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Last Updated: February 9, 2010 2:29 PM

LOUDNESS Drummer Diagnosed With Liver Cancer - Apr. 14, 2008

LOUDNESS drummer Munetaka Higuchi was diagnosed with liver cancer (Hepatocellular Carcinoma) earlier this month, according to Japanese media reports. He is still in the hospital, where he has been undergoing radiotherapy for HCC.

LOUDNESS will play the three previously announced Japanese dates with a replacement drummer, whose name hasn't been revealed yet. After those gigs, the band will be put on hold indefinitely until Munetaka gets his full strength back.

LOUDNESS' latest album, "Metal Mad", was released in Japan on February 20 through Tokuma Communications. Release dates for other territories have not yet been announced.

Upcoming LOUDNESS shows:

April 22 - Tokyo (Shibuya) - Club Quattro
April 25 - Nagoya - Club Quattro
April 26 - Osaka - Club Quattro

LOUDNESS released a 25th-anniversary box set in Japan in April 2007, entitled "Loudness Complete Box", featuring its complete Columbia Records catalog. The package includes the following albums: "The Birthday Eve" (1981), "Devil Soldier" (1982), "The Law Of Devil's Land" (1983), "Disillusion" (Japanese and English versions) (1984), "Thunder In The East" (1985), guitarist Akira Takasaki's solo album "Tusk of Jaguar" (1982), Munetaka Higuchi's solo album "Hakai Gaisen Roku", the "Loudness" and "Eurobounds" DVDs, and a singles CD compilation, entitled "Single Collection", featuring unreleased tracks. All CDs have been remastered and come in a deluxe box featuring a plastic case and replica tickets.

LOUDNESS issued a live DVD, entitled "Loudness in America 06: Live Shocks World Circuit 2006 Chapter 1", on August 23, 2006. The disc features footage from the band's North American tour, which took place in early 2006.

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	COMMENT \| wow posted by : OnePlickyDood 4/14/2008 7:34:44 PM

	this is a bummer! Roudness!!! WOK n WOLL Cwazy Niiiiiiites!!!!!! wow, youve never heard that? am i showing my age? LOL VIO-LENCE Rules!!! RIP-l-SYL

	COMMENT \| Get well soon, Munetaka! posted by : TruthIsParamount 4/14/2008 7:40:15 PM

	LOUDNESS in their heyday were phenomenal - 'Disillution' destroyed literally EVERY other metal album when it came out. Great songs and amazing musicianship by Akira Takasaki, one of the greatest metal guitarists of all time, as well as Munetaka and Masayoshi on bass. 'Disillution', 'Thunder in the East', 'Lighting Strikes', 'Soldier of Fortune' and the s/t album from '92 with Masaki from EZO on vocals are metal classics that should not be missed by anyone into classic HR/HM.

	COMMENT \| posted by : Mr Maiden 4/14/2008 7:52:04 PM

	I wish him all the best, get well soon

	COMMENT \| posted by : madeinquebec 4/14/2008 8:17:37 PM

	Liver cancer is probably an unlucky one. Don't want to sound defeatist. Godspeed and hope to see this guy pull through. TAOSD = moron with no respect

	COMMENT \| Damn that sucks posted by : RiotAct666 4/14/2008 8:24:14 PM

	Hope he can get well soon and kick cancers a**

	COMMENT \| get well posted by : bandkiller 4/14/2008 8:42:04 PM

	get well soon!!! drum solo,you morgon!!!!

	COMMENT \| Hang tough, man! posted by : MetalPause 4/14/2008 8:50:19 PM

	We love you guys!!!!

	COMMENT \| Instead of ripping on the guys solo... posted by : GregadetH 4/14/2008 8:55:50 PM

	...show a little respect since he's staring a very deadly disease in the face. I wish him the best, but liver cancer is super agressive. My mother passed away June of last year from it and she was diagnosed only 4 months earlier in March. I wouldn't wish this upon my worste of enemies.

	COMMENT \| A sweet dude posted by : PowerBrake 4/14/2008 9:00:30 PM

	I met this guy in SF about three years ago after a Loudness show. After the show, I was behind this guy who brought like, 75 CD covers for a signature. I recall Munetaka signed every last one of them. After he signed a stained set list that I got of the stage he stopped to make eye contact. I love Loudness

	COMMENT \| GET WELL SOON!! posted by : truthbetold2 4/14/2008 9:40:26 PM

	I, too, saw them in S.F. in '06. The show was great!!

	COMMENT \| posted by : Fani Dilth 4/14/2008 9:44:43 PM

	The first time I ever heard the Rock and Roll Crazy Nights riff came from Darrell Abbott back in 1985. I always thought it was a cool riff...

	COMMENT \| Tragedy posted by : ShieldAxe 4/14/2008 9:55:26 PM

	This guy is a monster drummer. Listen to his stuff on the 1st 4 records...AWESOME. Loudness rules. I hope he pulls through!

	COMMENT \| GET WELL MUNETAKA posted by : platinum maze 4/14/2008 10:13:49 PM

	well, this just ruined my day. A truly MONSTER drummer, and definitely in my top 5. of course, every Loudness article ever posted here has to have the A-holes who poke fun at Crazy Night. Show some class, idiots....

	COMMENT \| Get well soon posted by : weremoose 4/14/2008 10:48:06 PM

	Get well my brother... God Bless...stay well...

	COMMENT \| posted by : kling_klang_bed 4/14/2008 11:06:19 PM

	Kickass band!!!!!!!! Hope you get well, and hang in there! tosses up my horns for you We need you strong so you can bring Galneryus to America with you and show us how REAL Japanese music is done! ;-)

	COMMENT \| ... posted by : EnemyBlood 4/15/2008 12:06:22 AM

	Healing wishes for a cool drummer!

	COMMENT \| posted by : jollygood 4/15/2008 7:04:20 AM

	Get well! I remember Thunder In The East when it came out.

	COMMENT \| green globule,sponanteous combustion... posted by : scary mary 4/15/2008 8:26:04 AM

	what is it with drummers? these poor guys are doomed. loudness rocks! saw them in a bar in Brighton MA in 1987 opening for GNR. if ya can believe that??!

	COMMENT \| posted by : The Space Lord 4/15/2008 9:33:47 AM

	He looked healthy even in recent photos of the band that I've seen. Not good news regardless. Hopefully he'll pull through.

	COMMENT \| How sad... posted by : sprthmmr 4/15/2008 10:43:34 AM

	...how lucky I was to see LOUDNESS three times in 2006 on their US tour. This is one of the best metal drummers out there, for powerful, old-school metal playing. He will probably not recover. I'm so grateful to have met him... Maybe they'll get Hiro Homa to drum...he was drumming for them back in the 90s. The guy from Flatbacker/EZO. Terrible news. I will be jamming METAL MAD all day today. M-Z-A!!!

	COMMENT \| posted by : rds 4/15/2008 1:54:39 PM

	get well soon. it was great to see LOUDNESS back in 1985 on the Thunder in the East tour in Phx. AZ. @ the Palace West. The Lines are Down...

	COMMENT \| posted by : Flu 4/15/2008 7:49:20 PM

	Wow, this sucks. He puts Yoshiki (X-Japan) to shame. I'll keep Munetaka in my prayers.

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