Yoshiki

Yoshiki Hayashi (林 佳樹, Hayashi Yoshiki?, born in 1965, in Tateyama, Japan) is a musician, songwriter and producer. Throughout his professional career usually referred to by his given name only, he is primarily known for co-founding the popular rock band X Japan, for which he plays drums and piano, along with writing most of the music. He is currently involved with the supergroup Skin.

Yoshiki formed X Japan with vocalist Toshimitsu "Toshi" Deyama in 1982. Four years later, he founded his own independent label, Extasy Records, in order to issue the band's music.Their breakthrough came in 1989 with the release of the Blue Blood album. After three more albums and several tours, the group broke up in 1997 but releases of arranged material and reissues continue until today.

Aside from his work with the group, Yoshiki has also collaborated with several noted artists such as Queen drummer Roger Taylor,Beatles producer George Martin and various others on the international Kiss tribute album Kiss My Ass. As a producer, he has provided several bands with first time recording contracts through Extasy Records, i.e. Luna Sea, Glay and Zi:Kill.

After X Japan disbanded, his next major endeavor was expected to become Violet UK, but the release of a debut album has since been postponed repeatedly. Beside a symphonic concert performed in 2002 and released on DVD in 2005 (which contained arrangements of old X Japan songs along with music supposedly created for Violet UK), no major publication of the project has yet surfaced.

Yoshiki remains active as a producer, i.e. for the bands Dir en grey and TRAX and has also briefly joined the pop band Globe. He has also contributed the theme song for the Expo 2005 and music for the movie Catacombs. More recently, he has helmed the J Rock Revolution festival in Los Angeles, California. during which his participation in the upcoming supergroup Skin was announced. It will also feature pop/rock artists Gackt and Miyavi and former Luna Sea guitarist Sugizo.

Yoshiki has also confirmed that X Japan will reunite, with a new single and a tour tentatively scheduled for later this year.

On September 20, 2007, at a Catacombs preview in Japan, it was announced that Yoshiki will be producing the soundtrack of the rock musical Repo! The Genetic Opera, along with composing one extra track. In 2003, Yoshiki worked with the lead singer of Pussycat Dolls Nicole Scherzinger on in his Violet UK project. She sang the English version of "I'll Be Your Love" live with the Tokyo Symphonic Orchestra. The track also appeared on the 2003 Various Artists album Exposition of Global Harmony.

Drums

While with X Japan, Yoshiki used a custom Tama Artstar II "Titan Body" drumset with Zildjian cymbals.

The layout consisted of:

* 10"×10" tom-tom
* 11"×12" tom-tom
* 12"×13" tom-tom
* 13"×14" tom-Tom
* 16"×16" floor tom-tom
* 16"×18" floor tom-tom
* 6½"×14" steel snare drum
* Two 16"×24" bass drums
* 20" ride cymbal
* 14" hi-hat
* Two 20" China cymbals
* Three 18" Crash cymbals

Piano

Yoshiki performs on a Kawai Crystal II Glad Grand Piano CR-40A. The piano has 88 keys at 7 1/4 octaves with 3 pedals. The piano also has an Aliquot system with fine ivory white keys and fine ebony black keys. The piano has a translucent acrylic resin use and a private chair attachment. The piano has a height of 39 inches, a frontage of 58.5 inches, a depth of 72.2 inches, and a weight of 935 pounds.