The band didn't go major until 1987, with the release of their first single オルガスム ("Orugasumu"). The members at that time were Yoshiki on drums and piano, Toshi on vocals, Hide and Pata on guitar and Taiji on bass. No record labels would sign the band. Not to be stopped, Yoshiki created his own record label - Extasy Records, with money he and his mother helped provide.
In 1992, X went global, and this is when they changed their name to X-Japan, as they moved out to America, to try and make it big. It was around this time that an argument occurred between Yoshiki and Taiji, which had dramatic consequences. Taiji left the band, and was replaced by Heath.
X's music went a long way, from trash metal tracks like "Sadistic Desire" and "Phantom of Guilt", to moving piano ballads, like "Tears" and "Say Anything". One particularly notable song was "Art of Life", a progressive rock/metal piece that was half an hour long that they only played live once, in 1993.
X released 4 successful albums (Vanishing Vision, Jealousy, Blue Blood and Dahlia) before their eventual dissolution in 1997, after a few differences between the members. Each of the members went off to head on sucessful separate careers; Yoshiki with Globe and Violet UK; Hide with Spread Beaver; Pata and Heath with DopeHEADz; Toshi solo, and Taiji worked with Loudness and Cloud 9 for a while.
Hide was found dead on May 2, 1998 after an apparent suicide.