Taiji Sawada
| Taiji | |
|---|---|
Taiji performing with X circa 1990
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Taiji Sawada |
| Also known as | Ray |
| Born |
July 12, 1966 Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan |
| Died | July 17, 2011 (aged 45) Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, United States |
| Genres | Heavy metal, hard rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Bass guitar, guitar |
| Years active | 1982–2011 |
| Associated acts | |
| Website | taiji-tsglaston.com |
| Notable instruments | |
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Taiji Sawada (沢田 泰司? Sawada Taiji, July 12, 1966 – July 17, 2011) was a Japanese musician. Better known by his stage name Taiji, he was most widely known as former bassist of the heavy metal band X (currently known as X Japan), with whom he also served as an occasional songwriter and acoustic guitarist. After leaving X in 1992 he went on to work with many other bands, including Loudness and D.T.R.
After dropping out of high school in 1982, Taiji formed his first band Trash, where he was the leader and guitarist. In late 1984, he switched to bass and going by the name Ray joined the metal group Dementia, staying until 1985. He then played briefly with Prowler, as well as a few shows with X. Until 1986 when he joined the very short-lived Dead Wire, whose line-up also included future Saver Tiger and D'erlanger members, Kyo and Tetsu. Soon after he officially rejoined X at the end of 1986.
Although he wrote many songs for the band, "Phantom of Guilt", "Desperate Angel" and "Voiceless Screaming" were some of the few that were officially released. In 2001, some of the unpublished songs were finally released in Rose & Blood -Indies of X-. Taiji left X in 1992, the official reason given by the band was due to musical differences. However, in his autobiography Taiji claims he was asked to leave because he confronted Yoshiki due to the substantial income gap between Yoshiki and each of the other members. When asked about Taiji's departure in 2016, Yoshiki said that while he really respected Taiji's musical skills and still does, he "crossed the line of our band's rules" and "To this day I still don't know if the decision was right or wrong, but we didn't have a choice." Taiji's last concert with the band was the last day of three consecutive nights at the Tokyo Dome, it was released on DVD as On the Verge of Destruction 1992.1.7 Tokyo Dome Live.
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