Shigeru Matsuzaki

Overview

Shigeru Matsuzaki (松崎 しげる, born Shigeyuki Matsuzaki on November 19, 1949, in Edogawa, Tokyo) is a Japanese singer, TV personality and actor, affectionately nicknamed "Matsu" and signed to Office Walker. He is best known for the signature song "Ai no Memory" and has worked across kayokyoku, enka and J-pop. In the West he is known for his contributions to the Katamari Damacy soundtracks, for performing the theme songs of Nerima Daikon Brothers and playing its lead, and for voicing the title character in the film Space Adventure Cobra.

Career

Before debut

Matsuzaki was devoted to baseball through high school but gave it up after a shoulder injury, then turned to music. At Nihon University's College of Art he formed a band called Milk (Hot Milk) with Tomiaki Hidaka (Tommy) and Mamoru Horiuchi (Mark), who later formed Garo. He was scouted by Ryudo Uzaki, then a manager at Ohashi Productions, and turned professional.

The 1970s

After the band split, he passed an audition for Victor Musical Industries (now Victor Entertainment) and debuted as a solo singer in 1970 with the single "8760 Kai no I Love You." He sang for Glico Almond Chocolate commercials, and in 1972 the commercial song "Kiiroi Mugiwara Boshi" became a smash hit, but a long lean period followed.

He gained attention improvising songs in Roppongi with actor Toshiyuki Nishida, which led in 1975 to both being cast on the live TBS program "Nishiyan Matsuchan no Hustle Ginza" (the first regular show for each). That November he appeared at the 6th World Popular Song Festival.

In 1976 he performed "Ai no Bisho" at the Mallorca music festival in Spain, winning Best Vocal Performance and placing second. It drew little notice in Japan, and record companies were reluctant to release it. In 1977 the song, retitled "Ai no Memory," was released as a Glico Almond Chocolate commercial song and sold 640,000 copies. It won numerous awards including the Japan Record Awards' Vocal Performance Award and earned him his first appearance at the 28th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen. In spring 1978 it was chosen as the entrance march of the 50th National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament.

Acting and television

In his acting debut, the Daiei Television crime drama "Uwasa no Keiji Tommy to Matsu" (TBS), his partnership with Tomiyuki Kunihiro was a hit. On "Quiz Derby" he billed himself the "Emperor of Quizzes" as a frequent guest panelist. His films include Space Adventure Cobra (1982, as Cobra), Shonan Bakusozoku (1987), Keitai Keiji The Movie 2 (2007), Keitai Keiji Zenigata Mai (2009), Keitai Keiji The Movie 3 (2011) and Dead Sushi (2012, as Sawada). English-language sources also list Cromartie High School (2005) and Nerima Daikon Brothers (2006).

1980s onward

In 1989 he went independent with manager Katsumi Otani, founding his current agency Office Walker. He performs nearly 200 dinner shows a year and has earned the nickname "Dinner Show King." When the Japanese iTunes Music Store launched in August 2005, "Ai no Memory" climbed as high as No. 3. In Thailand, his song "Kimi ga Ireba Sore de Ii," used in a 1987 Glico Almond commercial, became very well known and was covered by many local singers.

After a traffic accident in November 2006 revealed that his international driving permit was no longer valid, he was referred to prosecutors in February 2007 and suspended his entertainment activities for about a month and a half. He announced his return on March 10, 2007, at the opening-day stage greeting for Keitai Keiji The Movie 2.

In 2015, September 6 was certified by the Japan Anniversary Association as "Shigeru Matsuzaki Day," a pun on 9 (ku) and 6 (ro) matching his trademark dark complexion. On that date he held his own music festival, "Kuro Fes," at Makuhari Messe to mark his 45th anniversary, and it has been an annual event since.

Recent activity

He appeared on WOWOW's TROT GIRLS JAPAN in 2023, and in 2024 on MBN's Hyeonyeok Gawang (his first Korean variety appearance), Korea-Japan Top Singer Match and Korea-Japan Top 10 Show. He has also collaborated with Momoiro Clover Z.

Selected discography

• TIME (1988)
• Yes or No (1991)
• Memories of Love (1994)
• Eternal Love and Old Fashion Love Song (2000)
• Ano Hi no Shonen (2003)
• My Favorite Songs (2005)
• Essential Best Shigeru Matsuzaki (2007)
• Yes We Can!! (2009)
• Shigeru Matsuzaki All Time Best "Old & New" I'm a Singer (2011)
• Black on Black (2014)
• Watashi no Uta Respect (2015)
• Karakuri Pierrot (2016)
• Taisetsu na Mono (2018)
• 1/2 Seiki Self Selection (2022)
• Kore o Ai to Yobu no ka? (2023)
• Moshi Piano ga Hiketara (2025)

Musical style

Known for a powerful voice, Matsuzaki is rooted in kayokyoku while singing commercial songs, enka and pop. He is a left-handed guitarist who can also play a right-handed guitar flipped over without restringing it, and he plays bass and guitar with the low E string at the bottom. He is also known for singing the Saitama Seibu Lions team song and is a devoted baseball fan.