Tokyo (4)

Tokyo was established in Frankfurt during 1979 by Caribbean born bassist [a=Ken Taylor], having previously played with [a=Supermax] and with [a=John Mayall]. Taylor joined forces with Austrian musicians [a=Robert Musenbichler] and [a=Fritz Matzka] (both former [a=Wolfgang Ambros] and [a=Georg Danzer] associates) and also roped in his ex-Supermax colleague [a=Lothar Krell] (who had been playing with the German Jazz Rock troupe Paladyn) and former Axe and [a=Schloss (2)] man [a=Klaus Luley].

The debut Tokyo album spawned a quite popular European hit in the track 'Tokyo' itself, garnering the band a multitude of TV appearances and the promise of a strong second album. However, the 1982 album 'Fasten Your Seat Belts', failed to take off and Krell left the band to work on his Klangwelt Studio before the recording of the third album 'San'. Krell was replaced by [a=Hired Help Band] keyboardist [a=Volker Barber].

Tokyo added the [a=Rainbow] and [a=Planet P] credited keyboard player [a=Tony Carey] in 1983 for live work supporting [a=Meat Loaf], after which Fritz Matska quit to work with Carey, closely followed by Klaus Luley, who formed [a=Craaft]. Musenbichler would also feature on the Planet P albums. In a surprise move all the members of Tokyo sessioned on '[r1144792]' 1985 album.

Luley opted to form Jojo with Fritz Matzka and Lothar Krell. This project released an album and two singles before Matzka sadly passed away in 1989 after contracting a serious illness.