What are you listening to?

[Metal Ken]

Gamma Ray - Majestic

 

[Naren]

See, we don't agree on metal either.

P.S. I hate male vocal j-pop/j-rock.

Well, yes, 'tis true. I hate most female vocal j-pop/j-rock. I do like Utada Hikaru, Ua, and Love Psychedelico, but other than that... whereas I do have quite a few Japanese rock bands I like: Kemuri, Yamaarashi, Husking Bee, X Japan, Hi Standard, Blue Hearts, Mr. Children, Hide (Spread Beaver and solo work), and a few others.

But, it's okay to disagree. Not everyone is going to have the same opinions. I have like 2-3 songs by Ayumi Hamasaki that I like, but even then, I don't like the way her voice sounds in those songs.

 

[Toshiro]

Well, yes, 'tis true. I hate most female vocal j-pop/j-rock. I do like Utada Hikaru, Ua, and Love Psychedelico, but other than that... whereas I do have quite a few Japanese rock bands I like (most of them aren't that popular, though): Kemuri, Yamaarashi, Husking Bee, X Japan, Hi Standard, Blue Hearts, Mr. Children, Hide (Spread Beaver and solo work), and a few others.

But, it's okay to disagree. Not everyone is going to have the same opinions. I have like 2-3 songs by Ayumi Hamasaki that I like, but even then, I don't like the way her voice sounds in those songs.

I can't stand Hikaru Utada, especially now that she's tried to pander to the US music scene.

I kinda like Concerto Moon, but the singer still bugs me.

Shadow will always be the best Japanese metal band, IMO. Too bad they only had one release.

 

[Naren]

I can't stand Hikaru Utada, especially now that she's tried to pander to the US music scene.

What's wrong with Hikaru Utada trying to pander to the US music scene? She is an American after all (born and raised in NYC). She's got a good voice and nice music.

I find it funny that you say that as a Hamasaki Ayumi fan. She started out as a model and didn't even want to become a pop singer, but was pressured into it and now makes the cheeziest poppiest drivel I've ever heard as one of the most popular singers in Japan (yet I think she has zero talent). I think many of her songs are worse than Britney Spears' (she is kind of like a Japanese Britney Spears, in a way. Or more like a Japanese version of Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Madonna, and several Japanese idols all mixed together).

Yes, I don't like Ayumi at all... But it's all in the ear of the beholder, I guess.

 

[Toshiro]

What's wrong with Hikaru Utada trying to pander to the US music scene? She is an American after all (born and raised in NYC). She's got a good voice and nice music.

I find it funny that you say that as a Hamasaki Ayumi fan. She started out as a model and didn't even want to become a pop singer, but was pressured into it and now makes the cheeziest poppiest drivel I've ever heard as one of the most popular singers in Japan (yet I think she has zero talent). I think many of her songs are worse than Britney Spears' (she is kind of like a Japanese Britney Spears, in a way. Or more like a Japanese version of Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Madonna, and several Japanese idols all mixed together).

Yes, I don't like Ayumi at all... But it's all in the ear of the beholder, I guess.

Yet you stick up for Hikaru who sings about japanese girls being easy? YOU wanna talk about dumb lyrics? And yes I think it's stupid that Utada tried to make it over here, doesn't matter where she was born. Hikaru Utada, dropping her given name, is going to immediately make it big when most of her US fan-base were hardcore anime fans? Most of her old fans I know won't touch that english record with a ten foot pole, the music on it, from what I've heard of it, doesn't even sound like her at all.

This is a stupid arguement, there's not one J-pop star who wasn't 'made' at some point in their career. What I like about Ayumi is that she has a killer backing band, and since I can't understand what she's singing about, I like her voice. Yes I know she was a model, yes I know she was in a hip-hop band. Yes, she's had surgery to make her eyes bigger. At least she doesn't lip-sync as far as I can tell, and that's a big step up from the US pop industry.

This stuff fills the void left from when I got sick of US techno music, simple as that.

 

[Shannon]

^ Simmer down, y'all. Back on topic.

 

[Toshiro]

Heh, okay.

NP: Dragonforce - Inhuman Rampage (Yes, leaked already and it's great)

 

[Michael]

At the moment I'm listening to "Flesh on Flesh" by Al Di Meola.

 

[Flesh-EatingMonkey]

Devo: Whip It. I'm not joking either.

 

[7slinger]

Deny Thy Nature

 

[Naren]

Yet you stick up for Hikaru who sings about japanese girls being easy? YOU wanna talk about dumb lyrics? And yes I think it's stupid that Utada tried to make it over here, doesn't matter where she was born. Hikaru Utada, dropping her given name, is going to immediately make it big when most of her US fan-base were hardcore anime fans? Most of her old fans I know won't touch that english record with a ten foot pole, the music on it, from what I've heard of it, doesn't even sound like her at all.

Well, like Shannon said, I'm not gonna start an argument about it. I'm not defending Utada's lyrics (because I can't recall any pop lyrics - period - that I thought were good). If I had to compare them to Ayumi's, though, I'd have to say they're near ingenious.

I have no idea why she had/has so many hardcore anime fans, anyway. Her music has no relation to animation, whatsover. I could care less what "hardcore anime fans" think since at least half of the American ones are extremely illogical (I used to have an anti-"otaku" website which got quite a bit of hate mail). And, I'm not anti-animation or regular japanimation fans (I have seen at least 1000 Japanese animations by now, have read at least 100 "manga" series, and even tonight am planning on watching 2 animation movies). My main problem is with the "Fanboys" and "fangirls" (don't want to go into detail, but I think you'd agree with me on many points). So to me "hardcore anime fan" is not necessarily a compliment, even though I've known a lot of really nice "hardcore anime fans" and I also will most likely be starting a Japanese comic translation/publishing company in 2006 or 2007 with a good Japanese friend of mine with me as head translator.

Mm... yeah, well, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree about the Utada/Hamasaki thing.

 

[eaeolian]

Iced Earth - "Alive In Athens", disc 2.

 

[Toshiro]

I have no idea why she had/has so many hardcore anime fans, anyway. Her music has no relation to animation, whatsover. I could care less what "hardcore anime fans" think since at least half of the American ones are extremely illogical (I used to have an anti-"otaku" website which got quite a bit of hate mail). And, I'm not anti-animation or regular japanimation fans (I have seen at least 1000 Japanese animations by now, have read at least 100 "manga" series, and even tonight am planning on watching 2 animation movies). My main problem is with the "Fanboys" and "fangirls" (don't want to go into detail, but I think you'd agree with me on many points). So to me "hardcore anime fan" is not necessarily a compliment, even though I've known a lot of really nice "hardcore anime fans" and I also will most likely be starting a Japanese comic translation/publishing company in 2006 or 2007 with a good Japanese friend of mine with me as head translator.

Mm... yeah, well, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree about the Utada/Hamasaki thing.

Heh, I'm just going by what I've seen over here at cons. Things get hyped, and they sell like hot-cakes (like Final Fantasy music), everyone I know into J-pop got there through anime or gaming(first exposure to Ayumi for me was a game intro, think it was Thousand Arms?). And yes the fan-boy/fan-girl thing is way out of hand, but it pretty much makes or breaks stuff over here. If your show isn't on the 'hot list' the release dates get pushed back, or it disappears altogether. The flavor of the month on Cartoon Network drives the kiddie market, but there's still a mass of 'otaku' who jump on what they feel is the big thing in Japan, and run it into the ground.

With the advent of 'net fansubbers this has become even worse, since you can see a whole show as it's aired, episode by episode. Naruto had a cult following on the net long before it was even licensed, and now the TV airing will proabably push it to DBZ levels.

Anyways, this is all off topic. lol

BTW, for those wondering: the new Dragonforce seems to have a couple tracks with what sounds like a low B riff, and since we know they refuse to downtune, that means 7-string. (that shred guy isn't moving fast enough to accuratly protray Herman, but oh well. )

 

[Doctor J]

Coroner - The Lethargic Age

 

[Naren]

Heh, I'm just going by what I've seen over here at cons. Things get hyped, and they sell like hot-cakes (like Final Fantasy music), everyone I know into J-pop got there through anime or gaming(first exposure to Ayumi for me was a game intro, think it was Thousand Arms?). And yes the fan-boy/fan-girl thing is way out of hand, but it pretty much makes or breaks stuff over here. If your show isn't on the 'hot list' the release dates get pushed back, or it disappears altogether. The flavor of the month on Cartoon Network drives the kiddie market, but there's still a mass of 'otaku' who jump on what they feel is the big thing in Japan, and run it into the ground.

Agreed. Don't want to get into my raving about ignorant fan-boys who think if it's Japanese, it has to be good and that the fansubs are always better than the professional subs or the un-translations (as I call them) or any million other things I know about from knowing many many "otaku" in my day.

(The first time I was introduced to Ayumi was the first time I came to Japan about 5 years ago. I don't like most J-pop, but most of the way I got into Japanese bands was mainly by just hearing Japanese friends' music. When I was 18, my friend just handed me a Blue Hearts album and said "I think you'll like this" and I've been a fan ever since.)

You said "Things get hyped, and they sell like hot-cakes." That's exactly right and that's one of the reasons why I'll probably be starting that "manga" translation/publishing company. There's a big market for it and it's something interesting that I really enjoy. If that doesn't take off, I'll probably just work as a translator for some video game company (preferably RPGs).

On topic: Really? 7-string on a Dragonforce album? Their stuff always had that nice high-pitched 80's playing off the A string in standard sound. I'd be interested to hear them with a low B riff.

So, lately I've been listening to a mix of songs by:
Blue Hearts
California Guitar Trio
Millencolin
Sevendust
Rage Against The Machine
At The Drive In
Nine Inch Nails
Nirvana
AFI
As I Lay Dying

 

[Sentient]

Coroner - The Lethargic Age

Well, I WAS listening to Flotsam and Jetsam's "No Place for Disgrace", but then I saw this post and remembered the gorgeous piece of metal that is "The Lethargic Age". Oh hells yeah... (pulling up Winamp... opening Coroner's "Grin"...)

Now currently standing over there with Doctor J, thrashing to the brilliance of Coroner...

Burke

 

[Doctor J]

Looks like I'm gonna have to put on Mental Vortex next

 

[Karl Hungus]

Joe Satriani - Love Thing

Felt in a real Satch mood today, so I whipped out Crystal Planet.

 

[eaeolian]

Looks like I'm gonna have to put on Mental Vortex next

Damn, I was playing the solo from "Pale Sister" last night. Well, butchering might be a better term for what I was doing to it, but...

Great disc.

 

[Naren]

Joe Satriani - Love Thing

Felt in a real Satch mood today, so I whipped out Crystal Planet.

Joe's the man. I was just listening to "Is There Love In Space?" today. Good album. I love "Gnaah" (funny name too)