Kiyoharu is God

Overall, I think it's safe to say that Awake was the last time they were a band in the true l'arc sense that most of associate as being the band we love. Smile was them learning to work together again, Awake was them actually being a working band together,  and Kiss was just the honeymoon period from Awake. I can't even listen to Butterfly and don't even think of it is a real album. It's really just a collection of random singles that don't feel like they work together hence the 4 year recording time for that album. The band up to that point were very concise in the studio leading up to each album. Remember the Ark-Ray singles of 98/99 that felt cohesive but still each song had a distinctive sound of their own?

If you look at their touring schedule post the world tour of 2012, you will just see short and calculated concerts to celebrate the 20th or 25th or whatever. 
https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/larcenciel-43d62367.html
They can easily sell out Tokyo Dome easily and I'm sure the labels and management companies for each member are the ones pushing the idea forth more than the members themselves. Those yearly two day back-to-back concerts literally backroll each member's solo career, or in the case of tetsuya and ken, allow them to relatively do nothing in the studio compared to what they used to do in the mid to late 90s.

So while I want the band to be the band that can work together and produce consistent work like they did early on 1993-2000, those days are long gone and these upcoming concerts are probably just a cashgrab or conscious effort to keep the l'ard brand alive before another long hibernation as they've been doing for years. I actually quite enjoyed Wing Flaps and thought it was great in a 'True' sense but that too was probably some other behind the scenes management thing which we'll find out years later "My management spoke with their management and we decided to meet in the studio to see if we could work things out...." type motivating factor behind the single and the other recent ones.
 
 
While the money split might be the real reason, I took public Japanese way of saying that the members can't work with each other anymore. Are there any interviews from hyde and ken where they state they want L'arc to go on? I actually always thought the opposite, that Hyde would rather go solo/Vamps and ken would rather do nothing. Yukihiro probably has it best of all of them as he doesn't need any band for the Depeche Mode like music he makes. He's equally sufficient being a part of a band or a mad scientist in the computer/studio.

Based on tetsuya's autobiography, tetsugaku (https://mei-24.livejournal.com/14719.html), - he always had to deal with the difficult parts of being the band leader. He was the one who kept the band together and kept pushing it forward. Regarding Sakura's departure / being kick out of the band. You can very clearly deduce that Hyde and ken were against the idea of so quickly moving forward with the Reincarnation live and held a grudge against tetsu at the time. Ken would later team up with Sakura in SOAP, so there definitely was no ill-will there.

Some quotes from the translations. Tetsuya's words in bold:
===================================================================================================
I want to add that I am also proud that I have been able to make my band move further as a leader. As for the results, of course it’s not all due to me, but I believe that I have been able to choose the right path. Because I am sure that each time I’m doing the best choice. For example, when sakura quitted, there were many ideas, as you may expect. The same happened when we did the Reincarnation live at Tokyo Dome. There were several opinions, so, in the end, if I had chosen a different path, how it would be today?


-At the time of your return with “L’Arc-en-Ciel 1997 Reincarnation” live, you were convinced that “if it’s not Tokyo Dome, it doesn’t have any meaning”, so you didn’t give in.

The manager we had at that time was against the idea. He said it was unreasonable, but as a result we sold out all the tickets in 4 minutes, the fastest selling in history. To tell the truth after sakura left, to my shock I was accused of having kicked sakura without mercy. In the end, even members thought that.
===================================================================================================
 

Following that incident there is bound to be friction and this led to that period of l'arc's history right after that whole burn-out inducing rollercoaster of heart-ark-ray-real that led into a hiatus.  You can surmise that Tetsu and Hyde started doing solo activities after that tme to find their own ways and that turned into Hyde wanting to leave the band outright during or after Roentgen's release.

===================================================================================================
- You said you’ve thought of quitting L’Arc-en-Ciel several times. But your band had a big crisis, too. Would you like to tell us the details?

It was in 2002 maybe. hyde’s manager came to my office and handed me an envelope, saying that he had received it directly from hyde. Inside there were the CDs I had lent him and a letter. In that letter he apologized for having kept those CDs for more than 10 years, and announced he wanted to quit the band.

-Honestly, what did you think about it at that moment?

I thought that once hyde decided it, nothing could be done. He wrote me a letter, so he had surely spent a lot of time reflecting upon this thing. Well…more than “nothing could be done”, I thought that, despite every effort to stop him, he wouldn’t change his mind. "
===================================================================================================

 

They're for the remasters of HOMURA UTA and TSUUZETSU. The new album (of new songs) came out in January unless they announced another one. Anyway, Junji Ito (who was behind the HOMURA UTA illustration) is really happy with the result:
 

Except it isn't?
 
I get bashing X or HYDE for the never coming album or recent music (VAMPS, that garbage solo single), but passing judgement on a 30 sec sample of a track is stupid.
 
So far I still get VAMP-vibes... May as well be VAMPIRE'S LOVE (which I like). 
 
The anime nerds prob won't like it since it doesn't fit with the previous OPs.  But those openings themes sucked anyway.

Just some notes from reading the page to the best of my ability, Toshi pretty much started it. Of course these things are never concrete, but Toshi talks about how he was reaching his limit in the past few years with the band's activities. He had an important meeting with Kiba and the other members, but in the end, Toshi and Kiba simply could not come to any agreement. So Toshi decided to focus on another life and leave the band. Katsuji himself doesn't say it, but Toshi's comment says that his withdrawal also caused Katsuji and Kentaro to leave. Kentaro seems like the last person here, he mentions having to make a decision between continuing with just Kiba or also leaving with the other two and in the end he choose the later.
 
Kiba does specifically say that he will continue on. How? I have no idea. He even mentions he thought a lot about formally breaking up the band and not wanting to sully their name, but in the end he decided to press forward.

Both songs are looking AMAZING, specially An Eternity! This next album will be freaking mindblowing!

I am happy they are still together and have since dealt with their musician direction but I also agree - Ryō has such an incredible voice especially in kannivalism but seriously lay off the auto tune. Please. 

Is Hyde going through a mid-life crisis?

Just lay off the auto-tune ::crosses fingers::

One of the songs from the album has leaked.
 
 

You really have to wonder, after the early 10's where he was doing solo / Kuroyume / Sads all at the same time, and the subsequent fallout of the kuroyume brand/licensing, that none of his decisions are being made on artistic merits anymore. He pretty much whored out the kuroyume name and, effectively, it went bankrupt from bad deals or promises he couldn't deliver.

Do you think kiyoharu / his management are getting as lucrative advances and deals like he did in the 00s where he was cranking out solo albums once or twice a year and countless A-B-C type singles (thanks Avex!) ? He doesn't have the marketability anymore...he released the last single through live shows and has consistently always tried to pump up live ticket sales by offering live-only CD releases. That's more money directly to him.

And as much as I love his solo rhythmless work, it almost feels like he couldn't, or didn't want to pay a full band to back him up in his solo act. The rhythmless setup allows him to be a lean himself + 2 other people. And  when he does full band solo shows, gone are the 30-40 song setlists which in the past was quite an amazing feat. Long setlists cost rehearsal time or money and instead he's doing more normal 20-something song setlists. That Rhythmless residency from last year or the year before usually means an artist wants to earn with consistent gigs without having to travel and tour like crazy. And he shut down his official website last year...I mean...who shuts down a website with over 15 years of history/brand recognition for a website that isn't even maintained and updated!?! https://www.kiyoharu.tokyo/pre/

So this Sads hiatus, mere months after starting up again, doesn't surprise me...sounds like another head-scratcher in the long line questionable moves.

Liked the beautiful people part in the middle.

Liked the beautiful people part in the middle.

Tracklist :
01. unfairly (new song)
02. Sexy Sexy,
03. S.O.S ロマンティック(S.O.S romantic)
04. YELLOW YELLOW FIRE
05. cuckoo
06. あなたのベッドで眠りたい(Anata no bed de nemuritai)
07. コングラッチェ(Kon ???)
08. Dance Capriccio
09. FLOWERS OF ROMANCE
10. 小さな星がほら一つ(Chîsana hoshi ga hora hitotsu)
11. VIVA NICE TASTE
 

This is a far cry from when he cosplayed as David Sylvian and released an album with some depth, longevity and timelessness like he did with Roentgen. I can listen to that album today and somehow it doesn't feel dated. I can't say the same about much of his recent output with Vamps and now this track.

With Who's gonna save us, it sounds very much like pop music these days where the track was shopped around by a producer first before landing a home. If you removed Hyde from the mix, would you listen/appreciate the music the same way?

DURAN 「FACE」
Release Date: 7/1/2018
 
01. WERISEAGAIN
02. TAKEMEHIGHER feat. Katsuma（coldrain）
03. SUPERLADY
04. READY4LOVE
05. ASIANLOVER feat. スガシカオ
06. BACKTOME feat. 清春
07. MYAUTUMNMYLOVE
08. YESWECAN
09. MYMISSINGPIECE

『hide TRIBUTE IMPULSE』
 
2018年6月6日（水）発売
税込￥3,240（税抜￥3,000）
[収録曲（曲順未定） / 参加アーティスト]
 
BACTERIA / SEXFRiEND ※1 （作詞・作曲：hide）
DOUBT / HISASHI × YOW-ROW （作詞・作曲：hide）
D.O.D.（DRINK OR DIE） / FLOW （作詞・作曲：hide）
ELECTRIC CUCUMBER ※2 / ACID ANDROID （作詞：McVEIGH / 作曲：hide）
ever free / 西川貴教 （作詞・作曲：hide）
EYES LOVE YOU / BREAKERZ （作詞：森 雪之丞 / 作曲：hide）
GOOD BYE / Cocco （作詞・作曲：hide）
ピンク スパイダー / MIYAVI （作詞・作曲：hide）
ROCKET DIVE / Dragon Ash （作詞・作曲：hide）
TELL ME / GRANRODEO （作詞・作曲：hide）
hide | HURRY GO ROUND (hide vocal Take2) ※3
 
※1 アイナ・ジ・エンド(BiSH)とUK(MOROHA)によるスペシャルユニット
※2 zilchのナンバー
※3 20th Memorial Track
 
http://www.hide-city.com/information/detail.php?id=1647

『hide TRIBUTE IMPULSE』
 
2018年6月6日（水）発売
税込￥3,240（税抜￥3,000）
[収録曲（曲順未定） / 参加アーティスト]
 
BACTERIA / SEXFRiEND ※1 （作詞・作曲：hide）
DOUBT / HISASHI × YOW-ROW （作詞・作曲：hide）
D.O.D.（DRINK OR DIE） / FLOW （作詞・作曲：hide）
ELECTRIC CUCUMBER ※2 / ACID ANDROID （作詞：McVEIGH / 作曲：hide）
ever free / 西川貴教 （作詞・作曲：hide）
EYES LOVE YOU / BREAKERZ （作詞：森 雪之丞 / 作曲：hide）
GOOD BYE / Cocco （作詞・作曲：hide）
ピンク スパイダー / MIYAVI （作詞・作曲：hide）
ROCKET DIVE / Dragon Ash （作詞・作曲：hide）
TELL ME / GRANRODEO （作詞・作曲：hide）
hide | HURRY GO ROUND (hide vocal Take2) ※3
 
※1 アイナ・ジ・エンド(BiSH)とUK(MOROHA)によるスペシャルユニット
※2 zilchのナンバー
※3 20th Memorial Track
 
http://www.hide-city.com/information/detail.php?id=1647

『hide TRIBUTE IMPULSE』
 
2018年6月6日（水）発売
税込￥3,240（税抜￥3,000）
[収録曲（曲順未定） / 参加アーティスト]
 
BACTERIA / SEXFRiEND ※1 （作詞・作曲：hide）
DOUBT / HISASHI × YOW-ROW （作詞・作曲：hide）
D.O.D.（DRINK OR DIE） / FLOW （作詞・作曲：hide）
ELECTRIC CUCUMBER ※2 / ACID ANDROID （作詞：McVEIGH / 作曲：hide）
ever free / 西川貴教 （作詞・作曲：hide）
EYES LOVE YOU / BREAKERZ （作詞：森 雪之丞 / 作曲：hide）
GOOD BYE / Cocco （作詞・作曲：hide）
ピンク スパイダー / MIYAVI （作詞・作曲：hide）
ROCKET DIVE / Dragon Ash （作詞・作曲：hide）
TELL ME / GRANRODEO （作詞・作曲：hide）
hide | HURRY GO ROUND (hide vocal Take2) ※3
 
※1 アイナ・ジ・エンド(BiSH)とUK(MOROHA)によるスペシャルユニット
※2 zilchのナンバー
※3 20th Memorial Track
 
http://www.hide-city.com/information/detail.php?id=1647

<3

<3

They should throw an acoustic track in there.