UK: Following their first ever London concert, X Japan superstar, Yoshiki, says the band is ready to take the world by storm

Record ID: 465433

  • Title: UK: Following their first ever London concert, X Japan superstar, Yoshiki, says the band is ready to take the world by storm
  • Date: 1st July 2011
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 28, 2011) (REUTERS) ( * * BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) QUEUE FOR X JAPAN CONCERT AT SHEPHERD'S BUSH EMPIRE FAN HOLDING TICKET QUEUE MARQUEE SHOWING "X JAPAN" AND "SOLD OUT" FAN WITH X TATTOO ON BACK OF NECK FANS DRESSED IN KIMONOS
  • Embargoed: 16th July 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Arts
  • Reuters ID: LVA77HU2LI3ZFAJ3Y2P1VFP126H8
  • Story Text: X Japan is one of the most successful rock bands in Japanese history, having sold more than 30 million albums, singles and videos, and filled the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome a record 18 times.
    Band leader and founder Yoshiki is one of Japan's most iconic pop celebrities having also established himself as a successful fashion designer, producer and entrepreneur. He is even about to be the subject of a superhero comic book by his friend, legendary Spider-Man and Hulk creator, Stan Lee.
    After a ten year hiatus, the band reformed in 2007 with a view not only to make a comeback in Japan, but to burst out onto the international scene.
    While they may not yet enjoy the same dizzying heights of fame overseas that they do in their homeland, breaking into the foreign market may not prove much of a challenge with the band discovering loyal fanbases they never knew existed.
    Last year X Japan made their North American debut, with several high profile gigs to huge crowds including an appearance at Lollapalooza and earlier this year announced a three year deal with multinational music giant EMI.
    Their first ever performance in London on Tuesday night (June 28) sold out almost immediately. Fans queued up around the corner at the famed Shepherd's Bush Empire, many dressed in the flamboyant "visual kei" style the band is credited with having pioneered and some even sporting tattoos of the X Japan logo.
    "I feel like I'm dreaming. Like last night's concert in London I was like playing drums, piano and 'Am I dreaming?' The I woke up this morning and my body all over has scratches on my back and like 'Oh, we did a concert last night', that was not a dream," Yoshiki told Reuters Television of the band's first London gig.
    He added that with many of the band's biggest influences coming out of the UK, playing London was an emotional experience.
    "We grew up with a lot of famous, legendary artists from London. The Beatles, of course, Dave Bowie, the heavy stuff like Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin. Anyway so last night we were like: 'Oh my God we are playing, you know, the venue our rock stars played. So it almost made me cry."
    After being established as giants of the Japanese music scene and playing to stadium crowds for so long, Yoshiki said that breaking into new markets and playing more intimate gigs gave the band a thrill they haven't had since the beginning of their careers.
    "We should go back to basics because there is no shortcut. We went through in Japan from clubs, small clubs to the stadiums so we are going to do it again. Even though we are starting a little bigger than clubs but not many people can experience something like that. I feel like we are doing it all over again but that process is very fun," he said.
    Tuesday's concert accompanied the release of their single "Jade" from their first English language album. Originally scheduled for a March launch, the band made the decision to postpone the single's release after the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan.
    "Tsunami just took over everything that we just felt how vulnerable we are, how fragile we are. So I'm still just trying to digest what's going on in my head but instead of thinking about it I said lets just take a break from recording or whatever we are doing, lets concentrate on charity, at least a few months. We're still doing charity but slowing going back to recording again now tour has started," Yoshiki explained.
    Embarking on their biggest world tour yet, 2011 will see the band visiting many countries for the first time - but with the whole world at their feet, Yoshiki says there is no one particular place they are focussing on.
    "I think everywhere because we are playing to the world because it's very connected these days,"
    Following performances throughout Europe will return to Japan for several festival gigs before starting the South American leg of their world tour.
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