monkeybanana4

ACME are starting to rival DIV. They're not quite there yet, but it's only a matter of time. I hope they come to England in the future.
Also, I love the dog in this video. Reminds me of the DIV song Pieces, which seems like a really sweet (yet basic) love ballad at first, but then in the last verse, it's revealed that he's singing about his dog. That made me squee a little when I first heard it.

Ack, this thread existed? I think I'll be in this club for a while *pulls up a chair and sits down*
 
Still single and probably will be for a while. Currently, I'm focusing on school and would like to wait until I feel my life is steadier (if a relationship happens). A friend of mine asked me if I ever planned to date and/or get married, and it got me thinking that whatever happens will happen. If it happens, then that's great. If it doesn't, then that's fine with me (personally). I've never had any serious relationships. I almost had one a long time ago, but it fell through due to complicated reasons as usual ^^; 
 
I think the mentality of "you have to be dating someone" is a bit odd. Each individual has the choice of whether they want to be in a relationship with someone or not. No one else has that right to tell you (in general, no one in particular) that "you should be dating someone" since you are the one who will be experiencing the relationship, not anyone else.
 
Also, I don't want to be in a relationship with someone to validate my existence. I feel quite content with who I am and I don't want someone else telling me about myself. I'm up for changing into being a better person or compromising with other people to make things work, but I think you should stick true to who you are and not morph into someone else completely different that makes you feel unhappy/uncomfortable. I've seen people be in a relationship and completely change themselves because of their partner. It makes me sad to see this because I believe people in a relationship are equals, not subservient to their partner. (I'm speaking in general terms and not about any specific circumstances/situations.) 
 
(Yikes, this post was longer than I intended 😅 I apologize if I didn't make any sense. It's almost three am over here, and I'm somewhat tired, but I wanted to respond, lol.)

You got the price of the regular edition mixed up xD It's 3000 yen, not 3500 ! 
 
https://www.festvainqueur.com/contents/213608

The romaji title is "Pinky Rensou" with rensou meaning something like "love affair". 
Great buys btw! 

poggers

Singer is once again not in this video. I wonder where he went.

Let's also not forget about some more explosive outbursts like Ryohei from Kyogetsu. I wrote about it here if you want some more details, but safe to say that it's an open secret that going visual kei is a money pit and it can be seen as shameful to discuss it brazenly.

Because I'm not Japanese, I took the time to convert the yen into freedom and equality units.

 
MV ~ 500.000 ¥ / $4,400.67 / €3,882.55
Costumes ~ 700.000¥ / $6,160.86 / €5,435.49
Foto shooting ~ 100.000¥ / $880.12 / €776.49 
CD pressing ~ 100.000¥ / $880.12 / €776.49 
Recording ~ 100.000¥ / $880.12 / €776.49 
Hair styling ~ 1x 20.000¥ / $176.06 / €155.31
Studio ~ 1x 10.000¥ / $88.01 / €77.65 
Travel cost ~ 200.000¥ / $1760.59 /  €1,553.43
Flyer/print ~ 100.000¥ / $880.12 / €776.49 
Website 150.000¥ / $1,320.47 /  €1,164.82

Total: $17427.14 / €15,372.22

Some of these numbers should be interpreted carefully. I added up all the values, so the true cost of hair styling and studio isn't reflected here because those are repeated over and over again. For the studio, is this cost per hour or per session? It's way more expensive if it's $88 an hour. I also find that the expenses for hair styling are pretty expensive relative to what it should cost, so I wonder if this is a compound cost or an estimation of some sort. I also assume somethings like flyer / print, CD pressing, and photo shoots include the costs not just to produce the medium but to pay for the services and distribution. Something similar for the website too; I doubt most of these guys are doing all the maintenance work for it, so they probably pay someone to keep it up for them. A thousand dollars for a website doesn't make sense. A thousand dollars to create an interactive and impressive website quickly is still too much. But to do all that and keep it maintained makes sense. Travel costs include not just plane tickets, but moving all of the musical equipment and paying the roadies to do it for you. I wonder if these costs are per band member or costs for all members as a whole, which could explain some of these high costs. I don't think this is everything, because I've heard stories about how bands have to front money in order to be able to perform. I don't know how true this is, but I've heard about it more than once, especially when bands have to front the difference if attendance was below projected amounts. There's nothing here about the cost to perform concerts or produce merchandise. And finally, I don't think the band is paying all of the costs, just a majority of it. So I'm comfortable saying that for your average band, the label would front about 30% and the band members together would front the remaining 70%. So the new adjusted total is:

Total: $12,199.00 / €10,760.40
 
If I were to pretend that I was a visual kei musician, and I was in charge of budgeting for my band, and we had to make some hard choices about what we could afford and not afford, I'd honestly take a look at the hair styling and costume costs, the studio costs, and the photo shoots. I think the hair styling is egregiously expensive for no real reason, compounded by the fact that it would be multiple visits. I'd only get my hair done when I absolutely need to and show up to the studio and to record looking like a regular guy. I'd try to do band practice somewhere cheaper, because those $90 visits add up fast. Travel cost is non-negotiable. Photo shoots can double for both cheki and promotional materials, so I think that's the cost of doing business. The cost of the costumes is right about where I expected it to be if you budget for five people, and budget considering every time you record a new release you have a new look. But costumes put the visual in visual kei, so it is hard to argue to take them out. I honestly would have to argue if costumes should cost more than the music video, and would try to find some way to put even more money into those, because that also puts the visual in visual kei, and shoot for making less music videos overall if I can keep each one to a higher standard of quality. I honestly don't know how much of a presence a website would give my band at the start, and would probably double down on traditional social media tools at first to go viral and cheapen costs there, or maybe latch on to my label's bigger website and push that way. Or maybe both, because more exposure doesn't hurt and word of mouth is free. I'd also be the ultimate cheap and lazy bastard and press all my CDs themselves to start, and then distribute them at lives. 

Overall, I can understand a bit better how difficult it can be to get started if the funds aren't green. 

Another best of album? Oh, super exciting. sarcasm
 
Too bad it won’t be a full revival. Wish I could build a teleporter to see them live.

Hello and welcome! If you have any questions,  just ask around ^-^ 

Ive been lurking and now ive joined, im a new member and wish to contribute to this wonderful community 🤧
I listen to so many bands listing favorites would make quite the list, but kizu and dimlim won 2018 for me. 👋

Vo.ブキミ
 

Gt.マル
 

Dr.詩季

Vo.ブキミ
 

Gt.マル
 

Dr.詩季

Vo.ブキミ
 

Gt.マル
 

Dr.詩季

Their free single will be limited to 4,444 copies.

Their free single will be limited to 4,444 copies.

「Orpheus -Eurydike Side-」
1. Orpheus
2. Bullet
3. Illumination
 

「Orpheus -Orpheus Side-」
1. Orpheus
2. Colors
3. Distress
 

Thank you!
 
Nightmare, Screw, and X Japan. I need to refind all my old favourites.
what are yours?

Who's ready

Reading this made me re-listen to OZ and damn I miss his voice, Natsuki is part of the few vocalist that I wish would have not retired but if he's happier like this it's better I guess, nice to see his face after such a long time! 

I got my copy of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate yesterday but only got to play half an hour  My fiancée has my Switch as she was dying to play it but she doesn’t have a Switch so I can’t play today either xD 

@monkeybanana4 I'll reply to your PM