X-Japan's comeback

[Modulate God]

I just found this on JamE:

According to the website Sponichi, visual-kei legend X Japan will make their comeback this year! This year they will release Without you, which Toshi recorded in March in Yoshiki's studio. There are also plans for a first live.

Both Pata and Heath seem to be joining too, but there is no official message about this yet. For the position of HIDE, they'll probably look for different guest musicians.

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So what does everyone else think of this? I myself think it's bullcrap. X-Japan isn't the same without hide. Even if he wasn't an orginal member he was around for so long and all the fans of X loved hide so much, it sounds disrespectful to him to be reforming X without hide.

It's like Led Zeppelin reforming without John Bonham, it just shouldn't be done for it's own obvious reasons. I can understand if they want to keep making music together but if that was the case they should at least do a side project or a special band that wasn't X-Japan and stated itself as such. Even if it has four of the members, it's not the same without hide and I don't think I can properly accept it as the real thing.

But that's just my opinion at least I understand some will be excited to hear of this.

[Yumeko]

I don't see what's disrespectful about it.  They aren't replacing him with one person who will permanently take his place.  In regards to Led Zeppelin; John Bonham was replaced by his own son who was equally as good; next best thing imo.  Now it's not like they are rerecording albums and taking Hide out.  I suppose just forming a new band would be safer.  At the same time; I don't think they are being disrespectful either.

[Culo]

I'm not really excited about this because I'm expecting it to be all lame ballads...
anyway, X coming back without performing classics such as "X" or "BLUE BLOOD" would be fraud, but... can you really imagine Toshi singing those with the same energy? and anyway I haven't heard any of Yoshiki's solo albums but i think it was all ballads, so I imagine he wants to keep going in this direction.
I dunno, I think Yoshiki realized reforming X Japan and touring the US could be a goldmine.

[Do As Eternity 6]

yup yup i've heard about this ...honestly i can't say i care that much since i'm really not that big of an x fan anyway but i don't really see what's so wrong with it...so more power to them ~

[Kamijo21]

hopefully they don't come back, they did their last live and left a great memory for everyone.

[4skin.]

most of Yoshiki's solo records consisted of re-done Classical pieces, there were very few ballads, i actually only know of one. he does favor ballad type songs, but i can't see them only playing ballads. and anyway, whats not classic about Kurenai or Weekend? because i'm pretty confident that they'd play those two, at least.


and in what way would it be disrespectful to hide? what if hide actually wanted X to reform without him? it's not like, before he died he claimed that X could never play again unless he was there.

[Modulate God]

A lot of you seem to disagree with my opinion, but it's just mine. I'm not really wanting to defend it or argue it, that's why I made this in general discussion rather than flaming, I just want to see what others think.

Maybe disrespectful was too harsh a word. I know that they all miss hide and think of him everyday, even the single they're releasing will be all about hide. I just don't think they should be replacing him. Something like what Malice Mizer did was fine, support musicians but Kami was always credited. I just don't think hide should ever be completely replaced. Even if he did want X to continue without him, I'm sure a lot of people don't feel the same. He was as much a part of X as Toshi or Yoshiki, maybe a bit moreso. He was always the connection from the band to the fans and was so well liked.

I suppose I can accept support musicians helping out, but no one taking his place. It may not be really disrespectful to his memory, but I just don't care for the idea myself. X-Japan left well and a cornerstone of the band is gone, and it just won't be the same without him, ballad or not.

[evlon]

You said it yourself, they will be getting guest musicians to cover the 2nd guitar which is pretty much the same as MM getting support drummers to cover Kami (except probably the guests for X will be some big shots). Whoever said they were gonna permanently replace Hide with someone?

[Anonymous_Lulz]

i expect it to be like any other reunion. they do a few tours and release some kind of redone album, then fade away.

i dont think hide was really as great as you're making him sound. yes, he was a really great guitarist and his sound did bring the best out of X, but that doesnt mean he made X what it was. if im not mistaken, Yoshiki got more praise for being a stupidly fast drummer and good song writer. 

now, on to what i really want to know.  does anyone know if Toshi will even be doing this? from what ive heard, he's kinda being stupid and brainwashed by that one cult thing. dont know if he is still in that after some 10 years though.

[wonderword]

i expect it to be like any other reunion. they do a few tours and release some kind of redone album, then fade away.

i dont think hide was really as great as you're making him sound. yes, he was a really great guitarist and his sound did bring the best out of X, but that doesnt mean he made X what it was. if im not mistaken, Yoshiki got more praise for being a stupidly fast drummer and good song writer. 

now, on to what i really want to know.  does anyone know if Toshi will even be doing this? from what ive heard, he's kinda being stupid and brainwashed by that one cult thing. dont know if he is still in that after some 10 years though.

I think hide accomplished more in his solo career than he did in X, but that's just my opinion. Yoshiki was more responsible for making X so huge than hide was, and Pata was actually a better guitar player by leaps and bounds.

[Anonymous_Lulz]

I think hide accomplished more in his solo career than he did in X, but that's just my opinion. Yoshiki was more responsible for making X so huge than hide was, and Pata was actually a better guitar player by leaps and bounds.

yeah. i feel the same.  i think people see hide as a better guitarist because he had the crazier outfits and ran around the stage more.  its good to build the crowd, but it doesnt make anyone a better guitarist.

im kinda surprised how little anyone cares about Pata. he has an awesome style of playing that i like more than hide, yet i cant find his solo stuff anywhere.

[wonderword]

I think hide accomplished more in his solo career than he did in X, but that's just my opinion. Yoshiki was more responsible for making X so huge than hide was, and Pata was actually a better guitar player by leaps and bounds.

yeah. i feel the same.  i think people see hide as a better guitarist because he had the crazier outfits and ran around the stage more.  its good to build the crowd, but it doesnt make anyone a better guitarist.

im kinda surprised how little anyone cares about Pata. he has an awesome style of playing that i like more than hide, yet i cant find his solo stuff anywhere.

Agreed. hide was the better showman and Pata was the better musician. The only Pata stuff I've ever been able to find post-X was the stuff he did in Dope HEADz, but I didn't think it was anything exceptional.

[4skin.]

theres no such thing as being "stupidly fast". yoshiki always played those generic "one-two kick beats" because they went with each song perfectly. alot of his fills were also nothing short of amazing.

and to answer the question on as to whether or not toshi is involved:

this entire thing was toshi's idea.

[wonderword]

theres no such thing as being "stupidly fast". yoshiki always played those generic "one-two kick beats" because they went with each song perfectly. alot of his fills were also nothing short of amazing.

and to answer the question on as to whether or not toshi is involved:

this entire thing was toshi's idea.

His double-bass work was just ridiculous, too. The speed he hits those pedals in the beginning of Dahlia makes me jaw-drop every time.

[4skin.]

he really is a phenomenal drummer, especially when it comes to the double bass. btw, after hearing the official S.K.I.N. preview, i really think his drumming style has changed a bit, but i in no way think that it will taint his proficiency on the drums as the preview sounded awesome.