Kōji Tamaki
Kōji Tamaki (玉置 浩二, Tamaki Kōji, born September 13, 1958) is a Japanese singer-songwriter, and actor. He has been well known as a frontman of the band Anzen Chitai that debuted in 1982 and enjoyed their successful career particularly during the 1980s.
Kōji Tamaki 玉置 浩二 | |
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Kōji Tamaki 2004 | |
Background information | |
Born | Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan | September 13, 1958
Genres | Pop, rock |
Occupation(s) | Singer, composer, actor, lyricist |
Years active | 1973–2008, 2009–present |
Labels | Sony Music Entertainment Japan, Kitty Records, BMG Japan, Universal Music Japan |
Associated acts | Anzen Chitai |
Website | saltmoderate |
As a vocalist and a songwriter of the band, Tamaki spawned multiple successful compositions which were mostly co-written by lyricists including Gorō Matsui and Yōsui Inoue, by the time that the group suspended their career in 1993.
In 1987, Tamaki released the first solo single "All I Do", and continued his solo career after Anzen Chitai went into hiatus (1993–2001, 2004–2009). Throughout his solo career, he has released 23 singles and over a dozen of studio albums. His song "Den-En" released as a single in 1996 became a massive hit, which reached the number-two on the Japanese Oricon charts and sold in excess of 900,000 copies.
Tamaki has also been known as an actor who has appeared in seven feature films and numerous television dramas. He has started acting career for the first time on "Prussian Blue no Shozo", the 1986 motion picture he starred.
He has been married three times; the second wife was actress Hiroko Yakushimaru (divorced in 1998), and the third spouse was keyboardist Satoko Ando, who had formerly worked on his albums and live tours (divorced in 2007).
During Tamaki's first marriage, he had an extra-marital affair with actress Mariko Ishihara between 1983 and 1986. In her autobiography published in 2006, Ishihara confirmed her affair with Tamaki two decades ago. She also described episodes of severe domestic violence meted out to her by Tamaki, which Tamaki later admitted.
After Tamaki's retirement announcement due to health issues in 2008, Ishihara contacted Tamaki and the two began dating again. On February 25, 2009, Tamaki and Ishihara submitted their application for marriage in Tokyo. However, the application was not accepted and he split up with Ishihara after all. Anzen Chitai returned from a recess and released their new single "Aoi Bara/Wine Red no Kokoro (2010 version)" on March 3, 2010.
On his 2012 album Offer Music Box, Tamaki—who composed the original song—covered Yuki Saito's song "Kanashimi yo Konnichi wa", which was used as the first theme song for the anime television series Maison Ikkoku.[1]
Discography
Singles
- "All I Do" (1987) – No. 10
- "Ki Tsu I" (キ・ツ・イ) (1989) – No. 7
- "Hyouten" (氷点) (1989) – No. 12
- "I'm Dandy" (1989) – No. 10
- "Ikanaide" (行かないで) (1989) – No. 16
- "Call" (1993) – No. 22
- "Genki na Machi" (元気な町) (1993) – No. 41
- "Love Song" (1994) – No. 35
- "Star" (1995) – No. 90
- "Melody" (1996) – No. 49
- "Den-En" (田園) (1996) – No. 2
- "Mr. Lonely" (1997) – No. 14
- "Rookie" (1998) – No. 49
- "Happy Birthday" (1998) – No. 69
- "Nijiiro Datta" (虹色だった) (1999) – No. 26
- "aibo" (2000) – No. 54
- "Kono Rhyzhm de" (このリズムで) (2001) – No. 96
- "Shiawase no Lamp" (しあわせのランプ) (2004) – No. 83
- "Aisaretai Dakesa" (愛されたいだけさ) (2005) – No. 35
- "Itsumo Dokoka de" (いつもどこかで) (2005) – No. 48
- "Present" (今日というこの日を生きていこう) (2005) – No. 13
- "Lion" (2006) – No. 60
- "Wakusei" (惑星) (2007) – No. 67
Studio albums
Year | Album | Label | Chart positions |
---|---|---|---|
JP [2] | |||
1987 | All I Do | Kitty Records | 2 |
1993 | Akogare (あこがれ) | 4 | |
Karinto Kouba no Entotsu no Ue ni (カリント工場の煙突の上に) | Sony Music Entertainment Japan | 17 | |
1994 | Love Song Blue | 18 | |
1996 | Cafe Japan | 4 | |
1997 | Junk Land | 9 | |
1998 | Grand Love | 12 | |
1999 | Winered no Kokoro (ワインレッドの心, Wainreddo no Kokoro) | BMG Funhouse | 11 |
2000 | Nisemono | 19 | |
2001 | Spade (スペード, Supēdo) | 19 | |
2005 | Kyou to Iu Kono Hi wo Ikiteikou (今日というこの日を生きていこう) | Sony Music Entertainment Japan | 26 |
2006 | Present | 25 | |
2007 | Wakusei (惑星) | 30 | |
2014.3.19 | Gold | 30 | |
2014.11.19 | Great Stars (群像の星) | Space Shower Music | TBA |
2017 | ALL TIME BEST | TBA | |
2020 | Chocolate Cosmo | Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd. | TBA |
Live albums
Year | Album | Label | Chart positions |
---|---|---|---|
JP [2] | |||
1995 | T | Sony Music Entertainment Japan | 18 |
2005 | Live!!; "Kyou to Iu Kono Hi wo Ikiteikou" (LIVE!! 『今日というこの日を生きていこう』) | 26 | |
2006 | "Hassan Da-!!"; '06 Present Tour Live ('06 PRESENT TOUR LIVE "発散だー!!") | 56 | |
2008 | Koji Tamaki '07; "Wakusei" Tour Live (☆惑星☆TOUR LIVE) | 154 | |
2014.11.19 | Live Concert Tour 2015 (故郷楽団Concert Tour 2015) | Space Shower Music | TBA |
Filmography
- Television
- The Last Bullet (1995) – Ichiro Yamamura
- Hideyoshi (1996) – Ashikaga Yoshiaki
- Konna Koi no Hanashi (1997) – Konosuke Shimodaira
References
- "OFFER MUSIC BOX 玉置浩二のプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE" ["Offer Music Box" Kōji Tamaki Profile from the Oricon Entertainer Encyclopedia Oricon Style] (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
- "List of the Oricon Top 100 Charting Albums by Koji Tamaki". Yamachan Land (Japan's charts archives) – Albums Chart Daijiten. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2008.
External links
- Koji Tamaki's Official Website (in Japanese)