Hey folks, Valkor here. So just yesterday (May 23rd to be specific), myself and a crowd of others, got the chance to hang out with one of the coolest mofos in the music industry. And if you don't know who Yoshiki (of X-Japan) fame is, then you're about to get a Sirius (pun intended) dose this week, especially if you own Sirius/XM radio. On May 27th tune in to channel 38, The Boneyard channel @ 8 pm for some "Yoshiki Radio", which will air regularly every month beginning on June 5th at 9pm.
Before we get into Yoshiki Radio, let's get some background info on X Japan. Believe me when I say, my describing it won't do the band any justice, so I'll just point you to the X Japan Wikipedia page. And of course, Google is your friend. But personally, I became familiar with the group when I first heard the song "Forever Love" from an anime called "X". Simply put, it was an amazing ballad, which forced me to seek out more of this band. Sadly, it was at this time that band member Hide had passed and my quest for X Japan's songs sorta faded. I say sorta because the music never left me; "Forever Love" was imprinted on my heart and other such hits as "Tears" and "Kurenai" also left long lasting impressions. And it was just last year, seeing Yoshiki side by side with Stan "The Man" Lee, announcing a new comic book that I remembered why I was in love with the band in the first place.
That brings us to Yoshiki Radio. This taken from the press release:
"Yoshiki Radio" will offer an eclectic mix of East meets West, and will include Yoshiki's personal favorite music tracks, and music from artists that have influenced him, as well as an introduction to some of Japan's most innovative and successful artists. The monthly show will also feature elements of Japan's most innovative and successful artists. The monthly show will also feature elements of Japanese pop culture that has already made their mark on America life, from sushi to Sony to Nintendo/Wii, to the global megastar Hello Kitty, to the bourgeoning western popularity of Anime.
The event itself began with Yoshiki talking about the station, moving on to a photo op section, where not only were we allowed to ask questions, but also watch as his fans got the chance to pose for pics with him. Afterwards, Yoshiki joined us out in the main area for drinks, more pics, and chatted up with his fans; honestly, I thought he would have bolted soon after the photo-op was complete. Talk about a class act. Seriously, even if this guy was a dick, I'd still give him mad respect for taking teh time to hang with his fans.
My thoughts on the show: I don't own satellite radio, but this would be the type of show that would bring me into the fold. As much as I'm crazy for X Japan, I love Japanese culture and how it has been embraced by U.S. society. Though Japanese music hasn't gone mainstream here in the U.S., I would hope that not only this channel, but also X Japan's North American debut (happening later this year), will help it reach a much broader audience. Seriously people, just because you can't understand the lyrics doesn't mean you can't enjoy it – it's all about the sound, baby!
Until then, all you Sirius/XM radio listeners out there, tune into channel 38 and chime in with your thoughts of the show. Until then enjoy the plethora of images and vids I took at the event. Again that's this Friday May 27th; tune into Sirius/XM channel 38 The Boneyard @ 8pm, for the launch of Yoshiki Radio.