Babymetal Guitarist Dies at 36: Reports

Babymetal Guitarist Dies at 36: Reports
(Michael Gil via Wikimedia Commons)
Epoch Newsroom
1/9/2018
Updated:
1/9/2018

The guitarist for the Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal has died, according to reports.

Mikio Fujioka, the guitarist, died at the age of 36, according to a Twitter post from the band.

It said Tuesday that Fujioka “has passed away in the METAL GALAXIES” while adding: “We hope that he is now with his GUITAR MASTER A. Holdsworth [Allan Holdsworth] and enjoying an epic guitar session with him.”

He was known by fans as “Ko-Gami” and “The Little God.” He started playing with Babymetal in 2013.

His wife said that he fell from an observation deck Dec. 30 and died Jan. 5, reported NME.

He’s survived by his wife and daughters.

Babymetal released their first album in 2014, and they’re backed by the Kami Band, which is a series of session musicians who play heavy metal. Their second album was released in 2016.

The main Babymetal lineup is Suzuka Nakamoto as “Su-metal,” Yui Mizuno as “Yuimetal,” and Moa Kikuchi as “Moametal.” It’s a fusion of the Japanese “J-pop” genre and heavy metal.

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