Ryuichi Sakamoto

Biography

17 January 1952, Nakano, Tokyo, Japan. Sakamoto studied composition and electronic music at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and took a Master of Arts degree in 1976 before forming the Yellow Magic Orchestra with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi two years later. It was with the YMO that he first achieved international recognition with ‘Computer Game (Theme From The Invaders)’ reaching number 17 in the UK charts in 1980. Sakamoto’s first solo album (aside from a rare jazz release) was recorded in 1978, but not widely distributed until 1982 and only then in Holland. The first easily available recording was B-2 Unit, made while he was still a member of the Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1980 with the help of Andy Partridge (XTC) and Dennis Bovell. Singer Robin Scott was given equal billing on the following year’s The Left Handed Dream, with US session guitarist Adrian Belew also featured. The End Of Asia (1982) was recorded with...

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