I overreacted, for that I'm sorry. I just don't understand why this topic is brought up so much, I guess. Yoshiki's the leader and unarguably puts in the most work, so he'll get the most credit for the band. If hide were still alive, yes, the attention would be way more equally shared. But it's so unfair to expect a band that's trying to move forward with an active career and not just a throwback reunion tour to give any majority of attention to a deceased member. I remember a few years after X reunited, fans were actually complaining about hide being brought into the concerts past the first 3 reunion shows. Now it's become a monster battle about who's getting proper attention between him and Taiji. X Japan may be hide's widow but Yoshiki and Toshi went to Tokyo with X already in their lives, to make it grow... it's... like I can't say it enough, that there is no X without hide or Taiji or Pata or Heath or now Sugizo, but Yoshiki and Toshi STARTED the band. I have no doubt that hide and Taiji will be honored but the living members deserve the majority of the attention going forward. That's all there is to it.
Also, if Pata was the co-founder of the band and the one writing all the songs and handing out instrument parts to the other members, writing lyrics for Toshi and telling him how to sing the tunes, don't you think he'd be the one with the limelight? Yoshiki's ALWAYS had the creative priority in the band (even back in the day, he would hand out music scores that they couldn't read so he'd have to perform and record their parts and let them learn by ear- this isn't a new dynamic) and the most fame. Before, it was filtered out with mystery from the lack of information and with hide being a bigger face to the fans, but now Yoshiki's stepped in and taken his role for that, he's said so himself.
If the other members were really so perturbed like some fans are, too, they could always learn english and have their managements make some western sm accounts. Hell, they don't even need to know english for that, they just need some intern who speaks it. Toshi speaks english, but does he bother reaching out to us? No, even though he has an instagram and facebook. In fact his facebook is PRIVATE. You have to add him to see anything he's up to! What kind of celebrity does that unless he has no interest in making following him easy? These guys are now entering their 50s and all have private labels. If they wanted to negotiate some attention and publicity away from Yoshiki they easily would, because Yoshiki needs them in the band. It's not like anyone's getting one pulled over, that's why I just don't understand the Yoshiki hate. It's obvious everyone chooses their roles.
The ""Will it be 'We are X' or 'I am Yoshiki'?"" comment? Way out of line. It's the other members' responsibility to do something to have a bigger presence during this "global X Japan" if they want it. They hold a shit ton of cards and they're the ones with more time on their hands. But seldom fans consider that whenever this topic is brought up.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2016, 09:24:16 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
