Official X Japan Thread

[KoreaxxLove]

 

WE ARE X

 

X Japan (エックス・ジャパン Ekkusu Japan) is a Japanese heavy metal band from Chiba, formed in 1982 by Toshi and Yoshiki. Originally named X (エックス Ekkusu), 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 visual kei, a movement among Japanese musicians comparable to Western glam. 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 after ten years, the band reunited in 2007 and recorded the new song "I.V.". Over the next two years they performed several concerts, including their first overseas show in Hong Kong, before holding 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.

 

R.I.P hide and Taiji!

 

 

[neemy]

 

 

<3

[KoreaxxLove]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrc2M7cNPWk

 

Because someone HAS to post this at some point or another ...

[Nikki B.]

One of my old friends introduced me to this group back in 2000.  She gave me this double CD of their last concert before hide passed away.  I thought 'WOW'! 

[Stargazer1]

An excellent band that I wish would be more active. 

[KoreaxxLove]

One of my old friends introduced me to this group back in 2000.  She gave me this double CD of their last concert before hide passed away.  I thought 'WOW'! 

 

The Last Live concert is unbelievably sad. It's sooooo beautiful. 

[KoreaxxLove]

An excellent band that I wish would be more active. 

 

Yoshiki is always talking about recording. I'm hoping it's for X Japan, but who knows. Their album is long overdue.  :ohdear:

[neemy]

i want to get the last live collectors box

 

i also wish i had seen them when they came to LA ;-;

[Stargazer1]

Yoshiki is always talking about recording. I'm hoping it's for X Japan, but who knows. Their album is long overdue.  :ohdear:

 

Yes, it sooooooooooooooooooooooo overdue. I like gave up hope on them releasing new stuff. 

i want to get the last live collectors box

 

i also wish i had seen them when they came to LA ;-;

Yoshiki lives in LA. Why can't they come to LA?????

XJAPAN is in my list of the bands I want to see live. 

[Nikki B.]

The Last Live concert is unbelievably sad. It's sooooo beautiful. 

YES!  Was this thread over on the old forum?

[KoreaxxLove]

YES!  Was this thread over on the old forum?

 

I don't know.  :0u0plz:

[neemy]

i don't think it was

[Nyokou]

Yeah, there was no X Japan thread on H8... Was planning on making one but then... yeah... Glad there is one here though. I love them~

[KoreaxxLove]

So, what do you think X Japan's upcoming press conference will be about? 

[neemy]

hmmmm idk, when is it??

[KoreaxxLove]

hmmmm idk, when is it??

May 20th. 1 PM. Tokyo

[Nyokou]

Hopefully a new album. Possibly another memorial concert.

[neemy]

so it was about the other members having wax figures at madame tussauds

http://natalie.mu/music/news/90967

 

 

they also mentioned the possibility of a world tour in 2014 (well i'm not sure about this one since it was from a fan report)

[Nyokou]

http://www.jpopasia.com/news/x-japan-announces-second-world-tour::14020.html
 

X-JAPAN has announced at a press conference in Tokyo at Madame Tussauds, where the bands new likeness' were revealed in wax on May 20th, a second world tour, including possibly playing at some festivals in 2014.
 
You may be asking, where is Toshi's wax figure? well, due to timing and scheduling conflicts, his has been delayed but will be finished soon, he is hoping in June.
 
Press Conference can be viewed here:
 

Another vid

 

 

 

 

[Nyokou]

[Garnet]

Interview: X Japan Bandleader Yoshiki Hayashi Talks Next Album, Neck Braces, and More

Revolver Magazine

 

By Natalie Perez

 

X Japan, one of the most influential heavy-metal bands within Japanese history, have kept their fans patiently waiting for  a new album for two decades–the group’s last studio record, the ballad-heavy Dalia, was released in 1996. In 2011, the group dropped a new single “Jade,†and at the time, X Japan’s leader, songwriter, drummer, and pianist had said, “This is a years-long dream of X Japan’s, to release a record in America and in Europe,†adding, “Music is very powerful, and we believe it can help us bridge the gap between east and west. We hope that ‘Jade’ will be the first step.†Revolver caught up with Hayashi to get the details on the band’s latest steps.

 

REVOLVER Can you introduce yourself, and tell me what role you play in X Japan?
YOSHIKI HAYASHI Google me. [Laughs] Sorry, I’m joking. I’m the drummer, pianist, and leader of the band.

 

Can you tell me what the music scene is like in Chiba, Japan, are there any bands from there you could recommend?
Chiba is next to Tokyo. It’s pretty much the same as what’s going on in Tokyo. I check some Japanese bands once in a while, but it’s hard to name a few.

 

Do you think not being from a big city like LA or NY influences your sound?
I grew up in a place called Tateyama, which is a small town near the ocean. But my parents bought me bunch of vinyl records when I was a child. It’s not so much that I was influenced by the place but was influenced by my father who bought me a lot of classical music vinyl records. Then when he died, that’s when I discovered rock music myself.

 

You guys were once known as X then changed it to X Japan. What does this name symbolize and mean?
Yes, we started off as X. But when we first came to the US, we found out that there is a band called X, so we named our band X Japan. It means where we came from. We just thought the sound of it was cool as well.

 

Can you tell me why you wear a neck brace in all of your performances?
Because of the drum style I’ve been playing, I injured my neck. A few years ago, I had a major neck surgery. My doctor told me not to play drums anymore but I still decided to go on a tour. He said that it was suicidal to do that, but if I had to play, he told me I must at least wear a neck brace. But to be honest, I don’t know how many shows I can play till it breaks. [Laughs]

In 2010, you did a North American tour, and in 2011, European, Latin American, and Southeast Asian tours. When can we expect to see you guys return to these parts of the world?
Let me just say it’s in the works. Each member of X Japan has its own management so it makes my job very difficult, getting everyone together to even talk. But now I can say I’m pretty sure we will start touring again next year.

Tell me about your English-language debut single, the song “Jade.â€

I wanted to describe a new style of X Japan, and still contain the beautiful melodies and aggressiveness, as well as heavy sounds. But I also wanted to make a statement that X Japan is evolving.

 

 

Where are you in the recording process of the new album?
I’m just waiting for a few members’ schedule to complete the remaining parts. So unless I come up with another new song, it’s pretty much done.

 

How does it make you feel to be creating an English-language album. Is it something you guys have always wanted to do?
Even these days I intentionally write some parts in Japanese, but English comes naturally when I think about rhyming and how it flows. On top, of that I’ve been living in the US for more than 15 years, so it was very organic to write the lyrics in English.

 

Who is producing the album? How has the producer aided the recording process?
I think we have a notorious producer who doesn’t finish the album. Please blame him, don’t blame me…. Well, the other side of me. Every record we made has had such an impact in the scene, including us. So we just don’t want to create an album that we look back and say, “It was just one of those albums.†We want the album to have a significant meaning and impact for us.

 

Source: http://www.revolvermag.com/news/interview-x-japan-bandleader-yoshiki-hayashi-talks-next-album-neck-braces-and-more.html

[Nikki B.]

X JAPAN announces Madison Square Garden Concert this October

 

 

Last night at his solo classical concert performance at San Francisco's Davies Hall, YOSHIKI announced that his iconic band X Japan will perform at New York's Madison Square Garden on October 11, 2014.  

 

The concert announcement comes as YOSHIKI embarks on his first ever Yoshiki Classical World Tour, on which YOSHIKI will perform 13 concert dates in 10 countries. 

 

X Japan, who pioneered the Visual Kei genre, last played the United States in 2011. 

 

The record breaking Japanese rock band has sold out Japan's Tokyo Dome, seating 55,000, a record 18 times and surpassed 30 million albums and singles combined. Ticketing details will be announced soon. 

 

For more information please visit www.Yoshiki.net.

 

Cr:  tokyohive

 

 

 

Edited June 22, 2014 by Nikki B.

[Moon Jellyfish]

Wow I didn't know we had a thread for X Japan. Hi everyone :D

[Nyokou]

This thread is very dead though. .__. lol

[parasyte]

would love to attend one of their live shows.