Tales of a Tokio Hotel

While j-rock is my go-to, always dependable mix on my iPod, occasionally I wake up to the fact that the radio isn't a black hole of manufactured pop music, and on most good days I can find something new to spark my interests.  Even so, these past two holiday seasons I've stumbled upon music I knew I should have been listening to for quite some time, and just never picked up.  Last year, it was Paramore and Flyleaf.  This year it's Tokio Hotel.



I originally discovered them in Europe when I bought a copy of Rock One magazine as a souvenir (well, it came with a sampler CD, calendar, stickers, and Ruki was on the cover, so it wasn't such a random purchase XD). The main article was about their most recent tour at the time, and they were promoting their live DVD release of Zimmer 483.  They'd yet to hit America and their eclectic style really made me take notice, since I couldn't read much of the French article.  While Bill has the more punk rock vibe, his brother Tom has a decidedly more hip hop look about him.  But the clash here works to their advantage, their unique personas balancing each other out perfectly.

Not long after, they were featured in an American fashion magazine (pretty sure it was Vogue) upon their US debut in an article mapping out goth/emo/punk inspirations that were taking over the runways at the time.  I checked out a couple of songs then, mostly in their native German, but left my search at that.  Occasionally they would pop up on my fashion radar while flipping through magazines, but the few songs I had procured lingered on the lost playlists on my iPod, until recently I decided to revisit them and give "Humanoid" a long overdue listen.



I became hooked.  I instantly fell in love with the pop and elecro-infused "Human Connect to Human", "Love & Death", "Automatic", and "Dogs Unleashed."  After a good solid week of "Humanoid", of which I couldn't get enough, I quickly procured "Scream" and got a feeling for the more punk-rock vibe of their earlier music.  Now I'm in the process of backtracking to find some older releases, especially some more in German.

As far as outfits, they've only gotten better from when I first discovered them in Rock One.  Bill's hair is probably the most epic accessory he has, next to his classic leather jackets and superior bling of heavy chain necklaces he seems to favor.  As for the pieces I really want for myself, Bill's jacked from "Automatic" is high on that list.  Feathers, sequins, and asymmetrical sleeves?  Yes, please.

Images found via Google Image Search

Shades of [Dir en] Grey

The 5 guys of Dir en Grey have come a long way from their visual kei wearing days, and although they've changed quite a bit over the years, their image has remained as tough as ever as they continue to push boundaries with their music.  Their musical style has evolved a lot since the early days of GAUZE, continuously experimenting as they formed their own niche in Japan and the world over.  Even after all these years, there is something captivating about Kyo's guttural screams, the powerful guitar work of Kaoru, Die, and Toshiya, and Shinya's drums that I can't stay away from.

Their show at Irving Plaza this past week showed just how strong they are today as they were when they began.  (Not to mention the RIOTOUS crowd that gathered around the stage helps to prove this point!)  Although I had to leave the show early, the few new songs I heard were typical DEG flavor; Kyo screaming at the top of his lungs (and then some) Kaoru and Toshiya rocking out on our end of the stage, and Shinya banging happily on his drums at the back.  Never has unleashing all that pent up anger looked so beautiful and done in such style.

Ah, Diru is great, I cannot wait for their next show!  They are a powerful force that cannot be stopped and all the more appreciated when seen live.

The opening act was a welcome surprise, the Birthday Massacre!  This Canadian Gothic rock group enchants with beautiful yet haunting vocals and metal background.  They were the perfect warm up for DEG in my opinion and a special treat!  Think Evanescence to start with, but they have their own unique style that sets them apart and makes them a strong act in their own right. 

Rock the Halls- SuG and ViViD x Jury Black

On a recent splurge of Japanese fashion magazines (long overdue!), I found this feature spread in MIX -rock style magazine- that made it a must have in my collection.  From what I can tell, Jury Black looks like a men's fashion brand that caters to visual kei and street style tastes in Japan, and here they showcase collaborations with both SuG and ViViD for Autumn/Winter 2011.  The looks are stiking and completely wearable, with a great mix of textured fabrics, plus lots of leopard!

Takeru of SuG

Chiyu and Takeru of SuG

I love SuG's performance style as well as their music, so finding this was a special treat!  I kind of want the leopard bag Takeru's got, and his "vampire hoodie".

On the other hand, I hate to say I don't know much musically about ViViD, but their styling here is pretty amazing, and makes me want to know more.  I'm especially loving Ko-ki's cosmic print pants and the boucle jacket below.

Ko-ki of ViViD

What's not to love about allover leopard?

Be inspired!  Check out the Juy Black web site here.  Even if you can't read Japanese, it's worth a look around at all of their products!

All scans from MIX- Rock Style Magazine

Black & White

(Image found via Google Image Search)

Ok, I'm on a GazettE kick, and I'm not apologizing for it. 

Whoever is in charge of outfitting these five guys is earning their paycheck.  This is a look Uruha wore at the end of last year for the Nameless Liberty Finale at the Tokyo Dome, and I re-discovered it recently.  Isn't it striking?  I'm very tempted to make this, or something like it.  My favorite part is those contrasting lace up armbands, but take those off and flatten down the collar, and you've got a perfectly marketable, edgy leather vest.  I mean, can't you see someone like Rick Owens or Balmain doing something like this?