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07-28 X Japan are back
07-03 New X Japan album and movie
05-01 X Japan: Live in New York & Be
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X Japan was one of the most influential rock bands in Japanese history. Formed as a speed metal band in the early ‘80s,thegroupattracted attention not only for its music, but also its popularization of visual kei, a cultural/musical/fashionmovementwhoseemphasis on outrageous hairstyles and androgynous makeup was similar to glam rock. By the early '90s, Xhad alsowoven powerballads, pop, and classical music into the band’s catalog, creating a sound that helped the group enter-- and,for several years,dominate -- the Japanese mainstream.Before signing with a major label in 1988, X was one of t ...read more
X Japan was one of the most influential rock bands in Japanese history. Formed as a speed metal band in the early ‘80s,thegroupattracted attention not only for its music, but also its popularization of visual kei, a cultural/musical/fashionmovementwhoseemphasis on outrageous hairstyles and androgynous makeup was similar to glam rock. By the early '90s, Xhad alsowoven powerballads, pop, and classical music into the band’s catalog, creating a sound that helped the group enter-- and,for several years,dominate -- the Japanese mainstream.Before signing with a major label in 1988, X was one of the country’s first independent acts to achieve nationalsuccess.Childhoodfriends Yoshiki Hayashi and Toshimitsu Deyama formed the band as high school students, and Yoshikiestablishedhis own label,Extasy Records, to release the group’s material. With lead guitarist Hide (aka Hideto Matsumoto),rhythmguitarist Pata (akaTomoaki Ishizuka), and bassist Taiji (aka Taiji Sawada) filling out the lineup, X released severalsingles andone full-length album,1988’s Vanishing Vision, before signing with Sony toward the end of the decade. The group’smajor-label debut, Blue Blood,appeared in 1989.Blue Blood went multi-platinum on the strength of three hit singles. The band’s follow-up effort, Jealousy, wassimilarlypopular,becoming the 12th bestselling album of 1991 despite its mid-year release. With the intention of breakingintointernationalmarkets, X lengthened its name to X Japan (a decision meant to distinguish the Japanese group fromthesimilarly namedAmerican punk band) and signed a new contract with Atlantic Records. The guys also hired bass playerHeath(aka Hiroshi Morie)to replace the departing Taiji. Drawing from the classical background of Yoshiki, who’d emerged astheband’s leader, X Japanreturned in 1993 with Art of Life, a symphonic album consisting of one long, eclectic, 29-minutetrack.Yoshiki also released asecond symphonic album in 1993, working with producer George Martin to produceclassicalarrangements of several X Japansongs. Released later that year, Eternal Melody became the best-selling classicalrecord inJapanese history. Meanwhile, Hide,Heath, and Toshi all released their own solo discs, with Hide's Hide Your Faceenjoying themost popularity.When X Japan returned in 1996 with Dahlia, the band both looked and sounded different. With the exception ofHide,whocontinued to favor the visual kei style, the musicians had largely abandoned the use of outrageous hairstylesandflashycostumes. They’d also pushed their sound into smoother territory, favoring ballads that highlighted Yoshiki’spianoplaying andToshi’s vocals over fast, furious rock songs. Even so, Dahlia proved to be one of X Japan’s most popular albumstodate; foursingles topping the Japanese charts, and another song, “Tears,” peaked at number two.X Japan had become a national institution by the mid-‘90s, but the band nevertheless pulled the plug in September1997,withToshi announcing his desire to leave the group and pursue music on a much smaller level. Several months later, thebandheldits final performance at the Tokyo Dome on New Year’s Eve. In the months that followed, Hide quietly emerged astheband’sbusiest alum, playing shows in support of his second solo release and even forming an American-based sideprojectnamedZilch. He died in May 1998, however, the victim of an apparent suicide.Nearly ten years after Hide’s death, X Japan began laying the foundation for a reunion. Former Luna Sea guitaristSugizo,who’dhelped popularize the visual kei movement alongside X Japan during the '90s, was brought aboard as thegroup’snewest member,and the band began holding rehearsals in mid-2007. By the end of the year, they’d recorded a newsong,“I.V.,” and aninternational tour followed. « hide |
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