Visual Kei

[Enyo]

Any other VK fans here? If there are, let's discuss some of your favorites.
I love:
X (Japan), hide, An Cafe, Renter en Soi, Penicillin, Psycho le Cemu, Malice Mizer, Pierrot. . . . (and more)

[Ashton_Anchors]

I LOVE Malice Mizer! Its sad what happened with them though v.v

[Menstrual Cramps]

Most of those bands you named aren't even VK, they are just rock.
PLC isn't VK at all, no where near it.
Malice Mizer is way past gone same with X.
I'm just glad you didn't name DeG.

[Shipuh]

i like more oshare kei than visual.

[Menstrual Cramps]

i like more oshare kei than visual.


Agreed, VK is really more of a style than it is a type of music. But let people believe what they want. VK is also basically a dead art, a lot of bands have moved away from it.

[Veroniku]

Don't forget Dir en Grey! But yeah X Japan are my fave, 'course. :þ I'm in the process of downloading PVs of Visual Kei, j-rock, j-pop etc. actually. I only had a VCD of a X Japan live show before. I suddenly got curious about their PVs! XD Really, it's too bad for Hide...

[Menstrual Cramps]

Don't forget Dir en Grey! But yeah X Japan are my fave, 'course. :þ I'm in the process of downloading PVs of Visual Kei, j-rock, j-pop etc. actually. I only had a VCD of a X Japan live show before. I suddenly got curious about their PVs! XD Really, it's too bad for Hide...


Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion

Just thought I'd try and make that visible. o_x

[Enyo]

Most of those bands you named aren't even VK, they are just rock.
PLC isn't VK at all, no where near it.
Malice Mizer is way past gone same with X.
I'm just glad you didn't name DeG.

I feel that people shouldn't really argue. But they are VK. There is no clear definition and no set rule for VK. But those bands fall into the catagory. A band is termed Visual Kei (Visual Shock) if they use anyform of costumes and/or other props in their act (popular with said genre), and can range from pop to rock to even country styles. Psycho le Cemu wore costumes (and Aya was featured in Lolita Bible. Gothic Lolita is a spin off of VK, although not entirely). Besides, PLC is more pop then anything. Just because Malice Mizer is no longer together, doesn't change the fact that they were a form of Vk of their very own. X was, and hide still was even after the change, although torwards the end he wasn't very much. VK comes in many forms and varieties. Dir en Grey was VK, so their older works are still labeled as so. I'd say more, but I am tired. And I know many people will disagree with me, it's not like the 80's hairbands where everyone kinda fallowed the style.

Kami of Malice Mizer:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/enyo-san/kami7.jpg

Psycho le Cemu group shot:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/enyo-san/psy6.jpg

hide:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/enyo-san/NVE00007.png

[Menstrual Cramps]

PLC called their style a form of cosplay. They didn't do it so shock the fans but to make themselves seem different, especially on Aya's front. He enjoyed/ still enjoys shocking people that he is in fact a he.
VK is out-dated is what I was trying to come down to and a lot of bands have left it. VK can still be found in a few music videos, but you don't see it much in concerts, press conferences or on TV show appearances. See what I mean?

I find it ironic two of your three examples are dead. <_<;

[Enyo]

I get your pont, but as I said VK comes in many different forms. Even if the band didn't intend it, the original meaning of VK may be different now though. Since VK a few years back were more like Saver Tiger. And you are wrong, there are still bands that do VK. Penicillin is one such band. And they recently released a single. Shoujo Lolita 23ku is another. Renter en Soi, Phantasmagoria, T. M. Revolution is still considered VK (although he is kind of straying off), so is Miyavi (not my favorite though), Gazette, Alice Nine. It's not dying, its expanding. Every band takes the idea and makes it their own. (and most of these bands have done lives recently, with make-up and all)

As for my three 'examples', they are not examples. Kami was a response to you saying they are dead. They are not. They are still obtaining new fans even through their disbandinment. It doesn't matter if they are gone, they are still VK. And very big founders. PLC was to show you that it is/can be VK. Even if they get their outfits from anime and videogames, it's the same. And I put up a pic of hide because he is crowned the Prince of VK. heck, his label even realesed a DVD of concert footage from the 98 tour last year. They even realesed a Singles Box. Another thing, a special X Japan box set was released last year as well. Even Malice Mizer had a box set release not too long ago.

Dir en Grey started as Vk. Many newcommers from the band will probably see those images the most. In a way, they will always be VK. With or without the costumes.

One more note before I refuse to argue and waste board space, I found it very rude of you to post the following:
"Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion
Dir en Grey is no longer VK-Styled in fashion"

Just because Dir en Grey is no longer VK, doesn't mean you can't still like them as VK. I found it disappointing for some fans to drop them for leaving VK, but like most of them I find that I like their work while being VK better.

[Menstrual Cramps]

Just because Dir en Grey is no longer VK, doesn't mean you can't still like them as VK. I found it disappointing for some fans to drop them for leaving VK, but like most of them I find that I like their work while being VK better.


I never said I didn't like DeG, now did I? I was just stating the obvious because I'm tired of people still considering them VK. I actually prefer the newer albums for the most part, but I will always have my old favorites. T.M. Revolution is not VK, come on now that's as far as you can get from VK. His style is very main-stream and so is his music and it always has been. He follows trends like a little whore even though I do like his music. The only thing slightly VK about PLC are and are only Seek's outfits. I think Yura and Aya have both toned it down and Daishi has never done anything too extreme.
In my opinion, none of the bands CURRENTLY are VK.
I have told you, it's a dying art. Two or three bands compared to the many in the past is not a majority.

[Shipuh]

T.M. Revolution is not VK, come on now that's as far as you can get from VK. His style is very main-stream and so is his music and it always has been.

T.M.Revolution used to be Visual Kei...lol.

He was in a VK group kinda when VK was just emerging from my knowledge, and the group he sang for was Luis-Mary. Deffinately the visual part has played an influence on his current music, but hes not VK. XD My friends and I like to joke and consider him "Visual Pop".

Luis-Mary era photograph:
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a90/Shipuh/luis-mary_thumb.jpg
oh my gosh, that hair, lol.

[Menstrual Cramps]

T.M.Revolution used to be Visual Kei...lol.

He was in a VK group kinda when VK was just emerging from my knowledge, and the group he sang for was Luis-Mary. Deffinately the visual part has played an influence on his current music, but hes not VK. XD My friends and I like to joke and consider him "Visual Pop".

Luis-Mary era photograph:
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a90/Shipuh/luis-mary_thumb.jpg
oh my gosh, that hair, lol.


Gah, I don't follow him that close. I partially retract my statements then. [x
But that is some UGLY hair.

[Iblis]

Visual pop? Whatever to catch someone's eye pop. Like every other pop artist, pretty much. Do you think we can stop considering him VK when he hasn't been anywhere near the scene since 1993? Let's do it like this...
In a VK band for two years.
Pop artist for 13.
The poppy years outweigh the VK ones, so let's just call him pop. Same with Dir. They stopped calling themselves VK in 01, so let's stop calling them VK since they haven't been for longer than they were. PLC called themselves a super cosplay band, though birds of a feather flock together and they were certainly prolific in the VK scene.

If TMR was going around saying he was VK, I wouldn't have (too much of) a problem with it. But when a band says they aren't something, LET THEM BE.

edit:
Haha, ugly hair for an ugly man. :>>>

[Menstrual Cramps]

Visual pop? Whatever to catch someone's eye pop. Like every other pop artist, pretty much. Do you think we can stop considering him VK when he hasn't been anywhere near the scene since 1993? Let's do it like this...
In a VK band for two years.
Pop artist for 13.
The poppy years outweigh the VK ones, so let's just call him pop. Same with Dir. They stopped calling themselves VK in 01, so let's stop calling them VK since they haven't been for longer than they were. PLC called themselves a super cosplay band, though birds of a feather flock together and they were certainly prolific in the VK scene.

If TMR was going around saying he was VK, I wouldn't have (too much of) a problem with it. But when a band says they aren't something, LET THEM BE.

edit:
Haha, ugly hair for an ugly man. :>>>


That post made me happy inside. <_<
We must be friends plzkthx.

[Kaidan]

I think it's hilarious when a band says "oh, we're not vk anymore." As if they really believe they can escape its taint.

I'm sure it's abundantly clear right now just how much contempt I hold for this section of music devoted solely to the most superficial ideas. Bands that pay more attention to their bad make up and dresses than they do to their music shouldn't even bother to call themselves musicians. If you wanted to be froofed up like a peacock, I think the music biz is the wrong choice for you. Try modeling. (Wait...then half of them would actually have to go to the dentist. Oh well.)

[Menstrual Cramps]

I think it's hilarious when a band says "oh, we're not vk anymore." As if they really believe they can escape its taint.

I'm sure it's abundantly clear right now just how much contempt I hold for this section of music devoted solely to the most superficial ideas. Bands that pay more attention to their bad make up and dresses than they do to their music shouldn't even bother to call themselves musicians. If you wanted to be froofed up like a peacock, I think the music biz is the wrong choice for you. Try modeling. (Wait...then half of them would actually have to go to the dentist. Oh well.)


Kana needs voice lessons, she's the opposite. [:

[Kaidan]

Kana needs to quit with the baby talk. It's KILLING my SOUL.

[Iblis]

Is it impossible to pay equal amounts of attention to music and outfits? APPARENTLY SO:
http://rokettobaibii.net/img/noiz.jpg


Imitation PoPs Uchuu Sentai NOIZ: VK? Yes. Shitty costumes? YES. Fat bald dude: God yes. Rockin' music? Hell yes. I love VK, but if the music isn't as good as the dresses then I can't take it. There are some talented bands out there. Of course I wouldn't know about most of 'em nowadays, cause this has dominated my full attention for nearly the past year:

http://rokettobaibii.net/img/smap.jpg

Also, Kana needs to stop the any kind of talk (and music), cause her **** is killing my ears and bits of me every time I hear someone say they're a fan of hers.

PS I LOVE HOW WE ARE MAKING THE MUSIC BOARD OUR OWN. MWAHAHAHAHAHA.

[Kaidan]

I have come across INCREDIBLY few vk bands that really CAN pull off the looks and the music. One always seems to dominate the other.

And...just my opinion, but Uchuu Sentai Noiz didn't fit that bill for me.

[Kaidan]

T.M.Revolution used to be Visual Kei...lol.Funfact: So did Yamanaka Sawao from The Pillows back when he used to be in a band called Coin Locker Babies. :lol:

[Menstrual Cramps]

Funfact: So did Yamanaka Sawao from The Pillows back when he used to be in a band called Coin Locker Babies. :lol:

http://graphics.gaiaonline.com/images/template/smiles/icon_lol.gif

[Kaidan]

I'd post the pic if I knew where I put it...>.>