Visual Kei Style

[Kirai]

I think they switch over because they just mature as men, you know? When they start getting closer to their thirties is when they switch... They're just not young men anymore...and getting a little old to be running around in PVC skirts, fishnet stockings and thigh-high pleather b*tch boots...

 

[cyberfruit]

I think they switch over because they just mature as men, you know? When they start getting closer to their thirties is when they switch... They're just not young men anymore...and getting a little old to be running around in PVC skirts, fishnet stockings and thigh-high pleather b*tch boots...

Oi, tell that to Kisaki. ><;

 

[Kirai]

Ahhh, well, MOST Jrockers.... Kisaki's just trying to catch up with Kyo... xD There's this really funny LJ thing... I'll see if I can find it for you...

 

[Kirai]

http://www.livejournal.com/community/jrockhumor/469965.html

Granted you know the history between them... It's funny as Hell....

 

[ApertureRomance]

Don't a lot of bands have a visual kei version sort of like alter egos..and then I guess a "normal" version ?

 

[Kirai]

Yeah, I guess... Depends on how extremely visual they are... And then there're exceptions like Mana of Malice Mizer. He's gothic lolita 24/7...and married! Haha, but I hate him and gothic lolita... He's such a pompous *** and mediocre musician. But most Jrockers are rather normal in day-to-day life, but still very "metrosexual" as you would say... Heavy groomers, and in style. Grooming as in, they pluck their eyebrows, shave their legs and under their arms...etc. Example! Hitsugi of Nightmare.... Visual vs. casual

 

[xiao_ai009]

I've always thought visual kei style was really interesting - to look at anyway. I really love jrock music though - though the bands I like either aren't vk anymore (e.g. L'arc~en~Ciel - my favorite band <3) or are moving out of it (e.g. Dir en Grey).

Oh, and the Mana that Kirai mentioned:

There are photos of him without makeup:

 

[Kirai]

Oh, I know some hard-core VK fans... Haha, they cosplay old Dir en grey styles, An Cafe, Nightmare... I love Dir en grey's music, in fact, I like their music more now than I did when they were VK. Seriously, their "VK days" get way too much credit. Back then they had that "typical VK" sound, you know? Light rock, popish. And now they're harder rock...and if they're going to be playing things like Saku, then they better throw on some pants, haha... But um, I think they're still visual, really... Not androgynous anymore, but still rather shocking sometimes...

I'm babbleing. >< So how 'bout legwarmers? Love em? I sure do!! *cough*

 

[GOTHICMASTER]

Visual Rock?ah!! Visual rock is gorgeous and grandiloquent.Visual Rock in Asia is so pop.Many ppl try to wear like that.

 

[Lena]

very asian, very manga, very interesting as a lifestyle concept/trend, changing in and out of roles, leading two visual realities.. escapism right? reminds me a bit of the KISS concept in the 70s

visually.. i find this a tiny bit 'foreign'

 

[Kirai]

What? Haha, you're making this into much more than what it is! No, not escapism. More of like... Let's dress up for our show! Just providing a visual aspect to music... Of course many band members have a stage personality, but that's different. It's just dressing up the music. Making it more entertaining. Getting horomonal teenage girls to buy your CDs. ^^

And I have to disagree. Visual rock is not even close to pop in popularity. Pop RULES Japan. Any sort of rock is below it...

 

[cyberfruit]

^ Agreed. Pop > Greater than any other genre in Japan.

Lena, it's just a look that goes along with their music. They look pretty or hot, attract girls, gain fans, gain popularity, play music, make money.

 

[Lena]

yes sure its just a look guys
but see, anything that takes you 'away' from who you really are IS pure escapism..

escapism is a simple and effordless sign/trend of modern life, very much affecting Japanese culture since more than a decade now
to me all trends have a social backbone, this is what makes them interesting to me

 

[Kirai]

Oh ok, I get what you mean by it. Escapism has a different meaning to me. But Hell, humans do that all the time, not just Japanese. It's more of a human trait. I don't really consider it a trend because as long as there is TV and computers it will never go away. But I would never use the term so loosely, to be escapism to me they would have to be wanting to get away from something. And it's more of like their job and something they do for fun.

 

[Lena]

^^
as a fact 'esthetic' escapism trends are much more evident in modern japanese culture than anywhere else in the world and are usually 'imported' from Japan which btw has a huge influence in what we call 'global fashion'.

Kidculture is a good example, as it reflects the need of adult japanese to stay 'kids' for as long as possible. It started in Japan and during the last ten years has spread all over the world, becoming one of todays biggest global trends.

there's nothing 'wrong' in escapism Kirai, no need to be on the offensive since i didnt aim to dish -or attack- the visual kai movement.. to me all trends are fine since they mostly express socio/culture reasonings.

 

[Kirai]

Oh, I know. Sorry if I seemed that way. I don't really know all these trend terms >.> so I can only guess how you mean it. I'm learning things!! Woooo....

Japanese have a sort of fetish. They like their chicks with high-pitched voices and in schoolgirl uniforms, haha. Seriously though, women telemarketers are trained to talk in a higher voice.... They sounds like mice!! =O

 

[Tushka_BeLLa]

Never looked into this before, but it doesn't grab me

 

[satori]

Wow so if you wanna dress up when you go performing nowadays its considered 'esthetic' escapism, YAY i learned another difficult word today!! Thanks a lot! People love complicating stuff nowadays, its like a trend!

 

[Lena]

see, tFS is improving your vocabulary satori

 

[dorien]

some of them actually look scary to me

Larc en ciel was into that, .