Kiyoshiro Imawano
Encyclopedia
, born , was a Japanese rock musician, lyricist, composer, musical producer, and actor from Tokyo, Japan. He was dubbed "Japan's King of Rock". He formed and led an influential rock band RC Succession
.
He was known for pioneering the adoption of linguistic characteristics of the Japanese language
into his songs.
in 1968, and debuted on the music scene in 1970.
In 1982, Kiyoshiro collaborated with Ryuichi Sakamoto
and released the single "Ikenai Rouge Magic" which became a top hit on the Oricon
chart.
After RC Succession ceased to perform and record in 1991, Kiyoshiro continued as a solo singer. He has recorded and performed under various unit names apart from his own such as Danger, Razor Sharp, HIS, 2 3's, Ruffy Tuffy, Mitsukiyo and Screaming Revue. With groups the Timers and Love Jets, Kiyoshiro remained anonymous using pseudonym
s and fictitious characters.
In 1992, he released the album Memphis which was recorded in Memphis
with Booker T. & the M.G.'s
. At the time of the recording, he received an honorary citizenship from the Mayor of Memphis. Following the release of the album, Kiyoshiro toured Japan with the M.G.'s, and the Budokan
concert of that tour was released on the live album Have Mercy!.
Kiyoshiro also dubbed the voice of the Lord Royal Highness of Atlantis in the Japanese version of "SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis
" on Nickelodeon Japan Channel. (However on NHK Educational TV
he is voiced by voice actor Yoshito Yasuhara
instead.)
On July 3, 2006, Kiyoshiro confessed on official website that he was diagnosed with throat cancer and canceled all the concerts to focus on the treatment. He made a comeback in January the following year announcing that he won the battle with cancer, however, it was revealed in July that it had spread to the left ilium, resulting in canceling all shows again.
's funeral. The funeral ceremony was titled The Aoyama Rock n' Roll Show and Kiyoshiro's band played in front of 1,000 people including Keisuke Kuwata
, Shinobu Ōtake, Naoto Takenaka
.
and originally sung by Shikao Suga
and Shigeru Kishida of Quruli
under the unit name of Radio Soul 20. The version sung by Kiyoshiro was recorded all by himself (playing guitar, bass, drums and harmonica) at his studio "Rock n' Roll Kenkyujo" sometime in early 2009, and was intended as a demo. It was first made public at his funeral, and it was decided to be released following the overwhelming demand from the fans.
, UA
, Booker T. Jones
, Steve Cropper
, Leyona
, Hiroto Kōmoto
, Masatoshi Mashima
, Tortoise Matsumoto
, Hamazaki Takashi, YO-KING, Char, Reichi Nakaido
, Wilko Johnson
, Norman Watt-Roy
, and Shigeru Izumiya
.
RC Succession
RC Succession was an influential Japanese rock band fronted by singer-songwriter Kiyoshiro Imawano.- History :In 1966, Kiyoshiro formed a band named the Clover with Kenchi Haren. This band broke up the following year, however, the remaining members added some new members and called it the...
.
He was known for pioneering the adoption of linguistic characteristics of the Japanese language
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
into his songs.
Biography
Kiyoshiro was born in Nakano, Tokyo, Japan in 1951. While in high school, he formed a band named the Clovers. This band changed its name to RC SuccessionRC Succession
RC Succession was an influential Japanese rock band fronted by singer-songwriter Kiyoshiro Imawano.- History :In 1966, Kiyoshiro formed a band named the Clover with Kenchi Haren. This band broke up the following year, however, the remaining members added some new members and called it the...
in 1968, and debuted on the music scene in 1970.
In 1982, Kiyoshiro collaborated with Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto
After working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
and released the single "Ikenai Rouge Magic" which became a top hit on the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
chart.
After RC Succession ceased to perform and record in 1991, Kiyoshiro continued as a solo singer. He has recorded and performed under various unit names apart from his own such as Danger, Razor Sharp, HIS, 2 3's, Ruffy Tuffy, Mitsukiyo and Screaming Revue. With groups the Timers and Love Jets, Kiyoshiro remained anonymous using pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s and fictitious characters.
In 1992, he released the album Memphis which was recorded in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
with Booker T. & the M.G.'s
Booker T. & the M.G.'s
Booker T. & the M.G.'s is an instrumental R&B band that was influential in shaping the sound of southern soul and Memphis soul. Original members of the group were Booker T. Jones , Steve Cropper , Lewie Steinberg , and Al Jackson, Jr....
. At the time of the recording, he received an honorary citizenship from the Mayor of Memphis. Following the release of the album, Kiyoshiro toured Japan with the M.G.'s, and the Budokan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
concert of that tour was released on the live album Have Mercy!.
Kiyoshiro also dubbed the voice of the Lord Royal Highness of Atlantis in the Japanese version of "SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis
SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis
SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis is a television film and musical from the fifth season of the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. The film first aired in the United States on November 12, 2007, following a 12-hour-marathon of SpongeBob SquarePants episodes. It attracted an estimated...
" on Nickelodeon Japan Channel. (However on NHK Educational TV
NHK Educational TV
is the second television service of NHK . It is a sister service of NHK General TV, showing programs of a more educational, cultural or intellectual nature, periodically also showing anime...
he is voiced by voice actor Yoshito Yasuhara
Yoshito Yasuhara
is an actor and seiyū born on November 17, 1949 in Aioi, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. He is a member of Theatre Echo, a theatre troupe and talent management firm known for its comedy sketches...
instead.)
On July 3, 2006, Kiyoshiro confessed on official website that he was diagnosed with throat cancer and canceled all the concerts to focus on the treatment. He made a comeback in January the following year announcing that he won the battle with cancer, however, it was revealed in July that it had spread to the left ilium, resulting in canceling all shows again.
Death
On May 2, 2009, Kiyoshiro died of cancer. His funeral took place at Aoyama Sougisho on May 9, 2009. Approximately 42,000 fans visited to bid farewell tying the record of visits with Hibari MisoraHibari Misora
was an award-winning Japanese enka singer and actress. and was the first woman in Japan to receive the People's Honour Award, which was awarded posthumously for her notable contributions to the music industry. Misora recorded 1,200 songs, and sold 68 million records. After she died, consumer demand...
's funeral. The funeral ceremony was titled The Aoyama Rock n' Roll Show and Kiyoshiro's band played in front of 1,000 people including Keisuke Kuwata
Keisuke Kuwata
has gained fame as a Japanese multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and frontman for the Southern All-Stars, as well as his own solo band, the Kuwata band. He has also done significant amount of scoring music for films. He went to Aoyama Gakuin University....
, Shinobu Ōtake, Naoto Takenaka
Naoto Takenaka
is a Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and director from Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture affiliated with From First Production. He is married to idol singer and actress Midori Kinouchi.-Director:*Munō no Hito *119...
.
Posthumous release
On June 17, 2009, the single "Oh! Radio" which is said to be Kiyoshiro's last recorded work was released. This song was written by Kiyoshiro as the campaign song for the Osaka radio station FM802FM802
is a commercial radio station based at Daiwa Building in Tenjimbashi Nichome, Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan, broadcasting on 80.2 FM from Mount Iimori to Kansai region. As a late comer to the radio broadcasting market, it was a focal point for FM802 to differentiate from existing stations...
and originally sung by Shikao Suga
Shikao Suga
is a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter from Tokyo. Though he uses katakana for his recording name, the kanji for his name are 菅 止戈男, but the romanization is the same. Suga is his family name and Shikao is his given name....
and Shigeru Kishida of Quruli
Quruli
is a popular Japanese music group formed in 1996. As of March 2007, the lineup consists of Masashi Satoh and Shigeru Kishida. Their music is produced and distributed by Victor Entertainment.- Career :...
under the unit name of Radio Soul 20. The version sung by Kiyoshiro was recorded all by himself (playing guitar, bass, drums and harmonica) at his studio "Rock n' Roll Kenkyujo" sometime in early 2009, and was intended as a demo. It was first made public at his funeral, and it was decided to be released following the overwhelming demand from the fans.
Memorial Concert
Because Kiyoshiro was a popular performer at Japan's Fuji Rock Festival, there was a major tribute concert to his life and work held at Fuji Rock 2009, which was held two months after his death in July 2009. The Fuji Rock tribute featured many famous Japanese and international artists speaking about Imawano and singing either his songs or their own in memory of him. Some of the artists performing at the memorial included: CharaChara (singer)
, better known by her stage name Chara, is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actress and video jockey. She debuted in 1991 with the single Heaven...
, UA
UA (singer)
, simply known by the stage name UA , is a Japanese singer-songwriter. She debuted under Speedstar Records in 1995 with the single "Horizon".-Biography:...
, Booker T. Jones
Booker T. Jones
Booker T. Jones is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer and arranger, best known as the frontman of the band Booker T. and the MGs. He has also worked in the studios with many well-known artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, earning him a Grammy Award for lifetime...
, Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper , also known as Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T...
, Leyona
Leyona
Leyona is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Mihara city in Hiroshima Prefecture. She presently belongs to Cutting Edge.- Background :Leyona is a Singer...
, Hiroto Kōmoto
Hiroto Komoto
is a Japanese rock singer who has fronted bands such as The Blue Hearts, The High-Lows and The Cro-Magnons. The official kanji for his name are 甲本 浩人, but katakana is used when writing his name in official publications.-Personal History:...
, Masatoshi Mashima
Masatoshi Mashima
is a guitarist who has performed with Japanese rock bands such as The Blue Hearts, The High-Lows and The Cro-Magnons. He was born in Hino and raised in Kodaira in Tokyo, Japan.His nickname while playing was "Marcy."-Solo albums:...
, Tortoise Matsumoto
Tortoise Matsumoto
Tortoise Matsumoto is the lead singer of the Japanese guitar group, Ulfuls. He has also had a couple of acting roles in TV dramas, starting with Namida o Fuite in 2000.Trigun character Nicholas D. Wolfwood is modeled after him.-References:...
, Hamazaki Takashi, YO-KING, Char, Reichi Nakaido
Reichi Nakaido
, born , is a Japanese guitarist and singer best known for his association with influential rock band RC Succession.- Biography :Nakaido was born in Shinjuku, Tokyo in 1950....
, Wilko Johnson
Wilko Johnson
Wilko Johnson is an English guitarist and songwriter, particularly associated with the UK rhythm and blues band Dr. Feelgood in the 1970s.-Career:...
, Norman Watt-Roy
Norman Watt-Roy
Norman Watt-Roy is the bassist for The Blockheads, previously known as Ian Dury & the Blockheads.In November 1954 the Watt-Roy family, including Norman, his older brother Garth and his sister, moved to England...
, and Shigeru Izumiya
Shigeru Izumiya
Shigeru Izumiya is a Japanese poet, folk singer, actor, tarento. He established record company "For Life Records" with Takuro Yoshida, Yosui Inoue, Hitoshi Komuro in 1975...
.
Discography
For RC Succession discography, please see RC Succession discography- 1982 Dr. UmezuKazutoki UmezuKazutoki Umezu is a Japanese jazz saxophonist.He has performed with Tom Cora, Samm Bennett, Ruins, and Michiyo Yagi.-Video:*...
& Kiyoshiro / Danger - 1985 Danger II
- 1987 Razor Sharp
- 1987 Kiyoshiro Imawano & The Razor Sharp / Happy Heads
- 1989 The Timers / The Timers
- 1991 HIS / Nippon no Hito (unit with Haruomi HosonoHaruomi Hosono, also known as Harry Hosono, is a Japanese popular musician, best known internationally as a key member of the rock band Happy End and the pioneering electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra.-Biography:...
and Fuyumi SakamotoFuyumi Sakamotois a Japanese female enka singer under EMI Music Japan.-Career:On March 4, 1987, Sakamoto debuted as a recording singer with the single "Abare Daiko". In 1988, she took part in the 39th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen for the first time...
) - 1992 Memphis
- 1992 Kiyoshiro Imawano + Booker T. & the M.G.'sBooker T. & the M.G.'sBooker T. & the M.G.'s is an instrumental R&B band that was influential in shaping the sound of southern soul and Memphis soul. Original members of the group were Booker T. Jones , Steve Cropper , Lewie Steinberg , and Al Jackson, Jr....
/ Have Mercy! - 1992 Kiyoshiro Imawano & 2 3's / Go Go 2 3's
- 1993 Kiyoshiro Imawano & 2 3's / Music From Power House
- 1994 Magic
- 1994 Kiyoshiro Imawano & Reichi NakaidoReichi Nakaido, born , is a Japanese guitarist and singer best known for his association with influential rock band RC Succession.- Biography :Nakaido was born in Shinjuku, Tokyo in 1950....
/ Glad All Over - 1995 The Timers / Fukkatsu!! The Timers
- 1995 The Timers / Fujimi no Timers
- 1997 Kiyoshiro meets de-ga-show / Hospital
- 1997 Kiyoshiro Imawano Little Screaming Revue / Groovin' Time
- 1998 Kiyoshiro Imawano Little Screaming Revue / Rainbow Cafe
- 1999 Ruffy Tuffy
- 1999 Kiyoshiro Imawano Little Screaming Revue / Fuyu no Jujika
- 2000 Ruffy Tuffy / Natsu no Jujika
- 2000 Ruffy Tuffy / Aki no Jujika
- 2003 Love Jets / Chinguro
- 2003 King
- 2005 God
- 2006 Yumesuke
- 2008 Kanzen Fukkatsusai - Nippon Budokan Live Album
- 2008 Wanted Tour 2003-2004
- 2009 Aoyama Rock'n'Roll Show 2009.5.9 Original Soundtrack
- 2010 Baby #1
Filmography
- 1986 Death Powder ... Dr. Loo
- 2001 The Happiness of the Katakuris ... Richâdo Sagawa
- 2002 Chicken Heart ... Sada
- 2003 1980
- 2004 Otakus in Love
- 2005 The Great Yokai War ... General Nurarihyon
- 2008 Then Summer Came