Announced in November 2022, The Last Rockstars is a group of four Japanese megastars who just made their U.S. debut. The group played two shows in New York City, and with a third upcoming show in Hollywood this Friday, it seems like an excellent time to discuss the four musicians who make up the group and share some of their previous work outside of The Last Rockstars.

YOSHIKI

A member of Japanese rock group X JAPAN and an accomplished solo artist, YOSHIKI is the leader, drummer, and pianist of The Last Rockstars. As a member of X JAPAN, he is credited with starting the Visual Kei movement. His accomplishments include composing music for the soundtracks to SAW IV, Repo! The Genetic Opera, Goemon, and Attack On Titan; composing the theme for The 69th Golden Globe Awards; and composing and performing at the request of the Japanese government for a celebration to honor the tenth anniversary of Emperor Akihito’s enthronement. He appears on lists of great composers frequently, so it’s no surprise that he’s the leader of The Last Rockstars. 

HYDE

A member of the groups L'Arc-en-Ciel and VAMPS as well as an accomplished soloist, HYDE is the lead singer for The Last Rockstars. He rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of L’Arc-en-Ciel, with the group becoming the first Japanese group to perform at Madison Square Garden in 2012. He began his solo career in 2001 and, seven years later, teamed up with guitarist K.A.Z. to form the duo group VAMPS. He’s released many number one singles, and many of his albums have reached the top five on the Oricon charts. As the lead singer of VAMPS and during his time as a solo artist, HYDE has collaborated with Chris Motionless from Motionless In White, Apocalyptica, and Starset. 

SUGIZO

Most notably a member of the group Luna Sea, SUGIZO is the guitarist and violinist for The Last Rockstars. Much like X JAPAN, Luna Sea is credited as one of the most successful and influential acts in the Visual Kei movement, so it’s no surprise that SUGIZO later joined X JAPAN in 2009 after they returned. He’s also a member of the international act Juno Reactor and the short lived Japanese supergroup S.K.I.N. (which also featured Gackt, MIYAVI, and YOSHIKI). On top of being known for experimenting with many genres of music, SUGIZO is also notably anti-war, anti-nuclear, and an environmental activist.

MIYAVI

The youngest member of The Last Rockstars, MIYAVI is the guitarist for the group. Compared to his current bandmates, he may be the most well-known Japanese musician of this day and age due to his collaborations with artists in other realms of music (Kang Daniel, Kimbra, and Gallant to name a few), as well as his successful acting career (Kate, Hell Dogs, Arcane). Known as "The Samurai Guitarist," MIYAVI has been a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees volunteer since 2013 and was appointed an official Goodwill Ambassador in 2017.

Edited by Cara Musashi