TOKYO (AP) 鈥� Four of Japan鈥檚 biggest rock stars formed a new band, The Last Rockstars, in a race against time to preserve the spirit of rock music.
鈥淲e鈥檝e come together to start this challenge for the world out of Japan,鈥� told reporters Friday.
Dressed in black, Yoshiki, Miyavi, Sugizo and Hyde announced their new group onstage in Tokyo, saying the idea developed naturally.
Sugizo, guitarist for rock band Luna Sea who also plays with X Japan, said he feels the defiant spirit of rock music needs to continue, noting that the members are getting older. Aside from Miyavi, who is 41, the others are all in their 50s.
Guitarist Miyavi appeared as an actor in Angelina Jolie鈥檚 2014 biographical war film, 鈥淯nbroken.鈥�
鈥淭his may be our last chance at this challenge,鈥� Sugizo said. 鈥淲e want to put what鈥檚 left of our lives on the line to make the world rock with our music.鈥�
They are collaborating on writing songs while continuing work with their own bands, they said. Concerts are scheduled for Tokyo, New York and Los Angeles early next year. The musicians have worked together on various projects over the years, but this is the first time the four have committed to one group.
鈥淔inally, this day has come,鈥� said Hyde, the lead vocalist of rock band L鈥橝rc-en-Ciel. 鈥淚'm so excited.鈥�
Yoshiki, who sings and plays the drums and piano, is the new group鈥檚 leader. He and X Japan, which dates back to the 1980s, still command a large and loyal following, and the musicians with whom he is joining forces are also popular.
Japanese media responded with enthusiasm to the announcement, calling it a 鈥渄ream team,鈥� while some questioned the band's name and why there was no bassist.
Hyde has sold out the Tokyo Dome stadium 16 times, has more than 60 top-10 singles on the Japanese Oricon Music Charts and sold more than 40 million albums. And Sugizo's creative reach expands beyond bands into a broad range of fields including movie scores, acting and contemporary dance.
Known as the 鈥渟amurai guitarist,鈥� Miyavi is famous for his 鈥渟lap style鈥� of guitar playing that doesn't use a pick. He has toured the world six times, is in demand as a fashion model and has created TV commercial music for Uniqlo, Nissan and other brands.
X Japan has sold over 30 million albums and singles, and Yoshiki has performed at Madison Square Garden and Carnegie Hall, and composed a song for Japan's emperor.
Yoshiki said he has experienced coming close to death many times, and felt time was running out for new opportunities. His former bandmate Hide died of suicide in 1998, as did his father when Yoshiki was a child.
鈥淚t's as if this is the last moment,鈥� he said of the kind of energy he and others were putting into the new band.
鈥淎s if," he said.
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Yuri Kageyama, The Associated Press
