Thanks for stopping by! If you like what you see, click one of the links on the left to follow me, by Networked Blogs or Blogger Followers or even by e-mail!

Sunday, January 27, 2013

ENGLISH BLOG TRANSLATION: Teruki from An Cafe - Passionate Week, WING WORKS. 01/22/13

From our first rehearsal on the 12th up until the 20th, for about 1 week, both as a drummer and as a person, it's been a super stimulating, super intense week.

Being able to play support drums for Ryousuke-kun, my friend from a long time ago, and being able to play with such an amazing band, was of course awesome, but still, more than anything, I feel like I was motivated by the warmth of Ryousuke's heart.  When I'm writing music for the drums, I hear his lyrics, and it's like I can actually feel the scream of his heart is so much that these ears listening to it start to hurt.

I was standing on a stage together with Ryuuto-kun and even Aoi-san from 168, when you mix in Intetsu-kun and Sakurai-san, one way or another there are quite a few chances to talk to them, but it seems like this time was really the firs time I got to talk to Yumeji from LC5. As a guitarist, of course he's super good and super cool, but I really came to understand what an amazing person he is as well, and I understand why Miku-kun is so charmed by him.

Anyhow, the next live is February 11, and I'll be standing on the stage at Shibuya La mama as Spyralcall's support drummer.

2013.02.11.Monday One Man Life 「Spyralcall LAST LIVE in La.mama」
Venue: Shibuya La.mama
Opening Time/Start Time 17:00/17:30
Tickets(tax included)
Advance ¥3,000 / Same day ¥3,500 (Drink fee not included)

For more information, check out Spyralcall's official website!
http://www.spyralcall.jp


**NOTE : The second sentence was really hard for me to translate. And while I'm fairly certain he means "writing," it's possible he means "playing." I did my best, so I hope you enjoy!~

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Fashion: What I'm Coveting: JSG Winter Collection

There are regularly clothes I want but can't have. As such, I'd like to tell you guys about them in this blog.
欲しくてたまらないけど買えない服がいっぱいある。だからこのブログで皆さんにその服を紹介したいと思う。

This week what I'm totally coveting comes from the winter collection of my beloved JSG.
今週の欲しい服はやはり私が大好きなJSGの冬コレクションからの服。


I LOVE hoodies, so it's no surprise that I was this hoodie. It's super cute, it's pink (I LOVE LOVE LOVE pink!), and plus, it's got clawed mittens and ears attached! It's super cute, right?
フード付のセーターが大好きな私だからこのセーターが欲しくてしょうがない。それは特別じゃない。可愛くて可愛くて仕方ないし、ピンクだし(私、ピンク大大大好き!)、その上耳と鉤爪付の手袋が付いてる.可愛いでしょう!


And then there's this jacket. If I were in Japan, even though I have no money, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to stop myself from buying it. I used to wear leopard print a lot back in high school, but recently I don't wear it so much any more. With JSG's fresh, new take on leopard print, I've got a feeling that might change. Is leopoard print making a come back? I also love the stars.
それからこのコートもある。日本にいたら、絶対買わずにはいられない。高校生の時ヒョウ柄はよく着たけど最近あまり着ない。JSGの新しくて爽やかな扱いで、私の感じは変わるかもしれない。ヒョウ柄は改めて人気物がでるかなぁ。ついている星もめちゃ可愛い!

Alright, which one do you guys prefer, the coat or the sweater?
皆さん、セーターかコート、どっちが好き?

Monday, January 7, 2013

REVIEW: Gotcharocka - Virginity

Artist: Gotcharocka

Mini Album Title: Virginity

Release Date: 12/19/2012


After their first two singles, Gotcharocka and Hydrag, along with an AMAZING live show (where they were playing as 818~hyper, as it was before their first official live) at which they almost outrocked the band I was there to see, I found myself anxiously awaiting Gotcharocka's first (mini) album. From Gotcharocka I was expecting not just mediocre or good, but great. They've got a fresh, new sound that seems to combine all of the best aspects of visual kei (and is it really a surprise, given the background of all the members)

For the most part, I wasn't disappointed. The album starts off with a bang, with the track "Virginity," which is anything but innocent, as the title might suggest. It's heavy while at the same time managing to be light and catchy. It feels like an "Alice in Wonderland" meets "Wizard of Oz" meets "Nemo in Slumberland" kind of dream. Trippy? Surreal? Amazing? Yes, yes, yes!

"Virginity" moves easily into my favorite track on the album, "2032," a poppy, gothy, heavy, scatter-brained tribute to ADD. This track is all over the place, containing enough in 3 minutes and 46 seconds to make up a whole album (did they really need all those other songs?)

After having your mind utterly blown by all that is "2032," you'll find yourself jumping out of your chair and dancing like a maniac to the pop masterpiece that is "Onomatopoeia." Can you say masterfully written, masterfully performed, masterfully produced bubblegum? Because that's what this song is. And if you somehow don't find yourself singing and dancing along, you'll at least find yourself tapping your feet to the beat.

With the first three songs being so supremely killer, I'll admit that they lost me a little bit with "H." Full of electro-beats and heavy bass, this song felt more like something I would hear from a new band experimenting for the first time with visual kei. It has very little of the fresh, fun, experimental sound that I've come to associate with Gotcharocka. It felt generic, safe.

Luckily, "Morphine" picks up right where "Onomatopoeia" left off. Ladies, take your hair down and get ready to bang, because that's what this song is all about. Jui's voice is crisp and clear (and is that falsetto that I hear?) as the guitar moves steadily along - I would even go so far as to call this song beautiful. Which is appropriate, as it takes the occasional foray into death metal voices and heavy, gothic guitar and drums, giving you the perfect headbanging beat. And just enough time to do it without getting a crick in your neck. I get the feeling that's not an accident. . . these guys know what they're doing!

Bamboo flutes, chimes, traditional drums - yet again, not an accident that they chose this song to go out with a Japanese bang. This song is overflowing with emotion, causing it to be the perfect closing song for an album; it will definitely leave you remembering only everything you loved about the album, and you'll most likely find yourself listening to it again. And again and again and again.

 
 
 
 
I think Jun's super super cute! And his guitar riffs are to die for! Which member of Gotcharocka do you like best?

Saturday, January 5, 2013

ENGLISH BLOG TRANSLATION: Teruki from An Cafe - Happy New Year! 01/01/13

Happy New Year ☆ Thank you for your continued support in the new year.

Thanks for everyone who came out to Osaka Zepp yesterday. It was an awesome end to the year 2012. The theme of this Tokyo/Nagoya/Osaka Zepp tour was Christmas, end of the year drinking parties, and kouhakuutagassen (<--annual New Year's Eve singing party), and all of the members of An Cafe worked hard and spent time preparing it! It seems like all the Caffeko enjoyed it, and for that I'm extremely happy (*^ω^*)

In many ways, I think 2012 was am unforgettable year. I thought about lots of different things and felt lots of different emotions. That goes for things outside of the band as well. . .If you don't cherish the important things, you might end up separated from them.

I wrote it before in another blog entry, but I'm really extremely grateful for everything I have, even if I sometimes take things for granted. . .It's probably because I already lost things once, but I've realized how much it can hurt. And then things that you think that you've lost once, when they come back to you, it's really a miracle. For everyone that made that happen for me, everyone that wished for it to happen, each and every one of your feelings, your wishes - I'm really so grateful for it all.

This is something I told all of the Caffeko in Osaka yesterday, but. . . Next year is An Cafe's 10th anniversary! We'll be doing a nation-wide "48" prefecture tour! When we did SUMMERDIVE, many Caffeko came together, by plane, by bus, by Shinkansen, and all of the members of the band decided "This time, we'll go to them!" Of course, this time we're going to go see all the Caffeko that have, in the past, come to see us, not just the ones that attended SUMMERDIVE. And for the final, on January 4, we'll have a live in the 48th Prefecture, Nyappy Prefecture, Nihon Budokan.  Of course, there is a reason for this date.

On January 4, 2010, An Cafe stood on the stage at Budokan for the first time, and as of that date, we started our indefinite break. On that day, and at the time of SUMMERDIVE, I wrote honestly in my blog, but. . .now I'm doing it again. That's not how I want to think of Budokan; Budokan's not a place where I want to make such sad memories.

When the announcement of An Cafe's reunion was made, when it was published by Nico Nico Entertainment's "dwangya", . . .I think it was maybe the clip from the Big Site live. When it was played for us, I thought "Whoa! That's way cooler than what I thought of An Cafe," and I got into the An Cafe spirit again! I thought, we've got to back on stage even cooler than that! But then, at the end of November, we went to the store of Mr. Shiba, our translator when we were in Mexico, and he was playing our Budokan Live DVD. I saw that, and what I felt then was, "We're not laughing. Our eyes are dead." I thought, "That's not us, not An Cafe." We didn't look cool at all. I'm so sorry to all the Caffeko that bought this DVD, but really - that's honestly how I feel.

"Now that's an An Cafe Budokan live!" That's what we want to be able say from our hearts, what we want the Caffeko to be able to say with a smile, from the bottom of their hearts. We want our 10th Anniversary reunion tour final to be that live. I guess this was probably a little bit heavy for the first blog entry of the year (^ω^;) Sorry! Tokyo, Hokkaido, Osaka, Kyoto, etc. . . 48 prefecture tour - let's definitely have a great time together!

From the opening of the Antique Cafe, from the start of An Cafe, 10 years! Thank you so much for all of your support o(≧∀≦)o It is with an abundance of gratitude that An Cafe will come meet you in "your city" (NOTE: ”キミノマチ"へ逢いに行くよ, we will come meet you in "your city", is the name of their tour) Ten years should be commemorated, so let's celebrate together o(≧∀≦)o

●"キミノマチ"へ逢いに行くよo(≧∀≦)o
10th Anniversary year
LIVE CAFE "48" Tokyo, Hokkaido, Osaka, Kyoto,etc Prefecture TOUR
「NYAPPY GO AROUND Your City」
※Schedule and Details coming soon!!


●Japan Budokan Live - Scheduled o(≧∀≦)o
10th Anniversary year
LIVE CAFE "48"Prefecture TOUR FINAL
「Nyappy Prefecture」
Date:January 4, 2014 (Saturday)
Time:Doors 16:30/ Start 17:30
Price:Advance Sale¥6,500(Tax Included/All Seats assigned)


Tickets Super Fast pre-sale at 【FC BondS】
■Time for buying 12/31(Monday)12:00~1/15(Tuesday)23:59
※These are priority tickets for Budokan
■Payment time 1/18(Friday)13:00~1/21(Monday)21:00
※Please note that there is currently a mistake on the FC Bonds site


Organizers  :DISK GARAGE
Planning and Production:Red Cafe/Sony Music Artists
Contact:DISK GARAGE 050-5533-0888( weekday12:00-19:00)


www.fcbonds.com/

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

What This is All About

I think the first post should be a little bit of an explanation as to what this blog's going to be about.

VISUAL KEI and J-PUNK

I've been a HUGE Visual Kei fan for a long time now. I was into it a little bit, with my favorite V系 band being An Cafe, and then I moved to Japan, and with all of the amazing music and concerts, etc, I went a little V系 krazy. Now that I'm no longer living in Japan (I have sadly moved to Montreal), I don't want to be away from visual kei, so in this blog I will review awesome (and maybe sometimes not so awesome) Japanese rock (not just V系, but also j-punk and j-rock and other awesome Japanese music that I love) that I manage to get my hands on. I also read quite a few Japanese blogs, so if I feel like it (and happen to find the time), I'm hoping to translate some of those blogs here for you.

J-DRAMA



Yamamoto Yuusuke

I fought it, I really did, but by the end of my stay in Japan, I was Japanese Drama crazy, with a penchant for dramas including hot Japanese boys, such as Miura Shohei, Yamamoto Yuusuke, and Mukai Osamu. This blog will be a place for me to keep up to date and to keep you up to date with the awesome J-Drama there is out there. And to occasionally look back and remember or discover old J-Drama.

Jinnai Sho


Japanese Fashion


My friends and family like to tell me I have an interesting sense of fashion. I think that really, I just have a very Japanese influenced sense of fashion. I love brands like Listen Flavor,Pink Latte, 6% Dokidoki, Liz Lisa, Arinko Chanpulu, and more! My absolute favorite brand is JSG. I believe in the power of kawaii and the power of hoodies, and I believe, if possible, all hoodies should have ears. All outfits should have SOME form of pink in them or, lacking that, at least something bright!
If I had more money, I would dress very differently. In this blog, I will talk about the awesomeness of Japanese fashion, how I do dress, and how I would like to dress. (and probably, I'll drool over quite a bit of JSG, aka Japanese Super Girl)

I'm sure there's no way I'll be able to keep up with all of this, but that's the plan to start with!

Enjoy!