X Japan

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X JAPAN’s Yoshiki Plays QUEEN’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on November 26, 2015
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XJapan-BohemianRhapsody

One of the clear highlights of this year’s Classic Rock Roll Of Honour awards show at London’s Roundhouse was the appearance of X JAPAN mainman Yoshiki, issued Classicrock.Teamrock.com, who performed QUEEN‘s classic “Bohemian Rhapsody” and his own band’s “Without You” in front of an audience of rock’s great and good… including Queen’s own Brian May. Watch the video below.

Yoshiki’s performance was to celebrate the announcement that next year’s awards show will take place in Tokyo.

X JAPAN will return to the UK next year to celebrate the release of the band’s long-awaited forthcoming album, the follow-up to 1996’s Dahlia, which will be released on March 11.

The album’s launch will be celebrated at a multimedia event called #XDAY, which will take place the day after the album’s release, on March 12, at London’s Wembley Arena. The event will include a X Japan live show and the world premiere of a documentary about the band. Tickets are on sale now.

X Japan’s new single Born To Be Free is out now.

X JAPAN: Announce First New Album In 20 Years, Film Project Produced By John Battsek & #XDAY at The SSE Arena, Wembley

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 7, 2015
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Iconic rock powerhouse X Japan will release the band’s first new studio album in 20 years, The highly anticipated album will be released worldwide March 11, 2016 in conjunction with #XDAY, a special album release concert and worldwide film premiere event at London’s The SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday, March 12, 2016.  X Japan founder and drummer Yoshiki made personal appearance at Paris’s Japan Expo at Paris-Nord Vilepinte Exhibition Center, one of Europe’s premiere Japanese Expo events, to share further details about this announcement with fans. Tickets for #XDAY, the London concert event are available now via Live Nation at http://www.livenation.co.uk/artist/x-japan-tickets. 

X-Japan

Yoshiki will be joined by X Japan’s lead vocalist Toshi at a rare live appearance together in the UK this Saturday, July 11th at London’s very own Hyper Japan at the O2.  The duo will debut a song from the new album at a special unplugged performance.  In addition, they will premiere the first teaser for the band’s highly anticipated documentary film to London fans. Yoshiki and Toshi will be live on stage at Hyper Japan at 15:30. For tickets please visit http://hyperjapan.co.uk/tickets/.

The much talked about return to the studio comes after decades of highs and lows in the band’s tumultuous and legendary timeline. Through triumph and tragedy, X Japan has remained resolute about reuniting in the studio to produce a follow up to their 1996 studio album Dahlia, their fifth studio release that went platinum in Japan. Dahlia preceded the band’s break up in 1997 following their fifth consecutive sold out New Year’s Eve concert at Japan’s famed 55,000 seat Tokyo Dome.

In addition to the long-awaited studio album release, X Japan will premiere its untitled film on March 12th at the #XDAY event prior to the band’s performance.  The film chronicles the evolution and groundbreaking history of Japan’s most iconic rock band, from their start to their current projects – including 2014’s magnificent Madison Square Garden concert, the band’s first US show in 4 years. The film is produced by (UK-based) Passion Pictures’ John Battsek, critically-acclaimed producer of the 2013 BAFTA and Academy Award-winning feature documentary Searching For Sugar Man. The documentary is directed by Stephen Kijak who was commissioned by The Rolling Stones to direct their 2010 documentary Stones in Exile chronicling the making of their 1972 album Exile on Main St. which premiered in Cannes and on BBC1. He is also well known in the UK for his earlier work Scott Walker – 30 Century Man, which was executive produced by David Bowie and earned great critical acclaim.

X Japan’s decision to celebrate their record release in London with an epic, arena-sized multi-media album release experience at The SSE Arena, Wembley suits the globally renowned rockers, who are known for doing everything in a big way. X Japan is regarded as the visionary force that founded the Visual Kei genre of music expression and have long been celebrated by some of the most devoted and ardent fans in the J-Rock, Heavy Metal, Glam Rock and Anime worlds.
For tickets to #XDAY at The SSE Arena, Wembley please visit http://www.livenation.co.uk/artist/x-japan-tickets. 
For more information: http://www.ssearena.co.uk/
For updates and more information on X Japan please visit http://www.xjapanmusic.com/.

 

X JAPAN Drummer Yoshiki: “I Thought It Was A Good Time To Release The Classical Side Of My Music Worldwide”

Posted by aliblackdiamond on September 29, 2013
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Source: Bravewords.com

Billboard.com recently caught up with X JAPAN drummer/mastermind Yoshiki to discuss his new album, Yoshiki Classical, which was released in North America on September 24th:

Yoshiki, a living legend in Japan, is founder and leader of the massively influential hard rock band X Japan, and creator of the revolutionary indie Japanese label Extasy, and owner/operator of a successful LA recording studio (formerly Larrabee East) that has recorded or mixed RIHANNA, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, JANET JACKSON, NO DOUBT and MUSE, among others.

Why then would a musician with this kind of heavy rocking pedigree release a classical album? Yoshiki tells Billboard, “This album reflects my ‘other’ love outside of rock and roll. I’m always composing music like a diary, whether it’s rock or classical. Because I did the Golden Globes theme song in 2012 and 2013, I thought it was a good time to release my classical side of my music worldwide.”

Yoshiki composed every piece on Classical, but for the recording he collaborated with renowned BEATLES producer Sir George Martin and enlisted the talents of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tokyo City Philharmonic Symphony and the Quartet San Francisco. The result is a collection of beautiful pieces of music with sweet melodies, soaring voices and vibrant strings. Yoshiki notes he doesn’t see the traditional art form at odds with his rock career.

“Actually classical music came first, and has been by my side ever since. I started playing classical piano when I was 4 years old, and started playing rock drums when I was 10.”

Click here for more.

 

X JAPAN Leader Unveils His Wax Figure At Madame Tussauds Hong Kong

Posted by Stargazer on May 31, 2012
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Yoshiki, leader of legendary visual rock band X JAPAN, attended the unveiling ceremony of his wax figure in Madame Tussauds Hong Kong earlier this week. Astonished by the striking resemblance and lifelikeness of his wax figure which is being shown in Hong Kong for a limited time only, Yoshiki couldn’t help asking himself, “Am I looking in a mirror?”
Considered Asia’s most influential musical artist and biggest rock icon, Yoshiki is a songwriter, drummer, classically trained pianist and composer. He is the leader of one of Japan’s most successful rock bands, X JAPAN, which has sold more than 30 million singles and albums combined and filled the 55,000-seat Toyko Dome a record 18 times. In addition, X JAPAN recently won a Revolver Golden Gods award as “Best International Band.” Beyond X JAPAN, Yoshiki‘s diverse musical achievements range from composing and conducting for the 2005 World Expo‘s opening ceremonies, to writing the theme song for the Golden Globe Awards that aired in 190 countries earlier this year.

Yoshiki‘s wax figure is dressed in one of the rocker’s and took approximately four months from the first sitting to completion. Madame Tussauds‘ team flew to Paris and London to get Yoshiki‘s accurate measurements right down to the finest details like his eye color and hair style. Hundreds of photos were taken as reference.

“When I met ‘the other me’ for the first time in Tokyo last year,” said Yoshiki during the ceremony,” I was amazed by the true resemblance. It looks exactly like me! And I feel honored to have my wax figure exhibited in Hong Kong. It has been months since I last visited Hong Kong to meet the media and my beloved fans here. Today is definitely an important moment I have been looking forward to”, said Yoshiki.

Kelly Mak, General Manager of Madame Tussauds Hong Kong said, “It is our honor to have Yoshiki here with us in Madame Tussauds Hong Kong today to witness the debut appearance of his wax figure in Hong Kong. Now, X JAPAN fans can meet Yoshiki up close at any time.”

The wax figure of Yoshiki will be displayed in Madame Tussauds Hong Kong from May 26 through to the end of 2012.

Source: Blabbermouth.net

X JAPAN Drummer Yoshiki Holding Twitter Q&A Session Today

Posted by Stargazer on April 21, 2012
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X JAPAN drummer/mainman Yoshiki posted the following message via his official Twitter page on Friday night:

“Tomorrow (Saturday, April 21st) from 8:00am to noon LA time (11:00am – 3:00pm EST) I’ll be on Twitter and I’ll answer a few questions from you… if I can wake up!”

As previously reported, X Japan took home the award for “Best International Band” at the Fourth Annual Revolver Golden Gods Awards show on April 11th, becoming the first Asian band to ever be nominated for a Golden Gods Award.

“Thank you Revolver. Thank you so much for recognizing us,” said Yoshiki, leader of X Japan, who was present at the ceremony to accept the award. “Some people might have heard of us, we’re from Japan. Well, our band name is X Japan. We toured North America in 2010, and did our first world tour last year. Now we are finishing our first worldwide debut album. And we are planning on doing another world tour soon. And to our beloved fans: Thank you so much for your support, we are going to keep on rocking. And we fucking love you.”

Source:  Bravewords

X JAPAN Mainman To Compose Theme For 2012 GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 6, 2012
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Yoshiki, the classically-trained, multi-instrumentalist and leader of one of Japan’s most successful rock groups, X JAPAN, will compose the theme for this year’s Golden Globe Awards show. The announcement was made today by Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) president Dr. Aida Takia-O’Reilly and Dick Clark Productions (DCP) Executive Vice President, Television, Barry Adelman. The 69th snnual Golden Globe Awards airs internationally in more than 190 countries (please check local listings) and on Sunday, January 15 in the U.S. coast-to-coast on NBC with the pre-show from 4:00 p.m. PST to 5:00 p.m. PST, and main telecast from 5:00 p.m. PST to 8:00 p.m. PST, hosted by Ricky Gervais from the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

“Yoshiki is a world-renowned musician and composer of enormous talent and versatility, who in addition to being a rock superstar, has composed for film and television,” said Takia-O’Reilly. “As an international organization dedicated to creative achievements, the HFPA is delighted to have a global musical artist of Yoshiki‘s stature create the theme for the show.”

Added Adelman, “We look forward to incorporating Yoshiki‘s music into the production of the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards.”

“The Golden Globe Awards are extremely prestigious, but the show is also edgy,” said Yoshiki, who attended the awards presentation for the first time last year. “I’m a classical pianist and a rock drummer, so it was natural to create something beautiful that also has an edge.” Source: Blabbermouth.net