Happy End - (self-titled) LP (1973 50th anniv.)

Happy End was a Japanese folk rock band, which existed between 1970 and 1973. The band's pioneering avant-garde sound is highly revered, and they are considered to be one of the most influential bands in Japanese music. In fact Happy End is listed at number 4 in HMV Japan's list of the top 100 Japanese popular artists of all time! Happy End was formed by ex Apryl Fool's Haruomi Hosono and Takashi Matsumoto and after it's demise Hosono went on to form the Yellow Magic Orchestra. Unlike most contemporary Japanese bands of the time, Happy End also refused to sweeten their albums with scatterings of Western rock covers, even presenting their songs in the Japanese language. Happy End's music is most reminiscent of soft rock such as 'Wheatfield Soul' period Guess Who, a slightly heavier CSN&Y and Badfinger.