I'm not the most loyal of music fans by a long stretch; in fact I tend to go through phases of the type of music I like to listen to. In the past 12 months or so I have gone through Korean pop, English power metal, Nightwish (how do I classify them?), Chinese rap, Industrial, Korean R&B, Massive Attack & Muse (I have no idea where to place the 2 of them), American country, J-pop, and then Korean girl pop. So, now I find myself being drawn back to JRock and Visual Kei, which I haven't seriously listened to in years. I've started to listen to my Dir En Grey stuff again, some Gackt (you know, I tend to forget just how good he really is, because Gackt the Entertainer tend to overwhelm everything he does), Miyavi (OMFG! He just breaks my mind at times), Oblivion Dust (I like them I just don't love them, but they make some very interesting pieces), and then by some accident I discovered VAMPS.

Anyway, this whole side-trip led me back to Dir En Grey and Kagrra, and some late 80s, early 90s Visual Kei that was original, amazing and so awesome for its time but isn't anymore. I think the last true VK bands were Dir En Grey and Kagrra, and all these new bands makes me realise just how generic they are now, not really contributing anything to the evolution of Visual Kei. Except, well, except Miyavi is doing these amazing things that I can't even really articulate because he is asking questions and doing all these music that while I may not like feels as if he is pushing for something more. Like he is trying to make music that is unique, and I'm 100% behind that.

After much nostalgia and waving my little 'VK' flag I accidentally discovered SKIN. And babyjesusmaryandjoseph, a band that includes Yoshiki, Gackt, Miyavi and Sugizo; if this is not a sign on Yoshiki and Gackt's part to take over the world I don't know what else it can be. EXCEPT it is 2009 and there isn't even an ALBUM yet! Somebody make Yoshiki produce it; Gackt please make this happen! I love Yoshiki because it is kind of difficult not to love somebody who pretty much made Visual Kei main stream, and opened the door for so many talented musicians, but at the same time it is pretty damn obvious that Yoshiki has been stuck in this really strange head space where he can't seem to make music for himself. There is intent behind this band I just hope it can realise it fully.

Off to watch more Gackt.

ETA: I like Gackt, I can see why people would find him hot, I honestly cannot handle thinking about Gackt and sex. It hurts. My love for Gackt is strangely asexual; I find him hilarious, and often than not I'm in awe of him, but I just can't handle the sexual aspect of it. MIND BREAK.