Hideto Matsumoto

December 13, 1964 (age 33)

Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan

When he was 17 years old, he formed Saver Tiger band, and started playing shows at local live houses a year after it. After releasing a self-titled EP and appearing on a compilation/sampler album, the group broke up in 1986. Saver Tiger's breakup caused hide to reconsider a career in music, and he was prepared to put his ambitions aside when he received a phone call from Yoshiki Hayashi, the founder, drummer, and pianist for Chiba-based band X-Japan. While initially reluctant, hide eventually agreed to join the group, which was re-forming after a hiatus and lineup change, in 1987. The following ten years would see the group become one of Japan's most popular and well-known musical acts, with the members all garnering dedicated followings as individuals as well. Known for his unique fashion sense, on-stage antics, bright red (and later pink) hair, and a playful, cheerful attitude, hide quickly became one of X-Japan's most recognizable and revered members, second only to Hayashi himself. hide's solo career began in the early '90s while he was still a member of X-Japan. In early 1993, hide recorded the song "Frozen Bug" with Inoran and J of Luna Sea, under the band name M*A*S*S, it was included on the sampler Dance 2 Noise 004. He also starred in an art film titled Seth et Holth, along with Tusk of Zi:Kill. In 1994, hide recorded and released his first solo album Hide Your Face, which reached number 9 on the Oricon chart. In addition to all vocals and songwriting, he played most of the guitars and bass on some of the tracks. The album's musical style differed significantly from the speed metal anthems and power ballads of X Japan, leaning more towards alternative rock. hide then went on the Hide Our Psychommunity Tour, for which a live band was hired that would later become his primary project, hide with Spread Beaver. In 1996, hide oversaw the production of the first release on his own record label LEMONed, an album from the band Zeppet Store. Prior to starting his own label, hide would introduce bands he liked to Yoshiki, who then signed them to his own Extasy, as he had done with Zi:Kill, Luna Sea and Glay. His second solo album Psyence was released on September 2, it topped the Oricon and was followed by the Psyence a Go Go tour. He also formed a new band named Zilch in 1996, which apart from him and Spread Beaver programmer and percussionist I.N.A., was composed of American and British artists, such as Joey Castillo (Queens of the Stone Age), Paul Raven (Killing Joke) and Ray McVeigh (ex:The Professionals). After X Japan disbanded in 1997, hide formally titled his solo project hide with Spread Beaver, with his backing band considered full members. On August 26, 1997, he produced the Mix LEMONed Jelly event at four different Tokyo nightclubs on the same night. Several artists performed, including hide backed only with I.N.A. as DJ. Recording for both groups took place in the early part of 1998, but hide didn't live to see either of his projects completed. After a night of heavy drinking, he was found in the early morning hours of May 2, 1998, in his Tokyo apartment, hanging from a towel tied around a doorknob. Though authorities declared his death to be a suicide, friends and family disputed the claim (citing the lack of a suicide note) and fans speculated the cause of death to be anything from an accident to an act of foul play. None, however, disputed his impact on Japan's music scene. hide's funeral was attended by 50,000 people, while dozens of Japanese musicians paid their respects both in concert and on tribute albums.Within one week, three teenage fans had died in copycat suicides. hide's final solo album, Ja, Zoo, and the Zilch debut, 3 2 1, were both released posthumously in the latter part of 1998. Compilation albums featuring hide's work remain popular.

Hideto Matsumoto Edit Profile

also known as hide

musician, singer, songwriter

Background

Hideto Matsumoto was born in St. Joseph's Hospital in Midorigaoka, Japan, on December 13, 1964 and went on to attend Yokosuka Tokiwa Junior High School. He was first exposed to rock music at the age of fifteen, through the album Alive! by Kiss. That same year his grandmother bought him his first electric guitar, a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe.

Education

On March 11, 1980, hide graduated from Tokiwa Junior High School. He then entered Zushi Kaisei Senior High School in Zushi, Kanagawa, where he entered the school's brass band as a club activity. In April 1983 he started studying cosmetology and fashion at the Hollywood University of Beauty and Fashion in present-day Roppongi Hills, from which he graduated in 1984.

Career

When he was 17 years old, he formed Saver Tiger band, and started playing shows at local live houses a year after it. After releasing a self-titled EP and appearing on a compilation/sampler album, the group broke up in 1986. Saver Tiger's breakup caused hide to reconsider a career in music, and he was prepared to put his ambitions aside when he received a phone call from Yoshiki Hayashi, the founder, drummer, and pianist for Chiba-based band X-Japan. While initially reluctant, hide eventually agreed to join the group, which was re-forming after a hiatus and lineup change, in 1987. The following ten years would see the group become one of Japan's most popular and well-known musical acts, with the members all garnering dedicated followings as individuals as well. Known for his unique fashion sense, on-stage antics, bright red (and later pink) hair, and a playful, cheerful attitude, hide quickly became one of X-Japan's most recognizable and revered members, second only to Hayashi himself.

hide's solo career began in the early '90s while he was still a member of X-Japan. In early 1993, hide recorded the song "Frozen Bug" with Inoran and J of Luna Sea, under the band name M*A*S*S, it was included on the sampler Dance 2 Noise 004. He also starred in an art film titled Seth et Holth, along with Tusk of Zi:Kill. In 1994, hide recorded and released his first solo album Hide Your Face, which reached number 9 on the Oricon chart. In addition to all vocals and songwriting, he played most of the guitars and bass on some of the tracks. The album's musical style differed significantly from the speed metal anthems and power ballads of X Japan, leaning more towards alternative rock. hide then went on the Hide Our Psychommunity Tour, for which a live band was hired that would later become his primary project, hide with Spread Beaver.

In 1996, hide oversaw the production of the first release on his own record label LEMONed, an album from the band Zeppet Store. Prior to starting his own label, hide would introduce bands he liked to Yoshiki, who then signed them to his own Extasy, as he had done with Zi:Kill, Luna Sea and Glay. His second solo album Psyence was released on September 2, it topped the Oricon and was followed by the Psyence a Go Go tour. He also formed a new band named Zilch in 1996, which apart from him and Spread Beaver programmer and percussionist I.N.A., was composed of American and British artists, such as Joey Castillo (Queens of the Stone Age), Paul Raven (Killing Joke) and Ray McVeigh (ex:The Professionals). After X Japan disbanded in 1997, hide formally titled his solo project hide with Spread Beaver, with his backing band considered full members. On August 26, 1997, he produced the Mix LEMONed Jelly event at four different Tokyo nightclubs on the same night. Several artists performed, including hide backed only with I.N.A. as DJ.

Recording for both groups took place in the early part of 1998, but hide didn't live to see either of his projects completed. After a night of heavy drinking, he was found in the early morning hours of May 2, 1998, in his Tokyo apartment, hanging from a towel tied around a doorknob. Though authorities declared his death to be a suicide, friends and family disputed the claim (citing the lack of a suicide note) and fans speculated the cause of death to be anything from an accident to an act of foul play. None, however, disputed his impact on Japan's music scene. hide's funeral was attended by 50,000 people, while dozens of Japanese musicians paid their respects both in concert and on tribute albums.Within one week, three teenage fans had died in copycat suicides. hide's final solo album, Ja, Zoo, and the Zilch debut, 3 2 1, were both released posthumously in the latter part of 1998. Compilation albums featuring hide's work remain popular.

Achievements

hide sold millions of records, both solo and as a member of X Japan. X Japan rose to prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s, credited as founders of the Japanese visual kei movement. When they disbanded in 1997, hide focused on his solo career which started four years prior and went on to enjoy significant popularity.

Works

music
- Hide Your Face 1994
- Psyence by Imports 1996
- Ja, Zoo 1998
- Rocket Dive 1998

Views

His lyrics were often dark, with one TV host saying "A lot of what hide did was grotesque. He's talked about suicide in his records for five years. But the fans who followed him always knew there was a hide behind that who was a very solid character. He was very outspoken about freedom and doing what you want". His compositions "often set the tone of alienation and frustration for which X Japan was revered." Radio and TV host Bryan Burton-Lewis explained "In Japan, the image that we have of the X audience is rural kids going through a rebellion phase", "they all talk about how [hide] gave them something to live for." Japanese DJ Maki Yanai believes fans saw in him the rebel society would not allow them to be.

Quotations: "When people called me freak, I close my eyes and laughed, because they are blinded to happiness".

Personality

When Hideto Matsumoto started his great musical career, he didn't like capitalizing the first letter "h" of his name. So that, he used "hide" as a stage name.

Physical Characteristics: His visual kei style involved a lot of makeup, like glam rock, but emphasized the androgynous look.

Interests

Music & Bands

Kyoji Yamamoto, Mitsuhiro Saito, Kiss

Connections

Hideto Matsumoto was never married.

References

Hide Bible

Main Photo