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Finally Yoshiki's new project is beginning to emerge. Although the
name of this appealing project has occasionally been whispered, no one
has ever actually seen or heard of it. It has been a sort of ghostly-like
rumor.
Y: It's no ghost! (laugh). I started it around the time of X Japan's "Jealousy"
album. So it has already been over ten years. I took the essence of
what a band is, and then asked myself, what type of music am I going
to create?
Yoshiki poured everything, that had made X Japan a revolutionary band,
into this solo effort, and with this, the thrilling proposition of
Violet UK has started.
Y: I tried everything! hard, soft and later on I went into trance,
after that I also tried punk. I went around and round, and came back
in full circle and that’s how I arrived to what it is now.
This year, after more than 10 years, the musical trial that is Violet
UK will finally become clear.
Y: The one thing I was most particular about was the quality of noise.
"Noise quality" in actual fact is a mysterious term. It literally
means "the quality of sound interference". Most people would probably
wonder, "Is there actually a quality to sound interference?". However,
in actual fact, there is. Since the introduction of synthesizer,
especially among music engineers, the issue of noise has been an area
of pursuit. Basically, noise strongly stirs up the creativity of
listeners. It is a beautiful melody, taking them to into a distinctly
unique world, a world they have yet to experience.
Y: I have come close to the very edge of the world regarding the
quality of noise, and finally after 10 years I’m ready, therefore if I
am to release it, it must be now.
In reality, it took many months to complete one song and it is
comprised of sounds that have had in excess of 18,000 takes all up.
Y: Trying any further would completely destroy and bury the sound, so
I decided to release it.
He possessed the power of concentration which is beyond the
imagination, and once this immense concentration power became a final
product and took shape, Yoshiki’s power of expression will
simultaneously erupt into the outside world.
Y: The word Violet refers to a new race. On this earth there are
yellow, black, white, red, and many other types of people, however
none of these races match this existence. UK is a short form of
Underground Kingdom, means: the will to create a new wave. Once you
listen to the sound in the recording of this planned album, there is
an immediate explosion, a radical arousal of senses, something new.
Violet UK is an amoeba-like project, where the members change
according to each individual song.
One aspect of Yoshiki’s expressive style is, first of all, classical
music, which is seen in Eternal Melody II. There, he developed an
orthodox type of melody. One may call it the Yoshiki of piano. On the
other hand there’s Violet UK, which defies 'the traditional', it is
the 'present', the Yoshiki of noise, rythm, synthesizer, and drums. If
we say that these two-sided personalities are the essence of Yoshiki,
then this year, 10 years after the release of "Jealousy", his perfect
solo figure will appear. Over the years, he has written new english
lyrics that originated from The Bible, making up something loaded with
mystery, almost like "The da Vinci Code". Each song will be accurately
constructed, naturally making up a total concept album.
Y: The theme for this album is Destroy Again". If I can get ready in
time, I hope to take part in the summer rock festivals. Since I have
been involved in the classical scene for such a long time now, I want
to present myself in the rock arena really soon. I am going to cause
absolute destruction! (laughs).
These powerful words can be taken as a declaration of war on the
dulling slump in the CD sales of the Japanese music scene.
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