Biography

EARTHSHAKER

11/08/2007 2007-08-11 12:00:00 JaME Author: Yosab Translator: Hanaki

EARTHSHAKER

EARTHSHAKER


© EARTHSHAKER. All Rights Reserved
The band was formed in April 1978 by guitarist Shinichirou Ishihara “Shaka” alongside with singer and bassist Minoru Niihara and drummer Yoshinobu Watanabe. This formation was around the time when all three young men were still in college.

In the following year the drummer left the group and was replaced by Yoshihiro Kudou. In 1980, Minoru Niihara left the group, with vocals being handed to Masafumi Nishida and Takayuki Kai taking the role of bassist.

In 1981 they took part in the Kansai 3 Heavy Metal Band with 44 Magnum and Marino, a tour for the three major Heavy Metal bands in Japan at the time.

In July 1982, they took part in the Japan Heavy Metal Festival, together with an American band Y&T. With Y&T being famous worldwide, it was one truly significant moment for the band. The guitarist began to play a track from their famous album with Y&T. After this the guitarist produced a solo album in San Francisco with help from the guitarist of Iron Maiden, Adrian Smith.

During the summer of 1983, they released their first album Earthshaker. The album got so famous that it was also released in Europe in English. Their career really started to take off at this time. On October 5, 1983, they released their first mini-album called Blondie Girl. 1984 signalled the release of their first single More, coupled with the release of their second album Fugitive (Toubousha). Once again, the band achieved great success with the album and it made it possible for them to explore the European music industry with the participation of the pianist Mitchell Froom, from the North-American band Gamma. The album was sold in Europe, the same year as when it was released in Japan, this release was an English album.

On March 18, 1984, they showed their first video called One Turn '84 'Fugitive', which was recorded in Shibuya Koukaidou.

On October 21, 1984, they aired their second video Midnight Flight, which was also shown in Europe. At this point the band left to work in Europe for the first time but this was also going to be their last time. In 1987, pianist Toshio Eikawa entered the group, but he was never a stable member of the band. He sadly left the band permanently in 1994. In 1988 they sang Don't Look Back and Forever for an animation called Cho one Senshi Borgman.

Nothing negative appeared to happen to their career after this period, they continued to release CDs thereafter, and it remained the same until 1989, when around 90% of the Japanese Heavy Metal bands disbanded.

In September 2000, they took part alongside with the band Lazy in the famous Hard Rock Summit Festival which had held its first show in 1992. In 2001, the singer Masafumi Nishida formed another group called Marcy Band.

Almost 30 years after their formation, the band has remained active and has just release its last album in date, AIM in February 2007.
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