The Alfee | |
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Also known as | Alfie |
Origin | Tokyo, Japan |
Genres | |
Years active | 1974 – present |
Labels | EMI Records, Virgin Music |
Members | Toshihiko Takamizawa (voice, E.guitar) Kōnosuke Sakazaki (voice, A.guitar, percussion) Sakurai Masaru (voice, E.bass) |
Past members | Miyake Yasuo (voice, A.guitar) |
The Alfee is a Japanese folk rock band who debuted in 1974, and have been recording and touring since then, with 23 studio albums and 63 singles throughout their career. The band marked its 40th anniversary in 2014 with their 64th single.
Masaru Sakurai, Konosuke Sakazaki, Toshihiko Takamizawa, and Yasuo Miyake met in 1973 while students at Meiji Gakuin University, and formed the group Alfie. On August 25, 1974, they released their first single "Natsu Shigure". Around 1975, Miyake left the group, leaving the remaining group a trio. In 2003, HMV's Japanese branch ranked them number 92 in their "Top 100 Japanese pops Artists" list.
The Alfee claims American folk music as their primary inspiration, but they do also take from heavy metal, hard rock, progressive rock, and Japan's "new music wave". The group also takes inspiration from King Crimson, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and Pink Floyd, as they use odd time signatures, while also taking the chorus harmonies of Simon & Garfunkel, the Eagles, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and Queen.
Titles are listed chronologically, oldest at the top. The titles are listed in their English translation first, followed by the original Japanese, (a rōmaji transliteration in parentheses) and the release date in parentheses. If all songs on a single are in English, the titles are shown only once.
Titles are listed chronologically, oldest at the top. The titles are listed in English translation first, followed by the original Japanese, (a rōmaji transliteration in parentheses) and the release date in parentheses (if known). If an album title is in English, the title will be shown only once.
Titles are listed chronologically, oldest at the top. The titles are listed in English translation first, followed by the original Japanese, (a rōmaji transliteration in parentheses) and the original release date of the video in parentheses (if known). If title is in English, the title will be shown only once.