1980s heavy metal boom · band
Loudnessラウドネス
heavy metal · Osaka
- Japanese name
- ラウドネス [WJA]
- Founded
- 1981
- City
- Osaka
- Status as of 24 September 2026
- active
- Connections
- 18 edges, 18 distinct neighbors · betweenness 0.134 (rank 4 of 324) · personnel only 0.045 (rank 2)
- Confidence
- High · sources: [W] [MIL] (register)
Takasaki and Higuchi from Lazy with Minoru Niihara and Masayoshi Yamashita. Reported as the first Japanese metal band signed to a US major (Atco, 1985); Thunder in the East reached 74 on the Billboard 200 and they played Madison Square Garden on 14 August 1985. 45th anniversary world tour announced for 2026.
Lineup: Akira Takasaki (g), Minoru Niihara (v), Masayoshi Yamashita (b), Masayuki Suzuki (d)
Connections
People and personnel
- founderAkira Takasaki高崎晃1981
- founderMunetaka Higuchi樋口宗孝1981 to 1992, 2000 to 2008
- memberMinoru Niihara二井原実1981 to 1988, 2001 to present
- memberHirotsugu HommaSecond EZO member to join1994 to 2000
- memberMike Vesceraマイク・ヴェセーラ1988 to 1991
- joined fromMasaki Yamada山田雅樹From EZO1992 to 2000
- joined fromTaiji Sawada沢田泰司Joined months after leaving X1992 to 1993
Lineage
- spawnedMari Hamada浜田麻里The Loudness production link into the women's scene1983
- came out ofEZOえぞMasaki Yamada then Hiro Homma went to Loudness1992
- spawnedDouble DealerダブルディーラーVia Masaki Yamada2000
- grew out ofLazyレイジーTakasaki and Higuchi formed Loudness after the 31 May 1981 split1981
Influence
- influenced byFlower Travellin' Bandフラワー・トラベリン・バンドSatori is the universally cited proto metal origin point1971
- influenced byBlues CreationクリエイションDemon and Eleven Children, the other touchstone1971
- influenced byBow WowバウワウReading and Montreux cleared the path abroad1982
- influenced byBurrn!バーンThe magazine and the band rose together1984
Labels, festivals, collaborations
- festival / venueMeguro Rokumeikan目黒鹿鳴館Early career home venue1980s
- festival / venueWacken Open Airヴァッケン・オープン・エアPro shot full set2022
- festival / venueLoud ParkラウドパークPerennial anchor act2006 to 2017