What made you addicted to Japanese Music?

[nick 10212]

It's been ages since I first listened to a super rare NoDoG song at Demon Android's home when he was the first person who got it before anyone else and was kind enough to share it on TW later on, so that more people would get the change to hear it, too. I was so impressed and have become a J-Rock fan since.

 

Firstly, I started off with Anime music in late 90's. LMAO! You could say my roots are based on Anime music, though.

Until I was in high school in 2001, a friend lent me a VHS containing some L'Arc-en-Ciel, GLAY, and Lucifer PVs recorded from TV.

And it was like "This is what I have been looking for for my entire life. No more childish music." 8D

I started digging into the world of Japanese rock since then.

[CAT5 9075]

What got me into the fandom? THE TITTIES OF COURSE

 

I'm assuming you mean the VK fandom as opposed to J-rock at large.

 

The first VK band I heard was Rentrer en soi, but in an ironic twist of events, I actually had no idea how they looked at first. Iirc, the artwork for their "Wither" caught my attention and after liking what I heard, I went on to discover how they looked as well as the rest of the VK world shortly thereafter.

 

 In retrospect, I would say that it was mostly the the entire visual aesthetic of Visual Kei that drew me in. I was a bit of a closet goth/emo back then (2004/2005) and I've always enjoyed a fair bit of anime, so the visuals struck a chord with me naturally. Unfortunately, I found myself dismayed by the scene not too long after getting into it, as the bands I enjoyed were few and far between.

[Original Saku 1593]

If we're talking Japanese rock in general then I could trace back my discovery all the way back to the year 2001-2002 with FLCL and it's amazing soundtrack courtesy of the pillows.

Otherwise VK would be a little later on around 2006-2007 when I was actively searching for new types of Japanese music on the net and I came across bands like Dir en grey, D'espairs Ray, and Mucc.

[Mr Bacon 106]

I guess it started with anime themes back in 2005 or so, especially Naruto.
Then in 2006 someone on a video game forum sent me some songs by Japanese bands and I liked them a lot. I think they were Cassis by The Gazette and Kodou by Dir en grey.

 

I had no idea what the bands looked liked, and when I found out it kinda weirded me out. But then I started to appreciate it despite the looks and got into bands like D'espairsRay, 12012, girugamesh, Nightmare and so on. So yea, I've never been in it for the looks at all.

Around 2011 or 2012 or so I started drifting away from the scene, only listening to a handful of bands, mostly angura. Still is that way, but nowadays there's less than 5 bands I follow actively.

[Guest mitsu the indie girl]

I was really into Rammstein in the early 2000s and wanted to find other foreign metal bands.

Someone introduced me to Dir en grey and the rest is history. 

[hitsuji-hime 211]

Honestly, the crossdressing absorbed me into the vk genre.

 

I have no idea how I bumped into Megaromania, but I remember listening to them on Youtube. I mean, I've listened to Japanese music before, such as Puffy AmiYumi, but other than that, the moment I discovered vk is kinda...blurry. ;w;

[kyoselflove 2680]

I was over at my Aunt's house who loves anime and Japanese music, and I heard Dir en Grey and then Malice Mizer.   Then I fell in love and looked them up on the internet for weeks haha.  I would download the music videos which back then took me like 3 days or more to download lol.  When I saw how they looked and dressed I thought I was in heaven

[MaikoMizu 167]

Pretty much as the title says, how'd you discover your current obsession or favorite bands? 
Recommended by a friend? Related YT video browsing? Type away. Tell a story if you will. 

[Seimeisen 4406]

I learned of AvelCain's existence through Shimizuya Records' YouTube channel while browsing Lycaon videos. Looked at a few more videos of them, then downloaded their self-titled album, and now I'm attached.

I discovered D'espairsRay, Opeth, and Fragments Of Unbecoming through the iTunes store; not sure what I was looking at that led to either band.

I cannot for the life of me remember how I discovered Plastic Tree, I just know that I downloaded their 梟 single and was hooked. I also can't really remember how I found out about the GazettE, although I'm sure YouTube had something to do with it. Nor can I really remember how I discovered In Flames or Katatonia.

I discovered SUICIDE ALI and 彩冷える-ayabie- on edohsama. I discovered DIAURA and umbrella through uploads here on MH.

R指定: I first read about them on Shattered Tranquility, checked out something of theirs from mid 2010, didn't care for it. A year later, I saw the music video for mental≠help on edohsama, and from that same place, I downloaded their 毒盛る single and FELL THE FUCK IN LOVE with that fucking awesome song!!

...

That's all I can think of.

[Takadanobabaalien 3607]

Well, my 2 absolute favorite bands are LUNA SEA & Da'vid/shito:aL. I discovered LUNA SEA through Youtube, and Da'vid through last.fm. 

 

My current favorite bands (Grieva, Gossip, Kuroyuri to kage, Avelcain and Arlequin) were all through going to their liveshows, and then downloading/buying their releases.

[sai 868]

Ironically, all from plug.dj sessions, lmao.

[blackdoll 907]

Related YT video browsing

 

 on edohsama. .

 

through last.fm. 

[eiheartx 1310]

By downloading some releases on Lj (back on 2007), based on nothing concrete (name, outfit, ...).
Now it's the same on M-H, depending the users' level of excitment, I try randomly some releases (for example: shadow from Lycaon). I cannot test everything tho, because I don't have time to listen everything properly. I try to stick on a few bands only. There's so much to listen all over the worldz !

[beni 2149]

iTunes. Before I first found out about any such thing as downloading from the net, I'd be on the iTunes browsing 24/7. In the same way I'll get attached to the first listen of a song/album of a musician more so then any other later heard work, I'm like this with finding musicians. My favourites I had first found on iTunes have never changed from my top spot over the couple of years I've been listening to this area of music. Managed to keep this story short for once lol. xD

[Des 289]

Ever since I discovered last.fm it's been my main source. I am often browsing through lists of similar and recommended artists and libraries of users that seem interesting and then I just go from there. Other sources are music blogs and related Youtube videos but it all doesn't weight up against the masterstroke that is last.fm.

 

Disclaimer: this user is in no way affiliated with last.fm and has not received payments for any suspicions of product endorsement. This user is in fact entirely fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

[JukaForever 758]

Youtube's recommended videos after a simple search for japanese rock/metal. I think a downloading blog called japanese-music-dream or something like that back in 2010 for a variety of genres. Then edohsama and ongaku-something-something for all things visual kei related. Finally this forum ^^

Even with this forum though, youtube still tends to be the most effective in supplying me bands that I will like.

[kyoselflove 2680]

Dir en grey - My Aunt introduced me to jrock via Malice Mizer, went home and searched the internet and it led me to them.

 

the GazettE - Watched Zetsu video on LJ.

 

Lycaon - Youtube

 

MEJIBRAY - Tumblr.

 

All the others is a mixture of LJ, YT and MH.

[blackdoll 907]

i forgot jrockvisualkei.com and browsing 4share folders

[PsychoΔelica 648]

By the glorious mp3 rotation sites (I miss those times), blogs and random searches. Less through anime, forums or last fm.

[seikun 317]

One of my favourite bands is Noir fleurir. In July, 2005 I was invited to an event that was held at a university campus organised by students and the event was segmented: Anime series exhibition, trading card games tournments and a Visual Kei party. A friend of mine invited me to the Visual Kei party. We were dancing and the next song was Omocha no Miisha. It caught my attention and I asked the band's name and I fell in love with the band ever since.

 

You had to pay a ticket for access to this event, but my friend knew the organiser and asked him to let me in without paying.

 

I had a great time that whole night.

[Mabuta 76]

I knew Kokusyoku Sumire from a clothing catalogue at a magazine... Was it Gothic Lolita Bible?

And then fell in love with Sachi when I saw her performance at the Angelic Pretty and then Caccinica's event

 

I do not particularly have any favorite band,

But speaking of visual bands, recently Lacroix Despheres has become my favorite. Found them for the first time from a random flyer;

And Moran, which I found at Monochrome Heaven's thread

 

[xriko 165]

on a old deleted blog which I don't ever remember the name.

Awoi in 2007, followed them during 7 years until the break.

[JRD 5156]

DragonWAPPPPPPER: I really liked the name and found out nono and P(both at the time ex.HeaRt(which is basically v(neu) before the name change) where in the band. So when I had the chance to buy their first single, I immediately bought it and it was love at first listen.

 

Panic Channel: My friend showed me them back in High School. I immediately fell in love. Also they're the very first band I ever bought a CD of! 新人戦 ～夢に向かって 編～, I kinda blame them for making me an addict in buying shit from my favorite bands.

 

FULL EFFECT': I had a couple of their songs and thought nothing of it. Then I heard the acoustic version of happy life and I was dying to hear more, then I heard more and was immediately a stan.

[Flame-X 441]

By using the internet..... through various means.... like youtube, pirating, tv shows, social network, etc etc...

[x_dak_x 5]

I was in a phase, listening to experimental music in different languages.. downloaded random songs, finding a band I really liked. three albums later I decided to look up the members. that would be my first real intro to japanese rock and the rest is history.