THE ALFEE

While bearing no relation to cat-hating aliens whatsoever, THE ALFEE may still seem alien to most Western audiences. To Japan, though, THE ALFEE is nothing short of a legend, with a rock career spanning over 35 years and literally dozens of CD releases. Featuring Masaru Sakurai on bass, Kohnosuke Sakazaki and Toshihiko Takamizawa on guitar, and the entire trio on vocals, THE ALFEE has been revered for their musical talents on and off the stage.

The trio started as a quartet with singer-guitarist Yasuo Miyake. Their initial performances were held during their college years as Confidence, an amateur cover band performing songs from Western artists like The Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel. Their first single, Natsu shigure, came under Victor Japan in August of 1974, along with the band's name changing into THE ALFEE. Unfortunately, poor sales led to their contract's cancellation, which in turn led to their next few years being spent in night clubs, opening for established acts like Naoko Ken and Saori Yuki. During this time, Yasuo Miyake left the group.

Despite Miyake's departure, January of 1979 saw THE ALFEE's popularity restored with a new label, a new single and a newly reinvigorated reputation. It would take four more years, and the hit single Mary Ann, for the band to reach superstar status. From then onto now, their success rate has been no less than 99.9%.

Popular songs include Starship -Hikari o motomete-, Faith of Love and Kibô no kane ga naru asa ni; these three songs, in addition to many of their other singles, have been used as film or drama themes. More recent tracks include 100-Oku no Love Story and Dear My Life, the latter released with three different versions. This relentless stream of releases might be one reason why THE ALFEE has stayed so popular over the years. Another could be their countless live shows and tours, usually at one or two a year.

With multiple generations of fans enjoying their music, THE ALFEE can only raise the stakes further as the years progress. Their fans lie in wait, their enthusiasm at no less than eleven.