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XDAY, Video Message, Japan Expo and Hyper Japan...

AsukaMiyu · 8415

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Offline AsukaMiyu

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While X-Freaks was down, X had a sudden fit of activities... o_O

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5-MFGed4uw

Yoshiki announced that they'll soon announce "XDAY", which is an "big event" and something that "we have been waiting for for so many years". Whatever that means. :D
Note that there's a snippet of a new song in the video message as well as lots of random London sightseeing spots...!

Also, Yoshiki announced that he'll be at Japan Expo on July 4th for a short special guest appearance (more info) as well as an unplugged concert with ToshI at Hyper Japan on July 11th (more info)

Noone knows if he'll announce the XDAY details there or just randomly on twitter or some website, though...

We'll see...!
« Last Edit: June 23, 2015, 08:13:51 PM by AsukaMiyu »

...When the morning begins
I'll be in the next chapter...


Offline Lucs

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Offline returner

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Reply #2 on: June 24, 2015, 03:49:42 AM
I thought at first that XDay was the name of the album but I guess it's an event? An entire day of X? Idk but I'm excited!

Really realllllly loving Kiss The Sky and we can only hear a few seconds of it... It's such a beautiful melody, I've played it at least 100 times. I cannot wait to hear the full song. Hopefully they release a lyric booklet with the album!

And Japan Expo better fucking livestream Yoshiki's announcement, haha!
« Last Edit: June 24, 2015, 06:48:47 AM 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


Offline Kurenai_Akari

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Reply #3 on: June 24, 2015, 07:20:11 AM
The "Kiss The Sky" snippet isn't even a half minute long & I already fell in love with it~

But on topic: I'm jealous of my friends & X Japan fans over in London right now. One of my friends might go to Hyper Japan, might not (I hope that he does. Totally prepping bribes for him in exchange for some pictures and an autograph from ToshI). But for reals, Yoshiki's already hyping this up hardcore, so let's hope there's lots of good news.



Offline Feudal

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Reply #4 on: June 24, 2015, 10:57:52 AM
100% super excited about the upcoming announcement (I really think it's the album and/or world tour) but I'm not too into the snippet of "Kiss The Sky", that part of the song doesn't do much for me and it's Yoshiki's SAME drum pattern he's used on Jade and other songs. I actually really like Hero, but isn't it crazy that it's been almost 1 year since that song was debuted? Friggen 7 years ago, X Japan reformed....like when you really stop and think how long everyone has waited...some bands form, hit their peak of fame and die all within that time...sigh...almost here.
« Last Edit: June 24, 2015, 11:01:00 AM by Feudal »



Offline friday

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Reply #5 on: June 24, 2015, 12:33:28 PM
Do you think 'Kiss the sky' will have a guitar solo? ;)

MODERATOR'd!


Offline returner

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Reply #6 on: June 24, 2015, 06:28:52 PM
100% super excited about the upcoming announcement (I really think it's the album and/or world tour) but I'm not too into the snippet of "Kiss The Sky", that part of the song doesn't do much for me and it's Yoshiki's SAME drum pattern he's used on Jade and other songs.

It's only a few seconds of the song, the rest might be completely different. I will concede that he seems to focus more on melody and less on intricate drums now, but there's numerous reasons for why that might be. Injuries, age, musical preference, etc. Obviously I understand the sentiment since he is such an amazing drummer, but it doesn't bother me since I always focus on the melody when listening to X

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


Offline CreepyKlutz

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Reply #7 on: June 25, 2015, 10:40:13 AM
I was looking at my ticket stub from the Oakland gig was in utter disbelief at how many years have gone by since that tour...My only real grip is that they had such momentum and press coverage at that time (freakin' ABC world news interview Yo) aaand it just went *poof*

If the album release announcement is actually on it's way I might just have to check myself into a mental health clinic. (Please for the love of hide release the damn thing in USA/EU without need of an import)



Offline Joker

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Reply #8 on: June 25, 2015, 09:49:00 PM
As I said on other forum, what am I expecting from Kiss the Sky? More of the same.
Galloping drums, lame guitars (probably without a guitar solo, not even a jadeish-noisy-guitar solo, like Yoshiki's last songs), women's prerecorded voices at background.

Hopefully I'm wrong.



Offline CreepyKlutz

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Reply #9 on: June 25, 2015, 11:02:29 PM
I can't help but think Sugizo is being underutilized in the new material we HAVE gotten.



Offline returner

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Reply #10 on: June 26, 2015, 01:09:53 AM
As I said on other forum, what am I expecting from Kiss the Sky? More of the same.
Galloping drums, lame guitars (probably without a guitar solo, not even a jadeish-noisy-guitar solo, like Yoshiki's last songs), women's prerecorded voices at background.

Hopefully I'm wrong.

Of course the female speaking segments are "prerecorded." What else would they be on a studio album? Perhaps you're dissatisfied with X no longer being a metal band but try to take jabs that actually make sense if you really can't contain the bitterness. Prejudging a song you haven't even heard is nagl, man!

I can't help but think Sugizo is being underutilized in the new material we HAVE gotten.


IV was pre-Sugizo so it's a given on that one. But he came up with his guitar parts in Jade and Yoshiki says he stays in the studio with him for hours so I'm assuming he gives his input frequently. He also composed Beneath the Skin.... Do you mean underutilized as in talent or composing? Because he's been a glamorized noise guitarist for a long time. What he does with X Japan is what he goes for

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


Offline CreepyKlutz

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Reply #11 on: June 26, 2015, 02:40:41 AM

IV was pre-Sugizo so it's a given on that one. But he came up with his guitar parts in Jade and Yoshiki says he stays in the studio with him for hours so I'm assuming he gives his input frequently. He also composed Beneath the Skin.... Do you mean underutilized as in talent or composing? Because he's been a glamorized noise guitarist for a long time. What he does with X Japan is what he goes for

Yeah I know that about IV-I have no issue with it. I just mean besides Beneath the Skin there's nothing that stands out to me that would make my mind go "Oh hey, that's Sugizo's playing" aside from the solo in Jade. I enjoy the material we've gotten so far but I can't help but feel there's a bit of a "sterilization" in regards to the players' personalities coming through in the work.



Offline returner

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Reply #12 on: June 26, 2015, 03:17:21 AM

Yeah I know that about IV-I have no issue with it. I just mean besides Beneath the Skin there's nothing that stands out to me that would make my mind go "Oh hey, that's Sugizo's playing" aside from the solo in Jade. I enjoy the material we've gotten so far but I can't help but feel there's a bit of a "sterilization" in regards to the players' personalities coming through in the work.

Well if we look at the history of the band X has always had "main personalities" of the group, with Yoshiki at the head followed by hide and then Taiji. They all had that it factor about them, right? Because when Taiji left, the personality of the bass was never the same even on studio recordings. Heath's a good bassist... He can play songs that came before him. But Taiji owned the bass. You could tell he was playing it. So the band lost that type of character-rich quality, bass wise, when he was fired.

So that left Yoshiki and hide. Without hide we can't really expect anything to be the same though. He and Yoshiki were a dynamic team. They got each other on a musical level that is so hard to find, so it's really so extreme to expect there not to be some type of sterilization from the guitar end. Sugizo's style is much more jazz in its free flow chaos whereas Yoshiki and hide's styles are much more structured, being classical and pop. Even Sugizo's syncing with Pata during shows can get iffy because their styles differ in that way, their time signatures, just the way they handle the strings. Collaboration might just be difficult because of their preferences/styles, so we get one member-dominated song compositions which give away what member it was.

Also Sugizo's a busy guy. He has 2 other bands. That might have something to do with it. It might even make it harder to write for X Japan, because if he's influenced by those styles and is called in to write guitar for an X song, the sound he's currently into might rub off and just not be suitable for X's image. We all know being involved in other genres effects artists. For example, Yoshiki doing VUK for so long has definitely bled into X Japan.

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


Offline YoshToshBGosh

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Reply #13 on: June 26, 2015, 03:27:36 PM
I think it was also about competition and challenge. Who can come up with the best idea, you know? And I imagine them playing new songs over and over again, shaping them. I don't think that happens anymore, so the new songs sound generic or even boring (to me).



Offline Joker

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Reply #14 on: June 26, 2015, 07:41:50 PM
Well if we look at the history of the band X has always had "main personalities"
Every band has. But since their return, X is not a band, but Yoshiki's little toy. You never see announcements by the band, is always YOSHIKI THE MEGA MOTHERFUCKING JAPANESE ROCKSTAR and his band X Japan. On interviews he appears alone, even on awards that X JAPAN wins, he appears alone. He always wants the spotlight.

Collaboration might just be difficult because of their preferences/styles, so we get one member-dominated song compositions which give away what member it was.

IMHO, Beneath the Skin is clearly the less mediocre sound since the return.

We all know being involved in other genres effects artists. For example, Yoshiki doing VUK for so long has definitely bled into X Japan.

Violet UK is the biggest joke of his history. Since 2002 the "Violet UK album is coming soon", and he released... NOTHING so far. Not even a single. Not even a concert.
Yoshiki needs to focus on something. I would prefer if it focus on his work as musician instead of THE MOST AWESOME JAPANESE ROCKSTAR EVER LOOK HOW HE IS AWESOME like he tries to put down the non-japanese people throat.




Offline AsukaMiyu

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Reply #15 on: June 26, 2015, 08:21:46 PM
...You know it always makes me wonder if it's really Yoshiki WANTING to do everything alone or the others just not caring enough to join more often...

I can only speak for myself, but with many projects, I end up doing stuff alone - which I do NOT enjoy - all the time because the others are simply too lazy/unmotivated/indifferent/whatever to do more. -_- And, hum, well I wouldn't wonder if it's similar in case of X. :/

(The whole GREATEST ROCKBAND OF JAPANESE HISTORY AND SUPERSTAR YOSHIKI stuff really annoys me as well, though LOL )

...When the morning begins
I'll be in the next chapter...


Offline returner

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Reply #16 on: June 26, 2015, 10:07:00 PM
Every band has. But since their return, X is not a band, but Yoshiki's little toy. You never see announcements by the band, is always YOSHIKI THE MEGA MOTHERFUCKING JAPANESE ROCKSTAR and his band X Japan. On interviews he appears alone, even on awards that X JAPAN wins, he appears alone. He always wants the spotlight.

I mean, I can't pretend to know why the rest of the group wasn't there for the Golden Gods Awards. I do know that Yoshiki makes the majority of the announcements because he's the leader of the band and is the only one besides Toshi that speaks English fluently. He's also the only one who's had social media that's directly connected him to the international fanbase even before X's reunion, so of course he does the majority of the interviews, because he's the most visible. And ever notice how the other members rarely speak during press conferences when the band IS together? It's like they don't care about having a voice because the leader will take care of it. Even in Japan they're mostly quiet. When they did events prior to MSG (as a BAND), Yoshiki had to prod the members for responses.

Pata and Heath and Toshi are not some wallflower victims of Yoshiki's obsession for the spotlight, getting meanly pushed aside because of his greed or some shit. They just don't care about being spokespeople. They couldn't care less about the media game. Doesn't bother me.


IMHO, Beneath the Skin is clearly the less mediocre sound since the return.

That's cool, everyone has their own preference. I personally think Jade is the superior song so far because of all it's sweeping progressions and how melodic it is. Really love that song. I want to hear the official recording of Beneath the Skin really bad though, because I like the intensity of it.

Violet UK is the biggest joke of his history. Since 2002 the "Violet UK album is coming soon", and he released... NOTHING so far. Not even a single. Not even a concert.
Yoshiki needs to focus on something. I would prefer if it focus on his work as musician instead of THE MOST AWESOME JAPANESE ROCKSTAR EVER LOOK HOW HE IS AWESOME like he tries to put down the non-japanese people throat.

I would go crazy with excitement for VUK to be released tomorrow but I can't drag an artist for being a perfectionist with their work. Once it's out there you can't take it back. He has played songs of theirs live but I get what you mean.

And honestly his PR team is the one promoting "biggest most awesome rockstar" propoganda, not him. What else WOULD he go for anyway? Just another guy trying to break into the world market? Not only would that be a lie since X is truly on a golden platform with their success, but it would do him no favors. Why would America, riddled with racism and nationalism and ageism give someone already 30 years into major success a chance unless they had a story to go with it, like being a nationally idolized musical sensation?

It's easy for us to get sick of just because we already know the X Japan/Yoshiki of Japanese fame. But his PR people have to feed it to the English-speaking press with force so that when X Japan does another concert like MSG, people say, "THAT'S why they're so big in Japan!" instead of, "why did no one tell us these guys could rock?!" It's the difference between knowing WHY someone's famous vs wondering IF they are. You know? "Why" gets you a lot more promo and acknowledgment.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2015, 10:18:09 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


Offline axlroseX

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Reply #17 on: July 01, 2015, 07:39:25 AM
Fuckin' finally. Normally I'd have my doubts, but the fact that he said "so many years" makes me sure its the new album. I'm hoping for some new USA dates too for 2015 or 2016. It is a real shame that they didn't use any of the momentum they got in 2010. I am shocked its been so long since all that and since I've seen them live! That was a great time!

"Kiss the Sky" sounds promising, I'm just glad its a new song. At this point it seems the new record will actually be post-2007 songs, that is also great news.

So far we have-

1. Jade
2. Hero
3. Born to be Free
4. Beneath the Skin
5. IV
6. Kiss the Sky
7. Without You

I doubt they would put Scarlet Love Song on this and its possible we might even get another 2-3 unheard songs. Hopefully they will have some good guitar.

EDIT- I also don't have a problem with Sugizo's playing. hide is dead, so I am just glad they found such a good replacement. I just wish they would utilize him on more. Jade, Born to be Free, Beneath the Skin, and IV will probably have solos. I'd like to think Hero will be reworked a bit with one, same with Without You. The guitar is always what elevated X's ballads imo
« Last Edit: July 01, 2015, 07:47:08 AM by axlroseX »