2007: Formation|In March 2007, Versailles was formed by Kamijo (ex- LAREINE), Hizaki (ex- SULFURIC ACID), and Jasmine You (Yuu, ex- Jakura). Later, Teru (ex- Aikaryu) and Yuki (ex- Sugar Trip), who were recommended by the Rock May Kan venue in Tokyo joined the band. Kamijo and Hizaki created the concept of Versailles in the autumn of 2006 and spent six months gathering members to express it. Their band concept is “the absolute youshikibi (beauty of form) sound and extremes of aestheticism”. In March 2007 the details of the band were announced. They released promotional material through the Internet, set up an English language page on MySpace, and had several interviews with foreign press. Versailles made their first appearance with a showcase on June 23, followed by their first performance on June 24. On these dates they also distributed their first single and DVD single, ‘The Revenant Choir’. The band signed a contract with the German CLJ Records label and released its first album, ‘Lyrical Sympathy’ on October 31, both in Japan and Europe.[1] Their song “The Love From A Dead Orchestra” also appears on a compilation album released by Sony BMG in Germany on November 9, called ‘Tokyo Rock City’. 2008: Noble|In 2008, Versailles made their first appearances in Europe and United States. In March and April, the band performed cooperatively with Matenrou Opera across Europe. Versailles was later invited by Tainted Reality to perform shows on May 30 at Project A-Kon in Dallas, Texas and on June 3 at the Knitting Factory in Los Angeles, California as their American debut. The Project A-Kon concert pulled in more than 3,000 people and the latter sold out completely. On July 9, 2008, Versailles digitally released their first full album, ‘Noble’, exclusively on international iTunes Music Stores. This was followed by its general Japanese CD release on July 16 and its international CD release on July 30. Versailles’ Japanese record label announced on August 19, 2008 that they received notice of a musician in the United States already using the name “Versailles”] The Japanese band was compelled to create a new promotional name in order to proceed with their plans to tour in the United States again, so they called upon their fans to send in ideas. On September 14, 2008 the band announced on their website that their new name for the US was to be “Versailles -Philharmonic Quintet-“, whilst keeping their original name in Japan and countries other than America. “Prince” is the title of their first single released under the new name and it was available as a free digital download. 2009: Going Major|Kamijo announced at the December 23rd C.C.Lemon Hall oneman that Versailles would be going major in June 2009, both in Japan and internationally on Warner Music Japan. Their major debut single, “Ascendead Master”, was released on June 24, 2009. Versailles played their last nationwide tour as an independent band through March 26 to May 9, entitled “The Fragment Collectors”. Further events such as the “Anthology of Revolution” marked their final concerts, finishing with five consecutive nights at Meguro Rock May Kan. Their final independent live took place on June 21, 2009. Versailles announced that they would not be performing any more lives or releasing new content until their next untitled album. This was due to be released on September 16, 2009 under two flavours: a vanilla CD and a limited edition CD+DVD combo in a tri-fold digipak case with a special booklet. The Passing of Jasmine You|On August 3, it was announced that Jasmine You would temporarily suspend all musical activities due to unknown circumstances regarding his health and to recover. It had been announced that Versailles’ new album was in the final stages of production and the bass tracks were being recorded. In the early hours of August 9 2009, it was reported on the official site that Jasmine You had passed away. The translated announcement reads as follows: 2009.8.9 「Versailles」 Urgent Announcement: Though Jasmine You had taken time off in order to rest because of poor physical condition, we received a report that early in the morning on August 9, he died. Because of the extreme abruptness of this news, the members and staff are all dumbfounded and trying hard to accept this it. As soon as his family has been notified and updated as to the details and we receive their permission, we will further report to all of the fans. Moreover, with the current announcement, in regards to activity, please allow us to postpone it. Present|After a cancelled performance, Versailles performed at V-Rock Festival ‘09 on the 25 October. You of Matenrou Opera played as their support bassist. It was also announced that their upcoming album entitled “Jubilee” will be released on 20 January 2010. It is now in stores. The album contains 12 tracks. This is their first major international album release. They have also announced an upcoming world tour starting 28th Feb 2010 in Yokohama. No finishing date announced yet, however they have announced dates for Latin America and Europe bringing them up to the end of July. There also are other bands with the name Versailles: 2) A U.S. female-fronted gothic band. 3) Versailles is (Dianna Marie St.Hilaire) singer songwriter and piano player. Versailles grew up in Albuquerque,NM. Versailles started to show interest in music at age 2. She began to write stories by age 5 and play the piano by age 8. When she was 8 she got her first Casio keyboard and wrote her first song. She also at this time taught herself how to read music. She took a great interest in artists like Madonna, Love and Rockets, and Depeche Mode, also classical artists such as Bach and Mozart. She studied music for the next several years both singing and playing piano. Versailles father was not a big music connoisseur so sometimes playing at home was a bit tough for her. Due to a lack of interest on a personal level from her family in her writing attempts she eventually abandoned the whole idea of writing all together but continued to sing in school choirs and play in friend’s bands. Versailles at age 18 left home and the great desire of writing came back to her. She bought an old electric guitar off of a friend and began to write again. Not being familiar with the guitar this was an experiment. She wrote a 10 song album later to be titled “Live Your Life”. This was an album of the freedom from the struggle of dealing with the depression and hopelessness, felt by a teenager living in an oppressive environment, where creativity in music was not appreciated. In 2001 Versailles was featured in a movie by Master P “Lockdown”. It was her first real part in a movie which later gave her a SAG card. With the desire to do more she moved to Los Angeles. Versailles finally came out with her first full length album shortly after moving to Los Angeles “Live Your Life” 2003 produced by Mike White and Versailles. This album featured songs like “Little Dead Kitten”, “Fallen Angel”, and “Live Your Life”. Versailles continued to work on a single shortly after that also in 2003 called “Kiss” a limited edition single not currently available. In 2004 Versailles embarked on a new journey after playing the 2003 LA Music Awards Versailles met a drummer named Rod Arias, and a guitar player named Andy Bettis. The three of them merged together to create Versailles the Band. Versailles put out her first EP and music video titled “Believe”2005 produced by Versailles, George Kerhulas, and Randy Hill, which gathered a great deal of attention from all over the world and with local record companies. In 2005 Versailles was asked to do a cover of NIN “Something I Can Never Have” on the Cleopatra CD release “A Gothic Acoustic Tribute to NIN”. In 2006 again she was asked to do a cover of She Wants Revenge “She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not” on “ “A Tribute to She Wants Revenge” also put out by Cleopatra Records and produced and recorded by Gregory Butler (Switchblade Symphony). And last but not least in 2007 a cover of “What difference does it Make” by The Smiths on “Stop Me if You Think You’ve Heard This One Before”. This song has also been placed on the online version of “Gothic Divas”. Versailles is currently in the studio recording her second full length CD “Broken Dolls” due to be out in mid 2008. This CD is going to be coupled with a book of short stories written by Versailles showing her own illustrations. These stories Wendy’s Razor Blades, Fade, Mars, Broken Dolls, Pages, and Legion all show a girls struggle through different types of abuse and destruction.|In addition Versailles was a participant at the “Danny Blitz Benefit Concert”. Also she has been featured on shows like “The Scary Perry Show” starring “Scary Perry of “Windy City Heat”, and “Star Tomorrow” where she met David Foster and Mick Fleetwood. She has worked on Malcolm in The Middle, The Thirst, Related, Vegas and The Comeback. Versailles presently resides in Los Angeles. 4) Versailles is also a Math Rock/Post Rock group who released one album, “The Great Axis”, and one split 7” with The Mercury Program in the late ’90s. 5) Versailles is a French progressive rock/symphonic rock band that released 4 albums between 1990 and 1998. Their lead guitarist and singer, Guillaume de la Pilière released 2 solo albums. 3 members of the band joined another French prog band, Mona Lisa, for a studio album in 1998 and a live album at Progfest 2000. |
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