K @ Millbrook Studio
10/98

Early Years:

Born in Tokyo Japan, and living in the U.S. for about 40 years, he is an audio engineer/guitarist/web master. An interesting factoid on Ko is that he shares the same birthdate as guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen - too bad he can't play like him (yet) - maybe if someone would kindly donate an Yngwie Malmsteen model strat he would....got it?

The first instrument he got his hands on was the trumpet in Jr. High, but since he was tremendously lazy in his youth, he never practiced. At 16 a friend talked him into playing the guitar, and shortly afterwards, he formed a band. By the end of high school he was playing in four different groups. At that point he realized his future was in music. Since practicing wasn't his forte, he felt that in order to stick with music, he'd go into audio engineering at NYU.

At NYU he met a variety of interesting people and talented musicians. Things started to pick up toward the end of school, after many recordings in NYU studio A, he started to do some work for Jordan Rudess(Dregs, Dream Theater,etc...)


 

Rockin' Years:

Through Jordan he met many great musicians and gained plenty of material for his future book "All Man's enemy: The Bassplayer". He helped Rod Morgenstein and Jordan on their album Rudess/Morgenstein Project. He met and hung out with Kip Winger and Steve Morse who are good freinds of RPM and he even flew to Colorado to work with Kitaro at his Mochi Studio.


K with Dream Theater and Rudess/Morgenstein Project
4/98

Later he helped members of the Dream Theater, Jordan and Tony Levin record Liquid Tension Experiment. Later he mixed a few live tracks for Dream Theater which are available as a b-side of the single "Hollow Years" in Japan and as a collector's bonus track mini CD in France (Bonus track live).

He recorded John Petrucci's "Flight of the Bumblebee", Mike Stern's Satie tune on Steve Morse's project album (which never got released...). He was also a tech for Jordan and Rod (Rudess/Morgenstein Project) during the 1998 European tour with Dream Theater. He worked on Liquid Tension Experiment mini tour in US. And most recently he engineered a Sting's video shoot for a Japanese music TV show.


 

More of our favorite mystery man:

Aside from all the touring and hanging with the pro's, Kosaku established YesIKnow Entertainment/studios(YIK) with college friend Chris. Together they became famous among the fans of Dream Theater by creating "Frank Sinatra sings Dream Theater."

John Myung, Rod Morgenstein, Dave RaLue, K , Jordan Rudess, Steve Morse, John Petrucci and Van Romane
Along with working at his own project studio he was a recording engineer at Michael Levine Music production studio in NYC recording many commercial jingles and some documentary films, perhaps you've heard some on TV, like NYS Lotto, Pringles, Kit Kat, etc...

In October 1999, in efforts to expand his influence in the industry, he got involved with a music marketing company called Takeout Marketing. He helped design their site and is Chief Technology Officer. (takeoutmusic.com, takeoutmarketing.com, takeoutrecords.com, etc) Takeout Marketing promotes and markets major label artists like Biohazard, Lina, Res, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Brandy, Lenny Kravitz, Nonpoint and more.

In addition to work, Ko has been with a variety of bands ranging from Thrash Metal to playing guitar in local theater productions of Chess, Jesus Christ Superstar and Rocky Horror.

In September 2002, he has departed from takeoutmusic and now he is back again as a fulltime music guy. His latest project is a band called Brokensoul, in which he plays guitar and contributes. And his other project is call throwback/Gman Band , in which he plays "metal" guitar on classic rock and blues and stuff; however, in mid 2004 throwback has disbanded but he still plays with Gary “Gman” Metler, the amazing blues harp/guitarist, doing once again blues and classic rock/blues and originals with hard rock feel on his 7-string guitars with very unique tuning. Gary and Ko's act was called G-Man Power Duo and performed various clubs and bars in NJ/NYC areas.

In 2007 Ko picked up yet another gig but this time wirh a bass. Ko and the fellow Brokensoul drummer CJ has decided to help out a friend guitarist Steve Bello in Steve Bello band. You can check out his 5 string bass technique on the About to Explode album.

In 2011 he joined Theatre Rock, a sort of tribute act to rock musical theatre. He adds his metal flavor to these rock musical with his 7-string guitars. Theatre Rock performed various clubs and shows in NJ/NYC areas.

Ko incorporated some 8-strings and 9-string guitars in the later years with G-Man Power Duo however their last performance was in May 2017 as Gary moved out of the area.

In 2016 Ko started yet another cover band with his fellow Brokensoul member and Theatre Rock member, the band is called Outlet and ready for some kick ass gigs covering some awesome tunes from 70s to current.





To see all of Kosaku's accomplishments, check the credits page.

On a lighter note, Ko isn't all work - he enjoys killing numerous hours watching movies, ebay'ing like a crazy man for Les Pauls and Jems (for his guitar collection click here), He also has a knack for finding good bassplayers - just by personality alone! Amazing! He's one talented mother-f*cker!!! And if you don't agree I'll beat the shit outta ya!

Written by Otto