Shoyo Iida (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) and Hiro Homma (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). They released one demo cassette (Minagoroshi) in 1984 and two album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s (1985's Senzo and 1986's Esa) in Japan as Flatbacker in the mid-1980s before coming to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Rumor has it that Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
of KISS
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, who produced their self-titled U.S. debut album, was behind the band's name change to Ezo, inspired by Eizo, an ancient name for Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
. They released two albums for Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
, 1987's E-Z-O and 1989's Fire Fire, before being dropped from the label and internal differences led to the band's demise.
Vocalist Masaki Yamada joined fellow Japanese metalheads Loudness in 1992 and drummer Hiro Homma joined Loudness in 1994. In 2000, the original Loudness lineup reunited and Masaki and Hiro left the band. Hiro Homma is currently the drummer for the Japanese metal band Anthem and vocalist Masaki Yamada is now the bass player for the New York-based band FiRESiGN.
A single guitar riff from E-Z-O song "House of 1,000 Pleasures" served as the signature sound of syndicated radio network Z Rock
Z Rock
Z-Rock was a nationally syndicated radio network based out of Dallas, Texas, USA, in the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s that played heavy metal and hard rock music. The format was one of ABC Radio Network's 24-hour satellite formats...
.
Discography
- Accident (1985) (as 'Flatbacker')
- Esa (1986) (as 'Flatbacker')
- EZOEZOEZO is the American self-titled debut album from the Japanese metal band Ezo. It was released in 1987 on Geffen Records and co-produced by Gene Simmons of KISS fame. Songwriters from the Kiss’ entourage contributed heavily to the songs of the album....
(1987) U.S. #150 - Fire FireFire FireFire Fire is the second American album released by the Japanese metal band Ezo. It was released in 1989 on Geffen Records.-Track listing:All songs by EZO and Jody Gray except where indicated#"Love Junkie" – 4:44#"Night Crawler" Fire Fire is the second American album released by the Japanese metal...
(1989)