YOSHIKI granted us some of his precious time for a phone interview from his Los Angeles recording studio.
From the recording of upcoming new single JADE and its release on the 28th, to their first European tour as part of their 2011 world tour, X JAPAN leader give us his impressions and thoughts about the band future and his fans.
Jrock Revolution , Xplosion and YOSHIKI.FR have the pleasure to share with this exclusive interview with you.
Interviewer: Thank you for your time YOSHIKI, I know it is a bit late in Los Angeles, really thank you.
YOSHIKI: Oh you know I am kind of nocturnal so my pleasure.
Interviewer: On the 28th you will finally be performing in Europe at the sold out London show, how do you feel?
YOSHIKI: I feel like finally we can be there, we’ve been planning on doing this for a long time, especially France? We wanted to do this but we’ve got a lot of problems with our [old] management. The show was cancelled a couple of time, so finally we can be there.
Interviewer: The first announced dates of the European tour sold out pretty fast, what was your reaction when you heard the news?
YOSHIKI: I was like "Wow!", we are so happy and kind of shocked because our management said that to go to Europe we would have to start from the ground up, we would have to start promoting so people would know X JAPAN then we could do a bigger tour later. So we were kind of talking about, almost like clubs, a couple of hundred people venues. Except for France, we knew we had great French fans but we didn’t know about anywhere else, London or even Netherlands. So we wanted to do really small clubs then plan changed a little bit. We booked smaller places for London and Berlin first. They sold out the day they were announced [and] then we moved to a bigger venue the next day. It was really great. We are really excited and happy about it.
Interviewer: The 28th will also see the worldwide release of your new single JADE, can you tell us a bit more about this song?
YOSHIKI: Well, it’s pretty much like 'X JAPAN serious worldwide debut single'. We put so much energy into it; our blood, our tears, our love - everything is in this song. It’s the best way to describe this song. JADE has every single element of X JAPAN.
Interviewer: Last year during an interview, you had said JADE was your most complicated song to record, can you tell us what this song means to you?
YOSHIKI: A lot of X JAPAN songs are complicated, but JADE is kind of easy to listen to, however if you listen to it carefully you will notice that the first riff and second riff after the second chorus is a half step lower key so it’s really hard to play but easy to listen to. I mean, SUGIZO had once said "X JAPAN songs are very simple", at this time he hadn’t joined X JAPAN yet, then he joined the band and he started playing X JAPAN songs he said "Oh my god it is so complicated!" It’s the same thing with JADE because the key is constantly changing. The drums as well, it’s kind of hard to play but as the same time, I wouldn’t say simple but I really love to play JADE drums, but guitar must be pretty hard to play, especially in the solo area. Also, I had tons of pressure writing this song, because at that time we were already aiming worldwide, not only the Japanese market so, I really had to think about it, 'what kind of song should be the first song of our worldwide album'? We are going to finish recording the new album very soon so this is our first single from this album.
Interviewer: The lyrics of JADE are really meaningful and filled with feelings. What did you want to express in this song?
YOSHIKI: I would say the pain I went through, X JAPAN went through. At the same time we are not trying to deny what pain is, the lyrics say "Your scars are beautiful, your blood was beautiful" so you know it’s like you should just accept it and be positive about it, that’s the kind of message I put into this song.
Interviewer: The cover art of Jade is a photograph done by you according to your Twitter. What were some of the concepts you played with before deciding on this image?
YOSHIKI: Yes, I took this photo. I really wanted to hide the eyes. Since we can not see her eyes we can not see what she is thinking, what she is feeling. Is she in pain? I just wanted to make it somehow mysterious. That was the concept.
Interviewer: What kind of imagery can we look forward on the new album?
YOSHIKI: I will probably do the photos for X JAPAN next album very soon. You know sometimes feelings are hard to describe with words so I use music to express them sometimes. Then I kind of discovered that I can express my feelings through taking photos so I started liking it. The next single imagery will be part two of JADE's art then the album will be related to JADE image-wise, music-wise it will have a lot of different sounds as well.
Interviewer: On JADE’s recording you collaborated with Andy Wallace, who produced among many others the legendary song from Aerosmith and Run DMC "Walk this way", how did you come up working together?
YOSHIKI: He was my first choice for the mixer. He is so well known and so huge, I didn’t even think it would be possible to get to him but my management approached him saying X JAPAN wanted to mix that song call JADE. He listened to it and said "I have to do it!" He was really happy to mix this song, that’s how our relationship started. He is going to mix a few more song for X JAPAN as well.
Interviewer: JADE will be part of your upcoming much anticipated new album. Can you give us some details about the album? Are you planning to make a digital only release or a physical release as well?
YOSHIKI: When it comes to the album, I think we are going to make a physical release, but when it comes to singles, we are releasing through digital distribution only.
Interviewer: Will it be composed of only new songs or old songs as well?
YOSHIKI: I would say 50% come from our old hit songs and 50% completely new songs. JADE is one of them and then there will be some that you’ve never heard.
Interviewer: Last year, TOSHI and you came to Paris for a showcase during Japan Expo, what are your impressions about this visit?
YOSHIKI: it was very emotional because we [originally] canceled the show. We didn’t want to, but the management [at the time] canceled the show three times in the past so we really wanted to go there and meet fans and express our feelings. We've always wanted to come here. This really emotional moment led us to do this European tour. We got confident: "Ok we can do it in Europe, so let’s go back to France again then let’s go to Europe for our fans!" That’s how everything started because of that show we are doing this European tour.
Interviewer: During this show, TOSHI sand a French version of one of your most beloved song "Endless Rain". How did you come with this idea of translating this song into French?
YOSHIKI: Well, I’ve been taking French lessons, then I was thinking since we are going to France why don’t we do a French version? I asked my French teacher how should we say "Endless Rain" in French, she said it should song like this (note: Une pluie sans fin). It sounded really beautiful, I asked TOSHI if he wanted to do it, he agreed so everything started.
Interviewer: You are pretty active on Twitter announcing shows and releases dates. You recently revealed you were planning to tour Asia this fall, it seems countries, Indonesia for example, hope to see you. What are you plans?
YOSHIKI: I think we will announce these tours pretty soon but our agents talked to the promoters in each country so they can give us information, if we should do this, if we shouldn’t do this. Our agent is constantly talking to countries throughout the world pretty much, then they are making a plan. Because of so many message I get on Twitter, even on Facebook, I try to answer, I mean if it’s possible I’d like to go to every single countries if there are fans but it really doesn’t make sense to perform for fifteen thousands people one day and the next day for one thousand, there would be staff issues, tour budget and everything, so we have to do some kind of consistent tour. Our South-east Asia tour will be a little bigger size, about the capacity, maybe ten thousand people venue or more. I mean we would love to go everywhere but we have to adjust that with world crew, some of those decisions aren’t under my control, but I’m trying to answers to all of my fans questions. Everything will be announced very soon.
Interviewer: Are you planning to tour North America again?
YOSHIKI: Yes, we are planning on doing that, actually we are already talking about next year's schedule. Pretty much entire world is considered, depending on the reaction in Europe, in South America, South-East Asia as well.
Interviewer: You care a lot about your fans, you used to be active on Myspace, now you are on Twitter sharing directly with them. Why are your fans so important to you?
YOSHIKI: Because without my fans I don’t think I’d have existed. I went through hard times so, because of my fans, I’m here. They love to communicate but I’m not really good at communications sometimes but I’m trying because I love spending times with my fans, I love talking to them directly. Fans are like my god, it’s really important to me.
Interviewer: Are there memories about them that you treasure?
YOSHIKI: Always at the concerts, like during Endless Rain, they are singing. Even at Tokyo Dome which is a fifty thousands venue, I feel like I can hear every single person’s voice singing. I’m not talking about fifty thousands voices as one, I hear each one of them. It makes me emotional, it’s a really special feeling, a really special relationship we love my band and our fans. When I’m nearby them, it makes me want to live more.
Interviewer: I really think X JAPAN fans are unique, their passion and their will to share their love for their band is incredibly strong. Do you think it is part of what make X JAPAN?
YOSHIKI: Yeah, I love that it is great, I mean like at our concerts we are sometimes very straightforward, we say, even on Twitter sometimes, "Love you" some things like that, they respond "I love you, I love X JAPAN", there is something like, I don’t know, pure feelings about it. It is great, we can just go straight with it. I love my fans spreading love.
Interviewer: At Anime Central, you mentioned that X JAPAN goes all out during tours and concerts, and that the performances will be memorable. Can you give us a hint as to what we can look forward to?
YOSHIKI: 'All out' means we put all our energy into it! That has been X JAPAN good side and bad side too. Even a long time ago when we were touring across Japan, because... let’s see if we had twenty shows, usually people allocate their energy like, "Oh we shouldn’t do this hard because think about tomorrow or next shows". For 15 shows you would have to allocate your energy for each remaining lives. With X JAPAN, we don’t do that. We just put our entire energy into every single shows, every single note, every single moment, that’s X JAPAN style.
Interviewer: Reckless style.
YOSHIKI: Yeah, exactly!
Interviewer: What does "We are X!" mean to you?
YOSHIKI: We are X... X has a really interesting meaning, like unlimited possibilities, that’s what you will read in the dictionaries, also at the same time we are saying, you are not alone, we are together. That kind of feeling.
Interviewer: Do you have a pre-tour message for your fans?:
YOSHIKI: Finally we can be there in Europe, we have been waiting for that moment for a long time, a very, very, very long time. Please come see us, let’s make history together. Thank you so much for supporting us, always. Let’s rock the world together! WE ARE X!
Jrock Revolution, Xplosion and YOSHIKI.FR teams would like to thank YOSHIKI and Yaz Noya for making this interview possible.
YOSHIKI shared his thoughts on X JAPAN's new single Jade, their upcoming European tour and many other things with JaME from his studio in Los Angeles in an exclusive telephone interview.
With X JAPAN's European tour just around the corner, YOSHIKI kindly took some time off his incredibly busy schedule to hold a telephone interview with JaME, talking about the upcoming concerts as well as his proliferous songwriting, his many collaborations with other artists and his future as a cartoon superhero.
The band's long awaited new single Jade will be coming out on June 28th. A preview of the video can already be viewed at the bottom of this article. On the same day, they will start their world tour with the first show in London, UK.
First of all, thank you very much for taking your time to hold this interview. It has already been five years since we had our first interview with you in 2006. How do you feel about the spread of Japanese music all over the world since then?
YOSHIKI: Well, it is great, but hopefully it is still just the beginning. I live in America and I also travel a lot, and what I see is that it is still kind of underground. I would like it to spread.
Is there a difference between the audiences in Europe, America, Asia and Japan?
YOSHIKI: I don't think so. Our fans are so passionate and so supportive. We're so lucky to have such fans throughout the world.
How can a famous band like X JAPAN and an artist like yourself help in making Japanese music in general more popular overseas?
YOSHIKI: Well, when we started doing visual kei, we were like the black sheep of the family, playing heavy music and putting on crazy make-up and having crazy hairstyles. At that time, rock was not mainstream in the Japanese music scene, but we tried very hard to convince the audience otherwise. What we are doing now is that we keep on rocking, there is no shortcut. If we can help spread Japanese music throughout the world by this, we'd love to. We just have to keep doing it.
So, what is X JAPAN's next step to conquer the world?
YOSHIKI: Well, we just have to keep on rocking, keep on touring, keep on creating music. We have not yet released an album outside of Japan, but we're about to finish recording our worldwide debut album. Then the upcoming European tour and also the South American tour are going to be the next step.
You've been working with Western artists for years. For example, you had a collaboration with Roger Taylor from Queen for the song Foreign Sand. Do you remember how that came to happen?
YOSHIKI: Yes, I do. My friend, who is a record company executive, invited me to a dinner at his house and Roger Taylor was also at the same dinner. We started talking about music and everything and well, we just hit it off and decided to do something together. So that's how everything started.
Lately, we've seen several pictures of you hanging around with Marilyn Manson. Can we expect some new upcoming collaboration with him?
YOSHIKI: Actually, we've been talking about it. He lives in Los Angeles and so do I, so when I'm in L.A., I…well most of the time I'm in the studio. People think I party a lot, but in reality I have no life. I feel like I'm working ten days a week, 30 hours a day, I'm a workaholic. But I like to hang out with friends once in a while, and he is one of those really interesting special friends, so we hang out a lot, especially these days. And yeah, we've been talking about creating music together.
It seems your collaborations with all kind of artists have no limit. We recently read that Stan Lee and Todd McFarlane are working on a comic book about your life. Can you tell us more about this project?
YOSHIKI: Yes, it all started almost two years ago or something like that. I threw a party here, not so big, maybe a hundred guests, and Stan Lee was one of them. Then we had dinner together and we started talking about maybe doing something together. We became friends and started going to lunch and discuss various ideas about the project. I don't know how his mind works, he can think of like ten things at the same time, he has so many ideas. So he started throwing ideas at me, and now he's making me into a superhero. It's great, it's really an honour. Then Stan Lee brought Todd McFarlane in as well to draw up all those concept and narrative things, so we all started working together.
Well, to a lot of fans, you are a superhero already!
YOSHIKI: (laughs) Well, this upcoming superhero is really strong. On stage I'm powerful and I feel invincible but off stage I'm very fragile. I get sick a lot, I faint a lot… but this superhero is pretty strong. We're actually going to release the first comic book this July on San Diego Comic-Con. We will hold a press conference together there.
With all these projects, is there any chance to see you in a movie soon?
YOSHIKI: Me, acting? I'm very shy about that. I've been asked a couple of times, but I've felt like, I can do music but acting, I don't know. I'm too shy to be an actor. Really?
YOSHIKI: Well, when you see me on stage I'm like a different person, but it comes naturally, I'm not really acting anything. It just comes from my heart. But acting…I don't know, I don't think I can do it.
Well, let's put it like this then; if you were to act in a movie, what kind of movie would you like to play in?
YOSHIKI: I'd like to die beautifully. I was obsessed with death, was always talking about death, writing about death. Then when it happened around me I kind of stopped talking about it, but if it comes to acting, the only thing I could act well might be how to die.
Let's move on and talk about your brand new single, JADE. When did you compose this song?
YOSHIKI: Well, it was after the reunion, after we held those three concerts in Tokyo Dome in 2008. A few months later, in May, we did a tribute concert to hide in Japan, and the day after that concert I went to see hide. Well, that sounds weird, but I mean I went to his grave. On the way back from the cemetery, I thought of writing a song and kind of started thinking of a melody. So well, I started writing the song on the day after that tribute concert.
Does this song include some guitar samples from hide like your previous single I.V. did?
YOSHIKI: No, actually, I didn't include his guitar samples or anything, but I included our love for him, his image or, I don't know, his heart. His spirit is in the song.
Are you planning to teach the lyrics of JADE to the audience like you did with I.V. in Tokyo Dome in 2008?
YOSHIKI: Ah, that's an interesting idea! I didn't even think about that, but maybe I should. It's a great idea, maybe I should start doing that on the European tour.
The promotional video for I.V. was shot on the rooftop of a building in Japan. The JADE one in America. Is there a chance that you do the same on some rooftop in Europe some day? Or maybe in South America?
YOSHIKI: (laughs) That's right, we like high places. OK, maybe we should do something in the Eiffel tower or somewhere like that for the next video, it would be great wouldn't it?
Should your fans be expecting any new songs in the upcoming concerts in Europe?
YOSHIKI: Well, we are going to play some new songs and some old hit songs, it's going to be a combination.
Are there some hidden and never released X JAPAN songs that you don't want to release, that you feel somehow unsatisfied with?
YOSHIKI: Oh, there are tons of songs. When I compose a song I write the music score, and I write a lot. If I'm in a creative mode I might write five or six of those in one night. But that's just the music scores, then when I have 10-20 of those I go to the studio and start programming and start recording by playing the piano or guitar. So I create 10 or even 20 demos. Then I get rid of 19 of them, just one song survives. I'm super picky about songs, so there are tons of X JAPAN songs that never get released. Some songs I even record with ToshI and we think they are OK, but songs that are just OK we never release. I feel we should release only the best songs. X JAPAN has not released that much, only a few albums in the past twenty years. But even if there are actually hundreds and hundreds of songs, I wouldn't feel comfortable with releasing every single song we compose.
Do you ever consider revisiting an old song that you felt unsatisfied with at the time and remake it into a new song?
YOSHIKI: Could be. I mean, I have tons of music scores I have written already. I don't know how many pages, something like 20 000 pages or even more. Maybe when I die people will go through all those scores and find a good song somewhere.
At last, is there something you wish to say to the fans who are now eagerly waiting for you in Europe?
YOSHIKI: I feel very excited about this, that we can finally play in Europe. We've been planning this for a long time, we've been dreaming about it for a long time and now finally it is happening. For a long time people from Europe, and not only Europe but from around the world, have been supporting us, and we really appreciate that. Finally we are able to go there and spread our love to our fans. So yes, I'm very excited!
Thank you for your time, please let us wish you the very best for your upcoming shows in Europe and South America.
Jrock Revolution: You now have your monthly radio show for SiriusXM called "YOSHIKI Radio", which will make music of your choosing readily available to many listeners. What influenced your decision to start a radio show?
YOSHIKI: We were in New York during our North American Tour and we were performing at the Roseland Ballroom. Then at that show several radio people came, and SiriusXM asked me if I wanted a show. They said they want to support and promote X JAPAN's career here. It's great. So we performed a really good concert. He [a SiriusXM executive] said he wants to be part of the break for X JAPAN. They wanted us to do the radio show. It's such a great honor to start my own show in the States... that's how it got started.
Jrock Revolution: What kind of music can we expect to hear on your show?
YOSHIKI: Maybe rock because that's my back ground, but I have some classical music influence, dance music or so... I really want it to be eclectic...
Jrock Revolution: Mostly Japanese rock?
YOSHIKI: I will say mostly Western rock but maybe I will play some Japanese rock as well.
Jrock Revolution: Looking at different genres: Jrock, Visual Kei, metal.... Over the two decades of being in the industry how do you feel these have evolved positively and negatively?
YOSHIKI: hm interesting...well rock, Visual Kei, always has such great energy, a little bit like... Precarious, a black mind... like always a lot of energy and that's great. If I have to say a negative side... I don't know. Ok so around like 20 years ago it was so hard to even accomplish having your own CD or anything, it was so hard. These days it's easier to start but that's even a good side. But you have to work harder, really, really hard to even scratch the surface of this industry to become really successful. There is a very good and bad side, work hard to deliver your music.
Jrock Revolution: X JAPAN will start a world tour starting June 28. People all over the world are waiting to see you. What are you looking forward to doing on this world tour and at the Summer Sonic Festival in Japan?
YOSHIKI: Well, when we perform we perform all the way. We just don't do an 'okay' or medium show; we throw all our energy into it, the show. So what people can expect from the show? Something crazy to happen, a very dramatic concert…even during the festival as well. It will be memorable!
Jrock Revolution: How do you feel when someone tells you or writes to you and says, 'X JAPAN's music has changed my life and got me through really bad times'? How does it make you feel?
YOSHIKI: It makes me feel honored because it means they care about me. That also means I can be here because I went through hard times but because of music, I made it through. When I hear that because of my music it helped them through their hard time it makes it real and that's the best feeling to me. It also helps me keep going because it's not so easy, but hearing something like this it's great. So this gives me a reason to be here and keep doing it.
Jrock Revolution: Please give us a message for Jrock Revolution fans?
YOSHIKI: Thank you so much for your support, because of you we are here and we can do a worldwide tour! Thank you and I look forward to seeing you!
＠YoshikiOfficial: Hahaha! 信じないよ~!（笑）RT @CHAOSxUK 辞書で「無謀」って言葉の意味調べたら「YOSHIKI」って載ってました(笑) @YoshikiOfficial: Hasta pronto! http://t.co/EtyrCpq @YoshikiOfficial: Today I got an injection for my left arm. I got the shot for my right wrist a few weeks ago… Hopefully the pain will go away! @YoshikiOfficial: Wir sehen uns bald! http://t.co/o9qq0uz @YoshikiOfficial: This is fxxkin funny! http://t.co/oUtcVwr 面白いよ~! RT @MasaOfficial 神戸にこんなXがありました!!!! @YoshikiOfficial: Me too!! RT @youyouchama0830 X型っていう血液型があったら私絶対X型だと思う！ X細胞が検出される自信あるもん（乂∀´) @YoshikiOfficial: You can't wait? OK let me screeeaamm, #WeAreX ... NOW... btw it's 3:30 am in LA!! RT @Kittypueppchenコンサートまで待つことはできません。 ♪───Ｏ（≧∇≦）Ｏ────♪ @YoshikiOfficial: I think I just woke my neighbors up ... make sure you scream #WeAreX quietly!! :) 夜中だから静かに #WeAreX !! @YoshikiOfficial: My bood type?.....Fxxkin X !!!! Good night everybody...みんなおやすみ! Love you! :) @YoshikiOfficial: OMG too fxxkin funny!! I can't sleep 'cause I can't stop laughing! 笑いすぎて眠れないよ~! RT @yamachangpe大阪にはこんなXがあります!We are X!! http://t.co/VcohD15
01. Aphrodite 02. The One 03. Wow - 04. Illusion 05. In Your Eyes 06. I Believe in You - 07. Cupid Boy 08. Spinning Around 09. Get Outta My Way 10. 2 Hearts 11. What Do I Have to Do? - 12. Confide in Me 13. Can't Get You Out of My Head 14. In My Arms - 15. Looking for an Angel 16. There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart) 17. Love at First Sight vs Can't Beat the Feeling 18. If You Don't Love Me - 19. Better the Devil You Know 20. Better Than Today 21. I Should Be So Lucky 22. Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) -encore- 23. On a Night Like This 24. All the Lovers
大好きな曲キターーーーーーーーーーーーーー!! サビのこざあ～～い、あ～～い、あ～～い、びり～びんにゅ～～のあとに｢This is you!｣ってカイリーが言うんだけど もうお決まりでも何でも超嬉しい～。こっちこそThis is you！だよ～～！ あいびりっびんゆ、あいびりっびん♪のとこはみんなで合唱♪
なにっ、たこ？メドゥーサ？てか触手カイリー？ てかメンズダンサーズどうしたｗｗｗ顔に黒のビキニパンツのようなものｗｗｗをｗｗかぶっている件ｗｗｗ あと腕の振り付けが凄い。腕だけが生きてるみたいににょにょにょにょ！！て動くｗｗ - >15. Looking for an Angel >16. There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart) Looking～の最後でガチムチ天使が出てきてそのままThere～へ。 本来ならその天使の背に乗ってアリーナまで飛んで花道先端で降りる…という流れなのですが、セットを持ってきていないためそれはなし。 でも充分良かったよー！ スクリーンに映ってるのが大天使の群れ、て感じでイイ！
次の曲までメンバー紹介なんだけどこれがかわゆくてなあ…。なんなんだほんとにあのかわゆさ。
>17. Love at First Sight vs Can't Beat the Feeling
曲はcloserなのに詞がLove at first sightｗｗｗｗ 最初カイリーが間違えたのかと思ってわかんなかったおｗｗｗｗ 難易度高いおカイリー姐さんｗｗｗ
>18. If You Don't Love Me
(01：54から) you don't love me… you don't love me… とカイリーが歌うたびに客席からあらびゅーかいりいいいい！！うぃらぶゆー！！！の絶叫が飛び、階段に座って歌うカイリーが微笑むｗ おれは、おれたちはきみをあいしてるぞーーーっ！！！というやり取りですねわかります。 シェリルへのおれだけっこんしてくれに似てるｗｗ
ニューシングルなうのこの曲！ 幕張二日目ではなんと曲前にHand on your heartのアカペラを挟んでくれて…(泣)!! このツアーではこの曲の前にお客さんから直接リクエストを取ってアカペラで歌うアドリブタイムを設けてるみたい。 でもHand on～超好きだからめちゃくちゃうれしかったーーーー！！！ それにしてもホットパンツカイリー、この曲の出だしのすごいセクシーな身のこなしがもう…もうたまりませんｗｗｗｗ
