[quote="Blank"]
Don't worry about it too much. I'm STILL posting things in wrong sections and reviving dead topics all the time. IM pretty much hates me. [/quote]

haha thanks

Im just trying to be as accurate as possible without trying to offend anyone. I wonder if my other questions about the members will be answered lol

Seriously, don't worry about it too much. Your topic is still open.

It's not like you're posting like 'HAY GUYZ THEREZ A SEKRIT TRACK ON SUCH AND SUCH ALBUM' and there's a thread about it already easily found via search and it's already on the discography too...

[quote="sheerheartattack"]Metal...mostly everyone on this forum is Japanese.[/quote]

I'm black.

I just don't want to offend anyone, I enjoyed this site before i joined the forums and the more I post the more fond I grow of this place. Its hard to find pillows fans where im from that enjoy them as much as I do where I can discuss it, my band mates are kinda tired of it so.

But anyway. When they were led by Kenji Ueda though "they just wanted to make good music" why is it they sounded so jazz/funk? was there any particular reason?

^Actually, that's not really true. Ueda left the band in 1993, if I remember correctly, and the pillows released their their two Jazz albums after that (Kool Spice in 94, and Living Field in 95). Also, Sawao and Kenji were both leaders in the band if I remember correctly. I think that Sawao was genuinely into making a jazz sound, even after Kenji left the band... as evidenced by the two heavily jazzed albums released after Kenji's departure.

[quote="Tidusauron12"]^Actually, that's not really true. Ueda left the band in 1993, if I remember correctly, and the pillows released their their two Jazz albums after that (Kool Spice in 94, and Living Field in 95). Also, Sawao and Kenji were both leaders in the band if I remember correctly. I think that Sawao was genuinely into making a jazz sound, even after Kenji left the band... as evidenced by the two heavily jazzed albums released after Kenji's departure.[/quote]

You know in some ways all their songs imply a chill mood to them. Least its very relaxing to me. And i wonder that in the early stages of the band if Sawao focused more on Jazz/Funk to impliment that feel in a more "easy" manner. Do you agree that that might be plausible?

[quote="Busterkun_Scarecrow"] You know in some ways all their songs imply a chill mood to them. Least its very relaxing to me. And i wonder that in the early stages of the band if Sawao focused more on Jazz/Funk to impliment that feel in a more "easy" manner. Do you agree that that might be plausible?[/quote]

It's hard to tell. I'm not sure what motivated Sawao Yamanaka's choice in music. Sometimes it seems like he was taking opinions from others, and sometimes it seems like he just wanted a change of pace. I believe that the 'calmness' you get from his songs, regardless of musical period, are a direct result of his composition style. No matter how many times the pillows' style has changed, Yamanaka has been the front man and the songwriter. It's his voice we here when they perform, and I mean that in terms of the vocals and the spirit of the lyrics.

It's kind of like listening to Beethoven. If you listen to his newer stuff compared to his older stuff, there is definately a BIG difference, but you know that it's all Beethoven. Similarly, if you hear Kool Spice and then here Happy Bivouac, you'd know it was still the pillows. You see, this is one of the reasons I can call Yamanaka a virtuoso musician. His style of composition has been very diverse these 20 years, but yet he has maintained a certain uniqueness. the pillows must be up there with all the other great bands of the world. I'd even go far enough to but them down as a notable mark on the history of music altogether.

Anyways, what I'm really interested in is the sound the pillows will produce in the future. I'm not sure at this point of the direction there headed. As far as I'm concerned though, their last masterpieces were The Third Eye single and the My Foot album. I'm not digging the latest stuff as much. Scarecrow was pretty good, I admit.

1. HEAR, not here.

2. the pillows, unfortunately, can't really be considered a bookmark in the page of music history. To do so, they would have to have a huge and lasting impression on music. In Japan, they have had a decent impression on musicians, and a mediocre amount of popular success, but they're no Queen, Beatles, or Bach. Yeah, we love them, but we can't really consider them to be a truly influential or even extremely innovative.

What they have done is do very, very well at the type of music they make. They're my favorite band, but they're not going to leave much of a mark on the history of music (probably none at all, for that matter).

Sad to say but Mare's predictions sound correct. They've sure impacted my life , and they are my favorite band and they are sucessful, a band is big when they can play another country, espcially around the world. So they've definately made it, but Its the number of fans thats can only make it better and higher. When you say Led Zepplin, everyone knows who your talking about for th emost part, but when you say the pillows everyone is like "uh whos that? Pillows, thats a funny band name" least where im around.

I try to promote them when it comes up though. I feel they have the potential though to leave a mark on history but they'll need mroe listeners is all

Gotta' know when I'm beat.

Hell no, the pillows are nothing compared with the most famous bands of the world. I should've realized that's what I sounded like. There music is really good (most of it), but it really hasn't been in the fray too much, not even in Japan. I wasn't thinking straight when I typed the last to paragraphs, I got wrapped up in my fandom. Let's face it... if you're not singing in English and you are Asian, the chances are you won't be famous worldwide, especially not in the mainstream. I realize this, and I totally agree with Mare (heh, guess I can appreciate you more now, +1 from the welcome thread, Mare).

Also, the pillows have more than likely peaked, and I don't think their 'fame' will spread much more before they fade into obscurity. They never were the 'superstars' of the music industry, even in Japan and that's something most people here at IM know.

Anyways, Busterkun. Do you at least agree with what I'm saying on-topic wise? You know, about the style thing?

[quote="Tidusauron12"](+1 from the welcome thread, Mare)[/quote]

Hehe, thanks bro. The joke there was that I'm pretty much considered one of the biggest, most rabid pillows fanboys out there, so I found your opening statement to be one of the most hilarious things ever.

[quote]Also, the pillows have more than likely peaked, and I don't think their 'fame' will spread much more before they fade into obscurity. They never were the 'superstars' of the music industry, even in Japan and that's something most people here at IM know.[/quote]

While it's true that they've never been massively mainstream in Japan, it's interesting to note that they're among the main influences for several of the most popular bands in Japan.

And as for their popularity...it's actually growing now, especially with the move over to Avex Trax, since they're getting WAY more advertising than they used to. Tokyo Bambi was a record for the pillows in the way of how it did on the Oricon charts for it's release, if I recall correctly. For sure, they haven't had anything do so well since Strange Chameleon saved their career back in the day. I can only imagine that their popularity will continue to grow for another year or two.

^While very true, I can't help but feel a bit disappointed. To me, it seems like musically, the pillows were mainstream material back in the late 90s... it's too bad that their popularity didn't coincide with their musicality... but then again, this is real life.

Seriously... Sawao's voice is in decline. The last album and single have been a [i]bit[/i] of a let down... and what do we see, a rise in the amount of fans? I don't know... I'm just not happy about the way things have gone for the pillows. Then again, there are a lot of things I'm not happy about. I just hope that they can produce awesome songs like back in the 90s in the future.

If they were mainstream material back in the 90s, they would have been mainstream. They weren't. And as for Sawao's voice being in decline...he's almost forty years old dude. He's still got a pretty damn good voice for his age, and he does a great job live. I'd say his voice is fine.

Besides that, since their popularity is increasing now, that means that it stands to reason that most people are going to disagree with you that their music right now isn't very good. I know that a lot of us here got really excited with Tokyo Bambi. There's a reason for that; it's a damn good song. And it seems like the bulk of their fans agreed, since it got a lot better starting sales than their other stuff has.

[quote="Marekenshin"]If they were mainstream material back in the 90s, they would have been mainstream. They weren't.[/quote]

I know. I was just saying I can't help but be annoyed that they weren't. I need to grow up, I know... shoot me.

[quote="Marekenshin"]And as for Sawao's voice being in decline...he's almost forty years old dude. He's still got a pretty damn good voice for his age, and he does a great job live. I'd say his voice is fine.[/quote]

I know he's 40... but I was just saying that his lives won't be as awesome as they were back in the day... if he can maintain the voice he has now, the pillows can keep putting out music fine for the next decade, no prob.

[quote="Marekenshin"]Besides that, since their popularity is increasing now, that means that it stands to reason that most people are going to disagree with you that their music right now isn't very good. I know that a lot of us here got really excited with Tokyo Bambi. There's a reason for that; it's a damn good song. And it seems like the bulk of their fans agreed, since it got a lot better starting sales than their other stuff has.[/quote]

TB is definately a good song, but personally, I can't say it's better than The Third Eye, or My Foot (song). I don't know about most people disagreeing that their new music isn't so good. To a typical mainstream radio-listener in Japan, of course... but I was referring to people who are fans of the pillows, like, deeply. A lot of us here have Pantomime-Tokyo Bambi (I think), and I don't think many would say the newest stuff is the best. Don't get me wrong... I like the new stuff a lot. It's fun and catchy... I'm just living in the past. Also, I make the point that good sales DOES NOT equal good song. Mainstream appeal definately doesn't equate to good song, IMO. Still, I'm happy for the guys nonetheless... I guess I could look at it as them getting what they deserve after years of hard work.

Still, Mare I think that I can say that you've given me a bit of hope for the pillows in the future. My perspective is a bit wider now. the pillows are old (in terms of age) and they are just now starting to get mainstream success (well, you know what I mean)... and that's just the way it is. They will continue to grow more popular over the next few years, that's for sure. Ever since the switch to Avex, things have been a bit weird for me (I actually didn't get into the pillows until about 2 years ago).

You have to understand that when I say most of their fans, I'm referring to their Japanese fans, who vastly outnumber their American fans. The overall response to Tokyo Bambi was extremely positive, and many of those fans have been fans since before the pillows were even heard of here.

Not saying that Tokyo Bambi is their greatest work. Those same long-time Japanese fans that all seemed to really like Tokyo Bambi also tend to have varied opinions on what part of the pillows's work was their best, just as we do.

And as for being "strange" since joining Avex...I dunno man. They've always made the music they wanted. I think the only big thing Avex has done for/to them is get them better publicity.

Good discussion. Personally, I consider Please Mr. Lostman to be one of the best albums ever made, but I still love their new work.