I Spent a Week with Japan's Biggest Rock Star

NOTIFICATION SQUAD: 7 years ago when I first arrived in Japan, amidst my frustrating attempts to learn Japanese I started watching an anime series after I got home from work. It was a hilarious show called GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka), and at the start of each episode it kicked off with an iconic theme tune called "Drivers High" by the band L'arc en Ciel. If somebody had told me back then I'd be spending a week with the frontman, Hyde, all these years later, I would have laughed them out of my treacherously small apartment. This was easily one of the most surreal experiences in my time in Japan so far, I had an absolute blast meeting a rock legend who means so much to so many people - and of course, teaching him some swear words along the way. Best of all, it felt great to take Natsuki along for the ride as well. His shocked expression said more than words ever could! I hope you enjoy getting into the Christmas spirit watching his dream come true!

Chris looks like a dad that won a VIP ticket by accident

Thinking about how Natsuki got to meet HYDE because he decided to talk to a random foreigner years ago :')

People are commenting how Hyde has aged.. he’s 50, he’s allowed to look old.. I still think he looks great, so energetic and productive.. a whole new album (in english), new songs, a week long performances.. how many 50-year-old rockstar can achieve those?

One thing I've learned by reading LOTS of musician biographies is that many of these mega-famous music acts we see are actually extremely shy and introverted in their personal life, with their on-stage persona acting as a sort of release valve for all the things they're too shy to do in their normal life.

Chris, did you conduct a serious interview with an extremely famous musician while wearing....cargo shorts?

Hyde: What´s your name? I´m Natsuki Hyde: Nacchan Natsuki * dies *

This guy is incredible and I never heard of him before. All this energy and the guy is 53 !

"You've sure got a lot of merch on." I died.

Wow, hyde is literally the most popular singer in Japan I think and you met him!?!?!? I'm legit mind blown and this is just way beyond my expectation!!

Hyde is lucky to get to pose with an international celebrity like Natsuki

It's funny how Hyde says that no one knows him in America. I've known him, I've been a big fan of his, for a little over 20 years now. 💙

So loud on stage, yet so extremely soft spoken in person.

Hyde, 50 years old: climbing speakers, baseball batting bottles Me, 30: struggling to get out of bed everyday

And u didn't asked him the secret of immortality...

HYDE 様！５０歳にしてもホンマに顔が変わらないよね🥰1991年ラルクアンシエル活動開始からずっとファンで、話す声を聴くだけでドキドキします。これからも応援するから、頑張って下さい！

Just watched this video 2/10/2023 - a week after The Last Rockstars (Yoshiki, Hyde, Sugizo, Miyavi)'s show in NYC! Amazing show!!! So jealous of you spent a whole week with Hyde! He's such a kind person! also I want to show you - he has 2 Tshirt sells at the concert - both has "R U FXXKIN READY?!" on it hahahaha, so it was YOU gave him the idea! and he used it! such a fun story! :)

Chris meets a real life rockstar in the flesh, and the first thing he does is talk about how much he loves fried chicken? Gotta hand it to him, the man's got his priorities straight.

Hyde’s makeup artist is insanely good. Makes him look like he’s still in his 20s when he performs.

dude i've been listening to l'arc~en~ciel lately, im so hooked with their music, i never realized they are japan's biggest rockband from 1991, i wish i knew earlier, now I really wish I could go to their concert in the future when I visit japan