Very sad news here with word that Thee Michelle Gun Elephant guitarist Futoshi Abe - far right in the image - has died of cancer at the age of forty three. At their peak TMGE were, in my opinion, one of the greatest rock bands on the face of the planet with Abe as a key component of their sound. They were a band I first discovered thanks to their involvement in Toshiaki Toyoda's Blue Spring, a band influential enough that I later learned that when approached to make Blue Spring Toyoda actually made their inclusion on the soundtrack a condition of taking the job. No TMGE, no Toyoda in the director's chair. It's time to fire up the stereo, I think. Play it loud.
Awful news, may he rest in peace.
Oh man! :(
I actually first discovered TMGE through the site www.engrish.com about 10 years back. My friend and I were browsing the site and saw a picture of the billboard for their 'Chicken Zombies' album with them sporting football helmets with big letters spelling out F.U.C.K.. It was hilarious and awesome and the name stuck out as nuts too so I had to check out the music!
I first heard 'Satanic Boom Boom Head' and instantly fell in love and bought a CD of theirs, as was the fashion at the time, shortly afterward; my friend did the same.
Futoshi Abe was one of the first times I looked up a guitarists name because I really loved what he was doing. I did the same with Agata from Melt-Banana. ;)
Great fucking guitarist and great fucking band!
RIP
Rodeo Tandem Beat Specter is one of the best punk albums of all time. R.I.P.
oh man, that's bad...
Rest In Peace.
crap. If I had my iPod with me today I would have had 'Drop' playing in loop on the bus ride home tonight. sad news. love that band.
"During their last concert, Abe's guitar string snapped, but he didn't change it to the new one; he kept playing and covered up the parts he couldn't play without it. Many thought that he didn't want to stop playing at all since it was his last day playing together as a band."
A sad day, may he rest in peace and continue playing where ever he is.
Damn. Hands down one of my favorite guitarists from one of the best bands ever. Seriously, this has hit me harder than anything else all summer, Including losing my job of 8 1/2 years.
Great guitarist, awesome band, even though I now prefer The birthday.