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Yoshiki Hayashi was born in Chiba, Japan, on November 20th, 1965. He was trained in classical piano from a very early age, and groomed other musical abilities as well. Yet upon traumatically discovering his father dead from suicide at age ten, Yoshiki threw himself completely into his music. He took up playing the drums to focus his anger and pain. A great fan of Western bands, particularly KISS, as a teenager Yoshiki came to enlist boyhood friend Toshi as a member of his rock group, X. A handful of other members came and went, but the lineup finally emerged with Yoshiki on drums and piano, Toshi on vocals, hide on guitar, "Pata" on guitar, and Taiji on bass. Yoshiki's mother sold her business to promote the band, whose music was too angry and aggressive for an existing label to support, and Extasy Records was founded. Over the years, X's intense visual image softened, and with the replacement of bassist Taiji by "Heath" in 1992, X became X Japan. X Japan finally disbanded in 1997, having literally left the stage as Japan's most influential and imitated band ever.

Nevertheless, Yoshiki's story continued. Even during the throes of X Japan's wild popularity, he managed to scout out and promote other Japanese rock bands of notable worth ( Luna Sea, Dir en Grey, etc.); therefore, with the role of "musician" so suddenly retired, Yoshiki was able to focus and hone his efforts as a producer. Yet after the sudden death of hide in 1998, Yoshiki fell into a great depression, and vowed never to play the drums again. However, 2002 found Yoshiki at work once more, this time on a private project called "Violet UK". Since that time he has collaborated with other famous musicians (George Martin of The Beatles and Roger Taylor of Queen, for example) and expressed his creativity through various avenues.

Fans of Yoshiki may remember him most from his heavy visual days with X Japan, when his extreme personal style and effeminate dress was almost a literal representation of the Japanese bishounen aesthetic. He was then an enigmatic man who was just as easily a demon tearing up his drums as a gentle, living doll seated before a crystal piano; and while nowadays Yoshiki prefers to stand behind the curtains as a sophisticated businessman, he is no less busy in the music industry, and spends his time between Tokyo, Japan, and Los Angeles, CaliforniaThis article is about the city in California. For other uses of 'Los Angeles' see Los Angeles (disambiguation The City of Los Angeles widely known by its abbreviation L. is a large coastal metropolis in Southern California in the western United States..

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Topics: Yoshiki District Yamaguchi, Yoshiki District Gifu, Yoshiki...

Yoshiki District, YamaguchiYoshiki (; -gun) is a district located in Yamaguchi, Japan. As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 39,900 and a density of 480. 84 persons per km². The total area is 82. Towns and villages Aio Ajisu Ogori Yamaguchi prefecture.

Yoshiki District, GifuYoshiki (; -gun) is a district located in Gifu, Japan. As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 11,938 and a density of 21. 16 persons per km². The total area is 564. Towns and villages Kamitakara Kokufu Districts in Gifu prefecture.

YoshikiYoshiki Hayashi was born in Chiba, Japan, on November 20th, 1965. He was trained in classical piano from a very early age, and groomed other musical abilities as well. Yet upon traumatically discovering his father dead from suicide at age ten, Yoshiki thr

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