Munetaka Higuchi: Difference between revisions

| birth_place = [[Nara, Prefecture|Nara]], [[Japan]]

| death_place = [[Osaka]], [[Japan]]

| origingenre = [[OsakaHeavy metal music|Heavy metal]], [[JapanRock music|rock]]

| instrumentoccupation = [[DrumDrummer, kit|Drums]]record producer

{{nihongo|'''Munetaka Higuchi'''|樋口 宗孝|Higuchi Munetaka}} (December 24, 1958 – November 30, 2008) was a Japanese musician and record producer,. He is best known for beingas the original drummer of the [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band, [[Loudness (band)|Loudness]], but first rose to prominence as a member of [[Lazy (band)|Lazy]] in the 1970s.

== Career ==

From a young age, he was considered a talented drummer. During his high school years, Higuchi played in seven bands. But he was not happy with this situation, wanting to focus his time on only one band. That'sAt whenthis point, schoolmate and future bandmate [[Akira Takasaki]] came along and they formed [[Lazy (band)|Lazy]].<ref name="Pecere" >{{cite web | url = http://it.netlog.com/groups/Loudness/forum/messageid=146596 | title = Storia in breve! | accessdateaccess-date = June 2, 2012-06-02 | last = Pecere | first = Antonio | date = 9 February 9, 2008 | publisher = [[Netlog]] | language = Italianit | archiveurlarchive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110714165737/http://it.netlog.com/groups/Loudness/forum/messageid=146596 | archivedatearchive-date = 2011-07-July 14, 2011}}</ref> Lazy was formed by very young musicians and started playing easy-listening [[J-pop|pop-rock]], that slowly progressed to more complex music. Higuchi was identified in the band by the moniker "Davy".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://j-metal.freevar.com/lazy.htm |title=Lazy Biografia |accessdate=2010-03access-date=March 31, 2010 |year=2004 |publisher=J-Metal |language=Portuguesept |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710211911/http://j-metal.freevar.com/lazy.htm |archive-date=July 10, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

When he and Takasaki shifted their musical interests to [[hard rock]] and [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]], they founded [[Loudness (band)|Loudness]] in 1981.<ref name="Pecere" /> During his time with Loudness, Higuchi released his first solo album, ''Destruction'', in 1983.<ref>{{cite web | url = httphttps://www.allmusic.com/album/destruction-mw0000365296 | title = Munetaka Higuchi Destruction review | accessdateaccess-date = June 2, 2012-06-02 | last = Eder | first = Bruce | work = [[Allmusic]] | publisher = [[Rovi Corporation]]}}</ref> In the same year he produced and played drums inon [[Mari Hamada]]'s studio albums ''[[Lunatic Doll]]'' and ''[[Romantic Night]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url = httphttps://www.allmusic.com/album/romantic-night-mw0001215604/credits | title = Mari Hamada Romantic Night credits | accessdateaccess-date = June 2, 2012-06-02 | work = [[Allmusic]] | publisher = [[Rovi Corporation]]}}</ref> He left Loudness in 1992, and resumed his solo career in the late-1990s, working also on side projects, including [[Sly (band)|Sly]] (with former Loudness' singer [[Minoru Niihara]]),<ref>{{cite webencyclopedia | url = http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Sly/54156 | title = SLY | accessdateaccess-date = June 2, 2012-06-02 | publisherencyclopedia = [[Encyclopaedia Metallum]]}}</ref> [[Bloodcircus]], Rose of Rose, and the Rock 'n' Roll Standard Club Band, besides collaborating with dozens of Japanese artists, both as producer and as drummer.

In 1997, as "Munetaka Higuchi & Dream Castle", he released the album ''Free World''. The band featured many famous musicians from the jazz and rock/metal spheres, like [[Steve Vai]], [[Stanley Clarke]], [[Billy Sheehan]], [[Ty Tabor]], [[Terry Bozzio]], [[T. M. Stevens]], [[Ronnie James Dio]], [[Richie Kotzen]], [[Paulinho Da Costa]] and others.<ref>{{cite web | url = httphttps://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/p55EEhqWLqM/search/terry-bozzio-and-billy-sheehan | title = Munetaka Higuchi with Dream Castle -– Bell video | accessdateaccess-date = June 2, 2012-06-02 | work = NME.com | publisher = ''[[New Musical Express]]''}}</ref> The album was released on February 21, 1997, in Japan.<ref>{{cite webencyclopedia | url = http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Munetaka_Higuchi/Free_World/107240 | title = Munetaka Higuchi -– Free World | accessdateaccess-date = June 2, 2012-06-02 | publisherencyclopedia = [[Encyclopaedia Metallum]]}}</ref> In 1998, he produced ''[[Cozy Powell Forever|Cozy Powell Forever]] ~ Tribute to Cozy Powell]]'',<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.cozypowell.com/news.html | title = Cozy Powell Tribute Albums | accessdateaccess-date = 2010-11-November 21, 2010 | last = Siegler | first = Joe | date = 1999-01-January 27, 1999 | publisher = The Official Cozy Powell Site | archiveurlarchive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20000304143516/http://www.cozypowell.com/news.html | archivedatearchive-date = March 4, 2000-03-04}}</ref> a tribute album to the recently deceased drummer [[Cozy Powell]], very popular in Japan. For the album, Higuchi had the collaboration of the best Japanese heavy metal musicians and was able to reunite his former bandmates of Loudness.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nolifetilmetal.com/tributes.htm |title=Tribute Disks |accessdate=2010-03access-date=March 24, 2010 |last=Waters |first=Scott |publisher=Nolifetilmetal.com }}</ref> A tour in support of the album was made with musicians from Loudness and Sly.<ref>{{cite web | url = httphttps://www.amazon.com/Cozy-Powell-Forever-Live-Loudness/dp/B00000HYD9 | title = Cozy Powell Forever Live | accessdatewebsite = 2010-11-21Amazon | publisheraccess-date = [[Amazon.com]]November 21, 2010 }}</ref>

On April 14, 2008, just two months after Loudness released the album, ''[[Metal Mad]]'', it was announced that he was diagnosed with [[hepatocellular carcinoma]], a type of liver cancer.<ref>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= |authorlink= | script-title=ja:ＬＯＵＤＮＥＳＳリーダーが肝細胞がん | date=2008-04-April 15, 2008| publisher=Sports Nippon Newspapers | url =http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/special/2008sainan/KFullNormal20080415051.html | work =Sponichi Annex | pages access-date=March 24, 2010| accessdate language=ja| 2010-03url-24status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521113647/http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/special/2008sainan/KFullNormal20080415051.html| language archive-date=May Japanese21, 2010}}</ref> On November 30, 2008, Munetaka died at the age of 49 in a hospital in Osaka, Japan.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://legacy.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=109888 | title = LOUDNESS Drummer MUNETAKA HIGUCHI Dead At 49 | accessdateaccess-date = June 2, 2012-06-02 | date = 30 November 30, 2008 | work = [[Blabbermouth.net]] | publisher = [[Roadrunner Records]] | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120524131835/http://legacy.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=109888 | archive-date = May 24, 2012 }}</ref> His death had a vast echo in Japanese media and in the entertainment bizbusiness.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.werockcity.com/2008/12/213.html |title=LOUDNESS、樋口宗孝、海外でも惜しまれる |accessdate=2010-03access-date=March 24, 2010 |date=December 5, 2008-12-05 |publisher=WeRockCity.com |language=Japaneseja |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522001719/http://www.werockcity.com/2008/12/213.html |archive-date=May 22, 2010 }}</ref>

== Equipment ==

*''Destruction'' ~破壊凱旋録~（12/10/1983） (1983)

*''Munetaka Higuchi with Dream Castle -– Free World'' （02/21/1997）(1997)

*''[[Cozy Powell Forever]]'' (09/1998)

*''Super Rock Summit -– Cozy Powell Forever Tour'' (01/1999)

*''Super Rock Summit -– Stairway to Heaven'' (03/1999)

*''Super Rock Summit -– Rainbow Eyes'' (06/1999)

*''Munetaka Higuchi Drum Collection'' (08/23/2006）2006)

== References ==

[[Category:Deaths from liver cancer in Japan]]

[[Category:Japanese heavy metal musiciansdrummers]]