Akihito Okano
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Akihito Okano (岡野昭仁, Okano Akihito; born 15 October 1974) is a Japanese musician, vocalist of rock band Porno Graffitti.[1] Okano was born in Nakasho, Innoshima City (now Onomichi City), Hiroshima.[2] He is married with one child.
Early life
Okano is the youngest of three siblings (he has two older sisters). His parents wanted to name him "Satoru", but received the name of Akihito from his uncle, as part of a family tradition.
As a child, he wanted to be an athlete. He played baseball in elementary school, and was in track and field and soccer in junior high.[3] His interest in music started in elementary school, when he started listening to Western music thanks to one of his sisters, and singing Japanese songs in family reunions.[4][5]
High school years
In 1990, he entered Innoshima High School, where he met Haruichi Shindō. They became friends in the second year of high school, after attending a party where Shindō was in, to which Okano was invited by a friend. They began to go together to karaoke, and later on, Okano was invited by Shindō to form part of his band "No Score" as part of the chorus, to participate in the school festival. After the festival, Shindō decided to leave the vocals to Okano, and he made his vocalist debut at the entrance ceremony the following Spring.[6][7]
Indies era
After graduating from high school in 1993, "No Score" was disbanded.
Starting in Spring 1993, Okano entered prep school, living in a dorm. While studying, and playing soccer and pachinko with dorm friends, his music interest had moved to heavy metal and hard rock, and he started to be interested the content in radio programs and music magazines. He continued to go to karaoke with friends, and had stated that he was going to have a band by next year.
The five members of "No Score" reunited in Osaka, forming a new band, but two members left after no activity. By Summer 1994, they formed another band, which they called "Porno Graffitti", and started having live performances and event appearances.
In March 1997, Okano (and Porno Graffitti) passed the "SD Audition"[8] and signed a contract with SME and Amuse. By end of September of the same year, he moved his base of operations from Osaka to Tokyo. By Summer of 1998 he began producing music and recording for their major debut.[9]