Tomoyasu Hotei
| Tomoyasu Hotei | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Tomoyasu Hotei (布袋 寅泰 Hotei Tomoyasu?) |
| Born |
February 1, 1962 Takasaki, Gunma, Japan |
| Genres | Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer-songwriter, composer, record producer, actor |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals, bass, drums, keyboard |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Labels | Universal Music Japan, Spinefarm |
| Associated acts | Boøwy, Complex, Auto-Mod, Blue Film |
| Website | hotei.com |
| Notable instruments | |
| ZODIACWORKS TE-HT | |
Tomoyasu Hotei (布袋 寅泰 Hotei Tomoyasu?, born on February 1, 1962 in Takasaki, Gunma) is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter, composer, record producer and actor. With a career spanning more than 30 years, Hotei claims record sales of over 40 million copies and has collaborated with acclaimed artists from around the world. Hotei first rose to prominence in the 1980s as the guitarist for Boøwy, one of Japan's most popular rock bands, before starting a solo career.
In 2003, he was ranked number 70 on HMV Japan's list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts. He ranked second in a 2011 poll on who the Japanese people thought was the best guitarist to represent Japan. An iconic artist in his native Japan, he moved to London in 2012 and continues to perform and release music globally. Internationally Hotei is best known for his song "Battle Without Honor or Humanity," which has been featured in numerous films, commercials, video games, and events, most notably Quentin Tarantino's feature film Kill Bill.
Hotei was born to a Korean father and a Russian mother of Japanese descent.
Hotei first began playing the guitar in junior high school. Inspired by a poster of T. Rex frontman Marc Bolan, he stole money from his mother's purse and bought a at fourteen years old. In high school, Hotei's band Blue Film finished runners up in a school contest to Death Penalty, a band led by Kyosuke Himuro. Hotei was expelled shortly before graduation, because, when warned about his long hair he replied "Jesus had long hair!".
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