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Tak Matsumoto

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Takahiro "Tak" Matsumoto (松本孝弘 Matsumoto Takahiro, born on March 27, 1961 in Toyonaka, Osaka) is a guitarist, producer, and songwriter. While well known primarily for his career as the guitarist and lead arranger for the Japanese rock band known as B'z, he has also had a relatively successful solo career, due to his growing renown and considerable skill. Tak is best known for writing the music for some of the most popular love songs and rock ballads in the past 20 years in Japanese popular music.

Contents

Background

Tak's formal education in jazz was minimal, but when he started working as a session musician, and supporting many tours like TM NETWORK, his musicianship was cemented. His exposure to a myriad of styles helped him to meld his own unique blend, incorporating elements of his jazz training, blues (his incorporation of the style known as "Kansai Blues" is well known), classical, metal, rock, and ska.

Tak continued his session work throughout the early and mid-1980's until deciding to jump on the emerging solo instrumental trend catching on in Japan at that time. He recorded "Thousand Wave", but the album did not sell as well as he hoped. This album included homages to Chick Corea (recording a metal version of "Spain"), Dave Brubeck (a double-time version of "Take Five"), and working with future globe headliner Tetsuya Komuro. "99", a simple instrumental incorporating some blistering fretwork, is considered one of his finest works.

After his solo album failed to catch on, he decided to try his hand at starting his own band. With his session work behind him, and a burgeoning production career, he started to search for a singer. After being presented with a tape from an unknown session singer known as Koshi Inaba, Tak was blown away. Their first recorded session was a rendition of "Let it Be" of Beatles fame, and even though the amp blew out, Tak knew he had his new singer. Tak and Koshi formed the band B'z and debuted in September of 1988. B'z has continued to be one of the most successful bands in the history of Japanese music, helped by the pairing of two very different musical directions. Tak always drew his tastes from blues, classical, and jazz, while Koshi preferred rock music.

While criticized early on because of his openness to incorporate and copy whole passages from songs to help in arrangements, Tak always considered this more of an homage to an artist rather than a slight. Notable songs that would have this elements are some of the following: "Yaburenu Yume wo Hikizutte" (parts of the intro and the cadence sound similar to Van Halen's "Right Now"), "farewell song" (parts of the song sound strikingly similar to the Beatles's "Hey Jude"), "Sweet Lil' Devil" (the solo is note for note from Led Zeppelin's "Heartbreaker"), and "Save Me?!" (incorporating themes and the title from "Purple Haze"). In concert, Tak will often add parts from songs to his solos.

Tak has ongoing friendships with notable artists from American bands, such as Barry Sparks, Billy Sheehan, Eddie Van Halen, Eric Martin, Jack Blades, Joe Perry, Pat Torpeley, Shane Galaas, Steven Tyler, and finally Steve Vai, with whom Tak and Koshi recorded the song "Asian Sky" from the 1999 album, "The Ultra Zone." Billy Sheehan recorded tracks for 1999's "Brotherhood" album, as well as touring (along with Shane Galaas) as support musicians for 2002's GREEN Live-Gym Tour.

In 2004, Tak formed the "Tak Matsumoto Group" with Eric Martin, Jack Blades, and Chris Frazier, forging ahead with his own brand of musical genius. He also has worked with a large stable of well known musicians in Japan, such as Takuro from GLAY, and Shinya, the drummer from LUNA SEA.

Tak has said over the years that he has many favourite artists, from whom he has drawn much inspiration, such as: Aerosmith, Deep Purple, Eddie Van Halen, Eric Clapton, and Led Zeppelin. He has also cited a love of classical music, which was the catalyst for the incorporation of strings into many B'z compositions. He has also worked with Tokyo Ska Paradise for many years, and their work often appears on many of the earlier B'z albums.

Tak was given his own Signature Model Les Paul from Gibson in 1999. Tak Matsumoto was added to the Gibson signature artist club as the first guitarist in Asia. He now currently holds the record with 4 different signature models produced, including a new tiger-striped, offset double cut model, which incorporates his new, specially wound TM-1 pickups. His Les Paul model was also adapted into an Epiphone made for commercial sale in the US.

Musical Equipment

Early Career

  1. 'Tak' Matsumoto Yamaha MGM Signature Model (1986-1989)
  2. 'Tak' Matsumoto Yamaha MGM-II Signature Model (1989-1991)
  3. 'Tak' Matsumoto Yamaha MGM-III Signature Model (1991-1995)
  4. Music Man EVH Signature Model (1994-1998)
  5. VHT 100 Watt Rack-mounted Heads (1985-1991)
  6. Marshall JCM 800 100 watt Heads (1992-1997)
  7. Marshall 4x12's with Celestion Speakers (Rebadged "Matsumoto") (1992-1997)
  8. Peavey 5150 Guitar Amp (1996-2000)
  9. VHT Custom 100 Watt "Rei" Amplifier (1999-2000)

2000-Current

  1. 'Tak' Matsumoto Gibson Les Paul Signature Model (4 types)
  2. Bogner Ecstacy 100 Watt Amplifiers
  3. Bogner "Rei" 4x12 Cabinets (with specially voiced custom speakers)
  4. Crybaby Wah-Wah Pedal
  5. Digitech Whammy Pedal
  6. Taurus Distortion Pedal
  7. Dunlop 1.00 Guitar Picks
Tak has also amassed a substantial guitar collection, including the following:

  1. 1870 Martin C-7 Acoustic Guitar
  2. 1937 Martin 000-18 Acoustic Guitar
  3. 1952 Fender Telecaster (Butterscotch Blonde)
  4. 1954 Fender Stratocaster (Tobacco Sunburst)
  5. 1956 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop (with 'Soapbar' pickups)
  6. 1959 Gibson Les Paul Flametop (with PAF pickups)
  7. 1962 Fender Stratocaster (Fiesta Red)
  8. 1962 Gibson SG
Tak is also an avid collector of older guitar amplifiers, as well as being a fair bass player. Aside from guitars, he also owns other instruments, such as a few Sitar, electric and otherwise.

Discography

Solo Works

Singles
  1. '88 ~ Love Story/Love Ya (September 25, 1991)
  2. #1090 Thousand Dreams/LIFE (March 18, 1992)
  3. 異邦人 [Ihoujin] (August 27, 2003)
  4. *features ZARD
  5. イミテイション・ゴールド [Imitation Gold] (October 8, 2003)
  6. *features 倉木麻衣 [Kuraki Mai]
Albums
  1. Thousand Wave (May 21, 1988)
  2. Wanna Go Home (April 22, 1992)
  3. Rock'n Roll Standard Club (May 15, 1996)
  4. Thousand Wave Plus (October 7, 1996)
  5. KNOCKIN' "T" AROUND (April 14, 1999)
  6. DRAGON FROM THE WEST (February 27, 2002)
  7. 華 [Hana] (February 27, 2002)
  8. THE HIT PARADE (November 26, 2003)
  9. House Of Strings (November 24, 2004)
  10. ULTRAMAN ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK (July 20, 2005)
  11. Theatre Of Strings (October 19, 2005)

TMG (TAK MATSUMOTO GROUP)

Singles
  1. OH JAPAN ~OUR TIME IS NOW~ (March 31, 2004)
Albums
  1. TMG I (June 23, 2004)
DVD/VHS
  1. Dodge The Bullet (December 15, 2004)

See also

External links

 

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