is a Japanese

Japanese people

The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...

 musician, author

Author

An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...

 and socialist

Socialism

Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...

 activist. Known as frontman of the influential punk

Punk rock

Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...

 band The Stalin

The Stalin

were an influential Japanese punk rock band formed in June 1980, by leader and vocalist Michiro Endo. After numerous member changes, he disbanded the group in February 1985. In May 1987 Michiro formed a group called Video Stalin, which mostly made videos instead of albums, they disbanded in 1988...

.

Endo was born in Nihonmatsu

Nihonmatsu, Fukushima

is a city located in Fukushima, Japan. As of May 2011, the city has an estimated population of 59,323. The total area is 344.65 km².The city was founded on October 1, 1958.-Geography:Nihonmatsu's Western border consists of the Adatara mountain range...

 and graduated from Yamagata University

Yamagata University

is a national university located in the Japanese cities of Yamagata, Yonezawa and Tsuruoka in Yamagata Prefecture.The university was established in 1949 but its origin can be traced back to the , a public teacher-training institution, founded in 1878 in Yamagata City.The university also has other...

. After college he wandered through Vietnam

Vietnam

Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

 and Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...

. He formed The Stalin

The Stalin

were an influential Japanese punk rock band formed in June 1980, by leader and vocalist Michiro Endo. After numerous member changes, he disbanded the group in February 1985. In May 1987 Michiro formed a group called Video Stalin, which mostly made videos instead of albums, they disbanded in 1988...

 in 1980, they went on to be one of the dominant acts of the 80s Japanese punk rock scene.

Endo released his first solo material in 1984. In 2002 he formed the trio Notalin's. Two years later, he and Thee Michelle Gun Elephant

Thee Michelle Gun Elephant

Thee Michelle Gun Elephant was a Japanese garage rock band formed in 1991.-History:The band was formed in 1991, while the members were students at Tokyo's Meiji Gakuin University. They later drew influence from The Roosters...

 drummer Kazuyuki Kuhara formed the acoustic

Acoustic music

Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...

 trio M.J.Q, who's motto is "unplugged punk".

On December 1, 2010 two tribute albums were released. One entitled Romantist - The Stalin, Michiro Endo Tribute Album, which features bands such as Buck-Tick

Buck-Tick

Buck-Tick is a rock band formed in 1983 in Fujioka, Japan. The band has consisted of Atsushi Sakurai , Hisashi Imai , Hidehiko Hoshino , Yutaka Higuchi and Toll Yagami for the majority of its existence...

, Dir en grey

Dir en grey

Dir En Grey is a Japanese metal band formed in 1997 and currently signed to Firewall Div., a sub-division of Free-Will. As of 2011, they have recorded eight full-length records...

, Group Tamashii and Jun Togawa covering The Stalin and Endo's solo songs. The other Red Demon, Blue Demon - Michiro Endo 60th Birthday Anniversary Tribute Album, features different artists and was first released at Endo's concert on November 14 to coincide with his 60th birthday.

Endo is still active on the live scene, as a solo performer, playing in M.J.Q, or with the occasional The Stalin concert.

Albums

• The End (1985)
• Get the Help! (1985)
• Terminal (1987)
• 50 (Half) (1995)
• Off (2000)
• Aipa (2000)
• Notalin's (2004, with Notalin's)
• I, My, Me / Amami (2005)
• Unplugged Punk (2006, with M.J.Q)
• Kiga-Kiga Kikyo (2007)
• Aipa (December 12, 2009)

External links

• Official blog
• M.J.Q Official website