Sparrow

This is a question for anyone who is living or has lived in Japan and gone to lives here. Have you found yourself listening to songs for the first time and heard some part of the music that makes you think you know which common furitsuke movement happens there? Just today I was listening to an old Gazette B-side and thought at one point, "this part feels like oritatami." It's been happening a lot in the past couple of weeks for bands I've never even seen live before and I'm curious if others have experienced it.

This reminds me! I recently found these pictures on my old photobucket account of my hand sewn Merry shirts. It was impossible for me to get legit merch in America back then (around 2007) so I finally decided to just make my own.
 
Attempt 1 Front and back design:  
 
Yeah, not great f(^^;) I do really like how the umbrella came out though! I am much more pleased with the second one, which is cross stitch (I am way more confident with cross stitch than embroidery) and I drafted the pattern by hand over the course of a month. The long blood drip in the logo has gotten a little crooked over the years so I think I'll redo that part when I go back to the US next week.
 

idk With a band I love, I often dislike the new album at first listen because it's different than what I'm used to hearing. Once I get past that I usually love it! I didn't have that problem with this album though. I had it really, really bad with under-world though. 

Luna Sea- Eden
Luna Sea- Image
Luna Sea- Mother
AnCafe- Hikagyaku Ziprock (CD*DVD) --> I only had the regular EU version
Modern Garde- Merry
 
I know. I said I wouldn't buy any more records. But....well...they were second hand....and....I need more Merry and Luna Sea in my life.

I also bought modern garde, you guys. Merry is slowly taking over my ipod, and I don't regret it one bit.
I started listening to nu chemical rhetoric  first and liked it a lot! I enjoy the different elements that they put into their songs. It's heavy, but it's also the perfect music to listen to on a rainy day (or so I've discovered.) The fifth song actually makes me want to go to a bar and sit there smoking a cigar haha  Also, I love the guitar in all of those songs.
4th and 8th track are my favourites so far (sorry, cannot read the kanji on my phone and am too lazy to google the song titles right now)

The drummer from ゴア(Gore) called Mano will left the band on 2017.10.23. The band will disband on 2018.03.27.
 

 

 

 
 

thats so sad - they were a really great band >.>''

I love most of Merry's B-sides including all the ones already mentioned, but I really adore Makka na aoi haru... and ト・ロ・ケ・テ・ル. From the more recent ones (is 4 years ago recent?), I thought Waltz was a beautiful and underrated song.
 
As for the new album, I for one love it. I thought I liked Nonsense Market, but I like this one way more (or I've just overplayed the former). It feels more cohesive, the singles are better and blend in better, especially with the new version of Happy Life, and the new tracks are ridiculously entertaining to me. So many gems! And it's very punky and energetic, so basically exactly what I wanted. I also like that it's short, which is strange in a way, but I like the songs so much I want to replay them and there's nothing that feels like filler to get through before I can do that.

Canival towel-This is the first item I've ever caught at a concert! Plus, it was at the Luvia and Kosuke birthday live!
 
Merry Koseiha Blend~tasogare~
This is, hands down, my favorite cover art on any album
 

Signed: Merry Calling single (Nero, Yuu, Gara)
I got this signed at my first ever instore last month. If I had my entire collection with me, I would have gotten something else signed, but Calling has always been one of my favorite songs of theirs so I'm still very happy.
 

Signed: Merry M-ology (Nero, Tetsu)
I got this signed before the show in Shizuoka last weekend and Nero actually asked for my name and signed it to me!
 

Signed: Gore Hoozuki-kun
I went to their live right before I moved to Tokyo so they made an exception for me and signed this at the show, since I wouldn't be able to go to any instores
 
Merry CORE Limited M-ology--I was at the Hibiya Democratic live, so I love getting to relive the show with the bonus DVD&CD
Merry SCI FI DVD--This is my favorite Merry DVD and I bought it when it came out, right before my study abroad ended
Merry History books with CD+DVD--No particular reason besides these being very difficult to get my hands on
All three Hyde 'coffin singles'--Really cool packaging and amazing ballads? Yes please!
Pierrot Dramatic Neo Anniversary+Yuuyami Suicide--During my initial high school exchange, I discovered Vkei for the first time. In Shizuoka City in 2005, there were no stores that specialized in the genre or even had a dedicated vkei section. I mainly  depended on Sumiya and Virgin's Jrock sections to have the the newest releases by the biggest bands mixed in with the normal bands. Besides those places, I regularly went to Book Off and hoped for good luck. That is what happened with Pierrot's DNA, I found the single for 100 yen and thought, "this looks like it might be Visual," and bought it. I really liked it and got lucky again with Yuuyami Suicide a few years later. I'm really happy to have stumbled onto this band!
 
 
Non-Vkei Stuff:
Alice Cooper Hey Stoopid on Vinyl (original release)
Alice Cooper The Life and Crimes of Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper The Last Temptation comics (all 3 issues)
Labyrinth OST on Vinyl

First of all: second "vk sucks nowadays"-topic of the year? You already have one from earlier this year.
 
Anyway, try out other bands as well, there's tons of great bands in the scene. It's pretty common that bands who keep going for 10-20 years don't put out the same quality as they did when they were younger, even outside of VK.
 

pretty gara being manhandled by two guards and being pulled on a leash and that noose giving off that kote vibe yaaass gawdT yaaaaaaaaassssssss 💦💦💦
 
this definitely makes up for all their crappy recent pvs 👌💕

It's pretty difficult to find that old single though. I've been trying to find it for months

Modern garde, Violet harenchi and Gekisei are Merry's masterpieces as far as I am concerned, with Modern garde being one of the very best VK albums of all time.
 
I'm not too fond of cover albums and shit, but the two cover songs on the Gekisei single are stunning and ever since that release I've always wanted to hear a full album with Merry playing that type of music, either a cover album or something original in that vein.
 
 
Edit: I actually forgot to add that I easily can recommend every single Merry album bar the last one which I haven't heard. I think all albums are fantastic, but Modern garde is just way, way ahead of theo thers. So there's that.

Tracklist and covers has been revealed!!
 
[tracklist]
1. 「M」World Order
2. MASS CONTROL
3. 犬型真性MASOCHIST (inugata shinsei MASOCHIST)
4. gaudy
5. 平日の女 -A面- (heijitsu no onna)
6. Black flag symptom
7. 傘と雨 (kasa to ame)
8. F.J.P
9. Happy life –reprise-
10. SIGHT GLASS
11. エムオロギー (m-ology)
 
CORE edition

 
Limited edition

 
Regular edition

As of today, I am officially a CORE member! While it is too late for me to get a ticket to the limited live, I did score a ticket to the premium album release event. I didn't see any info posted here so I did the best with my limited Japanese skill
 
＜Part 1＞
M-ology Album Release Event「CORE PREMIUM」Advance Listening Event
Saturday, August 26
Shibuya WWW
・Be the first to hear the album
・Premium Talk Session with all 5 members
・Premium Acoustic Live
Doors/Enter: 13:00 / 13:30

Standing ￥3,800
※Free Gift

＜Part 2＞
M-ology Album Release Event「Forbidden」Advance Listening Event
Saturday, August 26
Shibuya WWW

・Hear the album early
・Talk Session with all 5 members
・Acoustic Live
Doors/Start: 18:00 / 18:30

Standing ￥3,800
 
 

As of today, I am officially a CORE member! While it is too late for me to get a ticket to the limited live, I did score a ticket to the premium album release event. I didn't see any info posted here so I did the best with my limited Japanese skill
 
＜Part 1＞
M-ology Album Release Event「CORE PREMIUM」Advance Listening Event
Saturday, August 26
Shibuya WWW
・Be the first to hear the album
・Premium Talk Session with all 5 members
・Premium Acoustic Live
Doors/Enter: 13:00 / 13:30

Standing ￥3,800
※Free Gift

＜Part 2＞
M-ology Album Release Event「Forbidden」Advance Listening Event
Saturday, August 26
Shibuya WWW

・Hear the album early
・Talk Session with all 5 members
・Acoustic Live
Doors/Start: 18:00 / 18:30

Standing ￥3,800
 
 

As of today, I am officially a CORE member! While it is too late for me to get a ticket to the limited live, I did score a ticket to the premium album release event. I didn't see any info posted here so I did the best with my limited Japanese skill
 
＜Part 1＞
M-ology Album Release Event「CORE PREMIUM」Advance Listening Event
Saturday, August 26
Shibuya WWW
・Be the first to hear the album
・Premium Talk Session with all 5 members
・Premium Acoustic Live
Doors/Enter: 13:00 / 13:30

Standing ￥3,800
※Free Gift

＜Part 2＞
M-ology Album Release Event「Forbidden」Advance Listening Event
Saturday, August 26
Shibuya WWW

・Hear the album early
・Talk Session with all 5 members
・Acoustic Live
Doors/Start: 18:00 / 18:30

Standing ￥3,800
 
 

woooooo~
 
I'll see them twice this year then! Probably at Nara and Oita. Sweet.
 
Setlist today:
 
MERRY「Tokyo Spring 日比谷デモクラティック ～羊達の主張～」
2017年5月5日(金・祝)
日比谷野外大音楽堂
01. 演説〜シュールレアリズム〜
02. [human farm]
03. 「東京」
04. 自意識過剰型木偶人間
05. ロストジェネレーション -replay-
06. Screams of the Dark
07. ハライソ
08. T.O.P.
09. 絶望
10. 真っ赤な青い春 -Acoustic-
11. 平日の女 -Acoustic-
S.E. iNtO the mARkeT
12. NOnsenSe MARkeT
13. 【collector】
14. 暗闇にピンク
15. Zombie Paradise〜地獄の舞踏曲〜
(歌MC〜メンバー紹介)
16. 傘と雨
17. オリエンタルBLサーカス
18. Carnival
19. ジャパニーズモダニスト
20. 千代田線デモクラシー
-ENCORE-
21. 梟
22. Happy life (new arrange!)
-ENCORE2-
23. 新曲 *new song* (Ska-ish according to a fan on Twitter)
24. バイオレットハレンチ
25. 千代田線デモクラシー -revenge-
 
 テツ finally played without his neck brace during the encore. Finally! Hopefully during the next tour he'll be able to play some concerts without it. And maybe by 2018 he won't need to wear it ever again. Here's hoping.
 
Aaand the official website mentions a late summer release for the new album. So around September, then? That's my guess.
 

Don't take my word for it tho ^^  On the irrational side, clumsy as the title is, I'm actually excited we have a title in katakana again? 

I love Chiyoda-sen. ^^ It's got so much energy and I feel happy when I listen to it. 
Plus the furitsuke is a lot of fun!

They have actually! There was a special version of the Koseiha Blend Classic-Oldies Tracks- album. It's a picture disc so I don't play my copy. I just put it in a vinyl cover frame. The reverse side has a photo image of a girl's waist and thighs wearing only nude panties, holding a knife with blood dripping down her front. Unfortunately, I couldn't find an image of that side

EDIT: Should have read this page before responding lol

They have actually! There was a special version of the Koseiha Blend Classic-Oldies Tracks- album. It's a picture disc so I don't play my copy. I just put it in a vinyl cover frame. The reverse side has a photo image of a girl's waist and thighs wearing only nude panties, holding a knife with blood dripping down her front. Unfortunately, I couldn't find an image of that side

EDIT: Should have read this page before responding lol

I tend to stick to slower songs so I can keep up with reading the lyrics. The one exception to that is Sayonara Rain by Merry. I always liked singing along to the piano version in the car so I know it better than a lot of other fast songs.
 
The rest of my regular rotation:
Cassis- Gazette
Gackt- Todokanai Ai to Shitteita no ni Osaekirezu ni Aishitsuzuketa
L'arc~en~ciel- Pieces (sometimes I try Honey or Driver's High)
Dir en Grey- Ain't afraid to die
Pierrot- Dramatic Neo Anniversary
 
This thread is giving me a lot of ideas for other songs I should be able to try next time I go!

MERRY - Blind Romance/Saihate no Parade """pamphlet"""
 
((This could totes pass as a vinyl, but w/out the vinyl))
 

From closetchild: