Trimming Roses

I still can't believe that after so many years — has it really been seven! — Dir en grey can still reach out and touch me like nobody else can.

Pure audio orgasm.

Toshiya, sweetie, what did you do to your hair?!

Dir en grey performed Glass Skin live. On Japanese television. Gasp, they still remember that they have a fanbase there? Not as cringe-worthy as I thought it would be. But remember when Toshiya used to look good?
Well peep this, yo. (Warning: eyes may burn)

Double you. Tee. Eff. At least Shinya still drums like a champ.

And for all the Dir en grey fans who want to bitch about how I should care about the music and not how the band looks, um.....lick my left nut. I've probably stuck with them longer than all your prepubescent pubic hairs combined.

Honestly, the song's okay, but I know what the boys are capable of, and this just isn't it.

Also, I just spent an inordinate amount of money (like, largest sum EVAR by far), and I'm feeling grumpy because of how depleted my bank account is going to be for the next few years. How is it that the older I get, the more money I make, the more money I spend? I hate having to borrow from the Bank of Mom and Dad.

"Let's play some hockey"

Trey Songz ft. Plies - "Can't help but wait"

Dir en grey's new PV was released earlier this week for the "Glass Skin" single. Disappointing? Not anymore. Bland? yes. Awful music video? As expected. I dunno, you people should give it a go and see what you think. And that is all the mention that Dir en grey deserves for this song on this post.

More importantly, local indie band Speed of Service has written a tune in a bid to be the next Hockey Night in Canada theme. It's a catchy jingle!

What makes it better than the rest? For one, there's a theme running through the whole thing. It's catchy and memorable, something which the other contestants didn't seem to pick up on. Also, for running a scant minute and some, I think there's a great rockin' vibe that brings the listener through all the necessary stages for some serious pumped-upness.

The downfall? I'm personally not a fan of the lyrics. I think the whole thing would've been better purely instrumental, but again, the vocals seems to be unique to Speed of Service. Who knows, it could be the shot in the arm to set them apart!

If you care about the intro for your Saturday night, take a second to vote.

Alaskan pictures (the ones not on Facebook!) will be posted as soon as I get a few minutes to sit down and sift through them all. The trip was everything I thought it would be and more. The best part? Being 100% myself for such a prolonged period of time. I never realized how often I wear the corporate face, or the friendship face, or the family face. I think I was born to be antisocial.

hide memmorial summit parte deux

-Thanks, Nat!

Forget the no name Saturday lineup. Holy stacked Sunday, Batman! Mucc, D'espairsRay and the Big Three all for only 14,800 yen!? That's a crazy deal.

Personal restrictions stop me from making it :( but if anyone's going, I want to hear about it. And 'cause the Yosh is sure to have overpriced recordings, posters, and other paraphernelia, I'll be sure to snag a DVD or something. Or, I'll watch it on YouTube, 'cause I'm cool and cheap like that.

hide memorial summit

muzak: Enchanter - "love song"

Thanks to Sanspo.com for this:

平成１０年に急死し、５月２日に１０周忌を迎えるＸ　ＪＡＰＡＮのギタリスト、ｈｉｄｅさん（本名松本秀人、享年３３）の追悼イベントが同月３、 ４日に東京都調布市の味の素スタジアムで行われることが２０日、分かった。Ｘ　ＪＡＰＡＮによる初の追悼公演で、メンバー全員が参加。さらにＬＵＮＡ　 ＳＥＡ、Ｄｉｒ　ｅｎ　ｇｒｅｙら約２０組が集結し、１０万人を動員する。

　死して１０年、１０万人もの人々が、ｈｉｄｅさんの魂を慕って集う一大式典が行われる。

　Ｘ　ＪＡＰＡＮの関係者によると、ｈｉｄｅさんの実弟、松本裕士さんの主催でＹＯＳＨＩＫＩがプロデュース。ｈｉｄｅさんの命日である５月２日に続く３、４日に東京・味の素スタジアムで開催し、２日間で約１０万人を動員する。

　タイトルは「ｈｉｄｅ　ｍｅｍｏｒｉａｌ　ｓｕｍｍｉｔ」。“サミット”の名にふさわしくＸ　ＪＡＰＡＮのメンバー全員のほか、ＬＵＮＡ　ＳＥＡ、Ｄｉｒ　ｅｎ　ｇｒｅｙ、Ｔ．Ｍ．Ｒｅｖｏｌｕｔｉｏｎらビッグネームが続々参集。２日間で延べ約２０組が競演する。

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Roughly translated:

Ten years after the death of hide, Yoshiki has finally grown the balls to have a memorial summit in his hide's honour. The absoloutely crazybone event will be a 2-day bonanza, with Luna Sea and Dir en grey and about 20 artists in total.

X Japan. Luna Sea. Dir en grey. *twitch*

After I finished having a seizure, I decided that I should take my Asia trip this year. And be in Tokyo around May 3 and 4. I don't care if this is just another one of Yoshiki's cash grabs, the lineup is what's important here. The lineup!

As a side note: why 10 years after hide's death? According to Babelfish: "But the mental damage of YOSHIKI is large flame failure." I wish Yosh would stop hiding behind this lame excuse for his repeated bombs in the last 10 years. Large flame failure, indeed.

In any case, who cares. X Japan. Luna Sea. Dir en grey. How much do you think tickets will be? And who wants to go?

*twitch*

self-indulgence

muzak: Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova - "Falling slowly"

I made a foray into the world of amateur modeling this past weekend to pimp out my friend's fashionistic creations. Prancing around Queen St. wearing nothing but a kimono in March weather was kinda cold. But sorta fun.

So here I am helping Jess pimp out her clothing line, fRuit*D*dIEnamite (holy arbitrary capitalization!). Oh, who am I kidding, I'm pimping myself out at the same time. It tickles my feminine senses to have pictures of myself where I don't look like a complete bum.

All clothing except jeans are by Jess

Can't forget the makeup and hair done by Sofie

-thanks, Ksenija!

I think I'm the most cheerful goth evar. Check out the crazy giant bow stuck on my ass! I love it so much, I'm smiling in every picture!

P.S. did anyone notice the new musical rotation on the sidebar?

cupid's musical arrows

CBCnews.ca released a list of all-time heart-wrenching love songs for the masses. They're mostly old songs, circa 1940-1979. The newer releases are unknown to me and I figure they're from indie bands because, you know, listening to indie artists makes you automatically cool. I can just see the writer putting on his beret and tinted shades as he strokes his goatee. In the sterile walls of his cubicle.

Well, CBC, I beg to differ.

For the young people out there who don't remember the Tiananmen Square massacre, but do remember when Michael Jackson was still black, here's my list of top 10 cupid inspired tunes.

• Bon Jovi - Always : absolutely classic. Sure it's creepy and stalkerish, but if you ignore all the obsessive undertones, the song is a work of art.
• Celine Dion - My Heart Will Go On : call me cliche and a teeny bopper. Eleven years later, this song still makes me picture doomed lovers sinking and I'm all "noooo, Leo!".
• Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You : how could this not be included? I get chills listening. Whitney's gargantuan windpipes and finely tuned vocal chords make for goosebumpy goodness. And I'm told it's played at almost every wedding. Surefire love song right there.
• Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody : I heard this one before I saw Ghost. I loved it the first time I heard it, and I still do. The various remakes don't even come close to doing it justice.
• Mariah Carey & BoyzIImen - One Sweet Day : this duet was made for the pages. The simple fact that Mariah can overpower four dudes is amazing. The two artists actually complement and push each other to higher harmonial ground rather than compete with one another. The result? One of the best duets evar.
  
• X Japan - Forever Love : my ode to J-rock. To me, X still reigns as one of the founding fathers of visual rock. Although the song is instrumentally simple, Toshi's testicless vocals make for some tear-jerking music.
• Berlin - Take My Breath Away : What would a love song list be without the Top Gun theme? Jessica Simpson needs to GTFO. Terri Nunn's breathy vocals and energy-charged presence more than make up for Simpson's vapid use of see-thru camis and self-carressing.
  
• Davy Jones - Your Personal Penguin : A dear friend sent this song to me last year. I usually don't like cheesy kid songs. But this one was different. It was just so heartwarming and simple. Like having hot chocolate and sitting by the fire after making a snowman. It takes me back to my days of Robert Munsch and Shel Silverstein. But in song form.
• Tattle Tale - Glass Vase Cello Case : The lyrics definitely aren't a selling point to this song, but who can say no to acoustic guitars and violins? A crazy climax ensues in the middle with its whirlwind ferocity before settling back into its original theme.
• Destiny's Child - Emotion : Okay, maybe this is the antithesis of a love song, but for once, Destiny's Child was able to knock me off my feet. The motown-style harmony and completely relatable lyrics makes me want to curl up into a ball and cry. Props to them.

I was tempted to throw in Dir en grey's Namamekishiki et al. unplugged version for the same reason as Destiny's Child, but decided that it was just too far off base. So dir gets an honourable mention instead.

Happy manufactured holiday, all! The point is to spend it with someone you love. I spent the evening having a delicious Valentine's dinner with my dad.