How Important is the "V" in VK?

[CAT5 9075]

I have my own thoughts on this, but rather than set the tone of this thread with my opinions, I'd rather see what you all I have to say first.

[Guest]

I don't care at all. Awesome, yes.

[CAT5 9075]

I don't care at all. Awesome, yes.

?

care to elaborate?

[Guest]

I don't mean to be rude or retarded or anything, but what is there to elaborate? I can do it if you tell me what I should elaborate. Sometimes I feel short, easy answers do the work.

[CAT5 9075]

I mean...what exactly are you saying?

"I don't care at all. Awesome, yes." is what you wrote

Are you saying that you don't care about the Visuals in VK? or are you saying "I don't care, I think the visuals are awesome".?

jeezus, I guess I should have typed my opinions first =s

[Guest]

Sorry. I meant that I don't care about the visuals in VK (or music in general). That's all!

[tosinn 3]

In my opinion, I don't care about the visuals or aesthetics at all. Sure, you might enjoy watching the PVs more because of the costumes and such, but when you're actually listening to music, you don't really give a shit about how any of the members look like or dress. I personally don't give a shit if they have dreadlocks for beards, are bald, hairy or whatever.

[CAT5 9075]

Sorry. I meant that I don't care about the visuals in VK (or music in general). That's all!

ah, I see. No prob man. Your wording just threw me off a bit. Although I did expect you to say that. I suspect many others will feel the same

Well, I'd say that visuals and "image" are unavoidable in music. Simply put, most people have eyes and most people can see. So any band/artist will have an image regardless of if they're actively trying to control it or not. Personally, I appreciate it when musicians put some effort into the visual things - whether it's their attire, their album art, PVs, promotional photos, etc...I've always had a love for the relationship between image and sound, audio and visual.

So the visual aspect of VK is somewhat important to me. Of course, the music always comes first, but I'm sure I'm not the only person here who's been guilty of checking out a VK band simply because they looked "cool". In my opinion, music is undoubtedly the most significant factor, but image should not be neglected.

I do have problems, however, when a band focuses more on the visuals than the actual music, or when a band bad tries to substitute sub-par music with appealing visuals. Unfortunately, VK (all music really) is riddled with bands that indulge in the latter.

Conversely, I think that good visuals can do magic when paired with good music. I'll take the Gazette for example. When they released DIM, I considered them to be the epitome of what a VK band should be. Their appearance was tasteful, and not too over-the-top or eccentric. The PVs for DIM, boring as they might've been, were the most highly stylized PVs they'd made (and still are). Even the artwork for DIM was extremely fitting. They'd completely nailed the aesthetic they were going for and had attained a perfect harmony visually and musically. Sure, DIM still would have been great even if the Gazette dressed like An Café and pranced around through daisies in their PVs, but I think the visual choices they made actually served to enhance the album. Even if on a very subtle or subconscious level.

At any rate, visuals aren't important enough to make me like or dislike a band, but if used correctly, they can definitely add "something".

[fitear1590 2414]

At any rate, visuals aren't important enough to make me like or dislike a band, but if used correctly, they can definitely add "something".

Well said, I can agree with this sentiment.

[MY BFF HEIDI 7]

I enjoy bands with well-done costumes. I love looking at the details, watching them move, how well they fit with the music, etc. I like lots of non-VK, but it always feels like somethings missing. Like cakes. Most cakes taste good, but its always better when you have a very pretty one, rather than just some slab of angel food cake or whatever..

[Neon 6]

What V stad for , its make non sense

[Karma’s Hat 3107]

You be trollin' son

[Guest]

What V stad for , its make non sense

Beautifully said.

And idgaf.

[ginHigure 22]

Most people have eyes and most people can see. So any band/artist will have an image regardless of if they're actively trying to control it or not. Personally, I appreciate it when musicians put some effort into the visual things - whether it's their attire, their album art, PVs, promotional photos, etc...I've always had a love for the relationship between image and sound, audio and visual.

So the visual aspect of VK is somewhat important to me. Of course, the music always comes first, but I'm sure I'm not the only person here who's been guilty of checking out a VK band simply because they looked "cool". In my opinion, music is undoubtedly the most significant factor, but image should not be neglected.

I do have problems, however, when a band focuses more on the visuals than the actual music, or when a band bad tries to substitute sub-par music with appealing visuals. Unfortunately, VK (all music really) is riddled with bands that indulge in the latter.

At any rate, visuals aren't important enough to make me like or dislike a band, but if used correctly, they can definitely add "something".

Yeah i agree with you a 100%

It makes it more interesting, I think for every type of music theres visual no matter what. Except mayb rock or metal.

[ramrod 108]

V represents like 80% for me.

[LIDL 692]

it could be important when it's unique.

But when it's just carbon copy of another band style then it's not interesting anymore.

Like when one band wearing the eye patch,

suddenly every other band start to wear it too.

It's only good when it's not over use.

But sometimes it can be a fashion overkill too, though.

I saw some indie, and mostly short lived vk bands that actually not fit with make up and all that bondage and pvc outfits they wear. I feel really funny whenever i stumble upon it. Like they trying to too hard to fit in or something. Pathetic.

I guess there's time where they thinking "wtf am i doing this?!" at heart when they look at themselves with make up and costumes that don't belong on their body lol

But however i count their music in too,

if a band have crappy look but have decent music, i'd still listen to them.

Visual Kei is Vantastic lol

[Champ213 1858]

It makes it more interesting, I think for every type of music theres visual no matter what. Except mayb rock or metal.

In rock and metal too, very much so. Quite often you can tell the vague genre a rock or metal band plays by looking at their promo shots. Sometimes even the specific sub-genre.

In the end, every band has a "visual", unless they never publish any pictures and never play any lives. But if they show themselves as a band in some fashion, they have a visual. Even if you only wear jeans and shirts. Quite often that's also a consciously chosen decision signifying "we are ordinary, down-to-earth guys!". In other words: if you choose a look that says "hey, we don't care about the look" you already did.

[Prism 8]

Really, people are gonna care about the look of artists no matter what type of music it is. You get people who won't listen to music unless the band has kawaii hairdos and shit. You get people who won't listen to a metal band if there's just one guy who doesn't have long hair. You get people who won't listen to rap unless it's made by a black dude/girl. 'Tis universal.

Hell, years ago I didn't like listening to bands that had bald dudes. Now I'm less than a year away from ending my teenage years and have learned to grow up and not give a fuck.

[Senedjem 510]

This topic is retarded

It wouldn't be visual kei without some kind of visual gimmick.

[CAT5 9075]

This topic is retarded

It wouldn't be visual kei without some kind of visual gimmick.

No shit, sherlock. I'd say your comment is retarded, since we all pretty much know that already.

I'm just curious to know how much value other people place on those visual elements.

[Peace Heavy mk II 7200]

I place a lot of value in visuals. I'm a shallow individual who likes looking at irrealistically colorful Asian men and feel that good visuals add more to the music as a lot of people have already said.

I can also sort of tell how a band will sound based on their appearance as well (with a few exceptions of course). I personally prefer neon hair dye, lace, bondage items, and overall gawfy cross-dressing.

[TheBistroButcher666 228]

It makes it more interesting, I think for every type of music theres visual no matter what. Except mayb rock or metal.

In rock and metal too, very much so. Quite often you can tell the vague genre a rock or metal band plays by looking at their promo shots. Sometimes even the specific sub-genre.

I love all the drama when a metal dude cuts his hair off. People shit a brick over that. Hair is apparently way more important in metal then it seems to be in VK. Cutting your hair off it's you're betraying metal and your fans or some shit lololol.

Plus metal is very Visual Kei.

Kawaii ^___^

Squeeeeeeeee =3

Anyway - Wwhen I got into Visual Kei when I was in high school, Visuals where pretty important but I was a shallow high school kid so that is to be expected. Visuals are not as nearly as important to me now as they where back in the day but I still am when it comes to Japanese music mostly a Visual Kei listener. I can say probably the biggest reason being that it's more accessible then non-Visual Japanese bands amongst Western crowds. TW dos have many users that consistently upload non-Visual artists but the majority of the uploads is still primarily Visual bands . In addition many of the English websites that focus on Japanese music news tend to focus on well on the visual bands. (I know JaME covers plenty of non-Visual bands). I admit though, I know if I had more energy and motivation it isn't really that hard to search the Internet for the non-Visual bands and in the end does fall back on me to actually do the E-searching or purchasing of this stuff. Don't judge me, I like my tranny boys that are caked in eyeliner. I'll stop now since I'm just rambling and been reading about taxable and nontaxable compensation all night

[doaseternity6 93]

At any rate, visuals aren't important enough to make me like or dislike a band, but if used correctly, they can definitely add "something"

That pretty much sums it up for me.

[LIDL 692]

It makes it more interesting, I think for every type of music theres visual no matter what. Except mayb rock or metal.

In rock and metal too, very much so. Quite often you can tell the vague genre a rock or metal band plays by looking at their promo shots. Sometimes even the specific sub-genre.

I love all the drama when a metal dude cuts his hair off. People shit a brick over that. Hair is apparently way more important in metal then it seems to be in VK. Cutting your hair off it's you're betraying metal and your fans or some shit lololol.

Plus metal is very Visual Kei.

Kawaii ^___^

Squeeeeeeeee =3

Anyway - Wwhen I got into Visual Kei when I was in high school, Visuals where pretty important but I was a shallow high school kid so that is to be expected. Visuals are not as nearly as important to me now as they where back in the day but I still am when it comes to Japanese music mostly a Visual Kei listener. I can say probably the biggest reason being that it's more accessible then non-Visual Japanese bands amongst Western crowds. TW dos have many users that consistently upload non-Visual artists but the majority of the uploads is still primarily Visual bands . In addition many of the English websites that focus on Japanese music news tend to focus on well on the visual bands. (I know JaME covers plenty of non-Visual bands). I admit though, I know if I had more energy and motivation it isn't really that hard to search the Internet for the non-Visual bands and in the end does fall back on me to actually do the E-searching or purchasing of this stuff. Don't judge me, I like my tranny boys that are caked in eyeliner. I'll stop now since I'm just rambling and been reading about taxable and nontaxable compensation all night

lol.

indeed.

only cooler.

[Aion 184]

To be honest, I was listening to bands as 12012, Pierrot, Janne Da Arc, Aioria etc before even knowing the existence of VK... When I discovered Japanese music, I first encountered bands as AKFG, ART-SCHOOL, ACIDMAN etc... I know that I was browsing Youtube at one point and I got linked to 12012's Shudder via an ART-SCHOOL song (yarly), which I then liked. Downloaded some stuff by them, before actually looking at their OHP/photo's or something (and you know that, when you aren't familiar with VK, the Shudder PV is a pretty normal video, you could also see in Europe with obscure PV's etc).

Then I also came in contact with the other bands, and it was not since I met, I believe, Metronome, a few months later, I wasn't aware of the genre VK in general...

Niw, visuals don't mean shit for me... If it did, why would I like bands with fugly members or something? I also rarely really watch PV's, it's more that when I discover a band on youtube, I keep it running in the background, and watch a scene of it once every minute. Only if something catches my eye, I would continue watching...

Of course there was I time I would favor bands with an Angura kei-look or something (oto-oni, MUCC, M, heidi., Jinkaku Radio, at one time etc), but that time is long passed.... Now I've never got the feeling "WOW, they look good, I must look them up!" or "DAMN, they're fugly, not going to listen to them..."