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.