Best solo career?

[Camuflagem]

I think it is a bit unfair to compare gackt's musical diversity to others -- of this pool. Gackt has like what...8 albums? and the others don't have more than 2 albums ( i don't consider beyond the gate to be an album...it is a mini ). I agree that Gackt is really talented (he would be my second choice in this pool), but he is into a solo career since 1999, he works like crazy, and more work is demanded from him since he is in a Major label . What matters, in the end, is the quality, Gackt has that too, but i think it would be fair to wait until the others release more material to compare their musical diversity?

Just my thoughts.

 

[Priss]

Does Gackt actually write all his music?
I don't think he does, right? I know he does the lyrics, but the music...is sometimes someone else, right?

I think it's pointless to compare any of the artists to one another. They're all doing what they want, and they're all happy with it. Not one is better than the other, it's all based off of personal preference.

Priss

 

[Camuflagem]

No, Gackt writes all music and lyrics.

 

[Berserk]

Gackt has used classical, baroque, rock, heavy metal, speed metal, industrial, pop rock, pop, hip hop, funk, jazz, spanish influences, acoustic, and even "stomp" (Mirror ~7th Night Version). Kozi has always kept a minimal amount of tones with me. Dark and creepy, happy and creepy and.. just plain creepy and strange.

Well wouldn't you agree that that's a testament to who has the stronger artistic vision? I see Gackt as trying to create works that cover musical styles across the board in order to appeal to as many people as possible, whereas Kozi has a specific flavor and a stronger direction.

In interviews during his Malice Mizer days, he talked about "breaking down the frame" of Malice Mizer to create a band that would also be focused on the business aspect of the music industry instead of just the art (look at the Merveilles album; lots of different musical styles, major label, and by far the most popular). I'm not trying to say that he's selling out, but he's never been a musician that was about expressing himself or saying something--he's always labored at music so that he could better than rival musicians. I see this attitude as the focal point of his career, and I think it's less respectable (though not necessarily unrespectable) than those who choose to go through the struggle of really expressing themselves or saying what they want to say.

 

[Formless]

I think it is a bit unfair to compare gackt's musical diversity to others -- of this pool. Gackt has like what...8 albums? and the others don't have more than 2 albums ( i don't consider beyond the gate to be an album...it is a mini ). I agree that Gackt is really talented (he would be my second choice in this pool), but he is into a solo career since 1999, he works like crazy, and more work is demanded from him since he is in a Major label . What matters, in the end, is the quality, Gackt has that too, but i think it would be fair to wait until the others release more material to compare their musical diversity?

Just my thoughts.

A good idea, and after reading that, I agree. Kozi though, does have quite a diversity for only two albums. But what I was trying to make clear was that Gackt has many styles instead of the two that he was unfairly grouped into.

@Berserk: I don't think Gackt is so shallow as to just work at his music to be better than others. I think Gackt isn't so concerned with expressing himself, but more like telling a story and creating artistic music rather than showing himself through music. That said, Gackt did talk about the business thing during M+M, like you said, but I really don't think he's so shallow as to only make music to beat out others.

 

[Berserk]

@Berserk: I don't think Gackt is so shallow as to just work at his music to be better than others. I think Gackt isn't so concerned with expressing himself, but more like telling a story and creating artistic music rather than showing himself through music. That said, Gackt did talk about the business thing during M+M, like you said, but I really don't think he's so shallow as to only make music to beat out others.

Well I think it would have been more accurate for me to say that the need to prove himself was the strongest driving force behind his entering the field of music, and that that attitude is still what's behind a lot of his career choices. I agree in that I doubt anyone would base their life's career around trying to be better than others.

 

[Camuflagem]

@Berserk: I don't think Gackt is so shallow as to just work at his music to be better than others. I think Gackt isn't so concerned with expressing himself, but more like telling a story and creating artistic music rather than showing himself through music. That said, Gackt did talk about the business thing during M+M, like you said, but I really don't think he's so shallow as to only make music to beat out others.

Well I think it would have been more accurate for me to say that the need to prove himself was the strongest driving force behind his entering the field of music, and that that attitude is still what's behind a lot of his career choices. I agree in that I doubt anyone would base their life's career around trying to be better than others.

I agree with Kazuo~ Gackt works with concepts just like MM did, if you read his interviews you will see that he is building quite a huge concept for Moon; Moon project includes Moon, Crescent, Moon child, Diabolos, and it did not end yet. They all have connected histories in different moments of the same timeline.

Regarding the part that he wants to compete with others, i think it is OK. It is just part of his personality, and you don't have to like him as a person to enjoy his music, i think.

 

[rizumu]

Gackt has used classical, baroque, rock, heavy metal, speed metal, industrial, pop rock, pop, hip hop, funk, jazz, spanish influences, acoustic, and even "stomp" (Mirror ~7th Night Version). Kozi has always kept a minimal amount of tones with me. Dark and creepy, happy and creepy and.. just plain creepy and strange.

Well wouldn't you agree that that's a testament to who has the stronger artistic vision? I see Gackt as trying to create works that cover musical styles across the board in order to appeal to as many people as possible, whereas Kozi has a specific flavor and a stronger direction.

In interviews during his Malice Mizer days, he talked about "breaking down the frame" of Malice Mizer to create a band that would also be focused on the business aspect of the music industry instead of just the art (look at the Merveilles album; lots of different musical styles, major label, and by far the most popular). I'm not trying to say that he's selling out, but he's never been a musician that was about expressing himself or saying something--he's always labored at music so that he could better than rival musicians. I see this attitude as the focal point of his career, and I think it's less respectable (though not necessarily unrespectable) than those who choose to go through the struggle of really expressing themselves or saying what they want to say.

I don't think so. You're making assumptions across the board that Gackt doesn't write music to express himself but to be competitive. I would argue he left Malice Mizer precisely because he had a desire to express himself. And I would say that most artists that cater to the mainstream are not as stylistically diverse as Gackt, nor is being diverse a sign of that.

I mean, he's driven, obviously. That's why he's risen to the top and achieved so much. I agree with what Kazuo said about Gackt being more creative than expressing himself personally.

 

[Hime]

Kaya in my opinion.

I waited for so long to have him back and when it happened I was happy...and the music is, well I find it even better than SS, though I try not to compare those two, for they're both important to me.

 

[Formless]

Mana would have the best solo career.. if he tossed in guitar solos and made M10M a power black metal band. XD

 

[Miwu]

Mana would have the best solo career.. if he tossed in guitar solos and made M10M a power black metal band. XD

Thank god M10M is not like that '-_-

 

[Formless]

Mana would have the best solo career.. if he tossed in guitar solos and made M10M a power black metal band. XD

Thank god M10M is not like that '-_-

Sadly enough though, I think Mana is going for a black metal band. With the death vocals, blastbeats, speedy double bass and shredding.. he's attempting it, but just isn't quite making it. The lack of guitar solos is what really bores me with M10M. It would make the music so much more epic. Right now, M10M just comes off as a high school metal band to me. :\

 

[Miwu]

Mana would have the best solo career.. if he tossed in guitar solos and made M10M a power black metal band. XD

Thank god M10M is not like that '-_-

Sadly enough though, I think Mana is going for a black metal band. With the death vocals, blastbeats, speedy double bass and shredding.. he's attempting it, but just isn't quite making it. The lack of guitar solos is what really bores me with M10M. It would make the music so much more epic. Right now, M10M just comes off as a high school metal band to me. :\

Ah, maybe Mana realizes to do more guitar solos in the future. But I hope he keeps the "elegant" part of the music there.

 

[Formless]

Mana would have the best solo career.. if he tossed in guitar solos and made M10M a power black metal band. XD

Thank god M10M is not like that '-_-

Sadly enough though, I think Mana is going for a black metal band. With the death vocals, blastbeats, speedy double bass and shredding.. he's attempting it, but just isn't quite making it. The lack of guitar solos is what really bores me with M10M. It would make the music so much more epic. Right now, M10M just comes off as a high school metal band to me. :\

Ah, maybe Mana realizes to do more guitar solos in the future. But I hope he keeps the "elegant" part of the music there.

Of course. That's what would make it so unique. Seth's vocals with the M10M sound, while not entirely original, would rock alongside some nice guitar solos. I always wonder why Mana hasn't used them.

 

[Miwu]

Ah, maybe Mana realizes to do more guitar solos in the future. But I hope he keeps the "elegant" part of the music there.

Of course. That's what would make it so unique. Seth's vocals with the M10M sound, while not entirely original, would rock alongside some nice guitar solos. I always wonder why Mana hasn't used them.

Well let's see what Mana is going to do in the future then. Possibly (hopefully?) something like that.

 

[Camuflagem]

I think that the really key feature in m10m music is this constant balance between Elegance and Aggressiveness. I think that he likes to keep things well balanced, that's why he didn't went too far into the black or trash metal path.

 

[Lem]

Mana would have the best solo career.. if he tossed in guitar solos and made M10M a power black metal band. XD

That would make me a happy little girl xD

I have to say though, I aggree some guitar solos would be nice. Yet not that thing he did before Pessimiste in the Scars of Sabbath DVD or I would burn his CDs. I don't count that as a guitar solo

 

[Kirrus]

I don't know, really. I was hasty and picked Kaya, but then again, I don't think so Gackt, maybe? Or Közi?
They all have their strong and weak points in their solo careers so I don't want to decide just yet. Or ever.

I have my doubts about my outlook of the Moi dix Mois in the future. I usually don't like metal music or anything like it, so it was a big surprise for me that I grew to like Moi dix Mois. After it, I started to listen to other bands that make a little heavier music I was used to.
The way Moi dix Mois was and is now really pleases me, but if it goes further and further to sounding like a (death) metal band, I don't know what I'll do. Probably I will stop listening to it. What catches my attention is every kind of progressive band, so the further it goes from the point "progressive" the less I'm likely to like them.

 

[Berserk]

I don't think so. You're making assumptions across the board that Gackt doesn't write music to express himself but to be competitive. I would argue he left Malice Mizer precisely because he had a desire to express himself. And I would say that most artists that cater to the mainstream are not as stylistically diverse as Gackt, nor is being diverse a sign of that.

I mean, he's driven, obviously. That's why he's risen to the top and achieved so much. I agree with what Kazuo said about Gackt being more creative than expressing himself personally.

Alright, I'm seeing a few misunderstandings/miscommunications here, so I'll list them off:
1. I didn't say that he doesn't write music to express himself, but one thing that I personally don't like is what inspires/drives him.
2. I never said (or tried to say) that he catered to the mainstream; in fact I almost said the opposite. I see him trying to cater to as many groups and people as possible within his artistic direction.
3. I think it's wrong to say that his work is more creative than expressing one's self personally, but I understand what you mean about his way of artistic expression.

Also, it's only speculation that Gackt left Malice Mizer. He's said himself that if he could, he would have remained with Malice Mizer; this leads me to speculate that either he wanted to juggle both a solo career and Malice Mizer but M+M made him choose between the two, that he was breaking down the "frame" of Malice Mizer too far and they decided he had to leave, or possibly he's lying and he chose to leave Malice Mizer to pursue this solo career (my only problem with that one is that there's no motive to lie).

 

[rizumu]

I don't think so. You're making assumptions across the board that Gackt doesn't write music to express himself but to be competitive. I would argue he left Malice Mizer precisely because he had a desire to express himself. And I would say that most artists that cater to the mainstream are not as stylistically diverse as Gackt, nor is being diverse a sign of that.

I mean, he's driven, obviously. That's why he's risen to the top and achieved so much. I agree with what Kazuo said about Gackt being more creative than expressing himself personally.

Alright, I'm seeing a few misunderstandings/miscommunications here, so I'll list them off:
1. I didn't say that he doesn't write music to express himself, but one thing that I personally don't like is what inspires/drives him.
2. I never said (or tried to say) that he catered to the mainstream; in fact I almost said the opposite. I see him trying to cater to as many groups and people as possible within his artistic direction.
3. I think it's wrong to say that his work is more creative than expressing one's self personally, but I understand what you mean about his way of artistic expression.

Also, it's only speculation that Gackt left Malice Mizer. He's said himself that if he could, he would have remained with Malice Mizer; this leads me to speculate that either he wanted to juggle both a solo career and Malice Mizer but M+M made him choose between the two, that he was breaking down the "frame" of Malice Mizer too far and they decided he had to leave, or possibly he's lying and he chose to leave Malice Mizer to pursue this solo career (my only problem with that one is that there's no motive to lie).

I understand what you were trying to say better now. ^^;; Even if what inspires/drives him is a desire to be the best more than expressing himself (which I still think you're reading into, as I can't recall him ever saying this), it doesn't really bother me. He's still makes great music, and I still have a pretty high opinion of him.

I misinterpreted what you were saying about his diversity. It's probably also that he has a wide range of tastes and influences so he's not sticking to just one thing, as well as wanting to appeal to many.

And his artistic expression does strike me as that way. I don't get near as much of a sense of who Gackt is personally out of his lyrics as I do from other artists.

Re: Malice Mizer, I agree, we don't know which was the case. I didn't mean to assume anything. But regardless, if he left MM, or if he just wanted a solo career alongside, or if he just wanted to stick to MM (which he was taking more of a creative role in), he was driven to express himself, inside or outside of the band. So yeah, my point on that still stands.