Yoshiki (musician)

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Yoshiki Hayashi

Background information
Birth name Yoshiki Hayashi
Born November 20, 1965 (1965-11-20) (age 44)[1]
Origin Tateyama, Japan
Genres Pop, rock, metal, classical
Occupations Drummer, pianist, songwriter, producer
Instruments Drums, piano, Guitar
Years active 1982–present
Associated acts Globe, S.K.I.N., X Japan, Violet UK, V2 (Side project with Tetsuya Komuro)
Website www.yoshiki.net

Yoshiki Hayashi (林 佳樹 Hayashi Yoshiki?, born November 20, 1965,[2] in Tateyama, 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 the popular rock band X Japan, for which he plays drums and piano, along with writing most of the music. He is currently involved with the supergroup S.K.I.N..

Contents

[edit] Biography

Yoshiki formed X Japan with vocalist Toshimitsu "Toshi" Deyama in 1982. Four years later, he founded his own independent label, Extasy Records, in order to issue the band's music.[3] Their breakthrough came in 1989 with the release of the Blue Blood album. After three more albums and several tours, the group broke up in 1997 but releases of arranged material and reissues continue until today.[3]

Aside from his work with the group, Yoshiki has also collaborated with several noted artists such as Queen drummer Roger Taylor,[4] Beatles producer George Martin[5][6] and various others on the international Kiss tribute album Kiss My Ass.[7] As a producer, he has provided several bands with first time recording contracts through Extasy Records, i.e. Luna Sea, Glay and Zi:Kill.[8]

After X Japan disbanded, his next major endeavor was expected to become Violet UK, but the release of a debut album has since been postponed repeatedly. Beside a symphonic concert performed in 2002 and released on DVD in 2005 (which contained arrangements of old X Japan songs along with music supposedly created for Violet UK), no major publication of the project has yet surfaced.[9]

Yoshiki remains active as a producer, i.e. for the bands Dir en grey[10] and TRAX[11][12] and has also briefly joined the pop band Globe.[13] He has also contributed the theme song for the Expo 2005[14] and music for the movie Catacombs.[15] More recently, he has helmed the JRock Revolution festival in Los Angeles, California.[16] during which his participation in the upcoming supergroup S.K.I.N. alongside pop/rock artists Gackt and Miyavi, and former Luna Sea guitarist Sugizo was announced.[17]

Yoshiki has also confirmed that X Japan will reunite, with a new single and a tour tentatively scheduled for later this year.[18]

On September 20, 2007, at a Catacombs preview in Japan, it was announced that Yoshiki will be producing the soundtrack of the rock musical Repo! The Genetic Opera, along with composing one extra track.[19][20] In 2003, Yoshiki worked with the lead singer of Pussycat Dolls Nicole Scherzinger on in his Violet UK project. She sang the English version of "I'll Be Your Love" live with the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra. The track also appeared on the 2003 Various Artists album Exposition of Global Harmony.

In 2007, X Japan reunited. On October 22, 2007 they appeared together for the first time in over 10 years at a public filming of the promotion video for their new single "I.V." which was created for the movie Saw IV.

In March 2008, X Japan performed shows on three consecutive nights in Japan.

In 2009 X Japan will be making a world tour. Stops will include North America, Europe, and other places in Asia.

[edit] Equipment

 This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (April 2007)
(Find sources: Yoshiki (musician) – news, books, scholar)

[edit] Drums

While with X Japan, Yoshiki used a custom Tama Artstar II "Titan Body" drumset in a clear finish with Zildjian cymbals.

The layout consisted of:

  • 10"×10" tom-tom
  • 11"×12" tom-tom
  • 12"×13" tom-tom
  • 13"×14" tom-tom
  • 16"×16" floor tom-tom
  • 16"×18" floor tom-tom
  • 6½"×14" steel snare drum
  • Two 16"×24" bass drums
  • 20" ride cymbal
  • 14" hi-hat
  • Two 20" China cymbals
  • Three 18" Crash cymbals

[edit] Piano

Yoshiki performs on a Kawai Crystal II Glad Grand Piano CR-40A. The piano has 88 keys at 7 1/4 octaves with 3 pedals. The piano also has an Aliquot system with fine ivory white keys and fine ebony black keys. The piano has a translucent acrylic resin use and a private chair attachment. The piano has a height of 39 inches, a frontage of 58.5 inches, a depth of 72.2 inches, and a weight of 935 pounds.

[edit] Discography

Albums

  • Yoshiki Selection (December 12, 1991)
  • Eternal Melody (April 21, 1993)
  • A Music Box For Fantasy (July 25, 1993)
  • Yoshiki Selection II (April 11, 1996)
  • Eternal Melody II (March 23, 2005)

Singles

  • "Haitoku no Hitomi ~Eyes of Venus~" (背徳の瞳 〜Eyes of Venus〜?)/"Virginity" (with V2, January 19, 1992)
  • "Amethyst" (November 3, 1993)
  • "Ima wo Dakishimete" (今を抱きしめて, with NOA, November 3, 1993)
  • "Rain" (with Glay, May 25, 1994)
  • "Foreign Sand" (with Roger Taylor, June 1, 1994)
  • "Moment" (with Hideki Saijo, August 6, 1997)
  • "Begin" (with Shoko Kitano, June 23, 1998)
  • "Bara to Midori" (薔薇と緑, with Shoko Kitano, October 28, 1998)
  • "Shinku no Hana" (深紅の花, with Shizuka Kudō, November 8, 2000)
  • "I'll Be Your Love" (with Dahlia, Expo 2005 theme song, October 29, 2003)
  • "Scorpio" (with TRAX, December 15, 2004)
  • "Rhapsody" (with TRAX, April 20, 2005)
  • "Sex and Religion" (with Violet UK, December 19, 2005)
  • "Blue Butterfly" (with Violet UK, October 3, 2007)
  • "Rosa" (with Violet UK, April 29, 2009)

Soundtracks

Videography

  • V2 Special Live Virginity 1991.12.5 (March 25, 1992)
  • Anniversary (May 18, 2000)
  • Symphonic Concert 2002.12.4 with Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra feat. Violet UK (March 30, 2005)
  • I.V. Music Video by X Japan for the movie Saw IV (October, 2007)

Compilations by various artists

X Japan

Main article: X Japan discography

Globe

Main article: Globe (band)

[edit] References

  1. ^ ""Jrock Revolution: 'A Y-day tribute'" release information". jrockrevolution.com. http://www.jrockrevolution.com/webzine/feature-articles/63-feature-articles/182-y-day-a-birthday-tribute.html. 
  2. ^ "요시키, 콜롬비아와 5년만에 활동 재개" (in Korean). tojapan.co.kr. 2002-10-31. http://www.tojapan.co.kr/culture/music/news_content.asp?service=news&number=4701. Retrieved 2008-07-15. 
  3. ^ a b Seida, Linda. "X-Japan > Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved January 20, 2007.
  4. ^ ""Foreign Sand" release information". queenpicturehall.com. http://www.queenpicturehall.com/singles/r07fs.shtml. 
  5. ^ "Eternal Melody release information". cdjapan.co.jp. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=UPCH-1139. 
  6. ^ "Article on Hideto Matsumoto's death". nytimes.com. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D00EFD7103DF93BA25755C0A96E958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all. 
  7. ^ "Kiss My Ass release information". kissfaq.com. http://www.kissfaq.com/discography/kma.html. 
  8. ^ "Extasy Records company history". extasyrecords.co.jp. http://www.extasyrecords.co.jp/eng/company.html. 
  9. ^ "Symphonic Concert 2002 release information". cdjapan.co.jp. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=COBA-4385. 
  10. ^ Gauze, July 28, 1999.
  11. ^ ""Scorpio" release information". cdjapan.co.jp. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=AVCD-30639. 
  12. ^ ""Rhapsody" release information". cdjapan.co.jp. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=AVCD-30719. 
  13. ^ "Globe profile". avexnet.or.jp. http://www.avexnet.or.jp/globe/profile.html. 
  14. ^ "Information on the Expo 2005". expo2005.or.jp. http://www.expo2005.or.jp/en/whatexpo/mascot.html. 
  15. ^ "Credits for Catacombs". imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0449471/fullcredits. 
  16. ^ "J Rock Revolution! Artists - About Yoshiki". jrockrevolution.com. http://www.jrockrevolution.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=4&id=23&Itemid=27. 
  17. ^ "Anime Expo 2007 announcement of S.K.I.N". anime-expo.org. http://www.anime-expo.org/?q=story/anime_expo_2007_announces_j_rock_concert_of_the_century. 
  18. ^ "X Japan reunion information". blabbermouth.net. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=73874. 
  19. ^ "Catacombs preview information" (in Japanese). natalie.mu. http://natalie.mu/news/show/id/3469. Retrieved 2007-09-24. 
  20. ^ "Repo! The Genetic Opera: Principal Photography Underway". money.cnn.com. http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/LAM01624092007-1.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-26. 

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X Japan
Current members
Toshi · Heath · Pata · Yoshiki · Sugizo
Former members
Albums
Live albums
Compilations
Singles
"I'll Kill You" · "Orgasm" · "Kurenai" · "Endless Rain" · "Week End" · "Silent Jealousy" · "Standing Sex" · "Say Anything" · "Tears" · "Rusty Nail" · "Longing" · "Dahlia" · "Forever Love" · "Crucify My Love" · "Scars" · "The Last Song" · "I.V."
Home video
Related articles
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