{{BLP sources|date=October 2012}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = K.A.Z | image = VAMPS at Roseland - 12082013 - 025.jpg | landscape = yes | caption = K.A.Z with Vamps in New York City, 2013 | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = {{nihongo|Kazuhito Iwaike|岩池 一仁}} | alias = KAZ | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|10|11}}<ref>{{cite web | title =K.A.Z、普段から行き詰まると「心の中でhideちゃんに相談している」【hide with Spread Beaverフォトブック刊行記念 インタビューダイジェスト(3)】| url = https://thetv.jp/news/detail/1173683/| work =The Television|publisher=Kadokawa Corporation| language = Japanese| date =2023-12-25| accessdate =2023-12-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 90年代V系バンドがいま活気づく背景とは？ JUSTY-NASTY再結成から読み解くシーンの成熟| url = https://realsound.jp/2015/06/post-3384.html| work = Real Sound| language = Japanese| date = 2015-06-01| accessdate = 2018-09-13}}</ref> | birth_place = Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan | origin = | death_date = | death_place = | genre = {{flatlist| * {{nowrap|Alternative rock}} * {{nowrap|hard rock}} * {{nowrap|post-grunge}}}} | occupation = {{flatlist| * Musician * guitarist * songwriter}} | instrument = Guitar | years_active = 1987–present | label = | current_member_of = {{flatlist| * Oblivion Dust * Vamps}} | past_member_of = {{flatlist| * hide with Spread Beaver * Spin Aqua}} | website = {{URL|http://www.kaz1011.com}} }}

{{nihongo|'''Kazuhito Iwaike'''|岩池 一仁|Iwaike Kazuhito|born on October 11, 1968|lead=yes}}, known exclusively by his stage name '''K.A.Z''', is a Japanese musician and songwriter. He is known for his work with Oblivion Dust, hide with Spread Beaver and Vamps.

==Career== K.A.Z originally wanted to be a drummer, but drums were too expensive. He found a guitar in his sister's room and began to play with it when she was out.<ref>{{cite web|last=Nguyen|first=Nhu|date=2015-10-15|title=VAMPS – Interview (Oct 2015)|url=https://j-generation.com/2015/03/vamps-interview-mar-2015/|archive-url=|archive-date=|accessdate=2020-08-22|work=J-Generation}}</ref>

K.A.Z was first guitarist of the bands Gemmy Rockets and The Lovers, before forming Oblivion Dust in 1996. In January 1998, he joined hide's backing band, Spread Beaver. However this did not last long due to hide's death on May 2, with K.A.Z only appearing on two songs on his final album ''Ja, Zoo'', released at the end of the year.<ref>''Ja, Zoo'' liner notes, 1998-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-08</ref> Although, Spread Beaver did go through with the 1998 tour, with K.A.Z joining them. He and his Spread Beaver bandmates I.N.A. and D.I.E. remixed a song for Zilch's ''Bastard Eyes'' in 1999. K.A.Z also appears on hide with Spread Beaver's 2000 version of "Tell Me" and has played with them each time they reunited; 2008, 2016, 2018, and 2023.<ref>''Tell Me'' liner notes, 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2018-01-27</ref> K.A.Z is portrayed by Masato Kataoka in the 2022 film {{nihongo|''Tell Me: hide to Mita Keshiki''|TELL ME ～hideと見た景色～}}, which shows how ''Ja, Zoo'' was completed following hide's death.<ref>{{cite web |script-title=ja:「TELL ME」hide with Spread Beaver演じるキャスト解禁| url=https://natalie.mu/eiga/news/472012| work=Eiga Natalie| language=ja| date=2022-03-31| access-date=2022-03-31}}</ref>

In 2001, the year Oblivion Dust disbanded, he co-arranged the song "Tightrope" on the debut double A-side single of L'Arc-en-Ciel bassist Tetsu.

In 2002, K.A.Z formed the short-lived rock unit Spin Aqua with singer, actress, and former model Anna Tsuchiya.<ref>{{cite web| title = Unchained Spin Aqua| url = http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/KSCL-472| work = cdjapan.jp| accessdate = 2014-04-08}}</ref> After producing three singles and one album, they dispersed in mid-2004.

He started to work with L'Arc-en-Ciel vocalist Hyde in 2003, co-arranging all the songs on ''666''.<ref>{{cite web| title = 666 [Regular Edition] HYDE| url = http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/KSCL-668| work = cdjapan.jp| accessdate = 2014-04-08}}</ref> He co-arranged and co-produced Hyde's third solo album ''Faith'', and composed five of the songs,<ref>{{cite web| title = ANN Exclusive: 1-on-1 with HYDE| url = https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2006-07-11| date=2006-07-11| work = Anime News Network| accessdate = 2014-04-08}}</ref> including the single "Season's Call". He also served as support guitarist on Hyde's tours.

In late 2004, K.A.Z created the band Sonic Storage with his former Spread Beaver bandmate I.N.A. He also participated in, influential Korean musician, Seo Taiji's album ''7th Issue''.

On June 28, 2007, it was announced that Oblivion Dust would reunite, and in early 2008 K.A.Z and Hyde formed Vamps.

K.A.Z is also a composer for films, including ''Detroit Metal City'' (2008) for which he wrote the main track "Satsugai".

==Equipment== K.A.Z had a range of signature guitars:<ref>{{cite web | title=ESP &#124; Artist Series &#124; K.A.Z | url=http://www.espguitars.co.jp/artist/kaz/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201044558/http://www.espguitars.co.jp/artist/kaz/ | archive-date=1 December 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Esp &#124; Artist Custom Guitars &#124; K.a.z | url=https://espguitars.co.jp/gallery/kaz/index.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413105057/https://espguitars.co.jp/gallery/kaz/index.html | archive-date=13 April 2021 }}</ref> *ESP VP-K350 *ESP KZ.V-ONE-W *ESP KZ.P-ONE-W&Fire *ESP Potbelly K.A.Z Custom *ESP K.A.Z Model *ESP TE-K300 *ESP SG Type *PRS with P-90' *Dean Markley Strings

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category|K.A.Z}} * {{Official website|http://www.kaz1011.com}} {{in lang|ja}}

{{Vamps}} {{Authority control}}

Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:Japanese rock guitarists Category:Japanese record producers Category:Japanese male songwriters Category:Visual kei musicians Category:Japanese alternative rock musicians Category:Musicians from Yamanashi Prefecture Category:20th-century Japanese guitarists Category:21st-century Japanese guitarists

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