Most popular Japanese rock artists and groups heavily rely on their created images, their attractivity, and their potential for visual controversy. This isn’t surprising and certainly not a Japan-only phenomenon. But while a certain visual element often also accompanies Western bands, many Japanese bands go for a rather unique style with elaborate make-up and often theme-based outfits, ranging from lavish baroque costumes to cute schoolgirl uniforms.
Cliff considers why visual kei is so… you know… visual, and what happens when the visual is dropped.
I only knew a handful of anime songs back then, and she gave me another CD with a special song on it that made me listen up: Gackt’s “Mizérable” with its catchy violin and rousing groove, plus those suprisingly falsetto vocals from this guy who looked like a spoiled feminist vampire.
Cliff recounts his own introduction to visual kei while sharing the genre’s complex joys to a friend.
In January, Kagrra moved to King Records and put out “Core,” and who’s listened to that recently? Viored broke up and aren’t missed much, but a little. X Japan released a so-so song, foreshadowing a year of circus-like goings-on.
Go looks back at the highlights of 2008 in his own inimitable manner, and anticipates 2009.
By Go
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05 Jan 09
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Posted in News
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