Neat article. Copying and pasting because fsr the website makes you pay for a subscription if you read more than once
http://www.newsweek.com/day-three-sundance-film-festival-419334First, I caught the world premiere of Stephen Kajiak’s emotive documentary We Are X, which chronicles the rise of the five-piece band X Japan (not to be mistaken with California X, or X, an excellent punk band also hailing from California). Helmed by the brilliant composer, pianist and drummer Yoshiki (the subject of the documentary), X Japan gained immediate success in their native Japan upon their debut in the 1980s, bursting onto the scene with their distinctive combination of metal, balladry and unbelievable technical skill that came to be known as “visual kei.” Their flamboyant sartorial approach, inspired by David Bowie’s chameleonic Martian chic, Kabuki culture and the safety pin stylings of early punk bands, definitely helped. As did the band’s heart-pounding live performances, complete with flames, kaleidoscopic light shows and 10-plus-minute-long drum solos that at times left Yoshiki collapsed on the floor. (Later on, the band would provide him with oxygen tanks so he was able to keep playing.)
It’s not all leather and spikes and everything nice, though. The story of the band X Japan is, really, a meditation on the triumph that’s often buried somewhere amid senseless tragedy. In this case, that includes losing several several close friends and family members to suicide and even having to contend with cult brainwashing. Yoshiki’s story is the central narrative here, and through his personal tales, dazzling footage of the band preparing for a 2014 Madison Square Garden run and some serious archival deep-dives (including an unexpected brush with David Lynch!), the director threads together a compelling narrative that will resonate with fans and new listeners alike. It also forces us to grapple with difficult questions of purpose, the inevitable role of pain in art, and how music acts as a force for salvation, as much for the fans as for the musicians who thrash these songs into existence.
Yoshiki—who was once described to me as “the Mick Jagger of Asia”—walked out after the premiere to a standing ovation. While soft-spoken and gracious with his stories, Yoshiki is every bit the larger-than-life force of rock he appears to be onscreen, decked out in leathers and a blowout that would make Farrah Fawcett clench her jaw in jealousy. Later, Yoshiki tells me that he cried “about 10 times” while watching the film, which is among one of the most uplifting pieces I’ve seen at Sundance, period.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2016, 09:55:10 PM by returner »
We are not trying to keep the legacy—we are trying to move forward, so our sound is going to change. I’m ready to be criticized, for example by fans saying "you should rather be this style." I’m ready for it, I’m okay with any concept of criticism-Yoshiki