Happy End was a Japanese folk rock band active from 1969 to 1972. Composed of Haruomi Hosono, Eiichi Ohtaki, Takashi Matsumoto and Shigeru Suzuki, the band's pioneering sound was regarded as avant-garde to most Japanese at the time. They are considered to be among the most influential artists in Japanese music. MTV described Happy End's music as "rock with psych smudges around the edges."
Happy End in September 1971. From left to right: Eiichi Ohtaki, Haruomi Hosono, Shigeru Suzuki and Takashi Matsumoto.
Haruomi Hosono , sometimes credited as Harry Hosono, is a Japanese musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is considered to be one of the most influential musicians in Japanese pop music history, credited with shaping the sound of Japanese pop for decades as well as pop music outside of Japan. He also inspired genres such as city pop and Shibuya-kei, and as leader of Yellow Magic Orchestra, contributed to the development and pioneering of numerous electronic genres.
Hosono at the Tokyo International Film Festival, 2019
Hosono performing with YMO in 2008.