[BEWARE: I "retranslated" everything quickly but... I'm most tired, so I'm really sorry if you have problems understanding this or that part, I will translate everything correctly when I come back, meaning within a few days (I just need some rest after exams... reeeeeeest!!!) See you then everyone!]

"But what is she talking about once again?!?" probably wonder most of you... Well it's a Japanese band, X Japan, one of the first really successful "Visual Bands", what we here call "glam" (although this only includes European/American bands...). But first of all this is a musicaly GREAT band, and, let me say it, it' s a shame so few people know about them: I made these pages in order to let some people know about them (yes this is advertising!). In fact this band is "cult" in Japan, of course, but also among European metalheads, those who try to know "not in magazines" bands at least: many of them say "yes I heard about this band... but did you find any cd somewhere?", and most of those who heard their cds... well let's say they didn't hate it...)

But first of all: what kind of music do they play? Mmmh Japanese people call it "visual rock": visualy (clothes,...) it's really close to glam, maybe more "gothic" but that's all. But musicaly... Some visual bands play usual basic rock, some other rather play metal-like songs, some others play punk-like music, most of them play a mix of all of these, or at least some of these (this is the main interest of visual bands, up to me: let's be honnest: if a European/American band plays metal, punk, rock, any of these BUT plays something of another style in some songs of even only one album... mmmh let's say fans won't accept it, and won't prevent from saying it... In Japan, on the contrary, a "visual band" plays rock, in the general meaning: you can find metal, punk, soft rock, gentle ballad, and so on...: it's far more eclectic). Mmh let' s go back to X and their style: they mainly play metal music, but they also made some punk songs, more pop/rock stuff (especialy in Dahlia), etc etc... (not forgetting Yoshiki's wonderful ballads! this guy knows about "melody"!) If you allow me to sum up: If you like bands I talk about in these pages (you wouldn't be here otherwise!), you WILL like, maybe even love, X Japan: give an eye to these modest pages dedicated to them!

So here you will find:

Discography of the band (a review and few mp3s for each, after all, if you don't live in Japan, it's quite difficult to find any official album/video of them, and it would be stupid to let you buy some very expensive import cd without knowing exactly what you're about to get)
A "quick" biography of the band and what their members did after X splitted (but don't expect something really short, it's written by Polochon after all...)
As the "visual part" was important in X Japan, I finaly decided to make a gallery, so please follow the link. You can also directly go to part 2, 3 or 4 (or also directly photos of The Last Live)
Some links (with comments, it would be stupid if there wasn't) that helped me getting information: making these pages.

Once again a new section: some points of view about Violet UK ("new" project of Yoshiki, that began in... 1991 or something? Brave little Yoshiki, barely perfectionist...): some things from Violet UK go around the net these days (some are only "supposed to be" from Violet UK, but some definitely are from Violet UK), so well I'm gonna tell you what I think of those I had a chance to listen. Now make your choice: concert of December, 03 2002 in Tokyo, (I saw about an hour of this concert on a video) where Yoshiki plays the piano, a philarmonic orchestra and the singer of Violet UK play with him: he played some songs of X, but also of Violet; there are also some songs (mp3, I am 100% certain two of them are from Violet UK, but only two of them).

(Don't hesitate to post any comment, good or bad, about X Japan, in my Guestbook: if you want to read it / write there)