Loudness drummer R.I.P.

Do you know the Japanese heavy metal band “Loudness“?

They were the first Japanese heavy metal band to become popular in America (followed by Japanese bands like EZO). For their U.S. label, they released about five albums in English (including one (“Soldier Of Fortune“) with an American singer named Mike Vescera (because the original singer was fired in the late 1980s…then rehired)…but in Japan, they’ve released many Japanese albums.

I saw Loudness in concert in America around 1987 for their “Hurricane Eyes” tour. (And I also saw the the lead vocalist, 二井原実 (Minoru NIIHARA) singing for the band Ded Chaplin at a concert in Tokyo). Loudness hasn’t been popular in America since the late 1980s (and probably most Americans don’t even know the band…unless they were a heavy metal fan in the ’80s).

But Loudness has released many albums in Japan and have put on concert tours here (in Japan)…until as recently as last October.

Recently, tragedy has struck Loudness. Last April, the drummer of the band, 樋口宗孝 (Munetaka HIGUCHI ), was diagnosed with liver cancer.

Well, he died last Sunday morning (November 30, 2008) about one month before his 50th birthday.

樋口宗孝 (Munetaka HIGUCHI ), R.I.P.,  December 24, 1958 – November 30, 2008.

(BTW, another great rock drummer died of cancer in his forties around this time seventeen years ago: Eric Carr, drummer of the American rock band KISS from 1980 -1991, died of heart cancer on November 24, 1991 at the age of 41).

• Loudness Official website (in 日本語 (Japanese) only): Click here.