Tomoyasu Hotei

One of the legends of the Japanese rock world, Tomoyasu Hotei was one of the founding members of the seminal J-rock outfit Boowy, and later became a successful solo artist, collaborator, and actor. Born in Takasaki, Japan on February 1, 1962, Tomoyasu got his start after leaving school and heading to Tokyo, where he met up with fellow musician Kyosuke Himuro. The two held auditions, and Boowy were formed in 1981. That band would become a force in J-rock, eventually selling albums in the millions. 1988 found Tomoyasu on his own, after the breakup of Boowy, and he was just as successful. He worked with Koji Kikkawa in the project Complex, which released two hit albums, as well as appearing on stages and recordings with such luminaries as David Bowie, Andy Mackay, and Chris Spedding. His solo debut album, Guitarhythm, was released in October of 1988 and from that point on, Tomoyasu was a prolific artist — to say the least. He released fifteen albums, more than 20 singles, three compilations of his work, and a handful of live albums, not to mention his work appearing in video games and his acting career. His 2007 album, Ambivalent, continued his hot streak, reaching the top ten of the Japanese charts.