It is all started in early misty morning, since then the dream never sleeps alone … 1965 born in Chiba out side of Tokyo …Name 'Tomokazu'  as Japanese Kanji  ’朝一’ means 'First in the morning' 

that actually he was born at dawn.  The family name 'Date / 伊達' famous as 'Date Masamune' as a Samurai or Sengoku Warrior.  

Sometimes the family name gave him too much hassle when he was young, he started to call different name.

​

Tom Dante is the name he took from great Italian poet 

'Dante Alighieri' La Divina Commedia…Put 'N' inbetween DA and TE.

DATE>DANTE. 

While he met several Rock kids at school, they tried to form the 70's stones like Band and play at school festival. 

After school kids rock'n roll time, he started making song and lyrics with his guitar. Maybe his Samurai ancestor background influenced on his interest for European culture that 'DATE' feudal lord sent the ship to sail over Europe two hundred years ago.

​

The song with English lyrics he made. The band called 'BLUE 439' played around 1984 at Tsudanuma area.  

It was quite unique that one of Band member was Gaijin (Foreigner in Japanese) in the Band.

【'BLUE 439' named after 60's movie Michelangelo Antonioni's "Blow-Up" Pls see the great film and where it'd taken】

​

Rock Cafe Bar Songbird is the place where they hang out.

The small bar with full volume of old Rock'n'roll music saved his life like one of Lou Reed's legendary song.

There is no Tsudanuma Mods in real life though he thought he fought with them as a Rocker.  

The 1988 was the next stage set for his life.

He went to England and stayed South London for a while then move to heart of EU,Brussels.  Around 1990 after Berlin Wall was tumbling down, European alternative music scene had already risen.

He had much influences from European underground music scene.

​

Picasso Fish was the band with David Harris when he came back from Europe. Dazzling jangling POP guitar Band was fun for weekend bed-side recording though they never had a gig in Japan. 
After swimming around far east Japan, he landed Europe again. 

He started join several local band in Brussels and London.  

About 1992-93 He met Chez Holmes and set the band NOVA soon became EXIT.  Tomokazu Played Bass guitar and singing for the band. 

Legendary gig venue Bull and Gate at Kentish Town is where the band played and recognized from many underground music record label...

like Sub Pop records, Rough Trade and Che records.  

They signed with Che records but Tomokaze left EXIT before first single records released. 

​

FUREASTEEN 【pronounce fə́ːr- íːstíːn】 were a four piece band with Japanese art school students.  【Member Toshio Yamanaka then became Fashion Designer in London. SWASH-LONDON is his brand】

1997 the band gained the attention of i Records who released a 7" single "Kasiotelemusik" 

​

Tomakazu still makes music under the Fureasteen name.

​

WHAT COMES NEXT ! 

​

​