Toshi (musician)
| Toshi | |
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Toshi in Paris 2010
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Toshimitsu Deyama |
| Also known as | Toshi |
| Born |
October 10, 1965 Tateyama, Chiba, Japan |
| Genres | Rock, heavy metal, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, record producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Labels | BMG Victor, Home of Heart |
| Associated acts |
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| Website | toshi-samuraijapan.com |
Toshimitsu Deyama (出山利三 Deyama Toshimitsu?, born October 10, 1965 in Tateyama, Chiba), known exclusively by his stage name Toshi, is a Japanese singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist and a co-founder of the heavy metal band X Japan, which disbanded in 1997. Toshi then went on to have an extensive solo career. In 2007, X Japan reunited and began an ongoing world tour in 2010. His distinctive, impassioned tenor vocals have been compared to those of Steve Perry.
In 1977, Toshi and his childhood friend Yoshiki formed a band called Dynamite in their hometown of Tateyama, Chiba, when they were just 11 years old. The group changed its name to Noise in 1978, while they were still in high school. At this time Toshi was a guitar player; it was following the departure of their vocalist that Toshi was selected for the position after being deemed the best singer left in the group. In 1982, Noise disbanded and Yoshiki and Toshi formed a new band, they named it X while they tried to think of another name, but the name stuck. X began to actively perform in the Tokyo area in 1985 with a frequently changing lineup. They released their first album Vanishing Vision, through Yoshiki's own Extasy Records, in 1988 and toured extensively in support of the record. They would become one of the first Japanese acts to achieve mainstream success while on an independent label, and later widely credited as one of the pioneers of visual kei.
X 's major label debut album, Blue Blood, was released in April 1989 and debuted at number six on the Oricon chart. Its success earned the band the "Grand Prix New Artist of the Year" award at the 4th annual Japan Gold Disc Awards in 1990. Their third album Jealousy was released in 1991 and debuted at number one, selling over 600,000 copies. It was later certified million by the RIAJ. Shortly after the release of 1993's Art of Life, which also topped the Oricon, the members of X Japan took a break to start solo projects.
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