Born in 1958, Japanese new wave's "singing dentist" Kenzo Saeki entered university just in time for the emergence of punk rock; upon completing his training, he found that he preferred a guitar and synthesizer to his dentist's drill, forming first the post-punk band Shonen Homeruns, which soon mutated into the more new wave-orientated Halmens. With Saeki as the singer and main lyricist, Halmens recorded two albums in 1980 and 1981 respectively, putting the group at the forefront of the emerging new wave and techno-pop scenes alongside contemporaries such as the P-Model and Plastics. Thanks to the booming interest in the scene, and to the skill with which his songs grasped the mood of the times, Saeki found his lyrics much in demand, and began writing songs for singers such as Nomiya Maki (later of Pizzicato 5), Togawa Jun, and pop idol Koizumi Kyoko. Apparently tiring of carrying heavy instruments around to shows and rehearsals, Saeki ended Halmens and started the group Pearl Brothers with Kubota Haruo. This partnership became the most productive of his musical career, resulting in ten studio albums and numerous compilations and live albums between 1986 and 1994, with 1986's Blue Kingdom reaching the Top 40 of the Japanese charts. After the demise of Pearl Brothers, Saeki continued to perform solo or under the name Saeki Kenzo & the Eleki Massive, playing around with numerous genres such as jungle and electro, and occasionally collaborating with friends such as Kubota. The album Mad French Japanese saw Saeki tackle the work of legendary French songwriter Serge Gainsbourg in his own defiantly new wave style, and he was thereby able to introduce his work to French audiences. He followed that up with Sushi Atama no Otoko in France, and released numerous compilations featuring French artists on his own label. 2003 saw a brief reunion of the Pearl Brothers with the album Uchuu Ryoko, although by this time, Saeki was focusing more on his work as a producer and songwriter, as well as maintaining a level of popularity as a recognized author and television personality in his own right. ~ Ian Martin