X-Japan

Music:

Member Since: 2/19/2006
Band Website: xjapan.ne.jp/
Band Members:
Yoshiki Hayashi - Drums and Piano

Yoshiki was born on November 20th, 1965, in Teteyama, Chiba. Yoshiki was the founder of X Japan. He plays piano, keyboard and drums, he also can play guitar and bass. He loves opposites and likes to play the mysterious, so he used to tell his birtday is the day X and that he has amethyst-colored blood. He always makes the impression of a shy and sensitive person but this changes when he is behind his drums when he makes the impression that he is pure energy.

It seems that Yoshiki's parents had a shop for clothing. But when Yoshiki speaks from his family, he only talks about his mother, once he said that his mother would wish to stop him playing drums and only compose music. In 1999 Yoshiki confirms in an interview that his father commited suicide at the age of 33, Yoshiki was 10 at that time. Yoshiki wrote the song "Tears" for his father.
His former girl-friend was the japanese singer and actress Shizuka Kudo. The japanese press spreads rumours that he changes his girlfriends constantly. Since 1999 he produces the songs of his ex-girlfriend Shizuka and it seems that they have private contact as well.

In an interview he stated once that he would like to marry but since he is never at home and absolutely intolerable when he has a song in his head, he wants to wait, at least in the moment. He also said that it would be awful when he would became father and his child would be like him.

As a pet he would like to have a tiger, he said. He doesn't like radio shows and let always Toshi, hide, pata and heath do the talking.

Together with Tetsuya Komuro, a famous Japanese pop musician, he produced in 1992 under the name V2 the single "Haitoku no Hitomi" and the video "Virginity".

In 1994 he wrote and produced together with Roger Taylor, the drummer of Queen, two songs. "Foreign Sand" is about understanding between different nations and on Taylors album "Happiness", the song "Final Destination" was released as b-side of the single. Also in 1994 he tributed a song to the Kiss-tribute "Kiss my ass". He contributed a classic piano version of the Kiss-song "Black Diamond".

In 1995 he let his hair cut short and started to wear less provocating clothes. On the stage he gave everything and he often fell from the higher part of the stage where the drums were located. In 1996 during the Dahlia Tour he couldn't play to the end of the show and had to go to a hospital because of his backbone. The doctor warned him that he should be more careful and that he had eventually to stop playing drums. Yoshiki continued to play but he wears a special neck-support.

September, 22nd in 1997 was the day Yoshiki announced the disbanding of X Japan. He had secret plans (with hide) to form a new band with a new singer. His plans died with hide in 1998 with hides death. After this tragedy he spent most of the time in his house in Los Angeles where he has 2 recording studios and produces some new American and Japanese band for his record company Extasy International and Extasy Japan. He wrote songs for Saijo Hideki and Shoko Kitano and since 1999 he produces the Japanese visual band Dir en grey (Gauze).

In 1998 he wrote a song for Zalman Kinds movie "In God's hand". In the movie the songs only played for a few seconds but it is probably released on the Violet Uk album.

Yoshiki had the great honor to write a song for the celebration that was held to celebrate the 10th year of the enthronement of the japanese emperor. The event was held on November, 12 1999 in front of the palace. Yoshiki wrote the song "Anniversary" only for this event and played it on the piono together with an orchestra. Yoshiki said in an interview that he had asked his mother for help when writing that song.

The emporer Akihito and his wife Michiko liked the song very much. The emporer even made a "tanka" (poem) about it at the traditional "utakai" (competition about poems at new years day): "Hi kurete hiraba ni tudou hitobitto to iwai no sirabe tomo ni kiki iru...(After the sunset with the people that gathered in the park I listened to the song of the celebration...). Yoshiki was further honoured when he was invited to the traditional japanese spring celebration in the japanese Akasaka palace in Tokyo at April, 24th 2000. He went there with his mother and joined the 2600 invited guests and had a short talk with the emporer like all other guests.

In 2000 he wrote and performed several advertisment videos for the supermarket chain 7-11. He wrote the music for this under the name of his solo project Violet UK. The clips look very futuristic and they don't have much to do with a supermarket.

In 2001 he was again busy producing bands, but he also worked for his solo projekt Violet UK. At first it was said that it should be already released in 2001 but being a perfictionist Yoshiki still isn't ready for releasing. He is planing a worldwide release, that is the reason why all the texts are in English. Newest planed release date is fall 2002.

In 2002 Yoshiki joined the band Globe which is the band of his friend, Tetsuya Komuro. They made the project V2 some years ago.

Toshimitsu Deyama - Vocals

Toshi was born on November 10th, 1965, in Tateyama, Chiba. Toshi was the vocalist of X Japan. He used to wear black leather clothes and had a 30 cm high hair style. In about 1995 or 1996 he cut his hair and now he has short undyed hair. He now wears rather conservative clothes.

He is the youngest of 3 brothers and he said that as a child he was fat. His mother is a piano teacher and is, like Yoshiki's mother, a small person. He and Yoshiki have been friends since their kindergarden time. Toshi was a baseball fan, especially a Giants fan. He always liked to sing, but never took part in competitons, he only sang at home or at school excursions. To accompany himself he learned to play the guitar and the piano. He also played in the school orchestra.

In 1982 Yoshiki and Toshi founded a copyband and then he realised that singing was what he could do best. Yoshiki told all band members to sing to find out who is the best and no one could beat Toshi, who wanted to be the guitar player. Toshi's voice goes over about 3 octaves and so he can even sing song that are originally written for a womans voice.

At one concert he tells a story of a fan who drew a picture of him. The fan died 19 year old because of AIDS. Toshi met the parents and friends and was very moved. After telling this he sung the song Tears. He had the picture called Passion printed on a T-Shirt and wears it often at concerts. It's also said that his solo song Passion of love is inspired by this pictures. Like all other members of X he is very dedicated to the Aids help.

He marries the actress Kaori ? at February, 17th in 1997. He seems to be very happy, his solo album Aoi hoshi no tabibito (produced with Norihiro Tsuru) sounds beautiful and full of harmony and love. He met Kaori 1004 when he took part in the rock opera Hamlet. Toshi was Hamelt and she was Ophelia. Later Toshi found his appearence a little bit ridiculous and embarrassing.

Toshi likes to play Volleyball. He is the quietest member of the band, but he has a very powerful voice. He is friendly, honest and nature and environmental issues are important to him. He sometimes even has his lyrics translated into sign language so that numb people can understand.
Yoshiki says about Toshi that he always was an average person, a 'normal' person. So it sometimes was a weird contrast do have him dressed like a wild rocker, but talking like the nice boy from next door.

In 1997 he left X Japan. His reason was that he has couldn't cope with Yoshiki's music anymore. He told in an interview that he has to be in a painful mood to sing X Japan songs, and that this is more and more difficult for him.

There's a rumor that he left the band because he joined a sect of a person called Masaya. It's true that he joined this cult but nobody knows if this has something to do with his decision to leave X. The cult works with music therapy. They make courses for finding to yourself and these are very expensive. There are also rumours that Toshi was brainwashed. Toshi told in an interview that he only now has realized that he feels inadequate since childhood and that was the reason that he always was friendly and nice to everybody. He believed that he was nothing worth if he wasn't famous and loved. Nobody knows whether this comes from Masaya or whether it is true. He broke ties with his friends and family and sued his brother (he was responsible for Toshi's money) because he wanted to stop Toshi giving his money to Masaya. It was a very obscure thing and Toshis image got damaged through all this. He isn't featured in the media anymore and people say that he lost his own way of singing and only sings in Masaya's style.

He still makes music and he does smaller concerts in hotels. Not much is heard about him.

Hideto Matsumoto - Guitarist

Hideto Matsumoto, otherwise known as "hide" as an artist, was born in Kanagawa, Yokosuka in the year 1964, 19th of December. He worked with several bands such as Saver Tiger, X Japan, hide with Spread Beaver and Zilch.

hide was the guitar player of X Japan. He could play totaly synchron with Pata. He was the "bad boy" of the band and was the only one who had still colored hair in the later years. He always tried to provocate with his looks and behaviour. He joined the band in 1987, leaving the band Saver Tiger.

His parents own(ed?) a very small bar and hide had a shop that sells clothes that he had designed or liked. Above this store is a hair dresser in memory of hides grandmother who was a hair dresser.

His younger brother was his chauffeur and also cooked for hide. hide said of himself, that he doesn't like to work or to learn, and also doesn't like sports, but like to watch wrestling on tv.

There are rumours that he married at the age of 22 and got divorced 2 years later after the birth of his son. Since hide didn't like to talk about it nobody knows much.

hide had several solo projects. his first solo album "hide your face" was released in 1994 and the cover was designed by H. R. Giger (Alien), costumes and decorations were made by the japanese special-effect specialist Screaming Mad George (Cocoon).

He released other cds with his band Spread Beaver and played with american musicians in the band Zilch.

hide died on May, 2nd 1998 around 8:30. He reached home at 6:30 and was very drunken. An hour later he was found by his girlfriend, he had tried to hang himself at the door. hide died on the way to the hospital. It was declared as a suicide by police and media, but friends and fans couldn't believe this. There seemed to be no reason, hide had a lot of plans for the future and wasn't depressed that day. Some say that it was an accident because he was so drunken or he wanted to scare his girlfriend. When he was drunken he often did things he wouldn't do otherwise and often was scared afterwards.

hide did a lot for young musicians in Japan and for people with leukaemia. All in Japan were shocked and some fans also tried to commit suicide, one girl died. This made everything even worse, hide loved his fans and he had never wanted that.

Yoshiki came from Los Angeles and helped hides familiy to escape media. At Tsukiji Honganji, a temple in Tokyo where they put hide, he held a speech to support the fans. You could see how hard it was for him. Some days later there was a press conference with the other members and they could barely speak. Again Yoshiki tried to support the fans. He said that he can't believe in the suicide because he and hide wanted to make a new X in 2000. He told the fans to keep hide in their memories and to find the strength to overcome the mourning with the band, the family and the other fans.

On the day of the funeral there were tousands of fans to bring flowers. Unfortunately some tried to commit suicide and two people died in a car accident what made everything even worse. hide's ash was strewn in the ocean in hide's beloved city Los Angeles by his brother Hiroshi. His grave is in Yokosuka on Miura.

Since July there is a hide museum in Yokosuka where hides guitars, his car and other things are shown. Lets hold a place for him in all of our hearts..

~Random unknown facts about hide~

When hide enrolled in primary school, he was overweight and teased by his classmates, and was an outcast.

hide started to like metal music in Secondary II when he listened to KISS.

He bought his first guitar in Secondary III, it was a Gibson guitar and his classmates gave him the nickname 'Gibson'.

hide holds the world record for the longest thrown television... from a hotel window.

In 1997, hide has twice been seriously injured; first he severely broke his skull and then broke his ankles... he was drunk.

Tomoaki Ishizuka (Pata) - Guitarist

Pata was born on November 4th, 1965, in Chiba. Pata is the second guitar player of X. He always looks a little bit sleepy and dreamy. He loves to show himself with a bottle of whiskey. He keeps himself in the background and he really plays great duetts with hide.
Yoshiki once said that he likes to play tennis, so he must be able to run fast, despite his 'slow' behaviour at stage.

In the early years of X he had a 30 cm high wild colored hair style. He wore teared clothes. Later he changed this into wide trouses and shirts. His hair is naturaly brown and very long now.

He now makes solo music. First he played with Tim Bogart as bass player and James Christian as singer. They had english lyrics. After 2 albums with those musician he founded a band Pata's P.A.F. It's only Pata as guitar player and Nob as singer and various guest musicians.

It is also said that Pata was married, has a daughter and was divorced. This is not official. But he has 2 cats named Kotaro and Kotetsu.

In 2001 Pata founded together with heath (X), D.I.E. (hide with spread beaver) and JO:YA the band Dope Headz. In 2002 verliess JO:YA was replaced with Shame. So far they released 2 albums (Primitive Impulse and Planet of the dope) and 2 singles (Glow and True lies)

The only active work I know of, that Pata is in, is with his band, RA:IN (Rock and Inspiration). I have their album "The Line" and they are amazing!

Hiroshi Morie (Heath) - Bassist
(Sorry I don't really have much info on Heath right now, I can never seem to find anything on him. He's one sneaky bastard, I'll tell ya. Finding his real name was a pain in the ass. Oh, go check out his solo work with DOPE HEADz.)

-Ex Members-

Taiji Sawada - Ex-Bassist

Taiji was born Taiji Sawada, in Chiba, Japan, on December 7th, 1966. He was actually living with Yoshiki before joining X with him, in 1987. When they lived together Yoshiki said that he had to ask Taiji to put the cap on the tooth paste tube every single morning.

Taiji strongly asserted the equalitarism in the management of X. Which means equality in both; work and money. Especially from the work side, Taiji complained to Yoshiki that some good songs he wrote with hide weren't accepted on the album Blue Blood. At that time, he was also arrested for charge and injury.

Taiji is fired from X-JAPAN in 1992. He was fired from arguing about the equity of royalties on CD, video and so on. Taiji had strong opinions about management of X, ways to write or song arrangement, etc. He often clashed with Yoshiki. Taiji assumed in his autobiography that Yoshiki was too tired to argue with him.

At that time, many rumors were spread announcing the near death of X, saying the band would not survive with the bassist gone. Yet X-JAPAN would give us 5 more years of great music and concerts.

After being fired from X, he joined the band Loudness, but quit a short time after that.

In 1994, Taiji formed his own band named DTR. It didn't work well and they broke up. Taiji divorced from his wife and starts wandering through Japan.
He said he tried to kill himself two times, but couldn't do it..

In 1998, Taiji went to hide's funeral and met the members of X, which he met for the first time since he was fired.

After all that, Taiji decides to live as a musician again, he joins the tribute album of Cozy Powell.

In May 2000, Taiji releases his autobiography.

Taiji formed a new band, Cloud Nine, only later leaving it. Ironic, eh? They're awesome as well, though.

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Influences: Mainly American and Western Rock or Metal.
Sounds Like: Nothing. Else.
Record Label: Extasy Records
Type of Label: Major