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Közi (born May 29, 1972) is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and DJ. He is best known as one of the guitarists for the 1990s
visual kei , abbreviated , is a category of Japanese musicians that have a strong focus on extravagant stage costumes that originated in Japan during the early 1980s. Koji Dejima of '' Bounce'' wrote that visual kei is not a specific sound, but rather it " ...
rock band
Malice Mizer Malice Mizer (stylized as MALICE MIZER) was a Japanese visual kei Rock music, rock band active from 1992 to 2001. The band was notable for their music and their live shows, featuring lavish historical costumes and stage sets, with short silent ...
. After they went on indefinite hiatus in 2001, he formed the
industrial rock Industrial rock is a fusion genre that fuses industrial music and rock music. It initially originated in the 1970s, and drew influence from early experimental and industrial acts such as Throbbing Gristle, Einstürzende Neubauten and Chrom ...
duo Eve of Destiny and also started a solo career. Közi is currently in the bands XA-VAT, ZIZ and Vamquet, while occasionally performing solo shows. During his time in Malice Mizer, Közi often assumed the role of a
pierrot Pierrot ( , ; ), a stock character of pantomime and commedia dell'arte, has his origins in the late 17th-century Italian troupe of players performing in Paris and known as the Comédie-Italienne. The name is a hypocorism, diminutive of ''Pierr ...
doll, dressing in clown-like costumes with large ruffs, always in shades of red, his favorite color. In music videos and on-stage he would often make movements reminiscent of a
marionette A marionette ( ; ) is a puppet controlled from above using wires or strings depending on regional variations. A marionette's puppeteer is called a marionettist. Marionettes are operated with the puppeteer hidden or revealed to an audience by ...
. Közi has continued this visual style to some extent, but his contemporary stage costumes are more gothic. His work on the ''Izayoi no Tsuki'' project was reminiscent of carnival music, and artwork for his projects usually follow a dramatic, theatrical theme. Very few details about his private life are known.


Biography


Early life

Közi first learned to play bass guitar because everyone else had wanted to play guitar. But after seeing guitarist Seiji Watanabe play songs by Los Angeles heavy metal bands like
Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Hollywood, California, in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, with guitarist Mick Mars and lead vocalist Vince Neil joining right after. The band has sol ...
and
Ratt Ratt (stylized as RATT) was an American glam metal band that had significant commercial success in the 1980s, with their albums having been certified as gold, platinum and multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, RIAA. ...
, he began dabbling in guitar and wanted to form his own band. He performed bass, and occasionally vocals due to revolving lineups, in many cover bands around his hometown in Niigata. He started playing guitar when he moved to Tokyo at eighteen years of age.


Career

Közi's career began in 1989 at 17 years old in the underground band Beyond the Rein Sight, and, later, as a member of Girl. Information about both of these bands, however, is very scarce. In late 1991, he joined with
Mana Mana may refer to: Religion and mythology * Mana (Oceanian cultures), the spiritual life force energy or healing power that permeates the universe in Melanesian and Polynesian mythology * Mana (food), archaic name for manna, an edible substance m ...
and released two demo tapes. Közi and Mana left Matenrou after deciding they both had similar ideas about creating music, they formed
Malice Mizer Malice Mizer (stylized as MALICE MIZER) was a Japanese visual kei Rock music, rock band active from 1992 to 2001. The band was notable for their music and their live shows, featuring lavish historical costumes and stage sets, with short silent ...
in 1992. After Malice Mizer disbanded in 2001, Közi joined Haruhiko Ash (from The Zolge) and created Eve of Destiny, an
industrial rock Industrial rock is a fusion genre that fuses industrial music and rock music. It initially originated in the 1970s, and drew influence from early experimental and industrial acts such as Throbbing Gristle, Einstürzende Neubauten and Chrom ...
band that toured outside Japan several times. In 2002, Közi collaborated with Japanese author Minako, to provide the soundtrack to her book, ''Izayoi no Tsuki''. He then performed a special singing event, which cemented the fact that he was following a solo career. Közi's first solo release was the two-disc, double-single package, "Khaos/Kinema", released on November 1, 2003. On March 11, 2004, he released his debut album, ''Catharsis''. Közi's second single, "Memento", was released on December 1, 2004. The song is dedicated to deceased Malice Mizer drummer
Kami are the Deity, deities, Divinity, divinities, Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forc ...
and was written by Malice Mizer bassist Yu~ki. On May 17, 2006, Közi released his second album, ''Loki N' Roll''. Former
Deadman Deadman or Deadman's may refer to: * "Deadman" or "dead man", are alternative terms for a dead man's switch * "Deadman's foot" is another name for a Salamander (metallurgy), Salamander in metallurgy * "Deadman anchor" is a buried object (log, con ...
frontman Mako released a photo book called ''Buried Alive by Words'' on May 29, 2008, which came with a CD of a song called "Buried with the Light" that features Közi on guitar and bass. On September 22, 2008, Közi joined the punk rock band Dalle, which consisted of Satoshi on vocals, Atsushi Hatta (Deep) on bass, Fuchi on drums and of course Közi on guitar. The band played its first live on October 18 at Shinjuku Marz during the Tokyo Dark Castle ~ Halloween Special event, which also featured Auto-Mod and
Aural Vampire is a Japanese group (formerly duo) led by EXO-CHIKA (vocals/lyrics) and RAVEMAN (music) from Tokyo, Japan. History EXO-CHIKA and RAVEMAN met at high school, where they experimented with writing songs. They recorded several tapes together, ...
. However, due to a five year hiatus and member changes, they did not have their first release until 2015. As of 2017, the group consisted of Közi, Atsushi, vocalist Ryo (Hollowgram) and Rieu on keyboards. Following numerous singles, Dalle released their first album, ''Ambivalence to Violenta'', at the end of 2017. Közi left Dalle after a concert on June 4, 2022. On December 27, 2008, Közi played on stage with, his former Malice Mizer bandmate Mana's solo project, Moi dix Mois for a session gig at their Dis Inferno Vol.VI ~Last Year Party~ event. In 2009 he went on a short coupling tour with Moi dix Mois called Deep Sanctuary, on July 17 in
Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
and the 19th in
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
. A year later in July 2010, Közi went on another tour with Moi dix Mois, titled Deep Sanctuary II. This tour had six shows, but the gig at Akasaka Blitz on the 17th was special, as Malice Mizer bassist Yu~ki, was a special guest. This was the first time in nine years that the three remaining original members played together. The trio have performed together at the event several times since. Around June 2010, Közi started to perform with a band called My Horror Revue. He also formed the band , with Shuji Ishii ( Cali Gari, Goatbed) on vocals, Takao Koma (Goatbed) on drums, Sadie Pink Galaxy ( on rhythm guitar and Közi on lead guitar. They held their first performance on November 16, 2010 and released their first self-titled single on December 2. They released their debut album ''Tsuya°C'' on March 26, 2011 in two limited editions, one with a live DVD, the other with a remix CD, and a regular edition. Following a hiatus that began in 2013, XA-VAT resumed activities in 2018 and released the mini-album ''K-I-S''. Közi performed in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
at Porte de Versailles on April 9 and 10, 2011, with guest Miyu from Royal Cabaret. He planned to go to
Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
with The Candy Spooky Theater and Velvet Eden for a Halloween concert, however, it was moved and took place in Japan. In 2012 he formed the band , composed of his backing band from his solo career; with himself as vocalist and guitarist, bassist Sugiya ( Moi dix Mois), guitarist Jiro (Bioactive), keyboardist Yugami (Yugami Hakase) and drummer Chargeeeeee... (Omega Dripp). Their first album, ''Gift'', was released on May 29 and a collaborative EP with Ken Morioka followed on December 28. ZIZ released their second album, ''Neighboring Chaosmos'', on December 12, 2014. In 2016, he formed the trio Vamquet with Sadie Pink Galaxy and Kai (Art Marju Duchain). They released their first album on November 23.


Discography

Albums * * * ''Loki N' Roll'' (May 17, 2006) Singles * "Khaos/Kinema" (November 1, 2003) * "Memento" (December 1, 2004) DVD * ''Live Collage 2004~2006'' (May 29, 2007) With Malice Mizer * '' Malice Mizer discography'' With Eve of Destiny * ''Eve of Destiny discography'' With XA-VAT * "XA-VAT" (December 2, 2010),
Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that ...
Singles Chart Peak Position: #49 * , Oricon Albums Chart Peak Position: #71 * ''K-I-S'' (July 28, 2018) * With ZIZ * ''Gift'' (May 29, 2012) * "Omiyage" (July 21, 2012, limited release sold at Tour du Détester Final concert) – with Monica Urangrass and PlasticZooms * ''Salon du Détester'' (December 28, 2012, EP) – with Ken Morioka * ''Neighboring Chaosmos'' (December 12, 2014) * ''Jeez SO8 Dove Dope'' (May 29, 2016, EP) * * ''Liquid Stunt Flavor'' (August 25, 2018, EP) * ''WABIY ∞ SABIY'' (May 29, 2020) * (July 28, 2023) With Dalle * "Fences" (December 2, 2015) * "Asphalt" (February 25, 2016) * "Witch Craft Pictures" (May 6, 2016) * "Loyalty" (July 29, 2016) * "ICU" (October 18, 2016) * "Metaphor" (February 11, 2017) * "A All End Sex" (April 9, 2017) – split single with EX-ANS * * "Summer Sadness" (August 18, 2017) * * ''Ambivalence to Violenta'' (December 16, 2017) * "Not in Love" (February 23, 2018) * ''Destroyed to Discord, and the Reason'' (January 30, 2019) * ''Lola Zaza Crowley'' (March 26, 2021) * ''CLASSIX MMXV to MMXXII'' (May 29, 2022, compilation album) With Vamquet * ''Vamhaus'' (November 23, 2016) * "Eternal Shine" (March 23, 2018)


References


External links

*
Signature ESP guitars

Dalle official website

ZIZ official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kozi 1972 births Living people Malice Mizer members Visual kei musicians Japanese male singer-songwriters Japanese rock guitarists Japanese electronic musicians Unidentified musicians 20th-century Japanese guitarists 21st-century Japanese guitarists