Jump to content

'Do You Remember Love?' Composer Kazuhiko Katoh Found Hanged


Noriko Takaya

Recommended Posts

From ANN:

Kazuhiko Katoh, the co-founder of two musical bands and the composer of the main theme songs for The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? and Windaria, was found hanged in his hotel room in Nagano Prefecture on Saturday. He was 62. The local authorities believe he had committed suicide, due to two copies of a last will that he reportedly had left in his room.

Katoh made his musical debut with his college band The Folk Crusaders, which performed the hit songs "Kaette Kita Yopparai" and "Imujingawa." After The Folk Crusaders disbanded, he co-established The Sadistic Mika Band, a group that would break up and reunite several times over the years. The band became the first Japanese group to tour Great Britain when it opened for Roxy Music in 1975.

On his own, he composed music for several projects, including Mari Iijima's "Do You Remember Love?" ("Ai , Oboeteimasu ka?") theme song for The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? and Akino Arai's "Yakusoku" for Windaria. "Do You Remember Love?" proved to be mainstream hit when it landed at #7 on Oricon's weekly singles chart and #38 on the yearly chart for 1984. As part of The Sadistic Mika Band, he also wrote and performed the theme songs for Maruboshi Mabo-chan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm very saddened to hear this news. DYRL is such a masterpiece of animation and one of my favorite films, and the music, and especially Kazuhiko Katoh's composition, is an integral part to it. Although I have to admit that I'm unfamiliar with his other works, 'Ai, Oboeteimasu ka?' has left a deep impression on me and my deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm very saddened to hear this news. DYRL is such a masterpiece of animation and one of my favorite films, and the music, and especially Kazuhiko Katoh's composition, is an integral part to it. Although I have to admit that I'm unfamiliar with his other works, 'Ai, Oboeteimasu ka?' has left a deep impression on me and my deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends.

Yes, it's a wonderful song. I'm rather ashamed to admit that I didn't know Kato was in the Sadistic Mika Band...I've never heard them, but I've heard OF them (it's kind of difficult band name to forget...).

Does anyone else find it...I dunno, not STRANGE exactly, but a mild oddness, that this happened the same day as the Crossover Live, where DYRL is getting the widest hearing it's had in a long time...? Or am I just being too Macross-centric?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I listen to Ai Oboeteimasuka at least once a day in the car - if not more. It's a very touching song, and it really really makes for a tremendous finale to DYRL.

RIP song composer dude and thank you for the happiness.

Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

aww snap..damn im surprised and abit shocked at the same time, its a real shame but i wonder why he did it?...the music world has lost another,a sad day.. do you remember love is one of my favorite songs and i still listen to it today. certianly gave us a piece of music that stood the test of time strongly and for that i thank you ,may he rest in peace.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just saw the news on the polish anime news site. It's very sad news and I think that a big loss for Macross community. In my opinion, without ''Do you remember love?'' the movie version of the SDF Macross would not be the same. For me it's one of the most characteristic and recognizable songs from the mecha anime.

Rest in peace...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quite a shame. Like most here, I have a great fondness for Do You Remember Love and it's vaunted title song. I listen to it all the time, and have seen Mari performs it a few times. I even liked Ranka's version of it. Sad to hear another Macross composer has left us. RIP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, it's a wonderful song.
One of my favorite songs, regardless of genre, of all time. Always puts a smile on my face.

Does anyone else find it...I dunno, not STRANGE exactly, but a mild oddness, that this happened the same day as the Crossover Live, where DYRL is getting the widest hearing it's had in a long time...? Or am I just being too Macross-centric?
That is VERY odd, Gubaba....bordering on creepy.

What an incredibly sad day...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The use of "Ai , Oboeteimasu ka" at the end of Macross Frontier episode one was stunning and served to highlight what a fantastic song it is.

A great loss. Not good.

Taksraven

Link to comment
Share on other sites

absolutely terrible.

does anyone happen to know if he also composed the music for An Angel's Paint? Or was that done by someone else?

Angel's Paints was written by Mari Iijima herself. DYRL was the only Macross song written by Kato (and he wrote the music, not the lyrics).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ahh I see. Heh, isn't it funny...Mari wrote and composed what I consider one of the absolute best songs in the entire Macross universe, yet her other original non Macross songs don't even come close to Angel's Paint IMHO.

Really? I find her first four or five albums to be stunningly good. Rosé sounds a little too '80s, but not really in a bad way, and the lus orchestrations on Midori are exquisite, IMHO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...