Headwax suing Yoshiki for using hide's image in concerts?

[roseofpain84]

I'm pretty sure he is doing what he was hired to do.
Which might be slightly different from what you think he was hired to do.

Also, YOU pay for live concerts expecting to hear live music. Others do too.
However the are people who pay for live concerts expecting a certain emotional experience.
Which might or might not include Last Live playbacks.
Or hell...some might be paying for a Live concert in order to simply look at the members and not even care whether they sing, play or just stand cutely on stage.

[Joker]

Plz. He was hired to play guitar. And he is not playing. What else can do a guitarist on a rock band?

Music concerts are MUSIC concerts, not fashion shows (ironical?). People want to see band, right. But they want to see the band PLAYING.

[Sander]

The INTRO for Kurenai is nice. The 'tobe tobe tobe' is nice.
Playbacks running while Sugizo should be playing is ridiculous. Why they need Sugizo if he can't play? Is just THIS question I want that someone answer. Why he is "less member" than the others? Why he can't do what he was hired to do?

While I would also be happy to see Sugizo play the solos himself, I think the point of the band is to have hide play at least a few parts from the 'old' songs, for the people who have never seen hide live. You might have noticed, but their policy is that hide is still a member, therefore a few of his best solos is the least they can have him 'play'. And Sugizo is playing solos of new songs. Plus, hide playback solos were used in maybe two or three songs and the total time that took was around a minute maybe. Sugizo is still playing 99,5% of the time! And most of the fans are happy. Sugizo fans see him play a lot, plus most of the solos, and hide's fans have their share. Simple

Plz. He was hired to play guitar. And he is not playing. What else can do a guitarist on a rock band?

Music concerts are MUSIC concerts, not fashion shows (ironical?). People want to see band, right. But they want to see the band PLAYING.

I think Sugizo is playing a lot. If you consider the violin solos then he's playing more than Pata (ironical?). He even plays during the two or three solos that they have hide play. Remember, he's the 6th member, not a replacement for hide.

And don't start again with the fashion shows. They were there to fill a break, plus some people happen to like VioletUK's music, plus it brought in some sponsorship funds that the band needed (with all the health problems of Yoshiki, management problems of Heath and the band in general and all the postponements those caused, not to mention Toshi's bankruptcy).

[Yu~Kun]

Joker, don't you think you exaggerate a little bit here? I'm totally with Hypno in this one.

[voicelesscreamer]

Music concerts are MUSIC concerts, not fashion shows (ironical?). People want to see band, right. But they want to see the band PLAYING.

X Japan its special band , it has preformance arts and ectecera , not only band playing music

Theres alot of normal bands to see , if you want to see normal band just playing music

[Sander]

According to JRockDaily (no idea who they are...) there are currently 15 lawsuits in work:

Yoshiki sued by Headwax.

Well, YOSHIKI didn’t get sued directly by hide, but rather by hide’s company, Headwax.

Headwax is suing Yoshiki for using visuals of hide without permission. There are 15 lawsuits in the works, and Headwax is saying that because hide left the band and never came back (obviously), X Japan (Yoshiki) has no right to use any visuals of hide without the consent of Headwax. That’s the controversy in a nutshell.

Well it’s YOSHIKI, so this probably isn’t going to stick, and Headwax will probably just get some monies. But hey, they get more PR for their upcoming shows and new album that will be released.

[Ashemanu]

Well, I would have been very surprised if Yoshiki got sued directly by hide, lol.

[Lee]

Music concerts are MUSIC concerts, not fashion shows (ironical?). People want to see band, right. But they want to see the band PLAYING.

X Japan its special band , it has preformance arts and ectecera , not only band playing music

Theres alot of normal bands to see , if you want to see normal band just playing music

X Japan is a good band to go see if you want to see nothing happening for 10, 15 minutes at a time 3 or 4 times a show. Bring a book!

[Lee]

From xradicaldreamers

"Hear Japan , a company sells That mp3 of Japanese bands, Replied To Our tweet with the lawsuit news, Saying this:

It's more about revenge because Yoshiki bankrupted their entire corporation with his antics."

https://twitter.com/HearJapan

I would like to quote this simply because this guy has some insight as to what's going on, where-as you're all making wild guesses.

Wait, they're saying Yoshiki bankrupted Headwax?

What crap is this? Headwax have had no involvement since the reunion, either financial or orchestrational (discounting the Hide memorial summit, which they hired X Japan to perform at) with either Yoshiki or X Japan.

Headwax have conducted their own business for years now on their own accord, if they're enduring any financial hardship then it can in no way be attributed to X Japan's activities. If anything, X Japan's resurgence has increased their business, not the opposite.

They're just money-grubbing. They want to cash in on X Japan because they're out of fresh product to put Hide's name on. They're just throwing the dummy out of the pram to either force Yoshiki into signing a new deal (thus making a potentially protracted court case magically disappear) or to generate themselves a little extra income.

I'm seriously impressed with Hiroshi, I never thought that there would be any more ways to drag Hide's name through the gutter. Maybe he saw that X Japan were just starting to get a little bit of stability and slowly phasing his brother's name out of the band, so felt inclined to do something stupid to get 'Hide' back into the Japanese tabloid headlines. After all, he should know better than most how lucrative that can be, the tills didn't stop constantly ringing until months after Hide died.

Ok team, into the huddle.

I'll go get actual info, while you make stuff up.

On three, go team.

one, two, three GO TEAM.

[Lee]

Here's a little bit on the Japanese concept of "Right of Portrait"

and a little bit of why Hiroshi could have legitimate reason for this lawsuit other then a cash grab or revenge.

http://www.theothereast.net/?p=3143

[Snapback]

I dont think it's a matter of money. I think its about the principle of the matter. If the contract was up, X's management/whoever shouldnt have used hide's image. That's all there is to it. If they were allowed to use it since Yoshiki is the band leader/owner of X Japan and hide is in it...well then that's the court to decide who's at fault here.

[xjokerx]

after reading from the first post to the last, I agree that it's a matter of professionalism, it's like if hide still alive, he would have get his royalty from the band, hence he's dead, his representative or his families get it. 

[Beauty/Broken]

From xradicaldreamers

"Hear Japan , a company sells That mp3 of Japanese bands, Replied To Our tweet with the lawsuit news, Saying this:

It's more about revenge because Yoshiki bankrupted their entire corporation with his antics."

https://twitter.com/HearJapan

I would like to quote this simply because this guy has some insight as to what's going on, where-as you're all making wild guesses.

Wait, they're saying Yoshiki bankrupted Headwax?

What crap is this? Headwax have had no involvement since the reunion, either financial or orchestrational (discounting the Hide memorial summit, which they hired X Japan to perform at) with either Yoshiki or X Japan.

Headwax have conducted their own business for years now on their own accord, if they're enduring any financial hardship then it can in no way be attributed to X Japan's activities. If anything, X Japan's resurgence has increased their business, not the opposite.

They're just money-grubbing. They want to cash in on X Japan because they're out of fresh product to put Hide's name on. They're just throwing the dummy out of the pram to either force Yoshiki into signing a new deal (thus making a potentially protracted court case magically disappear) or to generate themselves a little extra income.

I'm seriously impressed with Hiroshi, I never thought that there would be any more ways to drag Hide's name through the gutter. Maybe he saw that X Japan were just starting to get a little bit of stability and slowly phasing his brother's name out of the band, so felt inclined to do something stupid to get 'Hide' back into the Japanese tabloid headlines. After all, he should know better than most how lucrative that can be, the tills didn't stop constantly ringing until months after Hide died.

Ok team, into the huddle.

I'll go get actual info, while you make stuff up.

On three, go team.

one, two, three GO TEAM.

...Yet all you yourself have brought to the table is a tweet from Hear Japan (which appears to be erroneous in light of other sources) and a little bit of your own conjecture regarding why Hiroshi might want to sue Yoshiki due to Japanese image right laws.

All credit goes to Keiko Hamaguchi for the translations:

http://natalie.mu/music/news/36398

YOSHIKI commented about the article of the "contract issue of HIDE X JAPAN"

 

JAPAN MUSIX AGENCY announced the official statement. On August 17th, the notification was arrived. In this notification, those 2 thing were requested one sided.

Make nexter corporation (former X JAPAN Production management conservancy) repay 300,000,000 yen to HIDE's management office.

Repay 2,000,000,000 yen from JMA to nexter coporation.

If JMA dosen't carry out that demand, the contract about using HIDE's image will invalid.

 

JMA and HEADWAX organization cooperated to ticket sale of Nissan stadium concert,so he commented "It fails to understand, If they file suit about it,we will make it clear at the court.

 

HEADWAX odganaizetion said, We will announce the official statement soon, we can't say anything in this time.

 

YOSHIKI's comment.

 

I hope this trouble isn't the intention of HIDE's bereaved family.

And I will solve this problem by myself.

I think HIDE is feeling sad mostly about this.

Even if there is HIDE's image or not, I won't change my mind to fly to the world with HIDE.

I will tell the greatness of HIDE to all of the world.

I don't want to give you guys trouble ,but I will fight if I need to fight.

And no matter what anything happened,HIDE is member of X JAPAN .

I've never change my mind.

Because of your support,we can go forward even though there is a big wall in front of us.

 

YOSHIKI

PS. Thanks for the really great support at Nissan stadium for 2 days. That is very memorable concert for us. I appreciate!!

And again:

http://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/news/p-et-tp0-20100816-666443.html

 Tha article from nikkansports.com on August 16th.

 

HIDE X JAPAN the lawsuit about the tissue of contract.

It was clarified that the HEADWAX organization which is the management office of HIDE will file suit about the request of the use prohibition of the portrait right for HIDE against YOSHIKI's management office. Accodring to the person , "The image of Hide was used with the contract not concluded.thay will file a suit in this a couple of the days. Taking the opportunity of the lawsuit、ｔhe possibility that HIDE will secede from

X JAPAN has come out.

 

According to the many parsons, YOSHIKI's management office ,JAPAN MUSIC AGENCY(JMA) had a contract about using HIDE's image with HEADWAX in 2000.When the Nissan stadium concert on 14th and 15th was decided,JMA offer that they will extended contract of using image,because the last contract was years ago. But just before the show,JMA notified that they won't use HIDE's image at the show,and the contract gets to the start back.

But HIDE's image was used on Kurenai and X at that show.

 

The trouble include the Pachinko,CR FEVER X JAPAN, which will be released in September. According to the parsons,HIDE's ffice, made the contract about using HIDE's image but without performance of contractual coverage, image was used for Pachinko.

 

HEADWAX will file suit against JMA and SANKYO which is the maker of Pachinko .

 

But HIDE was always on the stage since X JAPAN reunited in 2008. Reader YOSHIKI said, HIDE is always with us together . We'll bring HIDE to the world" with bringing HIDE doll at the Tokyo Dome show.

 

X JAPAN planed the north American tour from September 25th, but in this situation of this lawsuit,the  possibility that HIDE will secede from

X JAPAN has come out.

So yeaaaaah, like I said before. They're money-grubbing. Headwax are filing a total of 15 cases, not just against Yoshiki/JMA and Sankyo but also against the doomed Nextar, who Yoshiki himself is currently carrying out litigation procedures against. This isn't something they have just whipped up over the weekend, this is a complicated set of legal proceedings.

I mean, come on, 2,000,000,000 yen for the use of Hide's image briefly in two songs? That's awfully disproportionate. And what do Nextar have to do with anything? X Japan severed ties with them last year when they transferred to Irving Azoff's Management. This isn't just about a little bit of Hide footage being used at a few concerts, these are a very carefully contrived set of claims.

[Palma]

Beauty/Broken it is a great collection of information. Thank you so much for bringing something concrete to the table!

[Lee]

Here's what going on in the corporate side of things.
http://www.theothereast.net/?p=3157

basically yoshiki bankrupt everyone. Its true.

[sai]

Well, this is a flaming mess.

[sora2252]

All these articles tell me is that they are using hide for revenge on Yoshiki for something I don't think he actually did (not purposely anyways). Yes it sucks for the companies going bankrupt, but what the hell kind of company only invests in one band? It's just as much their fault as it is Yoshiki's. He didn't bankrupt them to be mean. Bands cancel tours, it happens to everyone. It's unfortunate, people lose money, butit's reality. A good company works to make it through the problems, they don't use the image of a man that is not with us anymore to get revenge. This is simply wrong. He's not leverage to get revenge. He's not an object to be used to stab at Yoshiki. He's a man that Yoshiki wants to honor and give him something that he always wanted, to be known through out the world.

[Lee]

All these articles tell me is that they are using hide for revenge on Yoshiki for something I don't think he actually did (not purposely anyways). Yes it sucks for the companies going bankrupt, but what the hell kind of company only invests in one band? It's just as much their fault as it is Yoshiki's. He didn't bankrupt them to be mean. Bands cancel tours, it happens to everyone. It's unfortunate, people lose money, butit's reality. A good company works to make it through the problems, they don't use the image of a man that is not with us anymore to get revenge. This is simply wrong. He's not leverage to get revenge. He's not an object to be used to stab at Yoshiki. He's a man that Yoshiki wants to honor and give him something that he always wanted, to be known through out the world.

Yoshiki is mostly in charge of the show productions, and doesn't appear to have really tried to stay in budget. The hide hologram alone was 500,000 USD.

But revenge aside, Hiroshi owns the rights to hide's image. Yoshiki said he wasn't going to use hide, but then did so without a contract. This is illegal. That's the bottom line.

If you think Yoshiki is above the law then that's another matter and there's no point arguing with you.


For the record, Nexstar and their parent company DID invest in other bands than X Japan.  As I said in my blog post, the parent company even had Glay. The record industry is in rough shape, and X Japan failed to deliver a profitable tour or a CD. Its not like there are just piles of bands laying around in Nexstar capable of making that money back. Most of the big bands in Japan are pop bands, and Nexstar was mostly a visual label I believe.

Bottom line once again though: Yoshiki violated Headwax/Hiroshi's IP rights.

[radicalblues]

I think the point of the band is to have hide play at least a few parts from the 'old' songs, for the people who have never seen hide live.

They won't exactly see him live now either, if you know what I mean.

It's just very sad that hide means too much to let him go --too much money. Mainly for Hiroshi, who has released the most ridiculous hide shit in the last years.

For X JAPAN he's not a direct influx of money, as you've previously stated in the thread. But he's still one of their biggest trademarks, at least in Japan, where every fangirl will assist to X JAPAN concerts to scream his name... while Sugizo is playing.

Now Yoshiki and Hiroshi are going to fight each other with money and lawyers about their beloved hide. Way to go, assholes. How about giving hide a proper treatment and stop treating him as a product?

Well, dead artists make good products, what can I say. That's the norm in this business.

[Beauty/Broken]

Here's what going on in the corporate side of things.
http://www.theothereast.net/?p=3157

basically yoshiki bankrupt everyone. Its true.

It's very, very unusual for a record label to pay for concerts. That's what promoters do, record labels seldom foray into that market. Nextarr were a sponsor for X Japan post re-union (X Japan's concert books promoted half of their band roster and the Hide Memorial Summit was basically a Nextarr showcase), but they weren't funding the entire thing exclusively as your article seems to suggest. Yoshiki, representing X Japan, is actually currently deadlocked in a court battle with Nextarr over unpaid concert revenues. Apparently the band haven't actually been paid a penny for their 2008 Tokyo Dome shows, and are now unlikely to be after the label went under. Nextarr have actually claimed publicly that they owe X Japan money, just not the amount which Yoshiki is seeking via his court case. From the looks of things, Headwax's claim against Nextarr is similar to the one Yoshiki is filing, only they recognise that they're unlikely to recoup the money from a bankrupt business and as such are suing Yoshiki and Sankyo in separate claims.

Also, Lee, ask your insider about The Yakuza and the injuries Hiroshi Matsumoto suffered recently when he had an "accident". All of the people I've spoke to about this in Japan are convinced that there's more to this than meets the eye. I mean, come on, he's filing 15 cases against three separate companies due to the use of Hide images in two songs over the weekend? If we are to believe that we are also to believe they have compiled these petty cases extraordinarily fast. This has probably been in the pipeline for a while, they were just waiting for the right time to move forward with proceedings. It's a desperate attempt in any circumstance, as Headwax are unlikely to win a penny given that they actually profited from the ticket sales to the Yokohama lives and were also able to sell their merchandise at the event. What exactly where they getting paid for if not for Hide's image being used at the concerts? Breach of contract or not, they're clearly up to their eyeballs in a mess that they can't escape from - this is all pretty desperate.

Besides, X Japan and the Yakuza actually go hand-in-hand. I remember reading an interview with the French director who worked with Yoshiki on the Rose of Pain video, and he said that X Japan's meteoric rise to success was actually a cash cow for organised crime. X Japan have had plenty of sponsors, not all of them have been gullible record labels - or even legitimate businesses.

[bahbah]

This info. maybe help

http://www.japan-zone.com/news/2010/08/20/no_end_to_x_japans_money_problems.shtml

Financial troubles never seem to be too far from Japan's biggest rock band. Japan Music Agency, who manage X Japan leader Yoshiki, revealed to the media yesterday that they are being asked to pay
¥2 billion for the use of images of the band's late guitarist Hide. JMA have said that, depending on how things play out, they may take the matter to court. The wrangling over money is just the latest of many that have plagued the group since it achieved commercial success.


Headworks Organization is the company that represents the estate of Hide, who died under controversial circumstances in 1998. The firm is run by his brother Matsumoto Hiroshi (42), who seemed to be on good terms with the rest of the band during a memorial service for Hide held in May. During last week's two concerts in Yokohama, Hide's image was used on stage as it has been at all the band's shows since their reunion in 2008. But the money problems began some time ago.


When X Japan reunited in 2008, they signed a ¥600 million contract with music production company Nexstar Corporation, who put on the band's concerts. The deal included the use of some recordings, advance royalties and contract money. Nexstar reportedly made some ¥2.5 billion from concert ticket and merchandise sales over the following two years. But JMA never saw the money, and Yoshiki filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court against Nexstar back in March seeking ¥375 million in damages. Headworks has reportedly received ¥300 million from Nexstar, and they have now instructed JMA to pay ¥2 billion to Nexstar or no longer be allowed to use Hide's image.


The tangled financial web will hopefully not hinder the band's upcoming assault on North America, with a concert tour due to start in September. As Yoshiki said, "I think the one who is suffering most in this is Hide. But with or without his image, we are still spreading our wings together."

[mC]

Thanks for that bahbah.

[bahbah]

Thanks for that bahbah.

your welcome

[voicelesscreamer]

It's very, very unusual for a record label to pay for concerts. That's what promoters do, record labels seldom foray into that market. Nextarr were a sponsor for X Japan post re-union (X Japan's concert books promoted half of their band roster and the Hide Memorial Summit was basically a Nextarr showcase), but they weren't funding the entire thing exclusively as your article seems to suggest. Yoshiki, representing X Japan, is actually currently deadlocked in a court battle with Nextarr over unpaid concert revenues. Apparently the band haven't actually been paid a penny for their 2008 Tokyo Dome shows, and are now unlikely to be after the label went under. Nextarr have actually claimed publicly that they owe X Japan money, just not the amount which Yoshiki is seeking via his court case. From the looks of things, Headwax's claim against Nextarr is similar to the one Yoshiki is filing, only they recognise that they're unlikely to recoup the money from a bankrupt business and as such are suing Yoshiki and Sankyo in separate claims.

Also, Lee, ask your insider about The Yakuza and the injuries Hiroshi Matsumoto suffered recently when he had an "accident". All of the people I've spoke to about this in Japan are convinced that there's more to this than meets the eye. I mean, come on, he's filing 15 cases against three separate companies due to the use of Hide images in two songs over the weekend? If we are to believe that we are also to believe they have compiled these petty cases extraordinarily fast. This has probably been in the pipeline for a while, they were just waiting for the right time to move forward with proceedings. It's a desperate attempt in any circumstance, as Headwax are unlikely to win a penny given that they actually profited from the ticket sales to the Yokohama lives and were also able to sell their merchandise at the event. What exactly where they getting paid for if not for Hide's image being used at the concerts? Breach of contract or not, they're clearly up to their eyeballs in a mess that they can't escape from - this is all pretty desperate.

Besides, X Japan and the Yakuza actually go hand-in-hand. I remember reading an interview with the French director who worked with Yoshiki on the Rose of Pain video, and he said that X Japan's meteoric rise to success was actually a cash cow for organised crime. X Japan have had plenty of sponsors, not all of them have been gullible record labels - or even legitimate businesses.

Its not good idea , talking out about Yakuza like this on public forum !! :X

I see so many times , X Japan's fan talking about Yakuza ... HIDE death , pachinko machine and N. Korea , Hiroshi accident , and now these things you say ... please be carefully , its very danger to say !!  Yakuza might be reading , and see it ... even you dont like, please consider Yakuza very respectful in Japan , everybody know to leave them allone and not accuse

Please X japan's fans , lets support X Japan , not say danger things

[Ann1958]

Also, Lee, ask your insider about The Yakuza and the injuries Hiroshi Matsumoto suffered recently when he had an "accident"

please consider Yakuza very respectful in Japan , everybody know to leave them allone and not accuse

I don't understand! What is Yakuza and what was the 'accident'? I never heard from Yakuza. Why is it dangerous to speak about them?

[Neru]

Mainly because the Yakuza is everywhere, they control lots of things from stockmarkets to music industry like said before, it's like a taboo to talk about the Yakuza.

This "accident" however is something I never heard of.

[Palma]

It's very, very unusual for a record label to pay for concerts. That's what promoters do, record labels seldom foray into that market. Nextarr were a sponsor for X Japan post re-union (X Japan's concert books promoted half of their band roster and the Hide Memorial Summit was basically a Nextarr showcase), but they weren't funding the entire thing exclusively as your article seems to suggest. Yoshiki, representing X Japan, is actually currently deadlocked in a court battle with Nextarr over unpaid concert revenues. Apparently the band haven't actually been paid a penny for their 2008 Tokyo Dome shows, and are now unlikely to be after the label went under. Nextarr have actually claimed publicly that they owe X Japan money, just not the amount which Yoshiki is seeking via his court case. From the looks of things, Headwax's claim against Nextarr is similar to the one Yoshiki is filing, only they recognise that they're unlikely to recoup the money from a bankrupt business and as such are suing Yoshiki and Sankyo in separate claims.

Also, Lee, ask your insider about The Yakuza and the injuries Hiroshi Matsumoto suffered recently when he had an "accident". All of the people I've spoke to about this in Japan are convinced that there's more to this than meets the eye. I mean, come on, he's filing 15 cases against three separate companies due to the use of Hide images in two songs over the weekend? If we are to believe that we are also to believe they have compiled these petty cases extraordinarily fast. This has probably been in the pipeline for a while, they were just waiting for the right time to move forward with proceedings. It's a desperate attempt in any circumstance, as Headwax are unlikely to win a penny given that they actually profited from the ticket sales to the Yokohama lives and were also able to sell their merchandise at the event. What exactly where they getting paid for if not for Hide's image being used at the concerts? Breach of contract or not, they're clearly up to their eyeballs in a mess that they can't escape from - this is all pretty desperate.

Besides, X Japan and the Yakuza actually go hand-in-hand. I remember reading an interview with the French director who worked with Yoshiki on the Rose of Pain video, and he said that X Japan's meteoric rise to success was actually a cash cow for organised crime. X Japan have had plenty of sponsors, not all of them have been gullible record labels - or even legitimate businesses.

Its not good idea , talking out about Yakuza like this on public forum !! :X

I see so many times , X Japan's fan talking about Yakuza ... HIDE death , pachinko machine and N. Korea , Hiroshi accident , and now these things you say ... please be carefully , its very danger to say !!  Yakuza might be reading , and see it ... even you dont like, please consider Yakuza very respectful in Japan , everybody know to leave them allone and not accuse

Please X japan's fans , lets support X Japan , not say danger things

Good point voicelessscreamer! We should just stick to talking about X Japan and leave anything pertaining to the above-mentioned topic out of this forum.

[sai]

Wow, I have never seen something swept under the rug as quickly as I just have. I don't understand what the big deal is if we talk about it or even mention it-- it's not like it can be proven or anything.

[mC]

Wow, I have never seen something swept under the rug as quickly as I just have. I don't understand what the big deal is if we talk about it or even mention it-- it's not like it can be proven or anything.

ha, I agree....

[Palma]

Reason 1: It is just speculation and who wants to start another flame fest
Reason 2: Yakuza is not something that a Japanese person would ever discuss openly anywhere and especially on an international forum about a Japanese band.

Enough said!