The Miracle Trajectory of City Pop: Takizawa Yoichi and Magical City – [Vol.2] Demo Tapes Filled with Masterpieces　

The music genre of city pop has caused a worldwide boom over the past few years and has now established itself as a standard. While the music industry considers the band “Sugar Babe,” featuring Tatsuro Yamashita and Taeko Onuki, as the “pioneers of city pop,” do you know about the phantom band ” Yoichi Takizawa and Magical City” that was active almost simultaneously with Sugar Babe but whose existence was unknown until recently? Through interviews with related parties spanning nearly three years, it has become clear that they were the important band that laid the foundation for today’s global city pop boom. This series presents the “trajectory of city pop” by these five members, which has never been told in the history of Japanese pop music, along with a large amount of discovered unreleased sound sources over multiple installments.

[Additional Note] On January 8, 2025, Hiroshi Shinkawa, former member of Magical City, passed away suddenly at the age of 69. We express our deepest condolences here. This article maintains the original notation from the time of publication.

Original source (2023/09/15): 
https://www.mag2.com/p/news/580492

Series Archive

• Vol.1 Miraculously Discovered Mass of Demo Tapes
• Vol.2 Masterpieces Recorded on Demo Tapes (This Article)
• Vol.3 The “Truth” That Neither Tatsuro nor Hideki Noticed

The Birth and Remarkable Fate of Yoichi Takizawa, Godfather of Magical City

(Continued from Vol.1) Singer-songwriter and composer Yoichi Takizawa (who passed away in 2006 at age 56), whose only work ‘LEONIDS NO KANATA NI (Beyond Leonids)’ (1978/Toshiba EMI) was first released on CD in 2015 and is now highly praised as a “city pop masterpiece” and “miraculous album.”

The four musicians who started their careers as members of Takizawa’s backing band “Magical City” were so impressive that it’s surprising they haven’t been discussed in Japanese pop music history:

Magical City

• Drums: Jun Aoyama
• Bass: Koki Ito
• Keyboard: Hiroshi Shinkawa
• Guitar: Motoaki Makino

Their “key person” was Yoichi Takizawa, who named the band and wrote the original songs they performed. Tracing his musical activities and background reveals numerous “miraculous encounters” that led to this global “city pop” boom.

Early Life and Influences

Yoichi Takizawa was born on March 9, 1950, in Tokyo as the eldest son of a Ministry of Foreign Affairs diplomat. Soon after birth, he spent his first three years in Portland, Oregon, where his father was stationed.

After returning to Japan, he lived there until second grade, then moved to Tehran, Iran’s capital. He finally settled permanently in Japan at age 11 in fifth grade. His extended overseas childhood left him with a lasting inferiority complex about reading and writing Japanese, particularly kanji.

His familiarity with Western music during overseas life significantly influenced his musical sensibility. In fact, Takizawa noted in his profile for the single ‘Miami Dreaming’ (1980/RCA):

“Characterized by Western music-influenced songwriting gained through overseas experiences with his pop music-loving father, and refreshing vocals.”

Beatles, Folk Guitar, and Meeting “Robby Wada”

As a middle school student, Takizawa began copying The Beatles with a 3,000-yen guitar received as a Christmas present. After entering Tamagawa Gakuen High School, he joined the folk organization “MRA” (Moral Re-Armament movement) with friends, which had produced Mike Maki.

There he met folk singer Robby Wada (Ryochi Wada), who had inherited Maki’s position and would later become Japan’s first freelance music producer, creating major hits for Akiko Wada, Hideki Saijo, and Shigeru Matsuzaki.

Wada was known for founding the legendary 500+ member group “Let’s Go 66” in 1966, combining MRA folk groups for a legendary Budokan concert. High school student Takizawa was recognized for his talent by Wada. This meeting with Wada would later dramatically change Takizawa and his associates’ destinies.

Sound sources thought to be recorded by young Takizawa were discovered on open reel tapes. The home-recorded guitar ballad “Yasashii Koori” (Gentle Ice) showcases the beautiful voice of teenage Takizawa.

“Boku ga Aishita Sono Hito wo” (The One I Loved), with clear Group Sounds influence and full band performance, still sounds fresh today.

Alongside MRA activities, Takizawa formed TLMS (Tamagawa Light Music Society) gathering music lovers from Tamagawa Gakuen. Through TLMS activities, Takizawa created unique music that was “neither folk, rock, nor jazz.” Some songs composed around this time remained on open reel tapes found at Takizawa’s home.

“Station Elegy” is another example – recording date unknown but likely from late 1960s to early 1970s. The psychedelic melody with jazz-style arrangement creates a heavy, era-appropriate sound that’s pleasing to hear.

Ski Obsession and Return to Music Through Hospitalization

However, when Takizawa entered Tamagawa University, he became obsessed with skiing, obtained a first-class license, and began working as a ski instructor at mountain lodges. His skiing passion drew him away from music.

An unexpected turning point arrived when his chronic hepatitis B worsened, forcing long-term hospitalization and abandoning his dream of living as a professional skier.

During hospitalization, Takizawa listened to music on his bedside radio, became captivated by beautiful Western melodies, and returned to music. He began composing on his hospital bed and recorded demos after discharge.

After discharge, following his father’s advice, Takizawa attended computer programming school while working part-time, continuing composition and demo creation. He then visited Robby Wada, whom he’d known from MRA, bringing demos of accumulated songs.

At that time, Wada was a contract director for “RCA Records,” a Victor Music Industries division, successively producing hits like Akiko Wada’s “Waratte Yurushite” (1970), Hedva and David’s “Naomi no Yume” (1971), and Hideki Saijo’s “Kizudarake no Laura” (1974).

Wada had also written and composed the famous CM song “Mandam ~Otoko no Sekai” (1970) under another name. Rather than performing himself, Wada worked behind the scenes as a “creator.”

When Wada heard Takizawa’s home-recorded “Hitoribocchi no Kimi” (Lonely You), he loved it and used it as the B-side for idol group “Chako and Health Angels'” single “Nageki no Yubiwa” (1974). This became Takizawa’s “composer debut” and led to a publishing contract with RCA.

The sound source of Takizawa’s self-sung “Hitoribocchi no Kimi” was found on the same open reel tape. This debut song was both written and composed by Takizawa.

During his third hospitalization for liver disease, Takizawa fell in love with a high school girl eight years his junior who was hospitalized at the same hospital. She was the woman who would later become his wife. They met in the autumn of 1974. Around this time, with “Hitoribocchi no Kimi’s” single release already decided, Takizawa often played Beatles and Gilbert O’Sullivan songs for her on a bench in the hospital garden.

Sound sources from that period remained on cassette tape, including the beautiful, quiet masterpiece “Kootta Tokei” (Frozen Clock), written from a woman’s perspective. Takizawa’s crystal-clear voice retains its appeal nearly 50 years later.

The Fateful Encounter Between Shinkawa and Aoyama

Essential to Magical City’s history is the meeting between keyboardist Hiroshi Shinkawa and drummer Jun Aoyama. What led to their appearance before Takizawa?

Shinkawa recalls first meeting Aoyama:

“My high school girlfriend introduced him, saying ‘There’s a kid who’s good at drums at my school.’ Around 1973, I lived in Seta, Setagaya ward, and Aoyama said he lived in Kamino-ge, so I went to meet him. Normally, high school students aren’t home on Sundays, right? But Aoyama was home on Sunday, polishing his drums (laughs). He was a pale boy.”

Shinkawa then invited high school student Aoyama as a roadie for the disco band “Far East,” where Shinkawa played keyboards for Keio University’s “Black Culture Research Society.”

Aoyama, already attending Yamaha drum school in high school, had formed a Genesis cover band called “KANN,” but didn’t perform drumming with Far East. Aoyama would finally play drums on original songs when later invited by Shinkawa to Takizawa’s backing band.

Meeting Makino and Forming the Backing Band

In 1975, Takizawa was introduced to band members by Shunichi Arimoto, a Keio University student and dormitory junior at the “Student Education Dormitory” (Ichigaya, Tokyo) where Takizawa lived – housing for diplomat families’ children. The band was the aforementioned Keio disco band “Far East.” Arimoto played trumpet in Far East.

“This is dormitory senior Yoichi Takizawa, who has a contract with RCA Records.”

Arimoto introduced Takizawa to Far East keyboardist Hiroshi Shinkawa (Nihon University College of Art student), just-graduated high school student Jun Aoyama (working as Far East’s roadie), and Shinkawa’s childhood friend Yoshihito “Munta” Murakami (Meiji University student with a used Fender Jazz Bass).

Later, Shinkawa brought former “Bad Scene” guitarist Motoaki Makino (Char’s former band). Takizawa’s first backing band began with these four members.

Makino recalls that time:

“I think Shinkawa and I met around 1971. I was in a band called ‘Bad Scene,’ and Shinkawa played bass in a trio called ‘Three-Man Band.’ In an era before today’s live houses, students often pooled money to hold concerts, and we met through such events. Since Shinkawa played bass, I didn’t know he could play keyboards. We both played rock music then.”

Four years after meeting Shinkawa, in 1975, Makino received a phone call from Shinkawa:

“Would you like to join the backing band for singer Yoichi Takizawa, who’s scheduled to debut with RCA Records?”

Shinkawa had been Char’s elementary school classmate and formed the three-piece band “FOX” with Char and classmate Miura from ages 11-13. This gave Makino and Shinkawa the common connection of “having been in bands with Char.”

Introduced to Shinkawa, Aoyama, Murakami, and Makino, Takizawa invited them to be his backing band for original songs. The band wasn’t yet named “Magical City.” Shinkawa led the backing band formation.

The four frequently visited the Ichigaya education dormitory where Takizawa and Arimoto lived, repeatedly practicing within the dormitory. Based on tapes found at Takizawa’s home, they likely began band practice around summer 1975.

One discovered track, tentatively titled “Tomato Tomato Tomato,” is a samba-style song repeatedly chanting “Tomato.” Though the official title is unknown and sound quality is poor due to tape deterioration, the witty lyrical metaphors are interesting, showing their daily meetings with Takizawa for band practice.

Four Demo Songs Recorded at the Famous “Onkyō House” Studio

Through Robby Wada’s arrangement from their folk organization connection, Takizawa signed a publishing contract with RCA Records in 1974. From around 1975, he continued composing original songs with his backing band, seeking solo debut opportunities.

The opportunity came immediately after New Year’s. On January 22, 1976, RCA director Tasuku Okamura (known for handling Hideki Saijo and Toshiki Kadomatsu) organized demo tape recording for Takizawa and the four members at “Onkyō House” studio in Ginza, Tokyo. The purpose was Takizawa’s RCA solo debut.

Okamura reflects on that time:

“Takizawa aimed for music like Kirinji around 1975. But perhaps too early, it didn’t match the popular music in Japan then.”

1975 was the heyday of folk-style kayōkyoku and enka. The year Sugar Babe (Tatsuro Yamashita and Taeko Onuki) launched from Eiichi Ohtaki’s “Niagara” label, Western music-oriented Japanese pop wasn’t yet mainstream.

This Onkyō House demo recorded only four songs. However, it included the original “Minami no Hoshi e Yoru no Tabi” (later the title track of Takizawa’s only album ‘LEONIDSS NO KANATA NI’) and “Yasashii Koori,” which Takizawa once sang with folk guitar, performed by Takizawa, the four members, and Seikei University student Kabe on flute and saxophone.

Here are the four songs from Ryōjin “Munta” Murakami’s first and last studio recording as Takizawa’s backing band bassist: “Minami no Hoshi e Yoru no Tabi,” followed by “Mou Nakanaide,” “Omoide no Denwa-dori,” and “Yasashii Koori (RCA Take).”

This recording showcased 18-year-old Aoyama’s exceptional drumming throughout all songs, while Shinkawa’s beautiful piano already glimpsed arranger talent. 19-year-old Makino played sensual guitar solos in “Mou Nakanaide,” Murakami provided warm bass, and Takizawa’s faintly audible acoustic guitar gently enveloped listeners.

Seikei University student Kabe, called through Shinkawa, delivered excellent flute and alto saxophone performances. Despite being demos, these songs achieved high-quality arrangements rivaling actual recordings.

However, after this recording, the backing band’s bassist changed. Murakami’s replacement was Koki Ito, who would later work long-term with Jun Aoyama in Tatsuro Yamashita’s band.

The Birth of Bassist Koki Ito and Meeting Aoyama

Actually, Koki Ito had played bass in the aforementioned “Far East” and would become Takizawa’s second-generation bassist. Ito initially played guitar in high school band “Lime” with friends.

Lime worked as the house band at “Shiga Highland Hotel” in Nagano’s Shiga Kogen during winter ski seasons, staying on-site. The house band work involved backing for live performances at the hotel’s disco lounge “More.” The “Shiga Kogen” lineup was called the band “Blacklist.” Major musicians and singers like Yuya Uchida, Carmen Maki & OZ, Sadao Watanabe, and Terumasa Hino performed there daily – an unimaginably luxurious live venue today.

Ito describes the performance venue “More”:

“It was incredibly exciting. Ski resort discos were more fashionable amusement spaces than Roppongi then.”

There, Ito met Yasuyuki Hasegawa (former “Bad Scene” member like Makino) who came as Carmen Maki & OZ’s drummer. Later, when Hasegawa revisited the hotel, he made Ito an offer:

“I’m drumming for a disco band called Far East. Would you join as bassist?”

This changed Ito from guitarist to bassist. Ito recalls:

“They figured if you’re a guitarist, you can play bass, right? So I first played bass with Far East. I didn’t own a bass guitar then and borrowed from others.”

Thus born “bassist Koki Ito” was introduced to still-high school student Jun Aoyama when visiting fellow Far East member Shinkawa’s home. When Shinkawa pointed to Aoyama lying in the room saying “This guy is drummer Jun Aoyama,” Ito replied indifferently “Oh, I see.”

After this conversation, Ito was shocked by Aoyama’s first-person pronoun “boku” (I). Born in Tokyo’s Adachi ward and always using “ore,” Ito was surprised by Ōta/Setagaya-raised Aoyama’s “boku.” Despite laughing “He says ‘boku’!” at their first meeting, this was the fateful encounter at Shinkawa’s house between the two who would later lead Japanese city pop as the “golden rhythm section.”

Takizawa Names “Magical City”

Through Far East connections, Shinkawa invited Aoyama, Makino, and Murakami to form Takizawa’s backing band. However, Murakami’s last participation was the Onkyō House recording (January 22, 1976). Koki Ito joined as replacement bassist after January 1976. With Ito’s addition, the “true Magical City” history began, as Takizawa gave them the band name “Magical City.”

Makino and Ito remembered the naming:

Makino: “The name Magical City was given by Takizawa.”

Ito: “I remember. The name was decided at Delhi, a curry restaurant in Roppongi, below STUDIO BIRDMAN. We had a manager then, a Keio student named Shinohara. He disappeared at some point (laughs). We got excited saying ‘World’s Magical!’ and such.”

Thus, Yoichi Takizawa’s backing band “Magical City” was born in early 1976 with regular members Shinkawa, Aoyama, Makino, and Ito.

The Legendary Live Performance Where Aoyama and Ito First Performed Together

When did the four first session together? According to Ito’s memory, he first heard Aoyama’s drums at “Shiga Highland Hotel.” Since new member Ito couldn’t often return to Tokyo due to ski resort house band work, all band members went to Shiga to get him.

Ito: “I first heard Aoyama’s drums when we were to perform as a band at Shiga Kogen, with Shinkawa, Aoyama, and a few others. That’s when we first played several songs together. He played solid fills and had clear drumming – that was my impression.”

These “few others” were likely Takizawa and Makino. Ito’s remembered band performance was the live show at Shiga Highland Hotel in early 1976 under the “Magical City” name – meaning this was Aoyama and Ito’s first session.

The moment “true Magical City” was born: Takizawa on vocals and side guitar, Shinkawa on keyboards, Makino on lead guitar, Aoyama on drums, and Ito on bass.

This live recording was preserved at Takizawa’s home, clearly recording the band name through the emcee’s “Magical City members” announcement. The live performance included four songs: three recorded at Onkyō House (“Mou Nakanaide,” “Minami no Hoshi e Yoru no Tabi,” “Omoide no Denwa-dori”) and the members’ original “Magical City no Theme.” Though lengthy at about 11 minutes, this historical audio is worth hearing.

The “New Music” Declaration at Radio Public Recording

Makino shared an interesting episode about this live performance:

“I remember well – Koki brought the job, a radio public recording at Shiga Kogen’s Maruike Ski Area. Early 1976, I think.”

Shiga Kogen’s Maruike Ski Area refers to “Shiga Highland Hotel.” Local radio planned to publicly record live performances at the hotel’s disco lounge “More.” Ito, staying at the hotel as house band member during winter, proposed this live recording to Takizawa, Shinkawa, Aoyama, and Makino who came from Tokyo to get him.

Makino: “We publicly recorded the live performance, but while everyone was in the dressing room, Takizawa looked at paper from the radio emcee, thinking ‘hmm’ about various things. He’d been asked to answer interview questions, including ‘What kind of music do you aim for?’ He was troubled, saying ‘Well, I guess I have to say new music or something.’ Then I casually said ‘Should we say New Music?'”

New Music. This was before “New Music” became common terminology for a Japanese music genre.

Makino: “Takizawa said ‘Well, that doesn’t really mean anything.’ But when actually interviewed by the emcee asking ‘Takizawa, what kind of music do you aim for?’ he answered ‘Well, New Music’ (laughs). After that, various records began using ‘New Music’ in their copy. So Takizawa’s radio public recording statement was probably the first use of ‘New Music.’ I was the one who casually suggested ‘Should we say New Music?’ to Takizawa in the dressing room.”

Regardless of New Music origin theory accuracy, it’s certain they performed Takizawa’s songs live at Shiga Highland Hotel under the “Magical City” name in early 1976, marking Ito and Aoyama’s first collaboration, and calling their music “New Music.”

Incidentally, the guitar case of Ike Ueno (Akira Ueno), who played guitar in the aforementioned “Far East,” still bears stencil spray graffiti reading “MAGICAL city.”

Some Magical member apparently playfully spray-painted this, currently the only material evidence that “the band Magical City actually existed.”

Demo Tape Delivered to Alfa

After the Shiga live performance, the four-piece of Aoyama, Ito, Shinkawa, and Makino began sessions at Tokyo’s Meguro Mouri Studio for Takizawa’s demo tape recording. Under RCA’s Robby Wada and Okamura arrangement, Takizawa and true Magical recorded additional demos including “Saishū Bus” and “Boku ga Toshi wo Tottara,” but RCA didn’t realize record releases for Takizawa and Magical.

However, these demo tapes were brought by Wada to “Alfa Music,” a music publishing company run by composer Kunihiko Murai. This dramatically changed Takizawa and Magical members’ destinies. Wada frequently visited Murai’s Alfa then.

“We can’t seem to release records at our company (RCA), but how about Alfa?”

The Takizawa & Magical RCA-take demo tapes brought by Wada were shared within Alfa, catching one employee’s attention. Toshikazu Awano, a second-year Alfa employee and Keio junior to company president Murai, was enchanted by Takizawa’s “Saishū Bus” melody on the demo. The performance was, of course, by Magical members.

The emotionally rich lyrics depicting passengers waiting for the last bus at winter bus stops and urban scenery through car windows were written by Junichiro Yamaguchi, a dormitory friend of Takizawa and Arimoto at the education dormitory. The sophisticated melody and un-Japanese chord progressions beautifully colored this lyrical world. Awano, captivated by “Saishū Bus,” requested to meet Takizawa, first connecting Takizawa and Magical with Alfa. Hearing Takizawa’s songs, Awano felt “It’s just like Gilbert O’Sullivan,” sensing Western melody sensibility.

While Takizawa had backing band Magical, they couldn’t contract with Alfa as a band, first signing individually as composer. However, through senior Junichi Goto’s idea, Magical connected with Alfa through demo tape creation work described later.

Coincidentally, Takizawa and Awano attended the exact same Setagaya ward elementary school, with a three-year senior-junior relationship. Once this was known, the director-artist barrier quickly dissolved and they hit it off. Thus, Awano led Takizawa and Magical demo recordings, steadily preparing for Takizawa’s major debut.

Magical’s Crisis and the Aoyama & Ito “Rhythm Training Camp”

Though Magical continued helping with Takizawa’s demo creation at Alfa, there were technical performance conflicts. Previously, at Meguro’s Mouri Studio during RCA demo creation, Robby Wada warned Aoyama “The snare sound differs every time you hit it!” After moving to Alfa, Shinkawa yelled at Aoyama “You’re terrible!” creating band dissolution crisis.

Ito remembered impressive words from Aoyama during this crisis:

“When Magical was facing dissolution or ‘You’re fired!’ type situations, Shinkawa asked Aoyama ‘What do you think?’ and Aoyama said ‘I want to work with Koki-kun!’ Those words grabbed my heart. I thought ‘Alright, I’ll work with this guy forever!'”

So Ito and Aoyama loaded a bass amp onto their Mitsubishi Galant GTO with ski carrier, stuffed the drum set in back seat and trunk, and headed to Shiga Highland Hotel for “rhythm training camp.” In the hotel’s ski equipment drying room, they repeatedly practiced various rhythm patterns, playing instruments to their hearts’ content. Thanks to this, Aoyama’s drumming improved dramatically, forming a perfectly synchronized “golden rhythm section” with Ito’s bass. This Ito-Aoyama “rhythm training camp” arguably created the later Jun Aoyama and Koki Ito.

Colleagues praised the two’s performance after the training camp, saying “You’ve improved” and “Amazing.” Hearing this, Ito and Aoyama seriously thought “That can’t be right – this must be a conspiracy to trap us,” but in fact, their performance ability greatly changed after this camp.

Opportunities from “Demo Creation Part-time Work”

Connected with Alfa, Magical received requests from Awano to create demo tapes for songs composed by Alfa-related artists including the late Junko Hirotani, earning 50,000 yen monthly as part-time work. Demo recordings occurred at Otowa Studio, newly built in the basement of composer Murai’s Bunkyō ward Otowa residence (first floor later became “LDK Studio,” second and third floors called “Otowa Studio”).

Ito reflects on Magical’s demo tape part-time era:

“Part-time work creating demo tapes of new artists’ songs to give to companies. We’d listen to artists singing at home with just guitar, then discuss how to arrange it together. Thanks to this, we learned a lot about recording know-how. We did it for 50,000 yen monthly.”

Arranging and performing young composers’ original songs in optimal form, completing them as songs. This part-time experience undoubtedly became major sustenance for their later success as studio musicians and arrangers. Magical was also allowed to practice at the studio during free time. According to Awano, the Ito-Aoyama combination often practiced hard at Otowa Studio.

Under Awano’s leadership, Takizawa and Magical demos recorded at Otowa Studio included “Hamabe nite” (the original of “Shiokaze no Lullaby” later included in ‘Leonids’), light pure-love pop “Saintpaulia,” and “Nemurenai Yoru” with experimental development and beautiful Shinkawa solo parts. Awano was “constantly” at Otowa Studio for demo creation, even sitting at the console like an engineer.

At the beginning of “Saintpaulia,” Awano’s cue-giving voice was recorded directly: “Saintpaulia, please.”

Awano: “Jun and Koki were the ultimate rhythm section. So recording demos at Otowa was incredibly fun. Well, naturally, since they both became professionals later (laughs). They really produced great sound even then.”

While Magical’s four members spent days absorbed in demo tape part-time work, a big opportunity arrived. Shinkawa recalls this sudden event:

“It was early summer 1976, I think. There was a band called Garbo-Jin backing Hi-Fi Set, with Masataka Matsutoya on keyboards, Masaki Matsubara on guitar, Masato Shigeta on drums, and Keisuke Miyashita on bass. When Garbo-Jin accompanied Takuro Yoshida’s tour for about half a year, Hi-Fi Set needed backing band recruitment during that time. So they decided ‘There are guys called Magical City recording demo tapes at Otowa Studio daily – let’s have them do backing.’ This gave us our first proper paid work.”

This was Magical’s first “professional” paid work opportunity.

Not only that – they also handled backing for other artists belonging to Hi-Fi Set’s “Bird Corporation” management company, including folk singer Masamitsu Tayama and Akiko Kosaka (known for the hit “Anata”). They backed concerts for Hi-Fi Set and these artists, enjoying fulfilling musician days for a while.

Incidentally, “Garbo-Jin” was a portmanteau of Greta Garbo and Aladdin, reportedly named by Yuming.

Shinkawa’s Departure and Turning Professional

However, this lifestyle didn’t last long. When Garbo-Jin returned from Yoshida’s tour, pinch-hitter Magical was “dismissed.” Just as they worried “What do we do now?” Shinkawa received an unexpected offer:

“Just as Matsutoya was marrying Yumi, he said he had to work for his wife (Yuming) now, so he asked me to stay. I joined Garbo-Jin replacing Matsutoya. So I alone left Magical.”

Leader Shinkawa left Magical at 1976’s end. Afterward, Shinkawa supported Alfa-affiliated artists including Hi-Fi Set’s “Garbo-Jin” and Yuming tours, receiving many arranger requests and rapidly displaying his talents. His 1980s work arranging numerous kayōkyoku hits needs no elaboration here.

The successor keyboardist was Hidehiko Koike, known as early Casiopea member who had also helped Far East as roadie with Aoyama. Koike later joined Victor Music Industries as director, handling Beat Takeshi and Hiromi Iwasaki.

New Magical (Aoyama, Ito, Makino, Koike) with Koike made their recording debut backing Takashi Nishioka’s solo album from folk group “Five Red Balloons.” They backed three Nishioka solo albums: “Watashi no Mimi wa Roba no Mimi” (1977), “Kodomo-tachi ni Okuru Ai no Uta” (1977), and “Mos” (1978). Afterward, Aoyama and Ito each received separate backing requests.

Finally, each member began working as professionals. (Continued in Vol.3)

Series Archive

• Vol.1 Miraculously Discovered Mass of Demo Tapes
• Vol.2 Masterpieces Recorded on Demo Tapes (This Article)
• Vol.3 The “Truth” That Neither Tatsuro nor Hideki Noticed

(Honorifics omitted in main text)

Special thanks: Ryohei Matsunaga