why weren't Malice Mizer well known in japan?

[navate]

I think "well known" is deceptive. Malice Mizer was the biggest band in a very isolated and publically-ignored genre, from what I've understood. Obviously if you don't pay attention to the genre, you won't have heard of them.

Hell, come on. I live in America and am surrounded by popular music. But I don't pay any attention to it because I don't care. I followed visual kei and nothing else. I can't follow along at all when my friends talk about normal, well known bands. And even then--the bands might be well known to them, but that doesn't mean the next clique or the next school or grade knows or cares about them. You can't just say Malice Mizer wasn't well-known. I think they were very well known and appreciated, where it counted. What more do you want?

 

[nekoi]

I don't know if you are being sarcastic or not, but if so, polls mean nothing in the long run. I am sure you didn't gather any significant numbers nor did you take it to say Osaka or Kobe or or, you get the picture

I was being serious, but I didn't do the poll seriously, only out of interest with very few random people I met within a certain area; so I'm sorry that I made it sound so serious.^^;; I may have exagurated.

 

[BloodBlack]

Ok,
I realize I am NOT THE NORM in this but:
I follow music, all of it, even bands I don't like. I always had this dumb idea that I could be a music journalist someday and I find the topic is so fascinating. So me, I am aware of popular music, I read alot of music mags and no, I don't like Bowling for Soup at all but I am aware of them and what they are doing. Its just me tho. I know some people don't care at all.

Which brings me to another point I want to ask about.
PLEASE do not think I am flaming/trolling/anything, I am asking this the NICEST way possible

HOW do you follow only one type of music? Doesn't it get boring after a while? I'd go bizonkers if I only heard one style or genre of music day in and day out. YES I know not all Jbands sound alike but I think you get my questions. Discuss Or, move this to another topic ^^;

 

[faith]

because Vis Kei is not a sound, but a style. Like, compare Velvet Eden to Malice or Dir en Grey...

Though I don't just listen to Vis Kei. Recently, I've been really into whatever it was that my friend gave me...some girl from 10 or 15 years ago...maybe. He said he listened to it in high school, but I don't know how old he is yet >_<

 

[navate]

HOW do you follow only one type of music? Doesn't it get boring after a while? I'd go bizonkers if I only heard one style or genre of music day in and day out. YES I know not all Jbands sound alike but I think you get my questions. Discuss Or, move this to another topic ^^;

On the contrary, it just so happens that the music that falls into the "style" (not sound, as Faith pointed out) of VK is the only kind of music that doesn't bore me, because it's so varied and the visual elements make my artsy heart flutter with joy. If I list the VK bands I love most--Malice Mizer, Moi dix Mois, Dir en grey, Vidoll, Amadeus, Rentrer en Soi, Schwarz Stein, Onmyoza--they're worlds apart in terms of sound AND visual style. Which is why I adore VK so much.

Also, despite the fact that these bands are pretty different in sound, I can still go on a Dir en grey kick and listen to nothing but them for several days, until I suddenly switch over to something soft and pretty like Tori Amos (probably the only non-VK artists I really love). I'm a very concentrated person. If I don't care about something, it doesn't exist, and if I like something a lot it's hard for me to ever get enough of it. I know many people need variation, but... everyone's different, and I don't. :] I've actually had to force myself to open up to more visual kei, but I'm still finding that within the VK genre--if you can call it a genre--I'm finding all I really need to hear.

 

[BloodBlack]

I totally respect how you are, but I can't be like that all.

To give you an idea, I can listen to a Duran Duran mp3 right now and the next song I'll play is a Smashing pumpkins song. Then from there I will load up De La Soul. So you see, I like variety, all the time.

In my opinion, its like what they say, "Travel broadens the mind..." listening to different music like that. but in no way shape or form do I think you are bad or wrong. Just my 2 pence ^^;

 

[faith]

but that's what we're saying...

doing that is just like listening to vis kei, since it's by nature such a genre of whimsey to begin with Kyou and his whimsey...

 

[navate]

Yeah, I'd say going from Schwarz Stein's "Last Hallucination" to Deg's "GARBAGE" is pretty, uh, varied. ;D

 

[DViant]

Hmm, I have many friends in Japan who know who Malice Mizer was, but they are mostly Gackt fans who now have no idea about the whereabouts of any other member. I think Malice is a very underground thing, like america's Rocky Horror Picture Show, tons of people; but in the deep, dark shadows! I am not sure why Malice would not be known, it's an enigma to me. :?

 

[Formless]

Hmm, I have many friends in Japan who know who Malice Mizer was, but they are mostly Gackt fans who now have no idea about the whereabouts of any other member. I think Malice is a very underground thing, like america's Rocky Horror Picture Show, tons of people; but in the deep, dark shadows! I am not sure why Malice would not be known, it's an enigma to me. :?

Then apparently, you haven't been reading this thread. o_o

And Rocky Horror being underground? Hardly, especially when being marketed as "cool" by Hot Topic (ew).

 

[toshiro]

XD <3 Rocky Horror. I'd hardly say it's underground here, then again... I don't live in America...

 

[navate]

It's not underground in America. More or less a cult movie, surely, but most people will have heard of it and/or seen it (if only in part).

 

[faith]

my uncle made me watch it when I was 12 ^^

anyway...I'm not sure how this relates to anything. Rocky has clubs at most schools on the east coast.