Masafumi Gotoh 後藤正文 | |
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Background information | |
Also known as | Gotch |
Born | Shimada, Shizuoka, Japan | December 2, 1976
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 1996–present |
Labels | |
Website | Sony OID |
Masafumi Gotoh (後藤 正文, Gotō Masafumi) or Gotch (December 2, 1976) is the lead vocalist, main songwriter and rhythm guitarist of the Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation. Masafumi met fellow band members Kensuke Kita and Takahiro Yamada while attending a music club of Kanto Gakuin University. The three formed Asian Kung-Fu Generation in 1996, with drummer Kiyoshi Ijichi joining the band shortly after.[1] As the main songwriter of the band, Gotoh is credited with writing a majority of their lyrics, but has a strong tendency to share songwriting duties equally among his bandmates. His vocal style most often alternates between soft, melodic singing, and harder, harsher, yelling.[2] Masafumi has a degree in economics and his favourite artists include Weezer, Number Girl, Oasis, Teenage Fanclub, and Beck.[3] He produces records for other artists such as Chatmonchy, Dr. Downer and The Chef Cooks Me.[4] He was also one of the founding members of the band Skeletons (スケルトンズ).[5]
In 2010, Gotoh launched his own music label, only in dreams.[6] In 2012, he started a solo project under the name Gotch, and released the single "'Lost".[7] In 2014, he released his debut solo album, Can't Be Forever Young and released live album called, Live in Tokyo.[8] In 2016, he released his second solo album, Good New Times, with most songs using English lyrics.[9]
Main article: Asian Kung-Fu Generation discography |
Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||
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JPN Oricon [10] |
JPN Billboard | ||||||||||
Can't Be Forever Young | 14 | — | |||||||||
Good New Times | 25 | 47 | |||||||||
Lives By The Sea | 115 | — |
Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
JPN Oricon [10] |
JPN Billboard | ||||||||||
Live in Tokyo | 85 | — |
Title | Details |
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Goto to Togo (with Kiyomaru Togo) |
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
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JPN Oricon [10] | |||
"Lost" | 2012 | — | Can't Be Forever Young |
"The Long Goodbye" | 2013 | — | |
"Wonderland" | 2014 | 48 | |
"Route 6" | — | — | |
"Taxi Driver" | 2017 | — | Lives By The Sea |
"Nothing But Love" | 2020 | — | |
"Stay Inside" (featuring mabanua) |
— | ||
"The Age" (featuring BASI, Dhira Bongs and Keishi Tanaka) |
— | ||
"Heaven" (with GuruConnect) |
2023 | — | Non-album singles |
"Stateless" (featuring YonYon) |
2024 | — |