Here some information about my favorite artist, Hideto Matsumoto/Hide
Name: Hideto Matsumoto @ hide(prounounced sa hee-day)
Birthplace: Kanagawa, Yokohama Japan.
Birthday: December 13, 1964
Deathday: May 2,1998. R.I.P. Forever
Band Position:Lead Guitarist and background vocals.
Hide's Life:On December 13, 1964, Hideto Matsumoto was born in Kanagawa, Yokohama Japan. Since he was little, hide loved the guitar. At his early stage, he just play other's music, later own he start composing his own. When he was enrolled in primary school, hide was overweight, and often teased by his classmates. He was somewhat of an outcast, keeping mainly to himself. In secondary II, hide went over to America to learn, and that was when he first got into metal music. He listened to bands such as kiss, that got him started on his musical carrier. In Secondary III, hide bought his first guitar. It was a gibson, and he loved it so much, he would often bring it with him to school, thereby earning the nickname 'Gibson'from his classmates.
When hide got back to Japan, he started the band 'Saver Tiger'. They only produced a few demo tapes though, before they disbanded. Oddly enough, even with his obvious skill and ease with the guitar. The failure of Savor Tiger turned hide away from his dream at a musical carrier. hide then attended a beauty school, where he studied to become a hairdresser, inspired by his grandmother, who was the town's hairdresser at that time.
Not long after he graduated, hide received a phone call from Hayashi Yoshiki, asking him to be their band's guitarist. hide agreed, and in 1987 he joined the band X, later to become the famous X-Japan, in which the music touched our hearts, and led many others to partake in a musical carrier. Hide's younger brother became his chauffeur, and would often cook his meals for him. hide said that he didn't like to work or learn, nor did he enjoy any sports, though he did like to watch wrestling on TV.
Hide's Death..n May 2, 1998 at around 8:32 in the morning, hide died. He had arrived at his home, which he shared with his roommate at 6:30 that morning, very drunk. He was found by his roommate, with one end of a bath towel wrapped around his neck, the other on the doorknob. He was taken to the hospital, but it was too late. hide passed away that morning. The police wrote it as a suicide on his death certificate, but I, along with many others refuse to believe that. hide had too many things going for him at that time. X-Japan had disbanded the year before when their vocalist, Toshi, left. After that, hide, who had already been working on his solo carrier with other bands was planning on going on tour that summer. He had already released two CD's, hide Your Face, and Rocket Drive. He also preformed with Spread Beaver and Zilch. And, just earlier, hide and Yoshiki had been talking of starting a new X in 2000, and hide had been ecstatic about it.
Another thing was said, that many guitarists often get pains in their neck and upper back. A way to relieve this is to pull the neck back. hide would often do this at home, with a bath towel and a doorknob. That morning, when hide got home, he had been using this method, but had fallen asleep due to the effects of alcohal, not to wake again, inadvertantly committing involentary suicide.
It was known, that while drunk, hide would do many things he would regret later on, and never do while sober. He would often come to Yoshiki afterwards, and appologize while asking about what he had done the night before. He had even once said he scared himself while drunk.
hide had been in two serious accidents, one breaking his skull, the other, his ankles. Both occured while he was drunk.
A ceramony was held for hide's funeral, in which all the roads the hearse passed through were closed off, and thousands of fans lined the streets. It was a sad day for all of Japan, and many people all over the world in who hide and X-Japan influenced.
Tsukiji Honganji, A temple in Tokyo where they put hide, Yoshiki gave a speech to support the fans. It was hard for him, and all those that looked on. His hand which held the paper was shaking greatly, and he could hardly speek, for his voice was choaked with tears. Where the funeral was held, hide's guitars were lined up and put on display. They can now be viewed, along with his cars and other such possesions in a museum in Tokyo.
On the day of the funeral, tens of thousands of fans lined up to bring flowers to hide and sign their name. Sadly, some also tried to committe suicide, one succeeding. Two others were killed in a car accident. These incidents only made things worse. hide wouldn't have wanted his fans to die.
In 1995, hide went to meet with a fan who suffered from Periphal Nerve Regenerative Disorder. There are only a few people in the world with a serious case of this disease. The following year, in 1996, hide regestered for a bone marrow trasplant, and was accepted.
There was another instance in where hide helped out a fan. One such suffered from Aids. The boy had drawn a picture for hide. hide went to visit him and the family. They gave him the picture, and he put it on a shirt. Often, he would be seen wearing this shirt during concerts. hide, along with the rest of X-Japan were major supporters in helping those with Aids.
Hmm my personal comment when i listen to his music:Well, when he with X-Japan, i found out his guitar skill is really awesome, it's like alive and the way he played his guitar seems like he really give-it-all for each of their performances. My favorite part that currently i keep on listening to is Art Of Life, when it's comes to Hide's guitar solo part, my heart like "dupp dupp dupp duppppp" following His rhythm. Currently i was practicing Hide's part in X-Japan's anthem. Well that's the simplest thing i can learn since i not rally into guitars but somehow i want to play as Hide's play. Yeah when i play some minor part in the anthem song..i feel so relieve and glad. At first time I almost cry hahaha. Hmm, Hide's have his own band after X-Japan disband and he sings songs, his vocal was unique and full meaning. But most of his song in Japanese, well i really enjoyed his song especially pink spider....
Overall, Hide's is a real legend for me, huhuhuh Hide-san.....
