Kyosuke Himuro

Kyōsuke Himuro
Also known as	Himurock
Born	October 7, 1960 (1960-10-07)
Origin	Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan
Genres	Rock, pop
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1979–present
Labels	Toshiba-EMI
Associated acts	Boøwy, Spinach Power, Death Penalty
Website	himuro.com

Kyosuke Himuro (氷室 京介, Himuro Kyōsuke, born October 7, 1960 in Takasaki, Gunma, Japan) is a popular Japanese singer. He was a member of the rock group Boøwy from 1981 to 1988. After the group disbanded he started a successful solo career. In 2003, HMV Japan ranked Himuro at number 76 on their list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California, where he purchased a palatial residence in Beverly Hills in 2004, which was previously owned by Shaquille O'Neal.

He has frequently played music with Steve Stevens, best known as the backing guitarist Billy Idol. For example, Stevens participated in Himuro's album as a guitarist and his concert tour after his album I·De·A.

On August 22, 2004, he held a concert, entitled "21st Century Boøwys VS Himuro", at the Tokyo Dome. He sang many Boøwy songs, the first time in sixteen years.

"Wild Romance" was used as the ending theme music for the Japanese dubbed version of Van Helsing.

Most recently, Himuro's song "Calling", from his 1989 album Neo Fascio, was used in the ending credits to the highly anticipated 2005 CG Film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. The film's director Tetsuya Nomura has noted that Himuro's music has been highly influential in his own work, and when asked about his contribution to the film, Himuro said that he was happy his work would be used in "the best CG movie ever made in Japan".

On August 5 and 6, 2006, he held a concert called "Kyosuke Himuro + Glay 2006 at Ajonomoto-Stadium "Swing Addition"" with Japanese band Glay in Ajinomoto Stadium. In addition, Himuro released first collaborated single with Glay called "Answer" on August 2, 2006.

The Japanese release of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete features a new ending song by Himuro, replacing the original use of "Calling". "Safe and Sound" is the title and it features My Chemical Romance lead singer Gerard Way. "Safe and Sound" was released on iTunes store on April 29, 2009. However, the North American release does not contain "Safe and Sound", but instead continues to feature "Calling".

Himuro donated 669,220,940 yen (around 8.7 million USD) to Fukushima, Miyagi, and Iwate prefectures, for recovery after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

Discography

Albums

• Flowers for Algernon (September 1, 1988)
• Neo Fascio (September 27, 1989)
• Higher Self (April 6, 1991)
• Memories of Blue (January 7, 1993)
• Shake the Fake (September 26, 1994)
• Missing Piece (September 30, 1996)
• I·De·A (December 10, 1997)
• Mellow (February 23, 2000)
• Beat Haze Odyssey (mini album) (October 18, 2000)
• Follow the Wind (August 20, 2003)
• In the Mood (December 20, 2006)
• "B"orderless (September 8, 2010)

Singles

• "Angel" (July 21, 1988)
• "Dear Algernon" (October 7, 1988)
• "Summer Game" (July 26, 1989)
• "Misty" (September 6, 1989)
• "Jealousy" (May 16, 1990)
• "Crime of Love" (February 27, 1991)
• "Urban Dance" (February 26, 1992)
• "Good Luck My Love" (November 7, 1992)
• "Kiss Me" (December 7, 1992)
• "Virgin Beat" (August 29, 1994)
• "Tamashii wo Daitekure" (魂を抱いてくれ) (literal translation: "Hug the Soul") (October 25, 1995)
• "Stay" (June 24, 1996)
• "Squall" (August 15, 1996)
• "Waltz" (January 15, 1997)
• "Native Stranger" (June 4, 1997)
• "Heat" (October 29, 1997)
• "Sleepless Night" (August 18, 1999)
• "Diamond Dust" (October 27, 1999)
• "Eternity" (February 23, 2000)
• "Girls Be Glamorous" (January 1, 2001)
• "Claudia" (July 20, 2003)
• "Wild Romance" (September 8, 2004)
• "Easy Love" (single of Fairness Angel Setsuna) (February 8, 2006)
• "Sweet Revolution" / "In the Nude ~Even Not in the Mood~" (October 4, 2006)
• "Safe And Sound" feat. Gerard Way (April 29, 2009)
• "Bang The Beat" / "Safe And Sound" (July 14, 2010)

Compilations

• Singles (July 19, 1995)
• Collective Souls (June 24, 1998)
• Ballad ~ La Pluie (September 27, 2001)
• Case of Himuro (March 19, 2003)
• 20th Anniversary All Singles Complete Best Just Movin' on ~All The-S-Hit~ (June 11, 2008)

Others

• Lover's Day Double Happiness (August 21, 1991)
• Masterpiece #12 (April 25, 1992)
• "Tour Collective Souls" 1999 (December 9, 1998)
• Lover’s Day II (January 27, 1999)
• Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Original Soundtrack (September 28, 2005)

DVDs

• 100152 (February 23, 1999)
• Digital BeatNix Tower (October 18, 2000)
• Case of Himuro: 15th Anniversary Special Live (November 25, 2003)
• Kyosuke Himuro Tour 2003: "Higher Than Heaven" (August 18, 2004)
• 21st Century Boowys VS Himuro (December 24, 2004)
• SOUL STANDING BY〜 (2005)
• Kyosuke Himuro/Captured Clips 1988-2006 (2006)
• Kyosuke Himuro TOUR 2007"IN THE MOOD" (2008)
• L’EGOISTE (2009)
• KYOSUKE HIMURO COUNTDOWN LIVE CROSSOVER 05-06 1st STAGE/2nd STAGE (2009)
• 20th Anniversary TOUR 2008 JUST MOVIN' ON -MORAL～PRESENT- (2009)

Videos

• 88's-89's Turning Process ~King of Rock Show~ (June 28, 1989 / dvd 2009)
• Neo Fascio Turning Point (July 25, 1990 / dvd 2009)
• Birth of Lovers (December 1990)
• Over Soul Matrix (November 27, 1991 / dvd 2009)
• Captured Clips (April 28, 1993)
• Live at the Tokyo Dome Shake: the Fake Tour (December 25, 1995 / dvd 2009)
• Missing Piece (May 14, 1997)
• The One Night Stands - Tour "Collective Souls" 1998 (December 24, 1998 / dvd 2009)
• 100152 (December 24, 1999 / dvd 2000)
• Digital BeatNix Tower (October 18, 2000)

Cover songs

Himuro has covered several songs. Although "Keep the Faith" was composed by Himuro himself.

• "Suffragette City" by David Bowie on B-side of his 1988 single Dear Algernon.
• "Accidents Will Happen" by Elvis Costello on B-side of his 1989 single Misty.
• "Miss Murder" by AFI on his 2006 album In the Mood.
• "Pain" by Jimmy Eat World on his 2006 album In the Mood.
• "Keep the Faith" by KAT-TUN on his 2008 compilation album 20th Anniversary All Singles Complete Best Just Movin' on ~All The-S-Hit~

See also

• List of best-selling music artists in Japan

External links

• Himuro.com (Japanese)
• cafe Algernon (Japanese)
• Official Twitter
• Official YouTube