X Japan (エックス ジャパン, Ekkusu Japan^?) is a popular Japanese band founded in 1982 by Toshimitsu "Toshi" Deyama and Yoshiki Hayashi. WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines--> is a prefecture of Japan located in the Greater Tokyo Area. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Glam metal (also known as pop metal) is a sub-genre of Heavy metal music that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States. Speed metal is a sub-genre of Heavy metal music originating in the late 1970s and early 1980s that was the direct musical progenitor of Thrash metal. Symphonic metal or opera metal is a term used to describe Heavy metal music that has symphonic elements that is elements that sound similar to a Thrash metal (sometimes referred to simply as thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized by its fast tempo and aggression In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Extasy Records is an Independent record label founded in April 1986 by Yoshiki Hayashi, co-founder of the group X Japan (then still named "X" is Sony 's music arm in Japan. SMEJ is independent from the worldwide Sony BMG joint venture due to its strength in the Japanese music industry Atlantic Records ( Atlantic Recording Corporation) is an American Record label best known for its many recordings of Rhythm & blues, Rock globe is a dance-oriented Japanese pop band formed in 1995 by producer and songwriter Tetsuya Komuro. is a Japanese heavy metal band formed in 1981 by Guitarist Akira Takasaki and Drummer Munetaka Higuchi RAIN (typeset RaIN ( Rock and Inspiration) is a Japanese Instrumental rock band Zilch was an alternative / Industrial rock band formed in 1998 by Hideto "Hide" Matsumoto (formerly in X Japan) Ray McVeigh (formerly better known by his Stage name Toshi, is one of the founders and the vocalist of popular band X Japan, which disbanded in 1997 and then reunited after an 11 better known under his Stage name "Pata" is a musician and Songwriter and was formerly featured on Rhythm guitar and Lead guitar in the better known under is Stage name "Heath" is a musician Songwriter and member of the popular band X Japan. is a Musician, Songwriter and producer. Throughout his professional career usually referred to by his Given name only he is primarily known for co-founding is a Japanese Musician and Songwriter. Throughout his professional career usually referred to by his Given name only he is primarily known for his was a popular Japanese musician More commonly known by his Stage name hide ( pronounced /hee For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. better known by his Stage name Toshi, is one of the founders and the vocalist of popular band X Japan, which disbanded in 1997 and then reunited after an 11 is a Musician, Songwriter and producer. Throughout his professional career usually referred to by his Given name only he is primarily known for co-founding ^[1] Originally named X (エックス), the group achieved its breakthrough success in 1989 with the release of their second album Blue Blood. Blue Blood is an album released by X Japan on April 21, 1989. They started out as a power/speed metal band and later gravitated towards a progressive sound, at all times retaining an emphasis on ballads. Power metal is a style of Heavy metal music combining characteristics of traditional metal with Thrash metal or Speed metal, often within Speed metal is a sub-genre of Heavy metal music originating in the late 1970s and early 1980s that was the direct musical progenitor of Thrash metal. Progressive metal (often referred to simply as prog metal) is a sub-genre of Heavy metal music which blends the powerful guitar-driven sound of metal with the complex After three more albums, X Japan disbanded in 1997.

Besides being one of the first Japanese acts to achieve mainstream success while on an independent label,^[2] the group is widely credited for pioneering the visual kei movement,^[3][4] though most of the group's members toned down their on-stage attire in later years. refers to a movement among Japanese musicians, that is characterized by the use of eccentric sometimes flamboyant looks ^[5] As of 2007, the band has sold over twenty million records and over two million home videos. Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or hired for home entertainment ^[6]

On June 4, 2007 it was announced the band would reunite^[7] with a new song released via digital download in January 2008^[8] and live performances scheduled for March and May. Events 781 BC - The first historic Solar eclipse is recorded in China. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. IV is a song released by X Japan on January 23, 2008 as a Digital download - single. ^[9]

History

1982–1992: X

Promotional shot of X, showing the group's distinct appearance. (Left to right: Toshi, Taiji, Yoshiki, Pata, Hide. )

X was founded in 1982 while vocalist Toshi and drummer Yoshiki were attending high school together. High school is the name used in some parts of the world (in particular Scotland, North America and Australia) to describe an institution The band began to actively perform live in the Tokyo area in 1985, its lineup at that time being completed by a number of changing support musicians. officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. A sideman is a professional Musician who is hired to perform or record with a group of which he is not a regular member A first single, titled "I'll Kill You" was released on Dada Records in June and in November of the same year, the group contributed the song "Break the Darkness" to the samplers Heavy Metal Force III. " I'll Kill You " is the debut single of X Japan and was released in June 1985 A sampler is a type of Compilation album generally offered at a reduced price to showcase a selection of artists signed to a particular record label ^[10][11]

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. In Popular music, independent music, often abbreviated as indie, is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels and an autonomous Extasy Records is an Independent record label founded in April 1986 by Yoshiki Hayashi, co-founder of the group X Japan (then still named "X" is a single released by X Japan on April 1, 1986. The title track as well as "X" would later be re-recorded for the band's second album Blue Blood ^[12] The songs "Stab Me in the Back" and "No Connexion", recorded for the 1987 Victor Records sampler Skull Thrash Zone Volume I^[11] mark the group's first material featuring Tomoaki "Pata" Ishizuka as a support guitar player. Victrola redirects here For other uses see Victrola (disambiguation The Victor Talking Machine Company ( 1901 – 1929 better known under his Stage name "Pata" is a musician and Songwriter and was formerly featured on Rhythm guitar and Lead guitar in the He formally joined the group later that year. Likewise, guitarist Hideto "Hide" Matsumoto and bassist Taiji Sawada both briefly performed with X on separate occasions before completing the group's first steady lineup. was a popular Japanese musician More commonly known by his Stage name hide ( pronounced /hee is a Japanese Musician and Songwriter. Throughout his professional career usually referred to by his Given name only he is primarily known for his ^[10]

On December 26, 1987, the band participated in an audition held by CBS Sony which would lead to a recording contract with the label signed in August of the following year. Events 1481 - Battle of Westbrook - Holland defeats troops of Utrecht. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) An audition is a sample performance by an Actor, Singer, Musician, Dancer or other performer is Sony 's music arm in Japan. SMEJ is independent from the worldwide Sony BMG joint venture due to its strength in the Japanese music industry 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. Vanishing Vision is the debut album of X Japan and was released on April 14, 1988 on Yoshiki Hayashi 's own label Extasy Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) ^[12][10] The band also appeared in a cameo in the film Tokyo Pop, starring Carrie Hamilton and Diamond Yukai. For the "brief appearance" see Cameo appearance. For the "chemical emergency software" see Computer-Aided Management of Emergency 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 Carrie Hamilton ( December 5, 1963 in New York City – January 20, 2002, in Los Angeles) was an American is a rock singer and actor His original name is Yutaka Tadokoro (田所豊 Tadokoro Yutaka) ^[10]

X's second album Blue Blood was released on April 21, 1989 and spawned several singles, such as "Kurenai" and "Endless Rain", as well as the group's first home video release, a VHS titled Blue Blood Tour Bakuhatsu Sunzen Gig, containing one of the concerts of the subsequent tour. Blue Blood is an album released by X Japan on April 21, 1989. Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date) Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) is a single released by X Japan on September 1, 1989. Originally featured on the band's debut Vanishing Vision, this version is based on " Endless Rain " is a single released by X Japan on December 1, 1989. Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or hired for home entertainment Blue Blood Tour Bakuhatsu Sunzen Gig is a live VHS released by X Japan on June 1, 1989. Recordings for the follow-up album Jealousy took place in Los Angeles. Jealousy is an album released by X Japan on July 1, 1991. It is noted for being the band's most diverse album in terms of songwriting credits Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West ^[13] It was released on July 1, 1991 and followed by the band's first performance in Japan's largest indoor concert venue, the Tokyo Dome. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Tokyo Dome (東京ドーム Tōkyō Dōmu,) is a 55000-seat Also the famous band X Japan held their three-day long reunion concerts there in the end of March 2008 ^[14] Footage from most of the band's numerous show in that stadium would later be released on CD and VHS/DVD. A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an Optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is ^[15]

By 1992 the band's 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. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Around the same time Taiji left the group and was replaced by Hiroshi "Heath" Morie. better known under is Stage name "Heath" is a musician Songwriter and member of the popular band X Japan. ^[16] Taiji went on to work with Loudness and Cloud Nine. is a Japanese heavy metal band formed in 1981 by Guitarist Akira Takasaki and Drummer Munetaka Higuchi

1993–1997: X Japan

The X Japan logo, used by the band's after the name change in 1992.

For the release of its next album, X Japan left Sony and signed a deal with Atlantic Records. Atlantic Records ( Atlantic Recording Corporation) is an American Record label best known for its many recordings of Rhythm & blues, Rock Art of Life was released on August 28, 1993, notable for containing only the 29 minutes long title track, which would only be performed three times for a live audience. Art of Life is an album released by X Japan on August 28, 1993. Events 475 - The Roman General Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his Capital Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) ^[17][18] Another studio album was not released until November 4, 1996, though Dahlia contained relatively little new material, given that singles included on the record had been coming out as early as a few months after Art of Life. Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Dahlia is an album released by X Japan on November 4, 1996. It is the band's last full-length studio record and is largely comprised of Around that time, the group dropped most of its original visual kei aesthetics in favor of a more casual look. refers to a movement among Japanese musicians, that is characterized by the use of eccentric sometimes flamboyant looks ^[5] Dahlia would be the band's last major release, since vocalist Toshi had decided to leave the group,^[19] a subsequent dissolution being 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 Eves the group performed in that stadium. New Year's Eve is on December 31, the final day of the Gregorian year and the day before New Year's Day. ^[14]

Much has been made of Toshi's departure, including allegations of him joining a cult and being influenced by it. This article does not discuss "cult" in the original sense of "veneration" or "religious practice" for that usage see Cult (religious practice Toshi has since refuted such claims, stating that his decision to leave X Japan dated back as far as April 1996, more than a year before he met the organization's leader, Masaya and that the glamorous, success-oriented life of a rock star failed to satisfy him emotionally, as opposed to a simpler life and career. ^[19]

Post Breakup & solo projects 1998 - 2007

While reissues, compilations and live footage continued to be released,^[20] the members of X Japan pursued various other projects: Hide, who had been releasing solo albums since 1994's Hide Your Face, continued his solo career as Hide 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. Hide Your Face is the first Solo album by Hide and was released on February 23, 1994. Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of But the new group did not last long, due to Hide's death in May 1998. ^[3]

Toshi has released several solo albums, along with numerous acoustic performances for smaller audiences. Acoustic music refers to music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means as opposed to Electronic means According to his website, his Utatabi Traveling Concert tour has included over 3. 000 concerts, between 1999 and 2003. ^[21][19]

Pata and Heath, along with Spread Beaver percussionist/programmer I. Programming is a form of Music production and performance using Electronic devices often sequencers or Computer programs to generate music N. A. , founded Dope Headz in 2001 which released two albums but then ceased activity. The trio also provided a track for the Hide tribute album Tribute Spirits. ^[22] Heath is currently pursuing a solo career and Pata is a member of RAIN (Rock and Inspiration). RAIN (typeset RaIN ( Rock and Inspiration) is a Japanese Instrumental rock band

Before the X Japan breakup, Yoshiki had already independently collaborated with Queen drummer Roger Taylor on the single "Foreign Sand"^[23] and provided the Japanese contribution to the international Kiss tribute album Kiss My Ass, an orchestral arrangement of the song "Black Diamond". Queen were an English rock band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist Roger Taylor (born Roger Meddows-Taylor on July 26, 1949 in Dersingham, Norfolk later moved to Kings Lynn is an English Musician Kiss (also typeset as KISS) is an American rock band formed in New York City in December 1972 Kiss My Ass Classic Kiss Regrooved is a 1994 Tribute album, featuring a variety of artists covering songs by the American rock band Kiss. An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string brass woodwind sections and possibly a percussion section as well "Black Diamond" is a song by Kiss credited to Paul Stanley, even though it is said that it was co-written with Gene Simmons. ^[24] A compilation with orchestral treatments of X Japan songs, titled Eternal Melody was also released. Eternal Melody is the first classical album released by Yoshiki Hayashi on April 21, 1993. It was performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and among others featured The Beatles producer George Martin as an arranger. The London Philharmonic Orchestra ( LPO) based in London, is one of the major Orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 Sir George Henry Martin CBE (3 January 1926 is a British record producer arranger and Composer. ^[25]

Since 1998 Yoshiki has engaged in numerous activities, such as being briefly a member of the pop band Globe,^[26] producing singles for the Korean rock band TRAX^[27] and working on his solo project Violet UK, which as of 2007 has not yet published a major release. globe is a dance-oriented Japanese pop band formed in 1995 by producer and songwriter Tetsuya Komuro. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. TRAX was a four-member rock band but now it is currently a three-member South Korean rock band formed in the summer of 2004 by SM Entertainment and formerly produced He has also contributed music to the movie Catacombs and will be producing the soundtrack of Repo! The Genetic Opera. Repo! The Genetic Opera is a Rock opera film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. ^[28] On May 25, 2007, the formation of the supergroup Skin was announced, which besides Yoshiki consists of pop/rock artists Gackt and Miyavi, as well as former Luna Sea guitarist Sugizo. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. SuperGroup is a Reality show on the channel VH1. The show puts together five Heavy metal musicians packed into a large mansion that must play a show after is a Japanese Musician, Songwriter and Actor. Usually referred to by his Stage name only he is best known for his work with Malice Mizer Miyavi (born September 14, 1981, in Konohana-ku Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese rock guitarist currently known for his Luna Sea is a Japanese rock band It was formed in 1989 by Ryuichi Kawamura, Yasuhiro "Sugizo" Sugihara, Shinobu "Inoran" born on July 8, 1969 in Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan) is a Japanese musician The band gave its debut at the Anime Expo convention in Long Beach, California on June 29, 2007. Anime Expo, abbreviated AX, is an Anime convention that usually takes place on the July 4 weekend for four days each year in Southern California Long Beach is a city located in southern California, USA, on the Pacific coast Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[29]

Since 2007: Reunion

X Japan during the recording of the "I. V. " video in 2007.

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. ^[30] An X Japan reunion was officially confirmed on June 4, 2007, with Yoshiki announcing a tour, as well as a new single (a re-recording of the song "Without You", originally from Yoshiki's 2005 solo album Eternal Melody II) to be underway and that he was in talks with Heath and Pata regarding their participation. Events 781 BC - The first historic Solar eclipse is recorded in China. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[7]

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. Events 202 BC - Hannibal Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is defeated by the Roman legions under Scipio Africanus Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. A shopping mall or shopping centre is a building or set of buildings that contain Retail units with interconnecting Walkways enabling visitors is a large Artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, across the Rainbow Bridge from central Tokyo. officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. V. " was filmed. "I. V. " also appears on the soundtrack of the movie Saw 4. Saw IV is the fourth installment in the ''Saw'' series. The film was initially released on October 25 2007 and in the United States on October 26 2007 It is written by Yoshiki and recorded with all living X Japan members of the pre-breakup lineup. Previously unreleased guitar tracks by Hide were used for the lead guitar part. ^[31][32] "I. V. " was released through the iTunes on January 23, 2008, topping the store's daily charts on that day. The iTunes Store is a software-based online Digital media store operated by Apple Inc Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[33] It is also set to be included in an upcoming greatest hits compilation, along with the previously announced "Without You". A greatest hits album (sometimes referred to as a " best of " album is a Compilation album of successful previously released Songs by a particular ^[8] When asked whether there would be further new material Yoshiki gave it a "fifty-fifty" chance. ^[34][35] Regarding the vacant lead guitar part it was initially stated in June 2007 that about ten guitarists were to fill in for the late Hide during concerts, yet no names were mentioned. ^[7] Yoshiki was later quoted that a guitarist not from Japan and/or a "new face" may be performing with the band. ^[36]

X Japan fans gathered around Tokyo Dome before a concert on March 30, 2008. Tokyo Dome (東京ドーム Tōkyō Dōmu,) is a 55000-seat Also the famous band X Japan held their three-day long reunion concerts there in the end of March 2008 Events 240 BC - 1st recorded Perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common

On January 20, 2008 two Tokyo Dome concert dates were announced, March 28 and March 30 respectively. Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[9] A third show, scheduled for March 29, was later added to accommodate demand. ^[37] The March 28 concert aired live on the pay television channel WOWOW, with a DVD release set to follow,^[38] guitarists performing with X Japan during these three concerts were Wes Borland of Black Light Burns, Richard Fortus of Guns N' Roses and Sugizo,^[39][33] in addition to the use of old live footage of Hide. WOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. Wesley Louden Borland (born February 7, 1975 in Richmond, Virginia) is a musician best known as the former Guitarist in the band Black Light Burns is an industrial rock band featuring Wes Borland (formerly of Limp Bizkit, Big Dumb Face, Eat the Day Richard Fortus (born November 17, 1966) is a professional guitarist who is most famous for being rhythm guitarist in Guns N' Roses. Guns N' Roses is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 born on July 8, 1969 in Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan) is a Japanese musician ^[40][41] Fortus and fellow Guns N' Roses member Robin Finck had previously covered "Endless Rain" as a guitar duet during the Japanese shows of their band's 2007 tour. Robin Finck (born November 7, 1971) is an American guitarist currently the lead guitarist for Nine Inch Nails and since 1998 Guns N' Roses In Popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition ( Performance or Recording) of a previously recorded commercially released " Endless Rain " is a single released by X Japan on December 1, 1989. Borland later commented on his blog that he felt "honored to have been part of the experience". A blog (a contraction of the term " Web log " is a Web site, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary descriptions of ^[42]

Due to technical difficulties 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. A news conference or press conference is a Media event in which newsmakers invite journalists to hear them speak and most often ask questions Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[40][41] X Japan also performed at the Hide Memorial Summit, a two-day tribute concert that was held on May 3 and May 4 at the Tokyo Stadium and feature about twenty artists, including Dir en grey, Luna Sea and T.M. Revolution. For the current football stadium see Ajinomoto Stadium. Tokyo Stadium was a Stadium in Arakawa, Tokyo, Japan. Dir en grey is a Japanese band formed in 1997 and currently signed to Firewall Div Luna Sea is a Japanese rock band It was formed in 1989 by Ryuichi Kawamura, Yasuhiro "Sugizo" Sugihara, Shinobu "Inoran" is a Japanese singer and Actor. He performs as TMRevolution (TMR which stands for. ^[43][9] 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 have also been confirmed. Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG, and known colloquially as The Garden, has been the name of four Arenas in New York City. The City of New York Taipei World Trade Center, TWTC was started in January 1986 by Taiwan 's foremost trade promotion organization the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of ^[44][45] Rumours began to circulate of other tour dates in South Korea and Hong Kong with official websites regarding these performances starting to surface on the internet. Press coverage has continued on the subject and it has been reported that Yoshiki is suffering from an undisclosed phyiscal injury which prevents him from plane travel. A recent extension on these reports claims that the injuries are potential resurfacings of previous serious damage to his neck and back and as a result are expected to shelve current concert plans indefinately. It has been reported that in the recent X Japan performances Yoshiki acted against the orders of medical advice, and as a result he is mostly unable to move at his home in Los Angeles, where a team of hand-picked medical staff are currently attending to him. ^[45]

Musical style

 Audio samples

"Kurenai"

A fast song from the album Blue Blood. Blue Blood is an album released by X Japan on April 21, 1989.

Problems listening to the file? See media help.

"Tears"

A ballad from the album Dahlia. Dahlia is an album released by X Japan on November 4, 1996. It is the band's last full-length studio record and is largely comprised of

Problems listening to the file? See media help.

X Japan's music developed in the wake of the success of American and British glam and heavy metal bands^[4] and is characterized by hard-driving speed and thrash compositions (e. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Glam metal (also known as pop metal) is a sub-genre of Heavy metal music that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States. Speed metal is a sub-genre of Heavy metal music originating in the late 1970s and early 1980s that was the direct musical progenitor of Thrash metal. Thrash metal (sometimes referred to simply as thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized by its fast tempo and aggression g. "Kurenai", "Silent Jealousy"), as well as emotional ballads (e. is a single released by X Japan on September 1, 1989. Originally featured on the band's debut Vanishing Vision, this version is based on " Silent Jealousy " is a single released by X Japan on September 11, 1991. In Jazz and Popular music, the term ballad denotes a short Song in a slow Tempo, usually with a romantic or sentimental text though the term g. "Endless Rain", "Forever Love"). " Endless Rain " is a single released by X Japan on December 1, 1989. " Forever Love " is a single released by X Japan on July 8, 1996. ^[1][3] Many of the group's songs make heavy use of piano-driven, orchestrated passages, particularly longer tracks such as the ten and a half minute "Tears" and the twenty-nine minute "Art of Life". The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string brass woodwind sections and possibly a percussion section as well

During live performances the band relies, for the most part, solely on its members (with drummer and pianist Yoshiki switching between instruments) and prerecorded tracks, e. g. for orchestral strings, spoken word passages, and more recently, most of Hide's guitar parts. The string section is the largest body of the standard Orchestra and consists of bowed String instruments of the Violin family. Spoken word is a form of literary Art or artistic performance in which Lyrics, Poetry, or stories are spoken rather than sung ^[15][41]

Members

As with numerous other Japanese bands, the members of X Japan are usually credited with their given or stage names. in modern times usually consist of a Family name ( Surname) followed by a Given name. A stage name, also called a screen name, is a Pseudonym used by Performers and Entertainers such as

• Toshimitsu "Toshi" Deyama (出山利三, Deyama Toshimitsu^?) – vocals
• Tomoaki "Pata" Ishizuka (石塚智昭 Ishizuka Tomoaki) – rhythm guitar
• Hiroshi "Heath" Morie (森江博 Morie Hiroshi) – bass (since 1992)
• Yoshiki Hayashi (林佳樹 Hayashi Yoshiki) – drums and piano

Former members

• Taiji Sawada (沢田泰司 Sawada Taiji) – bass (until 1992)
• Hideto "Hide" Matsumoto (松本秀人 Matsumoto Hideto) – lead guitar (until 1997)

Discography

Main article: X Japan discography

Further reading

• Uchuu o Kakeru Tomo E: Densetsu no Bando X no Sei to Shi (宇宙を翔ける友へ: 伝說のバンド X の生と死) by Taiji Sawada, Tokuma Shoten, 2000, ISBN 978-4198611743
• Hide Days, by Takarajimasha, 2003, ISBN 4796627464

References

External links

• Official X Japan website (Japanese)
• X Japan at MySpace
• Official Extasy Records website