X JAPAN's SUGIZO Likely Unable To Play At Coachella

X JAPAN guitarist SUGIZO is likely going to be unable to participate in the band's Coachella concerts.

The band and its leader YOSHIKI explained that there were issues with getting his visa on time to come to the US.

The band has already arranged to have a backup guitarist for its April 14th performance at Coachella. However, it will continue to work on getting SUGIZO's visa.

"I have not given up yet on coming to the United States. I am trying my best to make it work out in the end, but part of the visa application is not progressing much," he said.

X JAPAN's performance at Coachelle is supposed to be the band's grand return to the world stage. The band had been taking it easy over the past year due to YOSHIKI's emergency spinal surgery last year which left him unable to play on the drums.

In an interview with Oricon, YOSHIKI admitted that although he has been cleared to play the drums, he is still not back to his pre-surgery abilities. Despite this, he still decided to take on the Coachella stage due to its prominence and the opportunity to raise its profile overseas.