(If you just want to read the article just scroll down, this is just my opinion on the on whole thing. Talk about a wake up call @_@; After reading could you spread the article around? I think more people need to be inform of this especially the fans of VK)
Ok, so after reading this article about what really goes on behind the VK scene, I felt like someone just pulled my heart out. You know that feeling you get when you hear some bad news or you just found out you've been lied to? That's how I felt... I still love all my Jrock and Jpop bands, but I can't help but feel so helpless. These are people you don't even know, probably never going to meet, but yet you feel a certain connection through their music. Only through interviews will you ever know more about them. Some of that stuff might be made up to give the band more appeal but we don't care, we just eat it up.
But behind all that makeup, hairspray, and epic outfits lies the dirty secrets within the companies. But most of us already knew that the music industries screw people over a number of times since a lot of them don't have proper knowledge of the industry. Not just in Japan, but all over the world! Just the thought of this sickens me but not enough to give it up. Everything beautiful always has some ugly side to it. Unless you could offer more to the company besides just being in a band, you might not move up. So I guess it helps to have some knowledge of the company and maybe do more then just playing an instrument.
Just the thought of my favorite bands (The GazettE, Versailles, D'spairsRay, etc,.) working long hours every single day, barely getting a break, and getting a shitty paycheck worries me. (They would make more working at a convenience store). You would think they would get more but no. As fans, the only thing we can really do is support them. A lot of bands said that the only time they are truly happy is when they are on stage. Just seeing how their music makes their fans happy is enough to get them through the tough times. They may laugh at the crazy ones but for the ones that care deeply enough about their well-being and continue to support them, now that's a real fan.
Jrock/Jpop opened so many new doors in music for me. After all that s**t that happens to them, the lease we can do is still support them. I'm going to buy their merchandise, and go to their concerts if I can. Crazy no, dedicated yes. They may not know how many people actually care about them as people not just musicians.
Ok, I said my peace for now. Thank you for reading anyways here's the article. It's pretty long but it's very informative and worth the read.
P.S. Yoshiki is pimp and not to be ******** with. He was smart and did other stuff besides X Japan.
Interview with ex-visual kei executive
