Hide 1964 - 1998

Hideto Matsumoto, December 13th, 1964 – May 2nd, 1998, known as hide. He was a popular Japanese musician. He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan from 1987 to 1997. He was also a successful solo artist and founder of the U.S.A’s band Zilch.

Hide was born in St. Joseph's Hospital in Midorigaok, and went on to attend Yokosuka Tokiwa Junior High School, he was nearly in the musical scene when he has 15 his grandmother bought him his first electric guitar, a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe. After this, he leaves the school and concentrated on guitar, then in 1981 formed the band Saber Tiger. A year after their founding, they started playing shows at live houses in Yokosuka. Also, in April 1983 he started attending cosmetology and fashion school at the Hollywood Beauty Salon and he was graduated in 1984. Finally, the group was disbanded in January 28th, 1987 because its members changed much, at the end of his band Hide worked as hairdresser to earn the life. Moreover one day he was phoned by Yoshiki, a drummer of famous Japanese band X japan who proposed will be the lead guitarist for the band.

However, the band reached the peak of his musical career until the group disbanded in 1997 after Toshi, the singer, decided leaves the group. Notwithstanding, Hide was the last member to join, each time had a more prominent role within the group, getting to write many of the great songs of X japan such as Scars, Love Replica, etc.
After a night out drinking, he was found dead with a towel tied in his neck. Then, local authorities officially said hide's death a suicide, and this verdict was reported in the media. Although it’s possible that he had suicide due to emotional problems. However, there are many rumors about his death, like his famous song Misery is a two-way message in which he talks about his misery, or that their latest single, Pink Spider, was actually a suicide note.

After that, Yoshiki announced to be in talks with several musicians to make a hide tribute concert set for 2008.The "hide memorial summit" was held on May 3rd and 4th, 2008 at Ajinomoto Stadium, where X Japan, Dir en grey, D'espairsRay, Versailles and many others performed, bands such as Luna Sea and Phantasmagoria even reunited for one day to perform. Hide with Spread Beaver also performed, using studio and live recordings for hide's vocals. There are still tribute shows every year, where bands perform on hide's birthday and on the anniversary of his passing.