Gackt
Gackt Camui (神威 楽斗 ,Kamui Gakuto?) is an Okinawan musician, composer, lyricist, poet, author, actor, designer and model. Usually referred to by his stage name only, he is known for his work with Malice Mizer and after leaving Malice Mizer started his career as a solo artist. Besides Japanese, he has performed in English, French, Korean, Cantonese, and Mandarin.
[edit] Early life Gackt Camui was born in Okinawa, Japan, on July 4, (precise year not publicly known),[1] is the second of three children, with an older sister and a younger brother. His father was a music teacher primarily playing the trumpet and his mother was also a teacher. According to Gackt's autobiography, he was a mischievous child and enjoyed taking risks; at age of seven he nearly drowned while swimming off the coast of Okinawa. After this near-death experience, he claimed to have the ability to see and speak with deceased family members, a notion which was dismissed by his parents.[2][3] At the age of ten, Gackt was hospitalized with a gastrointestinal condition and had to remain at the hospital for a prolonged time. He made the acquaintance of several terminally ill children, some of whom died during his stay.[4]
Gackt's musical education began at age three, when his parents initiated his classical piano education, which he grew tired of four years later. It would take another four years until his parents allowed him to quit. Gackt is known for being very competitive, and when he learned that a friend was also learning piano it led to Gackt taking up the piano again so he could be better. Having only listened to classical and enka while growing up, Gackt didn't become interested in rock music until he was a young adult. He cites Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" as being particularly inspiring, and went on to master modern percussion and guitar.[4]
[edit] Malice Mizer
Main article: Malice Mizer
In 1995, Gackt joined Malice Mizer as the group's vocalist, lyricist and pianist. The band released several successful singles along with two albums with Gackt, entitled Voyage ~Sans Retour~ and the highly popular Merveilles. It was through his time in Malice Mizer that he really grew popular and his vocal skills as an artist were developed. He also created a strong friendship bond with their drummer, Kami.
At the immediate start of 1999, Gackt left Malice Mizer. Five months after Gackt's departure, Kami died of a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Gackt was unable to attend the funeral and did not find out until a week afterwards. He dedicated two songs to his memory ("U+K" and "Emu ~For my dear~") and visits his grave each year, also visiting his parents.
[edit] Solo career
Gackt launched his solo career on May 12, 1999 with the release of the EP Mizerable. Several albums, singles and videos (on VHS and DVD) have since followed. Gackt's music has also been featured as theme songs for anime and video games multiple times, examples being New Fist of the North Star, Bujingai and Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, amongst others. He has also provided voice acting, motion capturing and his likeness for such works on several occasions[5][6] and co-wrote and co-starred in the 2003 movie Moon Child, which also features Hyde (vocalist of L'Arc~en~Ciel) and Taiwanese-American singer Wang Lee Hom.[7] Also in 2003, Gackt published his autobiography, Jihaku and for Caparison Guitars, he has designed two guitars, named "Mercury" and "Venus".[8][9]
Cover of Gackt's 2007 release "Returner ~Yami no Shūen~"Since January 7, 2007, Gackt has been playing the warlord Uesugi Kenshin in the NHK drama Fūrinkazan.[10] Gackt's single "Returner ~Yami no Shūen~", was released on June 20, 2007, and was the first in his career (both solo and in a band) to reach the number one spot on the Japanese Oricon charts.[11] Gackt has provided the voice for Malthazar in the Japanese release of the film Arthur and the Minimoys[12] and in October 2007, his back catalog became available in the iTunes Store.
On December 19, Gackt released an album titled 0079-0088. It contains eight tracks, which had either previously been used on the soundtracks of the Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam movies or were covers of earlier songs from the Gundam franchise.[13] It was created as a tribute to the creator of Gundam, Yoshiyuki Tomino, for his birthday.[14] Gackt recently performed on the 58th Kōhaku Uta Gassen, the annual New Year's Eve special by NHK.[15] and is currently recording new material.[16] He has stated in an interview that he may decide to retire in 2010 depending upon how he is feeling at the time and the state of his health.[17]
On May 21, 2008, Gackt released the DVD, Amakakeru Ryu no Gotoku. This is a documentary/commentary on his time spent making the drama, Fūrinkazan.[18]
Gackt's new single titled "Jesus" was released on November 26, 2008.[19] It is his first single release in over a year. [20] On January 28, Gackt released his twenty-seventh single, "Ghost".
[edit] S.K.I.N. Main article: Skin (Japanese band) On May 25, 2007, the formation of the supergroup Skin was announced which, besides Gackt, consists of fellow pop/rock artist Miyavi, former Luna Sea guitarist Sugizo and X Japan co-founder Yoshiki. The group gave its debut performance at the Anime Expo convention in Long Beach, California on June 29, 2007[21] and plans to release an album.[22]
[edit] Current projects
[edit] Gackpoid Musician and actor Gackt lent his voice and stage name for the creation of the newest Vocaloid, Kamui Gakupo (神威がくぽ, Kamui Gakupo). Yamaha wanted to utilize the voice of a musician but felt it would be difficult to acquire cooperation. They consulted Dwango (new owner of Vocaloid publisher Internet Co. Ltd.), who suggested Gackt, as Gackt had previously provided his voice for Dwango's cell phone services.[13] Referred to alternately as Gakupoid or Gackpoid, the most recent release includes a new program, OPUS Express, for mixing vocal parts with accompaniment and phoneme data. The new software will be available for download for users with registered copies of previous Vocaloids. Besides the new program, Gackpoid will include two of Gackt's songs and three example songs.
The product was originally intended to be released in June 2008, but although Gackt existed as a model for the Vocaloid, it lacked an illustrated avatar to match the previous Vocaloids. Popular manga author Kentarō Miura, famous for his dark fantasy epic Berserk, was approached. Due to Miura's affection for Nico Nico Douga, he agreed to offer his services as character designer for free. As a fan of Berserk, Gackt was more than happy with this arrangement, and requested Miura's sketches be faxed to him as well as the developers, even though he was on location for the filming of Guy Moshe's Bunraku. Gackpoid was released in late July 2008.
[edit] Appearances as Uesugi Kenshin
Gackt reprised his Furin Kazan television role of Japanese warlord Uesugi Kenshin at Joetsu city's Great Kenshin Festival for the second year in a row on August 23, 2008.[23]
[edit] Kamen Rider Decade
Gackt performed the theme song to the 10th Heisei Kamen Rider, Kamen Rider Decade. The single is titled "Journey through the Decade". In conjunction with that, Gackt has also jokingly expressed his interest in starring as a villain in the show, stating that his finishing attack would be a kiss. The song is set to be released in iTunes. A PV of the song was also filmed.
[edit] GacktJob GacktJob is Gackt's live support band. Its current lineup is as follows:
Yukihiro "Chachamaru" Fujimura – backing vocals, lead guitar You Kurosaki – violin, guitar, rap vocals in "Dybuuk" Ju-ken – bass Jun-ji - drums Igao – keyboard Support members when needed Nell - bass Minami - drums Former members Masa – rhythm guitar Ren – bass Ryu – drums Toshi – drums
[edit] Discography Main article: Gackt discography [edit] Studio albums 1999: Mizerable 2000: Mars 2001: Rebirth 2002: Moon 2003: Crescent 2005: Love Letter 2005: Diabolos
[edit] Compilation albums
2004: The Sixth Day: Single Collection 2004: The Seventh Night: Unplugged 2006: Jūnigatsu no Love Songs: Complete Box 2007: 0079-0088 2008: nine*nine
[edit] Concerts 2000: MARS Sora Kara no Homonsha ~Kaisou~ (MARS 空からの訪問者〜回想〜) 2001: Requiem et Reminiscence ~Shuuen to Seijyaku~ (Requiem et Reminiscence 〜終焉と静寂〜) 2002: Kagen no Tsuki ~Seiya no Shirabe~ (下弦の⽉〜聖夜の調〜) 2003: Jogen no Tsuki ~Saishusho~ (上弦の⽉〜最終章〜) 2004: THE SIXTH DAY & SEVENTH NIGHT 〜FINAL〜 2005: DIABOLOS ~Aien no Shi to Seiya no Namida~ (DIABOLOS〜哀婉の詩と聖夜の涙〜) 2006: GACKT TRAINING DAYS DRUG PARTY 2009: Requiem et Reminiscence ~Saisei to Kaikou~(Requiem et Reminiscence Ⅱ ー再生と邂逅ー) [edit] Filmography Soyokaze (2002) HERO'S HERO (2003) Moon Child (2003) Fūrin Kazan (2007) Bunraku (2009)
. He is known among the Final Fantasy community for his songs "Redemption" and "Longing", which are the theme songs of Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII-.
Gackt is the voice actor of Genesis Rhapsodos in Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- and played this role live-action in front of a green screen for Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII-. Genesis' appearance in Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- is also based on Gackt's appearance.
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