SIAM SHADE was one of the most popular visual-kei bands of the 1990s, and although they sadly disbanded in 2002, they have returned four times since then for limited periods of time. Their most popular song, “1/3 Pure Emotion,” is still a standard number that is performed in a variety of settings. However, in August, a member of the popular band filed a lawsuit against the remaining four members, demanding an injunction to stop them from performing a total of 38 songs and from performing under the name “SIAM SHADE. What in the world is going on? Member DAITA, who is a plaintiff in the lawsuit, gave an interview and revealed the reason for the lawsuit. [ View photos] DAITA, the guitarist who filed the lawsuit [Part 1 of 2] ***
Betrayal to fans
On August 27, a complaint stating the following was filed with the Tokyo District Court: “The defendants are prohibited from using the music listed in the attached Exhibit,” and “The defendants are prohibited from performing or performing under the name of SIAM SHADE. The plaintiff is DAITA, a member of SIAM SHADE, and the defendants are the remaining four members, NATCHIN, Eiki, KAZUMA, and Junji. The songs sought to be suspended include a total of 38 songs composed and arranged by DAITA, including “1/3 Pure Emotion”. SIAM SHADE is a visual rock band formed in 1993 and debuted in 1995. 1997 saw the release of “1/3 Pure Emotion,” the ending theme song for the anime “Rurouni Kenshin,” which became an 800,000-seller. The band broke up in 2002, but later revived for a limited period of time four times between 2007 and 2016, holding tours and other events. Since the breakup, the members have continued their solo music careers, but more than 20 years after the breakup, why are they still divided into 1:4 and fighting? I feel a strong sense of crisis about the current activities of the four members, for the sake of the fans, the band SIAM SHADE, and my own honor,” said DAITA, the plaintiff and guitarist in the band. They are now adding members other than myself to the band and performing live in a way that fans may misinterpret as SIAM SHADE activities. This move will continue in the future. If this happens, it would be a betrayal to the fans and would definitely infringe on my rights.” Behind the lawsuit is a long-running feud between the two parties. The following is a detailed account of it, based on interviews with DAITA and documents.