Keiichi Suzuki
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese composer
and performer, known for his music for the Super Nintendo
game EarthBound
, released on the Mother 2 soundtrack. Recently, his work has been featured in Uzumaki
and Tokyo Godfathers
. He is also a member of the Moonriders.
, Japan
. In the 1970s, he became involved with the Japanese band Hachimitsu Pie, who released one album in 1973. Suzuki's true notoriety comes from his work with the long-lived Moonriders, who became one of Japan's most innovative rock bands. Suzuki functioned as the occasional-leader and regular singer of the band—the group's first album was in fact credited to "Keiichi Suzuki and the Moonriders"—which also included his brother Hirofumi. Suzuki will also be familiar to fans of the Yellow Magic Orchestra
for his various collaborations with Yukihiro Takahashi
, most notably on the material credited to The Beatniks
. He was also a member of the trio Three Blind Moses.
He also composed music for a number of films, including The Blind Swordsman: Zatōichi
, Tokyo Godfathers
, Higuchinsky's Uzumaki
, and Hiroshi Shimizu's Chicken Heart.
As an actor, Suzuki appeared in 1980 film; Body Drop Asphalt; Shunji Iwai
's Swallowtail Butterfly
and Love Letter; and other films from the late '90s and early 2000s.
In America, Keiichi Suzuki is known for his eccentric music style that is best embodied in his most famous work, the music for the SNES
game EarthBound
("Mother 2" in Japan). He also worked with Hip Tanaka on its NES
predecessor, Mother
. A few years after EarthBound, Suzuki provided the music for the audio game
, Real Sound: Kaze no Regret
.
His song "Satellite Serenade" was remixed by The Orb
and was later featured on Sasha & Digweed's Northern Exposure
and The Orb's Auntie Aubrey's Excursions Beyond the Call of Duty
compilation.
In February 2008, Suzuki released a new solo album Captain Hate & First Mate Love in collaboration with another Keiichi, Keiichi Sokabe, touring together in late spring 2008. The follow-up Pirate Radio Seasick appeared in 2009, and the third part In Retrospect in January 2011.
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 composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and performer, known for his music for the Super Nintendo
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
game EarthBound
EarthBound
EarthBound, also known as EarthBound: The War Against Giygas! and released as in Japan, is a role-playing video game co-developed by Ape and HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console...
, released on the Mother 2 soundtrack. Recently, his work has been featured in Uzumaki
Uzumaki (film)
is a Japanese horror film directed by Higuchinsky. Uzumaki, released in 2000, is based on Junji Ito's episodic manga of the same name.The plot concerns a town infected with malevolent spirals...
and Tokyo Godfathers
Tokyo Godfathers
is a 2003 anime film by the late Japanese director Satoshi Kon.Tokyo Godfathers was Kon's third animated movie, which he wrote and directed. Keiko Nobumoto, noted for being the creator of the Wolf's Rain series and a head scriptwriter for Cowboy Bebop, co-wrote the script with Kon.Tokyo Godfathers...
. He is also a member of the Moonriders.
Biography
Suzuki was born in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
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...
. In the 1970s, he became involved with the Japanese band Hachimitsu Pie, who released one album in 1973. Suzuki's true notoriety comes from his work with the long-lived Moonriders, who became one of Japan's most innovative rock bands. Suzuki functioned as the occasional-leader and regular singer of the band—the group's first album was in fact credited to "Keiichi Suzuki and the Moonriders"—which also included his brother Hirofumi. Suzuki will also be familiar to fans of the Yellow Magic Orchestra
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Sakamoto first worked with Hosono as a member of his live band in 1976, while Takahashi recruited Sakamoto to produce his debut solo recording in 1977 following the split of the Sadistic Mika Band...
for his various collaborations with Yukihiro Takahashi
Yukihiro Takahashi
Yukihiro Takahashi is a Japanese musician, who is best known as the drummer and lead vocalist of the Yellow Magic Orchestra, and as the former drummer of the Sadistic Mika Band.-Biography:...
, most notably on the material credited to The Beatniks
The Beatniks
The Beatniks are a duo formed by Yellow Magic Orchestra drummer/singer Yukihiro Takahashi and Keiichi Suzuki. The duo's debut album featured vocals mostly in English, with the rest in French.-Albums:* Exitentialism Vap...
. He was also a member of the trio Three Blind Moses.
He also composed music for a number of films, including The Blind Swordsman: Zatōichi
Zatoichi (2003 film)
is a 2003 Japanese samurai drama and action film, directed, written, co-edited, and starring Takeshi Kitano as his eleventh film. Kitano plays the role of the blind swordsman....
, Tokyo Godfathers
Tokyo Godfathers
is a 2003 anime film by the late Japanese director Satoshi Kon.Tokyo Godfathers was Kon's third animated movie, which he wrote and directed. Keiko Nobumoto, noted for being the creator of the Wolf's Rain series and a head scriptwriter for Cowboy Bebop, co-wrote the script with Kon.Tokyo Godfathers...
, Higuchinsky's Uzumaki
Uzumaki (film)
is a Japanese horror film directed by Higuchinsky. Uzumaki, released in 2000, is based on Junji Ito's episodic manga of the same name.The plot concerns a town infected with malevolent spirals...
, and Hiroshi Shimizu's Chicken Heart.
As an actor, Suzuki appeared in 1980 film; Body Drop Asphalt; Shunji Iwai
Shunji Iwai
is a Japanese film director/video artist, writer and documentarian.-Life and career:Iwai was born in Sendai, Japan, Miyagi prefecture. He attended Yokohama National University, graduating in 1987....
's Swallowtail Butterfly
Swallowtail butterfly
Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies that form the family Papilionidae. There are over 550 species, and though the majority are tropical, members of the family are found on all continents except Antarctica...
and Love Letter; and other films from the late '90s and early 2000s.
In America, Keiichi Suzuki is known for his eccentric music style that is best embodied in his most famous work, the music for the SNES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
game EarthBound
EarthBound
EarthBound, also known as EarthBound: The War Against Giygas! and released as in Japan, is a role-playing video game co-developed by Ape and HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console...
("Mother 2" in Japan). He also worked with Hip Tanaka on its NES
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
predecessor, Mother
Mother (video game)
, planned to be released in English as Earth Bound , is a role-playing video game developed by Nintendo Tokyo Research and Development Products in...
. A few years after EarthBound, Suzuki provided the music for the audio game
Audio game
An audio game is an electronic game played on a device such as a personal computer. It is similar to a video game save that the only feedback device is audible rather than visual....
, Real Sound: Kaze no Regret
Real Sound: Kaze no Regret
is an adventure audio game created by WARP, Inc. for the Sega Saturn in 1997. The game was intended to provide equal access to both players with sight and to blind players.-Production history:...
.
His song "Satellite Serenade" was remixed by The Orb
The Orb
Throughout 1989, the Orb, along with Martin Glover, developed the musical genre of ambient house through the use of a diverse array of samples and recordings. The culmination of its musical work came toward the end of the year when the group recorded a session for John Peel on BBC Radio 1...
and was later featured on Sasha & Digweed's Northern Exposure
Northern Exposure (album)
Northern Exposure is a 1996 mix album by DJs Sasha & John Digweed. There is both a British edition released by Ministry of Sound and an American edition released by Ultra Records...
and The Orb's Auntie Aubrey's Excursions Beyond the Call of Duty
Auntie Aubrey's Excursions Beyond the Call of Duty
Auntie Aubrey's Excursions Beyond the Call of Duty is a remix compilation by The Orb originally released on a limited edition four record set in 1996. It was re-released five years later on CD along with its sequel, Auntie Aubrey's Excursions Beyond the Call of Duty Part 2...
compilation.
In February 2008, Suzuki released a new solo album Captain Hate & First Mate Love in collaboration with another Keiichi, Keiichi Sokabe, touring together in late spring 2008. The follow-up Pirate Radio Seasick appeared in 2009, and the third part In Retrospect in January 2011.
External links
- Artist profile at OverClocked ReMixOverClocked ReMixOverClocked ReMix, also known as OC ReMix and OCR, is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and paying tribute to video game music through arranging and re-interpreting the songs with new technology and software, as well as by various traditional means...
- The Moonriders official website