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Heath (musician)

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Heath
森江 博
Heath performing with X Japan in São Paulo, Brazil 2011
Background information
Birth nameHiroshi Morie
Also known asHeath
Born (1968-01-22) January 22, 1968 (age 56)
Amagasaki, Hyogo, Japan
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer-songwriter
  • record producer
Instruments
  • Bass guitar
  • vocals
Years active1986–present
LabelsPrimitive, Polydor
Member of
Formerly of
  • Dope HEADz
  • Lynx
  • Media Youth/Sweet Death
  • Paranoia
Websiteheath.co.jp
Japanese name
Kanji森江 博
Hiraganaもりえ ひろし
Transcriptions
RomanizationMorie Hiroshi

Hiroshi Morie (Japanese: 森江 博, Hepburn: Morie Hiroshi, born January 22, 1968 in Amagasaki), known exclusively by his stage name Heath, is a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as bass guitarist of the rock band X Japan. He joined the group in August 1992, replacing Taiji Sawada who left earlier in the year. Heath stayed with X Japan until their dissolution in 1997 and reunited with the band in 2007.

After X Japan's breakup he focused on his solo career. In 2000, he founded Dope HEADz with X Japan guitarist Pata and former Spread Beaver percussionist/programmer I.N.A. The group ceased activity after its second album in 2002.

His stage name comes from his nickname "Hi-chan", which he adopted before 1986.[1]

Career

1986–2006: Early bands, X Japan, solo career and other work

Heath at X Japan's concert at Madison Square Garden, 2014.

Heath's first known band was the heavy metal group Paranoia which he joined in 1986 as bassist.[1] They released one album in 1987 before splitting up, with vocalist Nov moving on to the thrash metal band Aion. In 1988 Heath joined Sweet Beet as vocalist for a year. In 1990 he moved to Tokyo, got introduced to hide of X through a mutual friend, and attended their Nippon Budokan concert.[1]

In 1991 Heath played at Extasy Summit '91, an event put on by X drummer Yoshiki's Extasy Records, with a band called Majestic Isabelle. In April 1992 he joined Sweet Death, whom he had previously played with in 1990. Sweet Death was a band produced by Extasy, that same year the band's new leader Kiyoshi (who years later joined Spread Beaver), decided to change their name to Media Youth. Heath did not stay with them long, because in May hide invited him to join X Japan after a rehearsal with the band.[1]

In June he left Media Youth and on August 24, 1992, at a press conference in New York at Rockefeller Center, it was announced that he had joined X.[2] His first concert with them was the October 1992 Extasy Summit, and the following year they released Art of Life, which topped the Oricon chart.[2][3] However, that year the members of X Japan took a break to start solo projects. Dahlia, which would become the band's last album, was released on November 4, 1996, and once again, it reached the number one spot.[3] In September 1997, it was announced that X Japan would disband. They performed their farewell show, aptly titled "The Last Live", at the Tokyo Dome on December 31, 1997.

In 1995, Heath released his self-titled first solo album. His second, Gang Age Cubist, followed in 1998. For the 1999 hide tribute album, Tribute Spirits, Heath teamed up with X Japan guitarist Pata and former Spread Beaver percussionist/programmer I.N.A. to cover the song "Celebration".[4] He reunited with them in 2000 when they formed Dope HEADz, adding vocalist Jo:Ya. They released two singles and an album in 2002 when they recruited new singer Shame and released Planet of Dope, but ceased activity soon after its release.

On December 29, 2003, the bassist announced a new project called Rats, but after the release of their re-recording of Heath's "Traitor", the project was ended on August 29, 2004. That same year he formed a band called Lynx, with Der Zibet vocalist Issay, but they did not release any recordings. In 2005, Heath restarted his solo activities after a seven-year hiatus.

2007–present: X Japan reunion

Heath at Lollapalooza in 2010

According to a report by the newspaper Sponichi, X Japan vocalist Toshi visited drummer Yoshiki in Los Angeles in November 2006 to work on a song as a tribute to hide.[5] 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.[6] Rumors of a X Japan reunion subsequently began, and in June Yoshiki was reported as having expressed interest in a tour and that he was in talks with Heath and Pata regarding their participation.[5] On October 22, 2007, X Japan announced their reunion and released the Saw IV theme song, "I.V.".[7]

In mid-March 2009, it was reported in the media that Heath was having issues with his personal management agency, that X Japan's concerts in South Korea on the 21st and 22nd were cancelled as a result, and that the bassist might leave the band.[8] On April 20, Heath's offer to withdraw from X Japan was confirmed to Sankei Sports, but it was not accepted by bandleader Yoshiki.[9] The day before their May 2009 Tokyo Dome concerts, Heath explained that he was questioning who he was as an artist, but decided to stay in the band after talking to Yoshiki.[10]

In 2010, X Japan went on their first North American tour from September 25 to October 10.[11] Their first world tour began with four gigs in Europe from June 28 to July 4, 2011, and was resumed from September to October with five shows in South America and five in Asia.[12][13][14]

In response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami that occurred in Japan on March 11, Heath supported X Japan vocalist Toshi in eight concerts throughout western Japan. All of the shows were acoustic in support of nationwide power conservation efforts and also featured Luna Sea's Shinya and the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa. All proceeds were donated to the Japanese Red Cross to aid the victims.[15]

Equipment

Heath's bass guitars at X Japan's São Paulo concert in 2011

Heath uses Fernandes bass guitars; currently using his signature model FJB-115H.[16] He also had a signature model with Burny, produced by Fernandes, the DB-85H. When he first joined X Japan he used a Burny WB-X and then a Burny EB-X from 1993 until getting a signature model.

Discography

Solo
  • Heath (February 22, 1995)
  • "Meikyuu no Lovers" (迷宮のラヴァーズ, October 7, 1996), Oricon Peak Position: #10[17]
Second ending theme for the Detective Conan anime.
  • "Traitor" (February 19, 1997) #35[17]
Theme song for the TV series Toro Asia and the Sega Saturn video game Phantasm.
  • "Crack Yourself" (April 22, 1998) #76[17]
  • Gang Age Cubist (June 10, 1998) #43[18]
  • "New Skin" (2005, CD and DVD)
  • "Come to Daddy" (2005, CD and DVD)
  • "The Live" (2005, CD and DVD)
  • "Solid" (August 25, 2006)
  • Desert Rain (July 16, 2006)
  • "Sweet Blood" (November, 2009, distributed at fan club event Sweet Vibration)
VHS/DVD
  • Heath (February 22, 1995, sold with 1st solo album)
  • Heath of All Films 1995.02.22 ~ 1997.12.31 (December 27, 1998)
Other media
  • Heath (March 30, 1993, music score book)
  • 「Solid」 (January 10, 2005, CD-ROM)
  • Six Nine Cell (2005, CD-ROM)
  • Innosent World (January 1, 2007, CD-ROM)
With Paranoia
  • Come From Behind (1987)
With Dope HEADz
  • "Glow" (February 21, 2001) #35[19]
  • "True Lies" (April 25, 2001) #35[19]
  • Primitive Impulse (June 6, 2001) #20[20]
  • Planet of the Dope (July 24, 2002) #59[20]
With Rats
  • "Traitor" (2004, comes with live documentary DVD, Dirty High)

With X Japan

Main article: X Japan discography

Other work

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Interview: HEATH of X JAPAN". JRock Revolution. Archived from the original on March 27, 2008.
  2. ^ a b "The Jrock Legend: X JAPAN". JRock Revolution. August 26, 2007. Archived from the original on October 23, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
  3. ^ a b "X JAPANのアルバム売り上げランキング". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved March 7, 2013.
  4. ^ "hide TRIBUTE SPIRITS". Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  5. ^ a b "X Japan Reunites for New Single, Tour". Blabbermouth.net. June 2, 2007. Archived from the original on August 12, 2007. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
  6. ^ ""New Project" announcement". iyashi-no-concert.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2007. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
  7. ^ "Official announcement of X Japan's Aqua City performance". xjapan.ne.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 23, 2007. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
  8. ^ "「Ｘ ＪＡＰＡＮ」ＨＥＡＴＨ脱退避けられない？". Sponichi (in Japanese). March 14, 2009. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  9. ^ "制作運営管理委がＨＥＡＴＨ脱退説を否定". Sankei Sports (in Japanese). April 21, 2009. Archived from the original on April 22, 2009. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  10. ^ "X JAPANにSUGIZO正式加入！HEATHは脱退を撤回". Natalie (in Japanese). May 1, 2009. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  11. ^ "X Japan confirms North American tour details". The Independent. London. August 19, 2010. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
  12. ^ "X Japan World Tour – London, Paris, then Berlin". bionicbong.com. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
  13. ^ "X JAPAN's World Tour to extend into South America". tokyohive.com. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
  14. ^ "X JAPAN puts on a spirited show at 'SUMMER SONIC'". tokyohive.com. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
  15. ^ "X Japan's Toshi to hold charity concert tour". bionicbong.com. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  16. ^ "heath - FERNANDES OFFICIAL WEBSITE". Fernandes Official Website. Archived from the original on December 4, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
  17. ^ a b c "heathのシングル売り上げランキング". oricon.co.jp. Archived from the original on February 18, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
  18. ^ "heathのアルバム売り上げランキング". oricon.co.jp. Archived from the original on February 18, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
  19. ^ a b "Dope HEADzのシングル売り上げランキング". oricon.co.jp. Archived from the original on February 20, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
  20. ^ a b "Dope HEADzのアルバム売り上げランキング". oricon.co.jp. Archived from the original on February 18, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
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