We Are X is a 2016 documentary film about the Japanese rock band X Japan and its co-founder, drummer, pianist and leader Yoshiki. Directed by Stephen Kijak, it premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival on January 23. The film covers the history of the band, their influence on Japanese music and society, the band's break up in 1997 and reunion in 2007, and their attempts to achieve success overseas. It also covers Yoshiki's childhood with the X Japan's vocalist Toshi, the suicide of Yoshiki's father when Yoshiki was ten years old, the deaths of two members of the band (guitarist hide and former bassist Taiji), and Yoshiki's various health problems.
The film contains interviews with all the current members of the band (Yoshiki, Toshi, guitarists Pata and Sugizo, and bassist Heath), plus interviews and contributions from Western musicians such as Gene Simmons (Kiss), Marilyn Manson, Wes Borland (Limp Bizkit), Richard Fortus (Guns N' Roses), Marc Benioff and George Martin (producer for The Beatles); famous fans such as comic book author Stan Lee; and Japanese musicians influenced by X Japan including Mucc, Ladies Room, Luna Sea, Dir En Grey and Glay.
We Are X received praise from some critics for being uplifting and dealing with difficult topics such as the role of pain in making music, while others criticized the film for focusing too much attention on Yoshiki rather than the band as a whole. The film won the Sundance Film Festival Award for Best Editing in the World Cinema Documentary Competition and South by Southwest's Audience Award for Excellence in Title Design. The film's soundtrack peaked at the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart and became the first X Japan album to enter the main UK Albums Chart.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
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