Shinji Takashima
Shinji Takashima (Japanese: 高島信二, "Takashima Shinji"; born October 23, 1960 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese musician, composer, and music producer. He is known for being the guitarist of Omega Tribe. Takashima was the only member of Omega Tribe who was in all versions of the band, excluding Brand New Omega Tribe. Biography. Takashima formed Kyutipanchosu with fellow guitarist Kenji Yoshida, with vocalist Kiyotaka Sugiyama and keyboardist Akira Senju joining later. The band focused on rock-oriented genres similar to The Doobie Brothers. Takashima participated in the 19th Yamaha Popular Song Contest in 1980 with the  band. After winning the contest and Sugiyama being scouted by producer Koichi Fujita, the band renamed themselves as "Kiyotaka Sugiyama & Omega Tribe." The band debuted in 1983 with "Summer Suspicion." During the Kiyotaka Sugiyama & Omega Tribe era, Tetsuji Hayashi was appointed as in charge of the band's songwriting. The group aimed to have a "Japanese pop" sound with influences from black contemporary, jazz fusion and soft rock. The band became popular with multiple hits on the Oricon charts. Because of conflict between the members and the production team, Kiyotaka Sugiyama & Omega Tribe dissolved in 1985 after their final album  First Finale. After Fujita scouted vocalist Carlos Toshiki and guitarist Mitsuya Kurokawa, he and keyboardist Toshitsugu Nishihara formed 1986 Omega Tribe. After Kurokawa left the band for health-related reasons and the band was left as a trio and changed the name to "Carlos Toshiki & Omega Tribe." After the band's dissolution, he and Nishihara made the offshoot band "DOME" with Satoshi Mikami, Seiichi Sakauchi, and Michihisa Ikeda, releasing one single and one album before dissolving. Takashima then created "Weather Side" with Nishihara and Hideaki Takatori, releasing three albums and three singles before dissolving. He became a producer and director  at Being Inc. during the DOME era and into the Weather Side era, but after the dissolution of Weather Side, music production became his center of activity. He was in charge of Bon-Bon Blanco, Aya Kamiki, Wands, and Naifu and a producer of Tube and Mai Kuraki. Personal life. Takashima got married in 1988 and is a father of two children.