Masafumi Gotoh
Masafumi Gotoh or Gotch 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. 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. Masafumi has a degree in economics and his favourite artists include Weezer, Number Girl, Oasis, Teenage Fanclub, and Beck. He produces records for other artists such as Chatmonchy, Dr. Downer and The Chef Cooks Me. He was also one of the founding members of the band Skeletons.
In 2010, Gotoh launched his own music label, only in dreams. In 2012, he started a solo project under the name Gotch, and released the single "'Lost". In 2014, he released his debut solo album, Can't Be Forever Young and released live album called, Live in Tokyo. In 2016, he released his second solo album, Good New Times, with most songs using English lyrics. In 2024, he established a non profit organization "Apple Vinegar Music Support" and is building a studio called "Music inn Fujieda" in Fujieda to support young and independent musicians. In March 2024, Gotoh released drone/ambient music album Recent Report I under his original name.
Discography
Other
- New Order – Waiting for the Sirens' Call lyrics on "Krafty "
- Dr. Downer – Rising music director
- Special Others – Special Others collaboration on "Dance in Tsurumi"
- Feeder – Generation Freakshow Japanese edition vocals on "Idaho"
- Chatmonchy – "Kirakira Hikare" producer; vocals on "Karisomethod"
- Chatmonchy – Henshin producer on "Yes or No or Love" and "Kirakira Hikare"
- Dr. Downer – Gensō no Maboroshi producer
- The Chef Cooks Me – Kaitentai producer, vocals on "Kanjōsen wa Bokura o Nosete"
- ART-SCHOOL – YOU producer
- Ovall - "Nadaraka Yoru" vocals
- The Mattson 2 – Vaults of Eternity: Japan vocals on "My Memories Fade"
- Co.Ruri Mito - MeMe music producer
- Nahavand – Vandalism producer, vocals on "Hold On"
- The Chef Cooks Me – "Kakato de Ai o Uchinarase" vocals
- SOFTTOUCH – "Jiyū Ishi" producer
- Aiha Higurashi – "Je t'aime" producer
- Aiha Higurashi – "Shining all over" vocals
- Manami Konishi – Cure producer and backing vocals on "Endless Summer", producer on "Ain't Nobody Know"
- FIRE EX. – "The Light" vocals
- Moment Joon – "Doukutsu" vocals
- The Rentals – "Goodbye, Steve" vocals
- SOCCER*SCHOOL - "last summer bleeze" mixing
- Moment Joon – "Distance" vocals
- Hironoi Momoi – "Fog" vocal, lyrics
- Lil Boom – "The End of the World" vocals
- Nahavand – "World Trigger"' recording
- Yuragi – For you, Adroit it but soft : Remixes & Rarities mastering
- The Tiva – On This Planet mastering
- Mofution Vibration – "Oboroge" mixing, mastering
- Dhira Bongs – A Tiny Bit of Gold in The Dark Ocean vocals on "Make Me Fallin In Love Again"
- Link – Tsuki no Hana EP producer, recording, mixing
- Jared Mattson – Peanut vocals on "Koko ni Kite"
- Kanjani Eight – "Ikiteru Bokura" songwriter
- Takehisa Chiba – "Spacewalker" vocals, vocals engineer, mixing
- Link – Taiyou to Tsuki no Beatniks producer, recording, mixing
- A Flood of Circle – Candle Songs producer on "Candle Songs"
- Furusato Osamu to Furoshiki – "Ryusui" co-producer, recording, mixing, mastering; guitar and chorus on "Ryusui"; lyrics, vocal, guitar, and programming on "Ryusui Remix"
- Furusato Osamu to Furoshiki – "Takibi" co-producer, recording, mastering
- Generations from Exile Tribe – "MY GENERATION" producer, guitar, lyrics, music
- SATOH – "MILE" featured vocals