Taka Hirose
Encyclopedia
Takashi "Taka" Hirose (Japanese: タカ・ヒロセ (広瀬 隆), born 28 July 1967 in Mizuho
, Japan
) is a Japanese musician who is the current bass guitar
ist for the rock
band
, Feeder
.
and played in several jazz
and metal bands during his school years. After leaving school, he moved to Tokyo
and worked for guitar manufacturing specialists ESP
as well as working at night in a downtown bar
.
In 1992 Hirose planned to move to London
to work as a graphic designer
, but was unable to come up with the money for the flight by himself, and earned it by playing for Tokyo yakuza
bosses. After moving to London, Hirose planned to continue his musical activities, and answered an advertisement in the local Loot magazine from Grant Nicholas
and Jon Lee, who were searching for a bassist in their new band, which would later become Feeder. A few days later, Hirose met Lee at Camden Station
and they went back to Nicholas' house where the band was officially formed.
As Feeder began to take off, Hirose began to consider quitting. He had only planned for his music to be a sideline, and was unwilling to give up his newspaper office job to do it professionally. Following persuasion from Nicholas and Lee, and supported by his wife, Hirose resigned from his previous occupation. After winning critical acclaim for their debut release Swim and their first full length album, Polythene
, the band made their chart breakthrough with Top Ten follow-up Yesterday Went Too Soon
. In January 2002, after Feeder had spent the previous year enjoying the success of their third album Echo Park
, Lee took his own life at his house in Miami. Hirose returned to Japan to spend time with family and friends.
After deliberation, Hirose and Nicholas decided to continue, and set to work later that year on their fourth album Comfort in Sound
, with Mark Richardson
recruited as their new drummer
. This was continued with the follow-up release Pushing The Senses
. Both albums were commercial successes making the top 10 of the UK albums chart with a singles album released in 2006 also being well received. 2008's Silent Cry
also made the top 10 but had a short chart life and became their smallest selling album, a decline which then continued with 2010's Renegades
, which missed the top 10 but is still seen as an album that brought the band back to their roots and sees Karl Brazil on drums after Mark Richardson returned to Skunk Anansie
.
Alongside his work with Feeder, Taka also works as an electronic music solo musician, often playing all the instruments alongside bass on a series of recordings under the alias name of "Funkybottom". He also has remixed Feeder tracks such as "Tracing Lines", as well as "Free Your Mind", a short 28 second interlude intended for Silent Cry which did not make the final cut. On the Funkybottom version, the remix extends the track with extra effects added in.
Taka also has a website containing many Japanese food recipes.
Mizuho, Gifu
is a city located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan.As of July 2011, the city has an estimated population of 52,269, with the number of households being 19,567...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
) is a Japanese musician who is the current bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist for the rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, Feeder
Feeder
-Technology:* Feeder , any of several devices used in apiculture to supplement or replace natural food sources* Feeder , another name for a riser, a reservoir built into a metal casting mold to prevent cavities due to shrinkage...
.
Biography
Hirose began playing bass at the age of 14 in secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
and played in several jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and metal bands during his school years. After leaving school, he moved to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and worked for guitar manufacturing specialists ESP
ESP Guitars
, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
as well as working at night in a downtown bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
.
In 1992 Hirose planned to move to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to work as a graphic designer
Graphic designer
A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and...
, but was unable to come up with the money for the flight by himself, and earned it by playing for Tokyo yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
bosses. After moving to London, Hirose planned to continue his musical activities, and answered an advertisement in the local Loot magazine from Grant Nicholas
Grant Nicholas
Grant Nicholas is a Welsh musician, best known as the lead singer and lead guitarist of the rock band Feeder, along with bassist Taka Hirose and drummer Karl Brazil.-Early years:...
and Jon Lee, who were searching for a bassist in their new band, which would later become Feeder. A few days later, Hirose met Lee at Camden Station
Camden Town tube station
Camden Town tube station is a major junction on the Northern Line and one of the busiest stations on the London Underground network...
and they went back to Nicholas' house where the band was officially formed.
As Feeder began to take off, Hirose began to consider quitting. He had only planned for his music to be a sideline, and was unwilling to give up his newspaper office job to do it professionally. Following persuasion from Nicholas and Lee, and supported by his wife, Hirose resigned from his previous occupation. After winning critical acclaim for their debut release Swim and their first full length album, Polythene
Polythene (album)
Polythene was the first full-length album by the Welsh rock band Feeder and was released 18 May 1997 on the Echo Label, and then re-issued on 28 October in the same year in an Enhanced CD version, featuring their UK top 40 breakthrough single "High" and its video...
, the band made their chart breakthrough with Top Ten follow-up Yesterday Went Too Soon
Yesterday Went Too Soon
Yesterday Went Too Soon is the second full-length album by the British rock band Feeder. It was released on August 30, 1999 on The Echo Label....
. In January 2002, after Feeder had spent the previous year enjoying the success of their third album Echo Park
Echo Park (album)
-Personnel:*Taka Hirose – bass*Bob Ludwig – mastering*Grant Nicholas – guitar, keyboards, vocals, producer*Jon Lee – drums-Accolade:...
, Lee took his own life at his house in Miami. Hirose returned to Japan to spend time with family and friends.
After deliberation, Hirose and Nicholas decided to continue, and set to work later that year on their fourth album Comfort in Sound
Comfort in Sound
Comfort in Sound is the fourth studio album by the British rock band Feeder, released on October 21, 2002 and also the first to be released by the band after the suicide of drummer Jon Lee earlier in the year...
, with Mark Richardson
Mark Richardson (musician)
Mark Richardson is an English drummer, of the UK rock band Skunk Anansie and formerly of Little Angels and Feeder.-Personal life:...
recruited as their new drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
. This was continued with the follow-up release Pushing The Senses
Pushing the Senses
Pushing the Senses is the fifth album by the British rock band Feeder. It was released on Echo, Liberation Music and PIAS on 31 January 2005 in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Europe, while being released on Pony Canyon in Japan on 10 February 2005...
. Both albums were commercial successes making the top 10 of the UK albums chart with a singles album released in 2006 also being well received. 2008's Silent Cry
Silent Cry
Silent Cry is the sixth full studio album by rock band Feeder. It was released by Echo, on 16 June 2008, on CD, deluxe CD, vinyl, and digital download. It was the follow-up to 2005's Pushing the Senses and in terms of all albums, the highly successful singles album in 2006...
also made the top 10 but had a short chart life and became their smallest selling album, a decline which then continued with 2010's Renegades
Renegades (Feeder album)
Renegades is the seventh studio album by the British rock band Feeder. It was released on July 5, 2010. It was due to be the first in a series of two albums released in 2010 by the band, before its follow-up was delayed for 2012...
, which missed the top 10 but is still seen as an album that brought the band back to their roots and sees Karl Brazil on drums after Mark Richardson returned to Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie is an English rock band whose members include Skin , Cass , Ace and Mark Richardson .Skunk Anansie formed in March 1994, disbanded in 2001 and reformed in 2009...
.
Alongside his work with Feeder, Taka also works as an electronic music solo musician, often playing all the instruments alongside bass on a series of recordings under the alias name of "Funkybottom". He also has remixed Feeder tracks such as "Tracing Lines", as well as "Free Your Mind", a short 28 second interlude intended for Silent Cry which did not make the final cut. On the Funkybottom version, the remix extends the track with extra effects added in.
Taka also has a website containing many Japanese food recipes.