Canada-Japan Friendship Concert: Randy Bachman & TAKESHI

To commemorate the Canada Day in 2022, a concert by Canada’s leading and legendary rock star Randy Bachman and TAKESHI, who is also known for providing music to top singers such as TOKIO, ARASHI and KANJANI 8 was held at the Embassy of Canada in Japan.

The inspiring story of heart-breaking loss and life-long search which started in 1977, 45 years ago in Canada, ended with a happy ending at the Embassy of Canada in Japan on July 1st, through the support of Ambassador of Canada to Japan H.E. Mr. Ian McKay.

“My girlfriend is right there,” said Bachman, 78, a founding member of The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive, pointing at the Gretsch guitar which was then handed to him by a Japanese musician TAKESHI. 

To Randy Bachman it was a “special one”, a guitar he bought when he was 19-years old with hard-earned money from several part-time jobs. It’s the guitar on which he wrote “American Woman”, and many other top hits.

When it was stolen from the Toronto hotel in 1977, “I cried for three days. It was part of me,” he said. “It was very, very upsetting…I ended up buying about 300 guitars” in an unsuccessful attempt to replace it, he said.

TAKESHI bought this particular 1957 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins (PX6120) at a Tokyo store in 2014 without knowing its legendary owner. 

Only In 2020, through the countless efforts of a Canadian fan was Bachman’s guitar located in Japan through one of TAKESHI’s YouTube videos. After receiving the news Bachman contacted Takeshi immediately and recognized the guitar in a video chat they had.

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic of COVID-19, the two couldn’t meet and had to wait for a later date. The long wait, however, was worth it as the ceremonial guitar exchange was celebrated with a friendship concert by Randy Bachman and TAKESHI hosted by the Embassy of Canada in Japan on a very special day – Canada Day!

Currently, the documentary film “Lost and Found” is being filmed in Canada and Japan. The film depicts Randy Bachman life-long search for this stolen guitar, involving his whole family, friends, and fans and which ended with TAKESHI’s hand-over ceremony at the Embassy of Canada in Japan. In the process Randy Bachman made many new friends, including a strong friendship in Japan he will always treasure for the rest of his life.