hide X Japan Biography: 1987 - 1997


After ending Saver Tiger, hide decided to stop playing rock music and to be becoming a beautician. However, it never happened. Once hide talked to Yoshiki of X about his decision, Yoshiki immediately give hide an invitation of joining X. hide smiled and accepted that right away. It was a fanstatic moment which take hide and X to stand together in a destination. And hide X Japan biography turned into a new page.

Just listening the immortal ballad of X Japan - "Tears" - while experiencing this post
TEARS - X JAPAN

1987 - 1997: "OK, I'm a member of X now and forever" - hide X Japan


In February 1987, hide became a member of X Japan. He undertook the lead guitarist and songwriter of the band; composed hit songs such as "Joke", "Celebration" and the impressive "Scars". Vanishing Vision - the first album of X Japan was released on April 14, 1988, through Yoshiki's own Extasy Records. Then the band toured extensively in support of the record. They would be one of the first Japanese acts to reach mainstream success while on an independent label, and later largely known as one of the pioneers of visual kei.

hide with X Japan in visual kei aesthetics
hide with X Japan in visual kei aesthetics

However, the major debut album of X Japan was Blue Blood being released on April 21, 1989 and ranked the 6th on the Oricon chart. Its success brought to the band the worthy award "Grand Prix New Artist of the Year" at the 4th annual Japan Gold Disc Awards in 1990. After 1 year hide with X Japan released Blue Blood, they continued to throw their new wildly songs into the world through the third album "Jealousy" on July 1, 1991. That album got the No.1 in debuting, selling over 600,000 copies and reaching the mark of million later (according to the RIAJ)

hide X Japan - Jealousy Album
The cover of "Jealousy" Album

Ater making a masterpiece "Art of life" and pushing it up to the top of Oricon chart, X Japan broke for a while. The band's members started their solo projects. Although other members no longer kept most of their visual kei aesthetics around that time, hide X Japan would still appear with wildly colorful outfits and his exclusive-designed guitar and trademark red, later pink, hair. 

hide X Japan - Trademark
hide X Japan with trademark red, later pink, hair

On November 4, 1996, X Japan released their last album "Dahlia" which was also on the No.1 spot immediately. In September 1997, X Japan announced their disbanding at a conference without Toshi (vocalist). They performed the farewell show - "The Last Live" at Tokyo Dome on December, 31, 1997 which ended their most brilliant period forever.

Next: hide X Japan Biography - Solo Career, CLICK HERE to read.
hide X Japan

Biography of hide X Japan - The beginning of a star


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.

hide X Japan Biography

hide X Japan Biography: Childhood and Saber Tiger


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.

When Hideto Matsumoto started his great musical career, he didn't like capitalizing the first letter "h" of his name. So that, he used "hide" as a stage name.

hide X Japan Biograpy - hide with guitar
hide doesn't want to capitalize letter "h" of his name 

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 X Japan Biography - Saber Tiger
Saber Tiger - The first band of hide

The growth of artful factors inside of hide's nature for next years


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). 

hide with X Japan
hide with X Japan

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
hide X Japan

hide X Japan - The legendary guitarist who made up JROCK


Hideto Matsumoto was a talented guitarist, songwriter, singer of Japanese Rock. He was born on December 13, 1964 and dead on May 2, 1998.  Although dying soon, he's largely affected to the musical style of JRock. hide, which was his stage name, with the heavy metal band - X Japan reached the top of the fame in their empire. Besides, hide was successfull highly in solo career with personal projects, especially Zilch founded at United-States.

hide wouldn't like to capitalize "h" letter in his name. Because of the respect and love for him, I won't do it in my posts  
hide X Japan in the "Last Live" Show
hide X Japan in the "Last Live" Show

First success - hide X Japan


In 1987, X Japan with 5 members included Toshi (Vocal), Yoshiki (Piano and Drum), Pata (Rhythm Guitar), Taiji (Bass) and hide (Lead Guitar) was officially founded. They were fanstatic factors that made audiences crazy and attracted in their tones. hide X Japan as a certificated stylist largely contributed to create the unique fashion style of X Japan - Visual Kei which became the tendency style of J-rockbands after.

hide X Japan with Visual Kei Style
hide X Japan with Visual Kei Style

hide's role was a lead guitarist. Almost songs' guitar melodies of X Japan was writen by hide. With the perfect combination of the professional guitarist Pata, hide and Pata created wonderful tones with double-lead guitar solos. Once that couple took their action, it was so attractive. Crazy riffs, skilled-pattern guitar solos strongly hauled the mutinous nature of crowds.

hide X Japan with Pata - The legendary guitarist couple
hide X Japan with Pata - The legendary guitarist couple

In the end of 1997, X Japan disbanded. They stood together for the last time at "The Last Live" Show which ended their brilliant period forever.

hide X Japan in Last Live show 1997 - Last time standing together
hide X Japan in Last Live show 1997 - Last time standing together

hide X Japan kept moving on solo career


After disbanding, hide X Japan started focusing on his prior personal projects and went on getting brilliant successes.
He recorded and toured with M*A*S*S and his project "hide with Spread Beaver". In that period, hide turned into alternative rock. His melodies were always exciting, youngly and impressive in hide's style.

hide X Japan - hide with spread beaver
hide with spread beaver

The red or pink hair, the mocking-bird guitar designed exclusively, and the artful smile - all of them took hide to an icon for rebelling Japanese youth that was against the conformist society of their country. Then, hide was also called "Pink Spider".
Some hits of hide, such as "Tell Me", "Dice", "Eyes love you", "Misery".., have been still spreading largely among new audience's generations now.

I don't want to talk about his death in this post. Insteads, we should enjoy an attractive melody of hide X Japan
TELL ME
hide X Japan
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