Happy Family (Japanese band)

Happy Family
OriginJapan
GenresProgressive rock, Zeuhl, avant-rock
Years active1987–present
LabelsCuneiform
MembersKenichi Morimoto
Takahiro Izutani
Keiichi Nagase
Hidemi Ichikawa
Past membersShige Makino
Tatsuya Miyano
Websitefacebook.com/HappyFamily.music

Happy Family is a Japanese instrumental progressive rock band based in Tokyo formed in 1987 by music students of Tokyo's University of Meiji.[1] They are influenced by French progressive rock band Magma (and so are associated with Magma's style of music which is termed Zeuhl)[2] and British experimental band Henry Cow,[1]

They are also influenced by minimal music.[citation needed] Jim Dorsch, writing for AllMusic, feels that the drummer, Nagase, contributes "rhythmic complexity" to their music.[1] They broke up at the end of 1998 for 14 years, then reformed in 2012.[1] They are now active, releasing new album along with attending 1st edition of Rock in Opposition Japan Festival in 2014.

History

around 1st album
Kenichi Morimoto (keyboards) / Tatsuya Miyano (bass) / Shige Makino (guitar) / Keiichi Nagase (drums)
around 2nd album
Kenichi Morimoto (keyboards) / Tatsuya Miyano (bass) / Takahiro Izutani (guitar) / Keiichi Nagase (drums)
around 3rd album ~ now
Kenichi Morimoto (keyboards) / Hidemi Ichikawa (bass) / Takahiro Izutani (guitar) / Keiichi Nagase (drums)

Discography

  • Happy Family; Cuneiform Records, 1995
  • Toscco; Cuneiform Records/ Arcangelo, 1997
  • Minimal Gods; Cuneiform Records / Disk Union, 2014
  • Various Artists / Unsettled Scores; Cuneiform Records, 1995

References

  1. ^ a b c d Jim Dorsch. "Happy Family Biography by Jim Dorsch". AllMusic.
  2. ^ "Ye Gods: The Twenty Greatest Prog Rock Record Sleeves". The Quietus. 11 February 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.