On October 19 at 11:09 p.m. Japan Time, the music world was deeply saddened by the passing of Atsushi Sakurai, the esteemed vocalist and frontman of BUCK-TICK.
The cause of his untimely demise was a brainstem hemorrhage, and he was 57 years old. A private funeral was held by his family, while his agency intends to announce a location for a public memorial in the near future.
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Originally making their major debut in 1987, Atsushi Sakurai and his BUCK-TICK bandmates signed with Victor Invitation Records, quickly ascending to larger venues.
Notable for their hit single “Just One More Kiss” and their third album, “Seventh Heaven,” released in 1988, BUCK-TICK solidified their position as a cornerstone of the J-rock scene, leaving an indelible mark during the late 80s and 90s.
Furthermore, they are hailed as a pivotal founding force in the visual kei subgenre, characterized by elaborate visual presentations, gothic aesthetics, melodious ballads, and androgynous musicians.
Remarkably, BUCK-TICK’s lineup has remained unchanged since their inception, releasing a consistent stream of albums over their impressive 36-year career.
Their most recent and 23rd album, “Izora,” hit the shelves on April 12 of this year, debuting at a remarkable #2 on the Oricon weekly album chart.
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In addition to their musical achievements, the band has left their sonic imprint on various anime series, contributing theme songs for titles like “Nightwalker: The Midnight Detective” (“Gessekai”) in 1998, “Trinity Blood” (“Dress (BLOODY TRINITY MIX)”) in 2005, “xxxHOLiC” (“Kagerou”) in 2006, “Shiki” (“Kuchizuke” and “Gekka Reijin”) in 2010, and “GeGeGe no Kitarō” (“RONDO”) in 2019.
Sources | BUCK-TICK’s website, Mainichi Shimbun’s Mantan Web via Otakomu, Music Natalie
