The Pop Corporation

Yukihiro Takahashi from the trailblazing Yellow Magic Orchestra has passed away, so we’re taking the opportunity to remind you how great people can be. Takahashi sang and played drums with the legendary Japanese group, widely regarded to be the Japanese Kraftwerk (a bit lazy as comparisons go, but will do to encourage the casual listener).

Takahashi started off in glam-rock outfit Sadistic Mika Band with his brother Nobuyuki, and found some initial success in the UK after opening for Roxy Music on their ’75/’76 tour. In ’78, Takahashi, keyboardist/vocalist Ryuichi Sakamoto, and bassist/multi-instrumentalist Haruomi Hosono formed something of a supergroup – Yellow Magic Orchestra.

Heavy on the futurism with synths and drum machines, they ushered in the electro sound that would shape the ’80s, taking inspiration from Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder, leading to a worldwide smash with ‘Computer Game’ from their eponymous LP.

YMO didn’t let up, but disbanded in the face of their gigantic success. They all went solo, but still guested on each other’s records, continuing the electronic futurism, as well as dabbling in City Pop amongst other genres.

Takahashi released his second solo LP ‘Murdered By the Music’, and ploughed onward guesting with Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay as well as collabs with Be-Bop Deluxe’s Bill Nelson.

He went on to release more than 20 studio albums, and his and YMO’s popularity continued to grow with younger listeners. You can’t keep them down, these groundbreakers.

After hearing of Takahashi’s death, endless musicians and artists paid tribute, and the best thing we can all do is get stuck into the YMO backcat and some of the offshoots and solo projects too. A wealth of talent and inspiration, Takahashi will be sorely missed.