Blue Blood (X Japan album)
Blue Blood is the second studio album by Japanese rock band X Japan, then known as simply X. It was released on April 21, 1989, by CBS/Sony as the band's major label debut. Blue Blood sold more than 700,000 copies, reached number 6 on the Oricon chart and stayed on the chart for more than 100 weeks. The album's singles would also reach the top five on the chart. In 2007, Rolling Stone Japan ranked Blue Blood number 15 on their list of the "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time".
Cover of the CD version.
X Japan is a Japanese rock band from Chiba, formed in 1982 by drummer and pianist Yoshiki and lead vocalist Toshi. Starting as a predominantly power/speed metal band with heavy symphonic elements, they later gravitated towards a progressive sound with an emphasis on ballads. Besides being one of the first Japanese acts to achieve mainstream success while on an independent label, the group is widely credited as one of the pioneers of visual kei, a movement among Japanese musicians comparable to Western glam.
X Japan at New York Comic Con in 2014. From left to right: HEATH, PATA, YOSHIKI, TOSHI and SUGIZO.
X circa 1990: Toshi, Taiji, Yoshiki, Pata, Hide
X Japan with guests Richard Fortus, Sugizo, and Wes Borland in 2008.
A special illumination in Taipei, in celebration of the first X Japan live concert in Taiwan in 2009.