An obituary in the New York Times
May 18, 1998
DIED: HIDETO MATSUMOTO, 33, idolized, ultra-punk former lead guitarist of the defunct group X Japan, after hanging himself; in Tokyo. Following a decade of eclat with the rockers, who broke up in December, "Hide" pursued a solo career to the rapture of fans, 25,000 of which whom thronged to his funeral. The grieving swarm formed a line more than 2km. long to lay flowers. Though former band members pleaded with fans not to copy the suicide, by week's end at least three had decided they could not live without him.
