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Joe Yamanaka is a Actor and Original Music Composer Japonais born on 2 september 1946
Akira Yamanaka (山中 明, Yamanaka Akira, September 2, 1946 – August 7, 2011), better known as Joe Yamanaka (ジョー山中), was a Japanese singer and actor. He is known for both his work with Flower Travellin' Band and as a solo musician; singing at a vocal range of three octaves. As an actor he appeared in many television shows and movies, such as Takashi Miike's Deadly Outlaw: Rekka and the 1989 version of Zatoichi.
He is also recognized for 20 years of charity and volunteer work with the Japan International Cooperation Agency and flew around the world helping those in poor or war-torn conditions; visiting more than 30 countries including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bosnia, numerous sovereign states in Africa, China, Ukraine (including Chernobyl), North Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Brazil. While doing aid work in Jamaica, he met local musicians and later became involved in reggae music. His aid work was a personal inspiration to help those who were growing up in similar conditions that he had experienced as a child.
He left the orphanage at the age of 16 and became a boxer (inspired by his childhood idol Hiroyuki Ebihara) to earn money, he then met his lifelong friend Rikiya Yasuoka, who was a kickboxer of Japanese-Sicilian heritage. Yamanaka mentions that he adopted the English name Joe because it is the English pronunciation of his favorite painter, Keito Joh; with Joh meaning castle in Japanese. As a teenage boxer, he used the ring name Akira Joh (城アキラ). Joe and Rikiya decided to become actors and starred in the 1963 Japanese film Bicycle Thieves. Yamanaka's career changed once again, though he would continue to act until his death, when he met another lifelong friend, Johnny Yoshinaga, who persuaded him to become a musician. In 1966, he became a member of the group sounds band 4.9.1. Four years later he joined Flower Travellin' Band, who were formed by Yuya Uchida. They went on to become successful, particularly in Canada where they lived for a while, and are now considered a pioneering and influential Japanese band.
In his acting career he was known as one of the three "real tough guys" in Japanese cinema, along with Tsunehiko Watase and Jerry Fujio. The trio were known for being good-natured, but with a rebellious past and noted fighting prowess. In his autobiography, Akira recounts the times during his youth when he was involved in violent fights. After a large brawl with members of the Zenkyoto in Hibiya Park in which he almost killed a man, the resulting police raid led him to an epiphany that "violence leads to nothing." Yamanaka starred as himself in the Hollywood action movie Ulterior Motives featuring Thomas Ian Griffith and Ellen Crawford, Three of Joe's songs were used in the film.
After Flower Travellin' Band disbanded in 1973, Joe started a solo career the following year. His most well-known song is "Proof of the Man" (人間の証明), which sold more than half a million copies, and is a household name throughout Asia. It is the theme song and namesake of the 1977 film Proof of the Man, which is based on a novel by Seiichi Morimura about war babies. Joe also has a small acting role in the film as a half Japanese, half African-American who is murdered, which the film is based around. In Chinese speaking countries the song is called "Old Straw Hat", taken from lyrics in the song. That same year, he was arrested on suspicion of violating the Cannabis Control Law.
He was close friends with numerous celebrities including Mickey Curtis and Yoko Ono. Joe recorded the entrance theme for Shinji Takehara titled "Hot Vibration" and composed the song "Sorrow of Florence" (哀しみのフローレンス) with his friend Amália Rodrigues. He later became the lead singer of The Wailers for around five years after his friend Bob Marley died.
In 2007, Flower Travellin' Band reunited and released an album the following year. They performed several concerts, including internationally in the US and Canada.
Source : Wikidata
Joe Yamanaka
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He is also recognized for 20 years of charity and volunteer work with the Japan International Cooperation Agency and flew around the world helping those in poor or war-torn conditions; visiting more than 30 countries including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bosnia, numerous sovereign states in Africa, China, Ukraine (including Chernobyl), North Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Brazil. While doing aid work in Jamaica, he met local musicians and later became involved in reggae music. His aid work was a personal inspiration to help those who were growing up in similar conditions that he had experienced as a child.
Biography
Akira Yamanaka was born in Yokohama, Japan, on September 2, 1946. He grew up in a family of seven children, though the only one of mixed descent as his father was a US Army soldier of Caribbean descent. In his autobiography, he mentions that he never met his biological father and that he came from a poor family in ruined Yokohama; being born in a brothel as his mother was a prostitute for the Recreation and Amusement Association. The only knowledge of his father was that he was a US soldier from either Cuba or Jamaica. Joe grew up in an orphanage after his mother and stepfather died. During an interview with Mainichi Shimbun, Akira stated that he was born with tuberculosis and that he never really thought about his biological father, believing those who raise you are your real parents.He left the orphanage at the age of 16 and became a boxer (inspired by his childhood idol Hiroyuki Ebihara) to earn money, he then met his lifelong friend Rikiya Yasuoka, who was a kickboxer of Japanese-Sicilian heritage. Yamanaka mentions that he adopted the English name Joe because it is the English pronunciation of his favorite painter, Keito Joh; with Joh meaning castle in Japanese. As a teenage boxer, he used the ring name Akira Joh (城アキラ). Joe and Rikiya decided to become actors and starred in the 1963 Japanese film Bicycle Thieves. Yamanaka's career changed once again, though he would continue to act until his death, when he met another lifelong friend, Johnny Yoshinaga, who persuaded him to become a musician. In 1966, he became a member of the group sounds band 4.9.1. Four years later he joined Flower Travellin' Band, who were formed by Yuya Uchida. They went on to become successful, particularly in Canada where they lived for a while, and are now considered a pioneering and influential Japanese band.
In his acting career he was known as one of the three "real tough guys" in Japanese cinema, along with Tsunehiko Watase and Jerry Fujio. The trio were known for being good-natured, but with a rebellious past and noted fighting prowess. In his autobiography, Akira recounts the times during his youth when he was involved in violent fights. After a large brawl with members of the Zenkyoto in Hibiya Park in which he almost killed a man, the resulting police raid led him to an epiphany that "violence leads to nothing." Yamanaka starred as himself in the Hollywood action movie Ulterior Motives featuring Thomas Ian Griffith and Ellen Crawford, Three of Joe's songs were used in the film.
After Flower Travellin' Band disbanded in 1973, Joe started a solo career the following year. His most well-known song is "Proof of the Man" (人間の証明), which sold more than half a million copies, and is a household name throughout Asia. It is the theme song and namesake of the 1977 film Proof of the Man, which is based on a novel by Seiichi Morimura about war babies. Joe also has a small acting role in the film as a half Japanese, half African-American who is murdered, which the film is based around. In Chinese speaking countries the song is called "Old Straw Hat", taken from lyrics in the song. That same year, he was arrested on suspicion of violating the Cannabis Control Law.
He was close friends with numerous celebrities including Mickey Curtis and Yoko Ono. Joe recorded the entrance theme for Shinji Takehara titled "Hot Vibration" and composed the song "Sorrow of Florence" (哀しみのフローレンス) with his friend Amália Rodrigues. He later became the lead singer of The Wailers for around five years after his friend Bob Marley died.
In 2007, Flower Travellin' Band reunited and released an album the following year. They performed several concerts, including internationally in the US and Canada.
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Filmography of Joe Yamanaka (6 films)
Actor
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Izo (2004)
, 2h8Directed by Takashi Miike
Genres Drama, War, Fantasy, Action, Horror, Historical
Actors Takeshi Kitano, Kaori Momoi, Ryūhei Matsuda, Masumi Okada, Yūya Uchida, Hiroki Matsukata
Rating60%
En 1865, un assassin redoutable est crucifié et meurt sous les coups de lances. Mais son esprit, bouillant de haine et de désir de revanche, le dispense de la mort. Il devient prisonnier d’un espace-temps en perpétuelle mutation, exécutant tout ce qui tombe sous sa lame : hommes, femmes, enfants et même les divinités qui régissent l’univers.
Deadly Outlaw: Rekka (2002)
, 1h36Directed by Takashi Miike
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action
Themes Seafaring films, Sports films, Transport films, Martial arts films, Yakuza films, Gangster films
Actors Sonny Chiba, Riki Takeuchi, Yūya Uchida, Kenichi Endō, Mika Katsumura, Tetsurō Tanba
Roles Nobuhiro Hiraoka
Rating66%
After Kunisada (Riki Takeuchi)'s yakuza leader and father figure is brutally murdered, he and his best friend (Kenichi Endo) go on a two-man mission to avenge his death, killing other Yakuza leaders leading to a final confrontation by the old man's killers.
The Story of PuPu (1998)
, 1h13Genres Comedy, Action, Crime
Themes Transport films, Road movies
Actors Seijun Suzuki, Yoshio Harada, Jun Kunimura, Joe Yamanaka, Tatsushi Ōmori, Kanji Tsuda
Roles Man in photograph
Rating61%
Erotic Liaisons (1992)
, 1h35Directed by Kōji Wakamatsu
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Rie Miyazawa, Takeshi Kitano, Yūya Uchida, Kei Satō, Joe Yamanaka, Genjirō Arato
Roles Bodyguard
Rating58%
Détectives privés dont l'agence parisienne parvient difficilement à joindre les deux bouts, Kishin et Rie se voient proposés un important travail de filature par le mystérieux Okuyama ... Il se rendent vite compte que l' affaire est bien plus complexe qu' elle ne le semblait au départ ... Ils devront s' extirper d' une situation dangereuse dépassant leurs compétences ...
Never Give Up (1978)
Directed by Jun'ya Satō
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action
Actors Ken Takakura, Hajime Hana, Hiroko Yakushimaru, Rentarō Mikuni, Joe Yamanaka, Takahiro Tamura
Roles Akira Yamanaka
Rating60%
A girl survives a massacre of villagers by Japanese soldiers in a remote mountain village.
Proof of the Man (1977)
Directed by Jun'ya Satō
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Yūsaku Matsuda, George Kennedy, Mariko Okada, Bunjaku Han, Joe Yamanaka, Toshiro Mifune
Roles Johnny Hayward
Rating65%
A young black man (Joe Yamanaka) from New York receives a sum of money. He buys new clothes and takes a flight to Japan. After he arrives, he is found fatally stabbed in a lift in a Tokyo hotel at the same time as a fashion show by designer Kyōko Yasugi (Mariko Okada) is being held. The police department, including Munesue (Yūsaku Matsuda) and his partner (Hajime Hana), come to investigate. The only clue is the dying man's last words "straw hat". At the same time, a woman having an extramarital affair, Naomi (Bunjaku Han), is accidentally run over by Yasugi's son (Kōichi Iwaki). He and his girlfriend dump her body in the sea, but drops his watch at the scene. He is haunted by his actions and confesses to his mother, Kyōko, who suggests he flees to New York with his girlfriend.
Sound
Deadly Outlaw: Rekka (2002)
, 1h36Directed by Takashi Miike
Origin Japon
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action
Themes Seafaring films, Sports films, Transport films, Martial arts films, Yakuza films, Gangster films
Actors Sonny Chiba, Riki Takeuchi, Yūya Uchida, Kenichi Endō, Mika Katsumura, Tetsurō Tanba
Roles Original Music Composer
Rating66%
After Kunisada (Riki Takeuchi)'s yakuza leader and father figure is brutally murdered, he and his best friend (Kenichi Endo) go on a two-man mission to avenge his death, killing other Yakuza leaders leading to a final confrontation by the old man's killers.