Four of Japan's most famous musicians – Yoshiki, Hyde, Sugizo and Miyavi – have joined forces to create a supergroup, THE LAST ROCKSTARS, they hope will reignite a passion for the rock genre across generations and around the globe.
Yoshiki, bandleader of X Japan, is one of the country's most accomplished musicians and composers who has been awarded the Japanese medal of honor. Hyde is the vocalist for L'arc-en-Ciel and VAMPS, and also as a successful solo artist with more than 40 million records sold between his various projects. Sugizo has played with Luna Sea and X Japan, as well as U.K.-based act Juno Reactor who are considered forerunners of the psychedelic trance scene, having helped score the Matrix films and numerous video games. "The Samurai Guitarist" Miyavi rounds out the group, bringing with him his famous slap style, movie star good looks, and the distinction of being the first Japanese public figure to be featured internationally in a Gucci campaign.
"We are limited in the times we have left in our life," Yoshiki said in a press conference Friday morning, November 11th, in Japan, "so we are here to rock the world."
During the announcement, the band released a two-song video teaser featuring "The Last Rockstars," composed by Yoshiki, and "Psycho Love," a joint effort with lyrics penned by Yoshiki and music written by Hyde. Uplifting and energetic, the songs contain the "sparks of fireworks" the group referenced when explaining the eclectic sound they aim to achieve with this new all-star endeavor. They filmed portions of the teaser video that morning while working on a tight schedule, joking that the debut was a surprise for everyone including themselves. Even the song titles weren't decided upon until hours before the conference!
Further delving into their reasoning for creating the group, they cited the darkness that has fallen over the world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and more, and their goals include passing the glamorous lifestyle of rock & roll they've all come to love in their decades-spanning careers onto new generations. Indeed, themes of glamour and living each day to its fullest were recurring themes throughout the press conference.
"This may be our last chance at this challenge," Sugizo explained. "We want to put what's left of our lives on the line to make the world rock with our music."
Not wasting any time, THE LAST ROCKSTARS will play their debut shows in early 2023 with four Tokyo dates plus one-night-only gigs in New York and L.A. shortly thereafter.
While no concrete plans have been made for a world tour, the band is open to additional dates elsewhere in Europe and across Asia, but Yoshiki was sure to note they wouldn't be able to tour extensively due to prior commitments and their own personal abilities. "Our lives are limited," he noted, "but our music lives on and our lifestyle lives on."
See THE LAST ROCKSTARS' confirmed live dates below. Tickets are available now via Ticketmaster and Yoshiki.net.
THE LAST ROCKSTARS 2023 tour dates:
1/26-27: Ariake Arena in Tokyo
1/29-30: Tokyo Garden Theater in Tokyo
2/4: Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City
2/10: The Palladium in Los Angeles
