YOSHIKI Cements His Place in Hollywood History
The First Japanese Star to Cement His Handprints at the TCL Chinese Theatre
Japanese legendary rockstar YOSHIKI joined many of Hollywood’s biggest stars when his handprints and footprints – and a pair of his drumsticks – were set in cement at the TCL Chinese Theatre on September 14, 2023. YOSHIKI holds the distinction of being the first artist from Japan to be immortalized at Hollywood’s most iconic landmark, joining legends like Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise and Robert Downey, Jr.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. YOSHIKI is perhaps Japan’s most internationally successful musician of our era. He is a composer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, classi- cal pianist, heavy metal rock drummer and leader of the bands X JAPAN and THE LAST ROCKSTARS. YOSHIKI has sold over 30 million albums and singles. He has performed at Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, Wembley Stadium, Royal Albert Hall, Dolby Theater, Tokyo Imperial Palace and just about every major stadium and concert hall that comes to mind. YOSHIKI and X JAPAN have done it all, including being the only act to sell out the Tokyo Dome 18 times. If that’s not enough, YOSHIKI was invited by the Japanese royal family to compose and perform a classical song for the tenth anniversary of the Emperor of Japan’s reign.
The TCL Chinese Theatre, formerly known as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, is located on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. This historic landmark opened its doors in 1927 and has since become a symbol of Hollywood’s rich cin- ematic history. The theater’s most distinctive feature is the collection of celebrity handprints, footprints and signatures preserved in the concrete courtyard in front of the theater. These imprints belong to Hollywood legends, so an invitation to have one’s handprints and footprints placed in the cement courtyard is indisputable evidence that one has “made it” in show business.
YOSHIKI broke into the movie industry years ago, creating music for Hollywood films such as Saw IV and Repo! The Genetic Opera. That was followed by composing the theme songs for major anime, including Attack on Titan. He also composed the theme song for the 69th and 70th Golden Globe Awards. YOSHIKI made his directorial debut with the film YOSHIKI: Under the Sky (2023). The music documentary follows YOSHIKI and several world-renowned musicians as they show what the power of music means. The docu- mentary features artists such as Sarah Brightman (England), Jane Zhang (China), Scorpions (Germany), SixTONES ( Japan), HYDE (Japan), Lindsey Stirling (USA), Nicole Scherzinger (USA), St. Vincent (USA), SUGIZO (Japan) and The Chainsmokers (USA). The international premiere of the film was on September 5, 2023, at TOHO Cinemas Roppongi, playing in over 100 theaters in Japan, followed by premieres in New York City, London and Los Angeles.
YOSHIKI holds a top position on Japanese entertainment guest lists and has received invitations to perform on NHK’s top-rated annual New Year’s Eve show, Kohaku Uta Gassen, 12 times, both as a solo artist and with X JAPAN and THE LAST ROCKSTARS. He made Japanese television history in 2018 on the music competition show with his dual performance, performing for both the opposing red and white teams, something that had never been done before. He started by playing drums for the Attack on Titan theme Red Swan with HYDE and SUGIZO while wearing white, followed by a piano performance of Miracle with Sarah Brightman while wear- ing red.
The YOSHIKI brand is highly sought after and he manages multi- ple projects, including Y by YOSHIKI wine created in collaboration with Rob Mondavi Jr., the YOSHIKIMONO fashion brand, the YOSHIKI Channel on Niconico Video, Yoshikitty, YOSHIKI- branded Mastercard and Visa cards, the energy drinks “Real Gold X” and “Real Gold Y ” in partnership with Coca-Cola and a YOSHIKI KAWAI Crystal Grand Piano (CR-40N). In addition, he runs his U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit humanitarian organization, YOSHIKI Foundation America, as detailed on his official website: https:// www.yoshiki.net/.
YOSHIKI has collaborated with Marvel Comics Spider-Man creator Stan Lee and legendary Beatles producer Sir George Martin. When commenting on Yoshiki Classical, Martin said, “There is a new song which is beautiful. I mean, if it were in a film, it would be an Academy Award winner. No doubt about it.”
YOSHIKI credits the inspiration for his single, “Requiem,” to the grief over his mother’s passing. He dedicated the moment of cementing his mark at the TCL Chinese Theater to his mother, who he said was the “very first person to see my hands and feet and now she can see them from the sky, looking down here at Hollywood.” Guest speakers who spoke about YOSHIKI at the ceremony includ- ed Gene Simmons (KISS), actor Lee Byung-hun (Squid Game) and manager and movie producer Guy Oseary.
KISS rock and roll legend Gene Simmons said, “I’m here to honor a one-of-a-kind, not only personality but a multi-instrumentalist, a real tour de force. Americans ... have no idea what’s going on in the rest of the world, but I know the man himself. This is a talent, a giant in the industry, multi-instrumentalist, drummer, pianist, creative force that you need to find out more about ... This honor today is about time. You need to do yourself a favor. Music has no boundaries. Music is the universal language. And you need to find out about YOSHIKI and his creative children X, otherwise known as X JAPAN, and his newest band, THE LAST ROCKSTARS. Your life will be better for it. I’ve seen him in action. Very few people compare to the man. The man, the legend, YOSHIKI.”
Acclaimed Korean actor Lee Byung-hun also reflected on his feel- ings about YOSHIKI, saying that his “music filled my teenage years. X JAPAN was so popular in all of Korea and Asia ... Nowadays we have streamers, so everything can be seen and heard around the world, but back then we didn’t have the same technology ... That’s what makes what YOSHIKI’s done so impressive.”
Guy Oseary, executive producer of the Twilight movie series and manager of Madonna, U2 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, stated, “YOSHIKI is a true artist. To see what he has accomplished over the last 25 years since I first saw him is remarkable. It’s an incredible feat to survive and accomplish all the things that he has in the music business. It’s not easy at all ... and he’s continually innovated and pushed himself ... His songs are his children, his art is his life and he gives 100 percent. He’s dedicated to pushing the envelope all the way up ... He doesn’t really see a ceiling; he just sees the next chapter.”
A representative from the TCL Chinese Theatre stated, “It was an honor to host the great Japanese musical artist YOSHIKI for a world-famous handprint-footprint ceremony. It was a great testimo- ny to his celebrity and worldwide appeal that so many media crews descended upon our Hollywood forecourt for a fitting and highly successful event. It is a timely recognition of his amazing scope of talent and longevity, and we were honored to host him and the great team that supports his efforts.”
Tokyo Journal Editor-in Chief Anthony Al-Jamie spoke with YOSHIKI about his honor at the TCL Chinese Theater, his classical tour, and his film, YOSHIKI: Under The Sky (2023).
Interview
TJ: Can you tell me a little bit about your classical tour?
YOSHIKI: Yes. So that was decided a year ago, right after my mother’s death. At that time, I couldn’t stop crying, so I went to see a doctor to ask, “How can I stop my tears? How can I stop crying?” He said, “There’s no prescription or anything I can prescribe to stop your tears.” Eventually, I started composing the song “Requiem.” At the same time, my agent in America told me we had offers from these venues. But do you know what my first answer was? “No, there’s no way I can do this. I’m about to give up.” I didn’t think that it was going to hit this hard, losing my mother, but the song “Requiem” kind of started healing me. I was like, “Wow, this song can be healing.” It helped me move forward and I wanted this song to help other people, too. Then I decided I should do a world tour. That’s how everything started. Then I had my film, “YOSHIKI: Under The Sky,” and everything, so I’ve just been traveling all over the world, but also practicing and getting ready for this upcoming tour wherever I am. Now it’s going to start happening. It’s another big challenge I’m facing to create an innovative classical show.
TJ: It was so impressive to hear you sing Requiem. It was amazing.
YOSHIKI: Oh, I have amazing vocalists around me. So, I don’t have to really sing but that was a tribute to my mother, so it was like, “Okay, why not?”
TJ: Do you plan to do more singing?
YOSHIKI: It depends. I guess if there is a demand, I will.
TJ: How did THE LAST ROCKSTARS come together?
YOSHIKI: They’ve been friends of mine, and we were just talking about doing something together. Eventually, we decided to do some- thing kind of like The Avengers.
TJ: Do you have any news about X JAPAN?
YOSHIKI: Sometimes we work intensively and sometimes we take a break. Heath, the bass player from X JAPAN, showed up on the last day of my dinner show which had 16 shows in Japan back in August. It meant so much to me that he came.
TJ: Are you producing any other bands at the moment?
YOSHIKI: I’m closing the grid for XY, a Japanese boy group. It’s kind of a new genre where dance and vocal group meets rock. I am producing that, and they have several offers. I have not completely confirmed those yet. But as of now, I’m only working on my upcom- ing classical concert. I’ll probably think about it right after that.
TJ: It must take a ton of energy, not only taking part in the tour but the preparation itself for your classical tour.
YOSHIKI: Yeah, I am doing something very innovative for the show. It’s not going to be a normal classical concert. I’m going to be doing something shocking and it takes a lot of work to do that.
TJ: Are you going to be collaborating with other artists on your classical tour?
YOSHIKI: I still don’t know. But I think that collaboration can be amazing and can happen if we have mutual respect.
TJ: How do you decide on which artists to collaborate with? Is it mainly an organic process or do you look for specific people?
YOSHIKI: I think it’s a combination. I wanted to collaborate with all those amazing artists, with edgy artists, as well as different genres. I didn’t want to just have rock or classical musicians. If you look at the list of amazing artists [I’ve worked with], they are all pretty dif- ferent genres but exist in the same space.
TJ: Can you tell me about your movie directing? You’ve directed a movie and now you have your handprints at the TCL Chinese Theatre.
YOSHIKI: Yeah. It was beautiful. It kind of came organically when I did a bunch of music videos and I was also pretty involved in the We Are X documentary. With this movie, I was organizing everything so much from A to Z, but I was hesitating to put my name as a director instead of being incognito. It was a lot of work, but I think it was worth it. It’s not that much different than producing music. It’s the same kind of vibe.
TJ: What was your favorite part about directing the movie?
YOSHIKI: Ah, my favorite part .... I’m absolutely in charge. At the same time, composing music is kind of the same thing. We’re work- ing with so many people, a lot of talented people. So that’s including musicians and, with this one, fans participated.
TJ: When people do projects with you, they wind up leaning on your talent. It’s not by choice. I think it’s because they naturally look to the most creative person in the room.
YOSHIKI: Well, thank you for saying that. Right now, while lead- ing a project, I always have a lot of responsibility, so I dedicate myself to the project I’m doing.
TJ: Do you have more plans to direct movies?
YOSHIKI: I have some offers already, but right now I’m just all in for the upcoming classical show. I will think about that. I’ll discuss it with those people after the classical concerts are done.
TJ: Tell me about the handprint experience at the TCL Chinese Theater.
YOSHIKI: I knew that was a big deal, especially when I was thinking about writing the speech. I was thinking, “Wow, how do I deserve this?” I don’t know. I feel very grateful but at the same time, I don’t think I have achieved that much yet. I thank my fans for supporting me. That’s why I’m still here and I couldn’t have done something like this without my fans.
TJ: What were you thinking when you were actually putting your hands in the cement?
YOSHIKI: I felt like I was dreaming. I felt like I was in America.
TJ: Since you’re in the same town as Shohei Ohtani here, how do you feel about Shohei’s success?
YOSHIKI: I think he’s amazing. I’m not a huge sports fan. But of course, I know how amazing he has been. Yes, unbelievably amazing. The thing I like about Shohei Ohtani is he’s doing two different things. He’s a pitcher and an amazing batter. He’s doing both and he’s so good.
TJ: Well, you’re a hardcore rock drummer and an amazing clas- sical pianist. I would have to say in many ways Shohei Ohtani is following in your footsteps. It is very rare to find a major rockstar who sells out stadiums and gets so into his performance that he is not averse to diving into his drum set, turning around, and cap- turing the hearts of a full classical concert hall with an amazing piano concerto.
YOSHIKI: Thank you for saying that, but I don’t want to compare myself with him because he has been doing so much more than I have.
TJ: In addition to your music and your work with film, you have several different brands. Which brands are closest to your heart?
YOSHIKI: All of them. I don’t just participate in something because it is a job. I’m all in for everything I’m doing. I’m 100% in.
Lee Byung-hun on YOSHIKI South Korea’s Award-Winning Actor Reflects on His Friendship with YOSHIKI
Lee Byung-hun is a cinematic force to be reckoned with. Regarded as one of South Korea’s most captivating and versatile actors, his performance in the critically acclaimed film Inside Men (2015) earned him the Best Actor award at the most prestigious awards ceremonies in his home country, including the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards, the 37th Blue Dragon Film Awards and the 53rd Grand Bell Awards. Seven of his films – Joint Security Area, The Good, the Bad, the Weird, Masquerade, Inside Men, Master, Ashfall and The Man Standing Next – rank among the highest-grossing films in South Korea. He was Gallup Korea’s Actor of the Year in both the film and television divisions in 2012 and 2018, respec- tively. In 2021, he played a recurring role as the Front Man in the popular Netflix series Squid Game. Internationally, Lee is recognized for his roles in Hollywood films such as G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) and its sequel, G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013), as well as Red 2 (2013), Terminator Genisys (2015) and The Magnificent Seven (2016). Notably, he made history as the first South Korean actor to present an Oscar at the Academy Awards and is a distinguished member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Alongside actor Ahn Sung-ki, Lee left his mark by imprinting his hand and footprints at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre on June 23, 2012. Lee, who was a guest speaker at YOSHIKI’s handprint ceremony, shared more about his friendship with YOSHIKI with Tokyo Journal Editor-in-Chief Anthony Al-Jamie.
Interview
TJ: Can you tell us how you felt when you were invited to speak at YOSHIKI’s handprint ceremony at the Chinese Theatre?
LEE: I was very excited for him and thought it was an honor that he deserved. Having done it myself, it was really great that my friend’s hands and footprints would be there with mine.
TJ: What does YOSHIKI’s music and artistry mean to you per- sonally, and how has it influenced your own work or life?
LEE: Growing up in Korea, X JAPAN was so popular. Actually, they were popular in all of Asia. It is so impressive because back then we didn’t have the internet or social media that we have right now. It was much harder for things to go global. YOSHIKI is a musician, and I am an actor, but we continue to push each other to be better.
TJ: YOSHIKI is not only known for his music, but also for his philanthropic efforts. Can you share your thoughts on his human- itarian work and its impact on society?
LEE: YOSHIKI is a true humanitarian and genuinely great person. He definitely tries to see the good in people and situations. He uses his celebrity status to do good things and make a difference in the world.
TJ: YOSHIKI has a global fanbase that spans across cultures and languages. How do you think his music has resonated with people around the world, and what makes him a truly international artist?
LEE: His music has transcended time. Even this generation knows his music, and his legend keeps growing. His music and hard work speak for itself. He is a musician, producer and now a director. His willingness and desire to succeed in different languages make him a true international artist. From experience, I understand how much he has sacrificed and how much hard work goes into it.
TJ: Can you share any memorable experiences or interactions you’ve had with YOSHIKI that have left a lasting impression on you?
LEE: In April 2023, [South Korea] had massive wildfires. YOSHIKI saw an article about the wildfires and Korean celebrities making contributions to a relief fund. He saw a particular article about my contribution, and he made a donation of his own. I was very moved by this, and our friendship grew stronger.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff on YOSHIKI and Japan Marc Benioff Talks About His Friendship with YOSHIKI and How Japanese Culture Has Influenced His Life
Marc Benioff is an American entrepreneur, billionaire and philanthropist. He is best known as the co-founder and chairman of the Fortune 500 company Salesforce and the owner of TIME magazine. Benioff was named “Innovator of the Decade” by Forbes and is recognized as one of the World’s 25 Greatest Leaders by Fortune. Benioff attended the University of Southern California, during which time he worked as an intern at Apple. Benioff later went on to work at Oracle for 13 years, and by the age of 23, he was named Oracle’s Rookie of the Year. Benioff founded Salesforce in 1999. Tokyo Journal Editor-in-Chief Anthony Al-Jamie had the opportunity to talk to Marc Benioff and his wife Lynne. In the interview, Marc discussed his friendship with YOSHIKI and how Japanese culture has influenced his personal life, his entrepreneurial attitude and his business.
Interview
TJ: How did you feel when you heard YOSHIKI was going to have his handprints and footprints in cement at the TCL Chinese Theatre?
BENIOFF: It was well deserved. Amazing, right? My friend Guy Oseary, who is Madonna’s and U2’s manager, spoke at the event.
TJ: How many times have you visited Japan and how did you first meet YOSHIKI?
BENIOFF: Salesforce is the second-largest software company in Japan. We are based in the Salesforce Tower in Tokyo near the Imperial Palace grounds. Over the last 40 years, I’ve had dozens and dozens of trips to Japan. I’ve been all over the country and have lots of friends there. A friend of mine introduced me to YOSHIKI. I think it was probably about 10 years ago. We became very close friends, not only on my trips to Japan but because he travels extensively and so do I. It’s not unusual for us to end up in the same locations around the world and we’ve had lots of great experiences. He’s just a fantastic person.
TJ: In your eyes, what makes YOSHIKI special?
BENIOFF: There are many things. In Hawaii, where I live, Neil Young is my neighbor, and he met YOSHIKI quite a few times. One day we went to lunch and Neil said something very powerful to me, which was that he’s met a lot of musicians before, but he had never met anyone who not only was a heavy metal drummer, heavy metal musician and was writing heavy metal music, but then he could crossover to classical and play classical piano. That is a very unique part of YOSHIKI, which is his ability to cross all musical genres. Also, I think maybe an influence that I’ve had on him is that he’s increasingly active in philanthropy. He has also crossed over scientifically. He works closely with Yamanaka-san, who has won the Nobel Prize in Japan. He also has crossed over economi- cally, as he’s very close with Mikitani-san, the CEO of Rakuten. He’s really become a global leader. He’s crossed not only musical but also economic and scientific boundaries.
TJ: You mentioned about YOSHIKI’s philanthropy. That seems to align with your values as well.
BENIOFF: I hope that I’ve influenced him a little bit in that area. Wherever we go, including in Japan, we like to have a philanthropic influence. It’s very important to us and I’m very proud that we funded the research of Shinya Yamanaka, the winner of the Nobel Prize for his work in induced pluripotent stem cells for many years. He also works very closely not only with Kyoto University but also with UCSF [University of California, San Francisco] where we have funded hundreds of millions of dollars through philanthropy.
TJ: Do you have a favorite memory with YOSHIKI?
LYNNE: Yeah, when we’ve traveled with him, whether it’s in Kyoto or Tokyo or wherever we are, it’s the swarming of fans. That’s unbe- lievable. Marc experienced it in Kyoto and when we were on the streets of Tokyo, people recognized YOSHIKI, but they didn’t want to be so rude and ask to take a photo of him, so what I noticed was people were running ahead, going into the stores, hiding, and then taking a photo when he walked by, so it was very funny.
TJ: Have you gained a lot of insight on your visits to Japan?
BENIOFF: Japanese philosophy has dramatically impacted me and my management style. Obviously, I’m running a huge global com- pany – 70,000 people. The concept of shoshin, the beginner’s mind, dominates my life. I practice meditation, and I’ve gone and trained with Zen masters in Kyoto, even with YOSHIKI. YOSHIKI and I have sat with Zen masters and meditated together. It’s extremely important to me to have a clear vision. And I think it’s one of the reasons we’ve become so successful in Japan.
TJ: What are your thoughts on the Japanese cultural boom that YOSHIKI has contributed to greatly? Do you think it’s going to continue?
BENIOFF: I think so. I think that this is a time when Japanese sensibilities are needed more in the world. My wife and I have spent a lot of time in Japan. When my wife was a very young child, she was in Japan and became a famous model there for Pentax cameras. And she denies it, but it’s true. That’s one of the areas that we connected even in our own relationship because we would go to Japan, and I would work. I realized she was able to operate through the subways on her own, practically reading Japanese and knowing where to go.
So, she influenced my life in that way.
TJ: Do you think that the Japanese cultural boom is taking off in other ways?
BENIOFF: I think that there is a rise of Japanese artists. In the art world, you have to realize some of these artists like Kusama, Nara and Murakami are at the very top of modern art today worldwide in price and quality. I was shocked about the value of these pieces now. It is incredible.
TJ: Are you interested in Japanese art?
BENIOFF: Well, I collect Yoshitomo Nara, who influenced Murakami. I have Murakami and Kusama on my walls. If I walk you around my little house, it is like a little Zen in the middle of nowhere, in a mountain town.
TJ: Do you have any favorite places that you like to go to in Japan?
BENIOFF: Well, I like to go to the top of Salesforce Tower where we have our own sushi restaurant. We just hired the chef from the Aman Kyoto as our chef at the top of Salesforce Tower. I have built a whole open space where it’s a re-creation of a Japanese home. And there’s even a small Japanese structure there, a sushi bar, and so forth. You’re overlooking the Imperial Palace, and it’s become my favorite place to visit. I send all my friends there to visit it. Some of my friends in Japan who have businesses like Son-san, who’s the CEO of SoftBank, and Mikitani-san, the CEO of Rakuten, have built sushi restaurants at the top of their buildings with Japanese gardens. When I built my building, I tried to emulate them because it’s kind of a nod to the impact of Japanese culture.
The complete article can be found in Issue #282 of the Tokyo Journal.
