One of Yoshiki's fans will feel that very soon.
Yesterday ended the charity auction about the opportunity to sing a X Japan's song with Yoshiki on the piano. The winner in the auction will be able to makes his/her dream come true - to record a song and to sing it on live with the famous musician. The bidding price which ensures to the lucky one this incredible opportunity is $38,496.03. All of the sum will be endowed to the Make-a-Wish Foundation for Japan.
The winner will have to choose one song written by Yoshiki which is going to be recorded in a studio. If he/she doesn't want to sing the song may be performed with no vocals (piano only). The happy bidder will also be able to gift that experience to his/her friend, because the sponsors give the right to the winner to bring a guest. The performers are responsible for their transport and stay.
Time and place will be settled after coordinating with Yoshiki and the winner's schedule.
But one thing is sure. In the next one year in Tokyo or LA, together with the lucky one who won a private dinner with Yoshiki there will be one more happy fan who will sing on the stage with his/her idol.

Congratulations!

Picture: Aiko Kobayashi

YOSHIKI LEADS JAPAN RELIEF EFFORT WITH YAHOO! JAPAN IN CELEBRITY AUCTION FEATURING ITEMS FROM ROB PATTINSON, JAMES FRANCO, REESE WITHERSPOON, STAN LEE, ANTHONY KIEDIS, MARILYN MANSON AND MORE



X Japan Founder to Auction Famed "Crystal" Piano
Bidding for "Crystal" Piano Begins
April 17, 2011 (in Japan) / April 16, 2011 (in USA)

April 11, 2011, Los Angeles, CA‹Japanese music and fashion icon Yoshiki, is spearheading the Japan Relief Fundraising Auction (JRFA), a major celebrity auction to benefit the survivors of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The JRFA is in conjunction with Yahoo! Japan, and is the company's first worldwide auction. Yahoo! Japan will have an internationally accessible web page with translations in English, Korean, Chinese and also, through j-Grab, Russian, Italian and French.

The Foundation has also reached out to celebrities to donate auction items. To date, the Foundation has received items from Marilyn Manson, Anthony Kiedis, Stan Lee, and through some members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, donations from Rob Pattinson, James Franco and Reese Witherspoon, and others. In addition, Yoshiki, leader of X Japan, the multi-platinum Japanese rock band, is donating his beloved "crystal" piano, a see-through Plexiglas Kawai grand. The JRFA for Yoshiki's "crystal" piano runs in Japan from April 17, 2011 until April 24 through Yahoo! Japan in conjunction with Yoshiki Foundation America Japanese Relief Fundraising Auction or through the Yoshiki Foundation America Auction Page. Additional celebrity auction items will be added each week.

Yoshiki, who now lives in Los Angeles, was in Tokyo recording a new X Japan album when the recent 9.0 earthquake struck. The quake and resulting tsunami have killed over 12,000 people, injured and displaced tens of thousands more, damaged nuclear power plants and destroyed homes, marine life and critical infrastructure. After witnessing the devastation first-hand, Yoshiki decided to devote himself to the relief effort. Since then he has taken an active role in reaching out to celebrities, dignitaries and the media who can help make a difference. Yoshiki is also partnering with other organizations involved in Japan's recovery.

"The situation in northeastern Japan is desperate and the need is tremendous," said Yoshiki. "Not only have thousands lost their loved ones, homes and jobs, but entire neighborhoods and towns have been swept away. More recently, thousands more have had to evacuate their homes because of radiation from damaged power plants. We can't turn our backs at such a desperate time."

In addition to the auction, Yoshiki Foundation America has been actively soliciting contributions through its website. The organization has also partnered with The Japan America Society of Southern California, which recently announced it had raised a million dollars for earthquake and tsunami relief.

The JRFA, organized by the Yoshiki Foundation America in association with Yahoo! Japan, will benefit the Japanese Red Cross Society's earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.

History of Yoshiki Foundation America
Yoshiki Foundation America is a California non-profit, public benefit, 501(c) Corporation founded in 2010 by Japanese musician Yoshiki of the multi-million-selling rock band X Japan. A number of personal experiences brought Yoshiki to the launch of his foundation beginning with the loss of his own father when he was just a teenager. Like so many people around the world, he read news accounts and was deeply moved by the devastating effects of the 1995 earthquake in Kobe; in 2009, he paid an emotional visit to an orphanage in Sichuan, still reeling in its recovery, with so many children still displaced and orphaned. Additionally, and as a tribute to Yoshiki's late X Japan band mate Hide, who embraced the support of children with bone marrow disease, the Yoshiki Foundation provides funds to offer assistance through music to children with this debilitating illness. The Foundation, which has supported such causes as St. Vincent's Meals on Wheels, Make-a-Wish Foundation and the Grammy Foundation will, for the foreseeable future, be 100% dedicated to assisting in the relief efforts of Japan.

Credits: yoshikinet

Yoshiki, drummer, pianist and songwriter for legendary Japanese hard rock band X Japan, is auctioning his "crystal" plexi-glass piano, according to a recent press release. The reason? He's raising funds for earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan.

L.A.-based Yoshiki was in Japan at the time of earthquake, where the band had been at work on what will be their first full-length album to be released in the U.S. They have already released five studio albums. Just days before a 9.0 earthquake hit northeastern Japan, Yoshiki hosted the Asia Girls Explosion fashion event in Tokyo.

In the statement, Yoshiki said, "It took awhile to locate my mother, but she is, thankfully, OK," adding that his X Japan bandmates-- Toshi (vocals), Pata (guitar), Sugizo (guitar, violin, also of the band Luna Sea) and Heath (bass)-- are alright.

"I am praying for the people here who are still trying to locate their family and friends," he said in the statement.

As for the piano, it's something easily recognizable to X Japan fans. It's called the "Yoshiki Signature Piano by Kawai," a custom piece with the musician's name engraved on it, which you can see in the photo.
Yoshiki will also be fundraising through Yoshiki Foundation America. The charity launched last year with an event at Club Nokia.
Though the band has been together for over twenty years, it was only in 2010 that they began courting their U.S. audience, first with a string of music video shoots in January and continuing with a high-profile appearance at Lollapalooza, followed by a fall tour. X Japan's first U.S. single, "Jade," was set for release today. According to the statement, it has been postponed due to the situation in Japan.
Marilyn Manson appeared at the opening party for Vivienne Westwood's Melrose Avenue shop where he said that he will be working with X Japan founder Yoshiki on a forthcoming project to benefit earthquake/tsunami relief in Japan. "He's a good friend of mine," said Manson in the red carpet Q/A of the famed drummer.
"I am also working with him on helping out with the benefit for Japan," he said, "only because I like their clothes. I got these glasses from Japan."
He added, "My fashion and charity ties together in that I'm very selfish."
Several weeks ago, Manson appeared at Yoshiki' s Asia Girls Explosion event in Tokyo. "I just narrowly missed the tsunami by one day," said Manson.

Credits: LAWeekly, LAWeekly