AwesomeNyappy

How much would that cost per semester? I know that universities in the UK or the US can be veeery expensive.

I already have a bachelor's degree, but decided to change plans during my master's, so now I'm starting another bachelor's programme (it's related, so I only have to take a few courses to finish it), but my university is located in a federate state that does not provide a second education for free (they will pay for a higher education at any point in your life, but not for, say, 2 bachelor degrees), so now I've changed universities. I did not want to pay 650 euros per semester (+ around 300 euros for the train ticket that my university provided.) But I'll just take a guess that these are peanuts compared to what you would have to pay.

But, I guess, go for it. Education is always valuable.

On 27.8.2017 at 5:42 PM, chocobuzz said:

I'll be starting my studies in a university of applied sciences (I think that's what it's called in english...) tomorrow and I don't really know how I'm feeling about it. I don't know anyone from there, I have no idea how anything there works or what I'm supposed to do or how I should prepare myself, and I barely even know where the whole place is. So I'm obviously quite nervous about it but at the same time I'm still feeling a little, I don't know, excited maybe? It's a weird feeling.

I hope everything worked out fine for you!

Also, don't worry, everyone around you is probably as clueless as you are...usually all the newbies help each other out. University can be hard at times but I found it to be the most amazing time in my life so far. You can meet so many different people from all over the world, enjoy yourself without the restrictions of strict working hours. And, hey, you're definitely studying the right thing....science, wow! Your career chances will probably be splendid. I wish my brain and science had agreed in school, so I could be one of the cool science kids (a few of my friends and I once pondered studying in the library for maths and science, just so that people would think we were incredibly smart.)

Good luck to you

3 hours ago, sheepprincessgara said:

I haven't listened to Rammstein in a while, only now and then, but I also really enjoy their live shows too! Of course I've never been to one personally, but I still have their Volkerball dvd and I remember watching and loving their performance from beginning to end. They're just such a uniquely awesome band, oh my god. *_*

Awww...I really wish that you'll get the opportunity to see them live one day! I saw them live many years ago, and it was fantastic. Still one of the best shows I've ever been to. Unfortunately, I missed their 2011 tour because I was not expecting another one so quickly after the last one...and missed the ticket sale. Yeah. Not one of my best moments. They  played twice in a row at a venue that is only a one hour drive away from my hometown, so...yeah. It was not my luckiest day. BUT I got to see them once before that, and it was truly amazing.

I will treasure their Völkerball DVD forever. I also liked te live in America DVD. It's always interesting to see the faces of Rammstein fans all over the world.

Btw: they also have a very cool coverband called Völkerball, and they are reeeeaally good. They also copy their performances, just with a little bit less fire. It's like Rammstein, just a tinier version, with a smaller stage and smaller flames saw them live twice, and it was a lot of fun. They even do the stunt with the rubber boat, which, let me tell you, is hella brave with a smaller audience because people do not tend to stand that close to each other.

8 minutes ago, LIDL said:

I need new album already.

 

Their PARIS DVD are so awesome though, damn! Their live show are one thing people should go see before they die, honestly.

 

Since I am not from Germany, sometimes I am not really understand references they are using in their songs. Not until I saw a better translation with citations. But I enjoyed their music and most messages they brought up.

Live in Paris is amazing! Völkerball will forever remain my favourite performance, but this one came quite close. I watched it in the movie theatre, and it was overwhelmingly good.

If you have any questions concerning their lyrics, feel free to ask! I'd be glad to help any time.

I'm a huge Rammstein fan, and a lot of people don't get that. In Germany their music has been considered highly controversial, and some people would actually give you a weird look for carrying a Rammstein bag or wearing a Rammstein shirt.

A few months ago the younger sister of an old friend of mine approached me and asked if I still owned any old Rammstein fan shirts. I said yes, and she asked me if I was interested in selling them because a friend of hers was currently looking for one. So, naturally, I said that it's great that she's a Rammstein fan but that, unfortunately, these tshirts were way to worn out, and that she should better look somewhere else. She then told me that her friend wasn't a Rammstein fan and that  it's quite fashionable to wear shirts of "hardcore bands" right now. Well, I was suprised to say the least. Who in their right mind would wear a Rammstein shirt without knowing what their music is about? The whole concept of wearing shirts of bands you don't know is beyond me and on top of that she decides to go with...Rammstein?

When I was a teenager I actually put anti-nazi badges on my rammstein bag or on my trousers (in case I was wearing a Rammstein shirt) because strangers made assumptions about me that weren't true. Same goes for black boots. In Germany, a lot of people associate any kind of black boots (except fashionable, "feminine-looking" ones) with the neo nazi scene, even though metal fans wear them as well (I had people ask about my black Doc Martens....yes...that's how bad it is.) Wanna cause the ultimate mind fuck? Walk around with a Rammstein shirt and black Doc Martins with a Muslim friend of yours wearing a headscarf. Been there, done that.

But maybe things have changed and it's now okay-er for most people. Who knows.

The thing is, most people either love or they hate Rammstein. I chose to love them, inclusding all their stupid, over the top lyrics. Actually, they're a bit like the German version of Dir en Grey. I know, you're all going to say: No way! But hear me out:

- both bands use shocking, exaggerated (at times ridiculous) lyrics simply to shock people

- their singers write these lyrics

- heavy sound

- fanbase abroad

- don't communicate much with their audience

- use make up/ are quite dramatic on stage

-fucked up music videos

While their sound is quite different (and Kyo's and Till's style of singing), they are quite...theatrical. They express their music in similar ways, and I'm just fascinated by that.

Well, this post has no structure and serves no purpose, but these are things that I needed to get off my chest. Also, I have no one else to discuss it with, so please bear with me.

What do you think about Rammstein's controversial lyrics? Do you think there were instances in which they crossed a line?

6 hours ago, jaymee said:

I would honestly avoid the super touristy vibe of Harajuku unless you plan on crossing over Meiji Dori and exploring the back alleys. The "real" VK culture/street fashion culture is long dead there unless you are into younger street fashion, but there are still some art and relics of the scene left in those back alleys where touristy and fast fashion shops have yet to touch. Lolita/goth and otaku are somewhat intersecting subcultures now, so as far as people watching, you're just as/more likely to find them in Ikebukuro, Akihabara, etc. now. If you're into VK/goth-style fashion, ignore the stores along Takeshita St. (maybe with exception to Closet Child) and go to La Foret, or the brand/boutique/second-hand select shops located along the back alleys previously mentioned.

 

I second that! You really need to explore the side streets in Harajuku to really find the good suff. They have some great second hand shops there.

And since you mentioned Goth as well...I saw a Goth bar somewhere in Roppongi.

Always walk away from the tourist/ the noise and explore the area, and you'll discover some great shops.

Everyone does things at their own pace, aand that's a good thing. "Virginity" itself is a pretty wild concept. Having sex does not make one more "adult" or "more experienced".

And there's also something else that I wanted to throw in: terms such as demisexual or asexual exist for a reason. Not having felt any sexual attraction to anyone yet does not always mean you're "picky".

1 hour ago, jiji94 said:

Whoa, actually was feeling the same about his inspirational speeches/captions as of late. When I saw him live in 2010 he didn't really say as much (such a great concert though, I wasn't really a fan of him but after seeing him live I just had such a great experience, he inspired me so much just being himself then). I do like that he's so supportive of his oldest daughter and his posts about his kids, but most of the other stuff he's been saying lately has me all kinds of levels of "boy what you doin".

 

It makes me sooo uncomfortable. I dated a motivational speaker and I can't even begin to describe how much I can't stand those types of people. They're incredibly fake for the most part. Which makes me sad because I love Miyavi, I really do. I love his wife and family. I'm just hoping he's not that sort of person.. because it's starting to really irk me to the point I've almost considered unfollowing him on social media.

 

I haven't heard what he says at concerts but I can imagine it just from some of his captions and other stuff. 

THIS.

I also saw him live in 2009/2010, and while he was talking a lot during the concert, it wasn't as much/as fake as it was on his last two concerts I've been to (2015 and 2017.) It's always sth along the lines of: "we're a unity", "follow your dreams", yadda yadda yadda.

On 25.8.2017 at 1:05 PM, Saishu said:

Well keep in mind that was also when DEG was trying to branch out in the West, so Kyo was writing a lot of mostly awful English lyrics. 

Ohhhhh yes. Agreed. Still, I mean, I guess he probably wrote them in Japanese and someone translated them for him (?), so he knew what they meant. The English lyrics on The Marrow of a Bone were mostly hilarious because a) their meaning and b ) his accent. It makes me cringe so hard XD

Funnily enough, his German sounded quite good in Schwein no isu back in the day.

I don't have recommendations for events (I was quite clueless when I went to Tokyo myself, but then again my best friend and travel companion is not a VK fan, so going to many concerts wasn't really an option, but that's okay), but I can recommend some VK stores.

There are a couple only a 5-10 minute walk from Shinjuku main station (I think on the west side), and they sell all kinds of stuff, from merch to second hand CDs and DVDs (it's sooo cheap there!).

1) Puresound

2) Closet Men Child

3) That other store in front of Puresound...don't remember its name. They often hold autograph sessions (mostly on Sundays), so you should probably check that out.

These stores are basically all next to each other. So if you find one, just walk down the street/ go around the corner, and you'll find the other ones as well. You can also get information on VK concerts/events there (they have some flyers lying round, and I'm sure the store clerk would also help you out.)

Enjoy your stay

Edit: If you enjoy VK fashion (or just fashion in general), you should definitely check out Harajuku....but I guess you already knew that

Jap, I don't have the money either. University student life and all that. I will certainly buy one or two albums, though, because I really enjoy brwosing through booklets and all that (idk why, maybe I'm a bit old fashioned.) I'm just a CD and DVD person, have always been. Downloads are tempting, but I always try to purchase as many albums as possible

The same goes for the early days of An Cafe. They had so many great b-side songs, most of them better than the songs on their albums. Some bands do actually release a b-side album (Rammstein did it for instance...but then again, you probably don't know them).

From what I've listened so far, I'm pretty sure I'd dig a Merry b-side album as well

Thanks for your recommendations!

These are the records I can get for little money: nu Chemical Rhetoric, M.E.R.R.Y, Peep Show, -under-world.

Any one of those that I should avoid/ are not worth buying?

I hope I'll also be able to get one of those that you guys recommended, though. I've listened to some of these on youtube, and I liked them very much.

13 minutes ago, crossparallel said:

@AwesomeNyappyAww, another fan! You may be happy to learn they released four of their albums (Nu-chemical Rhetoric, Peep Show, M.E.R.R.Y. and under-world) in Europe, you can still get them for pretty cheap, for example dodax.co.uk stocks them and ships them for free. You really can't go wrong with MERRY, all their albums are good <3

Whaaaaat? Thanks for telling me about their releases in Europe, I did not know that! Fortunately, shipping from the UK costs the same as when you order sth in Germany, so I could order them over amazon uk as well.

....just looked them up, and they're all less than £ 10

Edit: neotokyo Germany has most of the EU releases on sale for 8 €....:D Merry albums, here I come

YES. I hope they'll still rock on when they're old JRock grandpas

awww...I'm facepalming myself so hard right now for not having thought about looking up their website. Thanks!

4 minutes ago, sheepprincessgara said:

That's awesome to hear! I highly recommend M.E.R.R.Y & Gendai Stoic! They also have a new album coming out in 2 wks called M-ology (エムオロギー)!! 

Thank you! Oh, how exciting! I hate discovering new bands to then realise that a) they've broken up or b ) their next album might take a couple of years, so I'm really happy to hear that

I just found Gendai stoic for around 20 euros on amazon....mhhh....;) Also, I'll be in Berlin in three weeks, so I'll be sure to browse NeoTokyo there for some Merry records.

Do you know on which album "Gunjou" is on? Somehow it's hard to find tracklists for their albums....or I'm just too stupid to find them.

Merry was one of those bands that I always knew were around but never actively listened to. Since I was looking for a new japanese band to listen to, I finally checked out their stuff, and I have to say...they're absolutely brilliant! I listened to some of their songs on youtube and really got into it. So my question to you is: are there any albums that you can specifically recommend? I'm actually thinking about buying at least one, if I can find some cheap second hand stuff.

They played near my hometown twice (like, 30 minutes drive), and the first time I didn't know them yet (a friend of mine asked me, like, two weeks before the concert and I just wasn't that into it at the moment, so I declined) and the second time I was away that exact same weekend. I hope they'll also come back to Germany soon

Here is a place to share all of your An Cafe concert experiences! They can be good or bad, but hopefully most memories are positive ones. was there a special moment that you still remember? Feel free to share anything!

What are you your favourite An Cafe songs? Make a list of a maximum of your fav 10 An Cafe songs to nyappy up all our hearts!

I've seen them play evolution live, and it was beyond epic. Only a small club, but so much energy!

Also, I never quite realised how popular the song was among other fans. I always kind of thought it was just a favourite of mine....silly me!

Oh, and the first song that comes to mind is Robust Conviction. I don't know why. Loved the song.

Thanks to all of you! I really feel like a Grandma. I can only sing along to "old" Anime openings, I only know VK bands from years ago...but I'm open for anything new! So if you guys wanna recommend new (or old) bands, please go ahead

Girugamesh really hit me hard. Loved their music. But I'd rather have them disband than still play JRock and hating it, so I guess I'm fine with it.

A friend of mine bought their album for me when she was in Japan and I really liked it! Solid japanese rock. Did not realise that there's another album already...I should really check this out! I had a bit of a crush on Koki when I was younger (jap, you can go ahead an laugh, but I still think he's kinda hot!) and I'm glad he's putting his voice to good use.

On 7.4.2015 at 2:32 AM, Heroin said:

An Cafe was my biggest obsession during my high school days. I knew their music was too cheesy for me, while I was listening to bands like cock and ball torture, anal cunt, napalm death. I was pretty much a metal head but, an cafe was something to me.

on side i always wanted to look like bou. til this day i kinda do hehe

I can relate! I was (and still am) into metal music and AnCafe was very unusual for me but I was OBSESSED with them. I still love them to pieces even though their new songs lack in spirit and creativity.