THE frenetic, intense drumming style of one of Japan’s most famous rock stars has caught up on him, with the news that he needs urgent neck surgery.

Yoshiki, founder of rock superstars X Japan, will have an artificial cervical disc inserted in his neck.

Known for his aggressive heavy metal drumming, he has often ended up in pain on the floor by the end of a show.

His management said the injuries he had sustained “would force a professional rugby player to retire.”

All upcoming X Japan concerts are canceled and he’s scheduled to go under the knife within days in Los Angeles.

“I’m having neck surgery next week. This time the surgeon will open my neck from the front and insert an artificial disc between my vertebrae. I’m a little scared but I’ll make it through,” Yoshiki told fans on his website.

A quick YouTube search brings up countless videos of the man — full name Yoshiki Hayashi — drumming himself in a frenzy until he collapses behind his kit.

There’s likely some performance mixed in here and there, but there’s little doubt he puts more effort into his gig than just a gentle background shuffle.

X Japan’s blend of androgynous glam and heavy metal turned them into one of the biggest acts in Japanese music history, with a huge and fanatical following, especially in the 1980s and 1990s.

The band transformed the music scene in Japan. They spawned a whole new style — over the top outfits, wild stage performances — and sold 30 million records.

Their fame caught on around the globe.

They reformed in 2007 and have been touring Japan and the world since then, with a huge gig at London Wembley Arena as recently as March.

A documentary about the band was released worldwide earlier this year.

The now 51-year old Yoshiki Hayashi is the band’s founder, drummer, pianist and main songwriter.

He’s also a classically trained pianist and frequently strayed off the heavy metal path, recording several classical albums or composing the song for the 2012 Golden Globe Awards.(SD-Agencies)