**RC Succession**, an icon of Japanese rock that stood on its own.

**RC Succession**, an icon of Japanese rock that stood on its own.

In the early 1970s, there was a controversy in Japan over whether rock music should be sung in Japanese. The dominant view was that English was the legitimate language of rock music, and there was strong resistance to expressing rock music in Japanese. However, bands such as Happiendo, Zuno Keisatsu, Carroll, and Sadistic Mika Band sought to fuse Japanese and rock music through a variety of trial and error. RC Succession, which emerged in the 1980s, was one of the first to achieve this goal.

RC Succession was a band that naturally blended elements of soul, rock and roll, and funk, centered on the clear pronunciation of Japanese lyrics by Imawano Kiyoshiro and the unique scale of Nakaiido Reichi's guitar playing. Their music was not an imitation of Western music, but had a definite indigenous and Japanese sentiment. In particular, the way the audience chanted in unison, as seen in "Ameagari no Yozora ni," was proof that Japanese rock music had become a fully-fledged citizen's right.

The first time I paid attention to them was when I saw them on stage at an event at Hibiya Noon. Their performance was overwhelming and clearly differentiated them from the monotone punk new wave bands of the same era. The rhythm section of Kozo Araida and Kazuo Kobayashi was heavy and crisp, and when Imawano's vocals were intertwined with it, a unique sound emerged. Kazutoki Umezu's saxophone also added a Japanese flavor.

In 1982, the album "Beat Pops" reached No. 2 on Oricon, and RC Succession became one of Japan's leading rock bands in both name and reality. Imawano Kiyoshiro also attracted attention with his eccentric fashion and hairstyle, further strengthening his presence as a rock icon. However, they were reluctant to give interviews to music magazines, and this writer was finally able to interview Imawano only once, in 1985, when "HEART ACE" was released. At that time, Imawano was wearing plain clothes and thick glasses, and looked like a different person from the glamorous onstage appearance.

He did not say much in the interview, and his answers were modest and unassuming. However, his occasional humor and tongue-in-cheek comments, such as "I'd rather Chavo's album didn't sell because I wouldn't get a penny for it," revealed the depth of his personality. His humor and tongue-in-cheek comments, such as "Chavo's album won't bring me a dime, so I'd rather it not sell. Also during this period, apart from RC Succession, Imawano was also active in a separate unit called "DANGER" and was experimenting with freer expression with Kazutoki Umezu and others. These solo activities were a place to express Imawano's view of music from a different angle from that of the band, and contrasted favorably with RC's activities.

The witty banter between the members was also an attraction, and the fact that it was shared as a source of laughter was one of the characteristics of RC. The author felt a Beatles-like lightness and intellectual playfulness in their atmosphere. Imawano Kiyoshiro was a rare presence who possessed both star power on stage and friendliness on the surface, and perhaps it was this duality that supported his charisma.