Yoshiki
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| Yoshiki Hayashi
<tr style="text-align: center;"><td colspan="3">Image:Yoshiki laugh.jpg Yoshiki at Otakon 2006 </td></tr>
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| Background information
<tr><td>Birth name</td><td colspan="2">林 佳樹 (Hayashi Yoshiki?)</td></tr><tr><td>Origin</td><td colspan="2">Tateyama, Chiba, Japan</td></tr><tr><td>Genre(s)</td><td colspan="2">Rock and Roll |
Yoshiki Hayashi (林 佳樹 Hayashi Yoshiki?) is a Japanese musician-superstar and rock icon. He is most renowned as a founding member of the legendary band X Japan, and considered by some to be one of the most influential drummers in rock history. He was the composer of most of X Japan's songs; he composed speed metal songs like Kurenai and I'll Kill You, slow ballads like Endless Rain, power ballads like Tears and a 29 minute-long song, Art of Life. He also played the piano in the band. He is considered to be by some the most influential artist in Asia.<ref>Guest:Musical. Otakon Web Site.</ref>
Yoshiki has sold 50 million albums as a producer. He was trained in classical piano from a very early age, and groomed in other musical abilities. In April, 1986 he founded his own label, Extasy Records. One on One Recording was a studio where Yoshiki recorded Foreign Sand single with Queen's Roger Taylor. Later, the studio was sold and renamed Brooklyn Recording, and Yoshiki bought it in 2000. At the present time Extasy Records has two studios: Extasy Records International and Extasy Records North Recording Studios.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early Years
Yoshiki Hayashi was born in Tateyama, Chiba, Japan. He started playing the piano at the age of 4 with parental support. Some years later he went to a live show of KISS in Japan. Yoshiki liked it so much he started listening to hard-rock bands. Later, his father bought him a drum set. When Yoshiki was ten years old his father committed suicide; he was 33 years old. This tragedy and the ensuing trauma threw Yoshiki completely into his music. In an interview in 1999, Yoshiki said that his father committed suicide because of the money problems of his family. He grew long hair and took up playing the drums to release his anger and pain. He became a great fan of American bands, particularly KISS.
[edit] Role in X Japan
While in middle school Yoshiki came to enlist childhood friend Toshimitsu Deyama as a member of his rock band X. A handful of other members came and went, but in 1986 the lineup finally emerged with Yoshiki on drums and piano, Toshi on vocals, Hideto Matsumoto (hide) on guitar, Tomoaki Ishizuka (Pata) on guitar, and Taiji Sawada on bass.
In 1986 Yoshiki's mother sold her business (a kimono shop) to promote the band. Their music was too angry and aggressive for an existing label to support, so they started their own label called Extasy Records. By 1987 the band was taking off with the hit singles Orgasm and I'LL KILL YOU. The next year their first album VANISHING VISION followed. On September 1, 1989 the band's song Kurenai placed 5th in its first week on the Oricon Charts. They were the first indie band to reach the chart. In 1992 the band changed its name from X to X Japan. The reason was so that people wouldn't get them confused with bands named X in Australia and Los Angeles, USA. At this time, Taiji (bass) left the band and was replaced with Heath. The band reached its final and best known line-up.
Just some days before they took their final name, Yoshiki started composing the final version of Art of Life, while the other members where preparing their solo careers. After some months they released the album Art of Life, containing only one 34-minute song. This song was a great success in Japan.
The band's appearance became milder. They no longer had spiky hair by the time they held the legendary concert in Tokyo Dome in 1992, Hanmettsu ni Mukatte (On the Verge of Destruction), though most of the members retained their long hair. Around 1995 Yoshiki cut his long hair and kept it short. The only member who still retained a sense of psychedelic appearance was hide, being famous for his short pink-and-black hair and eccentric personality.
In 1997 Toshi decided to leave the band. On 22 September 1997 the band announced their dissolution and had their final concert at the Tokyo Dome in December of that year. The concert, called The Last Live, was almost a replica of their earlier Dahlia Tour, but with an unprecedented sad ambiance. After the band broke up Yoshiki and Toshi went their separate ways. Yoshiki continued to run his company. X Japan left the stage as Japan's most influential and imitated band ever.
[edit] After X Japan
Even during the throes of X Japan's wild popularity, he managed to scout out and promote other Japanese rock bands of notable worth (e.g. Luna Sea, Glay around '92-'93, Dir en grey around '98). With the role of "musician" so suddenly retired, Yoshiki was able to focus and hone his efforts as a producer. After the sudden death of hide on 2nd May 1998, Yoshiki fell into a great depression, and vowed never to play the drums again. He moved to Los Angeles and stayed out of the public for 2 years.
In 2000, he opened up Extasy Records International and Extasy Records North (a recording studio) in Hollywood, California. He considered a memorial concert for hide to be done in 2002, but cancelled it due to it being too 'commercial'. Yoshiki was at work once more, this time to finalize a private project he had been working on for 10 years called Violet UK. "Violet UK" was scheduled to be released on the 22nd of September, 2005, the 8-year anniversary of the disbanding of X Japan, but the release never happened.
2002 also saw Yoshiki's return to the pop music scene by joining the Japanese pop band globe (always in lowercase), which he later left in 2005. Yoshiki has worked with many other famous musicians in various smaller projects. Some of these include collaborations with Tetsuya Komuro to form the band V2 which only released one single, George Martin (producer of The Beatles) in the production of Eternal Melody around '92, and Roger Taylor (of Queen) in production of the song Foreign Sand. He has expressed his creativity through various avenues. He shook hands with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who claims to be a huge fan of X Japan, during campaign season. In 2004, Yoshiki recruited Korean rock band, The TRAX, and to this day, he continues work as their producer.
Fans of Yoshiki may remember him most from his heavy visual days with X Japan, when his extreme personal style and effeminate dress was almost a literal representation of the Japanese bishounen aesthetic. He was then an enigmatic man who could be a demon tearing up his drums one moment, and be a gentle, living doll seated before a crystal piano the next. Nowadays Yoshiki prefers to stand behind the curtains and spends his time between Tokyo, Japan, and Los Angeles, California.
On March 24, 2005, Yoshiki conducted an orchestra and performed his song I'll be your love in an opening celemony of World Expo in Aichi Prefecture. This song is the official theme song of the Expo.
On June 20, 2006, Otakon announced that Yoshiki would be visiting the convention to do a panel and autograph session. At Otakon on August 5, 2006 Yoshiki announced he will be forming a band with the Japanese musician Gackt. That same day, a line started for Yoshiki's 2pm autograph session at 11:00 a.m. Hundreds of Yoshiki's fans lined up for his autograph, and Yoshiki continued to sign autographs past 4:30 p.m., and hour and a half after he was scheduled to. On August 19, 2006, Yoshiki was present at the Family Values Tour 2006 (Dir en grey was one of the performers) in San Bernardino, California. Always gracious, polite and friendly, he shook hands and took pictures with fans.
On September 24, 2006, it was announced that Yoshiki was to make his Hollywood debut as musical director on the thriller Catacombs, by Saw (movie) producer Gregg Hoffman and starring Shannyn Sossamon. He wrote the ending theme, "Blue Butterfly", which is sung by Violet UK vocalist Nina. Yoshiki had worked on anime and other foreign movies, but this was to be his first international movie project.
[edit] Trivia
- Once a year, Yoshiki goes to Japan to have a dinner with his mother. <ref>Yoshiki Hayashi Information. X Japan.</ref>
- Yoshiki is in the 'Top 5 stars who have done most damages in a hotel room', with $60,000 in only one night.
- Yoshiki was what could be described as a 'problem-child' in his earlier years. A troublemaker around school, Yoshiki recieved poor grades. However, he studied well in high school, notably in math and science. He was supposed to enter conservatory school after completing his high school studies.
- Yoshiki has his own guitar model called BG-Custom New Yoshiki Model.
- He speaks Japanese and English.
- Due to his level of intensity when playing drums, he has broken his neck once and his wrists several times.
- During his X Japan time he played Tama Drums and a Kawai Piano.
- Yoshiki gave his name as Gary Yoshiki (ゲイリー・ヨシキ Geirī Yoshiki?) when he appeared in Takeshi Kitano's variety show by NTV "Tensai Takeshi no Genki ga Deru Terebi!!" (天才・たけしの元気が出るテレビ!!) X Japan Genki Ga Deru Terebi on YouTube
- He is allergic to shellfish and strawberries.
- Yoshiki went to the world premier of Pirates of the Caribbean with the actress Virginia Madsen.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio Singles
- 背徳の瞳 [Haitoku No Hitomi] ~Eyes Of Venus~ / Virginity "V2" (1992.1.18)
- Amethyst (1993.11.3)
- 今を抱きしめて [Ima Wo Dakishimete] "Noa" (1993.11.3)
- Rain "Glay" (1994.5.25)
- Foreign Sand "Roger Taylor" (1994.6.1)
- Moment "Hideki Saijo" (1997.8.6)
- Begin "Shoko Kitano" (1998.6.23)
- 薔薇と緑 [Bara To Midori] "Shoko Kitano" (1998.10.28)
- 深紅の花 [Shinku No Hana] "Shizuka Kudo" (2000.11.8)
- Seize The Light "Globe" (2002.11.27)
- I'll Be Your Love "Dahlia" (2003.10.29)
- Scorpio "The Trax" (2004.12.15)
- Rhapsody "The Trax" (2005.4.20)
- Sex and Religion "Violet UK" (2005.12.19)
[edit] Studio albums
- Yoshiki Selection (1991.12.12)
- Eternal Melody I (1993.4.21)
- A Music Box For Fantasy (1993.7.25)
- Yoshiki Selection II (1996.4.11)
- Eternal Melody II (2005.3.23)
[edit] Compilations by Various Artists
- KISS My Ass (1994.6.21)
- Hide Tribute Spirits (1999.5.1)
- Ai Chikyu-haku Presents Love The Earth (2005.3.30)
For his discography with X Japan please see the page X Japan. For his discography with globe please see the page globe.
[edit] Multimedia
[edit] Video & DVDs
- V2 Special Live Virginity 1991.12.5 (1992.3.25)
- Anniversary (2000.5.18)
- Symphonic Concert 2002.12.4 With Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra Featuring Violet UK (2005.3.30)
[edit] References
<references/>
[edit] External links
- http://www.yoshiki.net - Yoshiki's official webpage
- http://www.myspace.com/Yoshiki - Yoshiki's Myspace account
- http://www.myspace.com/VioletUK - VioletUK's Myspace account
- X-Freaks Fan Forum - A forum for fans of X Japan and/or it's members
| X Japan |
| Members |
|---|
| Toshi | hide | Pata | Heath | Yoshiki |
| Jun | Taiji |
| Discography |
| Studio albums: Vanishing Vision | Blue Blood | Jealousy | Art of Life | Dahlia |
| Singles: I'll Kill You | Orgasm | Kurenai | Endless Rain | Week End | Silent Jealousy | Standing Sex | Say Anything | Tears | Rusty Nail | Longing ~Togireta Melody~ | Longing ~Setsubou no Yoru~ | Forever Love | Crucify My Love | Dahlia | Scars | Forever Love Last Mix | The Last Song |
| Related articles |
| Extasy Records | Violet UK |
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