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Look in the performance of 2018/05/06.

Consistent. Now they look as bad as they sound.

Hello (⌒‐⌒)/ I’m Alex from Germany (Munich) but I’ve been living in Tokyo since 2015. In Germany I worked as an UX Designer for about 5 years but here in Japan I've been working as a teacher at a private conversation school. I have also just started a small business. I've been listening to Japanese rock music since 2004 or 2005 and I've been to countless concerts in Europe and here in Japan. My favorite band at the moment is DEZERT ( ˇωˇ )♡ but I love the music and lives of アルルカン, RAZOR, BORN, DIR EN GREY, MUCC, and DADAROMA...and many more. Besides music I'm totally into Japan and Japanese culture. In 2014 I have traveled through the whole country for about 6 months and nowadays I travel around to enjoy delicious local food and lives, of course! Alex (⌒‐⌒)♪

beacause a gaijin (foreign ner) is very baka (stupid)

It's not in English. I don't play Japanese music for my friends often, but when I do it's instrumental or with good English vocals because the minute they hear Japanese, I know 95% of them will stop listening. People want to understand what the song is about and you can't do that with Japanese music if it's all in Japanese. The vocals that are in English still have a distinctly Japanese quality to them, and that turns off a lot of native speakers. That leaves a very small group of people to make a big impression for everyone. Not a great way to start. Rock music is not mainstream in America right now. It's hip hop, pop, and r&b that runs the air waves. It's not a bad thing, but I find i digest these genres of music differently than I do rock and metal, and people that have not grown up with rock and metal may never have developed a taste for it. I've always heard that rock and metal is the closest thing to classical music in the modern era, and on the same note I don't find many people appreciate Bach and Mozart for what it is. It just doesn't "move them". Anime was considered taboo and nerdy up until recently, when now all of a sudden it became cool to watch Dragon ball Super and My Hero Academia and other big-name shounen. Anime and Japan are always seen as synonymous to the barely acquainted, so anime and rock music are also tied together by virtue of this rock music being from Japan. Stupid associations, but that's how it is. Considering just how bad a lot of anime themes are, I can see people associating the worst of J-pop themes with all Japanese music. Consider this 3.5, but the people that were first promoting the music were deep into the scene, like "appropriating parts of Japanese language and unironically dressing like a visual kei rocker" deep. They...did not make the best ambassadors for visual kei music. On the other side of the coin, the Japanese indie scene has always been a smaller group covering a wider range of music, cloistered and secluded on private servers and trackers. They wanted to preserve their culture the way it was, so they weren't exactly interested in proselytizing their music to a wider audience. Y'all gotta realize peeps like @CAT5are the exception to the rule. Japanese record companies in general do a pretty shit job of marketing themselves and their music to a wider audience, which is perplexing to me because the anime industry is absolutely KILLING IT right now. They jumped onto the digital distribution wave too late and by that time, the fad had already started diminishing. We have no equivalent to Crunchyroll to have a legal bridge between record companies and interested Western audiences. HearJapan was close, but in some ways I think it was too ahead of its time and never got the support it needed once everyone involved realized it wouldn't be a 1-2-3 smash hit. I always maintained that I would be a sensation or "the next Jimi Hendrix" if I took a bunch of my favorite J-Rock and visual kei songs and sung them in English...

Their first album 「絶唱謳歌」(Zesshô ôka) will be released on 2018.08.08. Limited edition : 3500 yen + taxes (1000 copies, limited jacket) CD : 01.Paradox 02.絶唱謳歌(Zesshô ôka) 03.罵詈雑言(Bari zôgen) 04.懐色花火(Futokoro iro hanabi) 05.君の臓器になりたい(Kimi ni zoki ni naritai) 06.金欠マイレージ(Kinketsu mileage) 07.MELODY(album ver.) 08.アナザーワールド(Another world) 09.RUN 10.ADVENTURE TIME Regular edition : 3000 yen + taxes CD : 01.Paradox 02.絶唱謳歌(Zesshô ôka) 03.罵詈雑言(Bari zôgen) 04.懐色花火(Futokoro iro hanabi) 05.君の臓器になりたい(Kimi ni zoki ni naritai) 06.金欠マイレージ(Kinketsu mileage) 07.MELODY(album ver.) 08.アナザーワールド(Another world) 09.RUN 10.ADVENTURE TIME http://acme-official.com/news/1698/

2015 throw back, when my bf took me to Osaka to see The Gallo (^o^) I used to like them so much lol

here for this mika new member conspiracy

I think when VK/J-rock tried to break out into the Western music scene in the mid to late 2000s mirrored the Japanese metal scene trying to break out into the Western music scene during the 1980s. The only main difference is this time around, most of the groups didn't try to sing in English or try to recruit a Westerner at some point for their band to make them more marketable (looking at you Loudness and Bow Wow). Even back during the 2000s, I knew that VK wasn't going to make an impact outside of Japan due to how the majority of them were being marketed to people who attended anime cons. I was just excited I could buy VK albums that were released outside of Japan for a fraction of what CDJapan was selling them. I decided to compile a list of Japanese artists that have released albums in the West that charted on the Billboard charts. There is a few things to note right off the bat: The following Japanese metal groups that only released in Europe during the 1980s: Anthem, Earthshaker, Vow Wow The following Japanese metal groups that had albums released in the USA, but did not chart: Dead End, Gastunk The following VK groups that had albums released in the USA, but did not chart: D'espairsRay, MUCC, Kra, the GazettE, Alice Nine, Versailles, Mix Speaker's Inc, L'arc~en~Ciel Albums by Loudness, EZO, OK ONE ROCK, and Utada Hikaru that charted in the USA on this list were recorded in English. I listed everything from highest charting spot to lowest charting spot. I did not include record sells since a lot of the older releases, I couldn't find what the sales were for the date when the record charted at that spot. Sakamoto Kyu - Sukiyaki and Other Japanese Hits (1963) [Billboard 200: #26] BABYMETAL - Metal Resistance (2016) [Billboard 200: #39] Loudness - Lightning Strikes (1986) [Billboard 200: #64] Utada Hikaru - This Is the One (2009) [Billboard 200: #69] Loudness - Thunder in the East (1985) [Billboard 200: #74] ONE OK ROCK - Ambitions International Version (2017) [Billboard 200: #106] EZO - EZO (1987) [Billboard 200: #150] Utada Hikaru - Exodus (2004) [Billboard 200: #160] Loudness - Hurricane Eyes (1987) [Billboard 200: #190] Dir En Grey - Uroboros (2008) [Billboard Heatseeker: #1] Dir En Grey - Dum Spiro Spero (2011) [Billboard Heatseeker: #2] BABYMETAL - BABYMETAL (2015) [Billboard Heatseeker: #4] Dir En Grey - The Marrow of a Bone (2007) [Billboard Heatseeker: #8] ONE OK ROCK - 35xxxv Deluxe Edition (2015) [Billboard Heatseeker: #17] Pizzicato Five - Happy End of the World (1997) [Billboard Heatseeker: #32] Shonen Knife - Rock Animals (1994) [Billboard Heatseeker: #39] Dir En Grey - Withering to Death (2006) [Billboard Heatseeker: #42] From what I've posted, I do think that not singing in English could have hurt any success Dir En Grey and other VK-related bands could have had in the Western music scene. I also think the type of music Dir En Grey did also hindered them in some ways. Before someone brings up BABYMETAL sings in Japanese and managed to sell well; I view them in a similar light as Steel Panther, a group that's not super serious compare to a group like Dir En Grey.

SET-LIST at 2018/05/06: 01.ケセラ：セラ (Que Sera : Sera) 02.心臓。(Shinzou.) 03.僕は魔王 (Boku wa Maou) 04.オカルト・キラー (Occult Killer) 05.あおいろ1号 (Aoiro 1 Gou) 06.Cとソプラノ (C to Soprano) 07.うさぎ (Usagi) 08.サイコ×レタア (Psycho x Letter) 09.猫の刻参り (Neko no Kiza Mairi) 10.文化≠包丁 (Bunka≠Houchou) 11.ゴメンなさい。(Gomen Nasai.) 12.ハイファイダンサー (Hi-Fi Dancer) 13.眼球ワルツ (Gankyuu Waltz) 14.相対性【秘密】理論~タイムマシン2~ (Soutaisei [Himitsu] Riron~Time Machine 2~) 15.妄想マルチ (Mousou Multi) 16.球形無限連鎖~ミズタマ~ (Kyuukei Mugen Rensa ~Mizutama~) 17.皇帝ペンギン (Koutei Penguin) -ENCORE- 01.ひらり (Hirari) 02.トウメイニンゲン (Toumei Ningen) 03.チョコサンドビスケットクリーム (Choko Sand Biscuit CREAM) 04.春夏秋冬 (Shunkashuutou)

👀

Zeus breaks it down pretty well. To add a smidgen of my opinion, I think that Visual Kei's western popularity (U.S from my experience) greatly paralleled the interest in emo/counterculture in the mid 2000s. They both had similar aesthetic and garnered similar fans w/ plenty of overlap. That interest has largely died out and has re-surged into -core genres and melded itself into other indie acts. Visual Kei, being a physically distant/foreign genre, in-turn became a niche interest again. Additionally, Japan is still the premier example of Galapagos Syndrome and is pretty self-reliant. K-pop, on the other hand, is dependent on a global audience and embraces Western interest which reciprocatively affects its own music industry. Also "Cool Japan" hasn't helped jack-squat with well-known figures like Gackt being critical of it (it's futile when the industry at large is isolated.) Finally, Japanese music just sounds different. I try to link to this reddit thread w/ nonotan's comment when I can b/c I've always felt there was some underlying music-theory reason why J-Music attracts and repels certain groups of people. There are a lot of people that I've met that have thought Japanese melodies were cheesy so this helps explain that a little. - As an aside, I'm a bit more on the pessimistic side about anime becoming more popular (rather than just accepted). I still think the combination of the "nostalgia factor" and internet culture have drawn more (perceived) attention to it than genuine interest... But, the $$$ points to it growing so we'll see. Maybe I'm more of a skeptic w/ the rate at which recent boom in interest has happened.

I'm not sure about that. I don't think the band has lost anything. I get the opposite impression actually, that the band is still trying to find a new sound but they are a few places removed from where they want to be. There's definitely a certain sound and aesthetic that they are chasing, but what that is I could not tell you. I also think it's really hard to come to a conclusion on one track + a re-recording + a live performance of the last single. Dir en grey are really good about keeping their cards close to their chest until they release a full album or EP, so I wouldn't lose faith until the entire next album pisses you off.

ex "シュレディンガーの猫" (Schrödinger no Neko) members have formed new formal band "ヘルタースケルター" (Helter Skelter) and will have their first live on 2018.07.13 at Shinjuku RUIDO K4. At the same date, they will release their first live limited single "斜陽" (Shayou), limited to 100 copies. [members] Vo. 朝比奈 悠 (Asahina You) Gt. 御笠 ねる (Mikasa Neru) Gt. ハル (Hal) Ba. kaz Dr. 魅影 (Mikage) [tracklist] 01. 斜陽 (Shayou) 02. 断罪シンドローム (Danzai Syndrome) http://helterskelter.tokyo/

DIAURA new maxi-single "MALICE" will be released at 2018/10/24 they will hold their oneman live tour "THE MALICIOUS CELL" since 2018/11/10 at Daikanyama UNIT to 2018/12/25 at Kawasaki CLUB CITTA' they will also hold their oneman live "愚民の日2018-ダイバーシティを独裁せよ-" at 2018/09/03 at Zepp DiverCity Tokyo

シェルミィ (Shellmy) new mini-album "うずまき (Uzumaki)" will be released at 2018/7/19. [track list] 1.御礼参り (Oreimairi) 2.今日も後悔の血が垂れる (Kyou mo Koukai no Chi ga Tareru) 3.赤い部屋 (Akai Heya) 4.絶望産まれのセルロイド (Zetsubou Umare no Celluloid) 5.メイデイメイデイ (Mayday Mayday) 6.噂 (Uwasa)

The Raid. has announced that they will release their new single, "籠女唄" on 2018.07.24. (5 TYPES)

What a great set 😭

Yoshiatsu Birthday Live at 高田馬場AREA on 05/20 is sold out since 05/01. The live was formally announced on 04/29. Yoshiatsu has the POWER

Replacement for Shinya? https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/aXxMB4D_460svvp9.webm Also, band history update for anyone who cares~

コドモドラゴン (Codomo Dragon) gt.華那 (Kana) has officially departed from the band since 2018/05/03. Official statement from the band and members' messages: http://codomo-dragon.net/news_detail/78157 Translate of the statement from B.P. RECORDS: Source: http://crimsonlotus.eu

I love D but this is unforgivable

straight men don't pay VK members bills x once she and Toshiya part ways with FWD, it's over for the flop label, mitsu pussy has long moved on.

I think the comparison with the anime industry reveals one of the reasons why Jrock/vkei is not a thing in the west - Cool Japan has a top-down/soft power/blahblah approach that utilizes pop culture to draw people to Japanese culture and thus make Japanese endeavors outside of Japan (not just in the west) more profitable and attract more business and tourism. The Cool Japan fund will invest in any sort of content/media that will make Japanese culture stand out, but only if it sees the potential, ie organic interest in the content/subject matter, like big anime/cosplay conventions - quantifiable receipts that I don't think Jrock had even in the height of its hype overseas. Plus, I think music is more than about understanding lyrics. It's culture, it's being able to relate to ideas and sentiments expressed there and catch cultural cues that you'll miss if you don't spend hours digging around the internet for reference. If it takes a lot of work to actually 'get' a song, less people will wanna do it. This is why Kpop companies train their idols to speak and sing in Japanese and Mandarin, and why the AKB franchise 'translated' itself by forming local units across Asia instead of selling the Japanese content as is. I don't think Jrock can be localized the same way, nor that it should be. At the end of the day, as was already said here, Jrock had its 15 minutes of being an almost international thing thanks to anime, but it didn't hold because you can't translate and sell it as well as you can with anime.

support Dr.SIN (ex-dip-->ラッド (Lad) (support)-->NaiL-->Robin Kampf Alfread-->Wizard(kimi)) has joined えんそく (Ensoku) at 2018/5/5.

Gu.Rin is ex-hysteric-->SEED-->Atomic Berry-->planetarium Gu.tatsuya is ex-ルミカ。(Lumica)-->QuaLiA-->Link Ba.Hisa is ex-hysteric-->SEED-->planetarium btw they do have a Twitter: https://twitter.com/kuusou_novel

for all those intersted here's a short live sample of "Get fxxk hxx"

Hi I'm itsuki, I like jrock I love the novembers and kasyo I speak spanish but I try my best at english and japanese.

I already miss you♡

I can't recognized Chisa at all! Bring it on! Ready for Zero One 2.0

So the only difference are the Jackets ?? The tracklists are the same and there doesnt seem to be any other difference

I think it was Kaoru that said Shinya is stubborn. Considering he hasn’t changed his look and keeps playing the same fills and patterns the last few years, Kaoru wasn’t fucking lying. Mika is the shit though.

dalle found dead in a ditch x

Last single was surprisingly good and I've already had a soft spot for deathgaze

Love me a bit of Ai, you always know what you're going to get

I hope they make it sound like that Mucc song. The one where they're sad!!

Release date is finalized to 2018.06.27

The bois chillin

they need to stop with this circus-kei

TAKUMI is in Kyo’s basement.

TAKUMI is deep lore. I wonder where they hide him during lives.

「炸裂ナゴPOWER」MV

The opening movie for the game, featuring some of the song "Inside-Out", has been put up on Youtube (no proxy required!):

My copy of Ningen arrived today. It came with a button that says “Fucking Rock Star Bitch!?”

This appears to be the solo project of Vo.RYT (ex-Malice invitation).

has someone really been typing all of this down off screen during a live omg