X Japan
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese heavy metal
band founded in 1982 by Yoshiki and Toshi
. Originally named X , the group achieved their breakthrough success in 1989 with the release of their second album Blue Blood. They started out mainly as a power
/speed metal
band, but later gravitated towards a progressive
sound with an emphasis on ballads.
Besides being one of the first Japanese acts to achieve mainstream success while on an independent label, the group is widely credited as one of the pioneers of the visual kei
movement. They were known in their early years for their excessively large hairstyles, but toned these down in later years. In 2003, HMV Japan ranked the band at number 40 on their list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts.
After sixteen years, four albums, and selling out the 55,000 seat Tokyo Dome
18 times, X Japan disbanded in 1997. However, in 2007, the band reunited and recorded a new song. After performing several concerts from 2008 to 2009, including their first overseas show in Hong Kong, the band held their first North American tour from September 25 to October 10, 2010. In 2011, X Japan went on their first world tour throughout Europe, South America and Asia. They also plan to release their first studio album in more than 14 years in 2011.
formed a band called Dynamite when they were just 11 years old. Dynamite changed its name to Noise in 1978, while they were still in high school. In 1982, Dynamite disbanded and Yoshiki and Toshi formed a new band, they named it X while they tried to think of another name, but the name stuck. X began to actively perform in the Tokyo area in 1985 with a frequently changing lineup. Their first single, "I'll Kill You
" was released on Dada Records in June and the band contributed "Break the Darkness" to the sampler Heavy Metal Force III in November, which also featured a song by Saver Tiger. At the end of 1985 bassist Taiji (ex:Dementia) joined X, though he left the group shortly thereafter.
To ensure a continuous outlet for the band's music, Yoshiki founded the independent
label Extasy Records
in April 1986, and released their second single "Orgasm
". Taiji would officially rejoin the band in November of that same year. The songs "Stab Me in the Back" and "No Connexion", for the February 1987 Victor Records sampler Skull Thrash Zone Volume I, were recorded with Pata (ex:Judy) as a support guitar player. Soon after these recordings hide
(ex:Saver Tiger) joined as guitarist. After Pata once again provided support, this time at a live show, he officially joined completing the group's first steady lineup.
On December 26, 1987, the band participated in an audition held by CBS/Sony
which led to a recording contract in August of the following year. In the meantime, the band released its first album, Vanishing Vision
through Extasy Records on April 14, 1988 and toured extensively in support of the record. The band also appeared in a cameo
in the American film Tokyo Pop
, starring Carrie Hamilton
and Diamond Yukai
.
X's second album Blue Blood was released on April 21, 1989 and spawned several singles, such as "Kurenai
" and "Endless Rain
". The group also released their first home video
, a VHS
of a live concert titled Blue Blood Tour Bakuhatsu Sunzen Gig. Recording for the follow-up album Jealousy took place in Los Angeles
. It was released on July 1, 1991 and was followed by the band's first performance in Japan's largest indoor concert venue, the Tokyo Dome
. Footage from most of the band's shows in that stadium would later be released on CD
and VHS
/DVD
.
By 1992 the band's success in Japan made an international breakthrough appear likely enough to warrant the renaming of X to X Japan, in order to distinguish the group from the American punk
band X. Around the same time bassist Taiji left the group and was replaced by Heath (ex:Media Youth).
For the release of their next album, X Japan left Sony and signed a deal with Atlantic Records
. Art of Life
was released on August 28, 1993, containing only the 29-minute title track. Another studio album was not released until November 4, 1996. Dahlia
, which turned out to be the band's last, contained relatively little new material considering that most tracks on it had been released as singles as early as a few months after Art of Life. Around this time, the group dropped most of its original visual kei aesthetics in favor of a more casual look.
Vocalist Toshi decided to leave the band and a dissolution was officially announced in September 1997. X Japan performed their farewell show at the Tokyo Dome on December 31, making it the last of five consecutive New Year's Eve
s the group performed in that stadium.
Toshi stated his decision to leave X Japan dated back as far as April 1996 and that the glamorous, success-oriented life of a rock star failed to satisfy him emotionally, as opposed to a simpler life and career.
, who had been releasing solo material since 1994's Hide Your Face
, continued his solo career with Spread Beaver, now formally including his previous live band and with a sound distinctively different from X Japan's music, leaning more towards alternative rock
. But the new group did not last long, due to hide
's death in May 1998.
Toshi
has released several solo albums, and has performed numerous acoustic
performances for smaller audiences. According to his website, his "Utatabi Traveling Concert" tour has included over 3,000 concerts, between 1999 and 2003.
Pata and Heath, along with Spread Beaver percussionist/programmer
I.N.A., teamed up to provide a track for the 1998 hide tribute album, Tribute Spirits
. The three would reunite again in 2000 to form Dope HEADz, which released two albums before ceasing activity. Heath is currently pursuing a solo career and Pata is a member of Ra:IN, along with Spread Beaver keyboardist D.I.E.
Before the breakup, Yoshiki had already independently collaborated with Queen
drummer Roger Taylor
on the single "Foreign Sand" and provided the Japanese contribution to the international Kiss
tribute album Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved
, an orchestra
l arrangement of the song "Black Diamond". A compilation with orchestral treatments of X Japan songs, titled Eternal Melody
was also released. It was performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra
and among others featured The Beatles
producer George Martin
as an arranger.
Since 1998 Yoshiki has engaged in numerous activities, such as being briefly a member of the pop band Globe
, producing singles for the Korea
n rock band TRAX and numerous others, as well as working on his solo project Violet UK, which as of 2007 had not yet published a major release. He has also contributed music to the movie Catacombs and produced the soundtrack of Repo! The Genetic Opera
. On May 25, 2007, the formation of the supergroup
S.K.I.N.
was announced, which besides Yoshiki consists of pop/rock artists Gackt
and Miyavi
, as well as Luna Sea
guitarist Sugizo
. The band gave its first and only performance at the Anime Expo
convention in Long Beach, California
on June 29, 2007.
The band made its first public appearance on October 22, 2007, on the rooftop of the shopping center, Aqua City in Odaiba
, Tokyo
, during which a music video for the newly recorded song "I.V.
" was filmed. "I.V." was also the theme song of the American movie Saw IV
. It was written by Yoshiki and recorded with all X Japan members of the pre-breakup lineup, as it utilizes previously unreleased guitar tracks by hide
. "I.V." was released through iTunes on January 23, 2008, topping the store's charts on that day.
On January 20, 2008 two Tokyo Dome concert dates were announced for March 28 and March 30. Due to popular demand, they added another concert for the 29th. These three concerts were entitled "Resume Attack 2008 I.V. - Towards Destruction", with each individual concerts titled "Night of Destruction", "Night of Madness" and "Night of Creation", respectively. The March 28 concert aired live on the pay-per-view channel WOWOW
, with three guest guitarists filling in for the late hide
- Wes Borland
, Richard Fortus
, and Sugizo
.
Also during the song "Art of Life" a hologram
of hide (taken from footage of the "Art of Life" performance at the Tokyo Dome in 1993) played alongside the band. Because of technical difficulties, possibly due to the hologram, the first concert was delayed for over two hours and later came to an abrupt end when drummer Yoshiki collapsed eight songs into the performance. The subsequent shows were without such difficulties and during a press conference, plans for a concert in Paris
, France
on July 5, 2008 were announced, with an intended audience of 20,000 people. In addition to the Paris date, plans for concerts at the Madison Square Garden
, New York City
on September 13, and at the Taipei World Trade Center, Taipei
on August 2 were also confirmed.
memorial summit" took place on May 2 and 3, 2008 with X Japan performing and numerous other acts such as Dir en grey
and Oblivion Dust
, Phantasmagoria
and Luna Sea
even reunited for one day to perform. On June 8, it was reported that all previously scheduled shows would be postponed until further notice, due to a recurrence of Yoshiki's disc herniation
. The Paris and Taipei concerts were re-scheduled, Paris for November 22, 2009.
On September 15, 2008, Yoshiki held a press conference in Tokyo, where he announced a new, unnamed X Japan song was in the works. Concerts for Christmas and New Year's Eve 2008 were also announced. After the conference Yoshiki went on a promotional tour across Asia. On November 7, the French ticketing website Avos announced that the planned ticket sale for the show in Paris would be canceled. Later that day, X Japan released a press statement through their French language website apologizing for the second postponement and announced that the planned Christmas shows would likely suffer a similar fate. In early January the previously announced Taiwan concert date was postponed for a second time. On December 31, X Japan performed their New Year's Eve countdown performance at the Akasaka Blitz
, performing a set list which included older material.
On January 15, 2009, the band arrived in Hong Kong
for their January 16 and 17 shows. On May 1, Sugizo
officially joined X Japan as lead guitarist. On May 30, 2009 the band had their first live show with Sugizo, as a full member, in Taiwan.
The four videos were for "Rusty Nail
", "Endless Rain
", "I.V.
", and their new song "Jade". In February, Yoshiki confirmed that X Japan will be performing at Lollapalooza
in August. Later that month, He announced at a press event that the band would be relocating to Los Angeles, California, with a concert being planned for a "simple" venue in the city area to mark the band's first official North American show.
It was also announced that a sixth album was in the works and was expected to be released in the fall.
In March 2010, Yoshiki filed a lawsuit against Nexstar Corporation, for 375 million yen in damages. The claim states that after X Japan reunited, they entered a contract with Nexstar Corporation in January 2008, which included the use of some recordings. That initial deal was for 600 million yen in advance royalties and contract money, which has been entirely unpaid. Between 2008 and 2009, the company also sponsored ten of the band's concerts in Japan and other parts of Asia. About 320 million yen in performance fees and merchandise sales from those concerts is due to the band as well. In all, the total unpaid amount is more than 900 million yen. The lawsuit is currently seeking only 375 million yen for the revenue earned from the concerts, but should the case go to trial, Yoshiki's side plans to file an additional claim for the 600 million yen in the initial contract.
On July 1, the band appeared at Club Nokia in Los Angeles where they performed an acoustic setlist, and recorded a music video for the new song, "Born to Be Free". They also released a new music video for "Rusty Nail" On July 4, the two founding members Toshi and Yoshiki, appeared in Paris at the Japan Expo 2010
where they performed some songs.
During the following month, X Japan and Yoshiki were featured in numerous newspapers and websites such as ABC News
, the Los Angeles Times
and the Chicago Sun-Times
.
X Japan performed at Lollapalooza 2010 in Grant Park
, Chicago
on August 8. In the following days, Yoshiki did a long Q&A article with the Phoenix New Times and was interviewed by ABC News.
On August 14 and 15, 2010, the band performed a two-day show at Nissan Stadium, the largest stadium in Japan. It was reported that over 100,000 fans attended the two shows with some estimates as high as 140,000 in attendance. Ex-bassist Taiji joined them on stage both nights, as a guest, for the song "X". Soon after, former deceased guitarist hide's management company, Headwax Organization, filed a lawsuit against Yoshiki and X Japan's management, Japan Music Agency, for using images of the former member without a formal agreement in place. The claim states that in 2000 the two companies signed an agreement allowing Yoshiki and X Japan to use visual images of hide during concerts. However, images were used at these Nissan Stadium shows, when apparently the contract was expired.
From September 25 to October 10, X Japan performed their first ever North American tour with dates in Los Angeles, Oakland
, Seattle, Chicago, Vancouver
, Toronto
and New York City.
On December 17, Yoshiki announced that a new X Japan song, "Scarlet Love Song
", was composed for the animated movie adaptation of the Buddha
manga
.
in November 2010. The label will handle the American distribution of their single "Jade", which was to be released on March 15, and their untitled album, which was set for release in late summer. In promotion of the new album, it was also stated they would be touring extensively around the world throughout 2011.
X Japan performed on March 6, 2011, at "Asia Girls Explosion", a fashion event and music concert that Yoshiki created with Jay FR. It was announced they would perform in Argentina
, Brazil, Chile, Mexico
and Peru
later in the year.
Due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
that occurred in Japan on March 11, the band decided to postpone the release of "Jade" until June 28. Yoshiki also decided to auction off one of his used signature Kawai
crystal grand pianos, of which all proceeds were sent to help provide aid to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami.
Their song "Scarlet Love Song
", was released in Japan on June 8. Their first worldwide single, "Jade", was released on June 28 on iTunes
. That same day they performed in London
, the first concert of the European leg of their ongoing world tour, which was followed by Paris
on July 1, Utrecht
on July 2 and Berlin
on July 4.
X Japan also performed at the 2011 Summer Sonic festival that was held on August 13 and 14, in Tokyo and Osaka. Their world tour's South American concerts were; Santiago
on September 9, São Paulo
on September 11, Buenos Aires
on September 14, Lima
on September 16 and Mexico City
on September 18. The Asian leg of the tour brought stops in Seoul
on October 28, Shanghai
on October 30, Hong Kong
on November 4, Taipei
on November 6 and Bangkok
on November 8. The Beijing
show, originally scheduled for November 2, was cancelled by the promoters on October 25 due to "technical and production issues".
and heavy metal
music and is characterized by driving power metal
compositions with symphonic
elements (e.g. "Kurenai
", "Silent Jealousy
") and emotional ballads (e.g. "Endless Rain
", "Forever Love
"). Many of the group's songs make use of orchestra
ted passages, particularly on longer tracks such as the ten and a half minute "Tears", "Crucify My Love
", and the twenty-nine minute "Art of Life
".
The majority of the band's catalog of music was written by Yoshiki with relatively little composition from the other members. hide
contributed several songs, while Pata's only claim is "White Wind from Mr. Martin ~Pata's Nap~". Toshi
's contributions are limited to lyrics for a few songs. Taiji contributed music to a couple of songs, most notably "Voiceless Screaming" on the album Jealousy where he plays the acoustic guitar. Heath's only writing credit was the instrumental song "Wriggle" on the 1996 album Dahlia
, which he wrote with Pata. Only one song is credited as a full band collaboration, "Easy Fight Rambling" on the 1989 album Blue Blood.
Yoshiki's composing style tends to make use of chords in sequences of eights or more with riff-based motifs or call-and-response style phrasing. He has maintained this style for the majority of his career as a composer. Having played classical piano since he was 3 years old, and once aspiring to study in a classical music academy, Yoshiki claims to be as influenced by classical music as he is by rock, a claim which is evident when considering the breadth of music released by the band. While also serving as the main song writer Yoshiki has production credit on much of X Japan's music.
During live performances the band relies, for the most part, on its members (with drummer and pianist Yoshiki switching between his instruments) and prerecorded tracks, e.g. for orchestral strings
, spoken word
passages, and more recently, some of hide's guitar parts.
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band founded in 1982 by Yoshiki and Toshi
Toshi (musician)
, better known by his stage name Toshi , is a Japanese singer and musician. He is best known as vocalist and co-founder of the heavy metal group X Japan. The band elevated to legendary status in Japan, until its disbanding in 1997. Toshi then went on to have an extensive solo career...
. Originally named X , the group achieved their breakthrough success in 1989 with the release of their second album Blue Blood. They started out mainly as a power
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
/speed metal
Speed metal
Speed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from NWOBHM and hardcore punk roots. It is described by Allmusic as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music....
band, but later gravitated towards a progressive
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
sound with an emphasis on ballads.
Besides being one of the first Japanese acts to achieve mainstream success while on an independent label, the group is widely credited as one of the pioneers of the visual kei
Visual Kei
is a movement among Japanese musicians, that is characterized by the use of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics. Some sources state that visual kei refers to a music genre, or to a sub-genre of Japanese rock, with its...
movement. They were known in their early years for their excessively large hairstyles, but toned these down in later years. In 2003, HMV Japan ranked the band at number 40 on their list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts.
After sixteen years, four albums, and selling out the 55,000 seat Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
18 times, X Japan disbanded in 1997. However, in 2007, the band reunited and recorded a new song. After performing several concerts from 2008 to 2009, including their first overseas show in Hong Kong, the band held their first North American tour from September 25 to October 10, 2010. In 2011, X Japan went on their first world tour throughout Europe, South America and Asia. They also plan to release their first studio album in more than 14 years in 2011.
1977–1992: X
In 1977, Yoshiki and ToshiToshi (musician)
, better known by his stage name Toshi , is a Japanese singer and musician. He is best known as vocalist and co-founder of the heavy metal group X Japan. The band elevated to legendary status in Japan, until its disbanding in 1997. Toshi then went on to have an extensive solo career...
formed a band called Dynamite when they were just 11 years old. Dynamite changed its name to Noise in 1978, while they were still in high school. In 1982, Dynamite disbanded and Yoshiki and Toshi formed a new band, they named it X while they tried to think of another name, but the name stuck. X began to actively perform in the Tokyo area in 1985 with a frequently changing lineup. Their first single, "I'll Kill You
I'll Kill You
"I'll Kill You" is the debut single by X Japan , released in June 1985. The cover art notoriously features numerous photographs of dead bodies taken during the Vietnam War. A re-recording of the title track was later featured on the band's first album, Vanishing Vision...
" was released on Dada Records in June and the band contributed "Break the Darkness" to the sampler Heavy Metal Force III in November, which also featured a song by Saver Tiger. At the end of 1985 bassist Taiji (ex:Dementia) joined X, though he left the group shortly thereafter.
To ensure a continuous outlet for the band's music, Yoshiki founded the independent
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
label Extasy Records
Extasy Records
Extasy Records is a Japanese record label founded in April 1986 by Yoshiki Hayashi, co-founder of the heavy metal band X Japan...
in April 1986, and released their second single "Orgasm
Orgasm (song)
is the second single by X Japan , released on April 10, 1986. The title track as well as "X" would later be re-recorded for the band's second album Blue Blood. The track is notoriously known for the obvious sexual themes presented within the lyrics...
". Taiji would officially rejoin the band in November of that same year. The songs "Stab Me in the Back" and "No Connexion", for the February 1987 Victor Records sampler Skull Thrash Zone Volume I, were recorded with Pata (ex:Judy) as a support guitar player. Soon after these recordings hide
Hide (musician)
, better known by his stage name hide , was a popular Japanese musician. He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan from 1987 to 1997...
(ex:Saver Tiger) joined as guitarist. After Pata once again provided support, this time at a live show, he officially joined completing the group's first steady lineup.
On December 26, 1987, the band participated in an audition held by CBS/Sony
Sony Music Entertainment Japan
is Sony's music arm in Japan. SMEJ is directly owned by Sony Corporation and independent from the United States-based Sony Music Entertainment due to its strength in the Japanese music industry....
which led to a recording contract in August of the following year. In the meantime, the band released its first album, Vanishing Vision
Vanishing Vision
Vanishing Vision is the debut album of X Japan and was released on April 14, 1988 on Yoshiki's own label, Extasy Records, selling over 800,000 copies. Included are early versions of the songs "Kurenai" and "Unfinished" which would later be rerecorded for the band's second album Blue Blood.-Track...
through Extasy Records on April 14, 1988 and toured extensively in support of the record. The band also appeared in a cameo
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
in the American film Tokyo Pop
Tokyo Pop
is a music-centric movie from 1988 that tells the story of a girl from the USA, a boy from Japan, and a briefly successful pop band. The movie contrasts American customs with Tokyo lifestyles, as it presents an evolving love story between the two main characters....
, starring Carrie Hamilton
Carrie Hamilton
Carrie Louise Hamilton was an American actress, singer, and playwright. She was the daughter of comedienne/actress Carol Burnett and producer Joe Hamilton.-Life:...
and Diamond Yukai
Diamond Yukai
is a rock singer and actor. He was born Yutaka Tadokoro in Tanashi, Tokyo, Japan. He is the vocalist for the long term existing Japanese rock band Red Warriors.-Movies:He appeared in the following movies:...
.
X's second album Blue Blood was released on April 21, 1989 and spawned several singles, such as "Kurenai
Kurenai (song)
is the major label debut single released by X Japan on September 1, 1989. Originally featured on the band's debut album Vanishing Vision, this version is more similar to the re-recording for the album Blue Blood, but is still slightly different...
" and "Endless Rain
Endless Rain
-Music personnel:*Mixing engineer – Motonari Matsumoto*Recording engineers – Gremlin, Tetsuhiro Miyajima, Mitsuyasu Abe*Assistant engineers – Takashi Ohkubo, Fujishima, Naoki Yamada, Akiko Nakamura, Shigeki Kashii, Lee Chun Fin, Mitsumasa Iwata...
". The group also released their first home video
Home video
Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
, a VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
of a live concert titled Blue Blood Tour Bakuhatsu Sunzen Gig. Recording for the follow-up album Jealousy took place in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. It was released on July 1, 1991 and was followed by the band's first performance in Japan's largest indoor concert venue, the Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
. Footage from most of the band's shows in that stadium would later be released on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
and VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
/DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
.
By 1992 the band's success in Japan made an international breakthrough appear likely enough to warrant the renaming of X to X Japan, in order to distinguish the group from the American punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band X. Around the same time bassist Taiji left the group and was replaced by Heath (ex:Media Youth).
1993–1997: X Japan
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. Art of Life
Art of Life
Art of Life is a mini album released by X Japan on August 25, 1993. It consists solely of the 29 minute long title track, which was written and composed by Yoshiki, entirely in English. The album is also the first where the band is called "X Japan", after they changed their name from "X"...
was released on August 28, 1993, containing only the 29-minute title track. Another studio album was not released until November 4, 1996. Dahlia
Dahlia (album)
Dahlia is an album released by X Japan on November 4, 1996. It is the band's fifth studio album and is composed largely of ballads, with only a few tracks retaining the band's heavier musical traits seen on previous releases...
, which turned out to be the band's last, contained relatively little new material considering that most tracks on it had been released as singles as early as a few months after Art of Life. Around this time, the group dropped most of its original visual kei aesthetics in favor of a more casual look.
Vocalist Toshi decided to leave the band and a dissolution was officially announced in September 1997. X Japan performed their farewell show at the Tokyo Dome on December 31, making it the last of five consecutive New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
s the group performed in that stadium.
Toshi stated his decision to leave X Japan dated back as far as April 1996 and that the glamorous, success-oriented life of a rock star failed to satisfy him emotionally, as opposed to a simpler life and career.
1998–2007: The Solo Years
While reissues, compilations and live footage continued to be released, the members of X Japan pursued various other projects: hideHide (musician)
, better known by his stage name hide , was a popular Japanese musician. He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan from 1987 to 1997...
, who had been releasing solo material since 1994's Hide Your Face
Hide Your Face
Hide Your Face is the debut album by hide, released on February 23, 1994. The cover art features a mask designed by H. R. Giger. The song "Frozen Bug '93 " is a remixed version of "Frozen Bug", a song that hide wrote and performed with Luna Sea members J and Inoran, under the band name M*A*S*S, on...
, continued his solo career with Spread Beaver, now formally including his previous live band and with a sound distinctively different from X Japan's music, leaning more towards alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
. But the new group did not last long, due to hide
Hide (musician)
, better known by his stage name hide , was a popular Japanese musician. He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan from 1987 to 1997...
's death in May 1998.
Toshi
Toshi (musician)
, better known by his stage name Toshi , is a Japanese singer and musician. He is best known as vocalist and co-founder of the heavy metal group X Japan. The band elevated to legendary status in Japan, until its disbanding in 1997. Toshi then went on to have an extensive solo career...
has released several solo albums, and has performed numerous acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
performances for smaller audiences. According to his website, his "Utatabi Traveling Concert" tour has included over 3,000 concerts, between 1999 and 2003.
Pata and Heath, along with Spread Beaver percussionist/programmer
Programming (music)
Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
I.N.A., teamed up to provide a track for the 1998 hide tribute album, Tribute Spirits
Tribute Spirits
Tribute Spirits is a hide tribute album released on May 1, 1999. It collects cover versions by various artists, among them most members of hide's former band X Japan....
. The three would reunite again in 2000 to form Dope HEADz, which released two albums before ceasing activity. Heath is currently pursuing a solo career and Pata is a member of Ra:IN, along with Spread Beaver keyboardist D.I.E.
Before the breakup, Yoshiki had already independently collaborated with Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
drummer Roger Taylor
Roger Meddows-Taylor
Roger Meddows Taylor , known as Roger Taylor, is a British musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of...
on the single "Foreign Sand" and provided the Japanese contribution to the international Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
tribute album Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved
KISS My Ass: Classic KISS Regrooved
-Charts:Album - Billboard Singles - Billboard -External links:*...
, an orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l arrangement of the song "Black Diamond". A compilation with orchestral treatments of X Japan songs, titled Eternal Melody
Eternal Melody
Eternal Melody is the first classical album released by Yoshiki Hayashi on April 21, 1993. All music was written by Yoshiki, produced and arranged by famed Beatles' producer George Martin and performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It was later mastered at Abbey Road Studios...
was also released. It was performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra
London Philharmonic Orchestra
The London Philharmonic Orchestra , based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal Festival Hall. In addition, the LPO is the main resident orchestra of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera...
and among others featured The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
producer George Martin
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
as an arranger.
Since 1998 Yoshiki has engaged in numerous activities, such as being briefly a member of the pop band Globe
Globe (band)
Globe is a dance-oriented Japanese pop band, formed in 1995 by producer and songwriter Tetsuya Komuro. Originally consisting of Komuro, Keiko Yamada and Marc Panther, the group's singles consistently hit the charts...
, producing singles for the Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n rock band TRAX and numerous others, as well as working on his solo project Violet UK, which as of 2007 had not yet published a major release. He has also contributed music to the movie Catacombs and produced the soundtrack of Repo! The Genetic Opera
Repo! The Genetic Opera
Repo! The Genetic Opera is a 2008 horror-rock opera musical film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. The film is based on a play written and composed by Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich....
. On May 25, 2007, the formation of the supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
S.K.I.N.
Skin (Japanese band)
Skin is a music project founded by several Japanese rock musicians in 2007. They are Yoshiki, Gackt, Sugizo and Miyavi, all being important to the visual kei movement or closely related to it, but everyone being from a different generation.Its debut performance was on June 29, 2007, in Long Beach,...
was announced, which besides Yoshiki consists of pop/rock artists Gackt
Gackt
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actor, voice actor and author. Usually referred to by his mononymous stage name, he is known for his career as a solo artist and as the former vocalist for the defunct visual kei rock band Malice Mizer....
and Miyavi
Miyavi
, better known by his stage name , is a Japanese visual kei musician. His work as guitarist for Dué le Quartz and his successful solo career have established him as an accomplished musician in the Japanese music scene.- Early life :...
, as well as Luna Sea
Luna Sea
Luna Sea is a rock band from Kanagawa, Japan, formed in 1989. The band was initially founded by bassist J and rhythm guitarist Inoran, when they were in high school. They soon recruited lead guitarist and violinist Sugizo, drummer Shinya and vocalist Ryuichi, a lineup that has remained the same...
guitarist Sugizo
Sugizo
, born , is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. Referred to by his stage name Sugizo, he is best known as lead guitarist of the rock band Luna Sea, who were popular in the 1990s. He started his solo career in 1997 and has since collaborated with many artists...
. The band gave its first and only performance at the Anime Expo
Anime Expo
Anime Expo, abbreviated AX, is an American anime convention held in Los Angeles, California and organized by the non-profit Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation . With rare exceptions, the convention is traditionally held on the July 4th weekend and lasts for four days...
convention in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
on June 29, 2007.
2007–2008: Reunion
In March 2007 Toshi announced on his website that he and Yoshiki had recently resumed working together, stating that a "new project" would commence soon. An X Japan reunion was officially confirmed on June 4, 2007, with Yoshiki announcing a tour, as well as a new single to be underway and that he was in talks with Heath and Pata regarding their participation.The band made its first public appearance on October 22, 2007, on the rooftop of the shopping center, Aqua City in Odaiba
Odaiba
is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, across the Rainbow Bridge from central Tokyo. It was initially built for defensive purposes in the 1850s, dramatically expanded during the late 20th century as a seaport district, and has developed since the 1990s as a major commercial, residential...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, during which a music video for the newly recorded song "I.V.
I.V.
"I.V." is a single released by X Japan on January 23, 2008 as a digital download. It is the band's first new song since "The Last Song" released in 1998. "I.V." is the main theme for the film Saw IV, which was released on October 26, 2007.- Overview :...
" was filmed. "I.V." was also the theme song of the American movie Saw IV
Saw IV
Saw IV is a 2007 Canadian-American horror film and midquel to 2006's Saw III. It was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by newcomers Patrick Melton, Marcus Dunstan and Thomas Fenton. The film was released in North America on October 26, 2007...
. It was written by Yoshiki and recorded with all X Japan members of the pre-breakup lineup, as it utilizes previously unreleased guitar tracks by hide
Hide (musician)
, better known by his stage name hide , was a popular Japanese musician. He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan from 1987 to 1997...
. "I.V." was released through iTunes on January 23, 2008, topping the store's charts on that day.
On January 20, 2008 two Tokyo Dome concert dates were announced for March 28 and March 30. Due to popular demand, they added another concert for the 29th. These three concerts were entitled "Resume Attack 2008 I.V. - Towards Destruction", with each individual concerts titled "Night of Destruction", "Night of Madness" and "Night of Creation", respectively. The March 28 concert aired live on the pay-per-view channel WOWOW
WOWOW
WOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. It has its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Akasaka Park Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo...
, with three guest guitarists filling in for the late hide
Hide (musician)
, better known by his stage name hide , was a popular Japanese musician. He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan from 1987 to 1997...
- Wes Borland
Wes Borland
Wesley Louden Borland is an American musician and artist, best known as the guitarist for the band Limp Bizkit. He has been in several other bands as well including: Black Light Burns, The Damning Well, Goatslayer, Big Dumb Face, and Combichrist...
, Richard Fortus
Richard Fortus
Richard Fortus is a professional guitarist who is most famous for being rhythm guitarist in Guns N' Roses.Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Fortus cut his teeth throughout the Midwest with his band, The Eyes. The four-piece alternative band independently released "Freedom in a Cage", which was...
, and Sugizo
Sugizo
, born , is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. Referred to by his stage name Sugizo, he is best known as lead guitarist of the rock band Luna Sea, who were popular in the 1990s. He started his solo career in 1997 and has since collaborated with many artists...
.
Also during the song "Art of Life" a hologram
Holography
Holography is a technique that allows the light scattered from an object to be recorded and later reconstructed so that when an imaging system is placed in the reconstructed beam, an image of the object will be seen even when the object is no longer present...
of hide (taken from footage of the "Art of Life" performance at the Tokyo Dome in 1993) played alongside the band. Because of technical difficulties, possibly due to the hologram, the first concert was delayed for over two hours and later came to an abrupt end when drummer Yoshiki collapsed eight songs into the performance. The subsequent shows were without such difficulties and during a press conference, plans for a concert in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on July 5, 2008 were announced, with an intended audience of 20,000 people. In addition to the Paris date, plans for concerts at the Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on September 13, and at the Taipei World Trade Center, Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
on August 2 were also confirmed.
2008–2009: Delays, Sugizo joins
The "hideHide (musician)
, better known by his stage name hide , was a popular Japanese musician. He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan from 1987 to 1997...
memorial summit" took place on May 2 and 3, 2008 with X Japan performing and numerous other acts such as Dir en grey
Dir en grey
Dir En Grey is a Japanese metal band formed in 1997 and currently signed to Firewall Div., a sub-division of Free-Will. As of 2011, they have recorded eight full-length records...
and Oblivion Dust
Oblivion Dust
Oblivion Dust is a Japanese post-grunge/alternative rock band very influenced by early 90’s American rock bands, but with a trademark sonority that makes the band unique...
, Phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria (band)
Phantasmagoria was a visual kei rock band band formed in November 2004 in Osaka, Japan by Kisaki, the executive of Under Code Production, a popular visual kei independent label.-History:...
and Luna Sea
Luna Sea
Luna Sea is a rock band from Kanagawa, Japan, formed in 1989. The band was initially founded by bassist J and rhythm guitarist Inoran, when they were in high school. They soon recruited lead guitarist and violinist Sugizo, drummer Shinya and vocalist Ryuichi, a lineup that has remained the same...
even reunited for one day to perform. On June 8, it was reported that all previously scheduled shows would be postponed until further notice, due to a recurrence of Yoshiki's disc herniation
Spinal disc herniation
A spinal disc herniation , informally and misleadingly called a "slipped disc", is a medical condition affecting the spine due to trauma, lifting injuries, or idiopathic, in which a tear in the outer, fibrous ring of an intervertebral disc allows the soft, central portion A spinal disc herniation...
. The Paris and Taipei concerts were re-scheduled, Paris for November 22, 2009.
On September 15, 2008, Yoshiki held a press conference in Tokyo, where he announced a new, unnamed X Japan song was in the works. Concerts for Christmas and New Year's Eve 2008 were also announced. After the conference Yoshiki went on a promotional tour across Asia. On November 7, the French ticketing website Avos announced that the planned ticket sale for the show in Paris would be canceled. Later that day, X Japan released a press statement through their French language website apologizing for the second postponement and announced that the planned Christmas shows would likely suffer a similar fate. In early January the previously announced Taiwan concert date was postponed for a second time. On December 31, X Japan performed their New Year's Eve countdown performance at the Akasaka Blitz
Akasaka BLITZ
Opened in April, 1996, Akasaka BLITZ is a so-called music "live-house" in Minato, Tokyo, owned and operated by Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc. Until the opening of Shibuya-AX in 2000, it was the only concert space that in the metropolitan area that could accommodate 1500 people...
, performing a set list which included older material.
On January 15, 2009, the band arrived in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
for their January 16 and 17 shows. On May 1, Sugizo
Sugizo
, born , is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. Referred to by his stage name Sugizo, he is best known as lead guitarist of the rock band Luna Sea, who were popular in the 1990s. He started his solo career in 1997 and has since collaborated with many artists...
officially joined X Japan as lead guitarist. On May 30, 2009 the band had their first live show with Sugizo, as a full member, in Taiwan.
2010: First North American tour, new album announced
On January 9, 2010 the band made its first public U.S. appearance by shooting four new music videos in Hollywood.The four videos were for "Rusty Nail
Rusty Nail (song)
"Rusty Nail" is a single released by X Japan on June 10, 1994. It was written and composed by Yoshiki, later appeared on the album Dahlia, and was used as the theme song for the 1994 Japanese TV drama Kimi ga Mienai...
", "Endless Rain
Endless Rain
-Music personnel:*Mixing engineer – Motonari Matsumoto*Recording engineers – Gremlin, Tetsuhiro Miyajima, Mitsuyasu Abe*Assistant engineers – Takashi Ohkubo, Fujishima, Naoki Yamada, Akiko Nakamura, Shigeki Kashii, Lee Chun Fin, Mitsumasa Iwata...
", "I.V.
I.V.
"I.V." is a single released by X Japan on January 23, 2008 as a digital download. It is the band's first new song since "The Last Song" released in 1998. "I.V." is the main theme for the film Saw IV, which was released on October 26, 2007.- Overview :...
", and their new song "Jade". In February, Yoshiki confirmed that X Japan will be performing at Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
in August. Later that month, He announced at a press event that the band would be relocating to Los Angeles, California, with a concert being planned for a "simple" venue in the city area to mark the band's first official North American show.
It was also announced that a sixth album was in the works and was expected to be released in the fall.
In March 2010, Yoshiki filed a lawsuit against Nexstar Corporation, for 375 million yen in damages. The claim states that after X Japan reunited, they entered a contract with Nexstar Corporation in January 2008, which included the use of some recordings. That initial deal was for 600 million yen in advance royalties and contract money, which has been entirely unpaid. Between 2008 and 2009, the company also sponsored ten of the band's concerts in Japan and other parts of Asia. About 320 million yen in performance fees and merchandise sales from those concerts is due to the band as well. In all, the total unpaid amount is more than 900 million yen. The lawsuit is currently seeking only 375 million yen for the revenue earned from the concerts, but should the case go to trial, Yoshiki's side plans to file an additional claim for the 600 million yen in the initial contract.
On July 1, the band appeared at Club Nokia in Los Angeles where they performed an acoustic setlist, and recorded a music video for the new song, "Born to Be Free". They also released a new music video for "Rusty Nail" On July 4, the two founding members Toshi and Yoshiki, appeared in Paris at the Japan Expo 2010
Japan Expo
Japan Expo is a convention on Japanese popular culture, taking place in Paris, France, although it has branched out into a partnership festival Kultima and expanded to include some European and US pop culture as well...
where they performed some songs.
During the following month, X Japan and Yoshiki were featured in numerous newspapers and websites such as ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
and the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
.
X Japan performed at Lollapalooza 2010 in Grant Park
Grant Park (Chicago)
Grant Park, with between the downtown Chicago Loop and Lake Michigan, offers many different attractions in its large open space. The park is generally flat. It is also crossed by large boulevards and even a bed of sunken railroad tracks...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
on August 8. In the following days, Yoshiki did a long Q&A article with the Phoenix New Times and was interviewed by ABC News.
On August 14 and 15, 2010, the band performed a two-day show at Nissan Stadium, the largest stadium in Japan. It was reported that over 100,000 fans attended the two shows with some estimates as high as 140,000 in attendance. Ex-bassist Taiji joined them on stage both nights, as a guest, for the song "X". Soon after, former deceased guitarist hide's management company, Headwax Organization, filed a lawsuit against Yoshiki and X Japan's management, Japan Music Agency, for using images of the former member without a formal agreement in place. The claim states that in 2000 the two companies signed an agreement allowing Yoshiki and X Japan to use visual images of hide during concerts. However, images were used at these Nissan Stadium shows, when apparently the contract was expired.
From September 25 to October 10, X Japan performed their first ever North American tour with dates in Los Angeles, Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, Seattle, Chicago, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and New York City.
On December 17, Yoshiki announced that a new X Japan song, "Scarlet Love Song
Scarlet Love Song
"Scarlet Love Song" is a song released by X Japan on June 8, 2011 as a digital download. It was composed specifically to be the theme song for the animated movie adaptation of the Buddha manga, which was released May 28, 2011. The song, first performed at "" on March 6, 2011 at Yoyogi National...
", was composed for the animated movie adaptation of the Buddha
Buddha (manga)
is a manga drawn by Osamu Tezuka and is Tezuka's unique interpretation of the life of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. The critically acclaimed series is often referred to as a gritty, even sexual, portrayal of the Buddha's life. Buddha received the 2004, 2005 Eisner Award...
manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
.
2011: Current activities
It was announced on January 27, 2011, that X Japan signed a 3-year agreement with EMI (Electric & Musical Industries Ltd.)EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
in November 2010. The label will handle the American distribution of their single "Jade", which was to be released on March 15, and their untitled album, which was set for release in late summer. In promotion of the new album, it was also stated they would be touring extensively around the world throughout 2011.
X Japan performed on March 6, 2011, at "Asia Girls Explosion", a fashion event and music concert that Yoshiki created with Jay FR. It was announced they would perform in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Brazil, Chile, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
later in the year.
Due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
that occurred in Japan on March 11, the band decided to postpone the release of "Jade" until June 28. Yoshiki also decided to auction off one of his used signature Kawai
Kawai
The of Japan is best known for its grand and upright pianos, electronic keyboards and electronic synthesizers. The company was established in August 1927, and has its headquarters in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka.-Pianos:...
crystal grand pianos, of which all proceeds were sent to help provide aid to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami.
Their song "Scarlet Love Song
Scarlet Love Song
"Scarlet Love Song" is a song released by X Japan on June 8, 2011 as a digital download. It was composed specifically to be the theme song for the animated movie adaptation of the Buddha manga, which was released May 28, 2011. The song, first performed at "" on March 6, 2011 at Yoyogi National...
", was released in Japan on June 8. Their first worldwide single, "Jade", was released on June 28 on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. That same day they performed in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the first concert of the European leg of their ongoing world tour, which was followed by Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on July 1, Utrecht
Utrecht
Utrecht is a city in the Netherlands.The name may also refer to:* Utrecht , of which Utrecht is the capital* Utrecht , including the city of Utrecht* Bishopric of Utrecht* Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Utrecht...
on July 2 and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
on July 4.
X Japan also performed at the 2011 Summer Sonic festival that was held on August 13 and 14, in Tokyo and Osaka. Their world tour's South American concerts were; Santiago
Santiago
Santiago is the capital city of Chile. Santiago may also refer to:*Santiago *Santiago , a Spanish given name*Santiago!, a shortened form of the Reconquista battle cry "Santiago y cierra, España"...
on September 9, São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
on September 11, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
on September 14, Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
on September 16 and Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
on September 18. The Asian leg of the tour brought stops in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
on October 28, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
on October 30, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
on November 4, Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
on November 6 and Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
on November 8. The Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
show, originally scheduled for November 2, was cancelled by the promoters on October 25 due to "technical and production issues".
Musical style
X Japan's music developed in the wake of American and British glamGlam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
and heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
music and is characterized by driving power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
compositions with symphonic
Symphonic metal
Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...
elements (e.g. "Kurenai
Kurenai (song)
is the major label debut single released by X Japan on September 1, 1989. Originally featured on the band's debut album Vanishing Vision, this version is more similar to the re-recording for the album Blue Blood, but is still slightly different...
", "Silent Jealousy
Silent Jealousy
"Silent Jealousy" is a single released by X Japan on September 11, 1991. The song's structure is comparable to "Kurenai", opening with a calm intro, performed on a single instrument, followed by a speed metal composition with symphonic elements...
") and emotional ballads (e.g. "Endless Rain
Endless Rain
-Music personnel:*Mixing engineer – Motonari Matsumoto*Recording engineers – Gremlin, Tetsuhiro Miyajima, Mitsuyasu Abe*Assistant engineers – Takashi Ohkubo, Fujishima, Naoki Yamada, Akiko Nakamura, Shigeki Kashii, Lee Chun Fin, Mitsumasa Iwata...
", "Forever Love
Forever Love (X Japan song)
"Forever Love" is a single released by X Japan on July 8, 1996. It reached #1 on the Oricon charts and was written and composed by Yoshiki Hayashi. An acoustic version of the song appears on their album Dahlia. The single has been reissued several times...
"). Many of the group's songs make use of orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
ted passages, particularly on longer tracks such as the ten and a half minute "Tears", "Crucify My Love
Crucify my Love
"Crucify My Love" is a single released by X Japan on 26 August 1996. Its B-side is a live version of one of the band's earlier singles, "Week End", recorded on December 31, 1995 at the Tokyo Dome. The title song was covered by Spanish gothic metal band Gothic Dolls on their 2008 album The Last...
", and the twenty-nine minute "Art of Life
Art of Life
Art of Life is a mini album released by X Japan on August 25, 1993. It consists solely of the 29 minute long title track, which was written and composed by Yoshiki, entirely in English. The album is also the first where the band is called "X Japan", after they changed their name from "X"...
".
The majority of the band's catalog of music was written by Yoshiki with relatively little composition from the other members. hide
Hide (musician)
, better known by his stage name hide , was a popular Japanese musician. He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan from 1987 to 1997...
contributed several songs, while Pata's only claim is "White Wind from Mr. Martin ~Pata's Nap~". Toshi
Toshi (musician)
, better known by his stage name Toshi , is a Japanese singer and musician. He is best known as vocalist and co-founder of the heavy metal group X Japan. The band elevated to legendary status in Japan, until its disbanding in 1997. Toshi then went on to have an extensive solo career...
's contributions are limited to lyrics for a few songs. Taiji contributed music to a couple of songs, most notably "Voiceless Screaming" on the album Jealousy where he plays the acoustic guitar. Heath's only writing credit was the instrumental song "Wriggle" on the 1996 album Dahlia
Dahlia (album)
Dahlia is an album released by X Japan on November 4, 1996. It is the band's fifth studio album and is composed largely of ballads, with only a few tracks retaining the band's heavier musical traits seen on previous releases...
, which he wrote with Pata. Only one song is credited as a full band collaboration, "Easy Fight Rambling" on the 1989 album Blue Blood.
Yoshiki's composing style tends to make use of chords in sequences of eights or more with riff-based motifs or call-and-response style phrasing. He has maintained this style for the majority of his career as a composer. Having played classical piano since he was 3 years old, and once aspiring to study in a classical music academy, Yoshiki claims to be as influenced by classical music as he is by rock, a claim which is evident when considering the breadth of music released by the band. While also serving as the main song writer Yoshiki has production credit on much of X Japan's music.
During live performances the band relies, for the most part, on its members (with drummer and pianist Yoshiki switching between his instruments) and prerecorded tracks, e.g. for orchestral strings
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
, spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
passages, and more recently, some of hide's guitar parts.
Members
The members of X Japan are credited exclusively by their stage names.- Yoshiki – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, leader (1982–1997, 2007–present) - ToshiToshi (musician), better known by his stage name Toshi , is a Japanese singer and musician. He is best known as vocalist and co-founder of the heavy metal group X Japan. The band elevated to legendary status in Japan, until its disbanding in 1997. Toshi then went on to have an extensive solo career...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
(1982–1997, 2007–present) - Pata – rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
(1987–1997, 2007–present) - Heath – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals (1992–1997, 2007–present) - SugizoSugizo, born , is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. Referred to by his stage name Sugizo, he is best known as lead guitarist of the rock band Luna Sea, who were popular in the 1990s. He started his solo career in 1997 and has since collaborated with many artists...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, backing vocals (2009–present)
Former members
– guitar (1982–1985)- Tomoyuki "Tomo" Ogata – guitar (1984–1985)
- Atsushi Tokuo – bass (1984–1985) guitar (1985) – guitar (1985) – guitar (1985–1986) – guitar (1985, 1986) – bass (1985–1986) – guitar (1986) – guitar (1986)
- Isao – guitar (1987)
- Taiji – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals (1985, 1986–1992)
- hideHide (musician), better known by his stage name hide , was a popular Japanese musician. He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan from 1987 to 1997...
– lead guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals (1987–1997)- Although hide is deceased, the band still considers him a member and introduces him at every concert.
Discography
Studio albums- Vanishing VisionVanishing VisionVanishing Vision is the debut album of X Japan and was released on April 14, 1988 on Yoshiki's own label, Extasy Records, selling over 800,000 copies. Included are early versions of the songs "Kurenai" and "Unfinished" which would later be rerecorded for the band's second album Blue Blood.-Track...
(April 14, 1988) - Blue Blood (April 21, 1989)
- Jealousy (June 1, 1991)
- Art of LifeArt of LifeArt of Life is a mini album released by X Japan on August 25, 1993. It consists solely of the 29 minute long title track, which was written and composed by Yoshiki, entirely in English. The album is also the first where the band is called "X Japan", after they changed their name from "X"...
(August 28, 1993) - DahliaDahlia (album)Dahlia is an album released by X Japan on November 4, 1996. It is the band's fifth studio album and is composed largely of ballads, with only a few tracks retaining the band's heavier musical traits seen on previous releases...
(November 4, 1996)
Further reading
- Uchuu o Kakeru Tomo e: Densetsu no Bando X no Sei to Shi (宇宙を翔ける友へ: 伝説のバンド X の生と死) by Taiji Sawada, Tokuma Shoten, 2000, ISBN 978-4198611743
- hide Days, by Takarajimasha, 2003, ISBN 4796627464
- Yoshiki (YOSHIKI/佳樹), by Narumi Kamotsu, Kadokawa Shoten, 2009, ISBN 978-4-04-883687-6