is a Japanese lyricist and former musician. After several years playing the drums in the rock bands Apryl Fool and Happy End during the late 1960s and early 1970s, Matsumoto decided to focus on writing lyrics for others in 1974. As of 2015, he had written over 2,100 songs, 130 of which entered the top 10 on the Oricon chart. Total sales of the singles he has written exceed 49.8 million copies, making him the third best-selling lyricist in Japan. In 2017, he was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon from the Japanese government for his work in music.
Life and career
Takashi Matsumoto was born in Aoyama, Tokyo, but raised in Azabu. In elementary school, he listened to Igor Stravinsky and read poetry by Jean Cocteau. However, he bought a drum kit and became obsessed with rock music because of the Beatles. Matsumoto is a Keio University graduate.
Matsumoto's first band was in college, which covered songs like Them's "Gloria and Sam & Dave's "Hold On, I'm Comin'". When their bassist left, Matsumoto recruited Haruomi Hosono into Burns in the spring of 1968. In early 1969, Matsumoto, using the alias Rei Matsumoto, joined Hosono in a band called The Floral.
Hosono, Matsumoto and vocalist Chu Kosaka had planned to form another band together, but Kosaka joined a production of Hair, so Eiichi Ohtaki, who had played with Hosono in a folk act reminiscent of The Kingston Trio, was recruited in his stead. After releasing two studio albums, Happy End (1970) and Kazemachi Roman (1971), they officially disbanded on New Year's Eve 1972, before the 1973 release of their third album. They are considered to be among the most influential artists in Japanese music, with Mikiki crediting them with laying the foundation for Japanese rock. The album won a Planning Award at the 57th Japan Record Awards. A special two-day concert for the same anniversary was held at the Tokyo International Forum on August 21–22, 2015 featuring numerous artists such as Hiromi Ōta, Shinji Harada, Shoko Nakagawa, Yū Hayami, Junichi Inagaki, Akiko Yano. Matsumoto himself stepped behind the drum kit once again to perform songs with the surviving members of Happy End; Hosono and Shigeru Suzuki.
Another tribute album, titled and overseen by Seiji Kameda, was released on July 14, 2021. It features artists such as B'z, Glim Spanky, Daichi Miura, Daoko, and members of Little Glee Monster. At the 63rd Japan Record Awards in 2021, Matsumoto received a Special Award.
Honors
- Japan Lyricist Awards, for "Fuyu no Riviera" by Shinichi Mori (1983)
- Medal with Purple Ribbon (2017)