In the prologue to Marty Friedman’s recently published autobiography, “Dreaming Japanese” (written with Jon Wiederhorn), the American guitarist describes being the “only non-Japanese person” in an izakaya (Japanese pub) following a concert by singer Nanase Aikawa, with whom he was touring. The gig was “literally my wildest dream coming true,” and while he was already a fluent Japanese speaker he felt “out of my element” at the afterparty.
The anecdote in question took place in 2003, not long after Friedman, who made his name as lead guitarist for the heavy metal band Megadeath, had moved to Japan to try and make it performing “Japanese music at the top level,” bringing nothing but his self-taught Japanese and an abiding love of J-pop. He succeeded, thanks mainly to a diligent work ethic.
Still, one of the themes in “Dreaming Japanese” is that while Friedman has become a star in his own right in Japan, he still feels that he doesn’t “belong,” as he commented at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan (FCCJ) in November: “That’s not going to happen to anyone from outside.”