LONGING , single CDs and Demo Tape original distribution...

It is fair for me to continue the list of X Japan singles releases with LONGING which is 3rd single on sale after the new name change.

As I mentioned above LONGING is the 3rd single of X Japan but the 9th from the band's launch as X , so both information under which this single is classified is very much acurate. The release of LONGING on the CD format was available in mid 1995, while the Demo Tape format was FREE distributed in late 1994.

I will cover both subjects for you, in order to clarify as much as possible this release issue and enable you to fully understand and process more accurate the related info. So...on August 1st 1995, the 1st CD version of LONGING (Longing Day) was released, the songs content on this single are :

· Longing ~ Melted melody ~

· Longing ~ Melted melody ~ (Original Karaoke)

the concept of the song is to be a Comemorative melody of MIZUNO (wrote by Yoshiki, in memory of his late father ) .It turns out that on 11th Dec same year 1995, another version of LONGING , 2nd CD version was released, it was called The Night Of LONGING and as you guessed it comes in the dark format.

That makes it the 4th release of X Japan and the 10th single release in the history of X . The unusual fact about the 4th release of X Japan is not the dark jacket image...but the fact that all the X, and X Japan singles released till then were 8 cm (diameter size ) but Night Of LONGING is 12 cm size , same as a normal album CD, was first of such format releases, that is why was received as unusual by fans

...but coming from X Japan nothing was surprising anymore, as the men of X are day brakers, law benders and rules makers...( my heart is full of admiration for those reckless, beautiful creatures, which during years I come to love and hate just as much, in equal measures ...and call them family of my own in every moment of my joyful or sad life encounters )

Night Of LONGING is less familiar to the open public, being the orchestral arrangement, in a very classical way of the original Day Of LONGING, released in August 1st earlier same year. Night of LONGING is some-kind of  melancholic wining, even sad-er than Day Of LONGING which was also a "mourning song" ...God bless their souls, I never understood why so much insistence on death theme in their songs...

( Yoshiki love...please try to write about flowers...but not Roses...butterflies...but not with broken wings...you know love...something happy which will make us jump around like a bunnies on your melody instead consuming all tissue supply in the convenient store wiping off tears...please don't take it too harsh...I still love you to bits :) , kiss and hugs and let's move on!) . If it would be to summarize in a phrase Night Of LONGING, I shall name it... a "Renaissance Poetry".

Yoshiki himself states in an interview published on Feb 1st 1996 when was asked why this song convey so much LONGING, loneliness...melancholia over the listener...he said " When I created LONGING, the melody was bit way too...Meted, it didn't sound the way I wanted, it wasn't good enough! so I created a duplicate one that will express even more of this feeling of loss...

this LONGING within my soul, as a short cry of own solitude. That's why I rearrange it that way ! " ( is it just me or you too feel like "overfeeding" him with cheesecake, and give him a friendly hug ? ) ...Some will never grow old :) ...I was telling you about a demo tape, well...it happened way back in 1994, this was way before LONGING Day or Night were released...

everyone was preferring CDs as demo...NOT YOSHIKI! he stubbornly presented X Japan free samples on Demo Tapes...he was so found of tape recordings that few have launched jokes about this...LOL. The Demo tapes were in 2 editions, obviously black and white jacket case cover...and were offered as free special bonus to all those buying DVD Box for Blue Night and White Night shows presented on the 30th and 31st Dec 1994 at Tokyo Dome.

The paradoxal thing about this whole matter, is that producing audio tapes was far more expensive than producing CDs...but no one could argue with Yoshiki who was kind of stuck on cassette version...well damn nostalgia strikes again lil' his punk heart...God Bless Him! There is also another thing you need to know about those demo tapes, and it wouldn't be fair for me not to mention it.

Not only that the 2 demo tapes bare different musical arrangements of basically same content,but being first press releases they also serve as demo samples for Radio Broadcasts, and also again...seems that dearest Yoshikitty stumbled upon a lil' verse...did not sound good enough for his cuteness...I mean , "I'll Live Without You" was perfect, BUT...was however changed with ''I Sing Without You" for the CD version release , not bad either LOL.

I am so grateful to all of you for the support you give to this blog, so happy to keep lit on the FLAME OF X in your souls and minds, and not the list, I am/will always be so in debt to you for remembering HIDE and TAIJI of X, they contribute so much to the Legend of X Japan, the dust of time simply doesn't suit them. Thank you !

RUSTY NAIL and X Japan Anime

On July 10, 1994, "Rusty Nail" was released on market as the second single from X JAPAN (but the 8th from X since band's launch on musical stage, TEARS was 1st release of X Japan under the new band's name, and the 7th of X single release...got it ?). 

Tracks recorded on this single are:

Rusty Nail ·
· Rusty Nail (Original Karaoke version)

 It was the theme song of Kansai TV drama "You can't see".
At the time of the launch at X JAPAN 's live, it was a song that often enhanced the opening, but at the time of its release, the introduction starting with the synthesizer sound was surprisingly introducing a sort of freshness not encountered in the songs of X so far, and everyone expected that it start another era for the new X JAPAN.

 RUSTY NAIL is viewed as chapter 2 of WEEK END and many fans refer to it such way because of the main theme and concept is still "suicide". A conflict of suicide, whether to live or die ...just like the 30 minute song Art Of Life which somehow is the 3rd chapter on the "suicidal X " mode...which culminates this year 2016, with WE ARE X DOCUMENTARY,

that summarize and give us reasons why the 3 precedent chapters were written enabling us to understand more this "X suicidal mode". Rusty Nail is kind of inner battle between the survival instinct and the self harming Sadistic Desire... If it is to chose staying alive than...

it is a song that puts the feeling of being obediently living literally (referring to things you do as daily basis routine). In an interview, Yoshiki tells about RUSTY NAIL  "I thought that I always lived obediently ever since childhood, but I was obediently living honestly and I got hurt so much for that ... But I also thought that I could live honestly in the future.

There was ... There are also aspects of the message to the deceased person who are also involved with "Tears" as well "(FOOL'S MATE from the August issue of 1994) " so you understand why I say RUSTY NAIL IS 2ND CHAPTER

The PV of this song is recorded in DVD "CLIPS II" is a live footage from "DAHLIA TOUR FINAL", but was recorded as a hidden message (bonus) after the end of the main part of "DAHLIA The Video Part 2" at the end of 1995.

TOSHI

There is also an animated version which was edited as if "performed" at Tokyo Dome using live scenario at the actual place, and published in "X JAPAN Photo Exhibition". The animated version was given as a video tape external bonus for "first purchase" of  the new released "PERFECT BEST"

HIDE

which occurred in January 2001. In the hope you've enjoyed this post too, I'll love you and leave you! Thank you so much for showing interest in X Japan musical activity, Thank You for keeping HIDE AND TAIJI's living memory, THANK YOU for EVERYTHING!

HEATH

PATA

YOSHIKI

HIDE

HIDE,HEATH,PATA&TOSHI

HIME...loooool

YOSHIKI...such mischievous sparkle in those pretty eyes,love... :) :) :)

TEARS...Wet The Earth


original Japanese Version

［Ｔｅａｒｓ　～大地を濡らして～］

絶えることのない　大地(あなた)の涙を
空が割れる前に　愛に変えたい　

犠牲に抱かれた　歴史の傷跡に
心を閉ざしても　痛みは消えない

流れる涙を　時代(とき)の風に重ねて
繰り返す大地(あなた)の悲しみを止めて

Ｄｒｙ　Ｙｏｕｒ　Ｔｅａｒｓ　Ｗｉｔｈ　Ｌｏｖｅ
Ｄｒｙ　Ｙｏｕｒ　Ｔｅａｒｓ　Ｗｉｔｈ　Ｌｏｖｅ

悲劇に震える　愛と死の旋律
欲望に紛れても　瞳は濡れたまま

流れる涙を　時代(とき)の風に重ねて
繰り返す大地(あなた)の悲しみを止めて

Ｄｒｙ　Ｙｏｕｒ　Ｔｅａｒｓ　Ｗｉｔｈ　Ｌｏｖｅ
Ｄｒｙ　Ｙｏｕｒ　Ｔｅａｒｓ　Ｗｉｔｈ　Ｌｏｖｅ

phonetics

[Tears ~ daichi o nurashite ~]

Taeru koto no nai daichi
(anata) no namida o sora ga wareru mae ni ai

ni kaetai gisei ni daka reta rekishi no kizuato
ni kokoro o tozashite mo itami wa kienai nagareru

namida o jidai (Toki) no kaze ni kasanete kurikaesu
daichi (anata) no kanashimi o tomete

Dry Your Tears With LOVE
Dry Your Tears With LOVE

 higeki ni furueru ai to shi no senritsu yokubō
ni magirete mo hitomi wa nureta mama nagareru

namida o jidai (Toki) no kaze ni kasanete kurikaesu
daichi (anata) no kanashimi o tomete

Dry Your Tears With love
Dry Your Tears With love

English interpreted translation

 Earth can't endure such constant tears of you
Change them in LOVE before the sky brakes

A scarce story is written trough your sacrifice
And pain last endless,tough my heart is closed for you

Overflowing tears can't mild the winds of time
Sadness can't hold Earth still, even if...losing you

Dry Your Tears With Love

Dry Your Tears With Love

Love and Death tragically blend into trembling melody
Even if losing straight, your eyes are tearful still

But overflowing tears can't mild the winds of time
Even losing you, sorrow couldn't hold Earth still

Dry Your Tears With Love

Dry Your Tears With Love

I adore this song...is so much feeling in those verses!

On November 10, 1993, X JAPAN's First Press single release "Tears" stirs a new "hysteria level" among the fans.The ballad is simply immortal and no matter how many ages have passed since market release, TEARS will always be an actual song. The tracks recorded on this single are:

· Tears (X JAPAN Version Rock )

· Tears (Classic Version by Yoshiki+Kawaii)

(when I say KAWAII...I meant the piano...LMFAO...
that was an under-belt blow...JOKING!! Yoshiko is also cute...aaa...lil'bit :) ...after all, our DIVA will always be the Princess of X ...and I ADORE HIM FOR THAT! seriously speaking now)

As you might know, TEARS was the theme song of TBS drama "Smile at Hatred".

The reason for this late song add to the DHALIA performance is that,originally it supposed to be scheduled from the beginning as poem reading by
 YOSHIKI but later was added to the subsequent part when recorded in the album "DAHLIA" released later.

In addition, (X JAPAN Version Rock) is the originally form,this song was created as the theme song of NHK "Kohaku Utagawa Battle" on December 31, 1992 and was presented in stile by YOSHIKI in an amazing pipe organ interpretation as "Tears - Wet the Earth" which ended sung by all the participating singers within the performance show

...such a memorable,rare moment indeed. It turns out that HIDE's proposal in recording this new song as a song "label" of X JAPAN was a great suggestion after all. The song performance left a deep impression to Mrs. Akiko Wada the Host of the Kohaku Utagawa Battle show

, you could read clear his emotions on body language, you can see it youreself it seems to have been and intense experience, Wada Akiko's face expression is priceless as the song comes to live, her ravished voice have come to mind ever since when I listen TEARS...such sweet, old memories...

Once more THANK YOU for keeping an eye on HIDE's blog, for being constant supporters, for treasuring art at it's pure essece...but above all, THANK YOU for taking a bit of your time daily to allow HIDE and X Japan in your hearts!

SAY ANYTHING...
but always remember 1st day of December!


On 1 December 1991, the single "Say Anything" was released. This song it took the longest time to be recorded first the vocal resonance wasn't good enough, than the musical arrangement was several times re-wrote by Yoshiki which also included this song on the Album Jealousy.

SAY ANYTHING is also the most time-consuming song among the X Japan releases♪. The album "Jealousy" was recorded initially in LA, but in this song there is a phrase which YOSHIKI can not agree with in the vocal recording in LA and no matter how hard poor Toshi tries, the perfectionist Yoshiki is...

hard to please, so it comes that an engineer from the LA recording studio is "imported" to Japan where Yoshiki decides to re-record the song according to his vision and likeness...and till he decided it took a while...so finally he recorded Say Anything  until the limit of delivering the master tape...that was a hell of a delay !

Tracks recorded on this single are :


· Say Anything
· Silent Jealousy (Live Version)

"Say Anything" is a popular song alongside "Endless Rain" among ballads of X and X JAPAN, but it is a song that is often used for the last SE without being played much on live. An Acoustic version by  TOSHI, PATA, and HEATH was performed in 2008 during the show "IV Restoration of destruction attack OF 2008" from the event "toward destruction",

but I think that there has never been played live in the last X JAPAN apparitions since then...am I wrong ?
Also, for this very own song,YOSHIKI had previously announced the participation to GLOBE, a musical trans-version by Tetsuya Komuro was also announced for GLOBE 's album "GLOBE TRANCE 2",

but the tune itself created from this collaboration became way too light and altough it didn't sounded bad, being actually quite a good tune in general technically...people were quite disappointed... It was surprisingly in fact how much the "original concept" was changed so far even with the same melody (later on that composition was named (S)eXplosion) .

Exactly 10 years later from the first release of SAY ANYTHING,on December 1/2001, Yoshiki in collaboration with the Philharmonic Orchestra crated a "Piano Classical" version of the song at the special occasion such as Princess Aiko's Birthday ! ♪

I hope you find this post useful too and you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I once more Thank each and single one of you who returns here to read HIDE's blog posts, because this is my way of paying back respects for entire his musical life and work career. True love never fades away, it is only transforming in time shaping souls and ideals.

Door Toward HIDE's world...in dreams HE came


Another night, another dream with HIDE, another time I wake up in tears, because of him...sometimes I wish the dreams will not be so full of emotions, so painful, so bitter...from all those who meet him, who loved him...from all those who'd kill to see him once more...why does he come to me ? ...a stranger from across the world...

He came to me smiling, wearing a dark tracking suit and sport shoes, I never imagined him wearing dark clothes, he is always dressing so colorful alive. HIDE was excited, wanted to call on everyone for a show.

Keept talking about how he has a new concept and a new song and how he will surprise everyone and that I must get ready cause there is no time to lose...next minute he drags me out of house and before we reach the end of the street we're already in Shybuya ? TF???

I live in UK but in dreams scenarios alternate from a place to another in seconds...anyway we walk in Shibuya and he insist to get me a red guitar from an instrument shop. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO PLAY GUITAR, never tried playing like...

EVER! somehow he is convinced that I CAN...don't know why he thinks that so strong tough,but you can't win if you argue with HIDE...
anyway he tried it on, but the guitar didn't sounded as he wanted so he crack the guitar open...I was like...why you smash it ?
and he said...I'll make it better.

It turns out he was correcting something inside on the sound system than he link it on an amplifier and here we go , next thing he puts it in my arms and push me in the middle of the street...

he starts performing on his Fernandez...people were walking trough, he didn't seem to care...there are some people wearing LEMONed clothes, he is excited as they came by, he smiles big, ready to talk...

they right pass him without even looking. HIDE is bit low but he goes on playing. Few cosplayers wearing his stage clothes come from different parts of Yoyogi Park, his smile returned to his face, I can see the thrill, as one of the cosplayers arrives nearby, HIDE tries to strike conversation first by complementing the guy wearing a red-black shinny leather suit just like HIDE's stage suit...

the guy looks in a very superior way, HIDE stay humble and so damn polite...is so annoying  ...I want to talk but he wouldn't let me.I try hard but I'm voiceless is as if he "muted", I try to make aware that guy he stands in front of HIDE but somehow the people around they don't recognize him.

Is true he doesn't wear make up and his hair is bit messy and that stripes hat he wears gives his a punk-ish look...but...HIDE is still HIDE even warped in paper bag...

I feel disappointment, but I understood that I am there only to observe as he wants to show me something...  
There's a young man dressed office code , he walk next to us and passes to HIDE the cup of coffee in his hand as if wanted to dispose of empty cup...

HIDE looks at the cup raising one eyebrow ,he start playing like hell regardless of people ignoring him...other youngsters pass up and down, no one stop to listen but HIDE goes on playing...while people pass, once in a while they drop a coin in the coffee paper glass...

I feel embarrass and annoyed about that,I find it so inappropriate...he is not a street performer,he is the NHK Hall, I's sad as they can "see" but they don't "recognize" him at all...HIDE smiles mocking me, he said...great we can almost buy a...doughnut...picking up the cup.

There's an older lady, she stop and she stares at him, here eyes are in tears...she recognize him, as she comes closer the age of her face is wiped off she gets younger and younger, is a lady who had something to do with HIDE's stage apparition like dressing and make-up stuff...

it was not the lady, from Junk Story I think so, it looked like her but this one was older somehow,beautiful,strong brown chestnut, shiny long hair, brown eyes with very kind expression, big round beautiful eyes, light skin...beautiful smile...I felt as if I knew her since before...or maybe HIDE's memories mixed with my own feelings.

I felt good inside, peaceful, the lady touched his cheeks with top of fingers than she messed up his forehead hair in a familiar way. He held her hand for a while and he was all shining with blue snow ice like
light from inside out. He watched her in the crowd as she left until she vanished beyond the bridge (We were nearby train station, across the street from Takeshita str ) .

He toss the coffee cup in the bin and
takes the money, walks on street between cars, he drags me after him...holds my hand tight, I let him drag me as I always feel safe walking with him...after all, he did brought me back when I drowned that night sometime ago.

We cross over and walk on Takeshita,
HIDE wears dark track suit as for jogging
looks casual, no make up, wears sport shoes
we go up to LEMONed...he looks around searching for something he can't find
there is a boy selling at the shop
he keep asking HIDE what he's like to buy but he doesn't recognize him either

HIDE said he wants "something HIDE would wear"
and they show him something grey and too common to be even considered they try to convince him that HIDE himself would wear that ...HIDE smile polite but I can see deception...drags me up, we go HEADWAX Office upstairs

Hiroshi is there, looks outside the window, is sad
I want to enter but HIDE stop me, is 2nd time when he takes me to LEMONed and HEADWAX Office
last time we went he took the pictures of him from the office and smashed them over...it was same..no one recognized him and he was angry
I feared of what he might do,

we followed Hiroshi which he went out in the street, down to Yellow house, he looked at the pictures from the fitting room around the mirror...he was sad
than he bought some food and he went in the park
he seat on the bench and ate alone
HIDE was sad too
there were some cosplayers near by and Hiroshi hurried to walk away...he was affraid they might recognize him...he hates cosplayers (at list in my dream I felt he dislike them for supericialy "clone-ing" HIDE )
everyone wants to dress like HIDE but no one IS in fact LIKE HIDE and he hates them for that
HIDE is HIS!

 his brother they only mimic him...everyone of them cries out all over, that they've lost their idol but him...Hiroshi lost his brother...and no one...in 20 years took time to think or ask him...how it feels that loss...(I felt sad too "reading" this among Hiroshi's toughs...again, the reality might be opposite...however...the guy could be perfectly OK, but the dream is just a dream in fact )
anyway...HIDE went by and pad Hiroshi's shoulder...and he look back, Hiroshi wasn't surprised to see HIDE, he was the only one who recognized him except the lady before,

HIDE look at the stuff Hiroshi was eating curled his mouth in a half smile rising an eyebrow, and Hiroshi just pushed the food tray nearer...they shared the food in silence. (one more reason, I felt I shouldn't be there ) This didn't made any of them happier tough... I felt that no matter what HIDE will always protect Hiroshi, and that the longing feeling is mutual...it is funny...I myself never thought about Hiroshi either in all this years.

I cried for many nights after losing HIDE, blaming him for every failure of mine, I thought I know him, but until he cameback to me, untill I was allowed to peack in his soul...I didn't knew HIDE at all, it hurts so much knowing that now...that he, the one I most admire was a stranger to me, because although knew who is HIDE, I never recognized him...Hiroshi did/does it still . It must be so hard for him seeing us competing so stupid in who knows more, who is biggest fan...who...how silly we are!...

anyways HIDE has big expectations from his brother and there he start bossing him around...priceless moment, that instant I wouldn't like having a boss like him...than he started with some list of changes in LEMONed, kept bubbling he wants to go international, site renewal, bilingual options for FC membership open for foreigners too and bunch of other stuff...

and there gives Hiroshi a list...poor guy how I piety him...I kind of agree with the FC membership, currently you can only be a JETS only if you have a Japanese credit/debit card/address which is silly cause HIDE has fans all over the world not only in Japan. I personally know someone who made account at JETS using HIDE's parents address in Yokosuka...

others even used the store address from Tokyo...damn it was so simple if everyone could subscribe for a monthly fee regardless the country. I'd be first one to make such an account I swear on HIDE's memory which is most precious thing to me. Many say  "I hate Hiroshi he tries to rip fans off with prices on HIDE's brand products" ...

I admit prices are bit too high at LEMONed for a teenager who comes to visit on parents expense...even I was in difficulty when I went cause of debit card problems, couldn't extract more than 10 000 jpy a day, and that wasn't enough to get what I wanted to get from LEMONed...but with all this I could never say "I hate Hiroshi" , by saying that is as if you slap HIDE's face...anyways, this dream although slightly changed repeats from once in a while again and again I don't know why,but is now been several times in the past year when I see this dream again.

I browsed the LEMONed site trying to get again something that HIDE wear in his videos LOL, I'm addicted on his wardrobe...I found nothing...not stuff but not the ones he wear...than I went on YJ...you know what will be really cool ? that Hiroshi will actually announce that LEMONed will retrive from old fans the products related of HIDE's brands they want to pass on to the younger fans and instead of the going to display on YJ, LEMONed will build its own auctions site, and people from all over the world can go get auction old stuff HIDE brand from HIDE's online shop directly that would be so awesome,

during years I collected superbe, valuable items from YJ, some which I never got chance to obtain elsewhere, I will feel much happier to buy "HIDE" directly from HIDE without intermediary persons or corporations, this will bring fans together more often, regardless of age. Maybe Hiroshi doesn't realize but he is very precious to us, as he alone is what we have left from HIDE, his parents are old and no matter how much they will welcome and love us they can't help any longer, but Hiroshi can, he is the only one who can open the door toward HIDE .

Perhaps I don't love Hiroshi like a brother as I love HIDE, but time will fill the gap of knowledge about each other, in the meanwhile we must help LEMONed...is not Hiroshi's, is HIDE's store...altough his spirit seem to be deserting that place for a while. I hope that LEMONed will never close down, cause then HIDE will fade away too...I hope that soon instead of brawsing YJ for HIDE old stuff I will "rescue" them from LEMONed auction site...

I hope we can get  JETS FC membership pass using an European, US, Australian,African...whatever location and world wide debit card, I hope that much more others will be aware of whom HIDE is what he create/when/how, I hope HIDE's brother and HIDE's fans could be more closer of each other...I we can work this out together...for HIDE, he expects and deserve this from us...could we at list try, for his sake ?

I don't know what this dream trully means, or why is it repeating once in few months slightly changed...as I don't know the reason why I see other dreams with hi either...usual you should forget dreams in short time after awakening, but I can remember them in detail long after...so intense they are...or maybe I am just crazy...I have lost my mind...perhaps...on his Birthday I dream he was outside in his parents garden seated on a white chair...keep banging the chair's leg with a drum stick and yelling amused for his Mom to bring his lemonade...LOL ,

I bought that cat from SENZO JII Temple of Asakussa , I went to the shrine to "bless" that picture of HIDE I use for lighting incense to, so when I saw the cat I was like...OMG...LOOK, that's HIDE ! LOL

he guarded a big tray with cake pieces said his Mom made it for him but Monica can't have any... (Monica is the friend who went to visit his parents, I dream that right before she'd go there ) . It was funny the way he look at those cakes, just like you're 5 years old and you Mom makes you sweets but say can't eat them till after few courses of "real food"...like "normal people should"...than in Christmas Eve,

I dream we did the tree together and he replaced one by one all decorations with...eyes...than he took a candy box and share the candies between him and his brother...than regardless of that HE ATE ALL OF THEM EXCEPT ONE...he said that is Hiroshi's...stared at it for a while, walked up and down for some time peaking at the candy, than fetch it and eat it. In the end was smirking folding back the empty candy cover...he said that is Hiroshi's...

I went at the ciocolatier's shop and found some chocolate eye balls, similar with the eyes HIDE put in the tree in my dream 

I found it bit mean coming from HIDE...but I wake up smiling...as from countless other dreams. Sometimes I see nightmares tough, about someone, a man stalking him from an interior parking till his apartment, sneaking behind him...than a repetitive one about a room with dimmed red light...I asked my doctor, he said I'm probably having too wild imagination...I guess he's right...that must be it!

if you read this...I don't know why I wrote this post...I am still shocked about the dream, I wish I'd knew what it means...