saiko

Perhaps we could move the discussion about ghostwriting to this thread. Recently I've been watching the topic pop up very often, so maybe many of you guys would like to talk about it. Maybe we could start by each one making up a list of the artists or songs or whatever stuff you consider useful to explain to somebody how ghostwritten music looks like and how not-ghostwritten music differentiates from it. In my case, I think I caught a nice example while yesterday looking up for old classic I've never had the chance to try. It was the case for baroque. The contrast between their A-sides before disbanding and after their comeback screams idolization so loud that I couldn't believe my ears. One doesn't need critical music-listening skills to appreciate, in one hand, in the pre-come-back songs, the experimental nature of the trashy and psychedelic arrengments in every song (and what amazes me the most is that these songs, as A-sides, where intended to serve for promotional, commercial, issues!); and in the other hand, the almost complete submission of every musical arrange, and even their looks, to a very well-known, standarized, Johnny'sesque aesthetic, in order to appeal to the recent younger fandom. The differences are so abysmal, and kinda scary, imo... from early century neo-Tokyo punks, to creamy-sweaty-ribbon-shotacon manga characters... Anyway, and don't willing to enter into much musical details, further than what can be clearly seen in the example above, I think an indication of not-ghostwritten could be the lack of imitation of a song style as a whole. Let's say, a not-ghostwritten song would be one that, although you could clearly identify well-known music trends in it (a punk sound, a nu metal sound, etc.), or even previously famous artists signature arrangments (a Sugizoesque kind of solo, etc.), still sounds fresh while displaying said features in a way that you definitely know it wasn't heard/seen before. Inspiration is always there, nobody creates something from nothingness itself, but that doesn't mean you can't make your own version of it and through that create something unique. Here are some songs that I returned to after a long time not listening to them. After being triggered with the whole baroque thing, I started to look up for '01~'05 releases, and hell... say what we know, VK was always about dragging otaku girls into fandom while displaying androgynous looks, so it always had a commercial approach inherent to it, and also bandomen were all chinpira prostitutes who knowed little about playing actual music, blabla... all of that is true to an extent, but those facts shouldn't deny that there actually was people trying to express themselves in their own way, even if the results where amateur and unpolished, and even if they signed a major contract and started to make their sound and appearance more appealing to mainstream...

Bless this thread.

+1. What most draws me to Gulu is Ai's definitely unique intonation, Lanju's cool skills (although not as exploited in his previous band Grieva), and overall well done production. Guys have a pretty decent budget, contrary to 95% of the other bands in the scene, so everything they do surely is gonna sound a least enjoyable. But they are far from something notable; just enjoyable clichés over and over.

I'm really interested in this topic of the lack ofart spirit within the scene. If it existed since always, I think it is patent that is reached whole new levels in the last ten years. During this time, which for me still is a time of much frustration over discovering good artists in this scene, I've been digging a lot older bands, and kinda started to understand some threads tied to its origins, differentiating key acts, waves into the scene, and also looking profoundly for an understanding of the many Western trends that inspired VK since its very proto-eras when even the "VK" label didn't existed. Unfortunately, English is not my mother tongue, so writing down all my thoughts over these matters could take me a very hard time in order to make things meaningful and not weird at all, lol! But perhaps I could try to do it in the near future! In the meanwhile, feel free to make posts about your thoughts over this stuff! I think many of the users here are interested in discussing much more things than liking A or B band's scheduled new release and PV... @ghostpepper I will definitely read an online "diary" of your work behind the curtains!

Can you name the bands that you are sure they write their own stuff?

These may be the most cursed images in VK history, not joking. At all. Thank you.

Yeah, I guess they will do as always and use the same overdubbed and irrelevant footage from the Mousou Kakublabla VHS's (God, what an orgy of fan-frustration those are) and then shift to images of Obscure and Sustain the delusional from 2011 and 2013' Budokans... I hope someday we will get to sneak onto something of that vault before Covid kills us all.

Praying they will mature and open the '97-01 footage vault FOR A FUCKING TIME.

Was anybody really expecting something worthy from a guy like him?

Who are they?

Yeah, kinda messy, but we urgently need someone in that weird band who openly acknowledges their VK stuff is quintessential for their project and the whole Japanese rock scene altogether. #GauzeToo

May somebody post Shinya's shuffle here?

I can't say if I would have wanted this clown to stay noticeable after departing MM or just vanish into mist like Klaha...

Why do Japanese have to call themselves selfish everytime they manifest they have a dream or goal in life of their own. They seem to be in need to force themselves to prove the other that they actually feel guilty about it.

I don't think this may be the case of a direct source of inspiration. I think this is more a kind of arrangement that became a typical industrial feature (among others), thus (ab)used by every artist of any genre who wants to add a little industrial vibe to their craft.

Wow, is Mana publicly sending him a nostalgia hug? I thought she was a beautiful vampire soulless doll lol

Tell some names!

Wow. Karma must be very sure of him having rich bangya who will definitely spend that amount of cash for his art... I'm so envious of his level of self-esteem as an artist, lol.

All of my favorite LS songs are written by J. Literally. I'm speechless.

I don't have anything to say about this because I've never listened to this band carefully, but I approve the insightful music-related discussion! MH needs more of this stuff! Thanks @CAT5!

I'm a very fan of Luna, but never had the chance to dig their discography while trying to trace the development of their artistic project, whatever it is. So, like in the listening of other of their albums, I've listened to Mother a lot of times, enjoying it a lot, but never payed attention to it as a whole, rather I concentrated my pleasure in each track as a unit. Maybe it came the time to do it the other way! I'm so impressed J is credited as the main composer of those classics! Now I realize I unconsciouslly assumed all this time it was either Sugizo or Inoran who were back them, because 90% of the times in rock bands it's the guitarist who comes with the majority of ideas... This deserves more researching!

The first two tracks sound very ok, Kizu milking their (very cool, indeed) clichés once again, which at this point still sound fresh (but I'm sure that grace will expire soon if they don't decide to change that decision for the A-sides of the next couple of releases). Mr. Big Monster sounds a bit more interesting, at least for that intro. And finally,15.2 stands out a lot, the uncommonnes of that harmony into VK sure adds a lot of thrill! Loved it!

Merry, D'espairs Ray. I fixed my ignorance over cali gari last year.

Check the tone before buying it, girl!

Incredible.