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X Japan to Move to L.A., Hold 'Simple' Concert There
posted on by Egan Loo
X Japan leader YOSHIKI revealed on Friday that the entire rock group plans to relocate to Los Angeles and hold a concert there as its first official American performance. YOSHIKI revealed the plans during the unveiling of his YOSHIKI Jewelry brand's new collection in collaboration with Kuwayama. Guitarist Sugizo made a surprise onstage guest appearance at Friday's event before about 120 invitees, and then YOSHIKI made the announcement that all of X Japan will be moving to Los Angeles.
YOSHIKI had already revealed at the Grammy Awards' red carpet earlier this month that his band agreed to appear at the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago from August 6 to August 8. However, he said on Friday that the group intends to hold a concert in a "simple" live venue in Los Angeles as its first American performance. YOSHIKI has been living in Southern California for well over a decade, and X Japan already held a Saturday evening music video shoot at the heart of Hollywood last month.
X Japan's most notable anime contributions were the songs in the X² music video collection and later X movie. The animation studio Madhouse adapted both productions from CLAMP's X manga. The surviving band members — Toshimitsu "Toshi" Deyama, Yoshiki Hayashi, Tomoaki "Pata" Ishizuka, and Hiroshi "Heath" Morie — reunited in 2007, ten years after they first disbanded and nine years after the death of guitarist Hideto "Hide" Matsumoto.
Source: Sankei Sports via Tokyograph
Image © YSK Entertainment, Inc. 2010. All rights reserved. Photographer A. Delphine.
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