Biggest crimes in Japanese music

[kurenaishineek 646]

Still , VK bands in 90's where playing a lot of styles , DeG played 10 different genres . Todays VK bands are centered around alternative metal and in the most shitiest way possible . For 8 years now i didnt hear any VK bands that dont play alternative metal , the first one was Omega Dripp and thats why i got hooked in by them very fast , even if they arent so great , still they are better than 99% on new VK . Not to mention , that most bands , have so crappy sound and repeating songs that i can listen to one of them but when i listen to a whole album i dont see much difference between the songs . They are all the same , sounding like the same crap , with even more crap on it .

Second of all looking like someone is one thing , and i give a crap bout it , cause i dont look at music i listen to it , they can look like shit , if they play good i will listen to them . But if i hear nega or sadie or lynch that have most songs just stolen from oldschool VK bands its just fukin makes me mad . They take it as theyre own songs , when in reality they are more like covers or rearranges of others songs . So dont compare Kawamura Ryuichi to what im talking about , cause those are two different things .

[sai 868]

Alright, I guess this has derailed for long enough. Let's get back to the topic at hand and leave the 90s VK vs. current VK for elsewhere (or just make a new thread for it).

[TheBistroButcher666 228]

^ 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.

I agree with Pixyfalse in that they are priced this way because it's just how the Japanese market is, everything cost more. Japanese distributors don't care if they have a bunch of foreign fans from third world countries that can't afford their expensive swag, it's priced the way it is because their primary focus is Japan. 

[ryuukei 0]

bands who released maaaaaaany singles (or maxi) but no album.

[kevinmaccioly 7]

Recently, Gackt's Mild and Wild Bests. I mean, really? We had like 3 compilation albums since 2009! We had no albums since RE:BORN and he releases a lot of new B-sides and new singles in two CDs! And the special editions have PVs! Really, we had Red and Blue DVDs, couldn't we get something like that?

[sai 868]

Recently, Gackt's Mild and Wild Bests. I mean, really? We had like 3 compilation albums since 2009! We had no albums since RE:BORN and he releases a lot of new B-sides and new singles in two CDs! And the special editions have PVs! Really, we had Red and Blue DVDs, couldn't we get something like that?

 

I definitely agree with this. Even though I'm not an active Gackt listener, I like his albums like Diabolos, Mars and Moon. It's sort of a shame he's become someone who pretty much only releases ballad singles and collection albums now.

[Number Girl 48]

Oh my god, I am so pissed at B'z right now lol. 

 

It should be a crime to put brand new songs on "Best of" albums. For example, B'z has four new songs out right now BUT they are only going to be available as part of these huge bigass two part compilations released for their 25th Anniversary. The sad thing is 90% of these albums have the exact same songs that are already on the "Best Pleasure/Treasure" albums I (and probably other B'z fans) already have. :/ 

 

I mean it's really brilliant marketing on their part, but that still doesn't make it any less annoying and fucked up. D:

[Senedjem 510]

Everything about VK makes me angry


But mostly the entitled white girls mincing around in horribly tacky lolita fashion thinking their shit don't stink because they listen to music made by a bunch of yellow perils in drag.

[PumpkinPatches 48]

I dunno it this is a crime against the music, but more against the fans, but I saw the last post and wanted to just mention something, because Lolita was mentioned.

 

If you don't want your $500 lolita dress touched by other people, DO NOT FUCKING WEAR IT TO A CONCERT AND STAND IN THE FRONT 2 ROWS.

 

And don't get huffy when you walk by and drag your white dress across MY face and then look at me angrily when my eyeliner's smudged on your princess-pony-candy-marshmallow-stuffed-animal-kawaii print. 

 

flkasjhflkjsad

 

(I think I need to start a blog which is just rants about people I meet at vkei lives, because seriously. This is stupidly common.)

 

But more on the music, I do think it is a crime for bandguys to actually ask you for money. I've had the experience of not being asked to be a 'benefactor' for a bandman, but meeting said bandguy's 'benefactor' in the VIP section. And the thing is... it does happen. I mean, I can think of multiple times and multiple bandguys who pull this shit on a regular basis. (I've actually seen one of my favorite musicians on a mitsu-date and when I laughed when I noticed it was him he least had the decency to look a bit ashamed.)

 

I don't care what these guys do in their personal lives-- I'm in it for the music, but dude. Don't ask me to help you basically prostitute yourself kthkzbiii

 

(And whoever is still under the delusion that these guys make a lot of money from their bands needs to wake up. The singer of Awake made me a crepe last week and not a month ago I had to teach a bandman the /proper/ way of making a Jack-Coke. And don't even get me /started/ about the two indies session-bandboys who work at the 7-11 next to my house. I have no idea who they are, but I buy tickets for all my lives there at 2 in the morning just to laugh at them.

 

These guys actually have normal day jobs.

[JukaForever 758]

I dunno it this is a crime against the music, but more against the fans, but I saw the last post and wanted to just mention something, because Lolita was mentioned.

 

If you don't want your $500 lolita dress touched by other people, DO NOT FUCKING WEAR IT TO A CONCERT AND STAND IN THE FRONT 2 ROWS.

 

And don't get huffy when you walk by and drag your white dress across MY face and then look at me angrily when my eyeliner's smudged on your princess-pony-candy-marshmallow-stuffed-animal-kawaii print. 

 

flkasjhflkjsad

 

(I think I need to start a blog which is just rants about people I meet at vkei lives, because seriously. This is stupidly common.)

 

But more on the music, I do think it is a crime for bandguys to actually ask you for money. I've had the experience of not being asked to be a 'benefactor' for a bandman, but meeting said bandguy's 'benefactor' in the VIP section. And the thing is... it does happen. I mean, I can think of multiple times and multiple bandguys who pull this shit on a regular basis. (I've actually seen one of my favorite musicians on a mitsu-date and when I laughed at him he at least had the decency to look a bit ashamed.)

 

I don't care what these guys do in their personal lives-- I'm in it for the music, but dude. Don't ask me to help you basically prostitute yourself kthkzbiii

 

(And whoever is still under the delusion that these guys make a lot of money from their bands needs to wake up. The singer of Awake made me a crepe last week and not a month ago I had to teach a bandman the /proper/ way of making a Jack-Coke. And don't even get me /started/ about the two indies session-bandboys who work at the 7-11 next to my house. I have no idea who they are, but I buy tickets for all my lives there at 2 in the morning just to laugh at them.

 

These guys actually have normal day jobs.

 

How do they afford their outfits, especially the more elaborate ones? Many VK outfits looks crazy expensive and they will, I assume, would sweat it out in a live thus ruining it and probably need some good cleaning. weird question I know, it just seems like the bands spend a lot on aesthetics just to be VK

[Guest pixyfalse01.]

I've never understood why they spend a lot of money to change their outfits every f*ckin 2 or 3 months.
Nobody will like them more just because recently the costume is white instead of black.

[PumpkinPatches 48]

Well, if they are on a label the label has a costume designer who does the costumes at little to no cost for the actual band. Small indies bands who have no backing change their costumes less often unless they know someone who is willing to do it for free. I know a girl who makes costumes because she uses it as practice for her design school.

But the reasoning behind constant costume changes is a bit practical. Imagine how much you sweat wen playing on a stage. Imagine how many holes and rips and tears you put in the costume when you wear it for everything for months on end. Why do you think the venue reeks of male cologne after a really indies band goes on? They bathe in the stuff because otherwise standing near them is disgusting. Even dry cleaning doesn't get it all out. Or they can't dry clean it because of tiny pieces that would get ruined.

I used to make fun of a bassist because he was insane about washing his jacket after lives, but there was fur on the trim an it was matted to hell and back. His response was pretty much "but I don't smell gross".

[TheBistroButcher666 228]

Some bands get their outfits for free or discounted by a clothing brand that wants to promote itself through the band.

 

One example I remember is Chemical Pictures received a set of free outfits from a clothing brand, the catch was they had to work a weekend or something in the store. Essentially promoting the clothing and something like that. Basically the band and the clothing store get something out of it. How many people here have bought something from SEX POT REVENGE, Algonquins or h.Naoto? Did you find out about those brands through VK? So it obviously works right and I think that's probably where some of these guys are getting their outfits from. 

 

I guessing the poor no name bands probably make their outfits and everything themselves but even the not so well known Indie bands seem to get kick backs from clothing brands.

[hyura 465]

...just to laugh at them.

 

I can relate to you being annoyed of rich lolita fans and bandmen begging for money, because I've been in your place, too... but certain things in your post made you sound like a very rude person. D: You propably aren't and it just sounded like that but: You actually laugh bandmen in the face for having lots of work cleaning their costume, working shitty jobs and having to sell their asses?!

I mean. Schadenfreude is a normal human emotion but how would you feel in their place?

The current visual kei scene is based on these things. If you want to do visual kei and don't happen to be Sugizo it's a lot of hard work. And yes, you are expected to degrade yourself in order to get the money and looks (and smell >D) required to make fans happy when the see you on stage.

Well than imagine those same fans laughing at you for that. Feels bad, right?

You don't have to like this reality, but if you can't change it don't blame them, because they can't change it either. And if you have to laugh- do so! but do it at home.

[Tokage 5930]

it's their own fault tho, they could've easily just actually finished their school and become a respectable member of society instead of dropping out to become IRL anime figures

[hyura 465]

It might be their fault that they decided to make visual kei but it's not their fault that being in a band involves lots of degrading shit.

I mean. you could laugh at them if you think visual is silly and not worth it (and even then. Since when is it okay to laugh at people who work shitty jobs?) but as a fan?

[sai 868]

Tbqh I don't think anyone deserves to laugh at others for what they do. People who go into VK obviously don't do it for the cash, perhaps for the fangirls, we don't know. What's not OK though is laughing at them for having to work separate jobs on the side. People should be able to be free in what they choose and if it turns out to be the wrong choice it's a learning moment for them. And if it's what they like to do, who are we to judge them?

[Thedane 176]

If they want to be in the scene so bad, they're willing to work their a*ses off on the side, then respect.

 

Can't see the that being funny, it's rather admirable if I have to be honest.

[PumpkinPatches 48]

I can relate to you being annoyed of rich lolita fans and bandmen begging for money, because I've been in your place, too... but certain things in your post made you sound like a very rude person. D: You propably aren't and it just sounded like that but: You actually laugh bandmen in the face for having lots of work cleaning their costume, working shitty jobs and having to sell their asses?!

I mean. Schadenfreude is a normal human emotion but how would you feel in their place?

The current visual kei scene is based on these things. If you want to do visual kei and don't happen to be Sugizo it's a lot of hard work. And yes, you are expected to degrade yourself in order to get the money and looks (and smell >D) required to make fans happy when the see you on stage.

Well than imagine those same fans laughing at you for that. Feels bad, right?

You don't have to like this reality, but if you can't change it don't blame them, because they can't change it either. And if you have to laugh- do so! but do it at home.

Hi, yeah.

 

I don't think you got what I meant at all. I may have worded it way more strongly than I meant, but if there is one thing I am it definitely isn't rude.

 

I don't judge these guys AT ALL because of their jobs. Not one single bit. My job is pretty much equal to their own. The laughter comes from the fact that I accidentally went to one of their shows and bought the ticket from them, and since then they stare at me like I have ten heads. They also didn't realize that I understood Japanese, so they'd actually talk about the bands (particularly the tiny bands that I used to follow) until finally one day they said something and I started giggling and they realized I understood them. After that, we've actually talked about music (one of them plays bass, and he and I chat about the bass) but I can't get either of them to tell me the name of their band. They said it would be like real life colliding with their dreamworlds. I can definitely understand and respect that. That's why when I see these guys on the train, or on the bus, or working at a shop, I really don't care unless they actually recognize me and start making a fuss. (Awake's singer was like "I KNOW YOU YOU COME TO OUR LIVES PLEASE COME TO OUR NEXT LIVE OH WAIT I DON'T HAVE A FLYER BUT IF YOU WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK WE HAVE NEW ONES!" and it's hard not to giggle when this guy starts rambling and excitedly waving a crepe at your face.) 

 

For the costume, I used to lightly jest with the guy about it but it was never cruel. I adored the /shit/ out of him and his bizarre compulsions. I actually offered to sew new trim onto his costume (I'm a seamstress) but there wasn't much reason to as they retired the costumes soon after. So.

 

As for Mitsu-dates, I did laugh when I first saw my favorite singer on one-- because I was so shocked I didn't know what else to do. It wasn't a side-busting laughter, it was a panicked and kind of confused laugh. This particular singer has been very vocal about how much he "Hated how bandmen used their fans for gifts" but was in fact perpetrating the same actions as those he'd mocked. I But you know what, selling yourself because you don't want to get a normal job kind of sets yourself up for people noticing you and realizing exactly what you are-- a hypocrite. But, I know more than one bandman and know that a lot of them have actual ass-busting jobs (I have a friend who works 3 jobs to support his musical lifestyle) so they can make their own music and never take a yen of a fan's money from their hand. I have no respect for a man who makes his living from saying one thing and doing another. A lot of these guys do construction (literal back-breaking labor because they can do it at night and don't have to change their looks) or work in call centers, or do online work, or some even work in shops. Those guys get respect, because they bust their ass to provide for themselves. A man who complains about a systematic issue with abusing fans and then turns around and does the same thing is someone who deserves no respect.

 

But really, I don't respect any man who actually takes money from women because the fan delusionally believes they can buy love. This is why I have little to no respect for hosts and hostesses, despite having friends and acquaintances who have jobs in that particular industry (You can like someone without liking their job. Most times these people wear masks for their jobs, so that pretty host boy who's chatting you up in Ikebukuro is probably a decent or even good person under the ample amounts of Gatsby and cologne.) It's a severe issue in Japanese society that people believe that they are able to actual bottle and consume the love and adoration of those who are considered 'beautiful' or 'desirable'. It's the reason why the idol-phenomenon exists in Japan-- and why fans turn against their favorite idols when it comes out that they have lovers, or spouses, or have ugly feet, or whatever may be offensive to their fans. This society perpetuates every single offense that Visual-Kei originally lambasted for its abusive nature. 

[Masamune 72]

Oh only rock....nevermind then, xD.

Was going to say Arashi and AKB48, two diseases that just won't go away.

[ricchubunny 2013]

LOL oshare kei like a crime itself

Actually 'oshare kei' doesn't exist. lol

 

 

^ 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.

 

Probably you didn't meet any Shikiri then.

[PumpkinPatches 48]

I dunno if my shikiri is weird, but the Shikiri for Galeyd and Nocturnal Bloodlust is the same person. She goes into conniptions when there are lives that happen on the same day at different venues. I've seen her book ass so many times...

[Bobbele 1]

@ riccubunny hm most of the bands I want to see..... do not have a lot of fans. Maybe 5-10.  Therefore there is no real front row. If the fans see me, they mostly ask me to join them. There were two or three girls who just stared at me at first and never talked to me but now they started to talk to me as well. (Maybe because I like the dudes nobody else likes and they ask me to stay in front of them in order to fill the gap in the middle of the audience XD)

[ricchubunny 2013]

@ riccubunny hm most of the bands I want to see..... do not have a lot of fans. Maybe 5-10.  Therefore there is no real front row. If the fans see me, they mostly ask me to join them. There were two or three girls who just stared at me at first and never talked to me but now they started to talk to me as well. (Maybe because I like the dudes nobody else likes and they ask me to stay in front of them in order to fill the gap in the middle of the audience XD)

 

Oh, i see! That's why you dont know the real crazy fans...haha, seriously they're kinda scary

 

 

I dunno if my shikiri is weird, but the Shikiri for Galeyd and Nocturnal Bloodlust is the same person. She goes into conniptions when there are lives that happen on the same day at different venues. I've seen her book ass so many times...

 

Yeah, that's  weird cause to call yourself a "shikiri", in the most of cases you need to travel around the country to follow them...So it's kinda impossible to be shikiri of more than one band at the same time... I really don't know how this girl can get money like that LOL

[PumpkinPatches 48]

I don't ask. I really, really, really do not want to know. And yes, she attends ALL of the lives (even in different cities) with both bands. She had a meltdown when Nocturnal Bloodlust played in Osaka and Galeyd played in Sendai. She was tearing out her hair for weeks.