| How it started | |
| Yoshiki was the bandleader and founder of X Japan. It is not an overstatement to call X Japan a legend. With their radical style they were one of the first Visual bands in Japan. With their unique music style covering a wide spectrum from heavy metal to ballads, from alternative rock to symphonic sounds, they created something new and they inspired many other bands and still do. Of course the tremendous success of X Japan didn't come over night: | |
It all started when Yoshiki asked his friend Toshi if he wants to form a rock band, back then they were kids at school. Influenced by the american hardrock bands like Kiss, they played their first gigs at the culture festivals of their Chiba secondary school. Because they were not able to find the "right" name for their band they decided on "X" as temporary solution. |  |
| . | |
| Indie Years | |
| They released their first demo tape called "I'll Kill You" in 1984, followed by their first EP "I'll Kill You" in 1985. X had problems with getting signed to a record label because their image and sound was too aggressive and outstanding. There was only one way: Yoshiki founded his own record label, Extasy Records. A few months later, in April 1986 he released the Orgasm EP on Extasy Records, combined with a tour to get more recognition. The lineup back then was Toshi, Yoshiki & Taiji. Pata first only helped the band out, because their guitarist had an accident, before becoming an official member. | |
1987 Pata became an official member and hide joined the band. They finally were able to release their first album “Vanishing Vision” in 1988 which had to be repressed because it sold out. X were able to gain standing with the success of “Vanishing Vision” and signed contract with a major label, Sony Records, for their upcoming album, which was released only a year later. |  |
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| Albums as X | |
| 1988 Blue Blood was released as second album, again followed by a tour (the Blue Blood Tour), which was so successful that by the time they finished it, the band was really popular. Many TV shows, interviews, cover stories, etc followed. Due to their increasing popularity they started another tour (Rose & Blood tour) after the release of the single Kurenai (X won the 'New Artist of the Year Award' this year). | |
In 1991, after a seven month lasting recording session in Los Angeles, Jealousy was released as their third album and went straight to number one in the charts. Again a tour (Violence in Jealousy tour) followed the release of the album. In August X Japan played their first concert in the Tokyo Dome. |  |
In January of 1992, X became the first band to sell out the Tokyo Dome on all 3 days, an astonishing success! The live shows of X Japan were always very spectacular, with a lot of drama sometimes and a great atmosphere full of energy. Their live shows, were also partly a reason why the band became so popular. Those 3 days at the Tokyo Dome were the last concerts with Taiji. Differences with the band made Taiji decide to leave the band in January. X had to change their name into “X Japan” to avoid confusion with another band called “X” in America. | |
| . | |
| A new name: X Japan | |
| Becoming more and more popular, X had to change their name into “X Japan” to avoid confusion with another band called “X” in America. It took some time to find the right replacement for Taiji, but a couple of months later Heath joined the band. By the time Heath joined, Yoshiki had a song ready... called "Art Of Life". To call "Art Of Life" a song would be a huge understatement. This musical masterpiece is nearly 30 minutes long and covers Yoshiki's wide musical spectrum. | |
Yoshiki was not only the founder, but also the mastermind of the band and his musical style influenced the music the most, he never stopped improving and changing the music, every album sounds different. X Japan was sort of a musical evolution. 1993, X Japan released the astonishing 29 minute long opus “Art Of Life” as a self titled mini-album, which was again a bis success for the band. Art Of Life was only performed twice live, on the 30th and 31st December 1993. |  |
| After that, X Japan took a well-deserved break and the members used their time to concentrate on their solo projects. They played their traditional New Year's Eve concerts in Tokyo Dome on December 30th and 31st in 1993 and 1994 though. | |
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| Disbanding | |
| After various maxi singles, the 5th album Dahlia was finally released in 1996. X Japan were at the peak of their succes, just then Toshi announced that he was leaving the band. Yoshiki decided that he won't continue the band without Toshi, and on the 22nd September 1997 X Japan held a press conference without Toshi to announce their disbanding and - at the same time - the date of their “Last Live” concert on 31st December 1997. |  |
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| The aftermath | |
| After the disbanding, hide had a very successful career with his solo project "hide with spread beaver", were Pata joined in also. Yoshiki continued to produce various artists. Toshi joined a sect and never was able to reach the same success level as he had with X Japan. X Japan released their last single “The Last Song” in 1998. Yoshiki still had plans to form a “2nd X” with the remaining members. In 1998 a tragedy happened, hide died. And with him of course the plans to form a "2nd X" too. All the members of X Japan joined together for one last time at hide’s memorial and performed “Scars” and “Forever Love”. |
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