In July 2009, while 2NE1 was tearing up the charts in Korea with their hits “Fire” and “I Don’t Care,” their big brother group Big Bang was hustling to climb their way up the charts in Japan.
When I first saw “Gara Gara Go,” I was thrilled to say the least. Big Bang isn’t exactly known for their in-sync choreography. They usually rely on Taeyang or Seungri to hold down the dancing, at least in their music videos. So to see that they actually dance together during the chorus and breakdown, it was a welcomed surprise.
In August of 2009, they released their first full-length Japanese album, self-titled “Big Bang”. On it, they had Gara Gara Go and some other hits I jammed out with through the summer. But perhaps my favorite was “Stay”.
I must have played that song a 100x that summer. Not only was it a good song to write to, but it’s one of those songs you can take to the beach, go for a walk, and simply dream. Back then, such inspiration was needed. I was only 23 and just now embarking on my career as a screenwriter. I could take all the inspiration I could get. Continue Reading
Allow me to take a moment to talk about Japan. Because for the last ten or so chapters, I divulged how I got into Korean music and started to explore and appreciate different the genres. However, during this time, I’d say late 2007, early 2008…there were some Japanese artists that caught my eye as well and it’s just unfortunate really.
Because the truth is, there are SOOO MANY Japanese bands, singers, and groups out there. Just like in the states. And unless you’re with a powerful label backing your play, there’s no way you’ll be discovered by a mainstream audience and reach a substantial level of success.
I’ve already written a chapter about a group called KAT-TUN. Yeah, back in 2006-07, it was undeniable that these guys were the undisputed kings of j-pop. I say it was undeniable, based on their popularity, the time they spent at the top of their charts, and their record sales.
However…in my eyes, that don’t make them the best. In my eyes, the best goes to the artists showcasing the better talent, the better songs, the better sound, the better performance. Of course, it goes without saying that I’m not Japanese, so what you’re about to get is the perspective of a then 21-year-old straight male living in the states. On that note, let’s begin with W-INDS.
Haha! So, at the time, while I was in college, I was into this anime that came on Cartoon Network called “Shin-Chan.” The ending theme song was cheesy as hell, but it made me smile. The above song of “Paradox” is a little cringy to be honest, with the random shots of juveniles just staring at you as if you stole their bike. But the choreography was better than I had seen from a lot of other Jpop boybands, especially KAT-TUN.
W-INDS consisted of three members, the lead vocalist, Keita Tachibana and two backup singers/dancers, Ryuichi Ogata and Ryohei Chiba. To be honest…it’s quite difficult to really see W-INDS as a group or boyband. Because on every track I’ve heard of W-INDs, it’s mainly Keita holding down the vocals and I barely hear the other two. It’s as if, the music label paired Keita with the two backup members purely because they didn’t think he was impressive enough to perform on his own. Mind you, they debuted in 2001 when Keita was merely 15-years-old.
Despite all this, W-INDs was super popular in the 2000s, selling in the six figures with each track. I gave them a try and the only two songs I really liked were “Paradox” and “Kuwari Yuku Sora”. In particular, “Kuwari Yuku Sora” was a very upbeat and positive track. I remember listening to that song many a nights. No matter what I was going through with college, lady drama, or the struggles from being so overweight and lonely…that song gave me hope in a strange kind of way.
At the time, I didn’t have many friends that I could rely on to give me a daily pat on the back and say, “chin up, everything’s gonna be alright.” Thus, the music helped me to internalized the confidence, to pick myself up and keep going. Hahaha! In the above music video, you’ll see what I’m talking about. I wish I had such a group of friends as a dependable support system. But I didn’t. So I dreamed that I did. And hope that one day, I would.
NOW THEN…let’s get into Arashi. Because if I had to pick which boyband was the “best” in all of Japan…It would hands down by none other than Arashi.
II. The J-Rock Phase: Miyavi, Gackt & more L’Arc En Ciel
J-Rock stands for Japanese Rock.
By Spring Break of 2005, during my senior year of high school, I learned that I was accepted into a film school in Tampa, Florida. Knowing my future was secure was a relief. There wasn’t a lot of angst or trepidation in my heart at the time. Just full of hope and an eagerness to leave the nest. Every day since, I woke up, fully aware that it was another day to say goodbye to Georgia and the friends I had come to depend on.
*disclaimer: If you hadn’t read the intro, the following is a personal memoir about my 13 year journey of exploring Korean and Japanese music.
Having already been introduced to L’Arc en Ciel’s “Ready Steady Go” video…I was curious. What else they got? I learned that their genre was called “j-rock” so I searched for that on Limewire.
Apparently in 2004, early 2005, the biggest names in J-Rock were indeed L’Arc-en-Ciel…as well as a Japanese rock vocalist named Gackt. And man…hahahaha! Not gonna lie, I’m about to reveal some embarrassing stuff in talking about these guys.
So, mind you, from 5th grade to 12th, I was raised in Augusta, Georgia…which is considered a more country, gritty version of Atlanta. Meaning, everything you’ve heard regarding the stereotypes of blacks and whites had some truth to them in this city. That’s not to slight Augusta…because the thing is, the people know how they are and they don’t see it as a bad thing. Yes, there’s racism and a somewhat semblance of unspoken segregation, but people seemed cool with that. Most teens tended to stick to their own…
Had I been born and spent my whole life in Augusta, I probably would’ve fallen into a stereotype as well. But my parents were military. I moved around and attended multiple elementary schools ranging from south Florida to a place deep in the heart of Texas called Fort Hood. When you’ve moved around as much as I have, you know the world is much bigger. That America is made up of so many cultures.
And when you’re attending school on a military base, you’re afforded the luxury of just being yourself and making friends, because all the other kids are just like you. They’ve all moved around through their parent’s military transfer. So they understand and are more likely to accept you the way you are. But once you leave the base and start going to school with the civilian folk…yeah. You’ll find how different you are. And I think on a subconscious level, the natives don’t take too kindly to some new kid coming in and messing up the status quo.
My point in mentioning this, is that for years of being more or less stuck in Augusta, Georgia…I wasn’t exposed to a lot of diversity when it comes to the cultures. So when I discovered Gackt and L’Arc-en-Ciel…it was somewhat of a shock that had me questioning my own sexuality.
Remember, this was early 2005, a very conservative Christian time in the country. Lady Gaga wouldn’t blow up till late 2008-ish. And you see, in Japan they embrace this thing called “Visual Key”. Plainly put, it’s straight up androgyny, a style where men make themselves appear like women. They wear feminine makeup, eye-lashes and longer hair where it becomes difficult to discern whether they are male or female.
L’Arc-en-Ciel’s lead singer was notorious for this. Even without the make up, Hide looks like a girl. And just to make sure I wasn’t going crazy, I’d eventually ask my first roommates in Tampa to rate his appearance in “Blurry Eyes” on a one-to-ten scale. And my roommate without hesitation said… “I’d hit that.” As you can imagine, I laughed for some time. Not just at the humor in it, but the realization that it wasn’t just me. I’m not gay and I don’t think I should feel bad if I’m fooled by a person’s appearance.
Stage In The Sky 