Kyo (musician)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Kyo

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Img_capt = Kyo at Rock im Park in 2006
Img_size =
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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1976|2|16
Kyoto, Honshū, Japan
Died =
Origin =
Instrument = Vocals
Genre = Metal, rock
Occupation = Singer, songwriter, producer, poet
Years_active =
Associated_acts = Dir en grey, La:Sadie's
URL =

nihongo|Kyo|京|Kyō (born February 16, 1976) is a Japanese musician known as the vocalist of Dir en grey. He has been with the band since its inception in 1997 and was previously the frontman of La:Sadie's.Fact|date=May 2008 His birth name is a topic of controversy amongst both fans and critics alike. He signs his poetry volumes "西村 亨" ("Tooru Nishimura"), though other sources instead claim his family name to be Niimura.

While he has only composed a handful of Dir en grey's songs (for example, "The Domestic Fucker Family" and "Hades"), Kyo is responsible for all the lyrics, which usually have negative implications and touch on a variety of dark, sometimes taboo, subjects, such as sexual obsessions ("Zomboid"), abuse ("Berry"), and mass media ("Mr. Newsman"). Several songs deal with specifically Japanese issues, such as the country's casual attitude towards abortion ("Mazohyst of Decadence" and "Obscure") and its conformity-oriented society ("Children").

The vocabulary used ranges from vulgar to exalted, with wordplay and double entendres occurring frequently, often connected to the multiple meanings of certain kanji characters. For example, the title of the song "Tsumi to Batsu" (which is about rape) reads as "Crime and Punishment" but when the kanji are turned backwards the title reads "Mitsu to Tsuba" which means "Honey and Saliva." cite web
last = Stewart
first = Brian
coauthors = Sakuma, Takako
title = Lyrics translations with notes
work = centigrade-j.com
url = http://web.archive.org/web/20070324061146/www.centigrade-j.com/translations/direngrey.htm
accessdate = 2007-08-07]

His stage presence has reached a level of infamy, as it is not only very energetic and emotional, but also littered with shock elements such as full-body makeup resembling heavy burns, fake vomit of varying color and consistency, and various acts of self-mutilation. However, the authenticity of the latter is not always clear, given how frequent certain practices occur, sometimes firmly in place within a tour's usual setlist. For example, Kyo would regularly engage in fish-hooking during the performance of "Kodoku ni Shisu, Yueni Kodoku." throughout the It Withers and Withers and Inward Scream tours.
"Tour 05 It Withers and Withers", "Tour 05 It Withers and Withers -Bootlegged-", "Despair in the Womb"] Throughout his career, Kyo has been hospitalized multiple times, once in 2000, due to hearing problems (remaining partially deaf in his left earFact|date=May 2008) and again in 2006 with inflamed vocal cords.cite web
title = "Dir en grey Singer Hospitalized; Japanese Dates Canceled"
work = blabbermouth.net
date = 2006-07-24
url = http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=55526
accessdate = 2007-08-07

]

Bibliography

Kyo has released two volumes of poetry, published through Media Factory. Both books are accompanied by short bonus CDs, containing the only solo music he has released as of 2008.

References