My guilty pleasure used to be ska, but then it just turned into my regular pleasure.

[quote="little_norbert"][quote="[Mr. Lostman]"]Necromancy FTW.

Lady Gaga, Paramore, Ellegarden, My Chemical Romance, and Taking Back Sunday.[/quote]



I fucking love MCR, I fail to see how they're a guilty pleasure.[/quote]

Really sorry to be the one to inform you, but that actually indicates a broken conscience.

Visual kei?

[i]GTFO!![/i]







Okay, I'm kidding.

Speaking of Ellegarden, I had [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKdUoufMvd4]this song[/url] on in the car, and my husband was all OMG WHINY ANNOYING NOISY SHUT IT OFF SHUT IT OFF!!!!

But then later he said he liked it. But it was still whiny.

My friend and I are starting a pop punk joke band. We draw our main inspiration from Elle.

[quote="terra"]Visual kei?

[i]GTFO!![/i]







Okay, I'm kidding.[/quote]No, I totally agree. GTFO this thread; visual kei is not a guilty pleasure.

[quote="rockman240"]GTFO this thread; visual kei is not a guilty pleasure.[/quote]
Have you not seen some of the passionate hate for VK that goes around on this board sometimes? (terra doesn't count, obviously )

[quote="Orochi"][quote="rockman240"]GTFO this thread; visual kei is not a guilty pleasure.[/quote]
Have you not seen some of the passionate hate for VK that goes around on this board sometimes? (terra doesn't count, obviously )[/quote]

Or around the internet in general.

[quote="terra"][quote="Orochi"][quote="rockman240"]GTFO this thread; visual kei is not a guilty pleasure.[/quote]
Have you not seen some of the passionate hate for VK that goes around on this board sometimes? (terra doesn't count, obviously )[/quote]

Or around the internet in general.[/quote]

I am not familiar with this concept, but it looks and sounds like Japanese glam rock and glam metal. Just a cursory glance (and maybe I've just seen the best of the best), but I think I've just witnessed more musical talent, theatrical presentation, and technical ability than some 99% of everything else I've heard from Japan - and that includes what the pillows are doing right now. So what exactly is the issue?

Toto.
Some Barry Manilow, but not much.

edit: whoa, I made this thread? hahaha

[quote="sheerheartattack"]I am not familiar with this concept, but it looks and sounds like Japanese glam rock and glam metal. Just a cursory glance (and maybe I've just seen the best of the best), but I think I've just witnessed more musical talent, theatrical presentation, and technical ability than some 99% of everything else I've heard from Japan - and that includes what the pillows are doing right now. So what exactly is the issue?[/quote]
That is what I realized. I used to be all "VK is gross and icky, only weeaboos and weirdos listen to that stuff!" Then a friend of mine convinced me to try listening to some VK bands. And I found myself really liking some of it.

From what I've noticed, I think the VK hate usually boils down to one of three things:

1) People prejudge the music because they are uncomfortable with the glam, gothic, cross-dressing look of VK artists
2) People prejudge/hate VK because, due to its elaborate and unconventional aesthetic, they assume it is purely commercialized music and thus automatically shitty
3) People think that VK gets all the attention and is most associated with "Japanese rock", and thus eclipses the "more genuine" Japanese rock bands

About #3, I will point out that VK is considered kind of a cult/niche subculture in Japan (VK is usually grouped off in its own separate section at record stores, for instance). It is not mainstream by any means (unless you consider anime theme songs to be "mainstream Japanese music").

About #1…idk, that's partly why I consider it a guilty pleasure.

I mean, if VK is just not suited to your musical tastes, that's cool. Not all VK bands really fit my musical tastes either. But in general, I find that there are quite a few VK bands that have a lot of talent and good songwriting that I would have otherwise missed just due to some unfounded prejudices. :/

I liked vk before I got into the pillows/Numberl Girl/etc...

I think the music is super cheesy. Most vk bands have, in my opinion, atrocious vocals. And yes, while it may be "technically advanced", I really dislike 80s rock, and a lot of glam rock, despite how technical it can be.

Also, I don't like "theatrics" in my music.

I still have a little bit of Malice Mizer on my iPod. Plenty of L'arc-en-ciel... Some Antic Cafe. There are songs that are undeniably good, and even great. But in general, I just can't agree with it.

Edit: In the end, it just turns out that my standards of music have become so refined and elitist that it's hard for me to find anything new to listen to on a regular basis. It's not just VK music, but it spreads to all other "rock" and pop genres in the entire music scene.

Truly though, it's the theatrics that turn me off. I'm not into the fashion or any of that imagery at all. The style of music is the next major turn off.

I just can't stand the vocals. They sound so pretentious and cheesy.

[quote="Aplaca"]I just can't stand the vocals. They sound so pretentious and cheesy.[/quote]

[quote="Tidusauron12"]Plenty of L'arc-en-ciel.[/quote]

Good god.

I simply don't connect as closely with the musical style of VK as I do other areas of rock, though I do like me a bit of glam metal, 80s music, and some bits of VK as well. It's just not nearly enough of my main thing for me to really love it or even really care about it.