Ohtaki was born in
Esashi District, in what is now part of
Ōshū. Before joining
Happy End, Ohtaki was guitarist in a group called Taboo with future
Blues Creation singer Fumio Nunoya. Happy End produced three albums,
Happy End (1970),
Kazemachi Roman (1971) and
Happy End (1973), before officially disbanding on New Year's Eve 1972. Ohtaki had already released his first self-titled solo album back in November 1972, which Macias described as probably just what Happy End fans expected; "tuneful
folk-rock" and "fuzzed out
country rock nuggets ala
Neil Young." However, Macias noted that this is the last time Ohtaki would create music like this in his career. Their only album
Songs was the first release on Ohtaki's record label Niagara Records in 1975. Later that year Ohtaki's third album
Go! Go! Niagara was released. Although stating that the "
kitchen sink abandon" from
Niagara Moon was repeated, Macias felt that on this album the singer "hits a home run every time" by flat out recreating the beloved records of his youth, instead of simply trying to evoke them. Ohtaki's 1981 solo album
A Long Vacation is particularly well-known and highly acclaimed. It was one of the first albums to be issued on
CD, won
Best Album at the 23rd
Japan Record Awards, certified double platinum by the
RIAJ and has been re-released in 20th anniversary and 30th anniversary editions. In 2007, it was named the 7th greatest Japanese rock album of all time by
Rolling Stone Japan. Ohtaki released
Niagara Triangle Vol. 2 in 1982, this time collaborating with
Motoharu Sano and Masamichi Sugi. Following his 1984 album
Each Time and its 1985 single , Ohtaki largely retired from activities as a solo artist. Instead he focused on composing for and producing other acts. In 1997, he released the single , which was used as the theme song for the TV drama
Love Generation and sold over a million copies. The single was released in 2003 and used as the theme song for
Tokyo Love Cinema. ==Death==