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X Japan (エックス ジャパン) was a popular Japanese band founded in the 1980s by drummer and pianist Yoshiki Hayashi and vocalist Toshimitsu "Toshi" Deyama. Originally named X (エックス), the group achieved its breakthrough success in 1989 with the release of their second album Blue Blood. They started out as a power/speed metal band and later gravitated towards a progressive sound, at all times retaining an emphasis on ballads. After three more albums, X Japan disbanded in 1997.

History

X era (1980s - 1992)

X released their first single "I'll Kill You" on Dada Records in 1985. To ensure a continuous outlet for the band's publications, Yoshiki founded the independent label Extasy Records in the following year on which a second single, "Orgasm", was released, as well as the group's debut album, Vanishing Vision in 1988. X's lineup at that time consisted of Toshi on vocals, Hideto "Hide" Matsumoto on lead guitar, Tomoaki "Pata" Ishizuka on rhythm guitar, Taiji Sawada on bass and Yoshiki on drums and piano. The band makes a cameo in the 1988 comedy Tokyo Pop, starring the late Carrie Hamilton and Diamond Yukai.

After being singed on by Sony Records, band's second album Blue Blood was released in 1989 and spawned several successful singles, such as "Kurenai" and "Endless Rain", as well as a VHS containing one of the concerts of the subsequent tour (later re-released on DVD). Recordings for the follow-up album Jealousy took place in Los Angeles. It was released in July 1991 and shortly followed by the band's first performance in Japan's largest live venue, the Tokyo Dome. The show would later be released both on CD and VHS/DVD.

By 1992 the band's ongoing success in Japan made an international breakthrough appear likely enough to warrant the renaming to "X Japan", in order to distinguish the group from the United States punk band X. Around the same time, Taiji was replaced by Hiroshi "Heath" Morie, supposedly due to creative differences with Yoshiki. He went on to work with Loudness and Cloud Nine. While still named X, the band appeared on two heavy metal samplers, Heavy Metal Force III and Skull Thrash Zone Volume I.

X Japan era (1992-1997)

After the first concerts with Heath, Yoshiki started writing their most notable song, "Art of Life" is a carefully crafted progressive rock/metal piece nearly twenty nine minutes in length. The song was released in a mini-album with the same name as the song, the first weeks of its release was a great success in Japan, becoming a best-seller of the band. "Art of Life" was performed live only twice, in the Tokyo Dome on December 30 and 31st, 1993 (This live version lasting over thirty four minutes). This was the first live that Toshi sang with the hair lowered and with a light make up.

X's music, under the caring and determined supervision of Yoshiki, never stopped evolving. Their music ranges from harsh but very emotive speed metal tracks like "Sadistic Desire", "Phantom of Guilt" and "Vanishing Love", to piano ballads such as "Tears" and "Say Anything", to alternative and somewhat more alt-rock tracks from their last period like "Dahlia" and "Rusty Nail". The majority of X Japan tracks were composed by Yoshiki with a handful of pieces composed by Hide as well as some early ones by Taiji.

Yoshiki loved classical music, and this influence is apparent in tracks like "ROSE OF PAIN", "Art of Life" and the symphonic composition "Amethyst". He led a project called Eternal Melody which consisted of X's songs rearranged by George Martin and other arrangers for classical performance. The double album, performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, was released in 1993. Yoshiki also selected some classical pieces for two compilations called Yoshiki Selection and Yoshiki Selection II. He arranged the Kiss song "Black Diamond" into a classical piece for the 1994s Kiss My Ass tribute album.

After releasing their third album they released one of their most famous songs in a single, Tears, this song was played in some TV programs and in the same live as "Art of Life". The last release of X Japan that years was a compilation of most of the singles that the band released during they were called only X, that compilation was called X Singles.

10 July, 1994 they released another single, Rusty Nail, this will be one of the last rock songs of X Japan so in their next album most of the songs were ballads, but Rusty Nail has also some calm parts. And because this was the only new X Japan's songs during 1994 they performed in most of the TV programs they went that year. and because, the song debut at the first position on the Oricon charts. And the last day of 1994 they did a concert in the Tokyo Dome were they played another new song, Longing, and the gave to some people a demo of the song. All this songs were released in their final album, Dahlia.

Dissolution of the band (1997)

After the Dahlia Tour 1996, just when X Japan were at the peak of their success, Toshi announced that he was leaving the band. Since Toshi had been the lead singer since the band's foundation and was an icon of the group it seemed impossible to replace him. X Japan (without Toshi) announced their dissolution at a press conference on 22 September, 1997.

Toshi joined a cult, related to nature and music therapy, led by a man named Masaya. Many say that this cult influenced Toshi's departure from the band. He later continued his solo career, saying that his friend Masaya was an inspiration for his new compositions. There are many rumours surrounding the cult and Toshi's involvement in it. Some even say Toshi was brainwashed. It is said that Toshi sued his brother for libel because he tried to convince Toshi not to spend money on Masaya's cult. This was later disregarded as it was proven that Toshi met Masaya after leaving the band and Masaya was proven to be only a musician. Another theory is that Toshi left the band due to his recent happiness found in marriage and X songs are generally related to grief. The true cause for Toshi's departure remains a mystery. On 31 December, 1997, the band held their last concert at the Tokyo Dome.

After the breakup

After the dissolution of the band, Hide continued his very successful solo career with his band Hide with Spread Beaver, Pata performed with him on occasion. Pata and Heath joined Dope Headz, until their breakup in 2003. Now Heath is a solo artist as well as being in a band called Lynx, and Pata is currently in Rain.

Toshi goes to small places like convalescent homes and senior communities, giving them music he and Masaya did together to help heal the sick. He was in the news around 2004, when he was accused of being involved in child abuse and brainwashing them to do certain errands. Toshi, on his site, claims that those are lies, and that neither he nor anyone with Masaya would ever harm people or anything of the sort.

Yoshiki and Hide were believed to have been secretly planning to resurrect X in 2000, sans Toshi, and were looking for a replacement singer. Tragedy rendered these plans impossible when Hide died in the hospital on May 2, 1998 after a night of hard drinking. He was found hung to a doorknob by a towel. This news stunned Japan's youth; four fans around the country attempted suicide, two of whom died. Much speculation about Hide's death has taken place, but no definitive explanation has been found. An apparent suicide, it is thought by some to be an accidental death, but there is not a clear motive for either suicide or murder. Some speculate that the lyrics to the song "Pink Spider" by Hide, which was set to be released the day after his death, is a suicide note of sorts. Following Hide's demise, Yoshiki entered a state of depression for almost three years, being unable to compose or play.

In late 2000, Yoshiki recovered, and announced the creation of his new project Violet UK, a project involving music, visuals and art. He also collaborated with Roger Taylor in several songs. In 2002 he produced and starred in three commercials for the chain of 24-hour stores 7-Eleven, using some Violet UK music and concepts for those. Unfortunately, as of present, not much else from Violet UK has been shown or released. In the same year, Yoshiki announced he was joining the J-Pop band Globe, to help his long time friend Tetsuya Komuro (in 1991 Yoshiki, on drums, and Komuro, on keyboards and singing, did a musical collaboration under the name of V2, releasing some singles and performing live). At Otakon on August 5, 2006 Yoshiki announced he will be forming a band with the Japanese musician Gackt.

As a side note, former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi had said that he is a big fan of X Japan, which had helped create his image as a different type of politician more in touch with average Japanese citizens.

Live performances

X Japan has always been characterized by having spectacular live shows. In 1982 when the band was formed, they began to play in cultural events and parties, with this X Japan began to obtain a fan base.

The day after the launch of their first album, Vanishing Vision, they sold all the entrances for a concert at the Tokyo Nakano Kohkaido, the band also began their first tour for the disc, called the Vanishing Tour. In 1989 they toured some cities, it was known as the Blue Blood Tour and was to promote their just released album Blue Blood. The tour was a great success.

X Japan released their third album on July, 1st 1991. In January 1992, a concert in the Tokyo Dome attracted lot of people over three nights, this was Taiji's last live performance. Because of him leaving the band, X Japan stopped touring, while they were searching for a new bassist. In the final days of 1993 they did the first major live with Heath on bass, the concert was called X Japan Returns, because they didn't play since 1992. The concert was a success with the Tokyo Dome full for two days.

In the early months of 1995 the band started playing some new songs at Japanese TV programs such as Music Station (and the yearly special, Super Live) and Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ, and later in November, they decided to start the Dahlia Tour (based on their last studio album with the same name). The tour finished on the last two days of the year at the Tokyo Dome. In 1996, with the release of Dahlia, they did another tour called Dahlia Tour Final finishing too at the Tokyo Dome. Finally the band, because of its dissolution did their last live performance at the Tokyo Dome on December 31, 1997, which was known as The Last Live.

Awards

Members

As with numerous other Japanese bands, the members of X Japan were usually credited with their first or stage name.

• Toshimitsu "Toshi" Deyama (出山利三, Deyama Toshimitsu) – Vocals
• Hideto "Hide" Matsumoto (松本秀人 Matsumoto Hideto) – Lead guitar
• Tomoaki "Pata" Ishizuka (石塚智昭 Ishizuka Tomoaki) – Rhythm guitar
• Hiroshi "Heath" Morie (森江博 Morie Hiroshi) – Bass (from 1992)
• Yoshiki Hayashi (林佳樹 Hayashi Yoshiki) – Drums and piano
• Taiji Sawada (沢田泰司 Sawada Taiji) – Bass (1980s - 1992)

Discography

References

1. "Extasy Records company history". extasyrecords.co.jp.
2. "Credits for Tokyo Pop". imdb.com.
3. "Blue Blood Tour DVD re-release information". cdjapan.co.jp.
4. "List of Japanese heavy metal samplers". japanesemetal.gooside.com.
5. "Message". Toshi official website.
6. "Yoshiki, the honored guest at OTAKON 2006". JAME.

External links

• X Japan.ne.jp - The official X Japan website
• X Japan.de - Unofficial X Japan website
• Weekend - Korean X Japan fan club website
• X-Freaks Fan Forum - A forum for fans of X Japan and/or it's members

• Extasy Records homepage
• Yoshiki's official site
• Yoshiki's Myspace
• Yoshiki's unofficial website
• Yoshiki's unofficial website for international fans

• Art of Life analysis
• Nippop Profile|X

• Articles lacking sources from January 2007
• Speed metal musical groups
• Japanese heavy metal musical groups
• Japanese rock music groups
• 1980s music groups
• 1990s music groups
• Musical groups established in 1982
• 1997 disestablishments