Akira Takasaki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Akira Takasaki
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Takasaki performing with Loudness at Wacken Open Air in 2016
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Suzy |
| Born | February 22, 1961 Osaka, Japan |
| Genres | Heavy metal, speed metal, hard rock, glam metal |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1973–present |
Akira Takasaki (高崎 晃, Takasaki Akira, born February 22, 1961) is a famous Japanese musician. He is best known as the lead guitarist for the heavy metal band Loudness. He is also a guitarist for the band Lazy, which was popular in the 1970s.
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Career
Akira Takasaki started playing guitar when he was young. At age 14, he won a TV contest for young music talents. Soon after, he joined the pop-rock band Lazy. The drummer, Munetaka Higuchi, was also in this band.
Lazy released five successful albums in the late 1970s. However, Takasaki loved hard rock and heavy metal music. His style did not quite fit with Lazy. So, in 1981, he decided to start his own band. He formed Loudness with his bandmate Higuchi.
Loudness released many heavy metal albums. This made Takasaki famous around the world. He is the only member who has been in Loudness since the very beginning. He has helped create over 20 studio albums in 25 years.
Takasaki also makes music on his own. His first solo album, Tusk of Jaguar, came out in 1982. He also has a new project called Ji-Zo. In 1998 and 2002, he rejoined Lazy for new albums and tours. Takasaki also helped start Killer Guitars. This company makes guitars, and he designs many of them.
Style
Takasaki's guitar playing is very special. He plays complicated heavy metal riffs very fast. He plays with great accuracy and uses a technique called alternate picking. He uses very little vibrato.
His songs usually have strong melodies and catchy parts called hooks. This helps him create well-made songs. Many fans around the world love his fast guitar playing, known as shred guitar. People often compare his skills to other great guitarists.
In 1986, Takasaki said that his main influences were Deep Purple's guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. He also found inspiration in Japanese music for the koto. He has also mentioned Hideki Ishima as an influence.
Equipment
Akira Takasaki uses special guitars. He plays ESP Signature Random Star guitars. He also uses several Killer guitars, especially the KG Prime model. He is a co-owner of the Killer Guitars (キラーギターズ, Kirā Gitāzu) company. ESP makes and sells these guitars. The name "Killer" comes from rearranging Japanese characters that sound like "killer."
For his sound, Takasaki mostly uses Marshall amps. He has used different Marshall amps over the years. Since 2016, he has also used Friedman Amplifiers for his live shows.
Besides Marshall, Takasaki has used other amp brands. He used Mesa Boogie amps in the late 1980s. He also used Lee Jackson Metaltronix amps for some albums and tours. In the early 1990s, he used Peavey amps. He also uses Roland JC-120 amps. In the 1980s, he used effects from Boss, Guyatone, and Ibanez. He also uses Celestion speakers. He even has his own signature Shredneck, which helps guitarists practice.
Solo albums
- Tusk of Jaguar (1982)
- Ki (1994)
- Wa (1996)
- Gene Shaft (2001)
- Made in Hawaii (2002)
- Splash Mountain (2004)
- Maca (2005)
- Osaka Works #128 (2006)
- Nenriki (2006)
- Black Brown (2007)
See Also
In Spanish: Akira Takasaki para niños
