Nothing is impossible!
Candid Interview with ToshI
HearJapan held an hour long interview with ToshI on July 19th, two days after X Japan’s bassist Taiji passed away and a day after returning from their European tour. The interview covers a wide range of topics without any management in the room controlling the conversation. This interview represent’s ToshI speaking for himself, a luxury he hadn’t had in a long time.
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Hear Japan: Congratulations on a successful tour.
ToshI: Ah, Thank you. It was very exhausting.
HJ: I bet. You toured through 4 countries in just a week right?
ToshI: Yes. We arrived in London a bit in advance. Before that I was in Los Angeles recording music for X Japan. Once we finished London we looped around Europe and then I went back to Los Angeles. After all that, I’m in Japan. It’s been such a whirlwind that I don’t even know what’s going on anymore.
HJ: Sounds like a rough case of jetlag.
ToshI: Haha, I feel like this is the worst yet.
HJ: So what were your impressions of the tour? Were there any noticeable differences in the crowds of each country?
ToshI: I don’t mean to boast, but up until now we have played in loads of concerts. No matter where we go we get an intense reaction from the fans. I must say that I felt that this time we got the most powerful response to date in Europe. The venues were very compact so we were able to play in an intimate space with our fans.
HJ: That sounds like an amazing experience for the fans.
ToshI: Yes, in Utrecht we were in a relatively small venue that could only fit 1000 – 2000 people. The largest venue we played in was at Paris, which held 7000 – 8000 people. At any rate, the crowds were much wilder than I was expecting. It was overwhelming.
HJ: That’s a real treat for fans to be so close. It should be expected that they would get revved up.
ToshI: Due to the previous management’s miscalculations we had to cancel the shows numerous times. I felt this was an incredibly inconsiderate thing to do to the fans. While over there I sensed that they had all waited patiently for us over the years. This really came through via their reaction to our concerts. It truly made me happy.
HJ: I see. I noticed that there was a large number of ballads…
ToshI: That’s right. On my upcoming album there are also a few rock tunes thrown in, and PATA and SUGIZO play on it as well. However, my concerts solely have an orchestra/ballad sound.
HJ: Let’s move on to your new material. “Haru no Negai” was written after the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred. How did that make you feel?
ToshI: The earthquake struck so suddenly, it left me with so many emotions. I didn’t understand why I was singing and had no idea of what I should be doing or for what purpose I should sing for. I thought about all of these things and how this event would shape them. I was very confused at that time. My producer Masae Shida, was able to get in contact with an acquaintance in the affected areas. After the earthquake struck we were able to hear what kind of situation the people were living in over the telephone. I was told that one of the victims then said “I want to hear ToshI sing”.
ToshI - Haru no Negai
As time passes after this incredibly difficult situation where all had been lost, what people really need is to feel good and also get a little entertainment in their lives. I was told this from numerous people up north. I was also told the people would be overjoyed if I came and played the piano and sung. Maybe if I could come and play in their heavily damaged community center. I felt that they were adamant about this, but logistically it was too difficult. Instead I ran a series of charity concerts to raise money for them. After all, the one thing I can do to help is to sing. With that in mind Ms. Shida wrote the song and the violinist, Kunio Sakamoto, played it with me.
HJ: In January, you had your first “dinner show”. What was the fan reaction to this special kind of show?
ToshI: First of all, this was the first time we went under the stage name of “ToshI featuring Yoshiki”. Not to mention under the setting of a dinner show where the food was cooked by Kiyomi Mikuni, a world-class chef. It was a high class event that included high class food, decor and most importantly high classy music. We really wanted to bring this kind of event to the table.
HJ: I wish I could be there.
ToshI: Well, it was very expensive, but I think we tried to put together a show that held a lot of value with the fans. We really classed up everything and the fans were able to see us up close. I think with Yoshiki’s compositions and my new material backed by an orchestra, we were able to convey a strong message. I felt that for me personally, this was the most fun I had had performing at an event. Also, being in such close proximity, we were able to feed off the energy that the fans were exuding. I had a really great time all around.
HJ: I saw a clip on YouTube of the show. The stage had a certain elegance to it that was differed from regular shows.
ToshI: That is exactly the tone we were looking to set. More importantly it was having the fans be able to see us in such an intimate setting that was the real pleasure. With the help of my producer, the chef and all of the staff at the hotel we were able to please everyone in attendance and filled them with happiness. Having them go home in that state and bring about joy in their daily life. That was our goal. In order to make it possible we came here (The Prince Park Tower Tokyo) numerous times to iron out all of the details and make sure everything was perfect. Of course on the day of the show there were many unanticipated problems that popped up, but overall I am really happy that we went through with it.
HJ: Will you be holding another dinner show?
ToshI: Yes. I didn’t think we’d be planning another one so soon. This time the dinner show will be held in the summer so I aim for a show with a summer vibe. The show isn’t until August but I’m already looking forward to performing.
HJ: Many foreign fans of your music are impressed by how natural your English sounds in your English songs. How did you study or train yourself to sing in English?
ToshI: In my case I don’t think my pronunciation is particularly that good, but whenever the lyrics are presented to me, I make sure to practice them again and again and again and well you get the point. (smiles). At the core of my training was a pronunciation teacher in Los Angeles named Larry Moss who also runs a studio there too. He was an amazing elderly teacher who taught both me and Yoshiki for many years. I heard that many celebrities are taught pronunciation by him. I think it was very critical to my growth that I learned from him. At least that’s what Yoshiki always says. When I’m just singing, there always seems to be some difficulty in pronouncing each syllable correctly.
HJ: Do you run into problems singing with a Japanese accent or other bad habits?
ToshI: Indeed. However, I don’t think singing with a Japanese accent is that bad of a thing. I think one can turn a positive into a negative and really bring out a Japanesque sound. This was also the thought of Yoshiki when he was producing songs with me singing in English. The result of Larry Moss and Yoshiki’s production work on my pronunciation had proven itself to be much better than anything I could have come up with by myself.
HJ: You are quite busy with various X Japan and solo engagements. What do you do on your off time?
ToshI: There hardly is any time I could call my off time! Whenever I arrive in a new city, the only thing I do is absolutely nothing (laughs). Especially on this tour, I just stayed holed up in my hotel for three days. Jet lag is a force of nature.
HJ: That makes sense.
ToshI: I’m completely out of it. So the best answer I can give is that on my off-time I am relieving myself from jet lag (laughs). I also like driving, shopping and eating out. No matter how busy Yoshiki is, we always make sure to eat out together.
HJ: Can you eat food from any country?
ToshI: On this tour it was my first time in certain parts of Europe. I must say that German food and beer is truly a treat.
HJ: Sounds delicious!
ToshI: It was so delicious! I love Germany (laughs). Of course I also love other countries as well. But I do eat out quite a bit. I like going to a variety of restaurants and sample each countries’ dishes. Likewise, if I am in that country, the obvious thing to do is sample that countries’ dishes. I’m already used to the delicacies in Los Angeles so I’m interested in exploring food from other spots too!
I suppose I’m like a typical tourist; sampling that country’s most famous dish. I make sure I have ample time to enjoy my meal. Unfortunately I never have the opportunity to play the role of tourist and go sightseeing as my schedule is always packed. At the very least I make sure I’m able to go out and enjoy a good meal and savor the local delicacies.
HJ: Besides this tour, you have been on many tours abroad throughout your career. Do you have any special memories or funny episodes that happened while abroad?
ToshI: Hmmm, my freshest memories are from our most recent tour. There was an accident while playing at Utrecht. Many fans started climbing on top of each other and there was a lot of shoving. We had to briefly stop the song we were playing. I thought at that point that we might have to call off the show. For me it’s been a while since I last had to stop a song in the middle of playing it (laughs). The environment became a little too dangerous due to the fans shoving.
HJ: Was it to the extent that the barrier in front of the stage might get damaged?
ToshI: The barrier was on the verge of collapse. Then, I made the decision to stop the song due to safety concerns. It was just YOSHIKI who hadn’t noticed what was going on who was trying to rile up the crowd by himself (laughs).
HJ: So Yoshiki never heard the staff screaming “Step back”?
ToshI: Yep, the message never got through to him. Everyone had stopped playing and there was an atmosphere of uncertainty hanging in the air. He looked at us like “why are you all stopping?” It wasn’t the place for antics though and I’m happy that no one was hurt in all of the confusion.
HJ: The fans certainly have a lot of power behind them.
ToshI: Their power is limitless. That is what makes concerts so great. Regardless, I’m just happy no one was seriously hurt.
HJ: This time around you released “Haru no Negai ” and “Hoshizora no Neptune” as solo releases. Do you have plans to release more solo tracks under the “ToshI” name in the near future?
ToshI - Hoshizora no Neptune
ToshI: Yes. I am getting a lot of people approaching me from multiple directions to do collaborations. I think that I want to release a song to the whole world again.
HJ: That sounds great!
HJ: Regarding TAIJI, we were surprised to see that he had passed away on the news just two days ago. For one of your buddies who played with you through the age of X Japan, you must be in a lot of pain right now.
ToshI: Yes. Right now my feelings haven’t settled yet and I’m still in a very confused state. So far I have only heard the reports on the news and I’m in shock. I can’t find the appropriate words to say.
When I think back to how we played together for the longest time throughout our time as amateur musicians and I imagine how if he wasn’t there, the X Japan that we all know today simply wouldn’t exist. In that sense, He helped build the path that we are still traversing even now.
He is an amazing bassist and musician and one of my close buddies. I’m still in denial about the whole thing. If all of this is really true, it is too much to bear.
HJ: I will follow up with another sensitive question. Many years ago you partook in some “self-enlightenment seminars” which left you bankrupt. Many fans abroad have been worrying about you. What are your feelings about the music you released while undergoing those seminars? Since then has there been any kind of transformation in your soul?
ToshI: Hmm, this is a little difficult to sum up in a few brief sentences so let me lay out my thoughts for you. First off, if there is one thing I can say without any hesitation is that I don’t want anyone to buy or listen to any songs released under the labels “Home of Heart” or “Healing World”. Doing so will only inflict more pain on the victims. This is my biggest request to my fans. I myself have come face to face with the damage reaped by them and it brings back plenty of painful memories. I will never sing any songs from that era.
I feel like new life has been breathed into me. I feel the warm support of so many people and truly feel like I have been reborn. A good analogy for how I felt while under their influence was the way you feel in a train when going through a long dark tunnel. Then all of the sudden you are out of the tunnel and you get off the train and get on an airplane or something like that. From there you are off on a new journey.
A lot of stuff went down during that period. Merely getting off the train would send you off on a different course. Therefor there was a lot of friction in my life at that time and a lot of pain in my heart. Not only that, but I had affected all of those that were close to me. At some point in anyone’s life there is a time when one must get off the train, get on a new track and head in a new direction. That is just part of life. I feel it is important to be decisive at those times.
Your 30s and 40s are some of the most productive times of your life. You can make the most out of your energy and strength. Obviously I had lost a lot of money among many other things but the one thing that I can never get back is the energy and power that I had in my 30s. I feel that the precious little time that I had to really tackle all the challenges in life and anything work related was snatched away from me. When I look back on it all, this is my biggest loss. That is the only thing that I can’t get back is regrettable. The whole thing is very unfortunate.
HJ: So it’s alright for us to think that the current “ToshI” is a completely different person than he was before?
ToshI: Yes. I have set on a completely new path for my life. Everyone has their problems. X Japan does. The other members probably have their own issues as well. TAIJI did, HIDE did. PATA, HEATH and Yoshiki all have had to deal with their own issues. This is life.
A part of life is overcoming adversity and beating the odds. Us members had to strengthen our bonds and after living our own lives for a while we thought why not give X Japan another shot. The same applies to my solo music where I have made many new friends and was able to start again. I feel so complete right now. I also feel an encroaching time limit. I feel that I have to use my voice to its full potential while it’s still in good shape.
HJ: How do you take care of your voice? Do you have any special ways of doing that?
ToshI: I do the things that one would expect. There isn’t anything special or unique that I do. However lately I have been icing. When your blood flow is constricted your throat starts to swell and it becomes difficult to sing. If I sing in a concert I make sure to cool down and warm up my throat to keep good blood flow. I’ve already worn out my throat after all these years (haha). I have to be careful and take care of it. Still, I don’t think I’ll be able to sing forever. I don’t know for how much longer I’ll be able to sing but everything has an end. As a singer I want to sing and live my life out to the fullest without regret.
So now I’m left with what shall I do with my remaining time? You could call it a master plan or a strategy or even my life schedule. Whatever you want to call it, it’s a list of things that I should do. I think the time has come to start making a final list. I really have to treat each and everything with meticulous care and make sure whatever I do is beautiful and of high caliber. I don’t want to waste my time on anything other than that. This has been a realization that I’ve come to recently.
HJ: You have had a long career and your fans have followed you along for the ride. In a way you and your fans age together.
ToshI: Indeed. When I go overseas there are so many young fans out in the audience. There are also people the same age as us. When it’s just “ToshI featuring Yoshiki” there is an older age bracket present. There is such a wide range of generations who come to our shows and listen to our music. Pleasing them really makes me thankful.
We’ve taken the fans on a wild ride; there have been many problems, plenty of confusion and we’ve caused trouble for many people. Our fans have shown great patience and have enthusiastically supported us over the years. Me and Yoshiki talk about this all the time. We are so grateful for every ones’ support. People say many things about us and wonder where the new songs are but making music in this environment requires a lot of effort. We take our time and make our art and even risking our life in the process. This will never change. We just recorded “Kurenai” and we thought to ourselves, “we recorded this 25 years ago!” “People would say we were crazy if we thought 25 years later we’d still be playing this song in the same key”. This kind of talk really gets our blood flowing. When we were young we used to write each song to the best of our abilities while facing each other. Just picturing that 25 years later people all around the world would still be listening to “Kurenai” is art to me.
Even with all the hardship, the fact that my career and our art has persisted over the years. We’ve lost many things but many people still listen to our music and we can perform all around the world. This makes me happy.
HJ: Please give a message to all of the fans overseas.
ToshI: From now on X Japan and my solo project will be focused on spreading our music abroad. Actually, “Haru no Negai” and other as of yet unreleased solo material was originally recorded in English. I want to challenge myself to sing in other languages as well. As I said before in the time that I have left, I want to challenge myself and have fun and see what I can do. I’ll go abroad again and eat some good food (haha). That’s actually one of the reasons I really want to go and tour again! Through our art and projects I want to meet many wonderful friends.
©
An evening with ToshI and YOSHIKI
читать дальшеWhen one gets ready for the typical X Japan concert, you usually dye your hair a variation of red or pink, get your glowsticks ready and get ready for a wild night. Only the most hardcore fans get to see the other side of them which is on display for those who can afford the tickets. 100,000 yen (1200 USD) might sound like a lot of money, but you get to eat a delicious meal prepared by a five star chef, listen to an exclusive set of ToshI solo material backed with an orchestra and band as well as ToshI and Yoshiki performing together. The attire was something out of a wedding. Everybody in attendance was wearing their Sunday finest. The event was held in a ball room with crystal chandeliers in the Prince Park Hotel near Tokyo tower. X Japan are normally associated with their metal anthems like “Kurenai” and “X”. Luckily for fans of ToshI and X Japan, they also have a lighter side that represents some of the most heartwarming and beautiful ballads to come out of Japan. Who doesn’t have a soft spot for ballads like “Endless Rain”, “Tears” and ToshI’s new solo material that follows in the same tradition?
There was an elevated stage in the middle of the room with two crystal pianos facing eachother at an angle. To the left of the stage was another elevated stage that held about 20 orchestra members. To the right there was anther elevated stage which held a band. This wasn’t like any other X concert. The room gets dark and suddenly ToshI emerges through a thicket of bodygaurds. He starts the concert off with Haru no Negai, the solo track he released through HearJapan in July. He sits down on one of the crystal pianos and starts playing. The song was absolutely stunning especially with an orchestra giving the music a rich undertone. ToshI put so much emotion and love into each syllable putting his passion and raw power on full display. ToshI matched the occasion with a diamond studded white Tuxedo and sunglasses. The atmosphere in the ballroom was somber. There was no screaming, jumping or anything resembling an X Japan concert. Everyone sat in their chairs enthralled in the moment.
For his second song he played his other recent solo track, “Hoshizora no Neptune” which he said was the theme for this concert. Although ToshI could also play and sing at the same time, he introduced Chie-san and had her play piano so he could cover all sides of the ballroom. For this song the stage turned dark with dim blue specs of light rotating around provided a mood that went perfect with the array of blue lightsticks held by the audience members. ToshI was able to hit every note perfectly. His demeanor was different for this show. Instead of running around and riling everyone up, he mostly stood in the same spot and focused on his singing. When it came to his singing, it was clear that he was dead-set on putting on a perfect show. He often would move his hands to influence his singing pitch. The strings would play in staccato to accentuate his voice in between notes.
Once the song had finished out of nowhere a pounding beat came from the band stage which had been silent up until that point. Enter “Samurai JAPAN”, a song which had about 30 young men in “Samurai Japan” shirts run up onto the stage with ToshI. They riled up the crowd with “Oi! Oi! Oi!” and plenty of fist pumping. Some of them were also playing instruments as well. The audience was finally given an opportunity to stand up and get wild like they would at any X Japan concert. Even ToshI was getting in on the action by pouring water on the guests whom happened to be wearing very expensive dresses, but they didn’t seem to mind. ToshI with the band and Samurai Japan then played through two other songs, “Otoko no Pride” and “Airport”. The vibe of these songs clashed with the theme of a classy concert, but ToshI is still a rocker at heart.
After the rockin’ set had run its course, YOSHIKI ran through the crowd and onto the stage. At this classy event the fans were throwing bouquets of flowers at him and then one individual chose to throw a package of cup ramen called “Sapporo Ichiban”. YOSHIKI was taken aback by this as the event was all about great food in a classy joint. It became a running joke for the night. Little known fact: Sapporo Ichiban happens to be ToshI’s favorite type of cup ramen. The two then sat on pianos facing each other and started to play a song but YOSHIKI started playing the wrong song. After realizing what he had done, YOSHIKI jokingly blamed the mistake on “Sapporo Ichiban”. After a false start, they all played “Crystal Piano no Kimi”, a new solo track from ToshI. This moving ballad has many dramatic buildups and soothing verses that worked perfectly with Yoshiki and ToshI on piano with an orchestral backdrop.
The bidding started at 10,000 yen. Shouts came from all directions and the bid kept on going up. 300,000, 500,000, 520,000, 690,000, 750,000, 900,000…YOSHIKI said, “I think we should cut it off now, this is just for a drumstick and crystal.” ToshI then cut it off at 1,010,000 yen (13,000 USD). A middle-aged woman came up to accept her prize as ToshI and YOSHIKI made fun of each others’ signatures. ToshI stated that Hide had the best signature out of them all. YOSHIKI drew a bear on one of the items and ToshI was insulting his drawing. “This looks nothing like a bear! In fact, this is the first time I’ve ever seen you draw anything.” After the picture was taken, the next prize was announced. YOSHIKI was going to auction off the white shirt that he was wearing and they would also get enlarged photos of the event which aren’t distributed to anyone else.
YOSHIKI then went backstage to take off his shirt. When he came back with shirt in-hand was when things started to get crazy. He handed it to ToshI who exclaimed that it was dripping in sweat. This really got the crowd going. ToshI then went on about how good his sweat smells. The prices started flying. Within 30 seconds it was already at 1,000,000 yen. It closed in under 40 seconds at 1,600,000 yen (20,000 USD). While you could tell they felt guilty selling a shirt for half a year’s salary, it was for a good cause.
When the girl in her 30s came up to claim her prize the shirt was put over her shoulders and a picture was taken with them. Then for the last item, they would fly the recipient to any concert in Asia of their choice and book their hotel. As an added bonus they could go back stage at the concert and meet the band and have their picture taken with the band. Within seconds the cost had already risen to 3,050,000 yen at which point YOSHIKI quipped that “it’s only South East Asia. Definitely not a resort area.” The final price reached 4,200,000 yen (54,000 USD) as it was cut off because YOSHIKI didn’t want it to cost more than a nice piano. The girl who claimed the prize must have been in her 20s. When she got on stage YOSHIKI and ToshI were shocked. She bid for another item the night before and won. She said she would choose to go to see them in Korea. Then there was another present which was the comic book, Blood Red Dragon which features YOSHIKI and was created by Stan Lee and Todd McFarlane. There were three more presents that gave backstage access to that night’s show. The final presents were invitations to a special X Japan event that would take place the following week.
After the auction had finished, they played two more songs. The first song was the latest song from X JAPAN called “Scarlet Love Song” that was written for an anime. YOSHIKI said that most of their songs are interpreted in a negative light but that this song has a forward leaning message. The song was also for all of the people of Japan. For “Scarlet Love Song” just ToshI and YOSHIKI were playing. The smoke machine went into full gear and ToshI sang his heart out in fog. They ended the concert with “Endless Rain”. While this concert differed from a typical X Japan concert in many ways, the audience still kept the tradition alive of singing the last verse. As they walked off stage, YOSHIKI thanked the audience by saying “Without you we would have never been able to do a world tour.” The entire concert still felt like X Japan but had a more sophisticated sound in a vastly more intimate space. The difference of being one of 50,000 vs. being one of 1,000 and being a few meters from your idols.
As we spend a lot of resources promoting our artists please support us by purchasing ToshI’s new releases here at HearJapan. Also be sure to read our exclusive interview with ToshI and as a special present view the flowers from the concert.
Sugizo sent two separate arrangements to ToshI and Yoshiki. The one below was sent by the lawyer of ToshI.
This one was sent by adoring fans from Hiroshima
The following arrangement was sent from an agency that manages many major visual kei artists.
It is often tradition that after a concert finishes the fans each grab a few of the flowers to take home to remember the concert.
HearJapan held an hour long interview with ToshI on July 19th, two days after X Japan’s bassist Taiji passed away and a day after returning from their European tour. The interview covers a wide range of topics without any management in the room controlling the conversation. This interview represent’s ToshI speaking for himself, a luxury he hadn’t had in a long time.
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Hear Japan: Congratulations on a successful tour.
ToshI: Ah, Thank you. It was very exhausting.
HJ: I bet. You toured through 4 countries in just a week right?
ToshI: Yes. We arrived in London a bit in advance. Before that I was in Los Angeles recording music for X Japan. Once we finished London we looped around Europe and then I went back to Los Angeles. After all that, I’m in Japan. It’s been such a whirlwind that I don’t even know what’s going on anymore.
HJ: Sounds like a rough case of jetlag.
ToshI: Haha, I feel like this is the worst yet.
HJ: So what were your impressions of the tour? Were there any noticeable differences in the crowds of each country?
ToshI: I don’t mean to boast, but up until now we have played in loads of concerts. No matter where we go we get an intense reaction from the fans. I must say that I felt that this time we got the most powerful response to date in Europe. The venues were very compact so we were able to play in an intimate space with our fans.
HJ: That sounds like an amazing experience for the fans.
ToshI: Yes, in Utrecht we were in a relatively small venue that could only fit 1000 – 2000 people. The largest venue we played in was at Paris, which held 7000 – 8000 people. At any rate, the crowds were much wilder than I was expecting. It was overwhelming.
HJ: That’s a real treat for fans to be so close. It should be expected that they would get revved up.
ToshI: Due to the previous management’s miscalculations we had to cancel the shows numerous times. I felt this was an incredibly inconsiderate thing to do to the fans. While over there I sensed that they had all waited patiently for us over the years. This really came through via their reaction to our concerts. It truly made me happy.
HJ: I see. I noticed that there was a large number of ballads…
ToshI: That’s right. On my upcoming album there are also a few rock tunes thrown in, and PATA and SUGIZO play on it as well. However, my concerts solely have an orchestra/ballad sound.
HJ: Let’s move on to your new material. “Haru no Negai” was written after the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred. How did that make you feel?
ToshI: The earthquake struck so suddenly, it left me with so many emotions. I didn’t understand why I was singing and had no idea of what I should be doing or for what purpose I should sing for. I thought about all of these things and how this event would shape them. I was very confused at that time. My producer Masae Shida, was able to get in contact with an acquaintance in the affected areas. After the earthquake struck we were able to hear what kind of situation the people were living in over the telephone. I was told that one of the victims then said “I want to hear ToshI sing”.
ToshI - Haru no Negai
As time passes after this incredibly difficult situation where all had been lost, what people really need is to feel good and also get a little entertainment in their lives. I was told this from numerous people up north. I was also told the people would be overjoyed if I came and played the piano and sung. Maybe if I could come and play in their heavily damaged community center. I felt that they were adamant about this, but logistically it was too difficult. Instead I ran a series of charity concerts to raise money for them. After all, the one thing I can do to help is to sing. With that in mind Ms. Shida wrote the song and the violinist, Kunio Sakamoto, played it with me.
HJ: In January, you had your first “dinner show”. What was the fan reaction to this special kind of show?
ToshI: First of all, this was the first time we went under the stage name of “ToshI featuring Yoshiki”. Not to mention under the setting of a dinner show where the food was cooked by Kiyomi Mikuni, a world-class chef. It was a high class event that included high class food, decor and most importantly high classy music. We really wanted to bring this kind of event to the table.
HJ: I wish I could be there.
ToshI: Well, it was very expensive, but I think we tried to put together a show that held a lot of value with the fans. We really classed up everything and the fans were able to see us up close. I think with Yoshiki’s compositions and my new material backed by an orchestra, we were able to convey a strong message. I felt that for me personally, this was the most fun I had had performing at an event. Also, being in such close proximity, we were able to feed off the energy that the fans were exuding. I had a really great time all around.
HJ: I saw a clip on YouTube of the show. The stage had a certain elegance to it that was differed from regular shows.
ToshI: That is exactly the tone we were looking to set. More importantly it was having the fans be able to see us in such an intimate setting that was the real pleasure. With the help of my producer, the chef and all of the staff at the hotel we were able to please everyone in attendance and filled them with happiness. Having them go home in that state and bring about joy in their daily life. That was our goal. In order to make it possible we came here (The Prince Park Tower Tokyo) numerous times to iron out all of the details and make sure everything was perfect. Of course on the day of the show there were many unanticipated problems that popped up, but overall I am really happy that we went through with it.
HJ: Will you be holding another dinner show?
ToshI: Yes. I didn’t think we’d be planning another one so soon. This time the dinner show will be held in the summer so I aim for a show with a summer vibe. The show isn’t until August but I’m already looking forward to performing.
HJ: Many foreign fans of your music are impressed by how natural your English sounds in your English songs. How did you study or train yourself to sing in English?
ToshI: In my case I don’t think my pronunciation is particularly that good, but whenever the lyrics are presented to me, I make sure to practice them again and again and again and well you get the point. (smiles). At the core of my training was a pronunciation teacher in Los Angeles named Larry Moss who also runs a studio there too. He was an amazing elderly teacher who taught both me and Yoshiki for many years. I heard that many celebrities are taught pronunciation by him. I think it was very critical to my growth that I learned from him. At least that’s what Yoshiki always says. When I’m just singing, there always seems to be some difficulty in pronouncing each syllable correctly.
HJ: Do you run into problems singing with a Japanese accent or other bad habits?
ToshI: Indeed. However, I don’t think singing with a Japanese accent is that bad of a thing. I think one can turn a positive into a negative and really bring out a Japanesque sound. This was also the thought of Yoshiki when he was producing songs with me singing in English. The result of Larry Moss and Yoshiki’s production work on my pronunciation had proven itself to be much better than anything I could have come up with by myself.
HJ: You are quite busy with various X Japan and solo engagements. What do you do on your off time?
ToshI: There hardly is any time I could call my off time! Whenever I arrive in a new city, the only thing I do is absolutely nothing (laughs). Especially on this tour, I just stayed holed up in my hotel for three days. Jet lag is a force of nature.
HJ: That makes sense.
ToshI: I’m completely out of it. So the best answer I can give is that on my off-time I am relieving myself from jet lag (laughs). I also like driving, shopping and eating out. No matter how busy Yoshiki is, we always make sure to eat out together.
HJ: Can you eat food from any country?
ToshI: On this tour it was my first time in certain parts of Europe. I must say that German food and beer is truly a treat.
HJ: Sounds delicious!
ToshI: It was so delicious! I love Germany (laughs). Of course I also love other countries as well. But I do eat out quite a bit. I like going to a variety of restaurants and sample each countries’ dishes. Likewise, if I am in that country, the obvious thing to do is sample that countries’ dishes. I’m already used to the delicacies in Los Angeles so I’m interested in exploring food from other spots too!
I suppose I’m like a typical tourist; sampling that country’s most famous dish. I make sure I have ample time to enjoy my meal. Unfortunately I never have the opportunity to play the role of tourist and go sightseeing as my schedule is always packed. At the very least I make sure I’m able to go out and enjoy a good meal and savor the local delicacies.
HJ: Besides this tour, you have been on many tours abroad throughout your career. Do you have any special memories or funny episodes that happened while abroad?
ToshI: Hmmm, my freshest memories are from our most recent tour. There was an accident while playing at Utrecht. Many fans started climbing on top of each other and there was a lot of shoving. We had to briefly stop the song we were playing. I thought at that point that we might have to call off the show. For me it’s been a while since I last had to stop a song in the middle of playing it (laughs). The environment became a little too dangerous due to the fans shoving.
HJ: Was it to the extent that the barrier in front of the stage might get damaged?
ToshI: The barrier was on the verge of collapse. Then, I made the decision to stop the song due to safety concerns. It was just YOSHIKI who hadn’t noticed what was going on who was trying to rile up the crowd by himself (laughs).
HJ: So Yoshiki never heard the staff screaming “Step back”?
ToshI: Yep, the message never got through to him. Everyone had stopped playing and there was an atmosphere of uncertainty hanging in the air. He looked at us like “why are you all stopping?” It wasn’t the place for antics though and I’m happy that no one was hurt in all of the confusion.
HJ: The fans certainly have a lot of power behind them.
ToshI: Their power is limitless. That is what makes concerts so great. Regardless, I’m just happy no one was seriously hurt.
HJ: This time around you released “Haru no Negai ” and “Hoshizora no Neptune” as solo releases. Do you have plans to release more solo tracks under the “ToshI” name in the near future?
ToshI - Hoshizora no Neptune
ToshI: Yes. I am getting a lot of people approaching me from multiple directions to do collaborations. I think that I want to release a song to the whole world again.
HJ: That sounds great!
HJ: Regarding TAIJI, we were surprised to see that he had passed away on the news just two days ago. For one of your buddies who played with you through the age of X Japan, you must be in a lot of pain right now.
ToshI: Yes. Right now my feelings haven’t settled yet and I’m still in a very confused state. So far I have only heard the reports on the news and I’m in shock. I can’t find the appropriate words to say.
When I think back to how we played together for the longest time throughout our time as amateur musicians and I imagine how if he wasn’t there, the X Japan that we all know today simply wouldn’t exist. In that sense, He helped build the path that we are still traversing even now.
He is an amazing bassist and musician and one of my close buddies. I’m still in denial about the whole thing. If all of this is really true, it is too much to bear.
HJ: I will follow up with another sensitive question. Many years ago you partook in some “self-enlightenment seminars” which left you bankrupt. Many fans abroad have been worrying about you. What are your feelings about the music you released while undergoing those seminars? Since then has there been any kind of transformation in your soul?
ToshI: Hmm, this is a little difficult to sum up in a few brief sentences so let me lay out my thoughts for you. First off, if there is one thing I can say without any hesitation is that I don’t want anyone to buy or listen to any songs released under the labels “Home of Heart” or “Healing World”. Doing so will only inflict more pain on the victims. This is my biggest request to my fans. I myself have come face to face with the damage reaped by them and it brings back plenty of painful memories. I will never sing any songs from that era.
I feel like new life has been breathed into me. I feel the warm support of so many people and truly feel like I have been reborn. A good analogy for how I felt while under their influence was the way you feel in a train when going through a long dark tunnel. Then all of the sudden you are out of the tunnel and you get off the train and get on an airplane or something like that. From there you are off on a new journey.
A lot of stuff went down during that period. Merely getting off the train would send you off on a different course. Therefor there was a lot of friction in my life at that time and a lot of pain in my heart. Not only that, but I had affected all of those that were close to me. At some point in anyone’s life there is a time when one must get off the train, get on a new track and head in a new direction. That is just part of life. I feel it is important to be decisive at those times.
Your 30s and 40s are some of the most productive times of your life. You can make the most out of your energy and strength. Obviously I had lost a lot of money among many other things but the one thing that I can never get back is the energy and power that I had in my 30s. I feel that the precious little time that I had to really tackle all the challenges in life and anything work related was snatched away from me. When I look back on it all, this is my biggest loss. That is the only thing that I can’t get back is regrettable. The whole thing is very unfortunate.
HJ: So it’s alright for us to think that the current “ToshI” is a completely different person than he was before?
ToshI: Yes. I have set on a completely new path for my life. Everyone has their problems. X Japan does. The other members probably have their own issues as well. TAIJI did, HIDE did. PATA, HEATH and Yoshiki all have had to deal with their own issues. This is life.
A part of life is overcoming adversity and beating the odds. Us members had to strengthen our bonds and after living our own lives for a while we thought why not give X Japan another shot. The same applies to my solo music where I have made many new friends and was able to start again. I feel so complete right now. I also feel an encroaching time limit. I feel that I have to use my voice to its full potential while it’s still in good shape.
HJ: How do you take care of your voice? Do you have any special ways of doing that?
ToshI: I do the things that one would expect. There isn’t anything special or unique that I do. However lately I have been icing. When your blood flow is constricted your throat starts to swell and it becomes difficult to sing. If I sing in a concert I make sure to cool down and warm up my throat to keep good blood flow. I’ve already worn out my throat after all these years (haha). I have to be careful and take care of it. Still, I don’t think I’ll be able to sing forever. I don’t know for how much longer I’ll be able to sing but everything has an end. As a singer I want to sing and live my life out to the fullest without regret.
So now I’m left with what shall I do with my remaining time? You could call it a master plan or a strategy or even my life schedule. Whatever you want to call it, it’s a list of things that I should do. I think the time has come to start making a final list. I really have to treat each and everything with meticulous care and make sure whatever I do is beautiful and of high caliber. I don’t want to waste my time on anything other than that. This has been a realization that I’ve come to recently.
HJ: You have had a long career and your fans have followed you along for the ride. In a way you and your fans age together.
ToshI: Indeed. When I go overseas there are so many young fans out in the audience. There are also people the same age as us. When it’s just “ToshI featuring Yoshiki” there is an older age bracket present. There is such a wide range of generations who come to our shows and listen to our music. Pleasing them really makes me thankful.
We’ve taken the fans on a wild ride; there have been many problems, plenty of confusion and we’ve caused trouble for many people. Our fans have shown great patience and have enthusiastically supported us over the years. Me and Yoshiki talk about this all the time. We are so grateful for every ones’ support. People say many things about us and wonder where the new songs are but making music in this environment requires a lot of effort. We take our time and make our art and even risking our life in the process. This will never change. We just recorded “Kurenai” and we thought to ourselves, “we recorded this 25 years ago!” “People would say we were crazy if we thought 25 years later we’d still be playing this song in the same key”. This kind of talk really gets our blood flowing. When we were young we used to write each song to the best of our abilities while facing each other. Just picturing that 25 years later people all around the world would still be listening to “Kurenai” is art to me.
Even with all the hardship, the fact that my career and our art has persisted over the years. We’ve lost many things but many people still listen to our music and we can perform all around the world. This makes me happy.
HJ: Please give a message to all of the fans overseas.
ToshI: From now on X Japan and my solo project will be focused on spreading our music abroad. Actually, “Haru no Negai” and other as of yet unreleased solo material was originally recorded in English. I want to challenge myself to sing in other languages as well. As I said before in the time that I have left, I want to challenge myself and have fun and see what I can do. I’ll go abroad again and eat some good food (haha). That’s actually one of the reasons I really want to go and tour again! Through our art and projects I want to meet many wonderful friends.
©
An evening with ToshI and YOSHIKI
читать дальшеWhen one gets ready for the typical X Japan concert, you usually dye your hair a variation of red or pink, get your glowsticks ready and get ready for a wild night. Only the most hardcore fans get to see the other side of them which is on display for those who can afford the tickets. 100,000 yen (1200 USD) might sound like a lot of money, but you get to eat a delicious meal prepared by a five star chef, listen to an exclusive set of ToshI solo material backed with an orchestra and band as well as ToshI and Yoshiki performing together. The attire was something out of a wedding. Everybody in attendance was wearing their Sunday finest. The event was held in a ball room with crystal chandeliers in the Prince Park Hotel near Tokyo tower. X Japan are normally associated with their metal anthems like “Kurenai” and “X”. Luckily for fans of ToshI and X Japan, they also have a lighter side that represents some of the most heartwarming and beautiful ballads to come out of Japan. Who doesn’t have a soft spot for ballads like “Endless Rain”, “Tears” and ToshI’s new solo material that follows in the same tradition?
There was an elevated stage in the middle of the room with two crystal pianos facing eachother at an angle. To the left of the stage was another elevated stage that held about 20 orchestra members. To the right there was anther elevated stage which held a band. This wasn’t like any other X concert. The room gets dark and suddenly ToshI emerges through a thicket of bodygaurds. He starts the concert off with Haru no Negai, the solo track he released through HearJapan in July. He sits down on one of the crystal pianos and starts playing. The song was absolutely stunning especially with an orchestra giving the music a rich undertone. ToshI put so much emotion and love into each syllable putting his passion and raw power on full display. ToshI matched the occasion with a diamond studded white Tuxedo and sunglasses. The atmosphere in the ballroom was somber. There was no screaming, jumping or anything resembling an X Japan concert. Everyone sat in their chairs enthralled in the moment.
For his second song he played his other recent solo track, “Hoshizora no Neptune” which he said was the theme for this concert. Although ToshI could also play and sing at the same time, he introduced Chie-san and had her play piano so he could cover all sides of the ballroom. For this song the stage turned dark with dim blue specs of light rotating around provided a mood that went perfect with the array of blue lightsticks held by the audience members. ToshI was able to hit every note perfectly. His demeanor was different for this show. Instead of running around and riling everyone up, he mostly stood in the same spot and focused on his singing. When it came to his singing, it was clear that he was dead-set on putting on a perfect show. He often would move his hands to influence his singing pitch. The strings would play in staccato to accentuate his voice in between notes.
While most of the event was what you would expect from a classical concert, fans gradually got out of their daze to scream things at ToshI. By the end of the show all decorum was thrown out. Did anyone actually think his most diehard fans would sit down and be quiet for two full hours? After singing through “Nagori Kumo Itsumademo” and “Haru no Ibuki” with Chie-san, he joked that the square stage he was playing on was impossible to work with. ”Which way should I look? If I look this way then the people behind me are staring at my butt.” ”Haru no Ibuki” was his best song of the night. He was filled with raw energy and burst through every note. There was a quartet playing on this song creating a simple yet beautiful melody that let you focus all your attention on ToshI’s magical singing. You can preorder “Haru no Ibuki” now and download it on September 14.
Once the song had finished out of nowhere a pounding beat came from the band stage which had been silent up until that point. Enter “Samurai JAPAN”, a song which had about 30 young men in “Samurai Japan” shirts run up onto the stage with ToshI. They riled up the crowd with “Oi! Oi! Oi!” and plenty of fist pumping. Some of them were also playing instruments as well. The audience was finally given an opportunity to stand up and get wild like they would at any X Japan concert. Even ToshI was getting in on the action by pouring water on the guests whom happened to be wearing very expensive dresses, but they didn’t seem to mind. ToshI with the band and Samurai Japan then played through two other songs, “Otoko no Pride” and “Airport”. The vibe of these songs clashed with the theme of a classy concert, but ToshI is still a rocker at heart.
After the rockin’ set had run its course, YOSHIKI ran through the crowd and onto the stage. At this classy event the fans were throwing bouquets of flowers at him and then one individual chose to throw a package of cup ramen called “Sapporo Ichiban”. YOSHIKI was taken aback by this as the event was all about great food in a classy joint. It became a running joke for the night. Little known fact: Sapporo Ichiban happens to be ToshI’s favorite type of cup ramen. The two then sat on pianos facing each other and started to play a song but YOSHIKI started playing the wrong song. After realizing what he had done, YOSHIKI jokingly blamed the mistake on “Sapporo Ichiban”. After a false start, they all played “Crystal Piano no Kimi”, a new solo track from ToshI. This moving ballad has many dramatic buildups and soothing verses that worked perfectly with Yoshiki and ToshI on piano with an orchestral backdrop.
The concert also featured a lot of banter between YOSHIKI and ToshI. Some interesting things that were revealed was that when ToshI and YOSHIKI appeared on radio programs, YOSHIKI would never speak a word and ToshI had to do all the talking even when YOSHIKI was asked a question. ToshI couldn’t believe that “this guy” was now hosting his own show. He wanted to get back at YOSHIKI for all those years of tortured radio spots and decided to cause some mischief on his show until he realized that the program was entirely in English and he felt way over his head. YOSHIKI gave a sampling of his English skills and introduced the song JADE in English. He then played the intro to the song and ToshI sang the first verse. He also insisted that an English version of “Tears” will be on the upcoming X Japan album. ”Tears” brought the audience to silence. It was practically quiet enough to hear the sounds of fans’ tears hitting the ground. ToshI sat down next to YOSHIKI while the audience waved blue glow sticks from side to side in a moving display of emotion.
After the song had finished ToshI took a sip from his water bottle and YOSHIKI teased ToshI about him drinking from a straw and how ridiculous it looked. ”You don’t want to spill it or something?” ToshI tersely replied, “We’re supposed to show how cool and elegant we are. This is sophistication.” YOSHIKI cracked up but quickly fired back and said he looked like he gained some weight. The two longtime buddies were making fun of each other in a playful way in front of their most loyal fans. Whenever YOSHIKI was on stage there was a lot of back and forth banter in between songs. Some other interesting bits: When YOSHIKI was in elementary school he excelled in math, had a great memory and was one of the fastest runners in the school marathon. As for after school activities he was in the brass band (trumpet) and on the soccer team. ToshI was also in the brass band with YOSHIKI as well as on the volleyball team. Then Yoshiki started talking about their upcoming world tour that would span from South America, to Southeast Asia, to North America, and then to Europe. ToshI jumped in and said, “are you sure you can announce that?” (Up to that point, only up to Southeast Asia had been announced). YOSHIKI quickly replied, “I guess not but who cares.” This was the nature of their banter. The rules seemed to be thrown out for the privileged few who could attend. It almost seemed as if they didn’t realize there were other people in the room. They also alluded to a Tokyo Dome concert at the end of the year.
Then the conversation drifted to a previous Dome concert. YOSHIKI lived in Setagaya at the time (the audience members shrieked at this new knowledge) and he was headed to the Dome to use their rehearsal space. ToshI couldn’t resist and threw in a jab, “What?!? YOSHIKI in rehearsal? I’ve never heard of such a thing.” He then went back the night before the concert again and wanted to practice more and the staff said you can practice in the Dome itself. He reminisced how awesome it was playing by himself in an empty stadium that could fit 50,000 people. ToshI then told a story about how before a different concert YOSHIKI couldn’t rent any rehearsal space so he had a piano brought into his hotel suite so he could practice.
After the banter, the duo performed “Forever Love” with an orchestral backing. In such a small room it sounded like you were listening to the track being recorded in the studio. YOSHIKI then left the stage and ToshI sat down on the piano to play “Amaoto”. He sung very softly in a whisper voice which was a fitting end to the concert; intimate. Instead of the full orchestra or a quartet, there was a soloist violin by the name of Kunio Sakamoto who brought true elegance to the song. This was a truly beautiful ending.
The bidding started at 10,000 yen. Shouts came from all directions and the bid kept on going up. 300,000, 500,000, 520,000, 690,000, 750,000, 900,000…YOSHIKI said, “I think we should cut it off now, this is just for a drumstick and crystal.” ToshI then cut it off at 1,010,000 yen (13,000 USD). A middle-aged woman came up to accept her prize as ToshI and YOSHIKI made fun of each others’ signatures. ToshI stated that Hide had the best signature out of them all. YOSHIKI drew a bear on one of the items and ToshI was insulting his drawing. “This looks nothing like a bear! In fact, this is the first time I’ve ever seen you draw anything.” After the picture was taken, the next prize was announced. YOSHIKI was going to auction off the white shirt that he was wearing and they would also get enlarged photos of the event which aren’t distributed to anyone else.
YOSHIKI then went backstage to take off his shirt. When he came back with shirt in-hand was when things started to get crazy. He handed it to ToshI who exclaimed that it was dripping in sweat. This really got the crowd going. ToshI then went on about how good his sweat smells. The prices started flying. Within 30 seconds it was already at 1,000,000 yen. It closed in under 40 seconds at 1,600,000 yen (20,000 USD). While you could tell they felt guilty selling a shirt for half a year’s salary, it was for a good cause.
When the girl in her 30s came up to claim her prize the shirt was put over her shoulders and a picture was taken with them. Then for the last item, they would fly the recipient to any concert in Asia of their choice and book their hotel. As an added bonus they could go back stage at the concert and meet the band and have their picture taken with the band. Within seconds the cost had already risen to 3,050,000 yen at which point YOSHIKI quipped that “it’s only South East Asia. Definitely not a resort area.” The final price reached 4,200,000 yen (54,000 USD) as it was cut off because YOSHIKI didn’t want it to cost more than a nice piano. The girl who claimed the prize must have been in her 20s. When she got on stage YOSHIKI and ToshI were shocked. She bid for another item the night before and won. She said she would choose to go to see them in Korea. Then there was another present which was the comic book, Blood Red Dragon which features YOSHIKI and was created by Stan Lee and Todd McFarlane. There were three more presents that gave backstage access to that night’s show. The final presents were invitations to a special X Japan event that would take place the following week.
After the auction had finished, they played two more songs. The first song was the latest song from X JAPAN called “Scarlet Love Song” that was written for an anime. YOSHIKI said that most of their songs are interpreted in a negative light but that this song has a forward leaning message. The song was also for all of the people of Japan. For “Scarlet Love Song” just ToshI and YOSHIKI were playing. The smoke machine went into full gear and ToshI sang his heart out in fog. They ended the concert with “Endless Rain”. While this concert differed from a typical X Japan concert in many ways, the audience still kept the tradition alive of singing the last verse. As they walked off stage, YOSHIKI thanked the audience by saying “Without you we would have never been able to do a world tour.” The entire concert still felt like X Japan but had a more sophisticated sound in a vastly more intimate space. The difference of being one of 50,000 vs. being one of 1,000 and being a few meters from your idols.
As we spend a lot of resources promoting our artists please support us by purchasing ToshI’s new releases here at HearJapan. Also be sure to read our exclusive interview with ToshI and as a special present view the flowers from the concert.
Flowers for ToshI and YOSHIKI
Sugizo sent two separate arrangements to ToshI and Yoshiki. The one below was sent by the lawyer of ToshI.
This one was sent by adoring fans from Hiroshima
The following arrangement was sent from an agency that manages many major visual kei artists.
It is often tradition that after a concert finishes the fans each grab a few of the flowers to take home to remember the concert.
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08.09.2011 в 14:46-
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08.09.2011 в 15:41-
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08.09.2011 в 22:16добавила в пост эту и еще одну милую заметку.
Кто бы полноценно перевел...
это точно...
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08.09.2011 в 22:35s o n n y,
если надо, то можно его удалить...
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08.09.2011 в 22:44