Zilch (band)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| zilch | |
|---|---|
 The cover of 3.2.1. |
|
| Country | Japan, United States |
| Years active | 1998 - 2002 |
| Genres | Industrial rock Hard rock Punk rock Experimental |
| Labels | Cutti, Avex Trax |
| Website(s) | zilch |
zilch was an experimental music project founded by Hideto Matsumoto, also known as "hide", a Japanese solo artist and former member of the legendary Japanese group X Japan. The project was formed in 1998.
Contents |
[edit] History
zilch was intended to launch an English market career for hide. At its core, hide was joined by two western musicians; guitarist Ray McVeigh who had previously played with members of the Sex Pistols in a band called The Professionals, and bassist Paul Raven of Killing Joke.
[edit] 3.2.1... zilch
The first venture of zilch was the creation of the first album, 3.2.1. For hide this would be somewhat of an unexplored avenue in terms of musical direction for this time he would court darker regions of rock music, such as Industrial rock delving into a whole new level of controversy.
The album contained a track entitled "What's Up Mr. Jones", a re-make of the X Japan track "Drain" that hide wrote for the Dahlia album. The track is identical both musically and directionally but this time using new lyrics. The lyrical content is a reference to English musician David Bowie (born David Jones), in relation to his abandonment of the Ziggy Stardust-era, with the lines "You let your Spiders down" and "You left your Starman to die on his own". Some speculate that Bowie was a heavy influence for hide when concieving his third solo album "Ja Zoo", claiming the track "Pink Spider" to be very Bowie like, and the album cover to be an attempt to recreate one of Bowie's stage appearances.
The first and only single of the album is the track "Electric Cucumber", the video was both recorded and released in 1998. During the late studio workings of '3.2.1' the band prepared for a large US tour which would see zilch open for controversial American act Marilyn Manson, something which would surely have had a strong effect on a potential US Market considering the likenings in dress appearance between hide and Marilyn Manson's lead singer Brian Warner.
However, after a night of over indulgence in alcohol hide was found dead in his apartment by what appeared to be suicide. The US release of the debut album was shelved under these circumstances, and eventually dropped.
[edit] Bastard Eyes: Remix
The band toured lightly in Japan with support from other American artists in hide's honour and went on to release two more albums, the first known as "Bastard Eyes" consisting mainly of remixes of songs from the first album and new, more electronic material. The name itself "Bastard Eyes" is a play on words as the album is very much a bastardised version of "3.2.1".
Included on the album was the song "Hello Hello Hello Goodbye", a very industrial based track featuring sampled voices from films which clearly expresses the bands frustration at the death of hide. Remixing artists on the album included, Ministry, Pitchshifter and Charlie Clouser of Nine Inch Nails,
Some fans of zilch turned away from the band at this point, partly due to the death of hide but also partly due to their accusations that Ray McVeigh engaged in the "milking" of hide's fame after his death.
[edit] Skyjin: Tribute
In 2001 the band returned with another lineup and album entitled "Skyjin". Paul Raven had left the band by this point, and was replaced by a bassist named J from Japanese Visual Kei band Luna Sea. I.N.A., McVeigh and Joey Castillo remained however, and a piece of guitarwork pieviously recorded by hide was used on the album.
The band recorded an album of brand new material including the song "Hide and Seek" another representation of the bands feelings towards the death of hide and the singles "Mimizuzero" and "Charlie's Children" which both reached #1 respectively in the international music charts within the first weeks of release.
Other notable guests on this group include, former Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan (on four of the tracks) and guitarist Dave Kushner who would go on with Duff to play in supergroup Velvet Revolver. As well as Ian Astbury of The Cult, Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols and even Cypress Hill's Sen Dog and Ol' Dirty Bastard of Wu Tang Clan.
The band's new look lineup included English vocalist MC Shabba D, who appeared on the second album on several tracks. During this period the band went on massive 2001 Japanese tour and claimed both critical and financial success. The band was never able to reach the American market, like hide had originally intended. Most of the band were noted for their very visual displays on stage, if this was a homage to hide or simply a method of appealling to fans in a Japanese market is not known.
[edit] End of zilch
The band's future from the point of hide's death was timid, with I.N.A engaging in involvment in Japanese band DopeHEADz alongside former X Japan members Pata and Heath. In 2002 the remaining members went their separate ways, Joey Castillo joined Queens of the Stone Age and Dave Kushner went on to join super group Velvet Revolver in the same year.
When the band broke up the then band leader Ray McVeigh issued a statement on the band's website, it read as follows:
Dear Zedheads
I am writing this to you to try and clear any confusion around Zilch now. First of all, I am writing this letter but it is from all of the members of Zilch - I.N.A, Joey. C, MC Shabba D, DJ Swamp, Dave.K and me. As of september, Raven is no longer a member of Zilch, after a long discussion between all of us we have decided, for many different reasons, that the strongest possibility for Zilch and for Raven, is to seperate. We have always described ourselves as musical terrorists and at the beggining, to break a hole in the music business wall one big bomb was best - we did exactly that, and now the strongest strategy seems to make many individual bombs - many breaks in the wall, many directions - can you understand this image - we are stronger seperated. Zilch these days has so many obligations and it is impossible to stay as original line up and honour these obligations -
Although this firmly cemented the dissolution of the group as it was then, many speculated that the use of the phrase "original line up" was misleading and disrespectful to the late hide, the founder and orchestrator of the group as well as being the main writer of the first album.
[edit] Members
[edit] Original line-up
- hide - vocals and guitar
- Ray McVeigh - guitar
- Paul Raven - bass, backing vocals
- Joey Castillo - drums
- I.N.A - programming
[edit] Guests and others
- Duff McKagan - bass
- Ian Astbury - vocals
- Steve Jones - guitar
- Dave Kushner - guitars
- Todd Youth - guitars
- J - bass
- MC Shabba D - vocals
- Sen Dog - vocals
- Ol' Dirty Bastard - vocals
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
[edit] Single
- Mimizuzero - (2001)
[edit] Video
| Year | Title | Director | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Electric Cucumber | Dean Carr | 3.2.1. |
[edit] External links
| hide |
|---|
| Albums |
| HIDE YOUR FACE | PSYENCE | Ja,Zoo | BEST ~PSYCHOMMUNITY~ | SINGLES ~ Junk Story | KING OF PSYBORG ROCK STAR |
| Others |
| tune-up | WooFer!! | WooFer!!2 | hide TRIBUTE SPIRITS | Cafe Le PSYENCE | Psy-clone hide electric remixes | compilation cd LEMONed |
| Singles |
| EYES LOVE YOU | 50％ & 50％ | DICE | TELL ME | MISERY | Beauty & Stupid | Hi-Ho / GOOD BYE | ROCKET DIVE | ピンク スパイダー | ever free | HURRY GO ROUND | TELL ME | In Motion | hide PERFECT SINGLE BOX |
| Related articles |
| Discography | hide with Spread Beaver | X JAPAN | zilch |
