Biggest crimes in Japanese music

[Gizorz 24]

^ I don't blame them for doing that, gotta be able to pay for the band somehow.

 

While I don't believe they put that much time into these videos, they do make me cringe. 

 

Especially those videos made to promote a tour (usually overseas) where the band tries to act 'cute', 'shy' and 'funny' as if their target audience consists of merely 12 year old giggling girls. MUCC, exist†trace, D, Versailles and many more bands have all done this. After watching these videos I feel violated.

 

Ugh this, I never watch those videos

[JukaForever 758]

gazette's new live DVD $100+ total -.-

 

I think the most I have gave up is for limited edition live DVD is like $60. Can't they just stick to the script of $20+ for albums, $30+ for live DVDs and singles/mini-albums <$20 with an addition of $5-10 for limited editions

[DogManX 179]

The label that lets gazette still play and didn't disband it yet.

[sai 868]

There are two things that annoy me the most, one being most limited editions, the second one the "multiple type with different songs"-releases.

 

When I decide to buy a limited edition of an album or even a single, I expect something more for the 800-900yen price difference with the regular edition. However, most limited editions are packaged in regular jewel cases, the only difference being another cover and having a DVD with a PV on it. I find that robbery, even more when the regular edition has a "bonus track". The whole point of a limited edition is that it has the same content as the regular, but with more extras. It could also be that smaller bands don't have the cash to do such luxury packaging, but plenty of major bands are guilty of this too. I was fairly disappointed when I bought the LE of a D single only to find out it was in a regular jewel case. When I bought a LE of a B-T single however, I got a slip case, a DVD AND a photobook. For me, that's a limited edition.

 

The second thing (as already stated) is the "multiple type with different songs"-thing. It's bad enough already bands release their CDs in 3 or more types, but (and this is mostly the case with singles) putting different B-sides on every type is just awful. In order to get all the songs you'd have to buy all three types, which is of course maximum profit for the band or the label or whatever (adding this because someone was being an ass about it).

[Masamune 72]

The biggest crime is already listed in the opening post, multiple types.....God it pisses me off so much.

My fave band releases a single and there's 3 versions with different tracks.

 

An example of this would be the band Wizard, one of their recent singles *Sakura Driver* had 6 freaking types....SIX!!!

[Guest pixyfalse01.]

In the visual kei scene nobody cares about overseas seriously, it's just a bonus.
Anything that u can do is get used to it.
It's all.

[Gizorz 24]

In the visual kei scene nobody cares about overseas seriously, it's just a bonus.

Anything that u can do is get used to it.

It's all.

 

Or we can just download everything instead and they can get used to that.

[sai 868]

The whole "they don't care about overseas"-thing doesn't really have anything to do with the initial purpose I had in mind when I made this thread. As far as I can read no one has really complained about CDs being hard to get and blaming it on the artist. I think most of us know we're not the people they're targeting, to be quite honest. What we're discussing is the way of marketing itself, not for who they meant it.

[DogManX 179]

"In order to get all the songs you'd have to buy all three types, which is of course maximum profit for the band."

 

For the band? You really think they see shit of the money? If it isn't for the most successful bands in terms of profit, the money goes to hundret different places - than to the band - .

[sai 868]

Actually my post wasn't done yet, I notice now. I was going to add something about labels and marketing styles behind it but I posted it like that because I had to go to an appointment.

 

If anything goes to the band? No, only a small part of it does, but it also depends on the label and bands which we're talking about. Take UCP as an example. KISAKI's band (the label's owner, taking aside the fact that UCP will be gone soon) often released quite an amount of types, expensive extras, etc. Other bands on his label (like NEGA) usually only released two types of their CDs and never had any outrageous prices as I seem to recall. If KISAKI does it and he's the owner, while NEGA doesn't, I'm pretty sure they also have something to say in the matter. I in any case wouldn't like being on a label that wanted me to release multiple types just to milk the fans.

 

And thank you for your very nice, positive and constructive input.

[Guest pixyfalse01.]

Or we can just download everything instead and they can get used to that.

Still the 95% of incoming money are from japanese fans, so do it.

Just i feel ridiculous that "overseas fans join forces against the bad japanese music busniness style"

like a storm in a spoonful of water

[Zeus 7997]

Still the 95% of incoming money are from japanese fans, so do it.

Just i feel ridiculous that "overseas fans join forces against the bad japanese music busniness style"

like a storm in a spoonful of water

 

So what is your alternative? Complain about how they're forcing you to buy one of each type so to stick it to them you'll buy two of each type? You have two options: buy it or don't.

And as for those that say that we don't have a big effect on the scene, you would be surprised. I've noticed after quite a long time listening to visual kei that while we don't have the capacity to singlehandedly make or break bands, we as overseas fans are a somewhat influential force. 

[Guest pixyfalse01.]

 I in any case wouldn't like being on a label that wanted me to release multiple types just to milk the fans.

I think you don't know how hard to keep up and/or living from an underground music (label). You would be surprised. And this prices in Japan are not expensive.

 

So what is your alternative? Complain about how they're forcing you to buy one of each type so to stick it to them you'll buy two of each type? You have two options: buy it or don't.

Nobody forces you for nothing. It's a free world (almost).

This all in Japan is NOT EXPENSIVE and this is the target.

2nd that japanese fans loves the gifts (extra comment DVD, or Offshot DVD etc. if you buy this and this and that) or live distributed and mail order is famous also.

you can cry you can't afford it to yourself, but it makes no sense.

[Bobbele 1]

I don't think that we do not have an influence. especially smaller bands care about their fans from overseas.

[Guest pixyfalse01.]

May you all guys feel it's expensive because of Yen's high price. But i'm totally sure, that inside in Japan it's definitely not expensive. They match their prices and business style to the Japanese economy and society, cause this is where they are living.

[Gizorz 24]

Still the 95% of incoming money are from japanese fans, so do it.

Just i feel ridiculous that "overseas fans join forces against the bad japanese music busniness style"

like a storm in a spoonful of water

 

I'm not the one complaining and I do download, I didn't mean my comment in a sarcastic way.

[Bobbele 1]

^ well but here are some things that people mention which is not always true.

 

i started to have contact with Japanese fans 6 years ago? and got to know quite a lot of different people. i am in japan now and attend a lot of lives. therefore i got to know certain fanbases as well.

 

some of the people i know are hardcore fans which follow the band arround, some of them are friends with the members and so on. the bands i am talking about are small and big ones, bands from kiwi's label, key party bands, loop ash bands and big bands like d or buck-tick.

 

most fans i have met are freeter, neeter or secretaries. that means their income is about 2000-2200 dollar uppermost. most of them earn way less. (some of them do have other jobs but they are rare).

 

most of them complain about the high prices of the cds and merch. it is even for japanese standarts expensive. most of the fans i have spoken to (please note that the age was between 18 and 50+) do not buy all the shit the band brings out, most of them buy one or two releases. they do not want those cds either. at least the people i have met (and that is quite a bunch).

 

oh yes and most of those fans i have met like more than one band. they do not just listen to one.

[Guest pixyfalse01.]

my experiences a bit different

[kurenaishineek 646]

Being a Visual Kei band and defiling what the fathers of VK created by copying each others songs . This is the biggest crime , and if you ask me , every one that is guilty of this crime should get executed .

[Biopanda 2675]

Being a Visual Kei band and defiling what the fathers of VK created by copying each others songs . This is the biggest crime , and if you ask me , every one that is guilty of this crime should get executed .

Everyone copies everyone else. Welcome to the world of music. Even the "fathers of VK" probably had their music influenced(or more) by other bands.

[kurenaishineek 646]

Yes , and no , inspiration is one thing , i dont mind that , but total rip offs are something else . Touhou arranges are excused , they are supposed to arranges of touhou songs and sometimes they have mixed in elements of other songs to make it more fun , but if i listen to a new visual kei band and i hear songs that where made by other bands and are not called covers , than its a crime , cause they stole those songs . So by this crime i meant stealing songs thats one , second thing , true old school visual kei was made to be unique and its was so in old days , now all band change they look if the band they copy does so too , thats the second part of the crime . Music is meant to be listened and played , not watched and made by looks .

[sai 868]

To be quite honest, I'm not so sure about the whole "the 90s were incredibly unique"-thing. I don't see much difference with the current VK scene, because both were influenced and yes, even copied plenty of stuff from other bands they see as their inspiration. It's like that in every music-scene: you have a huge ton of crap, and then there are the good ones: you just need to find them. The 90s VK scene wasn't much different. I would gladly give you some samples of what Biopanda has showed me before of 90s bands that never saw the internet for a very good reason. Plenty of 90s VK bands were also inspired by bands like DEAD END, BUCK-TICK, X JAPAN, D'ERLANGER, COLOR or a tad bit later, LUNA SEA (please note if I forgot someone, I'm terrible with lists like these). Even everyone's precious DEG did a marvelous job at pretty much ripping off LUNA SEA's G. Hell, I even dare say that most artists I just named had their music influenced by plenty of other (perhaps Western) bands. DEAD END didn't just appear out of nowhere and started making music without having a prime example.

 

What I'm trying to say is (and no, I'm not attacking any artist in particular, so DEG-fans please spare me), is that even in the 90s there was plenty of copying going on. Those are the ones YOU don't like, which I understand. Everybody's taste is different. However, that's no different from the scene nowadays. We have plenty of artists ripping eachother off (lol 12012) or finding inspiration from eachother, but there are also bands like LIPHLICH and A, who are one of a kind in the current scene, just like how your favourite artists were unique to that time period in your opinion.

 

Also sorry if misunderstandings follow from this post because I just read over 300 pages of case files and my brain is fried so if anyone feels offended then I'm sorry.

[Biopanda 2675]

Yes , and no , inspiration is one thing , i dont mind that , but total rip offs are something else . Touhou arranges are excused , they are supposed to arranges of touhou songs and sometimes they have mixed in elements of other songs to make it more fun , but if i listen to a new visual kei band and i hear songs that where made by other bands and are not called covers , than its a crime , cause they stole those songs . So by this crime i meant stealing songs thats one , second thing , true old school visual kei was made to be unique and its was so in old days , now all band change they look if the band they copy does so too , thats the second part of the crime . Music is meant to be listened and played , not watched and made by looks .

You DO know that 99% of oldschool bands were shitty as well. As someone who owns hundreds of demotapes from 90s VK bands, I can tell you this. The scene was just as full of talentless bands that sounded like everyone else back then and there's a reason nobody remembers them nowadays. Get off of your high horse... seriously. There were always good bands and terrible bands in the scene, just as there are now, the internet has just made it so much easier to hear all those crappy bands now.

[kurenaishineek 646]

Yeah but the more know bands didnt doo as much crap as now , i can make a list of 90's VK bands that where great and it would be a long list , 10 years of music and a lot over 300 great bands that i know . New visual kei from 2000 up unitl now , 13 years , and only 5 good bands worth mentioning , if you still dont see any difference than i wont waste any more time , i just pointed a crime in music scene from my viewpoint , as the topic suggested . It wasent meant for any discussion .

[Takadanobabaalien 3607]

You do know that there is, and always have been plenty of visual kei bands who we never even hear of simply because they are too bad/copy other bands etc.

 

And yeah, it happened back in the days as well, I mean just look at Ryuichi Kawamura during 1990/1991. He looks exactly like Morrie of DEAD END. So yeah...