The Japanese Ronnie Le Tekro/EVH etc. etc. AxeFX dudes?

[SuperStratSlinger]

Every so often Akira comes down to Okinawa and plays at a club called 7th Heaven. My band plays there often. I get to hang and party with him. Just a few weeks we ended drinking Awamori (Okinawa sake) and singing karaoke till about 3-4 am.......

Next time I will video some of his current playing. He still has the chops.

You've hung out with AKIRA?! Next time could you ask what his amp rig for the 1992 self-titled album was? That's my favorite tone ever... On the tour he had Peavey amps but I don't think his live tone around that era sounded like the album. I have the Once And For All live album with Masaki and his tone was pretty bad compared to the album.

 

[outlier]

Next time could you ask what his amp rig for the 1992 self-titled album was? That's my favorite tone ever...

Hi, hope no one minds my resurrecting this thread here. I'm a occasional lurker who ran across this.

I worked with Loudness briefly in Japan on the Heavy Metal Hippies tour. This tour was the basis of the Loud 'N Raw live CD. Naturally, while there, the topic of what Akira used on what album was a matter of great interest to me. Akira, to answer another question, speaks little English. Questions were directed to my friend George Azuma, who either already knew the answers or would ask Akira.

The 1992 Loudness album with Masaki, that tone is courtesy of a Marshall JMP-1 preamp into discontinued Roger Mayer RM-6550 power amps. Also in use for that album was a blackface Rocktron Intellifex. A Rocktron ProQ was possibly used to further shape some of the tones.

By the way, I've written some articles for Premier Guitar magazine which do touch on the topic of Akira's tone. If you like please take a look at:

http://digital.premierguitar.com/premie ... fm=2#pg140

Print version online:

https://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/I ... _1000.aspx

Web exclusive Part Two:

https://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/I ... reamp.aspx

I've definitely found that one of my Killer KG-Prime guitars into an '88 GP-1000 really makes for a great Akira-style tone...

 

[MARK1970]

 

[Digital Jams]

Very cool post, thanks for taking the time to answer some questions!

 

[JackBootedThug]

god that brings back the memories!

wok an woll cwazy nights!!!!!!!

 

[Wayniac]

Became an instant Loudness/Akira fan when I got their Thunder in the East cassette back in the day.

His playing was like an encyclopedia of riffs/techniques in use by all the hottest players back then, all melded into one.

Same here. He was good mix/bridge between the Randy/Eddie and Yngwie schools. I loved how heavy his tone was too.

 

[Mailman1971]

Every so often Akira comes down to Okinawa and plays at a club called 7th Heaven. My band plays there often. I get to hang and party with him. Just a few weeks we ended drinking Awamori (Okinawa sake) and singing karaoke till about 3-4 am.......

Next time I will video some of his current playing. He still has the chops.

Man that is so familiar. When I was stationed up in Tokyo area back in the 90's I played in the Rapongi district on and off and saw Loudness/Akira many times and partied with them.
I went on a KILLER guitar buying spree. Had 12 of them. I lived in Japan/Okinawa for 10 years.
Sadly I just sold off my last Killer Prime to a Forum member here.
But when it comes to Partying....thats the UNIVERSAL language!

Akira is such a cool guy.

 

[outlier]

Pip's in Roppongi was a cool place. I remember when we were there after the Loudness Liquid Room show and they had Michael Schenker Group circa 1981 live video playing on the projector TV screen. I thought, "Where else in the entire world can you see this in a bar???"

 

[Chubtone]

Welcome outlier. I'm still digging the DOD YJM308 you modded for me. It's awesome!

 

[outlier]

Thanks! Nice forum here!

Very glad you're still liking the pedal. I know how a lot of guys go through the whole honeymoon period with other gear, so that's very nice to hear!

I'm still planning on coming out with a boutique overdrive at some point... Still modding the 308s too.

I have an inspiration for an Akira style pedal, but I don't know how much interest there would be in that.

 

[Cornfordcrunch]

How about Asa Akira?

Nice!

 

[jerrydyer]

I saw him at his peak at Irvine Meadows. It was a KNAC all star thing. Paul SHortinos voice I remember the most. Some guy broke his leg. I think it was that little guy who sang for Vandenberg. Tawn Mastry and all those characters werre there. Great show.