Yoshiki variety show(Downtown Now) & Yoshiki channel(ft.Paul Stanley)

[lakeisle]

2018/01/12

It can be deleted soon. I'll summarize the contents when I'm free later.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoDzspQ2ams&feature=youtu.be

2018/01/12

Paul Stanley(KISS) appeared on Yoshiki Channel. He talked to Yoshiki over the phone cause Yoshiki was in LA on January 12th.

[LEMONedMe]

I am downloading them right now, in case. 

[Kasumi]

2018/01/12

It can be deleted soon. I'll summarize the contents when I'm free later.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoDzspQ2ams&feature=youtu.be

2018/01/12

Paul Stanley(KISS) appeared on Yoshiki Channel. He talked to Yoshiki over the phone cause Yoshiki was in LA on January 12th.

Thanx for doing this. It is much appreciated.

[lakeisle]

http://www.fujitv.co.jp/DOWNTOWN_NOW/

MCs：Hamada, Matsumoto, Sakagami, an woman(I don't know her name)



1. (0:00~4:44) Opening 

MCs go to the restaurant that Yoshiki usually goes to. Yoshiki is waiting for them there. They talk about the restaurant, Yoshiki's wine and Sirloin steak, etc. 



2. (4:44~6:07) Neck Surgery

Yoshiki says he can't be accustomed to the artificial intervertebral disc. His other intervertebral discs are worn out as well. Once he plays the drums again, he'll have to undergo surgery again. His medical doctor said he has to stop playing drums completely. But Yoshiki says he can't stop it.



3. (6:07~ ) Yoshiki's personal information

When X debuted, Yoshiki's personal information was confidential. Age, place of birth, family name and  everything were marked "X". But, Yoshiki said he and Toshl were classmates in school, and Toshl's personal information was not secret. So Yoshiki's personal information became revealed automatically.



4. (7:47~ ) KISS and the drums

Yoshiki went to the KISS concert and became interested in the drums.

MC : Why drums? Usually boys are interested in guitars or vocals, not drums.
 
Yoshiki : I had been playing the trumpet. But playing a trumpet did not fit me due to asthma. I needed something to beat. Several years after I started playing the drums, my mother told me that father's future dream was to become a drummer.

MC : Your mother would have been surprised whey you began playing the drums.

Yoshiki : Definitely.



5. (9:00~ ) Yoshiki's legendary "spicy curry" and "hot shower" episodes

They talk about stories you should have listened to many times unless you are new to X Japan. But HIDE's reaction about the "spicy curry happening" was something I've never heard before.   


(13:25~ )
Yoshiki left Tokyo Dome during rehearsal, because he had spicy curry.

MC : What did other X members say when you left?
Yoshiki : I walked across the place where other members were rehearsing. Every member never thought I'd really leave. (But I really did leave.) HIDE called me later.

HIDE : What happened?
YOSHIKI : Curry was spicy.
HIDE : Then... it can not be helped.

MCs : (laughing) He is too sweet.



6. (14:49) First appearance on Kouhaku in 1991
 
MC : Weren't there any resistance to appearing on Kouhaku? Didn't you worry about appearing on kouhaku may ruin the metal bands' (rebellious) image?   

YOSHIKI : I was very happy when we were invited to Kouhaku. I'd been treated as a kind of social outcast. I felt as if I couldn't gain recognition from mother and relatives no matter what I do. But when I said "Mom, I will appear on Kouhaku", my mom was very happy.

MC : You are a good boy.

(Everyone laughs)

YOSHIKI : HIDE was the same. HIDE's mother was also happy when she heard X would appear on Kouhaku.

MC : Yoshiki has a rocker's violent image and a very good person's image at the same time.

MC 2 : Did you feel such as "Yes, I did it!"

YOSHIKI : Yes, I felt like "I did it! Finally!".



7. (16:30~) HYDE(L'Arc-en-Ciel) reveals Yoshiki's truth
 
MC conveys HYDE's words.

HYDE : "Yoshiki's perfectionism is overkill. He says the new album will be released soon, but there had been no new album for over 20 years.(everyone laughs) If he records for decades, the sound recorded at the beginning and that of the latest do not match. So he has to fix the sound which is recorded decades ago. His album looks like Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia."

MC : Because it is never finished.

YOSHIKI : Right. Hyde is right. But I wonder why artists should release an album every year or once every 2 years. If I wanted to make money, I would have chosen another job. I love classical music. I want to create music that future generations listen to. I'd like to pour effort into making masterpieces that will survives for over 100 years, not into releasing new albums every year.

MC : How many years did it take?

YOSHIKI : More than 20 years.

(everybody laughs)

MC : You'd better ask your mother.



8. (18:25~ ) date, girlfriend, marriage

MC : Were you popular?

YOSHIKI : Absolutely. (everyone laughs) In addition, it is not the past tense.

MC : He "is" popular now.

MC 2 : What's your standard of being popular?

YOSHIKI : I don't know about the standard but I think I'm popular anyway.

MC : Do you have an ideal type?

YOSHIKI : Not really. 

MC : "feeling" seems to be important for you.

YOSHIKI : I'm totally immersed in music, so I wish someone understands it.

MC : I can't imagine how you date.

YOSHIKI : I do it ordinarily. 

MC : I don't think you would disguise yourself when you date.

YOSHIKI : No, cause I live overseas.

MC : Do you have a girlfriend now?

YOSHIKI : I'll leave it to your imagination.

MC : You are a bachelor, right?

YOSHIKI : Yes, for now. 

MC : Do you desire to get married?

YOSHIKI : Yes.

(everyone is surprised)

MC : What's the purpose of marriage?

YOSHIKI : I want to have babies and make a happy family.

(everyone is surprised)




9. (21:30~ ) Toshl's dropping out of X Japan and disbandment in 1997


MC : You'd have been very painful around that time.

YOSHIKI : Yes.

MC : Did you feel Toshl was strange?

YOSHIKI : Yes, very strongly. When Toshl said he will leave X, I felt it was hopeless.   

MC : Was his facial expression different?

YOSHIKI : We've been friends since we're in kindergarten, and he was not Toshl I used to knew. Toshl is a very pure and smart person. When pure and smart Toshl says he's going to quit, there must be the reason. We'd been successful in Japan. We were a big star in Japan. But we were nothing in the USA. It was the first wall we faced. We couldn't even speak English. We, including me, all got lost. We felt the severe pressure. Other members may be not so enthusiastic about US debut, but I forced them to follow me. Therefore, I think Toshl's tragedy is my fault in some degree.

MC : Didn't you persuade Toshl not to leave the band?

YOSHIKI : In some respects, I desired to leave the band as well. I knew something strange happened to Toshl, but I was also exhausted at that time.



10. (28:24~ ) Sedona

YOSHIKI : Recently, I went to Sedona when I'm exhausted. There is a vortex and native shamans. I spent a lot of time with shamans there. I went there many times. One day, I thought "Am I OK?" (everyone laughs) I called Toshl and asked, "Am I OK?" I asked Toshl for advice, because Toshl is a specialist in brainstorming. (everyone laughs) Toshl answered,

"You are OK so far."

[Teemeah]

MC : Do you desire to get married?

YOSHIKI : Yes.

(everyone is surprised)

MC : What's the purpose of marriage?

YOSHIKI : I want to have babies and make a happy family.

(everyone is surprised)

wow that's new.... even in the documentary interview when he was asked by Kijak he said he could not imagine himself as a father because he still felt like he was still a child. Interesting change of heart in 3 years!

And yeah, I can totally imagine he feels guilty because of Toshi. He noticed Toshi was strange but didn't do anything.

Thank you for the translation!!

[matsumoto]

Woooooo, more cookies for you, lakeisle, our japanese-speaking hero!

Nice, so Yoshiki goes to Sedona because he thinks there'sa healing vortex in there and talks to the shamans. How long before he joins the flat-earth movement? 

[lakeisle]

wow that's new.... even in the documentary interview when he was asked by Kijak he said he could not imagine himself as a father because he still felt like he was still a child. Interesting change of heart in 3 years!

Oh, really? Did Yoshiki say that in the documentary? I watched it several times but I don’t remember.

[lakeisle]

Nice, so Yoshiki goes to Sedona because he thinks there'sa healing vortex in there and talks to the shamans. How long before he joins the flat-earth movement? 

matsumoto,

Haha, I think he is too realistic to be brainwashed.

[Teemeah]

wow that's new.... even in the documentary interview when he was asked by Kijak he said he could not imagine himself as a father because he still felt like he was still a child. Interesting change of heart in 3 years!

Oh, really? Did Yoshiki say that in the documentary? I watched it several times but I don’t remember.

It's in the extras, at least on the Steelcase version I have, the bluray has extra interviews with each member, and he is asked this question in that extra interview with him. He breaks into tears and concludes that his songs are his children.

[lakeisle]

It's in the extras, at least on the Steelcase version I have, the bluray has extra interviews with each member, and he is asked this question in that extra interview with him. He breaks into tears and concludes that his songs are his children.
[/quote]

Oh, that's why I don't remember. Actually, Yoshiki talks about marriage a lot these days.

[Teemeah]

Hm, does he have a girlfriend maybe then?

[lakeisle]

Hm, does he have a girlfriend maybe then?

Probably. a girlfriend, or girlfriends

[matsumoto]

I'd love to see what kind of babies that dude makes. Just the mental image of him changing nappies is quite funny. 

Realistically, he sounds a little mentally unstable to deal with a child. Children are a shitload of trouble and work.
(Source: I had to take care of my baby nephew for two weeks straight last month.)

[Teemeah]

Even if he had kids he would probably not do anything with them. Not even babysit them for a short while. The mother would have to do all the tending to, while daddy composes, arranges, shouts at engineers and has two hairstylists comb his hair every morning Daddy would snap some nice selfies with the kid for instagram and pat the baby's head once in a while, and that's all. When the kid is bigger, he'd probably have his assistants buy him or her a lot of expensive clothes and the nanny would take the kid to Disneyland. I cannot see him as a father figure, who seriously sits down to raise a kid, and helps with feeding, dressing , nappies and bathing. I just can't. he'd probably complain about the smell and the noise.

I don't think he would be able to do any sensible parenting, when he is a spoiled little princess himself who lives in an unrealistic world of pretending to be a rock star, walking on red carpets and posing with celebrities in Gucci. Many celebrity kids ruin their lives later on, because they don't get the attention of their parents, they turn to alcohol, drugs, pickpocketing and worse. There are quite a lot of examples. Were he to marry a layperson, someone who is not a celebrity, she would have it even worse. She would have to do everything alone. Not sure Yoshiki is actually capable of expressing love for another person. Or that he would be able to solve relationship issues without hissy fits. Or rather, he would pretend there are no issues and not pay attention - like he did with Toshi's growing detachment in the mid-1990s. He pretended it was not happening. He smiled at him when he was crying at the end of the Dahlia tour and patted his back. That's the kind of husband/parent he would be, in my opinion. The one that is never there and pretends to be never there, too.

I may be wrong of course, but looking at his usual behaviour, I don't think i am far off from the truth

[matsumoto]

The college-trained therapist in me agrees very much with your analysis of his personality, Teemeah. 

Not sure if he can't express love for other humans, though. His sensitive nature points otherwise. He looks to me like the bipolarly attached subtype: would expect a partner to be very devoted to him but also demand that they leave him alone for long periods of time to do his stuff. Partners of people in this subtype usually end up feeling neglected and fed up. The subject then complains nobody understands him and gets sad. I used to see this pattern a lot in artsy people, who need both unconditional affection and a lot of space to be their artsy selves.

That being said, I know nothing about the dude, he might be very different IRL. And I sure as hell hope he marries and makes a ton of nice babies and does a good job being a daddy, if that's what he wants!

[Teemeah]

Yeah, we don't know him, but I guess he cannot 100% hide his true personality, especially that he is literally followed by a camera crew 24/7. I think they might even film him sitting on the toilet. When expressing love, I meant that you know, real love. When you actually care for the person, talk to them about THEIR problems (NOT always winding back ending up talking about you, your father and Hide and just how much pain YOU are going through...). The small things that make the other person feel loved. Like, remembering small things they said, knowing their favourites and surprising them with it, noticing your partner is tired and doing the dishes so they could rest a little. Canceling a party invitation to make them ginger tea when they down with the flu. Not leaving your socks on the floor when you know she hates seeing it. Small tokens of appreciation. I cannot see Yoshiki do that. He'd probably write a love song and present it to his lady on a grand piano and expect her mind to be blown, that would be his expression of love. But he'd leave you alone with your flu, and probably can't even be bothered to learn to boil an egg.

If anyone is husband/dad material in this band, it's Toshi. I think he'd make a super dad, despite all the things he mentally suffered when in HoH. I'm glad he didn't have children with that evil snake of a woman, though. He probably would have never been able to break free, had they had children.

[matsumoto]

True story, I guess. But that's something I used to see quite frequently in celebs and very high income people in general: they get together with another celeb/wealthy individual, they've got maids and assistants to do literally everything, from cooking to cleaning to changing nappies, the couple live a fairytale for a while, then lose interest in their partner and replace them with a newer/shinier/different toy as soon as the chance comes a long. Because, as you pointed out so well, the little things and the little troubles are a huge part of a relationship: making your partner tea, not doing something that makes them mad, getting out of bed at 3 am to change the baby... this stuff is the glue that keeps people together, ever wondered why people hook up and divorce so often in Hollywood?

(as for Toshi, hands down the perfect dad lol, he can adopt me anytime  )

[Teemeah]

People hook up an divorce outside of hollywood too. For the very same reasons. I think a lot of people also see family and children as a kind of salvation course, they expect it to automatically give them happiness, and when that doesn't happen, they get disappointed and divorce. I read excerpts translated into Russian from Sugizo's autobio. He married a non-celebrity, and he cited this for his reason to marry: he had a miserable childhood with overly strict parents and he thought that having his own family would magically solve all his issues with loneliness and self-hatred. He was expecting marriage to give him a stable background. And of course, it doesn't magically happen when you sign the marriage papers. You need to maintain a relationship, you need to work on it, it's a never-ending work in progress kind of project. And of course he wasn't willing to compromise. He was still out and about with his drinking buddies, and all he did was playing with the kid (when he was sober). Wife got fed up, of course, and gave him an ultimatum: us or Luna Sea. He chose Luna Sea, they divorced and the woman moved to the US with their daughter.

Many people have unrealistic expectations of marriage and having kids. They expect these to give them happiness automatically. They want others ( a wife/husband and a kid) to make them happy. One thing I have learnt so far is that happiness has to come from inside. If you are struggling with loneliness, depression, self-doubt, nobody, not even a loving partner will magically solve that for you. And especially not a helpless small child. you have to come to terms with yourself, before you load all your issues on your partner.

I get the feeling that maybe Yoshiki is in a sort of panic at this stage. He is over 50 now, in the latter part of his life, and I guess very much lonely. I really do hope he won't foolishly get married just because he is afraid of being alone. And dying alone.

[matsumoto]

Wise damn words, Teemeah!

But let's not fear the worst when we can expect the best. Hope one day he meets a lovely partner and that it actually works out. And that they have plenty of lovely babies that'll hopefully inherit some of their father's talent. Through his music this guy has made me very happy, I hope he gets to be happy one day too 

[Teemeah]

I wish for his happiness, too. I'm afraid, though, his musical genius is strongly tied to his suffering. Plenty babies would be a tad too much, I mean, you also need to raise those kids and he ain't 20 anymore If he really finds a good partner and they have a baby,I'll be happy, if he is happy. I'm just too much of a realist, I guess. 

[LEMONedMe]

Yoshiki seems nervous, at least in front of the camera during interviews.  He can't keep his hands off his face or hair and is constantly fidgeting and striking poses.  On the stage he is himself, I guess, for lack of a better description and face to face with others, especially strangers and people who conduct interviews, he is shy and self conscious.  He also does not want to give away too much information about himself.  He is also constantly crossing his arms, tightly, which is a sign of wanting to hold everything in and not let the person he's talking to, get too close, psychologically.  Maybe physically as well.

I am wondering what his relationship with his father really was like.   If he had a warm and loving relationship, then maybe he would be the same with his own children.  I can't figure this one out but it could go either way from what I have seen in my lifetime.  He could either be a great father, doting on his children, especially if they were into music.  Or he could wind up standoffish and just allow a nanny and tutors to do it all for him and the child or children.  I don't think we will know until it happens or it doesn't.

[LEMONedMe]

I wish for his happiness, too. I'm afraid, though, his musical genius is strongly tied to his suffering. Plenty babies would be a tad too much, I mean, you also need to raise those kids and he ain't 20 anymore If he really finds a good partner and they have a baby,I'll be happy, if he is happy. I'm just too much of a realist, I guess. 

I believe that as well about his musical genius and his drive to keep creating.  He suffers - that's evident in his lyrics and his actions.  Possibly the only way to get past that is to have his own child to dote over and care for and do all the things for that child that his father didn't do for him (because he wasn't there, anymore).

[LEMONedMe]

As far as musicians in general, some make wonderful parents, fathers, especially.  I have a good friend who was in my ex husband's band.  After 3 failed marriages, he found the love of his life.  He is more devoted to his wife than any other man I have ever met, musician or not.  His wife also was remarried and had children and all of their older children are now parents as well.  Their home is a joy to be seen at Christmastime or other large holidays like those.  There is so much love, shared, and so much respect.

On another note, some, like my ex husband, are the opposite, even though they may not plan on things going that way.  This type slides right back into their music as though there was no one else in the home and they don't even recognize their spouses as being "there".  The only thing for this type is to keep playing, creating, practicing and in the end, performing so that they get the recognition and praise they can't get any other way.  It's like it's hard wired into them and no spouse can break through.

Toshi, on the other hand, does seem very much the type to be a loving father and was married, once, then again, if I am thinking correctly? And he is still with his 2nd wife?  For all we know, he may have children with her and just does not want the public to know so the press and fans won't seek those children out in public.  Or maybe he doesn't.  We don't know.  What I do know and think is that if he is not already a father and he wants to be, he better start soon or the child or children will grow up with either a father who is too old to enjoy them and teach them what he knows or he won't have any at all which would be a shame.  I think he'd be a great dad.

[Teemeah]

Toshi was only married once. To that snake-woman that destroyed his entire life - and along with it, X Japan. Thankfully, they didn't have children (imagine those poor things growing up in Home of Heart, yikes!) After such an experience with an abusive wife (literally, a woman who kicked him with heels on, at the order of Masaya) I would imagine he is not really keen on marrying again. But I could be mistaken, of course. I don't know if you have read Toshi's book, but if you haven't, I strongly suggest to do so (we have a thread here on the forum, with links to the translation). You can get a glimpse of what his 'marriage' was like (with his wife cheating on him with Masaya all along).

[LEMONedMe]

Oh yes, I read that book and it still upsets me to think about it.  That horrible woman!!! And you are so right.  If he had children with that woman, no doubt they would still be with her and in that damn HoH! He would probably never be allowed to see them again, depending on how Japanese law on fathers seeing their children and visiting them after a divorce.  Of course, that also depends on how children are treated after a divorce and if they must go with the mother, automatically, or not.  In either event, Toshi would have been tied to that woman for the rest of his life, even if he never had to see her, again.

I thought I read he had remarried a few years later.  I must be mistaken and I am not sure where I read it.

[Teemeah]

There are some rumours I found but those are rumours. Yoshiki was also rumoured to have gotten married, like, several times. But nothing was ever confirmed. Pages I found were all blogs that translate other blogs That's hardly trustworthy

[YoshToshBGosh]

YOSHIKI : Right. Hyde is right. But I wonder why artists should release an album every year or once every 2 years. If I wanted to make money, I would have chosen another job. I love classical music. I want to create music that future generations listen to. I'd like to pour effort into making masterpieces that will survives for over 100 years, not into releasing new albums every year.

I think that's bullshit! I can't think of any musical work that took decades to write and record and is now considered a masterpiece. It might lead to very sophisticated arrangements, but you overthink, lose touch with your own brainchild,especially if you work on and off, and the listener will likely fail to make an emotional connection, too. I for my part will still listen to Tears or X in 20 years, but stopped listening to f. e. Born to be free after 20 days.
But what else can Yoshiki say, really, to explain himself *sigh*.
I could imagine him being happily married, why not? All we ever see of him as fans is his public persona, even when he talks about more private stuff we only get a short peek behind the curtain.

[Teemeah]

In classical music it is pretty usual for pieces to take a long time to compose. For Beethoven, some of his pieces took 4 to 6 years to make and I'm sure there are composers who take even longer time to finish a piece.

[YoshToshBGosh]

In classical music it is pretty usual for pieces to take a long time to compose. For Beethoven, some of his pieces took 4 to 6 years to make and I'm sure there are composers who take even longer time to finish a piece.

But Beethoven composed his entire body of work in a little over 20 years! And that without a computer 

[Teemeah]

To each their own. Some artists never produce more than a couple of works, others may produce 3000 and not sell any of them. It's entirely individual. I have no idea why an artists is expected to produce stuff at certain intervals. That's not art anymore, but factory work. To produce because there is a demand. Let the guy do whatever the f he wants. It's his art. I doubt anyone would walk over to a painter and bash them for not finishing a painting in X years. I already came to terms with it. If there is a new album, I'll be happy, if not, I'll be content with that, too. Don't push artists. It never yielded anything satisfactory.