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Taiji (musician)
Taiji
Taiji performing with X circa 1990
Background information
Birth name
Taiji Sawada
Also known as
Ray
Born
Died
Genres
Occupations
Instruments
Years active
19822011
Associated acts Trash, Dementia, X, Loudness, D.T.R, Kings, Cloud Nine, Otokaze, the Killing Red Addiction, Taiji with Heaven's, TSP
Website
taiji-tsglaston.com
[1]
Notable instruments
[2]
Killer KB-CRIMINAL
Killer KB-IMPULSS
Fernandes Warlock
Taiji Sawada ( Sawada TaijiHelp:Installing Japanese character sets, July 12, 1966 July 17, 2011)
was a Japanese musician, most widely known as former bassist of the heavy metal band X (currently known as X
Japan), with whom he also served as an occasional songwriter and acoustic guitarist. After leaving X in 1992 he
went on to work with many other bands, including Loudness and D.T.R.
History
198292: Early bands and X
After dropping out of high school in 1982, Taiji formed his first band Trash, where he was the leader and guitarist. In
late 1984 he switched to bass and going by the name Ray joined the metal group Dementia, staying until 1985. He
then played briefly with Prowler, as well as a few shows with X. Until 1986 when he joined the very short-lived
Dead Wire, whose line-up also included future Saver Tiger and D'erlanger members, Kyo and Tetsu. Soon after he
officially rejoined X at the end of 1986.
Although he wrote many songs for the band, "Phantom of Guilt", "Desperate Angel" and "Voiceless Screaming"
were some of the few that were officially released. In 2001, some of the unpublished songs were finally released in
Rose & Blood -Indies of X-. Taiji left X in 1992, the official reason given by the band was due to musical
differences. However, in his autobiography Taiji claims he was asked to leave because he confronted Yoshiki due to
the substantial income gap between Yoshiki and each of the other members. His last concert with the band was the
last day of three consecutive nights at the Tokyo Dome, it was released on DVD as On the Verge of Destruction
1992.1.7 Tokyo Dome Live.
Taiji (musician)
Taiji (musician)
Discography
"Jungle" (June 15, 2000)
Came with Taiji's autobiography titled Uchuu o Kakeru Tomo e: Densetsu no Bando X no Sei to Shi.
"Rain Song" (December 12, 2000)
Came with a photobook titled Photograph.
With Trash
"Toramaturi Ondo" (1982)
With Dementia
Dementia Live! (June 1985)
With X
Main article: X Japan discography
With Loudness
With D.T.R
Dirty Trashroad - (July 1, 1994) #13[6]
Dirty Trashroad ~ Acoustic (July 1, 1994) #18
With Kings
"Misty Eyes" (October 25, 1995)
Kings (November 1, 1995) #36[8]
With Cloud Nine
"Bastard" (November 2000)
"1st Demonstration" (February 2001)
Hard 'N' Heavy Religion 2 (February 14, 2008, with the song "Hells Rage")
Various artists compilation album in Vol. 3 of We Rock magazine.
Hard 'N' Heavy 2010 (February 13, 2010, with the song "Bastard")
Various artists compilation album in Vol. 15 of We Rock magazine.
Taiji (musician)
With Otokaze
Otokaze (November 9, 2004)
With The Killing Red Addiction
"Devil" (January 13, 2010)
With Taiji with Heaven's
Taiji with Heaven's (February 13, 2010)
Hard 'N' Heavy 2010 (February 13, 2010, with the song "Keep the Faith")
Various artists compilation album in Vol. 15 of We Rock magazine.
Hard 'N' Heavy Religion 2012 (February 14, 2012, with the song "Killer")
Various artists compilation album in Vol. 27 of We Rock magazine.
With TSP
Hard 'N' Heavy Religion 2011 (May 14, 2011, with the song "Rest in Peace")
Various artists compilation album in Vol. 21 of We Rock magazine.
Hard 'N' Heavy Religion 2012 (February 14, 2012, with the song "Freeze")
Various artists compilation album in Vol. 27 of We Rock magazine.
Mad Cluster (June 6, 2012)
The Last Resistance of the Firebird (September 26, 2012)
Other work
The Inner Gates (Baki, December 16, 1989, bass on "Taste of Flower", "A Kiss in the Storm" and "Flying")
Cozy Powell Forever (Various artists, September 19, 1998, bass on "Kill the King")
Vol. 21 of Rockin 'f magazine (June 14, 2006)
Various artists compilation DVD, features an interview with Taiji, rehearsal and other footage.
Vol. 24 of Rockin 'f magazine (December 14, 2006)
Various artists compilation DVD, features an interview, studio rehearsal and live footage of D.T.R.
Attitude the Original Soundtrack -Fuck the System- (July 2008, music director for the movie)
Vol. 17 of We Rock magazine (December 14, 2010)
Various artists compilation DVD, features an interview with Taiji and Dai from Taiji with Heaven's, and live
performances of "Black Vampire" and "Freeze" by TSP from April 24, 2010.
Legend of Phoenix (December 14, 2011)
Tribute DVD to Taiji in Vol. 26 of We Rock magazine, composed of various footage of his bands from 2000 to
2011, mostly those included within issues of Rockin 'f and We Rock.
Taiji (musician)
References
[1] http:/ / taiji-tsglaston. com/
[2] http:/ / www. killer. jp/
[3] Agence France-Presse/Jiji Press, "Former X rocker dies in Saipan", Japan Times, 19 July 2011, p. 2.
[4] LOUDNESS (http:/ / www. oricon. co. jp/ prof/ artist/ 14633/ ranking/ cd_single/ )
oricon.co.jp Retrieved 2011-01-02
[5] LOUDNESS (http:/ / www. oricon. co. jp/ prof/ artist/ 19132/ ranking/ cd_album/ )
oricon.co.jp Retrieved 2011-01-02
[6] DIRTY TRASHROAD (http:/ / www. oricon. co. jp/ prof/ artist/ 5786/ ranking/
cd_album/ ) oricon.co.jp Retrieved 2011-01-02
[7] D.T.R. (http:/ / www. oricon. co. jp/ prof/ artist/ 5190/ ranking/ cd_album/ ) oricon.co.jp
Retrieved 2011-01-02
[8] KINGS (http:/ / www. oricon. co. jp/ prof/ artist/ 13308/ ranking/ cd_album/ ) oricon.co.jp
Retrieved 2011-01-02
Further reading
Uchuu o Kakeru Tomo e: Densetsu no Bando X no Sei to Shi ( :
X Help:Installing Japanese character sets) by Taiji Sawada, Tokuma Shoten, 2000, ISBN
978-4-19-861174-3
External links
License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/