He left in 2000 and set up home in Japan three years later. Since then he's gone on to become one of the country's biggest stars, performing with a string of J-pop artists and appearing on TV panel shows.

Friedman tells Wondering Sound: "I found myself touring with Megadeth, and in my hotel room I'd be blasting this Japanese music all the time. What's wrong with this picture? I thought I was doing myself a disservice just playing the same old stuff and not really enjoying it.