Yellow Magic Orchestra
formed in 1978 in Tokyo, Japan
Members:
Haruomi "Harry" Hosono: bass, keyboards, vocals
Yukihiro Takahashi: drums, lead vocals
Ryuichi Sakamoto: keyboards, vocals
Do you know this about Yellow Magic Orchestra?
Yellow Magic Orchestra are pioneers of electronic music whose techniques involving synthesizers, computers, drum machines, and digital recording helped propel the electropop and synth pop era.
They are the first band to have ever used the infamous Roland 808 drum machine.
Their sound helped birth multiple genres, such as electro and techno. YMO was initially the brainchild of a brief experiment by Hosono. He wanted to make a parody based on Western conceptions of Asia and computer exotica.
They take inspiration from Isao Tomita, Giorgio Moroder, Kraftwerk, traditional Japan, video games, and funk.
The album "Computer Game" in 1978, reached the UK top 20 and sold 400,000 copies in the US. "Solid State Survivor," their second album, sold over 2 million records.
By 1980 Yellow Magic Orchestra became the most popular band in Japan. They released a musical motion picture in 1984 titled "Propaganda."