Bursting with Love

Last year, my heart was empty and I grappled very hard to find a place I fit in. Back then I was devastated with the materialism of Kpop and realised that I hadn't especially been attentive of my Jrock self. So I filled it up with so many things at once that I may have lost sight of what matters most.

Thus after 1 year and 2 months from this post [Just So You Know], here is where I stand now. I cleaned up nicely, ne? :)

1. Luna Sea 2. Shinhwa 3. KinKi Kids 4. Sugizo 5. Rentrer en Soi 6. MUCC 7. NoGoD 8. Chemical Pictures 9. abingdon boys school 10. FAKE? 11. NEWS 12. INORAN 13. D 14. Kanjani8 15. D'espairsRay 16. DEAD END 17. Satsuki 18. Versailles 19. Dir en grey 20. Kagrra, 21. DaizyStripper 22. DELUHI 23. SID 24. X

*Click for bigger art

Comments:
- I thought I shouldn't put #3 at the same level as #1 and #2, but I realise I love them as much.
- #5, oh #5. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. And Takumi's regret doubles it.
- Entrees #7 and #8 scored high because of their fondness for each other. I'm also biased coz of Jimi. Heh. Besides, NoGoD is AWESOME!
- Shuffled a lot of names to make way for other potential new groups like #13, #21 and #22 although #10 isn't a newbie. I just hadn't explored FAKE? before and am regretting it.
- #11 and #14 are here because they make me laugh and smile like a noona fan. mwahah.
- #17 manages a low rung since he hasn't even release an album and his solo singles are okay - not great. Yet I still think he's the best vocalist ever (2nd only after Ryuichi).
- #24? Sigh. Only due to Sugizo. I'll feel bad if I completely diss hide's memories. But then it's only memories. In with the new, out with the old! Bah. I'm a contradiction.

Say goodbye to:
- Pierrot: Let bygones by bygones.
- V6: Hm, easily replaced with NEWS and Eito. And Tokio's single sounds better.
- hide & Acid Black Cherry: I haven't been listening to them in a long time.
- Matenrou Opera & 12012: Not impressed.
- Hyoshin: The first half of 2010 for me, aren't slow and saaaad ballads. Ick. Maybe I'll be ready once he comes back in September.
- ExistTrace & DangerGang: Whatever.

And the Biggest Loser goes to...
- the GazettE: Ugh. My age isn't the issue. They seriously dried up. Their obsessed fans are no help either.
- Duel Jewel: Nope, no more chances.
- Jinkaku Radio: I got turned off because the vocalist's personality is annoying.

If you compare the artwork, The Heart is no longer bleeding out of loneliness and no longer does it want to escape to a place where it will be accepted.

I'm home sweet home with my VK fandoms.

Upcoming VK To Look Out For: Part 2

In this previous post, I didn't expect CPS' Tokarev and Beretta maxi singles to have 3 more siblings. And since I already purchased those two, should I get the other three? *gulp*

NoGod's Kakusei PV looks awesome and the single packs a double whammy (as expected). You DEFINITELY have to listen to them. Ignore their wacky image if you must because they are really a force to reckon with.



Additional upcomings:

1. Creature Creature [release date N/A]
   -- Wouldn't wanna miss this new album! Morrie kinda stuck on me after I began listening to DEAD END.
2. LUNA SEA Reboot [release date N/A]
   --No idea what the hell this is but who cares? It's LUNA SEA. They can never go wrong. Mwahaha.

Upcoming VK To Look Out For

Meh. I lost my will to review anything VK right now. Maybe next month after this current slump? What a boring year.

So far I am anticipating:

1. Chemical Pictures - Sekai wo Utta Otoko case 1 Tokarev [Maxi Single 2010.05.26]
   -- first official single with new lineup! I'd support them if I own a credit card but oh well.
2. NoGoD - Kakusei [Single 2010.06.09] **
   -- even Elec/Jimi (from above band) has high praises for them. they're surging forward and nobody can stop them mwahahaha!
3. MUCC - Yakusoku [Single 2010.06.09] *
   -- another ballad, but def. better than 'freesia'. Check out the perf!
4. MERRY - The Cry Against... [Single 2010.08.04]
   -- the preview sounds better than their previous works. Who knows, eh?
5. Plastic Tree - Moonlight [Single 2010.07.28]
6. D - untitled [Single 2010.07.28]

Over at since1997★, there are photos taken by a super rich Tsuyoshi fan influenced by his Berlin photobook. Damn, I tabik spring to them lorh.

That VEB Orange shop sure looks like fun! I wish Shinhwa would visit it. I hope Dongwan does stop by Berlin during his vacation to that undisclosed European country. Ohhhh how I long for a Europe Trip ;_;

KinKi-ed Up!

Owh hell yeah, I love this Mandigo theme. Now I can spruce up the background here as much as I want to (when I'm free to). Major thanks to this tip off.

Shall start with KinKi ♥

Centralised background, hence we should be able to play around with higher screen resolutions. This will allow more widescreen customisation. Meaning: MOAR images to pimp with the possibility of a larger canvas width.

Looking at the limited viewing space for 1024x768 screens, I dunno how I'd be able fit all six Shinhwa members tho'. *sheepish smile* So I urge all of you to please buy widescreen monitors in order to see all the missing parts. Akekeke.

Or you can just change your browser 'zoom in' function.

On another geeky customising move I made: Google Analytics tracker has been added! Er, so the pageviews figures aren't gonna be huge or anything (note: estimating this blog will only hit less than 20 views per month) but I'm curious as to where my readers come from :P

Since my blog does sometimes manage to pop up in Google Search whenever I look for Jrock/Visual Kei info, ya know? *boasts*

Fighting Off Sleep

Need. To. Stay. Awake. I've got 22 more pages of Fhiz's thesis to proofread. *rubs eyes*

Although Tsuyoshi's solo albums proved to be helpful in keeping me company yesterday evening, Endlicheri is making me drowsy tonight. -__- Sorry, man. It's Koichi's turn tonight. Cough.

In the meantime, I've got beautimous MQ fancams of their 30th and 11th concerts queued up in CB (eventhough it's sluggish right now, grr!!). Aaaand I'd need to sit down over the weekend to listen to 9 additional hours of KinKi concert rips. That means the total hours of KinKi Kids J Concert audios: 3 in Tokyo + 3 in Osaka = estimated 12.3 HOURS x_____x

Speaking of concerts... I shall stop bitching about X Japan's Hollywood venture and Yoshiki's super-duper-ego-stroking narcissist self. For now. Will wait for them to actually deliver us the four finalised PVs.

One day left to weekend ;_; HURRRRRRY UPPPPPP~

[note to self: NEED to review Ken's In Physical, DEAD END's Metamorphosis, NoGoD's Rashinban, Sadie's Gain and forbidden days rhapsody's Canticum so that I don't fail in providing awesome new stuff for you to explore]

Ooooh I'm not sleepy anymore. Whew.

VK Night Out 1 update

It was fun! We should do this more often. But then that'd mean I'll have to download more concerts, ne?

Alice Nine is a talented bunch, actually. My bad for dissing them all this while. ^^;;

Luna Sea. Ohhh Luna Sea. I will never tire watching your reunion concert. In fact it always somehow tears me up inside that you guys are no longer together. But... all breakups lead to truer love, imo. Sugizo's  actively saving the Earth and spreading his Divaness self onto so many different projects. Shinya's, well, still the unsung King of Drummers. J is seriously successful now and and and his marriage (sorry Farah, I forgot he got hitched this year). Ryuichi is happily married and bounced back to the correct path with Tourbillon. And thanks to Ryu, Inoran is not all alone anymore.

Next band? Hmmmmmm what do you we rock out to abingdon boys school? Mish, when are you free? 8D

Visual Kei sleepovers

Since Fridays are 'Whee No Work!' days this month and Mish is on holiday, lets have Visual Kei concert screenings? I have Luna Sea and Luna Sea and SUGIZO and abingdon boys school and Rentrer en Soi (and X Japan if anyone is interested in old men).

I'm willing to share fandoms :)

Stripping for Free Candy

Friendster changed their design, huh? Trying to save themselves from dying, I see.

Oh heeeey! I owe candies to Shu and Mish for unconsciously causing me to include DaizyStripper into my Favourite Young Bands list. I stumbled upon the 'Brilliant Days.' song that Mish posted at FB after she was introduced to it by Shu.



I should have downloaded their mini-album last month when it was released but just never got around to it. Or the truth was... Since I firmly believe that the most important thing a band should portray is 'Music over Physical Appearance', their oshare look kinda turned me off back then as the stereotype bouncy-cutesy-AnCafe-ish-poprock which I strive to stay away from.

Seriously speaking, they sound pretty polished for a 2 year old group.  Not to mention, very different from my initial assumption. So from now onwards I will not judge a band by its 'pink factor' facade. *chants mantra*

DaizyStripper have both successfully fooled and ensnared me. Huzzah!

My formula to choosing a band is: emotive/unique vocals and memorable songs unique to that band and strong bassist or two guitarists. Looks are a plus, but it's no biggie. Luna Sea and L'Arc~en~Ciel taught me that.

OH! I think we should start calling Jrock as Visual Kei (VK). I've stuck to the old term for sooo many years and even passed it on to Mish and the others. Cough, I think only foreigners called it that. A confused store employee at HMV Shibuya spent 20 minutes figuring out that we were looking for the Visual Kei shelf. Gomen!

Awww but I'm reluctant to restructurise my archives and tags and basically my brain for that.

No Time

My Jrock mode has been off for roughly a month now. I'm guessing since the illegal download crackdown got tougher on J-music, there aren't as many people willing to sacrifice their souls cyber identities anymore?

Quite a few new releases that I was supposed to look up this month but I don't think I can remember now hmm blame it on my anxiousness to fly to Japan. Cough or it may be thanks to the distraction of a certain concert DVD by a certain duo cough.

But nevermind that, I'll find something soon. But it sure ain't gonna be Gazette, ugh, because instinct tells me they're not moving anywhere into the direction I assume they would take after DIM. Although I am tickled by Go's effort (since he's sworn off giving them an actual try) in reviewing their latest single "BEFORE I DECAY".

Sugizo's busy with a capital B as usual. However, he's promised that he'll present us something new soon. *jots down on note to buy his Rise to Cosmic Dance DVD when in Osaka*

Better yet... *jots down all the cds/dvds I think I can afford to buy in Osaka or Japan*

Crazy Tats

Was looking for karasu. But found Bluck Tlick.

Was looking for Bluck Tlick. But found GeKiGaKutai.

MUCC makes me go round in circles :S

Happy circles, that is. Because now I have reasonable proof to remind myself why I don't like girugamesh's 'MUSIC'.

The album features a notably heavier sound than their previous album, with a more "aggressive, destructive, and power" sound. Drummer Ryo comments that during touring, the band felt as if "there was something missing in our [Girugamesh's] songs", and the band "wanted to make our songs a little bit harder with an "edge." The band collaborated on "Patchwork", "Stupid" and "Crazy-Flag" with label-mates Tatsurou and Miya of Mucc, and with Miya as the co-producer for the album.

Stumbled upon this forgotten fact at Wiki about girugamesh (the album) by girugamesh (the band, aka Gilgamesh) because Google led me to other random searches for "Jack in the Box 2009". Miya and Tats combi is the love. In fact I love this album the best out of all giru's work.

I shall go now and continue my relentless search. Pbhht! :P

Notes:

karasu = session band covering Kuroyume; consists of Tatsurou (MUCC), Hiroto (A9), and names I don't remember from Sadie and JealKB and um yeah one other guy sorry.

Bluck Tlick = Tatsurou's previous session band; covered... you guessed it: Buck Tick.

GeKiGaKutai = Miya (MUCC) has his own session band? Download!!

Gwailo VK

I thought Elec/Jimi is the only gaijin making waves in VK Land. Who knew there'd be an American band touring the indie underworld over there in Japan?

They're called L2D: Love Twice Despaired.

Really good! I seriously hope they make it big. And I hope Jimi knows them so there'll be more insider gossip news!

Celebratin' the VK Festival in October...

...at home, wallowing while packing for my Japan trip since I'll only be departing on that 24th October. At least I should be packing on that day because we haven't even gotten confirmation from the tour agent.

Sorry lah Ah Jess, I can't kidnap Hiroto for you. Wish I could be there to kidnap other people as well but looking at the ticket price pun I feel like dying already.

V-ROCK FESTIVAL 09

The lineup looks pretty amazing.

Saturday's highlights: abingdon boys school, D'espairsRay, Angelo (to hear Kirito live!), PENICILLIN, Sex Machineguns. You don't get this much old-school in joint cons anymore so it'd be cool. And hey, Marilyn Manson?

Sunday's look more fun tho: Kagrra,, DuelJewel, existtrace, Gazette, LM.C, Sadie, Versailles.

Naaaaasib baik MUCC is not listed, Luna Sea and Rentrer en Soi are disbanded and um Yoshiki just had his surgery otherwise Sugizo would be there.

Just So You Know

1. Luna Sea 2. Shinhwa 3. KinKi Kids 4. Sugizo 5. Rentrer en Soi 6. MUCC 7. Pierrot 8. abingdon boys school 9. SID 10. V6 11. hide 12. Kagrra, 13. the GazettE 14. Dir en grey 15. Acid Black Cherry 16. Duel Jewel 17. D'espairsRay 18. Inoran 19. Park Hyo Shin 20. Versailles 21. Matenrou Opera 22. 12012 23. Jinkaku Radio 24. X Japan 25. NoGod 26. ExistTrace 27. DangerGang

*Click for bigger art

Love is immeasureable. But can be ranked by importance, yes?

This is roughly my favourites. Together with whom I assume to be in future. Since I realised not many of my friends are 100% sure of who I like and prefer. I've been vague after all, gomen ne.

Comments:
- #6 and #14 have both excellently matured.
- #9 and #20 are by far the closest to a budding interest.
- I'm expecting #13's DIM to be strong yet nothing new from them has surpassed NIL yet so... I say 'Grow Up!' or get flamed.
- #8, #15 and #17 latest releases are a bit stale but their skills are intact. boleh dimaafkan.
- #24 is here not because of their comeback or Yoshiki, but because they gifted the world with #1 and #14.
- due to my fickleness, the bottom half may change positions or get replaced without notice.
- the top 15 will remain. unless #13 & #15 goes against my expectations. tsk tsk.
- #19 is in the list cos I'm reluctant to let him go. heh.

For some reason I can't explain, I feel ridiculous that I don't have a favourite VK band or band member from this decade. If you ask me what I listen to these days, I'd gladly rattle off a few names but oh please PLEASE don't ask me what I liked 6 months ago coz I won't remember. The truth hurts when you get older. Hahah.

The last fandom I was sucked into was short-lived: Rentrer en Soi disbanded in 2007 then Satsuki, whom has the absolute best vocal I've listened to in YEARS, went and started his awaited solo career -- but it sucked. Really.

So after Rentrer, not one single band has kept my attention for more than a month (ouch, so harsh!). It's hard to hold onto one when I keep comparing everyone to Luna Sea and Rentrer... *slaps self*

More or less how I compare Shinhwa with other Kpop groups. But then Shinhwa IS the best so this is pointless.

Anyway, I no longer bother to collect scans, download lives or concerts which would eventually lead me to target any guy or 'guy' if you prefer that kind.

Besides, these younger Jrockers look TOO typically pretty that I can't differentiate this face from another when instead they should be focusing on real talent, real skills and making real music! They... um... I'll... stop bashing already =__=

ps: Tagging this post is horrendous work *howls* I'll keep it short and sweet.

Burnt Beyond Recognition

I hate cyclic errors. I do. Especially when I lose something very very precious that I'm too lazy to go and download again. Sigh.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="430" caption="So many Jrock... huhuhu"][/caption]

Clever of me, I should have immediately checked the dvd after burning. The two red dots are the albums I really must download again. Luckily the striked outs are still in my storage. But still...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="430" caption="My MUCC discography, OMG!"][/caption]

Life's not so fun these days, no?

Let Me Rephrase That...

Yeah twinnie, you had me thinking about my most repeatable Shinhwa song. I kinda felt guilty and tak puas hati for not having an absolute answer to it. However, setting out my mind by naming only one or two or more songs as my utmost forever-listenable-song and conforming to that fact would make me call myself a liar.

Hmm. Probable explanations to this would be that I can't think of any at that time. Or I couldn't remember the titles. Or I like too many to come up with a few without thinking rationally. Perhaps...

My best reason? I guess I've always been the sort of girl whom regularly flits from one artiste to the next too easily. My music is always in-the-moment, at-that-exact-moment and constant-listening-right-at-that-moment. I'll have a certain album/song/artiste that I'd like and I'd bury myself deep by frequently listening to only that obsession.

But when something else catches my fancy, then I'd as easily jump onto a different obsession. And maybe, maaaybe, all the songs that I like would be exchanged with another.

It takes a couple of reminiscing to finally get back into a certain moment. That's why you hear me say things like "I haven't been listening to them for a long time" which would then lead to "I feel like listening to them again" or "I feel like listening to their whole discography ALL OVER AGAIN!"

I'm really not kidding when I say I haven't been listening to any certain band for a LONG time. Coz I'd have been busy-ing myself with something other than Shinhwa... or Luna Sea. Or any other bands that I say I'm in love with. Har har.

Yet no matter what, these two bands affect me pretty differently from any other favourites. They'd still be the ones who can time-warp me back to that exact same moment when I first giddily heard their songs. ;)

Malaysianised VK?

Note: VK = Visual Kei. A branch in Japanese Rock (abb: JRock) that deals in heavily-adorned makeup and costumes. A most often than not misunderstood genre of music.
---------
"JRock Kingdom"? (http://www.jrock-kingdom.com/) Volume 4..?

Pardon the exaggerated eye-roll for the ridiculously 'original' titling. Eh, but no offense to them lah, since their events were already underway about 4 years ago. Ouu and it's sheer coincidence that a certain club was using the same ingenious branding name style.

Anywaaaay, there'll be lots of local VK bands schmucking performing at Ruums. I may be too old for this sort of thing. Me, in a room full of wannabes dressed up to the hilt and acting way too superior?

I'll think about it, Karat.

My walk down the old path

a recent spew of new Jrock singles and albums (the GazettE, Kagrra, & Rentrer en Soi for instance), has revived a flame of passion in me which almost died in March/April last year. one downloaded album led to another and now i'm tracking down full discographies. that is if i can find working torrents who did i start listening to in the first place? well it's a looong story.. to cut the history lecture short i'll just shortlist my favorites:

[1998] L'Arc~en~Ciel; Rurouni Kenshin movie. Glay and Dir en grey; from Jrock Channel. Malice Mizer and Gackt, too. X Japan!

[1999] Luna Sea -Hyde (i want the old Hyde back!!). basically i just fell out because Kpop demanded so much from me.

suddenly, now that i'm older (and hopefully, maturer) i'm hopelessly lost amidst the whole download-every-show-follow-every-video mentality of Kpop fans. it's scary how the scale might tip at any time and unseat my Kpop-fan identity. i love Kpop, i really do. but i realise i don't like to collect every single thing (DVD, photobook schmuck) because i'm content just by listening to music. and break me or waive me, i am still a hardcore Jrock-fan at heart. before anyone counters and calls me an undignified fan, let me assure ya that i still keep Shinhwa and Hyoshin foremost in my heart. but anything/anyone other than them... i'd only manage to get bored with rather fast. ah, it's just me.. i fall in and out of love too easily.

Chingu (Friend) + JRock

i feel the need to spazz, but i shall not. No! resist the lure of the dark side... i shall.. not... succumb.. NO! the dark side will only bring headaches and sakit mata and the condition you call sore-fingers.

Park Hyo Shin. he is what posibbly made me lurve Mianhada Saranghanda (a KDrama) even more. his soulful voice is utterly mesmerising, apart from his R&B and jazz induced style.  hmm, not many people prefer deep-voiced singers to popular gasoo such as Jo Sung Mo and Kim Bum Soo. but hey, it doesn't matter.. all the more for myself!

well, there goes another Male spesies into my harem. mwahaha }>D *devilish grin*

i just got to know that The TRAX (the KRock band) is actually produced by the almighty YOSHIKI san. wow.. that's impressive, a Korean band being produced by the maestro himself =O. no wonder they sang a cover version for X Japan's 'Tears'. not very visual kei, but the influence is still there.

JRock is my life. how far i run away from it, or how long i stay unconnected from it.. it will always catch up on me. some people diss Visual Kei, because they can't look behind the heavy make up and trans-crossdressing Japanese. it's all a matter of pure TALENT. the poetical lyrics may be uncomprehensible at first. but once you delve into the meaning, you'll be humbled by it. and not to mention the guitar RIPPING and mucho sexaylicious bishounen. Hearts out to Kaoru (of DEG), hide (R.I.P.), Yoshiki, Sugizo... woot so many to name.

nggg.. i am still confused whether L'Arc~en~Ciel should still be considered JRock or not. since they were Visual during their indies until 1995.. they should be right? but.. now they have their own category: Progressive Rock. (i have no idea what difference that is)

it's like comparing the ultra heavy metal X Japan to GLAY >__