Just for fun...
Jan. 13th, 2009 12:01 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
ntkufreak.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
gackt_armyPop quiz!
You're sitting on the bus talking to someone who is friendly but you don't know too well. Conversation turns to music and through talking about different genres, eventually it comes out that you're a fan of the J-rock and pop star, Gackt. "What was his name? Gaaachkt?" your conversation partner skeptically asks. Patient as always, you repeat, yes, Gackt. He's been in the business for about ten years on his own, is known for throwing epic concerts that he pays for by endorsing mints, credit cards, and beauty clinics, among other things.
"Sounds interesting," this person muses, now intrigued, but not yet sold on the Mad Aristocrat's influence. "Who does he sound like?" You reply that he's got quite a variety of songs out there.
"Well," they answer, "Do you have an MP3 player?" Sure enough, you do, your trusty iPod (or Zune, for the Microsoft lot out there) is freshly charged, and you have Gackt's entire library - legally acquired, of course - at your disposal (including "Justified" and "Ghost"), though you do not have any of his PVs.
"I have to get off soon, but let me listen to one of his songs. I like all types of music."
You have exactly enough time to play one song to spread the goodness of Gackt and appeal to the heart and ear of this unsuspecting new listener. Which song do you pick of Gackt's solo career to best demonstrate Gackt's musical prowess and appeal? Be sure to specify which version, for instance if it's a song like "Oasis" which is on both the MARS and Sixth Day albums - we'll also pretend you have nine*nine, so you can pick any of the DVD versions of a song, as well. For scenario's sake, this person doesn't seem to speak Japanese.
I was tempted by both "Vanilla" (MARS) and "Justified" actually, but I think I would have to pick "Returner~Yami no Shuuen." Returner is not actually my favorite song, but I think it is one of the songs that best encompasses the range of Gackt's musical ability. The falsetto is there, it has the alternating loud and soft dynamics that are typical of him (especially in the beginning), and if you pretend you've never heard "mind forest" before, to me it sounds incredibly unique from most rock music I've heard, and the instrumentals especially remind me of the Japanese Sengoku era the song is set in. His vocals are beautiful: he yells without having to shriek or scream (not that this is very typical of him anyway), he whispers, he calls out in his lovely high range. Certainly memorable!
Though I do have to add, if the song could be one not of Gackt's career, I would be tempted to play "Kagero" of Chachamaru's "Air" album!
You're sitting on the bus talking to someone who is friendly but you don't know too well. Conversation turns to music and through talking about different genres, eventually it comes out that you're a fan of the J-rock and pop star, Gackt. "What was his name? Gaaachkt?" your conversation partner skeptically asks. Patient as always, you repeat, yes, Gackt. He's been in the business for about ten years on his own, is known for throwing epic concerts that he pays for by endorsing mints, credit cards, and beauty clinics, among other things.
"Sounds interesting," this person muses, now intrigued, but not yet sold on the Mad Aristocrat's influence. "Who does he sound like?" You reply that he's got quite a variety of songs out there.
"Well," they answer, "Do you have an MP3 player?" Sure enough, you do, your trusty iPod (or Zune, for the Microsoft lot out there) is freshly charged, and you have Gackt's entire library - legally acquired, of course - at your disposal (including "Justified" and "Ghost"), though you do not have any of his PVs.
"I have to get off soon, but let me listen to one of his songs. I like all types of music."
You have exactly enough time to play one song to spread the goodness of Gackt and appeal to the heart and ear of this unsuspecting new listener. Which song do you pick of Gackt's solo career to best demonstrate Gackt's musical prowess and appeal? Be sure to specify which version, for instance if it's a song like "Oasis" which is on both the MARS and Sixth Day albums - we'll also pretend you have nine*nine, so you can pick any of the DVD versions of a song, as well. For scenario's sake, this person doesn't seem to speak Japanese.
I was tempted by both "Vanilla" (MARS) and "Justified" actually, but I think I would have to pick "Returner~Yami no Shuuen." Returner is not actually my favorite song, but I think it is one of the songs that best encompasses the range of Gackt's musical ability. The falsetto is there, it has the alternating loud and soft dynamics that are typical of him (especially in the beginning), and if you pretend you've never heard "mind forest" before, to me it sounds incredibly unique from most rock music I've heard, and the instrumentals especially remind me of the Japanese Sengoku era the song is set in. His vocals are beautiful: he yells without having to shriek or scream (not that this is very typical of him anyway), he whispers, he calls out in his lovely high range. Certainly memorable!
Though I do have to add, if the song could be one not of Gackt's career, I would be tempted to play "Kagero" of Chachamaru's "Air" album!
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