Jump to content
Monochrome Heaven is closed. We have moved to JROCK ONE.

Number Girl

Veterans
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content Count

    1446

  • Joined

  • Days Won

    1

Posts posted by Number Girl

  1. Posted

    I'm very torn on this issue. On one hand, I think that artists should be able to get some sort of compensation for their hard work and that decent fans should give back to them in some way. 

     

    However, when it come to Japanese artists, many of them make their music so inaccessible, it's ludicrous. Whether it's due to factors that are within the control of the artists or not, it's ridiculous that the only legal way international fans can sample their music and actually get exposure to the artist is through five second YouTube clips or by buying the full CD. 

  2. Posted

    For getting in the romantic/sexy mood? Hell yes! But when I'm actually having sex I don't like music playing as, quite frankly, I get too distracted.   :P However, last Halloween my SO and I wanted to experiment with different atmospheres and made a sex music playlist just to see what it did for us. 

     

    Probably the best choice song I selected was by Washed Out "You and I." 

     

  3. Posted

    I saw an update on this and immediately thought the band is active again.

     

    D'aww, I had the same thoughts! 

     

    It's been forever since I've touched their music, though. :'(

    Crube reacted to this

  4. Posted

    There is no universal shop for purchasing "J-Rock" T-shirts or merch, but I highly advise visiting websites of band/record labels you like as there's a high likelihood of them being legit (as in, not fan made) and the money going to directly support the band. 

  8. Posted

    Hair, sexually arousing basslines, vocals that sound like the feeling of your hands reaching out of a sunroof into a clear blue sky, hair, the scent perfume that reminds you of the girl with her hair dyed in the colors of the sunset, the bitterness I felt when I stepped into the rain when I left behind my umbrella, guitars that weep, moan, fall like rain drops, or battle each other to death, hair, the schadenfreude over the misfortune of the one who broke you heart and the following realization that no matter what, you're still just as alone as you were before, basslines like heavy mist that engulf the darkened highway carved into the Blue Ridge mountains, hair, ribs, tattoos, vocals that wake you up before anything else in the entire world, and though you're still tired, make you still want to watch the sun rise, the guitar that takes you to the apartment window with a cup of coffee and a skyline view you've always dreamed of having, hair, sunglasses, and a melodies that bring a smile to your face as you return to that place you once were and relive one of those bittersweet memories.  

    lichtlune and Tetora reacted to this

  9. Posted

    Yep, all the record labels threatening people and YouTube subsequently going on video purging/banning sprees might certainly have been the number one thing that's discouraged people from there for sure. For example, I remember when the Gackt fandom went into a panic because Gordie was literally removing any trace of existance of Gackt on YouTube, including clips of him appearing on Japanese television shows or things unrelated to his current solo project (like Malice Mizer) and fan/tribute videos simply tagged as "Gackt." People responded by continuously making new accounts and re-uploading the videos, but I could see after a while that doing that over and over again can be tiresome and wouldn't be surprised if people simply just gave up after a while. 

     

    Also I concur with Zess - for a promotional video, they don't use it much as promotion and more as an extra money-milking component of the product/package they're trying to sell in the first place. It's even funnier when they try to pull it off with really shitty videos that literally add nothing of value (and, combined with the price, it probably even REMOVES value). 

     

    You know japan is an ever changin enviorment , and one of my favorite music critics said that japan is a weird country with one of the most commercial and sweet music scene , but also as the other side of the medallion they have one of the most brutal and heaviest metal scene out there .In the older days visual kei was popular more cause it was mostly the heaviest music you get , now VK is reaching too much for commercialization making more melodic and easy "metal" than the real deal so ppl dont reall get to like this that much . Also the VK artist are getting greedier more and more , and most of them see youtube as another "Legal" piracy platform .

     

    You may be a bit mistaken when you mention that visual kei used to be "the heaviest music you get." In the "old days" there were upbeat, poppy VK bands as well as VK that played heavy metal and punk. Also, I'd say there's a fair number of heavy bands still out there. (Of course "heavy" can be subjective). 

     

    I think it's more because the visual kei niche has deviated from being a "movement" to being more focused on attracting a certain number of fans. Greed may be a part of it, but I wouldn't put the blame on the artists themselves. Some of them DO care about music and are just trying to find a way to make money and survive like the rest of us. More likely, it's the higher-ups that are probably responsible for a lot of the bullshit that's biting everyone, including the bands themselves, in the ass. 

  12. Posted

    I can't say much about production values, nor do I tend to judge albums on that factor alone, but . . . Boris' Noise album.

    I wouldn't call it a "horror" necessarily (I do have a bias towards them, being one of my favorite bands of all time 'n all), but something feels very *uncomfortable* about listening to it. I mean, I enjoy the songs themselves but I couldn't help but feel like something is just off about the way it's put together. I feel like there's an emphasis on the vocals that isn't necessary considering Takeshi is not a stand-out singer. Not sure if that has anything to do with production, but let's just say hearing them performed live was a lot more pleasurable than on the recording.

  13. Posted

    I don't know, man. It always rubs me a little wrong when bands guilt or threaten fans in order to get them to stop participating in piracy. DELETING FUCKING EVERYTHING from YouTube, declaring "war" on pirates, or calling your fans demeaning names (a la Kiwamu) is just going to make people lose respect for you and it certainly won't help you widen your fanbase. 

     

    Sure, I have no problem if an artist wants to encourage fans to buy their music/merch/show tickets, but the attitude you have about it is important to consider too. Fact is, no one responds well to people who come across as whiny assholes, even if their music is the blessed gift of God to humanity. I'm not saying that musicians shouldn't feel angry at fans if their careers are clearly suffering, but there are appropriate ways to get people to sympathize with you and see things your way as opposed to alienating and punishing them. Especially since there's no possible way of knowing the reasons behind why every fan does what they do.  

     

    Personally, I'm neutral about piracy as I'm not exactly well versed on copyright laws, issues, or ethics in that area. I don't think people should always pirate when they really do care about the artists and they have the means to donate a small sum to BandCamp or buy a CD, but I would be kidding myself if I tried to say that piracy was a force of evil that is killing the music industry and is always more harmful than helpful. I wouldn't have bought the massive pile of Japanese discs or have half as much of the digital downloads on my laptop if it weren't for people breaking the rules and uploading YouTube videos, torrents, etc. 

     

    Just my two cents in response to the OP, I haven't had the chance to really read through the whole topic just yet. 

    paradoxal reacted to this

  14. Posted

    As the title inquires, if you didn`t have Japanese music (VK, Indie, Pop, Idol, Electronic, or whatever you like / love) what would you be listening to, and how would your life be different?

     

    I honestly don't know. I'd probably be still listening to mainstream music or I may have moved on to the English-language 80's/90's, indie, and alternative music genres/artists I currently enjoy along with my Japanese-language music. I'm not even entirely sure that I'd even have the same passion for music that I have now at all. It's been such a mind-opening, wonderful, exciting journey becoming a part of the fandom and being exposed to so many artists and learning so much about what music has to offer, my music taste hasn't been the only thing that has been affected by the music, but it has also affected parts of my worldview as well. 

     

    How much does Japanese music add to your life?

     

    Japanese music itself doesn't really do anything magical. I'd prefer to give credit to individual artists for their contributions to my life. The artists I've grown to love have made living much easier, more tolerable, and more meaningful. They give me something to look forward to and to smile about. It's given me inspiration for my writings and poetry and other ways I express myself. They give color to the world when it seems like there isn't any. I could go on and on about all the good shit until I had a little novella in the works. 

     

    In addition, there's also the simple shit it gives me - like a community to be involved in, a way to relate to people, a fun excuse to chat up with strangers on the internet and fill a blog full of pretty pictures, rants, and flowery reviews.

     

    Would there be any benefits to not having it, like a heavier wallet or bigger bank account? Or is it just plain worth it?

     

    I might have procrastinated less in both high school and college and, yes, both my parents and myself would have heavier wallets, but knowing me, I'm sure if I didn't put the money towards music, it would probably go towards another hobby or interest. I think 98% of the time, it's been worth it, although there are a few purchases I face-palm about to this day, considering all the stress I put into obtaining them when I could have just downloaded it online and been just as satisfied in the end. :P

     

    Do you have irreplaceable friends you found through Japanese music?

     

    I'd say so. :) Although for the most part they are internet friends, they are irreplaceable nonetheless. I hope to stay apart of those people's lives for a very long time. 

     

    Has it opened up your life more? Gave you an interest in Japanese culture? How would your interests change if you didn`t have this music?

     

    Absolutely! Being opened up to Japanese music has opened my mind to music from other parts of the world and allowed me to explore genres I wouldn't otherwise be aware of or interested in. I no longer have many reservations about trying new artists and new styles and obviously, language is no longer a barrier that keeps me from enjoying any music. As I said before, not only has it changed my musical interests, but it has also changed the way I view the world and how I view people. I've become a more tolerant, thoughtful person and I'd say I've even become a more confident person as well. Overall, I'd say Japanese music and individual artists have been a VERY positive influence on my life. 

  16. Posted

    Hey, wasn't sure how long this news has been out, but 八十八ヶ所巡礼 is having a new album coming out in a few days called 攻撃的国民的音楽. (If someone could give me a translation, that would be awesome). Feel free to let me know if this is a double post or something! It's been a while since I've been on here. D: 

     

    Here's the promo video:

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D90AOhojK3M

     

    Not bad! 

    CAT5 reacted to this

  18. Posted

    01. What are you listening to right now? "Pure As Snow (Trails of the Winter Storm)" by Mono 

    02. What song(s) make(s) you sad? "Stay (Far Away, So Close)" by U2, "Summer Breeze" by Seals and Crofts, "Pictures of You" by The Cure, and "Two Weeks" by Grizzly Bear
    03. What is the most annoying song in the world? Anything by Eminem, tbh 
    04. 3 all time favorite Japanese bands? Boris, Bo Ningen, and Number Girl 
    05. 3 all time favorite non-Japanese bands? The Horrors, Tame Impala, and The Drums 
    06. Your favorite recently discovered band is? Fleet Foxes 
    07. Favorite female voice(s)? Jehnny Beth from Savages, Marina from Marina & the Diamonds, Lana del Rey, and Stevie Nicks 
    08. Favorite male voice(s)? Mizuki Iida from Cinema Staff, Sohei Oyamada from Andymori, Eizo Sakamoto from Anthem, Taigen from Bo Ningen 
    09. Music type you find yourself listening to most? Eh . . . like dream/psych/folk indie pop kind of shit
    10. What do you listen to, to hype you up? Depends on my mood, but lately The Drums upbeat tracks like "Me and the Moon" and "Best Friend" have really got be hyped up.
    11. What do you listen to when you want to calm down? A half dose of Benadryl and the entire Real Estate discography on shuffle, and I am out like a light. 
    12. Last gig/concert you went to? Some Christian rock concert YEARS ago
    13. Band you find yourself listening to the most right now? The Strokes, for some reason and Real Estate 

    14. Most hated band? Fall Out Boy - I honestly don't get the hype surrounding them. Their music is just "okay" and they annoy the shit out of me.
    15. Song that makes you think? "NUM AMI DABUTZ" by Number Girl 
    16. Band that you think the world should love as much as you do? BO NINGEN
    17. Favorite music video? "    夢見るバンドワゴン" by Andymori  
    18. Can you play a musical instrument? Nope 
    19. Are you in a band? LOL, no. 
    20. Do you wish you could play an instrument? If so, which one? Yes, I wish I could play bass guitar 
    21. Best all-girl band you know of? HAIM 
    22. Last song that you heard on the radio/CD…etc…? "Anniversary" by YOSHIKI
    23. What do you think of Classical music? I enjoy some of it, but I prefer "modern" classical, such as the stuff in film scores more than other kinds
    24. What do you think of Country music? On rare occasions, I enjoy it ironically. There are a few artists such as the Dixie Chicks that I really enjoy and respect and some nostalgic songs from my childhood I still enjoy, but for the most part, a lot of it is cheap garbage. 
    25. What do you think of Death metal? It's an occasional pleasure when I'm in a certain mood for it, but for the most part I don't get a lot out of it and the vocals can be annoying 
    26. What do you think of Visual Kei? I don't care much for a lot of visual kei artists recently, but if the music is good, I'm willing to give it a chance. 
    27. What do you think of Hip-hOP? Like with visual kei, if the music is good, I'll give it a chance, but I don't care for it as much as more  melodic type of music or rock-based music. 
    28. If you were a musical instrument what would you be? A cello - not sure why, but that's the first thing that came to mind. 
    29. What do your parents listen to? Mom - listens to Christian rock and pop; Dad - listens to nothing really 
    30. Favorite movie/anime/video game sound track? It's a tie between the The Horse Whisperer and the Shawshank Redemption original scores along. I also enjoy the Naruto/Naruto Shippuden scores too. 
    31. Do you know the names of all the band members that you listen to? Most of the important ones, but not all. 
    32. Have you met any famous musicians? No. 
    33. Do you follow the music charts, like the top 40? Not really
    34. Do you watch music TV? Not unless there's a band of interest involved 
    35. Do you listen to the radio? Occasionally, but not since I got my new iPod 
    36. What are 3 of your favorite albums ever? Cinema Staff - Blue, under the Imagination, Boris - The Thing Which Solomon Overlooked, Bo Ningen - Line the Wall
    37. Name one album that you regret listening to Switchfoot's Hello Hurricane 
    38. Do you buy music digitally? Very frequently, actually. 
    39. Favorite Visual Kei band? Luna Sea 
    40. What is one band that you used to love, but now hate? Gackt 
    41. Does Engrrrrrish bother you? It used to, but now I kind of just accept that I probably would sound awkward or strange if I tried singing in Japanese or another language, so I've learned to not ridicule people for that as much. 
    42. What genre could you never listen to? There's no genre I could never listen to, unless it's some genre that is only audible to dogs or some shit, lol. I always give shit a chance. 
    43. What language do you listen to the most in music? Japanese, definitely.  
    44. Do you like long songs? It depends on the content of the song, as well as my mood at the time. I'm a big fan of Boris' longer epics. 
    45. How often do you download music? Probably once or twice a month max
    46. Are there any specific bitrates that you prefer? I've been ripping my music in VBR for the past four years, but it doesn't matter to me as long as it isn't 128 or below. 
    47. What do you think of autotune? I don't mind autotune in the context of strongly electronic-based music such as Techno, but it's borderline annoying when it's overly abused in the context of pop or hip-hop 
    48. What do you think of Noise (music)? I'm not *into* it, but I occasionally enjoy Merzbow as some background music when I'm trying to focus on studying or reading 
    49. Do you prefer listening to music on speakers or with headphones? Headphones, as I have no decent speakers in my possession :/ 
    50. What musician(s) are you most physically attracted to? I like Julian Casablancas, Taigen and Yuki from Bo Ningen as well as Takeshi from Boris and Joshua Hayward from The Horrors - I have a weakness for pretty guys with really long or dark hair, especially if they can play a decent bass or guitar 
    51. If you could bring back any disbanded band, which one would it be? Number Girl!!! 
    52. If you HAD to stereotype your music tastes, what would you be considered? (in example -a metal-head, hip-hop, goth, hipster, etc..) I've been referred to derogatorily as a hipster a few times, but it's relatively accurate, even though I don't think I have any other hipster "qualifications" besides my music taste
    53. How much on average do you listen to music? At least once a day for about 1-2 hours per day, mostly when I'm commuting back and forth to work or excercising 
    54. How big is your digital music collection? I think my iTunes library has about 4500 songs 
    55. How many physical CDs do you own? It's been a while since I've counted, but a little less than 200 
    56. What song will you play at your Wedding? "But I Was Different" by Les Rallizes Denudes 
    57. What song will you play at your Funeral? "Farewell" by Boris
    58. What dead musician would you bring back? Taiji Sawada
    59. Best intro to a song? For some reason, I love the intro to "Love Will Be Born Again" by Versailles - better than I like the rest of the song, lol. 
    60. Favorite album cover? Bo Ningen self-titled
    61. Two artists or bands that you'd like to see collaborate? Bo Ningen and 88Kasyo Junrei - they'd definitely make an incredible team 
    62. Do you wear band etc T-shirts? Yes, but not enough! I NEED MORE!!! 
    63. Song that describes your life? I know it's cliche, but "How Soon is Now?" by The Smiths 
    64. Are any of your friends/family etc. musicians? I have a few dude friends who play music - one of them is a folk/acoustic artist who actually plays a few local gigs every once in a while. 
    65. Quote one of your favorite lyrics? "You're in my mind all of the time / I know that's not enough / Well if the sky can crack there must be someway back / To love and only love" - from "Electrical Storm" by U2
    66. What was the last single you downloaded? Amber Hands by S.C.U.M. 
    67. What was the last album you downloaded? The Horrors - Luminous 
    68. What was the first album you ever bought? D'espairsRay - Horizon 
    69. What was the last album you bought? 88Kasyo Junrei's new album (preorder) 
    70. What would life be like for you without music? Very boring, and probably much shorter 
    71. What do you think about mainstream music today? I tend to avoid most of it, but there are a few gems every once in a while 
    72. What do you think about KPOP? No K-POP artist has really gotten my attention enough to listen to more than a couple songs, but I think there's a lot of talent in the scene, but I'm just not into boy/girl band kind of music that much 
    73. Do you think the people around you have weird/bad taste? I don't like to judge people for what they listen to that much anymore. If people find solace or comfort or joy in what they listen to, who am I to mock or degrade them for it? 
    74. Do people (in general) think you have a weird/bad taste in music? I've heard that my taste is weird and "depressing," but I haven't been outright insulted for it 
    75. Is music very important to you? Absolutely 
    76. Do you wish you could sing? If so, what style? Yes! I wish I could sing like Jessa Farkas from Future Shuttle 
    77. What was your favorite genre a long time ago? Has it changed since? I used to really like rap and hip-hop. I still like a bit of it today, but now I'm more into rock and metal and all genres and subgenres within 
    78. Is there a song you find very special to you? "She's Got a Way" by Billy Joel 
    79. What artists/musicians inspire you? Taigen Kawabe, Yuki Tsujii, Faris Badwan, Akita Masami, Wata, and Sugizo all inspire me in one way or another, especially with my poetry and writing 
    80. What do you usually listen to music on (computer, phone, ipod, etc)? Either computer or my iPod
    81. Do you listen to entire albums or specific songs? Most of the time it is specific songs or a bunch of songs on shuffle 
    82. One song that makes you happy? "Life is Party" by Andymori 
    83. What song do you never get tired of? "Breathe" by Luna Sea - I've pretty much loved this song for almost eight years, so I guess it counts 
    84. A song you like that was made before you were born? "Ripple" by The Grateful Dead
    85. What song makes you want to fall in love? "Mine and Yours" by The Horrors 
    86. What song would you make love to? "Night of the Assassins" by Les Rallizes Denudes 
    87. What song makes you want to dance? "Anna Sun" by Walk the Moon 
    88. What song reminds you of summertime? "Come On" by Blankey Jet City 
    89. What song reminds you of someone you would rather forget about? "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears 
    90. Do you sing in the shower? Very, very rarely, lol 
    91. Do you ever make music mixes/mixtapes for other people? I have in the past, but not much anymore as they tend to be forgotten or unappreciated for the most part. I usually make mixtapes for myself only. 
    92. How do you find new music? I either go to the Last.FM of an artist that I like and go through the "Similar artists" page or I turn on the radio station for the artist on Spotify and see what comes up 
    93. What artist/band do you enjoy that most people think sucks? U2 - I don't think I've found another person personally who has had a positive thought about the band, but I can completely understand the reasoning behind it. 
    94. Best active VK band? I haven't kept up with any VK the past year or so, so I wouldn't have a clue. :/ 
    95. What do you think of Yoshiki? I love his classical music, I really do, but I hate the way he promotes himself and X Japan; I hate that he think he's some original fucking musical genius for being both a classical musician and a metal/rock musician (we get it, WE GET IT). I also don't like his habit of claiming that he's recording or busy producing new music, but in reality he's just doing more self-promotion type shit that is completely unrelated to his music. 
    96. Do you Cosplay? No - I neither have the self-confidence, nor enough enthusiasm to put effort into it
    97. Do you prefer visual or non-Visual Bands? I guess non-visual, since that's the majority of my music, but I prefer any good music, regardless of how band members present themselves 
    98. Do you read music-related fanfiction? Not anymore. Nowadays, fanfiction involving real people makes me a bit uncomfortable. 
    99. Who in J-rock do you think is actually a vampire? Gackt - the guy has been 35 for almost 10 years now. There's definitely something supernatural and mysterious going on. 
    100. Last J-rock song you fell in love with? "Bit" by Boris 
    101. Favorite Japanese guitarist? Wata from Boris
    102. Favorite Japanese bassist? Taigen Kawabe from Bo Ningen 
    103. Favorite Japanese drummer? Ahito Inazawa from Number Girl 
    104. Best Dressed Japanese band? Bo Ningen 
    105. What are you listening to now? "Daybreak Syndrome" by Cinema Staff

  22. Posted

    ~Late to the party~

     

    It was probably my least favorite album they've made, I'll admit. It's certainly missing the passion and depth of their previous works and doesn't leave much of an impact. I thought all the single tracks were all lukewarm at best, but as a whole, I'm satisfied with how it was all put together and that they finally got something out after so many years of anticipation. "Metamorphosis" and "Anthem of Light" were my favorites and Sugizo and Inoran were really kicking ass as usual. 

  23. Posted

    I've only heard that phrase when applied to (not visual kei) metal artists and I'm personally conflicted on how I feel about those statements. On one hand, I have a personal preference for music where overly elaborate or drawn-out guitar solos are not the main focus, but when it comes to metal or similar genres, guitar solos have been pretty much all about "showing off." It's supposed to get the audience pumped up, get the adrenaline racing, and to be dramatic, loud, and aggressive as possible. 

     

    I think as long as the "larger picture" of the song is good, then it doesn't really matter to me, but if you're just slapping guitar solos together and don't really have a strongly overall written song going for you, you just make people bored after a while. I think that's really what people mean when they say things like that. 

    jduv86 reacted to this

  24. Posted

    Since this isn't limited to Japanese music: most CD's related to Christian pop music, rock, or metal ever created, I would never recommend ever. Sorry if that offends Christians on here, but seriously a lot of it is mediocre at best. 

     

    One CD in particular I had the misfortune of obtaining was a self-titled from a Christian punk/hardcore band called Headnoise. Female vocalist, had an "old school" sound, and the most cringeworthy, half-assed, sometimes even preachy Christian-themed lyrics. Even when I considered myself a supporter of Christian music, I thought this was crap. It's not even fun to listen to ironically. Just . . .no.

     

    I'd listen to the most grating of visual kei indies any day than that bullshit or anything similar to it. 

×
×
  • Create New...