Is there anything more metal than an injury obtained from a lifetime of headbanging? Perhaps, but we can't fathom it at the moment. But that's exactly what happened to founder/drummer of X Japan last year. The creative leader of Japan's biggest rock band underwent cervical artificial disc replacement surgery in May of 2017. He planned on giving himself a long time to recover, but then the band was offered a spot at Coachella...
After a successful weekend one performance on the MOjave Stage, Yoshiki came back to Los Angeles and dropped by our studio to discuss 'Chella, performing decades-old hits and (are you ready for this?) A NEW ALBUM. It will be the band's first full length in TWENTY YEARS.
On what makes a good show:
“When I feel like I did a good show, I can’t stand up after the show. I see the audience crying or freaking out. I almost play every show like - this is gonna be the LAST show.”
On the evolution of X Japan's music:
“I composed some of the songs over 25 years ago. At that time I was not thinking I’m going to be playing that song 25 years later. So physically, it’s not easy. But the way we play, it got better I think. Even though it might be the same arrangement, emotionally it’s different.”
On getting offered a Coachella spot:
“I was supposed to be taking care of my neck a little longer. Ideally, 2 years or something like that. But I got the opportunity to play Coachella - why not, right? So we pushed everything a little earlier - our schedule. I still feel it hasn’t completed yet. I still feel weird… to become completely Iron Man."
Check out the tour update below:
