YOSHI-KIMONO planned for Fall 2014?

The most recent Tokyo Journal interview had some interesting information.
3 points you may find interesting.

- YOSHIKI's blood type is B
- VUK and X JAPAN albums were both being worked on and pretty much ready to be released
in Q1 of 2013, but a friend suggested to release an album with the Golden Globe song and Anniversary etc...YOSHIKI liked the idea and we ended up with YC
- YOSHIKI-MONO is slated for a Fall 2014 Launch
(does this mean another VUK fashion show/concert?)

Personally, I feel YOSHIKI launching his solo career using the quiet classical genius/gentleman juxtaposed with super aggressive X JAPAN is already helping establish him to those who are new to his music as being - completely UNIQUE.

~Thanks to Tokyo Journal for the interview~

## not quite sure how to write Yoshikimono. Y - Kimono?

Predictions for 2014

The DECEMBER event has come and gone.
Yoshiki Headphones have been released.

They are a Special YOSHIKI edition of the already available SL150s.
Chosen based on design, comfort, portability as well as sound and performance, relative to 15 other headsets the team tried out. Priced at a premium ($74.97 on Amazon.com for the regular edition which is now heavily discounted vs JPY32,000 for the YOSHIKI model).

Limited to 150 per store, with 2 stores getting them early on 12/12 for the launch event.
12/18 they become available around Japan. With international shipping options via a forwarding company. The biggest headphone specialist in Japan currently has only 5 per store to sell on 12/18. I imagine all of which will be sold via in-store pre-orders.
---- All in all a successful launch and a nice end to 2013.

So I thought I'd finish the year off with...........

My predictions for 2014:

* based on recent events, interviews, past experience, and my optimistic imagination

YOSHIKI CLASSICAL World Tour (announcement coming January 2014)

- begins end March in Japan
- followed by 10 International venues

- 7-8 full songs, 2-3 additional by request

- Katie will sing Rosa and part of 1 unheard/unreleased VIOLET UK song

- The stage will be similar to Grammy Museum

X JAPAN

- TV appearance in Summer (in Japan)

- Japan warm up show(s)

- Unfinished will be played in full (in Japan)
- Say Anything will be added to the setlist and performed as a band (not as a trio)

- BTBF studio ver. released to iTunes (used as a Promo single to launch the world tour)

- World Tour......close to end of 2014 (due to extensive LUNA SEA touring)

- 1 unheard song played live

- Without You dropped from the set list

- Scarlet Love Song played in part, and on Asian leg of the tour only
- No Album
- Nissan Stadium DVD and Blu-Ray will be announced (for Japan only) 

VIOLET UK

- website changed from coming soon to UNDER MAINTENANCE.

- Facebook not updated

WILD CARDS
- Movie theme song will be announced, but not released in 2014
- We will find out what DJ is.

DISCLAIMER:-
This is a super optimistic list. I really believe that Yoshiki Classical will take up at least the 1st half of 2014, if not until the end of Summer.

But if X JAPAN do tour, management will not let them do it without releasing something.

I picked BTBF because its basically already finished, and is their most radio friendly song so far since the reunion. I picked Nissan Stadium because the footage already exists, and unfortunately now that Taiji has passed, this gig has become legendary.

Looking at how long it has taken for YOSHIKI to put out past video releases, its hard to imagine the European Tour DVD/Blu-Ray making it out next year. There's just too much editing involved. It would make sense to release that along with the album...but sense often doesn't come into play, as you guys know.

PRESS CONFERENCE : Scheduled for December

In a new interview with Classic FM UK YOSHIKI hinted
at a December Press Conference where he will be announcing the release of YOSHIKI headphones.

He mentioned that he cannot go into futher details....
Can we assume there is something more to this announcement?

For now enjoy the making of YOSHIKI classical below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPssU305mkE&feature=youtu.be

Cheers.

New T-shirts hitting YOSHIKI.net Oct 29th

A quick update..
October 29th YOSHIKI.net will be shipping
new unisex YOSHIKI T-shirts at $USD25.00 a pop.

http://yoshiki.gomerch.com/t/yoshiki/t-shirts

YOSHIKI will be doing another EVENT that same day in Tokyo.
As for the the grammy's and the event at PARCO on the 29th,
think of them as Profile building, each bringing new fans and new additions to the legacy...


What else is in-coming:-
- Blood Red Dragon TV Series (unconfirmed)
- Yoshiki Headphones (release pending)
.....Hello Kitty theme (nope, sorry SMAP took that one.. kinda glad)


Off Topic THOUGHTs:-

Think back to the dark years of 1998 - 2002 when things really were quiet.
Compare that to 2007 - 2011. So much happened.
2011 - 2013 X JAPAN members going solo for a few years.

What will 2014 bring?

The industry standard Summer tour?

One last restart from New Years Eve?

Maybe another fashion show-like event early 2014 with VUK/X performing?

I'd like to have seen X JAPAN or VUK perform at the iTunes festival.

That would have been a nice way to get some coverage..

...though you need a big name to get on the A-list.

VIOLET UK bassist departs The Khind

After taking over vocals for a while, MANDI has parted ways from The Khind.

She is now working on something else, something HUGE.

We'll have to wait and see if this EPIC new endevour has anything to do with VIOLET UK or not.

Past and future prison my heart

Over a year has passed since the VUK debut announcement video appeared on YouTube.

Since then, other than in a few interviews, there has been a unnerving silence surrounding the release.

Are fans being set up for a repeat of 2005? If so, do we get an apology test-mix single again?

From what we've heard, YOSHIKI has a ballad he's been working hard on, editing vocals for over a year. 

He describes the song as:-

1) better than Tears

2) sounding similar to Queen

3) has so many vocal tracks, it's a nightmare to edit

This ballad is one reason the album is isn't in our hands yet.

Another is the whole mini album vs full album debate and a re-thinking of what songs will make the final cut.

Lastly, X JAPAN fans are holding out for another world tour and album. 

Their voices and passion are so strong, and the other members are ready and willing. 

So why should YOSHIKI spend the next year or 2 or 3 on VUK and be constantly hounded about making good on that promise he's made to X JAPAN fans?

Consider all of the above,

and that we are now in October.

And just pray a miracle will occur and by December 31st we'll all have that 1st VUK album in our playlists.

The calm before the storm?

After a successful show at the Grammy museum YOSHIKI is preparing for the world wide release of YOSHIKI Classical.

Yoshiki is now in japan ready to unleash

A few more products.

- X JAPAN blue rays available sept. 25 (check amazon.co.jp)

- Yoshiki headphones (tweeted about for 2nd time) ... Announcement pending

There is a possibility that the headphones are part of the VIOLET UK release plan.

Selling them as part of a set with the debut album would seem like a good way to make sure we hear the songs in as high quality as possible.

It's equally possible that they are a stand alone product.

Time will tell.

Things could get interesting in the following weeks leading up to Yoshiki classical worldwide release.

Lets keep our fingers n toes crossed.

YOSHIKI Solo Debut: How Hard will he go?

I started to write this a while back...

And thought I'll post it now...think of it as a pre-cursor to what's about to happen starting Feb 19th 2014, hosted by the amazing Stan Lee:)

Pre-cursor to YC world Tour:

YOSHIKI debut as started to get coverage in Japan, his Gig at the Grammy Museum is sold out, the performance is moving into the 21st century with Free USTREAM and NICONICO live streams.

How hard will YOSHIKI go to become a HOUSEHOLD name in the US?

Let's put a few things in perspective:
- X JAPAN started off really strong (hijacking hollywood for their PV shoot)
- Performing at Lollapalooza... touring, getting some news and magazine coverage

YOSHIKI did a good job without having anything to work with.
But the band's inability to promote itself...
Inability to release an album... (ok maybe the blame is on YOSHIKI)
(Allegedly) There's also the other members lack of interest in 'going hard' (Sugizo is an exception)
So naturally their momentum came to an abrupt halt.
VIOLET UK was meant to the next attempt. But let's not go there. 

Fast forward to the debut: YOSHIKI Classical.....( to be continued after Feb 19th)

YOSHIKI Classical: Track list/release points of interest (1)

YOSHIKI is finally making his Solo Debut outside of Japan.

We know there's an album, a short performance of 5-6 songs comprising of songs from the album and maybe a few from X Japan.

The gig will be broadcast live at the following link or on Ustream (please google):-

http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv149624589

Observations:-

1) The tracklist for both iTUNES and AMAZON in the US is interesting.

You'll notice that ROSA (Quartet Ver.) has been replaced with Say Anything.

Go check out the previews. There's only 2 songs that haven't been available to purchase previously. 

However, it's possible that the songs have been re-mastered as Anniversary seems to be mixed differently to EMII to my ears. Also the subtitle in the song name credits Yoshiki studio orchestra,

but maybe I'm hearing things. The piano sounds a little lower in the mix to my ears.

2) Anyway.. another interesting point to note, is the Japanese CD version

substitutes Say Anything for The Last Song. Again, until its released it could be a misprint.

...Also its possible that the CD will have a bonus track or that management decided to change

things up and try and get some extra sales.

3) Amazon USA seems to be the cheapest place at USD 9.99 for the full download.

(iTunes is USD 11.99).. and Japanese fans must buy the CD at just over 3000 JPY since there is no digital release.

I'll end here cos my keyboard is going crazy...and the cursor is jumping all over the place!

(must be the planets aligning ;)

Today's FOCUS: Violet UK vocalist

Katie Fitzgerald joined VUK sometime during 2005.

She was the vocalist for Mary Monalisa which was planned as one of the lead singles off the 2005 VUK album (along with Sex and Religion which featured departed member Natalie).

Unfortunately the album never eventuated.

In 2006 we got to hear a demo of Mary Monalisa via myspace as well as a new

previously unknown track, City of Devils.

YOSHIKI then praised her performance on the unreleased track Asphixia, stating that sections of the song matched the image YOSHIKI had in mind (a very rare occurrence) and that it has moments that make the recording effort meaningful.

She soared to new hights on the ending theme to REPO, VUK-R.

Katie went on to front the 2008 reunion show performances and was the vocalist on Goemon's theme, Rosa.

Her artist card backs up comments by YOSHIKI that she is now the official vocalist for the group.

Her final public appearance with Violet UK was at AGE.

.... If you'd like to hear her solo tracks check her profile out below:

http://artistecard.com/katiefitzgerald

ps.. For Mac/iOs users you might need to enable JavaScript to view.

MUSIC is COMING this Summer...

No one outside of the people involved know what is being released…
but what we do know is it's MUSIC this time.
and Summer is the season..

Quartet San Francisco members
kindly responded to fans on Facebook regarding their recording with YOSHIKI.
They mentioned that they recorded parts for: ROSA and the Golden Globe ~theme~.
YOSHIKI backed this up tweeting using Hashtags VIOLET UK, ROZA, Classical…...

Hence my picks for what could be coming:-

- YOSHIKI solo album to showcase/launch his solo career in the US
- EM III including songs classical arrangements of VUK, X Japan
and Yoshiki solo works since EMII (basically the same as the first option but with the EM name)
- VIOLET UK debut (it's hard to imagine… finally?)

What it isn't:
- X JAPAN
- S.K.I.N.

YOSHIKI.net gets minor UPDATES...

It seems YOSHIKI.net is either about to be updated…..or is being prepared for something?

So far the following has been added/changed:

- BIO

- NEWS (coming soon)

- IMAGES (coming soon)

- MUSIC (now split into MUSIC and SOUNDTRACKS)

Hopefully with the VIOLET UK page getting buttons…

X JAPAN under construction, and now YOSHIKI.net… the wheels are in motion.

YOSHIKI talks VIOLET UK in new interview

In one of a recent series of interviews, YOSHIKI was asked about VIOLET UK.
Here's a summary:


- YOSHIKI confirmed a photo he tweeted of him playing drums was for recording VUK
- He thinks the VUK album will be a masterpiece
- Album is almost ready, YOSHIKI to grind extra hard over the next 2-3 months
- Format is undecided,so he's getting fans opinions to help decide
- Definately "wants" to release it
- Doesn't want the release to conflict with X JAPAN
- Understands Fans/Recording company telling him to Hurry the f...k up
- Spent 1 year on 1 song for VUK. Recording engineers tell him he's crazy.

http://natalie.mu/music/pp/xjapan02/page/2


My thoughts:

The backlash he's been getting from not doing X JAPAN doesn't bode well for VUK's release.

Hopefully 2013 is the year,

and the epic wait will be over.

X JAPAN Official site UPDATE incoming??!

While things on the VIOLET UK front are quiet,
the attention is shifting towards X JAPAN.

YOSHIKI has arrived in Japan and tweeted that he is meeting with X JAPAN
members ahead of their Monday Press Conference.

Interestingly the official X JAPAN page www.xjapanmusic.com looks
like its about to get an update too.

YOSHIKI tweeted that that he hadn't stated there was any good news to announce,
later back pedaling (or toying with us) by saying the announcement isn't bad news either.

What could it be? We'll all know come Monday 1 PM  Japan time.
According to reports, a few lucky fans have been invited to attend,
and maybe even ask some questions.

Here's to hoping it's something to celebrate.

VIOLET UK touring Bassist launches digital EP.

Check out Mandi's band The Khind's new EP.
5 mastered songs are available streaming for free now at the link below.
Their full album will be hitting at a later date.

http://www.reverbnation.com/thekhind

Disclaimer: It is unconfirmed whether Mandi will continue to tour for VIOLET UK if they tour.

VIOLET UK website gets…. buttons

In the absence of any decent news…
Noticed that today the official VIOLET UK got some button links added.

However… they all link to YOSHIKI's personal youtube / FB / twitter pages etc.
None specifically for VUK.

Anyways, until there's more to say!
Check out the..buttons!;)

http://violetuk.com

Yoshiki.NET Member's Limited Edition CD-ROM

Just a quick post that I hope will bring back some good VUK memories.

Hit the link below for videos from the Yoshi.NET Member's Limited Edition CD-ROM.

I'm pretty sure most if not all of these have been online before, but for those that haven't seen all of them, enjoy!

To get you started:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhePWrYxweIJ1gdHegyiVIY57bu-b0UUj

credits: A big thanks to youtuber TOSHIDXCL for uploading the videos.

Hope you don't mind me linking to your channel.

VIOLET UK Bassist forms NEW Band

Touring bassist for VUK, Mandi, is launching her own band, The Khind.
She is the lead vocalist for the independently recorded group.

Check out the teasers for their upcoming album below.

They are putting out an album in 2013.

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSyuQKyBUxXcyeLmHzW1GsA?feature=watch

Like them on Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Khind/122625094592861?ref=nf

note:
It is unknown whether Mandi will continue to work with VIOLET UK if they tour.

Sound Quality ..then vs now

When VUK was revealed to fans via Yoshiki.net, 1 thing was made clear....
this project at its core was about attention to detail. The sound was paramount.

With the average song up close to the 10 minute mark...promotion was always going to be a challenge. Even the media format of choice CD, could't do the project justice.

Around the same time LOW quality mp3 was taking over.
LQ became the norm, and stayed the norm...until recently.

Super audio CD never took off...
Blue Ray won the HD wars,
but few artists are pushing Blue Ray audio.
And even if they did (LUNASEA for example),
most people don't have the setup or the 'ears' to tell the difference.

Enter BEATS.
You know... the company backed by the most respected Hiphop producer in history. The one that kicked the CEO of BOSE in the nuts, and made fairly-decent sound... Mainstream.

Beats may not give you bang for your buck. They may be too bass heavy for your liking. But the fact is, they made BUYING a pair of headphones popular.
To use the marketing slogan...Now more than ever, people are hearing the finer details in the music.

Enter VIOLET UK.
Anyone tried listening to a VUK song through really great headphones?
It's almost a religious experience.
The music comes alive with new sounds jumping out at you with each bar.

If Sales, Money & Pride can be pushed aside....DON'T YOU AGREE THAT NOW.. It's Time to unleash the music?

Smartphones are reaching saturation point in the music markets that matter. Everyone who could ever want a song now has a device capable of playing music. Infact most have more than 1 device. Fans probably would even go out and buy 5 versions of the album
(if they go the route of releasing bonus songs at select retailers).




note: Sex and Religion came out in 128kbps AAC via iTunes despite iTunes PLUSs existence at the time. Something maybe the record company had more control of than YOSHIKI in all fairness.


note 2: re: Beats
We can assume YOSHIKI is sitting up taking note..even hinting at his own line of
headphones..Apparently trying out 15 sets before tweeting to the fans.

Amethyst (I'm holding dreams of you)

AMETHYST

The earliest known VIOLET UK song.

Released in November of 1993 in instrumental form, 

and lovingly chosen by hide as the OP to X JAPAN concerts, 

where this masterpiece shined... right up until the Last Live.

The song was given new life in 2002.

We got lyrics added to the mix thanks to Daughter's vocal performance at the Classical Concert at Tokyo International Forum.

In 2005 we were treated to a live recording of that performance on the 22nd track of EMII (in typical VUK cryptic fashion, the album ended at track 9..and Amethyst kicked in at 22..)

...symbolic of 9.22 ... the 2nd coming of the 'EPIC WAIT':) 

Around the same time in a magazine interview, YOSHIKI spoke of the VIOLET UK debut album

containing only 2 ballads, the rest leaning more to the heavy end of the scale. 

Let's assume Amethyst took up 1 ballad slot. With the other anyone's guess.. 

L'arme? Sonnet155? Angel?

Anyway back to the song... 

So what does Amethyst STUDIO ver. sound like? This (Maybe):

(Piano and synth only...kicks in at about the 1:10 mark..although start from 1:00 for a laugh)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFC9-sFId4s

However, 12-13 years can do a lot to a song.

Amethyst could have updated digital effects thrown into the mix, 

much like the Last Song, Scarlet Love Song, or even the recent Golden Globes theme.

The lyrics may have also been changed.

For now we have nothing to go on...

so I'll end here with the lyrics as I hear them:

Amethyst (lyrics '05)

You were only a whisper away but I can ('t) touch you heart

If the words aren't enough to bear your soul I would give you the moon

You were always shining sun or rain, like a Violet stone

I close my eyes but you never fade, you never disappear

I a feel alone

Can't you see me standing on the verge of blue

I'll be watching all the stars till they are gone

Should I know nothing could make me miss you less

Oh I've been waiting for you to tell me what is love

I don't know how to be loved, how to be by your side

Morning light shines in my room

I'm holding dreams of you

It may take no less than this pain but I can't stop loving you

Feel my heart

You have never known that you have all of me

Every time I see you I'm falling in love

I can't live a lie, I can't live without you

Oh I've been waiting for you to tell me what is love

I don't know how to be loved, how to be by your side

Morning light shines in my room,

I'm holding dreams of you

It may take no less than my life, but I can't stop loving you

Song/lyrics: YOSHIKI

Vocals: as performed live by Daughter

VIOLET UK: Underground Discography

'Can you STRIP AWAY THE MYSTERY'?

I really wanted to list all the known VIOLET UK song titles here.
But everyone has already done that for us years ago.

So..today here's a quick post re: the mysterious songs that are still UNKOWN....HERE's my picks:

- Solomon TV show - there is a possible phrase from the song ANGEL (1st spoken about in Fool's Mate 2005)

- There is a VUK song used in YOSHIKI PR video (shown at fan/media events)

- The BGM during performance at Tokyo Dome 2009 (it sounded like a mix of songs, not just ROSA).

Have I missed any?

Feel free to leave yours below:)

Also if you have any suggestions, or topics you want covered, plz let me know.
...I'd love to interview some fans soon and keep this place flowing.

p.s. I hear VUK is still being recorded...
whether it's for another offer/one off thing or a song meant for the album is anyone's guess.

p.p.s.... In answer to the guy/gal who so kindly subtitled this picture: my vote goes to Rome.

VIOLET UK: the leaks

For a project conceived in the early 90s (remember, recording began in some form maybe even before Amethyst was penned...), VIOLET UK has suffered practically ZERO leaks.

Compare this to similar projects that have been stuck in development hell, such as Guns n Roses Chinese Democracy or even Dr Dre's Detox album both of which have had material leak during their histories, and you'll see VIOET UK's vault really has stood the test of time.

So why is this...Maybe it's because:

1. The songs are no where near ready to be released...
i.e. haven't been mixed or mastered, they've basically never left the studio.

2. There are considerably less "active" fans of the UNDERGROUND KINGDOM than the artists I listed above.

3. The kind of person YOSHIKI is has brought him a lot of respect by his peers.
He thus has less enemies than say Axl Rose or the good Dr.
Therefore, no one wants to ruin the big surprise.
...its possible, I mean so many vocalists have come and gone..none of them have ever leaked material online.. no sheet music, no clips... although a few probably didn't leave on good terms (pure speculation).

4. YOSHIKI is his own boss.. and doesn't have to compromise the security of the tracks
by handing them over to a record label.
(On a side note: there was a story about the master tape for Art of Life being given to 3 recording company staff so that in the event that one of their planes went down, the album would still make it safely to Japan from LA, to be released on time...)

5. The majority of the fans are in Japan (Its hard to say in VIOLET UK's case..I think it has a higher percentage of non-Japanese fans than X JAPAN does..but that's just my gut feeling).

....and here in Japan people tend to adhere to the rules......
Do I need to mention that MARY MONALISA was played (possibly in full) we don't even know that much... at ASIAN GIRLS EXPLOSION in March 2012 (yep, Sugizo and YOSHIKI on twin guitar) and not 1 person put the footage on youtube...Now that is pretty amazing
(or more truthfully...frustrating).

Alternative theory: YOSHIKI releases enough material for the fans to not take matters into their own hands. (We have 4 officially released studio tracks with vocals; Unnamed Song, Sex and Religion, Blue Butterfly & ROSA..and 2 instrumentals; Amethyst & Red Christmas).

DISCLAIMER: I probably should have stated this at the beginning, but I am in no way encouraging fans to try and obtain songs we don't have. I just thought it would be something interesting to write about.

In closing, I have a question...

How many of you out there are still waiting on VIOLET UK?

The latest Promo video on Youtube just went over 40,000 views...It took a few months...
and I'm sure that most ppl clicked more than once...

So...If you really want this BEAST set free...
You gotta help me make some noise!!!!!

In the end I certainly hope the album in whatever form or shape it takes,
will have some nice surprises...and.....

won't end up like this:
http://archive.classicrockmagazine.com/view/december-2008/21/the-great-robbery

Peace,
D

The 1st: Blind Dance (Improvising on a tight rope)

"I will kiss your eyes... In the senseless night"

In the year 2000 these blissful words, the opening to a song known as Blind Dance, 

sent ripples through the internet.

They ignited a spark deep in the hearts of YOSHIKI fans around the globe.

This spark that many of us in 2013 still share, I have named 'the epic wait'..

So here I sit, 13 years later writing 'The 1st' entry 

in my coverage of the UNDERGROUND KINGDOM. 

My eagerness to hear VIOLET UK in all its seductive, over the top, attention to detail, genre-bending glory, unwaivering.

Over the coming days and weeks, I invite you to join me as I attempt to break down

some of the events that have shaped the VIOLET UK legend.

For VIOLET UK one thing I know is for sure:

".....the night is never long enough" 

("" denotes lyrics from VIOLET UK songs written by YOSHIKI)