Gackt ~Profile

Gackt ~Profile

Gackt Camui (神威 楽斗, Kamui Gakuto) is a Japanese musician actor and author. Usually referred to by his mononymous stage name, he is known for his career as a solo artist and as the former vocalist for the defunct band Malice Mizer.

Profile

Stage Name: GACKT, Gackt (1992-June 2009)

Birthdate: July 4, 1973 (age 37)

Birthplace: Okinawa Prefecture, Japan

Blood Type: A

Since Gackt became a member of MALICE MIZER, he has claimed (jokingly) to be a vampire and to have been born on July 4th, 1540. He himself announced on November 5th, 2009 that his actual birth year is 1973, and said he never particularly concealed his age. Born in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, Gackt's parents were strict while he was growing up. His television viewing was restricted to national or educational programming. At the age of seven, Gackt nearly drowned in the Sea of Okinawa. In his autobiography, he claims that after being rescued he became aware of supernatural abilities - he goes on to say that he does not wish to have children, for fear of passing these abilities on.

Gackt is a very competitive person and has been quoted as saying, "It's not that I want to win, it's just that I don't want to lose.". His parents, both music teachers, forced him to take music lessons at the age of 3. At that young of an age, he would have been physically incapable of taking on such a feat. The lessons continued with Gackt having little or no interest, until he saw that his friend had far surpassed him at the instrument. Out of competitiveness, he dedicated himself to his lessons. Later he would have a similar reaction when he saw his father play the trumpet and his musical preference would shift to brass.

When Gackt turned 17, his interests shifted to rock. He eventually would focus on modern rock and could play non-classical instruments proficiently. Gackt started as a drum technician for a recording studio and drummer for an unknown band. Later on, he met You Kurosaki and formed the band Cains:Fell, with Gackt as the vocalist.

History

He has released fourteen albums and thirty-eight singles as a solo musician, which have sold over 10 million copies in Japan. His single "Returner ~Yami no Shūen~", released on June 20, 2007, was his first and only single to reach the number one spot on the Oricon charts. He became the first Japanese artist to release his music catalog on iTunes in October 2007. His music has been used as theme songs for various anime, television dramas, and video games, such as New Fist of the North Star, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, and Kamen Rider Decade, amongst others.

In 2003 the movie "MOON CHILD" which he wrote, directed and stared in was taken in Taiwan. The movie was screened not only in Japan but also in Asia, America, and some of European nations.
Furthermore, he was given a big chance to act as a Japanese historical hero Kenshin Uesugi in NHK's period drama "Furinkazan (Wind, Forest, Fire and Mountain)". His official web site has gotten 5 million accesses every month. His activities not limited in a frame of an artist give us more expectation for his further success. He made his international film debut in the film Bunraku in 2010 at the Toronto International Film Festival.

In 2004, he won an award for Best Asia Rock Artist in m･net/Km MUSIC VIDEO FESTIVAL, the largest music event in Korea. Recording a ballad album "Love Letter" which was released in February of 2002 in Korean, he released it in Korea in May of the same year. On 24th December, he held a final live of nationwide tour "Gackt Live tour 2005 DIABOLOS – Aien no Shi to Seiya no Namida (a verse of dole and tears in a holy night) in Tokyo Dome, where he performed for the first time. In January of 2006, he successfully held his sole live in Olympic Park Stadium in Korea to reenact the live in Tokyo Dome

Gackt was born in Okinawa, Japan, on July 4, 1973. 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 seven he nearly drowned while swimming off the coast of Okinawa. After this near-death experience, he claims to have the ability to see and speak with deceased family members, and people. At the age of ten, he 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. 

Gackt's musical education began at age three, when his parents initiated his classical piano education. He has credited the classical pianist and composer Frédéric Chopin with being "the one who taught me the beauty, depth, fun, sadness, kindness of music; that music could grant people courage, and the meaning of the layers of sound. It isn't an exaggeration to say Chopin is the foundation of my music." Having only listened to classical music and enka while growing up, he did not become interested in rock music until he was a young adult. He cites Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" as being particularly inspiring. Gackt mentioned in a magazine that the heavy metal band Metallica influenced his style in the single "Jesus" with their song "One".

In 1995, Gackt joined Malice Mizer as the group's vocalist, lyricist and pianist. The band released several singles along with two albums with him as the vocalist, entitled Voyage ~Sans Retour~ and Merveilles. At the immediate start of 1999, he left Malice Mizer. Five months after his departure, Kami (then drummer of Malice Mizer and close friend of Gackt's) died of a subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Gackt launched his solo career on May 12, 1999 with the release of the EP Mizerable. Mizerable performed well on the Oricon charts, reaching second on the weekly charts. On April 26, 2000, Gackt released his debut album, Mars; the album reached number three on the Oricon weekly chart. He released three albums, Rebirth, Moon, and Crescent each year after his debut album. Gackt's music was featured as theme songs for the anime, New Fist of the North Star and Texhnolyze, as well as the video game Bujingai. 

In April 2003, Gackt co-wrote and co-starred in the movie Moon Child, featuring Hyde (vocalist of L'Arc~en~Ciel) and Taiwanese-American singer Leehom Wang. Later that year, Gackt published his autobiography, Jihaku, and designed two guitars, named "Mercury" and "Venus", for Caparison Guitars.

In February 2004, Gackt released his first compilation album The Sixth Day: Single Collection, which was a collection of the singer's previous A-sides. This album was followed three months later by the release of The Seventh Night: Unplugged, another compilation album, containing the acoustic arrangements of previously released songs. The unplugged theme would be continued in the release of his fifth studio album, Love Letter in February 2005. In the same year, he switched to a more alternative rock style and released his sixth studio album Diabolos and had a tour called "Diabolos ~Aien no Shi to Seiya no Namida~" which ended with a performance on December 24, 2005 at the Tokyo Dome.

In the beginning of 2006, his single Redemption was used as the theme song for Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII. He also provided voice acting, motion capturing and his likeness for the game.

Beginning January 7, 2007, Gackt played the warlord Uesugi Kenshin in the NHK drama Fūrin Kazan. His 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. He provided the voice for Malthazar in the Japanese release of the film Arthur and the Minimoys and in October 2007, his back catalog became available in the iTunes Store. 

On December 19, 2007, 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. It was created as a tribute to the creator of Gundam, Yoshiyuki Tomino, for his birthday. Gackt performed on the 58th Kōhaku Uta Gassen, the 2008 annual New Year's Eve special by NHK.

On May 21, 2008, he released the documentary, Amakakeru Ryu no Gotoku, which was about his time spent making the drama, Fūrin Kazan. He reprised his Fūrin 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.

On April 23, 2008, Gackt was confirmed for the role of Yoshi, a samurai warrior seeking vengeance against Nicola (Ron Perlman, Hellboy, Hellboy II). Although he has starred in Japanese television drama and feature films, Bunraku was his first acting experience in an international-flavored movie. Gackt came to the attention of Guy Moshe (the director) through his role in the 2007 television historic drama Fūrin Kazan, a year-long series produced by NHK. In this series, he portrayed the heroic warlord Uesugi Kenshin, winning him accolades, not only for his acting performance, but also for the music single "Returner ~Yami no Shūen~” and the video for the same that were inspired by his role. Moshe personally went to Japan to convince Gackt to join the project. The film stars Josh Hartnett, Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson, Ron Perlman, Kevin McKidd, and Gackt of course and is scheduled for limited release on September 30, 2011.

Gackt's twenty-eighth single "Jesus" was released on November 26, 2008; it was his first single release in over a year. On January 28, 2009, he released his twenty-ninth single, "Ghost", which was the opening for the Japanese version of The Sarah Connor Chronicles. To celebrate his 10 Year Anniversary Countdown, a countdown to his 10th anniversary as solo artist, Gackt released four singles, "Koakuma Heaven", "Faraway", "Lost Angels", and "Flower", a week after one another starting from June 17, 2009 and ending on July 1, 2009. In September 2009, he performed as a representative of Japan at the Asia Song Festival. On December 2, 2009, he released his seventh studio album Re:Born which continued the story he had originally created in Rebirth. A week later, he released his 36th single "Setsugekka (The End of Silence)/Zan" and both songs were theme songs for the third installment in the Samurai Warriors series video game.

Gackt switched to a new record label, Avex Group "in pursuit of creating the one and only entertainment." The first single with this new company, "Ever", was the theme song of the multiplayer online role-playing game Dragon Nest. After the release of "Ever", Gackt held a 24-shows concert tour in six locations in June–July 2010. Gackt held a male-only concert, which consisted only of rock songs, at Club Citta in Kawasaki, under using the name Yellow Fried Chickenz, which refers to human cowardice. Gackt continued the Yellow Fried Chickenz tour in Europe, touring there for the first time at a very selective choice of clubs in London, Paris, Barcelona, München and Bochum. Nippon Crown, his former record label, released a new greatest hits album The Eleventh Day: Single Collection and reissued The Sixth Day: Single Collection, and compilation album Are You "Fried Chickenz"??

In February 2010, Gackt was confirmed to voice Maltazard in the Japanese dubbed version of the movie Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard. The summer of 2010 marked his theater debut as he played the lead role in the jidaigeki Nemuri Kyoshiro Buraihikae. On August 23, 2010, Gackt participated on the 85th Great Kenshin Festival for the third time, with record attendance of more than 240,000 visitors. 

Current projects

Nemuri X Gackt Project

Chosen personally by the family of former actor, in 2009 it was announced he would lend his image to a new Nemuri Kyoshiro multimedia project, beginning with a live stage production in Nemuri Kyoshiro Buraihikae in May 2010, penned by Koyama Kundo. Over the next few years, in Japan, there will be held over 120 theatre performances. The project is currently planned to span a variety of media, including film, television, anime, manga, and video games.

Message! To Asia

At first, it was announced Gackt along with Bae Yong Joon will be participating in a Hohoemi (smile) Project charity event called "Message! to Asia", scheduled to be held at the Tokyo Dome on December 14, 2010 by DATV. Later, the charity event has added Vanness Wu and Kim Hyun Joong, but is expected to have many Asian stars partake in this event.

In various parts of Asia, approximately 1,800,000 street children can not afford to go to school or are in danger of slave trading, and this event is going to be held to help these underprivileged and exploited children. The profit of this project will be contributed to help street children in Cambodia and the Philippines.

Show Your Heart

Because of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Gackt founded "Show Your Heart" for collecting money to buy supplies for the victims. Some japanese celebrities joined Gackt's initiative such as Daigo, D'espairsRay members, Waka Inoue, H Naoto and many more. In march 2011, Gackt send a track convoy with 72000 lb of food and clothes.

Other projects

S.K.I.N.

On May 25, 2007, the formation of the supergroup S.K.I.N. was announced which, including 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 and plans to release an album.

Gackpoid

GACKT lent his voice and stage name for the creation of the Vocaloid Kamui Gakupo (神威がくぽ?). 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. Referred to alternately as Gakupoid or Gackupo, 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 satisfied 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 on July 31, 2008. Miura's design for Gakupo has a samurai aesthetic—the Vocaloid is clad in a hakama and haori, and carries a katana that somehow acts as a musical instrument.

Kamen Rider Decade

As part of both the Kamen Rider Series' Heisei period run and Gackt's solo career having their 10th anniversaries, Gackt was brought onto the 2009 edition of the Kamen Rider Series Kamen Rider Decade to perform many of its theme songs, released via Avex Trax and Avex Entertainment. This began with the series' opening theme "Journey Through the Decade", and also included the series' two films' theme songs: "The Next Decade" and "Stay the Ride Alive". While recording the third song, Gackt stated that each song had a theme: "Journey" (旅, Tabi?), "War" (戦, Ikusa?), "Eternity" (永遠, Eien?).

In addition to performing on the series' soundtrack, Gackt also appeared in the film Kamen Ride Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker as Decade's iteration of Jōji Yūki; he also portrays this character in his music video for "The Next Decade".

Discography

Studio albums 2000: Mars 2001: Rebirth 2002: Moon 2003: Crescent 2005: Love Letter 2005: Diabolos 2009: Re:Born

Compilation albums 2004: The Sixth Day: Single Collection 2004: The Seventh Night: Unplugged 2007: 0079–0088 2010: Are You "Fried Chickenz"?? 2010: The Eleventh Day: Single Collection

Singles

[1999.07.09] Mizérable

[1999.08.11] Vanilla

[1999.11.03] Remix Of Gackt

[2000.02.09] Mirror

[2000.02.16] OASIS

[2000.03.08] seki-ray (鶺鴒～seki-ray～; Wagtail)

[2000.08.30] Story (再会～Story～)

[2000.11.16] Secret Garden

[2001.03.14] Kimi no Tame ni Dekirukoto (君のためにできること; Anything for You)

[2001.09.05] ANOTHER WORLD

[2001.12.16] 12-gatsu no Love song (12月のLove song; December's Love Song)

[2002.04.24] Wasurenai Kara (忘れないから; I Won't Forget)

[2002.11.27] 12-gatsu no Love song / December Love (12月のLove song / December Love)

[2003.03.19] Kimi ga Oikaketa Yume (君が追いかけた夢; You Chased a Dream)

[2003.06.11] Tsuki no Uta (月の詩; Moon Song)

[2003.06.25] Lu:na / OASIS

[2003.11.12] Last Song

[2003.12.03] 12-gatsu no Love song / Shíèryuè De Qínggê (12月のLove song / 十二月的情歌)

[2004.10.27] Kimi ni Aitakute (君に逢いたくて; I Want to Meet You)

[2004.12.08] 12-gatsu no Love song (12月のLove song)

[2005.01.26] Arittake no Ai de (ありったけの愛で; In Love As Much As One Has)

[2005.04.27] BLACK STONE

[2005.05.25] Metamorphoze (Metamorphoze～メタモルフォーゼ～)

[2005.08.10] Todokanai Ai to Shitteita no ni Osaekirezu ni Aishitsuzuketa... (届カナイ 愛ト知ッテイタノニ 抑エキレズニ愛シ続ケタ...; I Knew This Love Wouldn't Reach You, But I Still Continue to Love You Uncontrollably...)

[2006.01.25] REDEMPTION

[2006.03.01] Love Letter

[2007.02.07] No ni Saku Hana no You ni (野に咲く花のように; Like a Flower Blooming on the Plains)

[2007.06.20] RETURNER ~Yami ni Shuuen~ (RETURNER ～闇の終焉～; The End of Darkness)

[2008.12.03] Jesus

[2009.01.28] GHOST

[2009.03.25] Journey through the Decade

[2009.06.10] Koakuma Heaven (小悪魔ヘヴン; Little Devil Heaven) (GACKT)

[2009.06.17] Faraway ~Hoshi ni Negai wo~ (Faraway ～星に願いを～; Wish Upon a Star) (GACKT)

[2009.06.24] LOST ANGELS (GACKT)

[2009.07.01] Flower (GACKT)

[2009.08.05] The Next Decade (GACKT)

[2009.12.09] Setsugekka -The end of silence- / ZAN (雪月花 -The end of silence- / 斬～ZAN～; Snow, Moon, or Flowers / Decapitation) (GACKT)

[2010.01.01] Stay the Ride Alive (GACKT)

[2010.07.28] EVER (GACKT)

[2011.07.06] untitled (GACKT)

VHS / DVDs

[1999.12.08] Video Vanilla

[2000.06.28] Video Mirror / OASIS

è[2000.10.04] MARS Sora kara no Houman Mono ~Kaisou~ (VHS) (空からの訪問者～回想～; Visitors From the Sky ~Recollections~)

[2000.11.22] MARS Sora kara no Houman Mono ~Kaisou~ (DVD) (空からの訪問者～回想～)

[2001.06.21] Saisei to Shuuen (再生と終焉; Resuscitation and the End)

[2001.09.28] Requiem et Reminiscence ~Shuuen to Seijaku~ (VHS) (～終焉と静寂～; The End and Silence)

[2001.11.30] Requiem et Reminiscence ~Shuuen to Seijaku~ (DVD) (～終焉と静寂～)

[2002.03.01] Soyokaze (微風; Gentle Breeze)

[2003.03.19] Gackt Live Tour 2002 Kagen no Tsuki ~Seiya no Shirabe~ (下弦の月～聖夜の調べ～; Waning Moon ~Christmas Eve's Tone~)

[2003.08.06] Gekkou (月光; Moonlight)

[2003.09.18] Gackt Live Tour Jougen no Tsuki Saishuushou (上弦の月 最終章; Crescent Moon, Final Chapter)

[2004.09.15] Gackt Live Tour 2004 THE SIXTH DAY & SEVENTH NIGHT ~FINAL~

[2006.03.29] Gackt Live Tour 2005 12.24 DIABOLOS ~Aien no Shi to Seiya no Namida~ (～哀婉の詩と聖夜の涙～; A Sorrowful Poem and Tears on Christmas Eve)

[2006.08.23] Gackt THE GREATEST FILMOGRAPHY 1999-2006 ~RED~

[2006.08.23] Gackt THE GREATEST FILMOGRAPHY 1999-2006 ~BLUE~

[2007.07.04] GACKT TRAINING DAYS 2006 D.R.U.G. PARTY

[2010.03.31] GACKT VISUALIVE ARENA TOUR 2009 REQUIEM ET REMINISCENCE II FINAL ~Shinkon to Saisei~ (～鎮魂と再生～; Spirit Pacification and Regeneration)

[2011.02.02] YELLOW FRIED CHICKENz Kirameki Otokojuku -Danjo Konyoku Mizugi Matsuri-

Concerts

Arena concerts

2000: Mars Sora Kara no Homonsha (MARS 空からの訪問者)

2001: Requiem et Reminiscence

2002: Kagen no Tsuki (下弦の⽉)

2003: Jogen no Tsuki (上弦の⽉)

2004: The Sixth Day & Seventh Night

2005-2006: Diabolos ~Aien no Shi to Seiya no Namida~ (DIABOLOS 〜哀婉の詩と聖夜の涙〜)

2008-2009: Requiem et Reminiscence ~Saisei to Kaikou~(Requiem et Reminiscence Ⅱ　〜再生と邂逅〜)

Club Concerts

1999: Easter Live

1999: Shockwave Illusion Live

2000: Starlight Gig

2006-2007: Training Days D.r.u.g. Party

2010: Yellow Fried Chickenz

Supporting band

Gackt's live support band. Its current lineup is as follows:

Yukihiro "Chachamaru” Fujimura – backing vocals, lead guitar

You Kurosaki – violin, guitar

Hiroshi "Chirolyn" Watanabe - bass

Jun-ji - drums

Igao – keyboard

Support members/When needed

Ju-ken – bass

Nell - bass

Minami - drums

Jinsei Rikori - Tour instruments specialist and drums

Former members

Masa – rhythm guitar

Ren – bass

Toshi - drums

Ryu - drums