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Kisugi Takao

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Kisugi Takao (来生たかお) is a Japanese singer-songwriter and pianist.

He is well known for his ability to write soft rock and classical style ballads, which were his specialty in the 1970s and early 1980s. By the end of the decade he experimented with electronic music.

His older sister is lyricist Kisugi Etsuko, whom he often works with.

History[]

Kisugi was born in Tokyo into a middle class family. He was extremely shy, but had a great interest in the arts, and often spent his time listening to Western instrumentals and classical music as opposed to popular music. His elder sister often wrote poetry in her free time, so on occasion he would begin to put her poems to music. He began to teach himself to play piano and by the time he was in college was good enough to join a local college band, Because, that played at various venues in the Ginza area. He met singer-songwriter Inoue Yosui through these performances and the two became friends, and Inoue joined his band on occasion as a guitarist. After that, Inoue recommended Kisugi to a music producer he worked with, but he was rejected multiple times. In 1974 he appealed one more time to the music producer and finally was given a talent contract. He released his self composed debut album in 1976. Although it was critically acclaimed, it was a commercial failure, and many of his subsequent albums followed suit. Kisugi then began to write songs for other artists, many of which became hits, but his record label was threatening to drop him if he could not turn a profit.

In 1980, he finally had his big break as a singer-songwriter when his tenth single GOODBYE DAY became a hit. One year later, he was able to negotiate a better contract when his composition Sailorfuku to Kikanju became the highest selling single of the year, and soon enough he was one of the most sought after songwriters for other artists in the early half of the 1980s. He remains a successful songwriter to this day.

Discography[]

Original Albums[]

  1. [1976.10.21] Asai Yume
  2. [1977.10.21] Zigzag
  3. [1978.01.01] By My Side
  4. [1980.07.01] AT RANDOM
  5. [1981.07.21] Sparkle
  6. [1981.12.10] Yume no Tochuu
  7. [1982.11.02] Yuhodo
  8. [1983.07.25] Ordinary
  9. [1984.08.10] Romantic Cinematic
  10. [1985.11.25] Only Yesterday
  11. [1986.09.25] I Will...
  12. [1987.11.25] Étranger
  13. [1988.11.25] With Time
  14. [1989.11.25] Something Else
  15. [1991.04.25] Eien no Shunkan
  16. [1993.11.26] Passage
  17. [1994.11.02] Another Story
  18. [1997.02.21] Purity
  19. [2000.11.10] Dear My Company
  20. [2004.11.17] Égalité
  21. [2005.10.19] Avantage
  22. [2008.10.10] Yoin
  23. [2010.12.12] Hitasura ni...
  24. [2021.11.10] Tsuioku

Self Cover Albums[]

  1. [1983.10.21] Visitor
  2. [1984.12.01] LABYRINTH
  3. [1991.10.25] LABYRINTH II
  4. [1995.11.01] Yume Yori Toku e: Melodies & Stories

Compilation Albums[]

  1. [1979.08.01] Biography
  2. [1982.04.25] Biography II

Greatest Hits Albums[]

  • WIP

Singles[]

  1. [1976.10.01] Asai Yume
  2. [1977.07.01] Yaketa Natsu
  3. [1977.10.01] Nagaame -Nagaame-
  4. [1978.08.01] Akage no Rinjin
  5. [1978.10.01] Katasumi ni Hitori
  6. [1979.04.21] Soshite, Hirusagari
  7. [1979.10.21] Anata Dake Good Night
  8. [1980.06.21] Honno Nostalgie
  9. [1981.02.05] Tonikaku, Ashita
  10. [1981.05.21] GOODBYE DAY
  11. [1981.11.10] Yume no Tochuu ~Sailor Fuku to Kikanjuu~
  12. [1982.04.25] Kibun wa Gyakukosen/Silhouette Romance
  13. [1982.12.01] Giwaku
  14. [1983.03.01] Mukuchi na Yoru
  15. [1983.07.01] Toiki ni Hibi
  16. [1984.07.10] Sotto Midnight
  17. [1984.11.01] Shiroi Labyrinth (Mayoi)
  18. [1985.09.10] Haguresou na Tenshi
  19. [1986.04.25] Ashita Hareru Ka
  20. [1986.09.25] Farewell
  21. [1987.10.25] Toki wo Sakasete
  22. [1989.04.12] Kataritsugi Ai ni
  23. [1989.06.26] Silent Memory
  24. [1990.11.28] Yume Yori Tooku he
  25. [1991.10.25] Deaete Yokatta
  26. [1992.05.27] Tameiki no Ato de
  27. [1992.11.21] Aisuru Jikan ni
  28. [1993.07.01] Futari no Basho
  29. [1994.06.01] Yawarakana Shigeki
  30. [1994.12.01] Eien Naru Josho
  31. [1997.01.21] Kawaita Kisetsu
  32. [1998.01.21] Dokomade mo Koigokoro
  33. [1998.04.01] Hozuke no Kofuku
  34. [2000.10.21] [[Chijo no Speed]
  35. [2002.09.06] Day by day

Collaboration Singles[]

  1. [1988.07.25] ORACIÓN ~Inori~ (with Saito Yuki)

  • WIP

Video Releases[]

Selected Compositions[]

Hashimoto Mikako[]

  • Kojin Seikatsu

Minamino Yoko[]

Nakamori Akina[]

Ohashi Junko[]

  • Silhouette Romance

Yakushimaru Hiroko[]

Trivia[]

  • He married an ordinary woman that he met backstage at a Ishikawa Seri concert in 1979. The couple have two sons, one born in 1980 and the second born in 1983.[1]
    • He also has a grandson, who was born in 2008.
    • When he first debuted, many people mistakenly assumed that his older sister Etsuko, who was credited as the lyricist of most of his songs, was his wife due to them sharing a family name. Kisugi had to clarify that she was his sister and not his wife to the media.
  • His signature casual and vibrato-less singing style has its own name coined by his fans called "Kisugibushi" (来生節.)
  • His favorite artist is Gilbert O'Sullivan, who he also considers his primary inspiration for his songwriting style. He also is a big fan of Paul McCartney, who he claims is the inspiration of his style of singing. He eventually met and even collaborated with O'Sullivan.
    • He was also inspired to learn the piano after listening to McCartney's piano solo on the intro to The Beatles' 1970 song Let it Be.
  • Many of his composition works are in a minor key. He also sometime uses Japanese pentatonic scales, most commonly used in Enka music in the modern day, and very unusual for mainstream music.
  • His two favorite songs of all time are the main theme song from the 1960 movie Plein Soleil[2] and Audrey Hepburn's "Moon River."[3]
  • He has admitted that he has social anxiety and stage fright.[4] Because of this, his concerts are usually in smaller venues, and he avoids appearing on live television as much as possible.
  • He has been a heavy smoker for all of his adult life. In fact, he says that a cigarette and a cup of coffee are a must have when he writes music.[5]
    • In the mid 1980s he was hospitalized after experiencing severe chest pain and was diagnosed with a heart arrhythmia. He was instructed to quit smoking by his doctor following the diagnosis, but decided not to quit, only switching his type of cigarette to a lighter brand. He himself claims that he has had no further smoking related health issues ever since.[6]
  • He was the lead pianist on Inoue Yosui's 1990 single Shonen Jidai.
  • He prefers to handwrite his musical compositions rather than use a computer.

Gallery[]


References[]

  1. ↑ http://www.kisugitakao.com/special/Interview_2_1.html
  2. ↑ NHK Radio 1st broadcast “Music Dream Club” (November 20, 1999)
  3. ↑ TOKYO FM "Oe Senri's Live Depot" Vol.182 (December 9, 2004)
  4. ↑ Irohani Otoko” by Tsuko Kiki (Shinchosha/1985)
  5. ↑ http://kisugitakao.com/special/blog_03.html
  6. ↑ http://www.kisugitakao.com/special/Interview_2_1.html

External Links[]

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