Recommended Music Videos: Anti-Valentine's Edition

I'm a little late. I'd intended to get this up yesterday, but here it is. As with the last entry, please think of it as something silly. Enjoy the music for what it is. I hope everyone had a good day whether you had a valentine or not. Remember to tell the people you care about that you love them today! It might just brighten the day of a friend who needs that little pick-me-up!

If any of you remember the song 'In Vain', Hizumi was more than ready to dominate you with sex. I don't think he's quite ready for that commitment ladies. However, you can always use your submissive side to your advantage and try to win him over. Proceed with caution. I bet he likes whips and bondage.

The ladies of miss A aren't ready for a man to take care of them. In fact, they don't need one. Trying your luck with these independant ladies might hurt your pride when you attempt to pay for the dinner bill. I know, I know. These girls aren't the typical Korean type you're used to. If you want a girl to whine and act cute rather than take care of herself, you're looking in the wrong place. 

In order to get Yuuki to settle down and stop showing off his thong, you're going to have to tie him up. That might not even help your situation though. Try taking away his access to devices with cameras. You'd better be prepared for a long fight with this one. It's going to be an uphill battle. 

Jui isn't quite ready to settle down. He's having a bit too much fun hanging out with Jun. Keep a watch on your heart. Those pretty boys may try to seduce you with just a look. Be extra careful with your virtues around these two!

Not all vampires are out to draw you into an eternal love affair like Asagi. Jin is more of the type to draw you in and seduce what he needs from you. Don't worry. You'll love every minute of the attention that he'll give you before leaving your bed cold. 

Ryouga and his friends aren't ready to fall in love right now. Let yourself explore desire and see where it'll lead you. It may not end up giving you a half naked woman with a giant bug. Whatever it leads you to, enjoy the ride while it lasts.

Byou's ready to star in your personal fantasy. He's brought you a rose. Everything is all set and ready. Climb onto your bed and relax. Before you know it, you'll have slipped into that fantasy world where he's waiting for you. When you wake up, he'll be on to the next fangirl that's waiting for him.

When Ikuma decided to spend time with the beautiful vampire, Exo-chika, I doubt he knew what would be waiting for him. Follow her into the world of darkness that she's led Ikuma into. This is a world of sin. Liberate yourself from your fears. Hold onto the hope that you can keep them both when the sun rises again.

G-Dragon isn't expecting any relationship with you to last. He's ready for you to break his heart. This is your chance to prove him wrong. Can you do what others haven't? Show him that you won't hurt him and maybe, just maybe, he won't run in the end.

Proceed with caution with these ladies. Loving one might be exciting. Wronging one could leave you with more than just a woman scorned. It could end with your untimely death in the end. If you're willing to take the risk, then you might get what you want in the end. One mistake and...too late for you.

Second Chances: D'espairsRay

When I was a jrock newbie, I occasionally judged groups by their looks. Yes, I admit my shallow mistakes. Before I gave D'espairsRay a listen, I thought their sound would be too dark, gothic, and heavy for me. Because of this perception, I turned down an invitation to their first U.S. show with a couple friends. Some time passed and I decided to give them a try. I was introduced to them through a live performance of "MaVERiCK" from Beauti-fool's Fest 2003. [Fyi, the video below isn't exactly it, so...]



From there, I further explored their music, PVs, and background and became attached. At the time, "Reddish -Diva version-" and "Forbidden" were my favorite songs. Thanks to them, they shattered my perceptions and I was able to enjoy other bands like Merry and Kagerou. I was fortunate to see them live in 2008 and it's ashame they disbanded so soon. Despite their disbandment, I'm willing to support their future endeavors and wish Hizumi a full recovery.

Most Shocking/Disappointing/WTF Asian Music Moments of 2011

It doesn't seem like many scandalous things have been happening in the jrock world, so this year I decided to include a couple jpop and kpop excerpts. Perhaps this is a good thing that the dark cloud over jrock is slowly turning white (or at least light gray). But nothing will top the tragedy Japan had to face on 3/11 and I hope that 2012 will turn things around for the nation.

QUAFF disbanding
Last year, this band made the list with the news of all the members leaving, excluding leader Makito, and a new set of members joined shortly after. Without any new releases, the band dissolved once again. Perhaps Makito is in a bit of bad luck, but I hope things turn around for him and the other former members as well. On the other hand, congratulations to Shingo on his marriage and Makito on his engagement!

Aoi and Ryouhei Reunite
It was announced at the end of 2010 that these former Ayabie members would be reuniting for a little side project. I was looking forward to this collaboration considering I was fan of Ayabie from the beginning when Ryouhei was leader and Aoi's voice wasn't quite up to par as it is now. They made their first single and PV release this year, then started doing a few lives together. I hope both Aoi and Ryouhei continue to work together more, but I want them to continue focusing on their main projects as well.

D's Double American Appearance
It started in Texas where Babel Entertainment announced that they were bringing D, along with Blood Stain Child, to the oldest anime convention in North America called A-Kon. Fans were super excited, especially southern jrock fans. What was more surprising was when the band was returning in the same year for California's PMX. I hope D isn't sick of the U.S. and that they return in the future for another amazing show.

DOREMIdan disbanding
I haven't been following this band very closely, but when I did pay attention, I was not disappointed, especially their last album. It was recently announced that the band will be breaking up on their 10th anniversary. I hope everyone makes the best out of this celebration and departure and I wish the members luck in the future.

chariots Reboot
This was announced recently on the LiveJournal community under_code. It's a bit of "controversial" topic it seems, but it looks like the disbandment of chariots has been put off and the revival is starting in 2012. Some fans are worried that Rin will suffer from this revival and they are also concerned about Riku's well being with the whole situation. I suppose we'll wait and see what comes of this restart.

Kibum and Alexander's Dismissal
U-KISS was having a little trouble making a name for themselves, but they finally stuck out with "Man Man Ha Hi". They continued to get better and better and they were loved internationally. Unfortunately, the company didn't believe Kibum and Alexander were putting enough talent into the U-KISS pot, so they made an excuse for their departure which was clearly a lie. Kibum and Alexander spoke out about the situation. I'm not completely sure what Kibum is up to nowadays, but Alexander is returning to the music scene with a collaborative and solo work.

Jui Going Solo
After the disbandment of Vidoll, it was announced that their precious vocalist would "be the next Gackt". I thought the comment was laughable, but overall I was concerned for Jui's well being since Hizumi left/took a break from the music scene due to similar reasons Vidoll was on hiatus...vocal issues. When Jui debuted, I was disappointed with the results. I still remain a Jui fan, but I'm hoping that he rests his voice for bigger and better things in his solo endeavors.

Big Bang Scandals
All eyes were on this kpop group and their anticipated comeback. Too bad the mini-album fell short of talent, in my opinion. Somehow fans ate it up and even welcomed the new version of the release that included two new songs and a solo track from Daesung. If you're like me and consider their latest release a start of their downfall, then we can proceed to Daesung's car accident. Fortunately, he wasn't arrested for the incident, but all activities for him were put on hold for him to reflect. As the year went on, the group continued to be involved in advertisement activities and the like as a foursome, but G-Dragon got caught in some drug trouble. This little situation postponed the debut of G-Dragon and T.O.P's duo promotions in Japan. Nonetheless, the group moved on and they have recently announced that they would be making a comeback as five in 2012.

D'espairsRay disbanding
There was so much sorrow hovering over the band between their tour getting cut short and the announcement that Hizumi's voice was in danger. The band made a safe move by taking a hiatus. I believe Hizumi underwent surgery while the other members busied themselves with various projects. It was saddening when they decided to disband completely as opposed to waiting around until Hizumi recovered. Nonetheless, Hizumi opened an online design shop by the name of umbrella, Zero and Tsukasa became part of THE MICRO HEAD 4N'S, and Karyu joined Angelo (along with ex-Vidoll guitarist Giru).

Ayumi Hamasaki's marriage
I'm not really a fan of Ayumi, but she is a big icon in Japanese pop music. When the news came out earlier this year about her marriage to Austrian actor Manuel Schwarz, fans were surprised. Perhaps non-fans who know about her were surprised like I was. I wish their marriage all the best and that their love lasts forever.

DELUHI disbanding
Things were looking up and up for the j-indies band. They just released three consecutive singles and "The farthest" showed a great emotional strength within the band's music that no one has ever witnessed before. Unfortunately, Aggy was pulling out and the other members felt they couldn't continue without the original four, which I respect them for. In the end, Sujk closed out the year by releasing a solo album, Arkhelist, which the other members had a part of.

Koda Kumi & BACK-ON's KENJIO3 Tie the Knot
This month Koda Kumi and BACK-ON's guitarist and vocalist KENJIO3 announced that they would be getting married in the near future. Their message of love for each was posted online for the fans to admire and further support this union. Then the rumor came up that the pop goddess may be hiding a little secret. Unfortunately, a "friend" of Koda's discussed the situation on a tabloid pressuring her to release a confirmation that she is indeed pregnant. Honestly, this is the first marriage in the Asian music industry that I'm seriously approving of. I wish them all the best and that the pregnancy goes smoothly.

Taiji's Passing
Former X Japan bassist had a lot of things going on in the music industry. It was reported he was on a plane with his assistant or manager, but was arrested when a violent incident occurred on the plane. While being held, he passed on. It's still unclear whether his death was an accident or not, but nonetheless, my condolences go out to his family and friends.

Isshi Passes Away
Last year's list included the "demise" of PS Company's beloved Neo Japanesque band Kagrra,. Isshi later announced that he would be starting a solo project by the name of shiki∞project～志鬼陰謀～ and some time later Naoki and Shin formed PLAYERS under PSC. It was some time after the release of shiki∞project～志鬼陰謀～'s first release and the eve of the release of his first album that the vocalist passed on. Isshi's legacy and voice will continue to live on.

Darkness V-log: A-Kon 22, Reader's Question Request, & D'espairsRay Disb...

Rant: D'espairsRay Cancellation

This month of August, hundreds upon hundreds of people in North America are/were anticipating the invasion of Japan through a brilliant, dark force known as D'espairsRay.

D'espairsRay first made their appearance in 2005 reaching out to San Jose, San Francisco, and Dallas. Then they joined popular acts such as Miyavi, Vidoll, Avenged Sevenfold, and Bullet For My Valentine in JRock Revolution (2007) and Taste of Chaos (2008). They were able to share a little of their music by releasing their second album, Mirror and their latest live, Spiral Staircase #15 Final, in music stores across the nation for a reasonable price.

So when these four talented young musicians announced that they would be stepping foot on North American soil, fans were extremely excited. They had a decent variety of locations from East Coast to West Coast and from North to South, but soon drama erupted between fans and a man by the name of James. For those of you not familiar with Mr. James, he runs the official D'espairsRay Facebook and part of the Swords company. He's also the target of many fandom controversy.

From what I've picked up, Mr James didn't have many fans to begin with due to lack of professionalism and proves to gain more dislike for this lovely little personality flaw. It began with a pit against North American Mania (D'espairsRay's official fan name) and European Mania when a post about "slow ticket sells" were announced via Facebook. People complained about James's assumption of "sad band members" and some Europeans pushed North Americans' buttons by bringing up their sold out shows in a few locations the band would be touring after crossing North America. Some North Americans calmly explained the lack of transportation in our nation and that some are still planning things out. There was also the questionable age restrictions in some of the venues which some Mania pointed out.

Mr. James finally picked up on the age restriction ordeal but mainly named New York in his next update. There was still a bit of hesitation as some people lacked trust in James and a few dates conflicted with the starting of the school year.

Everything seemed well, fans did not fret about ticket sells as fans understand fans when it comes to purchasing tickets. Some get theirs in advance, some have to wait a little due to travel, work, school, or money, and others wait until the day of to buy their ticket. Plus, there were several weeks until the tour would begin and the dates were released after the European leg.

As people anticipated the upcoming shows, it was announced that the southern locations (Dallas, Houston, & Atlanta) would not be getting a visit from the boys of D'espairsRay. People were upset and curious what the reasion would be over the cancellations. They wondered why only the south was selected as they had a good, strong fanbase; Miyavi being proof as he toured in the mid-summer season and had great reception.

Fans tried to figure out possible reasons for the cancellations. Maybe ticket sells were actually slow and James asn't lying. Maybe management was discriminating against southern locations. Or maybe management had poor planning skills and they didn't put enough effort into advertising. There are a few people who logically believe there might've been venue conflicts, but wouldn't the band's team be prepared for anything despite their lack of tour planning experience. I say if Dir en grey's first headlining North American tour went smoothly, why can't D'espairsRay! They're on the same boat: new to North American soil, toured with other well known American bands, and knew the music industry for the same amount of time.

Aside from unhappy fans from across the world, James had to fuel the fire by breaking the #1 rule of Texas: "Don't Mess with Texas", by insinuating blame on "our fellow Texans" and the "businesses". (I was going to place the actual quote here, but it has been deleted.)

This led to some explosive results and fans were not happy with the way James handled the cancellation situation. Although, the lovely people of Askew Magazine tried to pacify the situation by offering cancelled ticket holders a chance to own the special tour edition of their magazine with only the cost of shipping. Pretty reasonable idea! And OnStage Events even stepped in to stop the rumors of a "no refund policy".

Days passed and the D'espa Facebook community calmed down, until the announcement of a new date was posted for New York. The emotions were scattered from rangers of joy, fury, confusion, and suspicion. Some fans thought of it as a good business move as the first New York show they had scheduled was sold out and this would make up for any possible losses from teh cancelled shows. This would also give New York Mania another opportunity to claim tickets if they missed out the first roundabout. Some fans found it suspicious that the date seemed so spontaneous as it was planned on a free day and not a date the other lives claimed previously by cancelled shows. This reason might also be a source of confusion as well.

Once again things calmed down, fans accepted facts, and other ticket holders anticipated the quickly approaching shows. After being upset over possible favoritism with a special meet and greets in San Francisco only, unnecessary slow ticket sell announcement, cancelled southern shows, and the surprise live add-on in New York, fans figured the drama had ended and people could move on to anticipating future make up dates. Unfortunately, without even a proper announcement on either MySpace or Facebook from the management, fans posted the news that the newly added second New York live was cancelled. The sources came from a disappearance of the date on the band's official sites and emails from ticket selling sites saying the show was cancelled.

Now I kinda wonder if D'espa's management are idiots or just plain masochists. They've shown nothing but unprofessionalism since the creation of this tour. Not having articles of band to show North American officials, posting North American dates after European dates even though the North American circuit is first, openly complaining about ticket sells and intiating drama among fans, and not keeping fans up to date with the happenings of the tour. I'm already pacified a little with Askew and Laura was a very pleasant person to talk to about this sudden cancellation. People demand answers: What should we do about our tickets? Should we consider refunds? Why were these four shows cancelled so soon?

These questions need to be answered soon, before they fly off to Europe for a fear they will be sued for their disorganization like Korean Pop idol Rain and his team. They were accused of trying to steal money by cancelling various overseas tours. We don't want the boys to go through that! Management needs to get their act together and start producing some answers. As fans, we should stop assuming cancelled ticket holders are upset with the band we're going to stop supporting them when in fact we're upset with the poor set up of this whole tour and our killed excitement of the boys giving their all on stage since it's been 2 years. We also need to start demanding answers without tearing them down immaturely (...and perhaps hope their reasoning for cancellation is to support Daisuke's memorial service.)