Yukihiro Takahashi (高橋幸宏 Takahashi Yukihiro, born June 6, 1952, died January 11, 2023) was a Japanese musician, who was best known as the drummer and lead vocalist of the Yellow Magic Orchestra. Takahashi first came to prominence as the drummer of the Sadistic Mika Band and became known to western audiences after this band (led by Kazuhiko Katoh, formerly of The Folk Crusaders) toured and recorded in the United Kingdom. After the Sadistic Mika Band disbanded
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Yukihiro Takahashi (高橋幸宏 Takahashi Yukihiro, born June 6, 1952, died January 11, 2023) was a Japanese musician, who was best known as the drummer and lead vocalist of the Yellow Magic Orchestra. Takahashi first came to prominence as the drummer of the Sadistic Mika Band and became known to western audiences after this band (led by Kazuhiko Katoh, formerly of The Folk Crusaders) toured and recorded in the United Kingdom. After the Sadistic Mika Band disbanded, some of the members (including Takahashi) formed another band called The Sadistics, who released several albums. Finally Takahashi recorded his first solo album, Saravah!, in 1977. In 1978, Takahashi joined Ryuichi Sakamoto and Haruomi Hosono to form the Yellow Magic Orchestra. After the Yellow Magic Orchestra disbanded in the mid 80s, Takahashi went solo and 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 participated in temporary reunions of both the Sadistic Mika Band (missing the lead vocalist Mika Fukui, who was replaced by Kaela Kimura), and The Yellow Magic Orchestra (as XYMO). Both of these reunions included tours of Japan and an album of new material. Takahashi was a member of the duo Sketch Show with Haruomi Hosono. Sketch Show released two albums one of which, Loophole was released in the UK. His latest solo album, Blue Moon Blue, was released on 03/15/06 in Japan. Both Takahashi and Hosono were reunited with Sakamoto as HASYMO - a combination of Human Audio Sponge and Yellow Magic Orchestra. This collaboration produced a new single "Rescue" in 2007. In 2014, Takahashi formed Metafive with LEO今井, Towa Tei, 小山田圭吾, 権藤知彦 and 砂原良徳. On January 11th 2023, Takahashi passed away at the age of 70 at his home in Karzuizawa, Nagano Prefecture of aspiration pneumonia, following years of health issues, including battling brain cancer and surgery to remove a brain tumor in August 2020.
