Yoshiki, renowned composer and drummer of X Japan, has paid tribute to the late David Lynch, who passed away at the age of 78 on January 15th. The celebrated director, known for Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet, was an irreplaceable force in the world of cinema, music, and visual art.
Lynch’s creative vision extended beyond film into music and design, releasing experimental albums and directing music videos for artists like Moby, Nine Inch Nails, and Interpol. Among these rare forays into music videos was his collaboration with X Japan, one of Japan’s most influential rock bands. Their partnership resulted in a one of a kind intersection of avant-garde American filmmaking and Japanese music.
A Vision Beyond the Ordinary
With the creation of X Japan’s 1995 single ‘Longing’, Yoshiki sought to create visuals that would reflect the song’s emotional weight. Describing it as “a cry of loneliness”, the ballad’s themes of love and yearning demanded more than a standard music video. Drawing inspiration from cinema, Yoshiki turned to David Lynch, whose surreal and evocative imagery made him the ideal collaborator.
In a 1996 interview with FOOL’S MATE, Yoshiki reflected on how the emotional weight of ‘Longing’ inspired him to seek out Lynch:
“I couldn’t make just an ordinary music video for this song. The song itself carried such weight and emotion—it had to be matched by the scale of the visuals. I started thinking, ‘Who could turn this into a visual masterpiece?’ And then, it hit me—the scene from one of my favorite movies: Blue Velvet. That’s when I said, ‘What if David Lynch could direct this?’”
Yoshiki reached out to Lynch in 1993, sharing early concepts for the project. In his 2018 book Room to Dream: A Life in Art, Lynch recalled his initial hesitation:
“They sent one piece of music over that was basically just talking with some kind of music in the background, like a poem. I said, ‘I don’t have any ideas,’ and turned it down. Then they called back in a giant panic and said, ‘We’ve already announced it!’”
Despite his reservations, Lynch agreed to collaborate, though not without some initial skepticism about Yoshiki’s commitment. Yoshiki shared:
“I heard later that Lynch actually asked some of his contacts in Japan about me—my reputation, what I was like—because he was wondering, ‘Will this guy really show up on the day of the shoot?’ (laughs) I think he was skeptical for a while, like, ‘Is YOSHIKI really going to do this?’”
The collaboration took shape quickly, as Yoshiki described:
“It all came together in just ten days—pretty wild, huh? At first, we were just going to meet to talk about the video, but scheduling was a nightmare. Despite all that, Lynch came to my studio in Los Angeles, bringing his storyboards for ‘Longing~Setsubou no Yoru~’. That’s when he said, ‘Why don’t we start by shooting the commercial?’”
A Commercial and a Music Video
The first product of their collaboration was a minimalist commercial for ‘Longing ~Togireta Melody~’, shot at Point Dume, Malibu, in August 1995. The stark ad featured Yoshiki, bare naked, embracing a woman against a golden-hued beach backdrop, drawing significant attention upon its release. Reflecting on Lynch’s approach, Yoshiki later described him as “such a gentleman”, adding:
“After the commercial shoot, I got to sit with him in the editing room. And in that setting, he was just like me when I’m in the middle of recording—completely focused and meticulous.”
When the single hit store shelves in December that year, it topped the Oricon charts and became certified Platinum, selling over 470,000 copies. The track also went on to feature in the band’s 1996 album ‘Dahlia’, their final album before their breakup the following year.
Later that year, Lynch directed a music video for ‘Longing ~Setsubou no Yoru~ (The Poem)’, the third track on the second, more sombre and symphony led, version of the single. The video, filmed over two days in September 1995, featured Yoshiki reciting the song’s lyrics as spoken poetry. Filmed in a Los Angeles studio and at Coyote Dry Lake, it showcased Lynch’s signature surrealist style, including towering columns of flames, billowing smoke, and haunting lighting contrasts.
Lynch recounted a serendipitous moment during the desert shoot:
“We were out there in the dry lakebeds with these lawnmower smokers that put out tremendous billowing clouds of white smoke, but it was windy and all the smoke was blowing out into the desert. So we decided to work on something else, a rain thing or something, and all of a sudden—it was one of the most incredible things—all the smoke that had blown away came rolling back in like a wall. Some of the frames are so fuckin’ beautiful you can’t believe it.”
A Clash of Creative Visions
Despite the well-received outcome, the video went unreleased—likely due to creative differences. In his book, Lynch reflected on the challenges during production and ultimately leaving the project in Yoshiki’s hands:
“There were a lot of cool things in that video, but it all sort of fell apart and I don’t know if Yoshiki ever used it. He wanted the video to end with him sitting at a Victorian desk, writing with a feather quill in his hand and a bottle of ink on the desk, but I thought, That’s not going to go with this desert scene, so I didn’t shoot it. He hired me and wanted me to come up with an idea, but it’s still his video, so I gave him all the footage I shot, and that was the end of it.”
Yoshiki, however, stood by his vision, noting in FOOL’S MATE:
“This isn’t your typical promotional video. It’s only about five minutes of footage, but for me, it’s not just background music. It’s part of a bigger artistic movement—my vision for what’s next. When it comes to creating something good, I’m the kind of person who gives everything I have.”
The video eventually surfaced unofficially online in 2014 but has remained obscure, even among X Japan’s global fanbase.
Unearthed Legacy
Behind-the-scenes footage from the shoots were later uncovered during the making of We Are X, the 2016 X Japan documentary. Director Stephen Kijak described the discovery as a fortunate accident, stating in a 2016 interview with Newsweek:
“It wasn’t listed on the log. I was just randomly going through tapes one day being like, ‘What’s on here?’ And I just put it in and there he was, on a megaphone, shouting at Yoshiki on a desert with fire. And he’s nude. Like, what is this?”
Remembering Lynch
On January 17th, Yoshiki shared a heartfelt message on his social media alongside a behind-the-scenes video of him and David Lynch on the music video shoot for ‘Longing ~Setsubou no Yoru~ (The Poem)’, writing:
“I am very saddened to hear that David Lynch, the film director I respected and worked with, has passed away. I’ll always remember your extraordinary vision and kindness. RIP David.”
David Lynch’s visionary approach left a lasting impact across creative disciplines. His collaboration with Yoshiki showcased his fearless exploration of uncharted artistic territories.
X JAPAN
DAHLIA
Release Date: 04/11/1996
Label: Atlantic
Stream: Spotify | Apple Music
CD: CDJapan
