TheBistroButcher666

I decided to check out some songs on YouTube and what is this lolol? I totally had imagined they played sappy romantic ballads instead of generic VKcore. 
 
Plz reform into Di'Vorce. and play sappy ballads for the lolz.
 
Though I think it would be funnier if they originally were a sappy ballad band that reformed into Vcore band. Oh well.

Exactly, so if I'm the only white person to bother buying something from some trashy no name indie band. I shouldn't talk about it because someone might get upset. Fuck those people and their butthurt. I know there's a difference between flaunting but I don't ever recall seeing anything like that on MH.
 
For the most part the only nasty responses I've received from people where on Last.fm and at one point good old Livejournal. MH most people aren't that bad and I'm fine with trading.
 
Basically my stance on downloading is, I do download but almost rarely these days but I still grab something here and there. I wouldn't even be a fan of the music I like today if it wasn't for downloading. However I am mature enough to know that music isn't free and I should do my part as a fan to support not just the artist but the industry as a whole. Sure label eats up a lot of the profit but that profit is usually then turn around into covering studio time, touring costs and so forth. If VK bands came to my city I would do what I do now with metal bands and just wait until they come through on a tour and buy their release then when they'll get the most back from my purchase, but since I can't do that with VK bands. At least my support helps keep the label, producers, distributors afloat so that they can sign and produce more artist.
 
With that said, my second stance on downloading is if it's a super duper poor man indies band, I don't feel comfortable sharing the material since it'll effect them the most as oppose to some major band or even successful indies artist like something from PS Company or even formerly UCP. Someone else will post that stuff anyway, so I don't bother sharing from those artists.
 
I prefer sharing music from inactive bands anyway, especially lesser known acts since their stuff is mostly long forgotten.
 
Anyway, I'm posting from the most annoying keyboard ever so if Im not clear on something, how about you try typing on this piece of shit tablet keyboard.

Hooked up with a guy that played World of Warcraft, turned out he was super bad at the game and embarrassed me on the Internet.

Just look at Dir en grey's similar artists on Last.fm, all VK bands harharhar.
 
I mean come on, Sadie is a VK band correct? Rentrer en Soi was also a VK band right? Yet they all had vocal training from Kyo or give credit to Kyo personally working with their vocalist to hone their vocal technique. To say that Dir en grey has no connection to VK is hogwash. Just search bandmen blogs and you'll find a post here and there with Toshiya or Kaoru hanging out back stage at some tiny little VK dive gig.
 
Like I dunno, Kaoru and KISAKI chillin.
 

 
So basically I agree that Dir en grey is still VK-ish. They certainly don't dress up anymore and are very casual but their connection to VK is still there, though more or less indirect.
 
__
 
My controversial opinion is that VK fans don't care about the music.
 
Okay, that statement is more of a joke but there's still some truth behind it. Just face it, most of us were drawn to VK because of how flashy and colorful it is. A lot of us were originally anime fans and VK is basically anime IRL almost. The guys are so colorful, so outrageous looking and are essentially a fantasy character. So it's easy to get into VK when anime was your gateway. That's why I think cosplaying bands, RPing as bandmen and writing fanfiction is so common because that's something that is done in the anime fandom. So seeing it among VK fans really doesn't surprise me and why I don't think it's a bad or weird thing either.
 
So basically when someone claims they don't care about the image at all, yet have entire Last.fm profile full of nothing but VK I call bullshit. There is absolutely no way you don't care about the looks. It's why almost all of us are here in the first.
 
And you know what? Who the fuck cares if that's what drew you in and is your main reason for sticking around. Trying to get on your high horse and claim you are better than everyone else because you don't masturbate to Kamijo every night is more obnoxious and worse than the girls that admit they get off every night to fanart picture of Kamijo molesting HIZAKI. 
 
Anyway, I'm in a hurry and on my phone. I don't think I really explained myself that clearly. I don't mean to say we all want to fuck bandmen but we're all still vane and pretentious so get over yourself and accept that you are just as superficial as the rest of the VK fandom. Deal with it.

What makes the argument so dumb is that not everyone will be able to agree on what defines old and new VK. 
 
Most of the people that seem to get their panties in a twist are usually referring to the gawffy Matina/Soleil era bands. Yet they tend to conveniently overlook a lot of the more popular bands from those eras that were considered VK by Japanese standards. Since those bands didn't use the overly gothic aesthetics these people usually just overlook them like they didn't exist at all or weren't tr00 kvlt vKKK. Then they get this skewed idea that VK was the howling BDSM outfit indie bandmen when Fanatic Crisis, Sophia and Wyse where around during that time and also considered to be very VK.

I prefer the Kuroyume, BUCK TICK, Luna Sea copy pasta bands over the br00tal DIR EN GREY and Gazette copy pasta bands.
I don't think any are better or worse, except current VK has a lot of little boys doing horrible grutal growly kyo-isk death vocals and should seriously stop. At least old VK had bad off tone singing, now we have off tone singing and bad death vocals.
The whole old vs new argument is stupid. While the early 00s and late 90s had more stuff I like, it doesn't make it better. There were just as many shallow and vapid bands back then like there is now.

1. Yes.
2. No, I probably should be but nope.
3. I don't think it's political at all, at least not in VK. In VK it's just because Sugizo was one of the first to popularize the outfit and so all his fanboys followed suit. I kind of laugh at the idea of a Visual Kei band being political, I just don't believe it haha. I also tend to hate most political music anyway so I really don't want to imagine that wailing pink hair drag queen is trying to make a political statement.
World War II is still a touchy subject in Asia but I am not an expert on the issue over there. However China in particular is not that thrilled with how Japanese history books seem to just kind of skim over what Japan had done during the war, especially Nanking with some books said to simply leave it out altogether. Many Japanese youth seem to be completely oblivious to what has happened and many elderly deny it or down play it. My sources are from what I have read on the BBC so I don't know how bias the reporting is and I'm too lazy to pull up specific articles. However, I am pretty sure EVERY country skims over some of the terrible things they have done through out history and the US is not exempt from this either. China is probably guilty of rewriting their own history, being China afterall and all the political controversies it faces now. However it seems they just like to give Japan a hard time about it, possibly trying to divert attention away from their own domestic political issues. Regardless those feelings of anger are still very much alive in China, my boyfriend is Chinese and while he's not bothered by the past his parents weren't that thrilled to find out he is dating a girl who's father is Japanese hahahaha!
Anyway I'm kind of rambling now.
4. I used too and still do to some extent use WWII imagery in my artwork, I don't use Nazi imagery because that's boring, incredibly overdone and just cliche.

None of this stuff is necessarily rare, maybe to white people (because white people are dumb) but the personal and nostalgia value is certainly rather high for these items!
Aliene Ma'riage - Les Soiree, the big obnoxious clock version! It's so cool! And it still works!
Aliene Ma'riage - Les Soiree photobook
Aliene Ma'riage - Photo set
Aliene Ma'riage - Shimobe VHS
Birushana - 回顧録～番外編～
Noir Fleurir - DEFLOWER
Kuroageha - demos and omnibuses with earlier songs and Night Melody VHS.
I also got a bunch of old Shoxx, Fool's Mate and V-Shot magazines from the late 90s. Lots of cool photos and articles from owld skewl bands.
Oh yeah, for La'Mule, Vasalla, Phobia, Lamiel and Kuroageha to some extent, I have magazine clippings, flyers, signed papers, set lists and other little goodies some bat shit fan kept over the years then finally decided to sell on Yahoo for peanuts. I know for sure I have set lists for Lamiel and Kuroageha, I wonder if she stole it off the stage after their gig? LOL?

I don't think anything beats DIET COKE HEAD BARBIE DREAMS

I would say I just don't like the majority of modern metal bands with the lady singers. I asked my friends once for suggestions on lady metal bands and all I got was the same metal core crap I've heard a hundred times already or some Nightwish clone. I'm all for anything that is not like this.

Masha Scream from Arkona.
That's seriously like it, I pretty much don't like any metal bands that are female fronted except Arkona.

I'm referring to the circlejerk over Piyo's death. The people that didn't know who he was and suddenly have to be the biggest drama queens over it. Similar to the Hide fans that make a big deal about him every Hide birthday anniversary when they've only been a fan of VK for less than a year.

Exactly, so if I'm the only white person to bother buying something from some trashy no name indie band. I shouldn't talk about it because someone might get upset. Fuck those people and their butthurt. I know there's a difference between flaunting but I don't ever recall seeing anything like that on MH.
 
For the most part the only nasty responses I've received from people where on Last.fm and at one point good old Livejournal. MH most people aren't that bad and I'm fine with trading.
 
Basically my stance on downloading is, I do download but almost rarely these days but I still grab something here and there. I wouldn't even be a fan of the music I like today if it wasn't for downloading. However I am mature enough to know that music isn't free and I should do my part as a fan to support not just the artist but the industry as a whole. Sure label eats up a lot of the profit but that profit is usually then turn around into covering studio time, touring costs and so forth. If VK bands came to my city I would do what I do now with metal bands and just wait until they come through on a tour and buy their release then when they'll get the most back from my purchase, but since I can't do that with VK bands. At least my support helps keep the label, producers, distributors afloat so that they can sign and produce more artist.
 
With that said, my second stance on downloading is if it's a super duper poor man indies band, I don't feel comfortable sharing the material since it'll effect them the most as oppose to some major band or even successful indies artist like something from PS Company or even formerly UCP. Someone else will post that stuff anyway, so I don't bother sharing from those artists.
 
I prefer sharing music from inactive bands anyway, especially lesser known acts since their stuff is mostly long forgotten.
 
Anyway, I'm posting from the most annoying keyboard ever so if Im not clear on something, how about you try typing on this piece of shit tablet keyboard.

I don't care much for these slug doom stoner metal bands but I do like the album art and other illustrations John Baizley produces for them.
 
The attention to detail and the usage of heavy dark lines and careful pen work is the kinda stuff I'm especially drawn too. I've debated about buying some of the vinyl releases from these bands just to have a large high quality print of some of his art. 
 
Below are just two examples but just toss his name in Google and there's a ton of stuff that will come up.
 

 
 

Aliene was one of those early Visual bands I got into and I still love them very much!
During my early angsty high school days I only really liked heavy music and I had a pretty negative impression of Japanese rock. What people where showing me that was 'rock/metal' was poppy ballad stuff or Gackt so I thought all Japanese rock was sissy music LOL! Then I discovered Aliene along with several other heavy screamy noisy acts and totally turned me onto the music haha. Not all credit goes to Aliene but they helped me in changing my perspective that Japanese rock was pussy music LOL! <3 <3 <3
Some of my most prized Japanese CDs are Aliene items because their early releases where just so elaborate and cool! <3

I've been wanting to write a real response but I just haven't had time D:
 
Madeth though is fantastically awesome, would love to see Yuina and Hisui back. Honestly they don't even have to be in a band, if they just hung out in the background composing songs for newbie bands that would be enough to make me happy.
 
Madeth had already broken up by the time I started getting into Visual Kei but since it was only just a few years after that, Schwardix an active band, so fans were still clamoring on about the Madeth. So of course this band along with other classic old bands such as Aliene, Noir Fleurir, Yayoi and Yuuga crap. Madeth was one of those early loves that got me stuck in this VK shit hole with all the other weeaboo scum <3 

We already have a topic with them in it.
 
http://www.monochrome-heaven.com/topic/21844-truly-crappy-western-visual-kei-inspired-music/page-7

While I agree multi-type releases is freaking crap but keep in mind that the Japanese market is slightly different. Japanese fans tend to devote themselves to one band only, so while Western fans might be fans of several bands making multi-release campaigns impossible for them to keep up with. A Japanese fan may only listen to Kiryu so buying their 20 type single release isn't too hard on them because they only care about Kiryu. Also from what I understand, the multi-type release is a way to inflate sale numbers because Oricon charts don't differentiate between what types people buy. So now that fan that bought all 20 types of Kiryu's new CD pads onto that number that determines the single's ranking on the Oricon charts. No wonder Kiryu is so popular!
Don't get me wrong though, I hate this multi-type release gimmick that labels do but realizing the two items above. It makes sense how it works in that scene.
I'm pretty forgiving when it comes to live only stuff. It sucks but it's the best way for them to make the most money back to support themselves instead of losing bits and pieces to it from the distribution costs. I don't like it but I can see why bands do live onlys, get their devotees to come to the live but also not have to worry about losing anything from costs associated from nationwide distribution. 
Bringing up good old Wataru, what I found sickening were the fangirls blaming the victim. Their beautiful kawaii idol could never do something so horrible and obviously she deserved it. Who knows, maybe she was being an insufferable fangirl (just like them) that caused Wataru to snap and choke her but no one deserves to be attacked like that. It's okay though, 12012 is terrible anyway.
The entitlement issues Western fans have. I think what frustrates me the most is the jerk offs that will whine about how they NEED the latest Kiryu release. You don't NEED it to live, you don't NEED it to eat or breath. If you need it that badly then do something about it, mow lawns, sort recycle from the trash, clean your neighbor's gutters or something. Screaming and crying how it's not fair someone else bought the CD and you can't listen to it is the most obnoxious crap. I'd go Wataru on a bitch the next time someone cries at me because I won't share with them something I bought.
Juka's falsetto and being drama queen. Quit music forever but un-quite music and then quit again and quite some more but come back a month later.

Hahaha, I would love to hear if this is true and what the verdict was.
 
I would have thought perhaps the other way around and Manson suing some VK bandmen. It's already blatantly obvious that some bandmen have taken inspiration from Manson or have even admitted to liking Manson's style anyway. So I would have thought the other way around but I imagine the whole case would be difficult to push since it's kinda subjective. I mean, they'd have to copy him from head to toe and do the same photoshoots and ehhhhhh I'm rambling who cares someone prove whether this is true or not so I can laugh at it all.

Lyrics are usually the last thing I care about in a song. Even songs in my native language the lyrics are usually the last thing I try and learn.
 
Honestly I can't explain why I don't care about lyrics, for me it's just not a priority when it comes to music. I have friends and acquaintances that HAVE to know the lyrics to a song or they just can't enjoy the music. I can see why with people that enjoy singing to a song or folks that enjoy translating but for me lyrics simply aren't a priority. 
 
I also try to avoid learning the lyrics, especially for the blackened blackity blackblack metal stuff I like because the lyrics can often ruin a song for me. Mostly if they're just absurdly stupid or something like that. I'm also not a fan of funny lyrics so songs like 'This is a Pen' from Ensoku is not interesting or even funny to me. I think you have to sniff paint to think that is a good song. If the song didn't suck to begin with but was actually good I might like it if he was screaming This is a Pen in Japanese. Then I wouldn't be able to understand how retarded that song is.
 
I figure I'd mention but I cannot stand listening to full Engrish songs. It probably has to do with the above paragraph about funny lyrics or dumb lyrics ruining a song for me. You'd think that as someone that doesn't care about lyrics that Engrish songs would be something I'd be fine with. Yet Engrish songs are like nails on chalkboard to me especially when the song doesn't even sound like English and is instead some sort of abomination of the language. An example would be Versailles' Love Will Be Born Again I could not listen to that song without cringing in pain. For some reason it just sounds so wrong to my ears, maybe doesn't help that it was Kamijo of all people singing. It depends on the extent of how Engrishy it is to me, Kamijo needs to stop forever but YAMA-B is totally fine. Tid bits of Engrish sprinkled into a song don't really bother me but if it's 4-6 minutes of mumbling nonsense I just want to choke the singer. It really gets a negative reaction out of me hahaha!

I guess I'll follow his sad Facebook page.

Seattle Grunge Scene - I really didn't think for myself when it came to music when I was younger. I was just interested in whatever my peers where into and while I was young during the grunge explosion here in Seattle, it was pretty much the cool thing everyone was into. It pretty much set me up for being a rock'n roll kid 4 lyfe.
The Offspring/AFI - Aside from the typical NW grunge bands that where on all the radio stations I was pretty into The Offspring for awhile. Up till their Americana album. Believe it or not AFI use to actually make good music when they where on Nitro records. The Offspring did a cover of one of AFI's songs (Total Immortal) which made me start listening to the band. Usually I associate the two together since for awhile that was what I exclusively listened too. These bands kind of kept me safe from the big Nu-Metal craze but I did have a brief affair with Nu-Metal.
Blind Guardian - My best friend bought Somewhere Far Beyond on a whim, we saw a picture of the band on the back and thought they looked pretty tough and plus the cover looked cool. I remember us leaving the mall and popping this album in the CD player in the car,
is the first song on the CD. It starts off with a nice little acoustic opening, pretty calm and melodic. However having no idea what style this band played we where caught off when the guitars kicked in and ended up head banging the fuck out to this awesome song. Blind Guardian steered me right into European metal and all was good.For Japanese music ~
Malice Mizer - At first I hated them, keep in mind that at the time I only listened to heavy music like metal and some punk bands. So when my friends showed me a fruity MM video with Gackt and Mana pracing around like douche bags (Au revoir) and telling me that was Japanese metal. I laughed in their face, thinking Japanese metal was just super gay pop crap. So for about a year I didn't listen to anything from Japan because I thought it was all animu themes and pop rock. Then I saw the Bara no Seidou VHS AND THAT SHIT BLEW MY MIND. Curious about the band I Googled them which led to MP3 rotation sites (Anyone remember those LOL!?)
Aliene Ma'riage & Noir Fleurir - Because of Bara no Seidou mind fucking me, I ended up Googling for MP3s and used to follow MP3 rotation sites before getting into torrents and Soul Seek. I ended up with a lot of crap but specifically two special songs would be Gyaku～norowareta orugoru no naka de～ from Aliene and Rasen no shinshou fuukei from Noir Fleurir. These I clearly remember as my first song from these guys, almost instant favourites and still my favourites from these two bands. These where my gateway bands that led me into the train wreck known as Kotekote kei.

The only music to ever tear me up has been instrumental pieces. Sappy lyrics just don't pull my heart strings like a good instrumental piece. Usually something from Hans Zimmer can do the job.

Haha that is undoubtedly one thing you see a lot among owld skewl fans.   I like old bands but I have enough sense to know that they're terrible and was an indie no name loser band that broke up after releasing their demo tape for a good reason. Now I like it though and I'll love it till the day I die but I'm not going to lie to myself or trap myself in a bubble thinking that old school VK was the be all end all of VK music.   A theory of mine is that, basically Goths love to bitch and moan about how true and gothic they are. I think a lot of old school fans are basically your traditional goth and are drawn to old school VK since it deals more with heavy gothic aesthetics. So combining old school VK with self conscious image centric goths you find yourself with the old school fans parading around that 90s VK was the best and most legit VK ever.     
Oh jeez, especially among VK fans is the worse.
 
I don't care for Gazette but I have a friend who is incredibly sweet and an amazing person who fucking loves Gazette like no other. If I disliked her simply because she liked a band I'm not fond of, I would be a sad person and missing out on a wonderful friendship.
 
A good example is the Kamijo / Jupiter teams that are forming. Seriously people? It's okay if you don't like Jupiter but other people do or it's okay if people like Kamijo and you don't. Who cares, listen to what you want and TEAM JUPITER! FUCK YAAAL JUPITER 4 LYFE >:U
 

My actual bedroom is pretty normal, just a bed, dresser and all that. Most of my home is like that actually.
So here is my corner of the living room.
This desk is actually one of three and it wraps around with another two gaming PCs. The place is kind of a dump right now because we're moving so boxes and junk are kind of all over the place so I don't want to really take a picture of my home looking like it was hit by a tornado.