Visual Kei – visual music from the country of a rising sun

     Visual Kei – visual music from the country of a rising sun 

     Saratov State Technical University

     Pimenova Daria Vladimirovna 

      Japan. The amazing and mysterious country owing to it’s location and to a veil of the estrangement which has been removed not too for a long time, possesses rather original culture and traditions. Total ardor for all Japanese has concerned also to musical life of this country and this article will try to open a veil of secrecy of the rich Japanese modern music called Visual Kei.

     Visual Kei refers to a movement among Japanese musicians which was arose up on the base of the Japanese rock (J-Rock) and Glam rock (also known as Glitter rock) in 1980s that is characterized by the use of eccentric, sometimes flamboyant looks. The flamboyant lyrics, costumes and visual styles of glam performers were a campy, theatrical blend of nostalgic references to science fiction and old movies sounding in hard rock sound.

      Visual Kei style usually includes striking make-up, unusual hairstyles and elaborate costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics. Many sources state that Visual Kei's unique clothing and make-up, fashions and the participation in their own subculture is equally as important as the sound of the music.

     «In my country at home was it more the acting to "don't be like others"... And here I think it's the same, but stronger. Japanese people look really like the same. So they try to be individual. A few try it with the style of visual kei, others with wearing gothic-lolita (=kind of Japanese fashion, adherents of it present themselves as Victorian youth or porcelain dolls and prefer to look "cute" or "beautiful" and no "sexy" like Lolita of Vladimir Nabokov) dresses, others try it to look like American girls or boys... It's just the progress to break the old rules. So it's normal to show with their hair or with their clothes that they are "others"... They want attention, because here, when you're others, then you're "kawaii" (=cute)!» - writes Steffi Thiem (24), Ilmenau (German), now live in Tokyo for work.

     Visual Kei musicians often adopts appearances from the Japanese making of anime (=animated cartoons), manga (=fine art) and videogames as parts of the Japanese culture and the elements of traditional womanish fashion are actively used in their suits.

      «I just can say about Asian countries and America or the UK, those countries I have ever been. American knows Japanese music from anime. They watched a lot of stuff. About J-Rock, my friends play music and those guys knew some band like X Japan, BOØWY and Buck-Tick» - consider Junji Kinoshita (37), Tokyo (Japan), now love in Huntington Beach (California, United States). «In my conclusion, they came out of box of American and Brits music and created their own style. I think if they can sing songs in English some of them can succeed in the US. But I am hundred percent positive not in the UK. They do not accept non western stuff».

     Most music performers of J-Rock are men, however from point of Japanese man with painted nails, long hair and shadings eyes is not «blue», as many consider, but he is a «man of ladies».

      Thus, essence of Visual Kei consists of that to carry part of the soul and talent not only through the music but also through the original appearance: to shock people and to attract listeners.

     Here that speaks Hayashi YOSHIKI, a musician from X Japan in a press conference at Tokyo Dome (is a 55,000-seat stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan) [2008]...

     Interviewer: Your name is often mentioned in the same genre as visual kei. How does it feel for you today? How suitable is it for you?

     YOSHIKI: I think I’m very lucky because we started a long time ago and you know, we didn’t want to be bored and we wanted to be very different. We just wanted to be original. We were like the blackest sheep of the family, right? Of course, we had thick make up and everything. We had real hard time because we started twenty years ago, but now there are a lot of visual kei bands, all over the world. It’s very unexpected and there are lots of great bands. Because of these bands some people heard about X JAPAN, so I’m appreciative of it.

     Interviewer: Are you still conscious of belonging to visual kei?

     YOSHIKI: Well, I guess I’m still in visual kei. I don’t know...when we say "visual kei," it’s not only about make up. I think it’s more about spirit. Being original is very hard these days. When you’re growing up, it’s very easy to just stay inside one area, but breaking the wall and getting out of the box is so hard. So I think that is the real meaning of visual kei!

      …and the vocalist Kaya in interview at Anime USA [2010, JaME]

     JaME: The last time we talked with you, you said you wanted to appeal to a freedom of gender and fashion by you, as a man, wearing a dress. How does that express that freedom? What do you want to accomplish by wearing a dress?

     Kaya: The reason why I wear a dress is because traditionally, a female wears a dress and a male wears pants. I don’t like these traditional values that have been set. I think it’s fine if an old man wears a dress. If they want to wear it, then fine, they should. Anyone should be able to wear what they want to wear and by wearing a dress, I’m going out there and showing the world that someone like myself exists. I want to become that bridge, that person that opens up the door for them to say “Oh - someone like this exists, maybe it’s okay for me to do it, too.” That’s the reason why I wear dresses and go on stage and perform.

     JaME: Since image is an important part of your performance as a whole, what is it that you’re aiming to convey visually to your audience? Are the visuals expressing the music or is the music expressing the visuals?

      Kaya: It’s both! The music enhances the visuals and the visuals enhance the music. They come hand in hand, both of them are on the same level expressing ideas that I want to convey.

     Traditionally - since those times when in a genre ruled its pioneers (X Japan, Baiser, etc.) Visual Kei band’s structure includes the vocalist, two guitarists, the bass player and the drummer. In spite of frequent use in a Visual Kei music keyboards and electronics, presence of the keyboard player in a band is an unusual occurrence. At the beginning of formation it’s musical style V-Kei bands borrowed from the western music too much and now use a rich stylistic palette - from the pop to the heavy metal, frequently combining different styles at the same time.

     «As for music - it is so visible that J-Rock copied European rock music, especially first bands. You can say that whole J-Rock began from David Bowie and KISS and if you take a look at first J-Rock bands, "X Japan" for example, you will understand what I am saying!» - tells Jurgita B. (23) from Vilnius (Lithuania)

      There is a large quantity of varieties of the Visual Kei: Neo Visual Kei, Oshare Kei, Nagoya Kei, Angura Kei, Kurafu Kei, Norumo Kei, etc.

     Almost all V-Kei bands sing in Japanese language as they are cater for their house public.

     «When I see V-Kei bands I think "wow... I don't want my kids to be like them", they looks too showy for me! But I think that they sing good songs sometime» - laughs Michiko Sato (34) from Zama (Japan).

     Lyrics of these songs are too different an exception the themes which have remained from the "Gothic past" (make negative emotions, love, mystic, etc.). There are also the motives connected with personal experiences. In the majority of lyrics the subjects are connected with a specific direction of Visual Kei in which this or that band works. For example, the basic themes of Oshare Kei (e.g. An Cafe) are love, optimism and humor. Nagoya Kei musicians sing, basically, about epidemics, violence and death, frequently use unprintable language.

      «Visual Kei is a style of crazy men and crazy music, they're... well, not normal! Weird as hell, but not because of that they're less interesting. Most people prefer pop but as you listen carefully to the lyrics of J-Rock, it can be really attractive because they show the lyrics of hurtful words, the beauty of the filthiness, the mad world that adults wouldn't understand, the stupidity of humans, etc. When i see a band of J-Rockers, they remind me of underworld fighters, like a group of monsters and humans like... they're devils speaking angelic words!» - tells Kwon Min Jo (19) from Cheju (South Korea).

     Every day more and more people all over the world are taking an interest in new subculture called "Cosplay Kei" or "cosplay" (short for "costume play") centered on wearing costumes like their Japanese idols, imitate conduct of them, chose scenes of public events such as video game shows at dedicated cosplay parties and named themselves like "cosplayers". Some cosplayers buy their costumes from talented designers, while others may spend months creating the perfect cosplay outfit and acquiring skills of design and sewing. And because the costumes are so elaborate, like-minded people gather to see others costumes, show off their own handmade creations, take lots of pictures and possibly participate in best costume contests at different cosplay events.

      «There is an event in France in July named "Japan Expo" where I can see a lot of people dressed like their favorite V-kei bands. And it’s a unique chance to spread Asian culture and many Asian performers come to France on this event. I like bands who are originals and V-kei are!» - writes Léna Conan (17), from Pacé (France).

     Besides numerous festivals in Japan there are a lot of Visual Kei events in Russia (J-Rock Days in St. Petersburg, J-Rock Convention in Moscow), Ukraine (Tori-Fest in Kiev), America (J-Rock Revolution in Los Angeles), Germany, Spain, Mexico, Sweden, Finland, Italy and in other countries.

     «I think it'll be fine if J-music will move to other countries. It's maybe a kind of culture exchange with people all around the world and then they'll be famous in many other countries!» - suppose Erika (19) from Mulhouse (France) and Noah (18) from Boise (Idaho, United States).

     Visual Kei doesn't have any limits either social or political, this music doesn't compare with European or American, doesn’t estimate to the standard settled measures. This is absolutely new, shaking imagination and hearing thing. It has taken a global extent in all over the world in a very short time and persist it now, so it can be only a testimony that proves the quality of this music, of this unique Japanese music, in which even you can be convinced! 
 
 
 
 
 

Ссылки  на используемую литературу и Интернет-ресурсы: 

1. Лесли Чан. Путеводители Томаса Кука. Япония. М.: Издательство ФАИР, 2008. - с.4-6
2. http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_kei
3. http://www.jame-world.com/ru/