For those who can't get enough of tranny-chan J-rockers, Madelaine sent a sweet tip: Maru Music is releasing Visual-Kei DVD Magazine Vol 2 this summer. She writes: "You will not believe who will be in it. He wears blue, has a band, and has a fashion line." The answer is - you guessed it - Mana of Malice Mizer and Moi dix Mois!
This volume is hosted by an androgyne (Miku, vocalist of Antique Café) and a coked-up, dubiously feline puppet (Biju). As in the first DVD, there will be over an hour of exclusive interviews, live video clips, and behind-the-scene glimpses at the hottest Japanese Visual Kei bands (Smile, chariots, SuG, SaTaN, Himeichigo). There's even an educational component: a history lesson of the genre and a tour of legendary concert venues such as Rock-May-Kan in Tokyo.
I can't wait to see the footage of Mana-sama's side project, Mana's Not Dead. He talks about his love of punk music and plays drums on a song by The Star Club... while wearing a ripped-up costume made of gauze and hair spiked six inches high. (See photo above left.) Oh Mana, I bow to thee.
The trailer for the DVD gives me butterflies in the stomach! You can pre-order Visual-Kei DVD Magazine Vol 2 from Maru Music's web store (which also sells Miyavi merchandise, drool.) The DVD is in Japanese with English subtitles, region-free, over an hour in length, and costs $12.
Quick - name the most unlikely place you'd find two Goth Lolis and a male Gothic Aristocrat. How about a gargatuan CGI shopping mall, flanked by members of aging New Wave band The B-52s?
Screen captures don't lie. In late March, the band debuted the music video for the single Funplex. Reader Gloomy did a double-take at the three mallrats who get into a scruffle with security but end up dancing frenetically with them. Their quasi-Gothic Lolita clothing isn't entirely non sequitur; the song features Japanese ding-ding-doonging and the lyrics do reference "fashion frenzy."
Squint for the Harajuku youths yourself in the The B-52s' new video. I love the classic vocal exchanges between Kate Pierson and Fred Schneider, but to me, the song lacks the bite of "Rock Lobster" and "Private Idaho." What are your thoughts?
Rather than fight this fact of life, Jealkb runs with it. The Japanese Visual Kei band is made up of seven members, all of whom are comedians. Lead singer "Haderu" is only one dimension away from being a living cartoon (above). Before joining the group, he was best known as Atsushi Tamura, the "funny man" in London Boots Ichi-go Ni-go, a popular standup duo.
Ironically, the members of the joke band Jealkb dress less flamboyantly and more heteronormatively (hee hee) than your typical Visual Kei musician. Haderu's kodona meets Clockwork Orange look is très pimpant. You can't go wrong with a top hat, riding crop, and lace-up leather calf boots... not to mention a vertical slash of black eyeliner over one eye.
Jealkb's single "Fly" is a head-bopping power-pop/rock number. And t' music video's pirate theme be really great, yaaaargh.
If you understand Japanese, you'll enjoy the band's witty fast-patter interview, followed by a live performance of "Chikai." WARNING: you literally get to see what's under the skirt!
While at the NY Comic-Con, I received a copy of Manga Cafe, the quarterly Animefood magazine dedicated to manga, anime, J-rock music, and convention culture. I read the Feb/Mar 2008 issue front to back. If I had to pick a highlight, it would be the comprehensive interviews with Visual Kei bands (including BLOOD and Rentrer en Soi), accompanied by full-color glossy photos.
I laughed out loud when I read Manga Cafe's chat with The Candy Spooky Theater, the Tim Burton-esque trio with a demented sense of humor. Formed in Tokyo in 2003, the band quickly became infamous for its wild on-stage antics and B-rated horror-inspired music. (For those of you playing the "She-male or Female?" guessing game, the answer is: all the members are men.) Here are some excerpts from their interview:
† How did you pick your names?
Jack Spooky: I just felt the groove of the name and thought it fit me. Jack is a very generic name, yet it can remain a little mysterious.
Peggy Giggles: It just came to me.
Kiddy Skeleton: Me too.
† How did you meet?
J: Basically, Peggy and I were in a band called Dororo. That band broke up, and after a time we met Kiddy.
† And your parents' reaction?
K: None of our parents have ever seen us on stage. They always say "Do something better with your life."
† Do they know you perform?
J: They know that we wear makeup and perform on stage.
K: My parents called me right before I was getting on the plane, and I told them, "I can't talk right now I am about to get on a plane to America to perform." Then my mom started screaming at me and said, "You are still in that band?! You are leaving to America?!" So I told her I would call her back.
† Do you believe in Santa?
J: We really like Christmas, but in Japan, Christmas time is the day when couples hook up. So Christmas is a very annoying nuisance to guys, and it can be lonely.
† If you were not a musician, what would you be?
K: Lots of things.
J: An actor.
P: A fisherman.
† With a fisherman's hat?
P: Yes! (laughs)
K: I think I would be... a homeless guy!
† What? A homeless guy?! (everyone laughs) With a homeless guy sign?
K: No sign. Just a house out of cardboard.
† Final message as a band?
J: We are not all scary, and we won't eat your head alive.
In America, a club night is deemed exciting if a band performs or someone grabs the mike and lets loose on an electroclash rant. Yawnsville, compared to the weird and wonderful sideshows staged in Japanese nightclubs. There’s Nakao of The Fashion Ramone with her anguished striptease. There’s Kengo, performing avantgarde para para in an all-white costume.
And there is this romantically undead duo: Rose de Reficul et Guiggles.
I am dying to see their Dark Marchen show that is frequently staged at Alamode Night (the Gothic Lolita club favorite). Their performance can be described as: “butoh-emo (underground/melancholic/angst), hybridized with Victoriana inflections of romanticism and sentimentality, dramatically infused with post Gothic dark-psycho-pathos.” Oh, oh!
Rose de Reficul et Guiggles formed in Osaka around January 2002, growing into an elaborate production with dancers and musicians of odd instruments such as the accordion. The group is also beginning to release songs. In March 2007, Rose de Reficul et Guiggles participated in the album “Darkest Labyrinth,” which features several Japanese Goth and Visual Kei bands.
As you can see from the video, The Dark Marchen is a mélange of projected images, Victorian foppery, song and dance, noise, and over-the-top improv. The players draw you into a fin-de-siecle salon frequented by a monocled rabbit and a mute with her face wrapped in gauze. “A scream, an old show booth, an old circus and a secret club are all parts of this whole…”
The disturbing Victoriana is much more than an act. Rose de Reficul et Guiggles extend their sensibility all the way into their bedrooms, which are strewn with porcelain dolls and crumbling antique furniture. All this is on display on their website and MySpace. Below are photos from their stage show (also found on my Flickr). If I run away, you'll know where to find me: the Dark Marchen circus!
One of my most unfortunate qualities is that I have trouble telling men from women. (Believe me, it’s led to some embarrassing moments.) Even now, when I look closely at Visual Kei artists, I am utterly baffled.
Apparently, I’m not alone. I found photos of gender-bending J-rockers and enlisted Ronan (from the venerable Committee) to guess whether each person is a woman or a very pretty man. You can play along too! Give yourself one point for every correct answer. Cue game show music and flashing lights… audience bursts into applause… and we’re on the air!
RONAN: Are those one person?
CARMEN: No, it’s three different people.
RONAN: Oh god, this is a tough one, even for me. The trouble is they don't have ankles or hands clearly visible.
CARMEN: They have sizeable hands.
RONAN: I'd be able to tell in person. My best guess... Can I use a lifeline? Can I poll the audience? Mommy!
CARMEN: I don’t think your mom can help you with this one.
RONAN: I'm going to guess... All men.
CARMEN: DING DING DING!
RONAN: Score!
RONAN: These ones are more convincing, so the fear of the trap is all the more heady.
CARMEN: Ah, yes. The danger of the tranny surprise.
RONAN: I'm going to call tranny surprise on all of these lovely she-men. Male, male, male, male.
CARMEN: Um....
RONAN: Male.
CARMEN: There you go. And the answer is.... ALL MAN, ALL THE TIME!
RONAN: Oh I am good! Take that!
CARMEN: Try this one on for size.
RONAN: 2 and 4 are definitely men.
CARMEN: Is that your final answer?
RONAN: Let me look one more time. Again, we have obscured critical traits, like necks, wrists, and ankles. Yes, I'm going to call weener on 2 and 4.
CARMEN: Certain wrists are indeed delicate here.
RONAN: Ah! A clue, a clue!
CARMEN: So, 2 and 4 are men, and 1 and 3 are women?
RONAN: I didn't say anything about 1 and 3 yet. I'm doing this one piecemeal.
CARMEN: Wait, you want me to answer those first?
RONAN: Yes.
CARMEN: Hm... I think you can't do that.
RONAN: I make the rules as I go, byatch.
CARMEN: You're afraid of failure! Of staring into the laughing faces of our blog readers!
RONAN: Don't start flaunting your authoritah with me!
CARMEN: Ok, I'll tell you because it won't make a difference. Everyone in this picture... meow meow meow! All kitties.
RONAN: What... what.... NOOOOOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOOOO!
CARMEN: Dum dum dooooooonnng.
RONAN: Nooooooo! Okay I'm... I'm recovered a little.
CARMEN: This is what you get for trying to game the system. But I will be nice. I will give you two out of four.
RONAN: Sniff. Thanks Carmen.
RONAN: Okay, we're doing this one at a time, left to right. Umm... I almost said girl, then noted something. I may have just saved myself from the brink.
CARMEN: What did you notice?
RONAN: A certain lack of hip.
CARMEN: The audience oooohs.
RONAN: I don't know, I had a sudden pang of doubt.
CARMEN: To play devil's advocate... everyone here IS Japanese.
RONAN: Ahah! A fair point, emcee.
CARMEN: A lack of hip is not unusual.
RONAN: I'm going to say... Boy boy on the first two.
CARMEN: You are on the brink, this is for sure. This time... You didn't fall in!
RONAN: Yes! Hallelujah! Kiss the children for me Marie Jean, I'm coming home with the big prize after this!
CARMEN: Don't be too sure, my friend. Let's finish the other two. What sayeth ye?
RONAN: I call boy on numero tres. I see crotch bulge.
CARMEN: I think your eyes are playing tricks on you.
RONAN: What... what!?! It can't... be!
CARMEN: It isn't. It is a folded piece of fabric. Still.... it's a BOY!
RONAN: YES! I'm weeping. My keyboard is moist with tears of joy and agony.
CARMEN: How about sweet Mar on the right?
RONAN: This is the big kahuna. This may be my Waterloo, folks. The deception is immaculate. The contents of the dress... inscrutable! Still, we have a trend here. I'm going to say... boy.
CARMEN: Oh dear. I will show you a video of Mar. And then you can tell me for certain.
RONAN: Video evidence!? Mein gott. A new wrinkle entirely.
CARMEN: Hahah we make it up as we go. That's how this blog works.
RONAN: A new crease in the suspiciously bulging loins of this exercise, if you will.
RONAN: Ahah! The deception crumbles instantly in motion and decent lighting.
CARMEN: Not to mention you hear Mar TALK at the end of the video.
RONAN: The entire challenge here derives from airbrushed, obscurely lit stills. I'm sorry, but boy number four fails. I call vas deferens on him.
CARMEN: I don't see a bulge... but I see an Adam's apple. The audience erupts! We've got two more....
RONAN: I have no doubt that the top three are men.
CARMEN: Men on top? So heteronormative!
RONAN: The telling murmur of testosterone sings in these veins. What can I say, I'm a traditionalist.
CARMEN: Right, you don't wear pink dresses on the weekends.
RONAN: Don't assume too much about my weekend activities. Number five gave me some hesitation, but the size of hand clinched it. It's a man, baby. Two times.
CARMEN: Feathers, long hair, skirts.... and you call the bottom two MEN?
RONAN: I'm an old pro, Carmina. I've learned the wisdom of caution.
CARMEN: If you keep this up, you'll never end up with a surprise package under the skirt. These two got meat!
RONAN: I hope I don't have to go under the skirt to find my prize.
CARMEN: You may not emerge alive... or unsoiled.
RONAN: And still I fight on. For you and the children, Debbie Jean.
CARMEN: I thought her name was Marie Jean.
RONAN: Erm... Debbie... Marie... Goes by many names. cough
CARMEN: By the way, folks, this blog is read by over five million viewers. Ok, last round!
If you prevail... you may score higher than ALL the readers who are playing along! So far, you've only called two lovely ladies manly. How about this group?
RONAN: Okay, this is tough. Soft-focus lighting. A deadly obstacle to success.
CARMEN: Unless you're in a dim nightclub trying to score. The clock is a-ticking.
A-tick, a-tock.
RONAN: Oh boy. I'm at a loss here. The faces are too distant, too foggy! Throw me a bone, people! Jennifer Leslie, I may never make it back to you now!
CARMEN: Good grief, how many she-males are you juggling? I will throw you a crumb. How do people signify if "it's a girl" or "it's a boy"?
RONAN: Yin and Yang? I'm into the Asian aesthetic here.
CARMEN: It's throwing you off.
RONAN: Your hint is too obscure? Am I right audience?
CARMEN: The audience knows! They're whispering amongst themselves! J.Lo is in the audience and even SHE is scoffing!
RONAN: J.Lo can cram it, she'd have just as much trouble if she were up here, subjected to the glare of the spotlight!
CARMEN: Time to choose: Man or Woman? Or the prize goes up the skirt forevahhh!
RONAN: Okay. Girl in the very front. Boy on the right. Boy in the back in gold. How am I doing, people!?
CARMEN: I already gave you not one, but TWO clues already!
RONAN: On the left in green, the face says girl, the hand says boy. I'm consulting a lifeline on these last two. I'm calling a friend. Merle is getting on the phone right now.
Brrring! Brring!
RONAN: Merle is uncertain!
CARMEN: J.Lo is getting up and walking out.
MERLE: Green is a boy, black is a girl? Though possibly a boy. ASIANS ARE TRICKY.
RONAN: Merle, you are not helping matters! But it looks like my lifelines are all up.
Green boy, black girl it is.
CARMEN: J.Lo just had twins. One was a boy, and one was a girl. And people tell babies apart traditionally... by the colors they wear!
RONAN: Green and black do nothing to help, however.
CARMEN: Merle is right. Asians are tricky. And they're not strictly dickly. But in this case.... except for the one in pink... they ARE!
RONAN: Woah. So how'd I score?
CARMEN: 23 out of 26.
RONAN: Hey! Not bad! Do I get the prize? Hallelujah Lisa Elizabeth, I'm comin' home!
I won the big one!
CARMEN: It's under the skirt! And it's getting bigger by the moment!
RONAN: Hoo boy. Let's not go there today, shall we?
ANNOUNCER: Today's featured Visual Kei bands were Blood, Phantasmagoria, Danger Gang, Sectmateria, Versailles, and Onmyoza. Roll credits!
Visual Kei bands generally consist of young men who look a lot like girls - especially when they wear dresses and decorate their long ringlets with flowers. Exist†Trace is an anomaly. Look closely. You won't find a single Adam's Apple or stubble above the lip.
Exist†Trace is one of the few all-female Visual Kei bands. The irony is that aside from from guitarist Miko, the others could pass for your typical male J-rocker. Miko usually dresses kurorori (all-black Lolita dresses), while the others wear more form-fitting Goth-wear with spiky leather lace-up accessories (in the vein of Black Peace Now). Below is their music video for "Judea." Love the gutteral growls and bleached-out visuals, especially the Gothic Lolita in chains.
Wikipedia tells me the Tokyo band initially formed in June 2003, and has released three singles and one mini-album. Exist†Trace has also appeared on two omnibus albums as well as one live DVD featuring several bands on the Shizuoka-based Sequence Records label. I don't know much else about them - can anyone fill me in?
