Biography
Before gaining renown as the Arrows frontman, Alan Merrill had already risen to prominence as a youthful American pop artist in Japan by the close of the 1960s, prompting his desire for a fresh public image. Through session work he met drummer Hiroshi Oguchi, and the pair launched a joint endeavor in 1971. Together with bassist Take Yokouchi they formed the industrious glam unit Vodka Collins, whose growing visibility soon drew Japanese media attention. Securing a recording contract, the trio maintained an exhaustive touring schedule across Japan, unaware that their management was diverting the bulk of their earnings. The 1973 release of Tokyo-New York coincided with their realization of this severe underpayment. When Merrill warned he would abandon a 10,000-seat performance unless greater profits were forthcoming, the ultimatum was ignored; he departed that same evening for London, where he would establish the Arrows. The band’s brief existence earned admiration from T. Rex singer Marc Bolan, and some observers have suggested that David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust project drew inspiration from the group.
Although the story appeared concluded, the 1990 Japanese reissue of Tokyo-New York proved sufficiently successful for Merrill and Oguchi to reunite for a series of concerts. Encouraged by the response, the lineup added rhythm guitarist “Monsieur” Hiroshi Kamayatsu and bassist Masayoshi Kabe in the mid-1990s and began producing fresh material. They issued Chemical Reaction on Polystar in 1996 before moving to Tower Bounce Records for the 1997 album Pink Soup. By 1998 internal strain resurfaced when the label rushed out the substandard B-sides compilation Boys Life, while concurrent rumors of heroin use and Oguchi’s connections to the Yakusa prompted Merrill’s return to America; Kamayatsu and Kabe likewise departed. Notwithstanding its erratic trajectory, the band ultimately produced a notable body of work anchored by a standout 1970s glam-rock album.
Although the story appeared concluded, the 1990 Japanese reissue of Tokyo-New York proved sufficiently successful for Merrill and Oguchi to reunite for a series of concerts. Encouraged by the response, the lineup added rhythm guitarist “Monsieur” Hiroshi Kamayatsu and bassist Masayoshi Kabe in the mid-1990s and began producing fresh material. They issued Chemical Reaction on Polystar in 1996 before moving to Tower Bounce Records for the 1997 album Pink Soup. By 1998 internal strain resurfaced when the label rushed out the substandard B-sides compilation Boys Life, while concurrent rumors of heroin use and Oguchi’s connections to the Yakusa prompted Merrill’s return to America; Kamayatsu and Kabe likewise departed. Notwithstanding its erratic trajectory, the band ultimately produced a notable body of work anchored by a standout 1970s glam-rock album.
Albums
