Hideto Matsumoto
In Loving Memory
December 13, 1964 - May 2, 1998
Today’s blog post is dedicated to the Legend, Hide ( Hee-day), stylized as hide
Probably, best known as the flamboyant guitarist for X-Japan, Hideto Matsumoto is a legend of his own making who has gone on to inspire the lives of fans, and other artists and musicians the world over. It is impossible for me to explain the impact of hide. His contribution to the music world, the fashion world, the world of icons, cutting-edge musical possibilities, and pure, unabashed, self-expression. More than just a Visual-Kei forerunner and influencer, more than punk, metal, or rock, his talents are formidable and his mark on music, inescapable. He was a true original. I consider him to be the hide Priest of ‘digital kei’ and the first, true Cyber-punk.
“When people called me freak, I closed my eyes and laughed, because they are blinded to happiness.”
Hideto Matsumoto
hide often used English in his lyrics for his solo songs, and his work with his band Spread Beaver. He even co-founded an English-language side project Zilch with Western musicians from the USA and the UK Joey Castillo (Danzig/Queens of the Stone Age) Dave Kushner ( Velvet Revolver) and Paul Raven (Killing Joke/Ministry). To bring the East, west, this project included his exclusive Spread Beaver programmer I.N.A. HIDE wanted to do more than just write songs for western audiences, he wanted to influence western music with the essence of the Japanese musical contributions that had evolved over the post-punk era, which he was part and proud of. Both Zilch’s album and Spread Beaver’s last album Ja, Zoo were finished and released posthumously.
HIDE was poised to take on English speaking world but in an authentic Japanese way. He often recorded in Los Angeles and spoke of wanting to bring the Rock of the East, to the West. Helping Asian artists to break through the Great Wall of musical bias, is my dream too. hide was a rock and roll pioneer. I believe he could have achieved all he set out to accomplish, had he lived. Sadly, he passed away by accidental hanging, while drunk, at the young age of 33. Many called it a suicide but those who knew him best insist this is not the case. Had he not met such an ill-fate, and woefully timed end, who knows what the music industry would look like today. I think it would have been amazing, beautiful, and as original HIDE himself.
Here is to you, Beloved hide. You are gone but never forgotten.
It's time to share hide's (junk) story with overseas people.
Article by JRN JRock News
