Yellow Magic Orchestra Drummer And Singer Yukihiro Takahashi Dies At 70
Yukihiro Takahashi , one of the founders of the Yellow Magic Orchestra, legendary musician, drummer and singer, has died, according to The Japan Times .
Takahashi underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor in August 2020. The following year, he said, he experienced additional health problems. Takahashi was trying to recover at his home in Karzuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, but contracted pneumonia in early January and his condition worsened, according to Japanese publication Sponichi . Takahashi is 70 years old.
Takahashi was born in Tokyo in 1952 and began playing drums professionally while in high school, working as a session drummer for commercials. In his early twenties he joined the band Sadistic Mika, which became very popular internationally, mainly due to the popularity in the UK, which he gained after supporting Roxy Music on tour. .
Although Takahashi has gained popularity recently for his other solo work, he is best known as the co-founder, drummer and lead singer of the influential electronic music group Yellow Magic Orchestra, which he founded in 1978 with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Haruomi Hosono. .
All three had previously employed themselves to produce their solo music, and together YMO were known for their innovative use of synthesizers, digital recording techniques, samplers and drum machines. The band's music is inspired by disco, arcade games and the work of European electronic music icons Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder.
The group participated in the triumph of electronic and pop music, which became a worldwide phenomenon in the 1980s. YMO is considered one of the most popular and successful groups in Japan. They inspired many famous bands including Duran Duran, Depeche Mode and others. One of the most successful Japanese bands of all time and is considered a primary influence on bands such as Duran Duran and Depeche Mode.
