8/11/2013

Part 2 of an Interview with KAMIJO from URE PIA Souken

Hey gang!

Well...we got part 2 of the interview for you as translated by Arianne and I hope that you all will enjoy this part as this one actually isn't as long as the last...its actually quite short in comparison!Q

Enjoy!

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Part 2

- Do you plan releasing the full album and LIVE performances after single will be released?
KAMIJO: I think that album will come out. I’m working at a rate of one single, so I can pour feelings into each song.  I’d like to release (album) as fast as it’s possible, but working according to the principle that I finish songs one after the other.  As for concerts, Versailles’ LIVEs were played fast and based on the two-bass (rhythm), so I think that they were attractive.  That is why I want my solo LIVEs to be more interesting, so I guess I’d like to create a performance that will be different in terms of visuals from Versailles’ ones.
- Some time ago you said about Louis Enketsu no La vie en Rose~』 , that It's a song written with feelings towards the Visual Kei, but it seems that you, KAMIJO-san, have your own, different approach to the Visual Kei scene.
KAMIJO: As for me, firstly Visual Kei is not a genre. I think that these are different titles, which help the musician - having ideas for a variety of other methods – to express him not only through the music.
My first band LAREINE major debuted in year 1999.  At that time, during the Visual Kei boom, there were a lot of great bands with so-called The big four of Visual Kei at the forefront. In such circumstances our LAREINE had a very low position (underground), because we debuted at the end of that boom.  Then came the times in which the scene has become not really impressive and I felt responsible to set an example for my younger colleagues. And it became my propulsion, my power.
The values and feelings, which we took over, which we created, reached not only the audience but I think that also our younger colleagues, who took it over and it became a power that made them start activities on their own.
Of course, I still haven’t changed my style, what are largely thanks to support of my fans.
- Visual Kei gives many possibilities. One of the reasons for which on Visual Kei scene appear new bands is the ease of gaining fans, but there are also cases where active band leaves the stage.
KAMIJO: Visual Kei is inherent to poison.  From the beginning there were many people, who like to stylize for Visual Kei, but doesn’t, for example, metal bands enter the Visual Kei realms when they wear make-up? I have a feeling that lately people think that I will probably become popular (when I’ll put on make-up) ?」.  Now there are more and more good-looking bands. But they can’t escape it. I think that this is good in Visual Kei. Because it has good-looking musicians (laughs).  If you once put on a mask, you won’t be able to take it off (laughs).
But it happens not only to musicians, because Visual Kei has an effect on fans and listeners, who also can’t escape it.
Moments, when you more often think "it's beautiful, it's good-looking" when watching pictures, than when listening to the music, I call Awakening.
I think that there is no other scene so full of toxin.  Neither the metal scene, or punk, or any other drowns so deep in toxin…. That’s why I love it so much.
Of course I want to offer you, who listen to the music, songs, which are not only poisonous, but they also give a life in color of roses. I want roses to fill lives of people, who will listen to the climax of my first solo single’s Louis〜』 lyrics, which says La vie en Rose, I want to color you with bewitching colors.
Moreover, in MV to this song appears Mana-san (MALICE MIZERMoi dix Mois). Mana-san told me the story about world full of roses and he is the one, who introduced this world to me.  And Mana-san being such a teacher appears in my MV, in which I showed the moment of my awakening in Visual Kei, so I think I’d like people watching this MV to keep this in mind and also awake.

For me, meticulously following the example of Visual Kei ends on School of Aesthetics. People, who follow Visual Kei, first of all want to be handsome, beautiful and more impressive than anyone else – such feelings are born in them – and I think that this is exactly the soul of Visual Kei.  Mana-san, being my teacher, told me Why there must be so few bands to which fit roses? .  Thinking of making the revolution together I invited him, and this time we will perform together.

A new addition to the US Street Team's attack

Hey gang!

So tonight Tori and I started a podcast for the US Street Team.  I think the show went pretty well if I do say so myself and I think Tori would agree with this as well.

Here's the thing:  We want to do better!

Tonight's show was a good start I think as a "pilot episode" but as we move on we want more interaction amongst the members.  Here is the link to the first episode Tori and I did tonight

US KAMIJO Street Team Podcast #1

Our podcasts will be done on Saturday Nights at 11:00 PM unless someone has a better suggestion.  The main reason it has to be that late is because right now the account I use doesn't have a premium member status so any "early" times like 7-9 PM aren't available to me.  We also are doing them on Saturdays to examine the numbers from the week as far as the sales of the single as well as keep tabs on JUPITER's standing in the US so that we have a plan of attack to use with promoters and whatnot.  I'm looking forward to hearing from you guys next Saturday and in the coming weeks for the show because we want your participation and support friends.

I hope to see you all there

Joshua Curtis
amisbro@gmail.com
skype:  Amisbro

8/09/2013

An update on the "Classical Element" release date mixup

Hey guys!

Well I got some news for you guys concerning a mixup that happened earlier in the day that was discovered by my friend Arianne from the Poland Street Team.

Earlier today on tumblr it was discovered by our friend Arianne (second-fear on tumblr) that there was a date change of 8/13/2013 for the release date of "Classical Element" on JUPITER's discography.  I decided to go checking around for the US Amazon store as well as CDJapan to see if there was in fact any known date change and there wasn't.  The homepage of Jupiter's website reflected the original release date of 8/28/2013 so there is no confusion as there was earlier.

For those that want to see what I'm talking about here's the link to the image on "second-fear"'s tumblr blog

http://second-fear.tumblr.com/image/57797787112

and here's the link to the corrected date as it stands now:

http://jupiter.jp.net/disco/

Its a bit worrysome that there was an error like this in the first place BUT what can you do right?

Have good one friends

Joshua L. Curtis
(skype:  Amisbro)

NOTE:  I know that this is more of a "JUPITER" news flash but since this kind of falls under the "Versailles" umbrella I figured I would include it as such on this blog

8/07/2013

Part 1 of an Interview with KAMIJO from URE PIA Souken

NOTE:  This interview was translated by my friend Arianne from the Poland Street Team with my help checking for errors.  The two places I am posting this are here and my tumblr.  If there's any corrections I missed I apologize but this is the best I could do for her.

Have fun

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Solo debut of KAMIJO, the young nobleman from School of Aesthetics! Brilliant story about the charm of Visual Kei full of poison
Interview: Fujitani Chiaki
Translation: Ariane
Corrections: Amisbro (Joshua Curtis)
Leader of the Visual Kei band called Versailles, Kamijo appears with his solo debut and he also appears in URE PIA Souken!  We made a long interview with him about his solo single bewitching with its aestheticsand about warm love to Visual Kei.
Versailles, the Visual Kei band, which with its beautiful way of perceiving the world was very famous even abroad, followed the concept of Descendants of the Rose.  Leader of the band, KAMIJO-san on the 28th of August will debut with his long awaited solo singleLouis Enketsu no La vie en Rose~』.  And in this kind of mood he visited URE PIA Souken! This interview is about his policy, approach to School of Aesthetics.
- Kamijo-san, what made you think about the solo career, if earlier you have been active in bands?
KAMIJO: Versailles’ hiatus at the end of last year. I didn’t think of any other method, but solo career as the next method to express myself, so from the beginning I was thinking of debuting as a solo artist.
- So didn’t you think about creating a band for example?
KAMIJO:  I’m already in the band Versailles. And I was thinking if I’m good. Excluding Versailles I was playing in a band called LAREINE (major debut in 1999 and went on hiatus in 2007), that’s why I was thinking if I really need any other title in current situation? That’s why under the name KAMIJO Ive started a solo career.
- And your debut single is to be released on 28th of AugustLouis Enketsu no La vie en Rose~』.
KAMIJO: The word Enketsuis a word formation.  It should be understood as The charming color of blood. Because I like France very much, initially the name of a band LAREINE was taken from French word describing QUEEN, so Marie Antoinette. Its similar with Versailles, so all the time I was active (in projects) having the names related to French history. However, obviously KAMIJOisnt related to French language at all. Its Japanese language with its full blast (laugh). Thats why I thought of using Louisas a name for debut single.
- The name Louis brings to mind the king of France, Louis XVI, who was executed during The French Revolution.
KAMIJO: Yes, that’s right. For generations the word Louis was addressed to a king, that’s why I chose this name.  I created the song carrying so many various wishes, which match the scene of Visual Kei.
- Moreover, in addition to main song, B-side tracks GraziosoandGensō trianonon regular edition have been recorded.
KAMIJO: Graziosoin Italian means Elegantly.  This piece is probably the same story as written in Louis〜』, but seen from the other angle, because I think that everyone is living their life in a different way.  And I also ask myself, if I will go through my life in my individual elegant way.  Seems like I simply put my feelings about walking this path into this song.
Gensō trianonis also related to The French Revolution, but I want to entrust the question of what kind of person is the main character? to the listeners.  This song is already one year old and at first its title had to be Maboroshi (Illusion) and Im glad that exactly like if illusion became reality, this song finally was able to see the daylight.
(The end of part 1 of 3)

2/09/2013

Live DVD Update

The Versailles Tour 2012 "Chateau de Versailles" -Final- DVD will be available in stores April 10th! 


Both Regular & Limited Editions are now available for pre-order at CDJapan.

1/26/2013

New release: Live DVD

Recently Versailles has announced the release of a DVD featuring footage from their performance at the NHK Hall December 20th.

1/14/2013

Nominate Versailles for the Shorty Awards!

Fellow Descendants, we need your help! Please join us in nominating Versailles for the Shorty Awards.
Nominate Versailles KAMIJO for a social media award in the Shorty Awards!Nominate Versailles KAMIJO for a social media award in the Shorty Awards
Nominate Versailles(ヴェルサイユ) for a social media award in the Shorty Awards!Nominate Versailles(ヴェルサイユ) for a social media award in the Shorty Awards