You know... Hizake (the guy with a dress) and Teru ( the guitarists) have a another project called Jupiter ( the band). Check them out.. start with / Zeus, a legend never die! Good Job... most talk about Hizaki and Teru but the bassplayer and drummer is awesome as well!
Warning ... I wrote a book comment... I'm sorry. Got a bit carried away. 😅 This is quite early in the bands career, Jasmine You on bass sadly passed away around the time they were signed to Warner. The polish and skill is already there though.. Just a phenomenal band. ... This is the band that got me into the Visual Kei scene back around 2015... I've been more and more immersed in it ever since... Creatively it's amazing, the theatrics, the concepts, the expression, and it's all rarely at the expense of the music and musicianship... ... The clothing is based on French Rococo. The bands theme is the extremes of beauty and aesthetics... ... Visual Kei generally has a concept behind each band. So in this case you're correct. Theatre, playing characters. The lyrical content matches. And they write around the concept. Some visual kei bands are fairly elaborate and others can be really loose with their themes. But it's something like a concept band dialled to 11. ... There's some gender roles and politics involved, but not as much as you may think... It's more a generalised revolt to the heavy conservatism of Japanese collective culture rather than an individual thing... Though that's there too, as when you have a scene like this it will draw in people from counter-culture... Goths, lgbt, crossdress etc. Which is great imo. It's not completely hijacked by politics so there's still room for creativity. But also challenges without the extreme didactic browbeating here in the West... ... Couple of other Versailles songs - Dry ice scream ua-cam.com/video/UqMMcunZrRk/v-deo.html Thanatos ua-cam.com/video/9T_HSlxqzBA/v-deo.html ... And some other bands from the scene... Apologies if I've already dropped links on your channel... I've been incredibly depressed due to disability and illness that's crippled me... So I kinda lose track of where I've commented... This is my current stock list... I'll eventually update it. There's a lot of independent artists in this scene, many are struggling as they rely heavily on the local live circuit which is pretty much gone. So some extra push would help them. ... Grimoire Mime Mime ua-cam.com/video/wRiHNts4GOQ/v-deo.html Grimoire - Frabjous Nacht ua-cam.com/video/M6HyqPSgtSs/v-deo.html Leetspeak Monsters - Black Owl ua-cam.com/video/l1yZxg2qbtA/v-deo.html Leetspeak Monsters - Gothic ua-cam.com/video/IkRJzLwdkeM/v-deo.html Kizu - Kizuato ua-cam.com/video/ed3jUnPhuaU/v-deo.html Kizu - Zero ua-cam.com/video/UgY8s_Qzgq8/v-deo.html Yumeleep Dead Birthday ua-cam.com/video/ADWqH2gKJwc/v-deo.html Lamiya - Walpurgis Night ua-cam.com/video/p2xnhWlsQSQ/v-deo.html The Sound Bee HD - Dead Silence ua-cam.com/video/IEwDrIRybCU/v-deo.html Pentagon - Welcome to Ghost Hotel ua-cam.com/video/dtupGr9KSes/v-deo.html Arlequin - Paranoia live ua-cam.com/video/l9T0R5bT0Js/v-deo.html Kebyo - Yellow Tokyo ua-cam.com/video/ET6vuOp5bbk/v-deo.html
I can only speak from research and conversations with Japanese friends who do not always speak freely when it comes to political/private matters, but as I understand it gender roles are still very much refined in Japan. But I think you are much closer with your comparison to theatre. I had this conversation with a friend recently who made me aware of just how similar Visual Kei is to Kabuki and Noh Theatre - which I have close to none experience with myself. Apparently Kabuki used to have female artists from the very beginnings - mostly women working as 'prostitutes' - though they have nothings at all in common with our western view of prostituts because once upon a time in Japan a wife had to be quiet, obidient and innocent in the sense that she shouldn't be educated to not spoil her character. So of course men where pretty much bored by their wives and they went to prostitudes for conversation and entertainment as much as sex. So these girls were schooled, often played multiple instruments, could dance and sing. But at the same time there were strikt rules for districts where you could buy sex and the authorities were concerened about the theatre. So they banned all female players from the stage, similar as it was in England I think. And from that time onwards you only find male actors in Kabuki - and 'drag' in the japanese entertainment industry til this very day. If you look at some Japanese TV you find that a lot of hosts have a 'gay' image - regardless if they actually are gay or not. A friend told me her gandmother still believes that gay people only exist in TV. In Japan you don't really talk about private stuff [especially outside of your own family]. I can not say if the dressing up in Visual Kei has any kind of political message but if it does, it is more along the lines of: We are all equal in wanting to express ourselves and we should be able to choose how to do so, then any gender or sexuality component that is so much talked about in the west right now and that often seem to aim more at dividing people then giving them same rights. Anyhow, this is a new view I just gained due to the conversation with my friend. Personally, I see a LOT of Punk onfluence in Visual Kei, especially if you look at Japan's musical history. So the dressing up and make-up could also be just a development from that scene. I would like to recommend God Palace if you ever get back to Versailles ua-cam.com/video/AHsD1XGNVqI/v-deo.html And I saw rabid black mentioning Kizu and would love to double the request for '0'. So relevent, so awesome, so catchy and I would love to hear your take on the video ^^ Have a good day and thank you for this reaction!!
You are forgiven for thinking Hizaki is a female ( he has won an award as Japan's best cross dreser) and most first time viewers of Versailles think that he is a female. However what I really admire him for is his composing skills (most of Versailles music is written by him) as well as the way he plays the guitar, he really tries to get the most out of each note. In this live you also see Jasmine You R.I.P (previous bassist) who drove Hizaki to write Versailles masterpiece "Faith and decision" to honor his passing ( ua-cam.com/video/AdhfE6ITfoQ/v-deo.html ). When it comes to other songs to react or just listen to by this band without making a huge list: "God palace", "History from the other side" and "Dry ice scream" (this one because it shows a totally different side of them ).
great reaction again bro, you should react to Versailles - faith and decision (live version) or check Hizaki and Teru another band project called Jupiter. its awesome! i reccomended you to react Jupiter - warrior of liberation or Jupiter - Theory of Evolution
That's odd one from the Versailles catalog to check out; one of their long "musical stories" type. Still a good song. Recommend checking out "Rose" or "Red Carpet Day"
I think I mentioned this in the video, but is this song inspired by While My Guitar Gently Sleeps? I just rewatched it, and I keep hearing that melody.
You know... Hizake (the guy with a dress) and Teru ( the guitarists) have a another project called Jupiter ( the band). Check them out.. start with / Zeus, a legend never die! Good Job... most talk about Hizaki and Teru but the bassplayer and drummer is awesome as well!
Please reacts to Faith & Desicion live of Versailles. lml
Warning ... I wrote a book comment... I'm sorry. Got a bit carried away. 😅
This is quite early in the bands career, Jasmine You on bass sadly passed away around the time they were signed to Warner.
The polish and skill is already there though..
Just a phenomenal band.
...
This is the band that got me into the Visual Kei scene back around 2015... I've been more and more immersed in it ever since... Creatively it's amazing, the theatrics, the concepts, the expression, and it's all rarely at the expense of the music and musicianship...
...
The clothing is based on French Rococo.
The bands theme is the extremes of beauty and aesthetics...
...
Visual Kei generally has a concept behind each band. So in this case you're correct. Theatre, playing characters. The lyrical content matches. And they write around the concept. Some visual kei bands are fairly elaborate and others can be really loose with their themes. But it's something like a concept band dialled to 11.
...
There's some gender roles and politics involved, but not as much as you may think... It's more a generalised revolt to the heavy conservatism of Japanese collective culture rather than an individual thing... Though that's there too, as when you have a scene like this it will draw in people from counter-culture... Goths, lgbt, crossdress etc. Which is great imo. It's not completely hijacked by politics so there's still room for creativity. But also challenges without the extreme didactic browbeating here in the West...
...
Couple of other Versailles songs -
Dry ice scream
ua-cam.com/video/UqMMcunZrRk/v-deo.html
Thanatos
ua-cam.com/video/9T_HSlxqzBA/v-deo.html
...
And some other bands from the scene...
Apologies if I've already dropped links on your channel... I've been incredibly depressed due to disability and illness that's crippled me... So I kinda lose track of where I've commented...
This is my current stock list... I'll eventually update it. There's a lot of independent artists in this scene, many are struggling as they rely heavily on the local live circuit which is pretty much gone. So some extra push would help them.
...
Grimoire Mime Mime
ua-cam.com/video/wRiHNts4GOQ/v-deo.html
Grimoire - Frabjous Nacht
ua-cam.com/video/M6HyqPSgtSs/v-deo.html
Leetspeak Monsters - Black Owl
ua-cam.com/video/l1yZxg2qbtA/v-deo.html
Leetspeak Monsters - Gothic
ua-cam.com/video/IkRJzLwdkeM/v-deo.html
Kizu - Kizuato
ua-cam.com/video/ed3jUnPhuaU/v-deo.html
Kizu - Zero
ua-cam.com/video/UgY8s_Qzgq8/v-deo.html
Yumeleep Dead Birthday
ua-cam.com/video/ADWqH2gKJwc/v-deo.html
Lamiya - Walpurgis Night
ua-cam.com/video/p2xnhWlsQSQ/v-deo.html
The Sound Bee HD - Dead Silence
ua-cam.com/video/IEwDrIRybCU/v-deo.html
Pentagon - Welcome to Ghost Hotel
ua-cam.com/video/dtupGr9KSes/v-deo.html
Arlequin - Paranoia live
ua-cam.com/video/l9T0R5bT0Js/v-deo.html
Kebyo - Yellow Tokyo
ua-cam.com/video/ET6vuOp5bbk/v-deo.html
And Hizaki and Teru have the Jupiter Project. Hated and Loved!
I can only speak from research and conversations with Japanese friends who do not always speak freely when it comes to political/private matters, but as I understand it gender roles are still very much refined in Japan. But I think you are much closer with your comparison to theatre. I had this conversation with a friend recently who made me aware of just how similar Visual Kei is to Kabuki and Noh Theatre - which I have close to none experience with myself. Apparently Kabuki used to have female artists from the very beginnings - mostly women working as 'prostitutes' - though they have nothings at all in common with our western view of prostituts because once upon a time in Japan a wife had to be quiet, obidient and innocent in the sense that she shouldn't be educated to not spoil her character. So of course men where pretty much bored by their wives and they went to prostitudes for conversation and entertainment as much as sex. So these girls were schooled, often played multiple instruments, could dance and sing.
But at the same time there were strikt rules for districts where you could buy sex and the authorities were concerened about the theatre. So they banned all female players from the stage, similar as it was in England I think. And from that time onwards you only find male actors in Kabuki - and 'drag' in the japanese entertainment industry til this very day. If you look at some Japanese TV you find that a lot of hosts have a 'gay' image - regardless if they actually are gay or not. A friend told me her gandmother still believes that gay people only exist in TV. In Japan you don't really talk about private stuff [especially outside of your own family].
I can not say if the dressing up in Visual Kei has any kind of political message but if it does, it is more along the lines of: We are all equal in wanting to express ourselves and we should be able to choose how to do so, then any gender or sexuality component that is so much talked about in the west right now and that often seem to aim more at dividing people then giving them same rights.
Anyhow, this is a new view I just gained due to the conversation with my friend. Personally, I see a LOT of Punk onfluence in Visual Kei, especially if you look at Japan's musical history. So the dressing up and make-up could also be just a development from that scene.
I would like to recommend God Palace if you ever get back to Versailles
ua-cam.com/video/AHsD1XGNVqI/v-deo.html
And I saw rabid black mentioning Kizu and would love to double the request for '0'. So relevent, so awesome, so catchy and I would love to hear your take on the video ^^
Have a good day and thank you for this reaction!!
You are forgiven for thinking Hizaki is a female ( he has won an award as Japan's best cross dreser) and most first time viewers of Versailles think that he is a female.
However what I really admire him for is his composing skills (most of Versailles music is written by him) as well as the way he plays the guitar, he really tries to get the most out of each note.
In this live you also see Jasmine You R.I.P (previous bassist) who drove Hizaki to write Versailles masterpiece "Faith and decision" to honor his passing ( ua-cam.com/video/AdhfE6ITfoQ/v-deo.html ).
When it comes to other songs to react or just listen to by this band without making a huge list: "God palace", "History from the other side" and "Dry ice scream" (this one because it shows a totally different side of them ).
great reaction again bro, you should react to Versailles - faith and decision (live version) or check Hizaki and Teru another band project called Jupiter. its awesome! i reccomended you to react Jupiter - warrior of liberation or Jupiter - Theory of Evolution
omfg this probably is one of my favourite songs by them!
That's odd one from the Versailles catalog to check out; one of their long "musical stories" type. Still a good song. Recommend checking out "Rose" or "Red Carpet Day"
Apparently the "beautification" thing can be traced back to the Samurai....you play that well, dress however the hell you want! .. lol
nice choice！
Check out the singer's solo band, they're great too ua-cam.com/video/htlxBZ5HwBA/v-deo.html
I think I mentioned this in the video, but is this song inspired by While My Guitar Gently Sleeps? I just rewatched it, and I keep hearing that melody.