Anzen Band was formed in the early 1970's and is known for being one of the first original hard rock bands in Japan. Originally they were a three piece band. They later added two more members, Tomokuni Aizawa (rhythm guitar) and Satoshi Nakamura (sax/organ), to enhance their unique sound. Their music is very stylish, deep and heavy.
Starting out playing at college campuses across Japan, they soon developed a large and loyal following. They became favorites at several Japanese clubs and campuses. Along the way they got sponsored by Yamaha. This gave them the necessary equipment to put on even greater shows. At a typical outdoor concert, there were huge stacks of amps and speakers behind them on stage. To see them performing live was really something!
In 1975 they released their debut album simply titled "Album A". This album featured original rock songs. It wasn't long before they were playing huge stadiums and touring. Some nights they played concerts at three different locations. Highlights from the album are "Juusankai No Ona" (Thirteenth Floor Woman) about a woman in despair who wants to end her life, and "Subete", a song about a post-apocalyptic world after a nuclear war. Overall they are known for being a straight forward rock band. A second album followed the next year titled, "Anzen Band, Fushigi Na Tabi" (Mysterious Journey).
Concerts include the 1975 World Rock Festival with Jeff Beck, Cabaret, Carmen Maki & OZ, Cosmos Factory, Creation, Far East Family Band, Felix Pappalardi, Joe, Gedo, New York Dolls, West Road Blues Band, Yellow, Yonin Bayashi, Yuya Uchida & 1815 Rock'n'Roll Band. Other shows followed with Rainbow, Robin Trower and more....
Occasionally the band plays a reunion concert in Tokyo that attracts new and old fans alike. The last concert featured a reunion concert with Yonin Bayashi, another well known Japanese rock band. A highlight of the show was when both bands performed a few songs together unrehearsed and jammed it out!
