Favourite VK/J-rock guitarists :)

[JimHarper 28]

Hope you're all having a good day

I wanted to start a tread about your favourite VK/JR guitarists. It doesn't really matter what the criteria are for you, whether it's jaw-dropping technical ability, songwriting, versatility, influence, originality, sound or just looking really damn cool. The guys or girls who can start playing and have your attention from the first note, or who can crank out that favourite riff that makes your heart open up like a flower. Tell us who and why

 

In no particular order:

 

1. hide (there's a shocker!). For just about all the reasons above. For sounding cool and passionate whether he's doing early X-Japan speed metal, Zilch-style industrial metal, groove-laden rock tunes like 'Pink Spider' or just high quality pop like 'Tell Me'. For throwing in technically flawless neo-classical harmonised leads, twangy country licks, 50s-style rockabilly phrases or even dipping into reggae, ambient and drum'n'bass. Such a wealth of talent and creativity.

 

2. You (Yuji Adachi) from Dead End. A very underrated player from a band that's influenced just about everyone. A mountain of cool metal tunes, as well as eastern-flavoured emotional ballads like the incredible 'Serafine', and some simply jaw-dropping effects-laden rippling guitar lines in 'Good Morning Satellite'. He can shred with the best of them, but saves it for when the song needs it. Successfully updated his sound into a hard-egded contemporary metal crunch full of complex riffs and squealing harmonics.

 

3. Cypher from D'erlanger. Despite being early icons of the VK scene, he doesn't get much credit for his raucous blend of rock, glam. punk and goth that sounds like he's fighting with the guitar rather than playing it. And he does look damn cool while he's doing it.

 

4. Kaoru from D'espairsRay. A master of industrial metal crunch, constructing pummelling but sometimes almost funky big rock riffs, but fully capable of bringing in the melodies where necessary, as well as cool high-register synth-inspired lead parts.

 

5. K.A.Z. from Vamps. Not a flashy player or prominent lead guitarist, together with Hyde he turns out big rock riffs that stay in your head for days. It's mostly fairly straightforward 5th chord, drop-D stuff, but even a few ill-advised ballads can't hide the fact that he's got a big flair for huge choruses and an overdriven but melodic sound. You could dismiss it as party rock, but it always gets me in the mood.

 

Of course, there are plenty of others- the criminally overlooked Pata, post-punk-inspired masters like Hikari from Der Zibet and the guys from Buck-Tick (and on and on)- but these guys would be my top five. I'd love to hear what other people think!