Tomohiko Nishimura, the longtime guitarist for the internationally beloved Japanese rock band Sing Like Talking, has died.
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The group’s official website announced on Thursday that Nishimura passed away on June 5 at the age of 61. In 2023, Nishimura revealed that he was battling stage 4 throat cancer, according to Oricon News.
The band shared that the funeral was a private ceremony for close relatives, honoring the bereaved family’s wishes. They also apologized for the delayed announcement to respect the family’s privacy.
Sing Like Talking consisted of Takeyoshi Sato (vocals/guitar/keyboard), Chiaki Fujita (keyboard/synthesizer), and Nishimura (guitar). The group won the Grand Prix at the “Sound Contest ’86” and made their major debut in 1988 with the single “Dancin’ With Your Lies.” Their 4th album, 0 [lΛV] (Love), released in 1991, is considered a milestone for the group. Subsequent albums ENCOUNTER (1993) and togetherness (1994) both debuted at number one on the Oricon charts. In 1996 and 1997, the band reached key milestones by performing successfully at the Nippon Budokan, a well-known indoor arena in Tokyo, Japan, per Oricon News.
In 2023, marking the 35th anniversary of his debut, the band performed live at Tokyo Dome City Hall in Tokyo and NHK Osaka Hall in Osaka.
A Colleague Pays Tribute to Tomohiko Nishimura Following His Passing
Meanwhile, Mark Joseph, a record and film producer and author, shared a heartfelt tribute to Tomohiko Nishimura on Facebook in the wake of his death.
“I was very saddened to learn of the passing of a great Japanese musician whom I had the honor of working with many years ago,” Joseph began.
“In 1988, I worked as a production coordinator on the debut album of the Japanese band Sing Like Talking, and Tomohiko Nishimura was their guitar player. He was a quiet man with an impish sense of humor,” he continued.
“My favorite memory of him was when we went to Ralph’s and he got himself a couple of beers,” Joseph recalled. “He always looked young for his age and when we went to the checkout counter, he was promptly carded because he looked around 15. He indignantly replied to the cashier, ‘I am not a children!’ So many memories.”
“I worked on their first three albums, and I was honored to call him and his bandmates friends. I will miss his smile, humor, and musicianship,” Joseph concluded.
Sing Like Talking announced they would hold a public memorial for Nishimura at a later date.