Közi | |
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Also known as | Közi |
Born |
Niigata, Japan |
May 29, 1972
Origin | Tokyo |
Genres | Synthpop, electronic rock, EBM, ambient, gothic rock, industrial rock, neoclassical dark wave, progressive rock |
Occupation(s) | Musician, singer-songwriter, DJ |
Instruments | Guitar, piano, keyboards, synthesizer, vocals |
Years active | 1986–present |
Associated acts | ZIZ, XA-VAT, My Horror Revue, Dalle, Eve of Destiny, Malice Mizer, Matenrou, Beyond the Reinsight, Girl |
Website | közi-info.com |
Notable instruments | |
ESP Akauzukun, ESP Shirouzuko, ESP Bizauzu |
Közi is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and DJ who plays guitar, piano, keyboards and synthesizer. He is best known as guitarist for the rock band Malice Mizer. After the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2001, he formed the industrial rock duo Eve of Destiny and also started a solo career. As of 2012, Közi is in the bands Dalle, My Horror Revue, XA-VAT and ZIZ, while occasionally working on his solo career.
During his time in Malice Mizer, Közi often assumed the role of a pierrot doll, dressing in clown-like costumes with large ruffs, always in shades of red, his favourite colour. In music videos and on-stage he would often make movements reminiscent of a marionette (string puppet). Közi has continued this visual style to some extent, but his contemporary stage costumes are more gothic. His work on the Izayoi no Tsuki project was reminiscent of carnival music, and artwork for his projects usually follow a dramatic, theatrical theme. Very few details about his private life are known.
Közi's career began in the mid 1980s in the underground band Girl and, later, as a member of Beyond The Reinsight. Information about both of these bands, however, is very scarce. In 1991, he joined Matenrou (摩天楼?, "Skyscraper") with Mana and released two demo tapes. Közi and Mana left Matenrou after deciding they both had similar ideas about creating music, they formed Malice Mizer in 1992. After Malice Mizer disbanded in 2001, Közi joined Haruhiko Ash (from The Zolge) and created Eve of Destiny, an industrial rock band that toured outside Japan several times.