Yoshiki successfully prepared for exams in the music institute, and soon moved from the last place of study progress up to the first hundred. However, not only academic disciplines were necessary for the examinations. Since Yoshiki was the only one at school who wanted to enter the Music Institute, he had to miss school sometimes, to practice piano at home.
While he played, emotions overwhelmed Yoshiki, and his heart seemed to be purified. Like a summer rain suddenly poured into a scorching ground, filling it with life-giving moisture and washing away all the dust so the heart of Yoshiki was washed by the melody that filled his entire body. At these moments, he became his real self.
There had not been a precedent at Awa School yet, that someone of the students entered the Music Institute. However, teachers who evaluated the seriousness of Yoshiki and sighed with relief in his third year of study were now all out to support him. While dyed hair and a long jacket had not disappeared, but all friction with the teachers stopped completely.
Exam preparation was time consuming, but Yoshiki, though with difficulty, continued the activity of X. Joint rehearsal with the band members were the only outlet for him. Gathering from time to time, they rehearsed the songs composed by Yoshiki, and gradually expanded their repertoire. Gradually, the distance between X and other bands of high school students, which only copied the songs of famous musicians was growing.
However, what was their personal level? Both Yoshiki and Toshimitsu, believing in their music asked such a question not for once.
Yoshiki and Toshimitsu, standing on stage during the festival of culture, felt a great enthusiasm and were astonished by the response of listeners. There were practically no such bands among the school ones which sang their own songs, so they understood that the novelty of music had become one of the main reasons for their popularity. However, they absolutely could not understand what was their level compared with other groups.
"So, we must take part in the competition sometime" - offered Yoshiki, and none of the band members had objections. And shortly after they moved to the third grade of high school, they applied to participate in the EastWest Chiba province contest, organized by Yamaha.
For the first time they had to go to the performance from Tateyama to Chiba. In contrast to the festivals of culture, where to perform in ordinary clothes was not allowed, here the musicians took the stage in identical t-shirts and black trousers. Yoshiki did makeup and set his hair vertically. Toshimitsu, wrapped in chains, sang, alternating singing with loud cries, as if threatening the listeners. One of the members of the group had been punished by teachers right before the contest and performed with a shaved head.
Melody of the selected for the contest song «I'LL KILL YOU» and high-pitched voice of Toshimitsu stood out sharply against other groups. The guitarist also showed a great play during his solo, surprising the judges and the audience.
On that day one of the listeners in the hall was born and raised in Chiba Ishidzuka Tomoaki, who left high school and as a guitarist organized a rock band with friends. Eloquent presentation of five musicians from Tateyama and wonderful technique of the drummer raised a great interest in him. However, they did not exchange a word that day, and only in four years, in 1987, Ishidzuka would join the group under the name of Pata as a guitarist. It was several years later when Yoshiki and Ishidzuka met again in live-house and got acquainted with each other.
After the end of the performances, the organizers announced the winners. And although X, as a band, did not receive awards, but Yoshiki was awarded as the best drummer. Participating in the competition in order to test his strength, he was able to take the first place among the drummers. Receiving a small diploma, Yoshiki tried to keep the same face expression, but of course, he could not hide his glee. 17-year-old musician was filled with pride for his own play, for the uniqueness of music of X, and for being able to communicate it to others.
Gradually the time of the entrance examinations had been approaching. It was necessary to send documents to the selected institute and some certain results were necessary for that. Therefore, the educational load increased even more.
And just before winter holidays Yoshiki, spending time in preparing for exams, was visited by Toshimitsu.
Ever since the elementary school, they often gathered in Yoshiki's room and listened to the music. In high school, the main topic of conversation, which they held like they were cousins, became favoured by both rock music and band's affairs. On that day, Yoshiki, and Toshimitsu discussed the fate of X after their graduation late into the night.
Yoshiki took a jar of juice from the refrigerator and offered Toshimitsu, who continued to fill his mouth with peanut chocolate with appetite. Yoshiki was afraid of acne, so did not touch the chocolate, and only looked enviously at his friend.
"Toshi, you eat so tasty!" - He could not contain himself.
As a child, Yoshiki was taken to a hospital with a bout of food allergy to chocolate, which after that became a banned product for a long time. In high school, an allergy to chocolate was gone, but because of fear of acne he controlled himself with all his might and, looking at Toshimitsu, merrily devours favorite chocolate still had not eaten even a piece.
After a while the conversation was resumed with renewed intensity. Toshimitsu looked at Yoshiki.
"So what do we do now?" - He said, referring to the band's future fate.
He once again reminded of the enthusiasm during the performance at the last festival of culture in school, and about winning in contests. In another contest, after the one organized by Yamaha, Toshi was awarded as the best vocalist and felt the pride as the lead vocalist of X for the first time. A small reward it was, seemed to illuminate the road ahead.
"We probably are even better than we think!" - Said Yoshiki and Toshi had been completely agreed.
Of course, Yoshiki already told Toshimitsu of his decision to enter a music institute. Toshimitsu, of course, was also preparing for exams, but he still had not decided on the choice of an institute. And finally, he announced his decision:
"I thought for a long time and decided that I would not enter the institute. I want to go to Tokyo to pursue rock music. Yoshiki, come together? If we are together, if we are X, we will succeed! "
Listening to these words, Yoshiki thought about Toshimitsu, whom he knew from the age of five.
Together they were carried away with music of KISS, organized rock band, and at the same time, they were like the exact opposite of each other by the nature and course of action .Unlike Yoshiki, who in high school proved to be a bully and who always had problems, Toshimitsu was a quiet, serious student with excellent success. In secondary school he was a member of the school board, in high school he was part of a team of volleyball players and had never broken the discipline and was not involved in fights. But he and Yoshiki, who had the reputation of a bully, played hard rock, organized a band, and it was likely something that caused the anxiety of his family and close surrounding. However, creating a band with Yoshiki, Toshimitsu never showed any doubt or hesitation. Whatever happened, he would always support the plans and all ideas of Yoshiki as a group leader, and embodied Yoshiki's musical images by his singing. Violating the rules, smashing all obstacles in his way Yoshiki and attentive to others, able to take into account different opinion Toshimitsu. They had directly opposite characters and mindset. Nevertheless, Yoshiki had no one else with whom he could discuss all matters relating to rock music and their band.
And maybe, along with Toshimitsu they could create the rock band, they were dreaming about. Something as though suddenly moved inside Yoshiki.
He looked back at the year which he spent, up to his neck in preparation for entrance exams. And at that moment it seemed to him that he awoke from a deep sleep. All that time, when he was focused on preparing for exams, and held back the raging throughout his entire body energy, all that time seemed to him a sleep in broad daylight, of which he was finally able to return to reality. And now, talking with Toshimitsu, he suddenly began to realize that exactly that year, when he tried to enter the Institute, was an escape from reality, and was just a dream. Of course, to become a pianist was very difficult. But was it really something that could ignite a fire in him? Now Yoshiki doubted it.
However, while Yoshiki watched and listened Toshimitsu, his thoughts had taken the opposite direction.
"Had not I always hated the half-solutions?"
Since the time, when Yoshiki in the age of ten, lost his father his ears were constantly ringing with one question: "Why do people live?" This was a question that he was looking and could not find the answer for, and which tormented him constantly. And only when the energy of rock music poured into him, as if celebrating life, only then death seemed to retreat.
But that year, when almost all the time was spent on preparing for exams, Yoshiki had turned away from questions of life and death. His heart was like closed with the wall called reality. And now, looking at the face of Toshimitsu, he suddenly thought, whether it was a great folly. If you stopped asking the question about why do people live, then as a result wonder and anger would leave. Was it possible to allow this?
He felt as if a powerful stream rose inside him. During the fierce drumming, he always felt himself alive. And with this, perhaps he would be able to withstand the growing thoughts of death. Yoshiki thought that this was sufficient.
Like fierce, uncontrollable water flow pushed him in one moment.
Yoshiki immediately said Toshimitsu:
"Well, if you do something - do not stop halfway. If we decide to go to Tokyo, if the fate of X will be at stake, then I will not enter the institute. Toshi, along with X, we will conquer Japan, no, we will conquer the whole world! "
"Yes! Together we can do everything! "
They did not need many words to prove their feelings and thoughts. Solving the most important, they moved on to discuss specific plans. If you moved to Tokyo, then it would be difficult to play with the same body of band members. Most likely, it would be necessary to seek for new members. In addition, they both absolutely had no information about the lives of musicians, so felt insecure by entering an unfamiliar world. It was necessary to gather information on the activities of live-houses. Yoshiki understood the need to strive to become professionals.
"Well, we reached a point of no return."
Sometime in high school Yoshiki wanted to become a rock star, and this was now his goal. And so he would not enter the Music University. He had to disappoint his mother and teachers, but there was no other way out.
And then Yoshiki and Toshimitsu both smiled, as if they saw their future ahead. This promise, which they exchanged, would be indestructible, Yoshiki vowed in his heart.
When, after the winter break the third semester started, Yoshiki announced his decision to the class teacher:
"I will not go to college. Please, withdraw an application"
"But the entering approval has come already! What have you been thinking at such a time! "
The teacher was nearly speechless.
"I decided to go to Tokyo and to continue to play in a band. I want to do what I like more than entering the institute. "
Other teachers, who by that time supported Yoshiki, just nodded. Of course, the old prejudices that those who love rock music were necessarily hooligans had already dissipated. However, the decision to play in a rock band instead of entering university did not fit the notion of common sense. Many times, Yoshiki was summoned to the teacher's staff room and was persuaded to change his mind, but in vain.
Mother hearing about the sudden decision, was constantly asking her son to enter the institute. "You can study at the Institute and at the same time play in a band, is not it a way out?"
But Yoshiki did not yield to persuasion.
"If you enter the institute, it is unclear what will happen next. Although I love the piano, but do not want to be a music teacher. I still want to play in the group. Mom, for me it is the best! "
If Yoshiki decided something firmly, then no one could stop him. And mother, who knew it best of all, in the end gave her permission.
By that time, Yoshiki had repeatedly visited concerts of various groups in Tokyo, starting with Kiss and Iron Maiden, but they were only foreign artists’ performances. Therefore, living in Tateyama, he had no idea about the activity of rock musicians - amateurs and where to find good musicians to participate in the group. Yoshiki and Toshimitsu had not enough information.
From music magazines, they only knew that the main place of performance for the bands were live-houses. If the performance was successful, apparently, the band had a chance to perform in this place regularly.
While approaching the time of graduation from school, Yoshiki, skipping classes, often travelled to Tokyo, to collect information about live-houses. Teachers, who worried about him missing classes, sometimes went after him and found him alongside next in turn live-house.
However, seeing how persistently he sought his own way, little by little they began to feel sympathy for him.
Graduation party, unlike the graduation in secondary school, was very quiet. Being sad about parting, teachers and students exchanged a lot of kind words.
In the class year book Yoshiki wrote only one letter: "X" as a message. To support his friend, Toshimitsu also wrote: «We are X". And these words meant not only hidden unlimited possibilities of the band, but also something hidden in the depths of their hearts.
Shortly after the graduation, Yoshiki, and Toshimitsu decided to move to Tokyo. In addition, Toshimitsu, who also did not go the institute, decided to study in the school of piano tuners for one year. In addition, they were joined by guitarist of X Izumizava Yuji, who played in the band from the very beginning and finished school with them. The three of them set off to conquer the world of rock music.
End of March 1984.Leaving behind the warm spring sun-drenched Tateyama, Yoshiki alone settled in an apartment in Tokyo.
No comments:
Post a Comment