Yukihiro Takahashi (Japanese: 高橋 幸宏, Hepburn: Takahashi Yukihiro; June 6, 1952 – January 11, 2023) was a Japanese musician, singer, record producer, fashion designer, and actor, who was best known internationally as the drummer, lead vocalist, & co-composer of Yellow Magic Orchestra, as the former drummer of the Sadistic Mika Band, and as the drummer and backing vocalist of the Sadistics. He was also a member of the groups: the Beatniks (with Keiichi Suzuki), Sketch Show (with Haruomi Hosono), & Metafive (with Towa Tei etc.).
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Career
Takahashi began playing the drums around the fifth grade. While attending Rikkyo Junior High School, he formed a band called "Buddha's Narcissy" with his classmate Masakazu Togo (who would later debut in the folk group Buzz, produced by Takahashi's older brother). He also befriended Yumi Matsutoya (then Yumi Arai) during his junior high years. Takahashi started working as a studio musician while still in high school, and in 1969, he joined the folk band Garo as a support member. However, he and bassist Ray Ohara left the group shortly after, feeling that the band's pop direction following their hit "Gakuseigai no Kissaten" did not suit them.
While studying at the Musashino Art University Junior College of Art and Design in 1972, Takahashi dropped out to join the Sadistic Mika Band at the invitation of Kazuhiko Katō (formerly of The Folk Crusaders), replacing drummer Hiro Tsunoda. Takahashi first came to prominence as the drummer of this band, and became known to western audiences after they toured and recorded in the United Kingdom, even serving as the opening act for Roxy Music's 1975 UK tour. After the Sadistic Mika Band disbanded, some of the members (including Takahashi) formed another band called The Sadistics, who released several albums. Takahashi recorded his first solo album, Saravah, in 1977.
In 1978, Takahashi joined Ryuichi Sakamoto and Haruomi Hosono to form the Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). Takahashi's exceptionally tight, precise drumming with minimal notes was highly respected by his peers and heavily influenced a generation of musicians. Although Hosono initially intended for YMO to rely on guest vocalists, Sakamoto recommended Takahashi to sing on "La Femme Chinoise", revealing Takahashi's vocal talent which became a prominent feature of the band. In addition to music, Takahashi—who already worked as a designer for his own fashion brands "Bricks" and "Bricks-MONO"—designed YMO's iconic stage costumes.
Throughout the 1980s, Takahashi also released a large number of solo albums primarily intended for the Japanese market. Takahashi collaborated extensively with other musicians, including Bill Nelson, Iva Davies of Icehouse, Keiichi Suzuki of the Moonriders (often as a duo dubbed "The Beatniks", although Suzuki essentially functioned as a member of Takahashi's backing band during the Moonriders' brief hiatus) and in particular Steve Jansen. Takahashi released a single Stay Close and an EP Pulse as a duo with Jansen.
Takahashi helped compose the soundtrack to the anime series Nadia: Secret of the Blue Water in 1989, including the song "Families". Takahashi participated in temporary reunions of both the Sadistic Mika Band (minus the lead vocalist Mika, who was replaced by Karen Kirishima for the 1989 reunion, and by Kaela Kimura for the 2006 reunion), and Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). Both of these reunions included tours of Japan and an album of new material.
In the early 2000s, Takahashi became a member of the duo Sketch Show, with Haruomi Hosono. Sketch Show released two albums, one of which, Loophole, was released in the UK. Both Takahashi and Hosono reunited with Sakamoto as HASYMO – a combination of Human Audio Sponge and Yellow Magic Orchestra. This collaboration produced a single, "Rescue", in 2007. Takahashi released the solo album Life Anew on July 17, 2013, as well as anniversary and live albums. His later work included Saravah, Saravah! (2018), a remastered reboot of his solo debut album which, along with re-recorded vocals, featured appearances by Sakamoto, Hosono and other musicians.
Personal life
Takahashi was born in Tokyo. His older brother, Nobuyuki Takahashi, is a music producer and former member of The Fingers. His older sister, Mie Ito, is considered a pioneer of public relations in the Japanese fashion industry. His nephew, Soichiro Ito, is the designer of the fashion brand "soe". Takahashi was married to Emiko Takahashi from 1980 to 1992, and to Kiyomi Takahashi (formerly a non-no model) from 1993 until his death in 2023.
Outside of music, Takahashi maintained a highly active career in fashion design. Throughout his life, he was the designer for numerous brands, including Brother, Buzz Brother, Bricks, Bricks-MONO, and YUKIHIRO TAKAHASHI COLLECTION. He also produced the runway music for Yohji Yamamoto's Paris Collection shows. He maintained a close friendship with actor Naoto Takenaka and frequently appeared in surreal sketch comedy routines on Takenaka's television shows. Takahashi also briefly hosted the popular late-night radio program All Night Nippon in 1983.
Takahashi was an avid, obsessive fisherman—a hobby he originally took up as a treatment for neurosis, which eventually led him to become the president of the "Tokyo Tsurukame Fishing Club". He spent much of his later life residing in Karuizawa, Nagano, a town he frequented since childhood due to his family's villa, and incidentally the exact location where he first met Haruomi Hosono years prior.
Health and death
Takahashi suffered from headaches from the beginning of summer 2020. While Takahashi initially thought that these were migraines, he finally underwent an MRI scan. It was discovered that the headaches were the result of a brain tumor. On August 13, 2020, Takahashi underwent surgery to remove the tumor; he announced that there were no after effects and that he would devote himself to treatment. On October 20, 2020, Takahashi announced through his social media that he had completed his course of treatment following the surgery.
On January 11, 2023, Takahashi died in Karuizawa, Nagano, from aspiration pneumonia, a complication of the brain tumor. He was 70.
Discography
Videography
Filmography
A Y.M.O. Film Propaganda (1984)
The Island Closest to Heaven (1984) – Katsuki Jirō
Tokyo Melody
April Fish (1986) – Nemoto Shōhei
The Discarnates (1988)
Otoko wa sore o gaman dekinai (2006) – Chief Priest
20th Century Boys 3: Redemption (2009) – Billy
Norwegian Wood (2010) – Gatekeeper
Labyrinth of Cinema (2020)
Video games
Ginga no Sannin (1987, Nintendo)
Sangokushi: Eiketsu Tenka ni Nozomu (1991, Naxat)
The Journey Home: Quest for the Throne (1993, Telenet Japan)
FantaStep (1997, Jaleco)
T kara Hajimaru Monogatari (1998, Jaleco) - Main Theme