Atsushi Matsuura

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Atsushi Matsuura was born on May 10, 1968 in Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

Being a pure Japanese, as his parents are, he attended primary school at the Manila Japanese School, a school exclusively for children of Japanese expats in the Philippines at that time. He went back to his home country for senior high. A year after, transferred to International School Manila where he graduated in 1986. Then went to Sophia University in Tokyo for college. In December of 1988, he came back to the country for a vacation (earlier that year, he released a solo album entitled "INCUBUS" which was distributed by Ivory Records) and while doing some solo gigs in connection with the solo album, he would be introduced to the band who had previously lost its founding member/guitarist Teddy Diaz in a tragic circumstance.

In 1989, Atsushi would officially join The Dawn, one of the most popular local rock bands in that era, having spawned hits such as "Enveloped Ideas" and "I Stand With You".

Music came naturally to him. His grandfather played violin and his mom, the piano. He took piano lessons at the age of 7, attending ELECTONE (Yamaha Electric Organ) classes until 11. Just a lesson away to course completion, he shifted his interest to guitars. At 12, he would own his very first electric guitar. He stuck to playing the instrument even after taking drum lessons.

He considers Shinichiro Ishihara (guitarist of the Japanese band, Earthshaker), Gary Moore, Yngwie Malmsteen and John Norum (during his early days with Europe) his musical influences. Rock, however, has not prevented him from liking a variety of genres. He also listens to M2M (yes, you read it right), Sarah Brightman, Paul Van Dyke and Japanese pop singer Aiko, among others.

Meanwhile, he would be away from the music scene from 1990-1999. During this period, he set up two companies providing business assistance and Internet/computer consultancy mainly to Japanese individuals and companies in Manila. He rejoined the band in late '99, playing in the key cities in the Philippines, a six-city concert tour in the United States and a music festival in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Atsushi quit the band in the last quarter of 2004, after 3 studio albums and a live album.