maryeon

about gazette. i don't hate the people. i am annoyed about the adolescence /weebo fangirlism these fandoms tend to have and the complete lack of interest and knowledge of other bands.  i can't follow them in tumblr etc and i don't want to talk to them because a majority tends to posts 231e342312321423 pages of how uruha touched aoi's shoulder ...from a distance... with his eyes... and OMFG the yaoi.
and another 33322909-0 pages of fangirlism that i don't care about because i don't find attractive the members. i don't see how i could talk with a person who only like gazette etc and haven't a clue at all about other small bands.or bands that i like. they tend to do that.
 
i mean NOT everyone.they are always exceptions. just saying a lot of people. i prefer lycaon fans etc for example even if i don't listen to them. they seem to know about more bands and have more interesting comments

I don't care about the visuals in VK:  I say this is an unpopular opinion because I've been told countless times that it's impossible not to care about the visuals and anyone that says that is lying and on and on.  But I don't and I never have. I have some kind of sick attraction to the music itself, but I don't give a flying fuck about the band's appearance and would prefer they didn't look so ridiculous if I had a choice, just so it'd be less embarrassing to point them out to people.

I freaking loved An Cafe in 2008. I don't even know how I found out about them, but I remember I bought a magazine that had bands interview and one of the bands from that month's publication was An Cafe and at first I thought they were...cute girls XD. And then I looked them on the internet and got so into them, I started watching a lot of videos and had all the discography and basically that's how I found out that all the anime songs I've been listening until then were from the "jrock" genre XD.

ahhh, man

let's be honest.

The idea of visual-kei is to sell a perfect image of somebody that doesn't exist.
Same with all of the pop-idols. This is an industry, first of all, music comes secondary. We have a target audience of 18-year old Japanese girls, most likely obsessed with androgynous male image and who read a lot of josei and shojo manga.. They are not gonna buy music in general - they don't give a shit about that. What you can sell to them is an image.
 
as it was once put:
"No, they’re sexy, but they don’t exist in the same universe as the fans. They don’t have chlamidya, they don’t worry about child support payments, they don’t have girlfriends or baby-mamas. They don’t have a stinky van. The fans don’t want to think about that! They want a dream, (not a man or a woman), they want a higher being, a look out of a fairy-tale. That’s why we do all the makeup and hair. It’s not about the guitars or playing A-flat in a Lydian mode."

In case you didn't notice - it's the same thing with anime. It will always cater to the male audience, because we tend/are willing to spend whatever money we have on our obsession - be it motorbykes or fuck-pillows. And if you take socially awkward males who had no success with women and life in general, and sell them over-sexualized image and play on their instincts - oh boy, you get a really good chunk of revenue. So you can see the similarities with the visual-kei approach here.
 
So, the visual-kei's target audience just does the same - spending whatever they have on their obsession. The difference is that visual-kei found its small (really small) niche of fans who are ready to do that. If we take population in general - it will not work. But it just takes whatever mental image/ideal the fans have, wrap it in a nice way, add a little bit of consumer psychology/evolutionary psychology and neurobiology (yes, it's the thing, I highly recommend reading material on how the last two infuence what we buy and how much we are willing to spend) - and you get your revenue =)
 
Hence, we have a situation, that mostly females go to visual-kei gigs (because it was created for them), mostly (hungry/semi-virgin) males go for female pop-idols' gigs (because it was created for them), and etc. Which is fine.
It's all about money, not the art.

The majority of the japanese fans are indeed girls/women, that being said - there still exists male fans. They're called ギャ男 (gyao, slang for bangya + boy). I have some japanese gyao friends who I've been to lives with and it's usually very fun. Of course it all depends on the band as well, I've never seen nokubura live but from what I've heard they have a big male audience for a vk band (probably because of their heavy music), when I attended a Avelcain boys only live one of my gyao friends told me most guys there was gay (he's gay himself as well), and for some reason I think that's the case a lot of the time. Also the fact that boys only live exists proves that there is indeed male fans. 
 
But to answer your question: yes, most japanese men (and women) dislike visual kei. It's a small and niched scene. 

The band members market themselves for women. It's like the female idol industry, I went to an idol live once and there were only men watching, not a female in sight apart from the group performing.  
Hot men in make up who seem readily available = mostly female fans
Cute girls who seems readily available = pretty much just dude fans
 
Metal/rock/etc. attracts all kinds of people in the west, but these niche groups in Japan (VK & Idols) market themselves in such a way that I think it 'segregates' who can enjoy the group to the fullest. (Lives, taking part in the community, instore events, etc.)

I have been sitting on some CDs and DVDs that I don't listen to or need anymore. They're probably worth something more to other people, so I'm ready to let them go. I honestly don't know what these are worth, so I'm not going to put any prices on anything. If there's something you're interested in, field me a price and we'll talk. Unless noted, everything is in very good shape with obi's and has been sitting in a box for years. If you want pictures of anything, I'm more than willing to provide them. Also, if you want rips of anything on this list, I would also be willing to provide them. This is also a work in progress, so I'll periodically be updating this.
 
—MUSIC—
#
12012 – CROM DVD
 
B
BLOOD – VENGEANCE for BLOOD 2
the bullet – my pain (limited w/DVD)
the bullet – Last quarter (limited w/DVD) – top of case is broken
 
C
Coaltar of the Deepers – Penguin e.p
 
D
ダリ(dali) – antithesis
ダリ (dali) – monophbia
ダリ (dali) – inartistic
ダリ (dali) – breath
ダリ (dali) – core – w/comment/karaoke CD
ダリ (dali) – funeral dessin (A Type)
ダリ (dali) – funeral dessin (B Type)
ダリ (dali) – beautiful dessin
ダリ (dali) – the world is mine (Type A)
ダリ (dali) – the world is mine (Type B )
ダリ (dali) – Heroine
ダリ (dali) – a rope is there and hope is there (Type A)
ダリ (dali) – a rope is there and hope is there (Type B )
ダリ (dali) – mind stripper
DELUHI – ヴィジュバスリット -VISVASRIT- – w/comment CD
DELUHI – マハーデーヴァ -MAHADEVA- – w/comment CD
DELUHI – ジャガンナータ -JAGANNATH- – w/comment CD
DELUHI – Orion once again (2nd press)
DELUHI – FLASH:B[L]ACK  – w/Brand X DVD
DELUHI – Yggdalive  – w/Brand X DVD
Dir en grey – Agitated Screams of Maggots (regular)
Dir en grey – DRAIN AWAY – case is a little scratched
Dir en grey – The Final – case is a little scratched
 
G
ギルガメッシュ (girugamesh) – 理性壊乱-乱調型円盤- (Risei Kairan -Ranchou Gata Enban-)
ギルガメッシュ (girugamesh) – 本能解放-覚醒型円盤- (Honnou Kaihou -Kakusei Gata Enban-)
ギルガメッシュ (girugamesh) – 零-ゼロ- (rei-zero-)
ギルガメッシュ (girugamesh) – 13's reborn
girugamesh – girugamesh US ver. – case is a little scratched
gossip – obscene
gossip – Newborn – w/comment page
 
H
hurts – 包帯天使－head ache－ (houtai tenshi-head ache-) – w/comment sheet
 
K
蜉蝣 (Kagerou) – 愚弄色 (Guroshoku)
蜉蝣 (Kagerou) – 落首 (limited edition) (Rakushu)
 
N
Nadir – 二人 で 見た 日々(ni nin de mita hibi)
Nadir – spoonful
 
P
PuppetMammy – 心情色彩集 (shinjou shikisaishuu)
 
S
サディ (Sadie) – 溺哀-dekiai-
サディ (Sadie) – GRUDGE OF SORROW
サディ (Sadie) – THE SUICIDE MACHINE 1st press
サディ (Sadie) – The Trend Killer
SCISSOR – NUMBER CUT #2
SCISSOR – NUMBER CUT #3
SCISSOR – 館～Tour Final～ LIVE at LIQUIDROOM ebisu 2005.06.07 DVD
SCISSOR – FINAL CUT 2005.11.30 SHIBUYA O-West DVD
SCISSOR – FAREWELL
Siva – 供華絢爛記 (kyou hana kenranki)
Siva – 下の刻 (shita no koku) 
Suicide Ali – This New Order
Suicide Ali – Representa – sealed with photo card
Suicide Ali – 受継がれた指輪 (Uketsugareta Yubiwa) – sealed
Suicide Ali – さらう笛と約束 (sarau fue to yakusoku) – sealed
 
U
UnsraW – -9-
UnsraW – Gate of Death
UnsraW – Spiral Circle (Type A) – w/comment CD
UnsraW – Spiral Circle (Type B ) – w/comment CD
UnsraW – Dust to Dust – super rare mail-in CD
UnsraW – Abel
 
V/A
Omnibus – SHOCK WAVE CD the SELECT [D'espairsRay, ドレミ團 (Doremidan), MASK, カレン (Kalen), アンティック珈琲店 (An Cafe), Clavier, SCISSOR, Phantasmagoria, アヤビエ (Ayabie), KuRt, 12012, ヴィドール (Vidoll)
Omnibus – Visual-DVD Magazine Volume 2 [姫苺 (hime ichigo), chariots, SMILE, SuG, SaTaN, MixSpeakers, Inc. Mana's Not Dead, Moi dix Mois]
Omnibus – Visual-DVD Magazine Volume 3 [ヴィドール (Vidoll)), Kaya, 摩天楼オペラ(Matenrou Opera), Sugar, ネガ(Nega), lynch. Ra:IN]
 
—OTHERS—
BLOOD armband – 2 available
DELUHI cheki case, sticker sheet, phone strap, towel, and t-shirt (M size) – never worn or used
DELUHI yggdalive photo set
サディ (Sadie) Tour Towel – Tour Grudge of Sorrow

I have to agree a bit thats one of the things im starting to dislike about ryuogas works now he would but a random part in a song that doesn't even fit and it would just kill it. He does it in some songs rarely but still there. Also you should honestly born was amazing one of the most iconic works he has. Whenever you get the chance it is worth it. I suggest "Independence Black" unless you wanna start from the beginning up to you.

They are doing pretty well. Not just their oneman crowd but the amount of fans who go to event lives have increased a lot since I first started going (there used to be only about 10 or so people for them at event lives, sometimes less) . They also often play last or second to last at event lives now.
What I mean is some of my friends and acquaintances who have been going to see them since the first oneman, like me, or before that have been going less or just have stopped going altogether so you might see the DVD or other rares pop up on Twitter or auction sites.
 
People stop following bands at any time for any reason they may have. There isn't any sort of mass exodus going on. Some people are just conflicted about where the band is going and that happens with all bands.
 
Nah they're not breaking up any time soon. They members are all super close friends, their manager is like the chillest person on the planet and they have plenty of dedicated fans who throw money at them. 

Good luck to you then!!! You will need plenty of it XD I remember when I tried to buy the fool's mate edition of DELUHI's "Two Hurt"... Man...

So I just got the limited edition of VERSUS, and it comes in a super thick case (like the standard edition of INCOMPLETE). This right here is the cover on the booklet inside:
 

 
Why didn't they just go with this for the main cover? Somebody has been lying to this band telling them that the other covers they've been promoting are better than this one right here.
 
Still haven't listened to the album in full, but I still have high hopes for it. Still not sure if I'll like Shangri-La or Noah when I do listen, but I'm not expecting them to be as bad as I thought when the tracks were released back in May. REM will probably be my favourite, and maybe is DEAD (that song kinda gives me a suicide ali vibe).

So, what's everyone's favorite song off LUV so far?
Mine have got to be The LUV, piece of a broken heart and 闇火, but I think I like pretty much all of them. lol I don't even mind the drum solo.

According to reports Koichi's birthday live had a great atmosphere, all the members were happy and there was an mc in which Koichi said they'll see us next year. 

No... Just no.
Bland, uninspired, unoriginal. It might grow on me eventually, but it really feels like a track that any band could pull off.
 
Leda, what the actual fuck are you doing?

Ａ　Ｅ　Ｓ　Ｔ　Ｈ　Ｅ　Ｔ　Ｉ　Ｃ

I love DELUHI to pieces and listening to FED makes me so upset because it is still Leda; Sujk is also there but somehow nothing sounds as good? I don't expect Leda to put out the same things he did almost 10 years ago but like @chemicalpicturessaid, it is average at best. The guitar solo is actually very nice but I just can't get behind this band fully yet. Keita also doesn't possess the greatest voice imo, which perhaps also adds to the bundle. I loved Disgracer from their previous ep, and I find that's the one song I keep getting back to bc it just sounds so different and electric and just solid af. Still ain't giving up hope tho. 

Yep @chemicalpicturesis 💯 right here. We know they can do better because "inhale" is a fuck ton better than this bs.

Thing is, those guys are way above average musicians but the majority of their output is mediocre at best. They have set up all time high expectations, and most of the time failed to deliver (except for the mindblowing Inhale)... This ain't bad for your regular half baked vk act, but for a superstar team like this one is disappointing, to say the least.

I bought the album because I didn't think it would get up on Spotify (would probably have bought it anyway). 
 
For yall all who wanna listen early:
 

Ride the Beat, Ride the Dream is Shinya's Drum Solo.
 
I think after coming to 30 years in LUNA SEA, he deserves to have a track to himself.
 
Expect to hear this live.

RAZOR was a good surprise for me, I'd never really got into BORN but I feel like after RAZOR I should at least give them a spin.
As for the mini, the first times I listened to it I wasn't very excited, but now listening to all of it, it really makes for a high energy, reasonable work. I don't really care for ballads most of the time and 君は今も鮮やかに was no exception. I gotta say the title track from this mini is the less memorable of all they've released. I gotta agree with everyone and say that イノセンス is the best track. 
Really want a full album from these guys. 
 

I live in Poland and im being paid the lowest legal pay , recalculating this to dollars its 2,50 dollar per hour . THe monthly pay is barely enough to pay the rent and other bills like electicity , water and so on , and almost nothing is left for living . The only thing cheap in this fukin dumb country is the internet , and its the only good thing in a life worth totally nothing .

Some people seem to believe that piracy is (only) a service problem - Masa's first point gives me this impression too. The implication is that if you make music as accessible as possible, piracy is going to magically disappear. Sadly this is true only in the limiting case where the music in question is rare to the extent that it hasn't surfaced on the internet. If anything, vk is among the least affected by piracy (in relative terms) as opposed to games, movies, pop music, whatever., because the obscure live-limited releases and distro's are impossible to pirate if they don't even exist on the network to begin with.  Yet it hurts them more because in absolute terms as they have a far smaller slice of the consumers' pie.
 
For stuff that people can buy from shops or online, releases are only "immune" to piracy for the first 24-48 hours or so. The artists know this as well; that's why fans are always being bugged to "pre-order" upcoming releases. The reality is that more and more people today who actually BUY music do so not because they want to listen to the music, but as a symbolic act of pledging their support. It's like making a "donation" to affirm that you like what the artists are doing. Why else would I want to spend money on a CD and wait for it to arrive, when I can simply click on a link to get it for free instantly? Most of my friends who buy CDs (not many do anymore, admittedly) don't even open their CDs when they arrive at their house, cuz they've pirated the digital files long ago. The industry realizes this as well, so they have stuff like in-store events and promotional lucky-draws to encourage purchase.
 
Anyway, I should say that I don't want to endorse piracy. I do, however, wish that bands like NB would stop whining and direct their effort to formulating a marketing model to sell their stuff in our current age where music doesn't sell the same way it had used to (something for people to buy, take home, and listen). If there's only one thing AKB48 or any of their countless analogs can be praised for, it's being incredibly successful at this.

My dearest and most beloved purchase is without doubt X Japan - Art of life, published 1993 and it has the black photobook as well as the original plastic "slip on" case (though it's super damaged but I don't dare to throw it away XD)
 
The CD+photobook is being sold in Yahoo with low prices but the emotional value of the CD can't be measured in money. It's my ultimate favorite song ever and I've spent way too much time listening to it, at least according to last.fm.

I figured it would be cool to have a thread like this for people just starting out going to lives, or maybe even some of you veterans out there that are always trying to make the most of your time and/or maximize efficiency getting in and out.
 
Hack #1: Getting Good Ticket Numbers
 

Hack #2: Getting a Locker
 
 
Hack #3: Have Everything Ready
 

Hack #4: How to Bring Your Own Drink/Keep It Out of the Way
 
 
Hack #5: Buying Goods
 
 
Hack #6: Trying to See Better if You’re Short
 
 
Hack #7: Showing Your Spirit
 
 
Hack #8: Making gya friends
 
 
Hack #9: Saving Money on Transportation Costs
 
 
Hack #10: Finding Cheap/Close Accommodation
 
 
Hack #11: Buying Tickets
 
 
Hack #12: Bringing/Giving a Gift
 
 
If you know of more tricks, please add to the list by replying! 
 
EDITED 5/23/2018 with suggestions from the replies  Also, thanks mod @platyfor the sticky!