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Kazuhiko Katō | |
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.jpg) Katō in 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1947-03-21)March 21, 1947 Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan |
| Died | October 17, 2009(2009-10-17) (aged 62) Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan |
| Genres | Folk,pop,rock,psychedelia |
| Occupation(s) | Record producer, composer, and singer |
| Years active | 1967–2009 |
Kazuhiko Katō (加藤 和彦,Katō Kazuhiko, March 21, 1947 – October 17, 2009), nicknamed "Tonovan" (トノヴァン), was a Japanese record producer, songwriter and singer. He sometimes used the spelling of "Kazuhiko Katoh".
As a member ofthe Folk Crusaders, Katō launched his recording career in the mid-1960s. "Kaettekita Yopparai (I Only Live Twice)", their psychedelic debut song composed by Katō and released in 1967, sold more than 1.3 million copies in Japan, and became one of the best-selling singles of the early Japanese popular music industry.[1] The group also starred in directorNagisa Oshima's 1968 filmKaette kita yopparai (alternately known asSinner in Paradise orThree Resurrected Drunkards).
After the breakup of Folk Crusaders in 1970, Katō gained success for his production works for other musicians, includingShigeru Izumiya,Mariya Takeuchi, andTakuro Yoshida. In particular,Sadistic Mika Band, the acclaimed project he started with his first wife Mika Fukui, received international success. Their 1974 album entitledKurofune (The Black Ship) is regarded as one of the most significant Japanese rock albums of the mid-1970s. The group was disbanded and reassembled again several times, with new vocalists such asYumi Matsutoya, Karen Kirishima, andKaela Kimura.[2]
As a composer, Katō wrote the theme song "Ai Oboete Imasu ka" for the anime filmMacross: Do You Remember Love?, which was released during the summer of 1984 in Japan. He later formed a songwriting team with his second wife, the late Kazumi Yasui. Most of the songs they wrote were recorded and produced byKenji Sawada. In 1990, Katō teamed up with graphic artists,Haruhiko Shono andKuniyoshi Kaneko, to provide the music for the award-winning Japanese computer game,Alice.
In March 2008, Katō formed the rock band Vitamin-Q withMasami Tsuchiya,Gota Yashiki, Rei Ohara andAnza.
Katō committed suicide by hanging on October 17, 2009, at a hotel inKaruizawa,Kitasaku District,Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Police discovered asuicide note in his hotel room.[3]
Titles in brackets are for rough translation purposes only.
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