Yuya Uchida (singer)

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Template:Short description Template:Family name hatnote Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox musical artist Template:Nihongo was a Japanese singer, record producer, and actor. With a career spanning six decades, he was a major figure in Japanese music. Kazuo Takeda stated that Japanese rock would not be what it is today without Uchida, as he was one of the first to bring what was happening in the West in the mid-1960s back to Japan.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He appeared in numerous films, such as Nagisa Ōshima's Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, and won two best acting awards. He also starred in the American film Black Rain.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Career

Uchida was born in Nishinomiya. He dropped out of high school at age 17 and began his music career in 1957.<ref name="japanzone">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He became friends with John Lennon after opening for The Beatles on their 1966 tour of Japan.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Shocked after seeing Jimi Hendrix perform in London in 1967, Uchida returned home and wanted to introduce a similar sound to Japan.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He formed Yuya Uchida & The Flowers who released the album Challenge! in 1969, which is composed almost entirely of covers of Western psychedelic rock acts. After replacing all but one member and Uchida reverting to a producer/manager role himself, the group changed their name to Flower Travellin' Band and released another cover album, 1970's Anywhere, before relocating to Canada.<ref name="interview">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Before the move they recorded an album of original material in just two days;<ref name="interview"/> Satori was released in North America in 1971 by GRT Records. The band produced two more albums, Made in Japan (1972) and Make Up (1973), before separating for 34 years.

In addition to his solo career and Flower Travellin' Band, he worked with a large variety of musicians both domestic and international, and recorded with The Ventures and Frank Zappa in the mid-1970s. In 1975 he produced an international music festival titled "World Rock Festival" which featured artists from around the world performing together.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> That same year, Uchida also produced the self-titled album by Creation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He unsuccessfully ran for the 1991 Tokyo gubernatorial election.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Uchida collaborated with pop idol Rino Sashihara for the 2014 duet single "Shekina Baby".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Yuya Uchida married actress Kirin Kiki in 1973. The two separated two years later but remained legally married until her death in 2018. Their daughter Template:Ill is an essayist/singer and married to actor Masahiro Motoki,<ref name="japanzone"/> who was adopted into the Uchida family as a mukoyōshi. Yuya was the grandfather to three children by his daughter.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Uchida was arrested in September 1977 for violating Japan's Cannabis Control Law. Although Uchida admitted ten years later that he was smoking it at the time, the charges were dropped Nolle prosequi.<ref name="legal">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was arrested again in 1983 for violating Japan's Firearm and Sword Possession Control Law. Uchida entered the offices of Udo Artists, Inc. with a kitchen knife and threatened a rock promoter for allegedly paying foreign artists far more money than Japanese ones. Again, he was never indicted.<ref name="legal"/>

Uchida successfully underwent emergency eye surgery on May 31, 2005, for a blocked retinal artery, which would have led to blindness.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In mid-November 2005, his house was broken into and several watches and jackets were stolen.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On May 13, 2011, Uchida was arrested for assault and trespassing after threatening his former girlfriend, whom he began dating in December 2009. The police said that Uchida allegedly hit the 50-year-old woman after she tried ending their relationship in March and began sending her threatening letters. The woman said she had her locks changed, but Uchida then had another locksmith open the door and entered her house on April 19.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Uchida acknowledged writing the letters and having spare keys made to her house, but denied threatening her.<ref name="japanzone"/>

Death

Yuya Uchida died from pneumonia in a Tokyo hospital on March 17, 2019, aged 79.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 61st Japan Record Awards on December 30, 2019.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Discography

Singles

Albums

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1966 Kureji da yo: kisôtengai Kentarô
1966 Panchi yarô Momoji
1969 Burai: Barase Musician
1969 Dorifutazu desu yo! Tokkun tokkun mata tokkun
1977 Furenzoku satsujin jiken Koichi Doi
Jitsuroku furyo shoujo: Kan Tokio
1978 Pink Tush Girl Sen'ichi Yamada
Eroticna kankei Kôtarô Higaki
Kawajyan hankou zoku
1979 Ejiki
Sûpâ gun redei Wani Bunsho Tadao Toda, Robber of bank
1980 Akai bôkô Yuya
Shôjo shôfu: Kemono michi Ataru
1981 Yokohama BJ bûrusu
A! Onnatachi: Waika Jyoji
1982 Mizu no nai puuru Man
1983 Saraba aibô Komatsu
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence Military prison commander
Jukkai no mosukîto Hero
1986 Comic Magazine Toshiaki Kinameri
1987 Saraba itoshiki hito yo Detective
1988 Hanazono no meikyu Sosuke Mitsuya
1989 Zatoichi, Darkness Is His Ally Boss Akabei
Black Rain Nashida
1992 Sakana kara daiokishin!! Yuya
Erotikkuna kankei Kishin
1999 Kyohansha Elder Giliyaku
2002 Deadly Outlaw: Rekka
2003 Akame 48 Waterfalls
2004 Izo
2007 Tantei monogatari
2008 Johnen: Sada no ai
Rokku tanjô
2016 Hoshikuzu kyôdai no aratana densetsu (final film role)

References

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