QUICK GUIDE:

Yoshiki's Websites

Extasy Records
X Japan Offical Site
Yoshiki.Net

Yoshiki started playing the piano at the age of 4, his mother was a piano teacher and taught him herself. His father ran the family business which was a tailor shop. Yoshiki admired his father very much and looked up to him, but it would all change.

When Yoshiki was 9 years old his father committed suicide in his parents bedroom; he found him hanging by a rope. Yoshiki was so heart broken that he literally shut down. He mourned his fathers death for respectable two weeks and grew very close to his friend Toshi. When he went back to school he stared to become a trouble maker.

When he was in High school (around 1982) he decided to grow out his hair and make a rock band. The band was called Noise and consisted of only himself and Toshi. It wasn’t until 1985 when they made the band ‘X’, that they started to make music. The only problem was that nobody would give them a record deal. They did, however, land some of there songs on albums such as “Heavy Metal”, which had a various artists.

In 1986, his mother sold the family business an gave the money to Yoshiki. Yoshiki then started up Extasy Records to produce his bands music. His mother had full faith in him and his music. He also started producing other struggling bands. By 1987 the band was taking off and becoming popular.

On September 1, 1989 the bands song ‘Kurenai’ placed 5th in its first week on the Oricon Charts, a major music chart much like the Billboard Charts in America. They were the first indies band to place on the chart. Because of there popularity from the song Yoshiki and Hide both appeared in a movie called Tokyo Pop; they were only in there for twenty seconds.

In 1993, the band changed its name from ‘X’ to ‘X Japan’. The reason was so that people wouldn’t get them confused with bands named ‘X’ in Australia and LA. The band was at its last line-up of members, which were the most well known members. Yoshiki also cut his long hair.

In 1997, Toshi (the bands vocalist and Yoshiki‘s best friend) decided to leave the band. In September 1997 the band announced their dissolution and had their last concert at the Tokyo Dome in December of that year. After the band broke up Yoshiki and Toshi went there separate ways. Yoshiki ran the record company and made plans to make a “X Japan 2000” with Hide (the guitarist from X Japan).

On May 2, 1998 Hide died from Suicide, the same way Yoshiki’s father died, he was also 33 years old. Yoshiki Drew back from the public eye after his funeral and moved to LA for special therapy.

In 1999, Yoshiki played at the Emperor's Birthday in Japan. He played the songs ‘Scars’ and ‘Anthym’ with a selected orchestra, the emperor named his the best drummer in Japan. While Yoshiki was performing that night he listened to the cheers of his fans and realized that he belonged on the stage.

In 2000, Yoshiki opened up Extasy Records International and Extasy Records North (a recording studio) up in Hollywood, CA. There he started giving his new project Violet UK 100% of his attention. He has been working on the project in his spear time for almost 10 years.

In 2001, 7-11 asked Yoshiki to do a series of commercials for them. Yoshiki agreed and carried out three commercials incorporating Violet UK into all of them. He later appeared for the fist time in television sitcom called ‘Bus Stop’. After it aired in Japan, it was shown in America for a short while. Only selective people on the California apparently saw it on TV.

Feb 18, 2002 Yoshiki went back to Japan for a special banquet. While he was there he meet President George W. Bush, who was there on a friendly visit. Later that year he appeared for the first time in two years on stage during his Symphony Concert in December.

In 2003, he modeled a kilt for a fashion show in LA. He also was asked to play the theme song for Achi Expo 2005.