Közi

Közi is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and DJ who plays guitar, piano, keyboards and synthesizer. He is best known as guitarist for the rock band Malice Mizer. After the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2001, he formed the industrial rock duo Eve of Destiny and also started a solo career. As of 2012, Közi is in the bands Dalle, My Horror Revue, XA-VAT and ZIZ, while occasionally working on his solo career.
During his time in Malice Mizer, Közi often assumed the role of a pierrot doll, dressing in clown-like costumes with large ruffs, always in shades of red, his favourite colour. In music videos and on-stage he would often make movements reminiscent of a marionette (string puppet). 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.

Közi's career began in the mid 1980s in the underground band Girl and, later, as a member of Beyond The Reinsight. Information about both of these bands, however, is very scarce. In 1991, he joined Matenrou (摩天楼, "Skyscraper") with Mana and released two demo tapes. Közi and Mana left Matenrou after deciding they both had similar ideas about creating music, they formed Malice Mizer in 1992. After Malice Mizer disbanded in 2001, Közi joined Haruhiko Ash (from The Zolge) and created Eve of Destiny, an industrial rock band that toured outside Japan several times.

In 2002, Közi collaborated with Japanese author Minako, to provide the soundtrack, Izayoi no Tsuki (十六夜の月), for her book of the same name. 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 and was written by Malice Mizer bassist Yu~ki. On May 17, 2006, Közi released his second album, Loki N' Roll.

On September 22, 2008, Közi joined the band Dalle, which consists of Satoshi on vocals, Atsushi 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, Aural Vampire, 13th Moon and Seileen, project of DJ SiSeN and Selia.

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 and the 19th in Tokyo.

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 9 years that the 3 remaining original members played together. They played "Saikai no Chi to Bara" and "Beast of Blood".

Around June 2010, Közi started to perform with a band called My Horror Revue.

Közi, also in 2010, formed the band XA-VAT (pronounced "Zabatto"), with Shuji Ishii (Cali≠gari, Goatbed) on vocals, Takao Koma (Goatbed) on drums, Sadie Pink Galaxy (Speecies) 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.

Közi performed in Paris, France at Porte de Versailles on April 9 and 10, 2011, with guest Miyu from Royal Cabaret. He planned to go to Moscow 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 ZIZ, 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).

Albums

• Izayoi no Tsuki (December 13, 2002, soundtrack)
• Catharsis (カタルシス, March 11, 2004)
• 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 Eve of Destiny

• Eve of Destiny discography

With Malice Mizer

• Malice Mizer discography

With XA-VAT

• "XA-VAT" (December 2, 2010), Oricon Singles Chart Peak Position: #49
• Endo °C (艶°C, March 16, 2011), Oricon Albums Chart Peak Position: #71

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) – with Ken Morioka
• "NEIGHBORING CHAOSMOS" (December 12, 2014)
• "JEEZSO8DOVEDOPE" (May 29, 2016)

• "XA-VATのシングル売り上げランキング". oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2012-07-02. 
• "XA-VATのアルバム売り上げランキング". oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2012-07-02.