Biography of hide X Japan - The beginning of a star

1:29 AM Hieu Tran 1 Comments

This post is talking about early years in biography of hide X Japan in 1964 - 1987. That was the most important period preparing for styles, guitar-skills, artful views, personality which made hide becoming the best rock guitarist of all time of Japanese Rock, eventually Asian Rock.

On December 13, 1964, a normal child was born in St. Joseph's Hospital in Midorigaoka, Japan. At that time, nobody could imagine that kid was becoming a brilliant star of Japanese music. His name was Hideto Matsumoto.

hide studied in Yokosuka Tokiwa Junior High School. At the age of 15, he was passionate about rock music through the album of KISS, Alive II. That same year, he was given the first e-guitar - a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe - from his grandmother.

hide graduated from Yokosuka Tokiwa School on March 11, 1980. Then he went up to Zushi Kaisei Senior High School in Zushi, Kanagawa. He joined in the school's brass band, but rapidly quitting the band as he was forced to play the clarinet while he liked the trumpet. After that, he focused on practicing guitar and formed his first band Saber Tiger in 1981. A year later, they had mini show at live houses in Yokosuka, Rock City for example.

hide attended the Hollywood University of Beauty and Fashion to study cosmetology and fashion in April 1983, and completed in 1984. After that, he entered a nationwide examination and easily got a beautician license (so admirable!!). Saber Tiger released the self-title EP in July 1985, which included 2 songs: "Gold Digger" and "Double Cross". In November, they bring the song "Vampire" into the Heavy Metal Force III sampler (X and Jewel also contributed their songs to that). Then later, Kiyoshi - the guitarist of Jewel - would join hide's band.

In 1986, the band turn its name into Saver Tiger because of a band from Sapporo also named Saber Tiger. Their first work with the new name was their songs "Emergency Express" and "Dead Angle", which on the Devil Must be Driven out with Devil sampler. hide's band continued to play in night clubs and live houses, for example Omiya Freaks, Meguro Live Station, and Meguro Rokumeikan; until hide decided to disband due to changes of members making him too tired. And hide became a member of X Japan around the same time (yeah, hide X Japan was born). 

In 2001, Nippon Crown issued a three-volume release titled "Origin of hide", with the band credited as "Yokosuka Saver Tiger". The initial two were live CDs, with some demo recordings, while volume 3 was a concert VHS

Next: Hide X Japan Biography in 1987 - 1997 - Click here