Some of you may find yourselves wondering; what is Visual Kei? If you want an answer, then look no further as the-arcade will be bringing you a crash course in the subject, as well as introducing you to some bands you may never have had the pleasure of discovering before.
Visual Kei (or Visual Style) is a movement amongst Japanese musicians, where the clothing, make-up and general image of the band matters just as much as the music, if not more so in some cases. The Visual Kei scene is predominantly filled with male artists and is characterised by the use of striking make-up, flamboyant and eccentric costumes, elaborate hairstyles and oftentimes the utilisation of androgynous aesthetics. The closest relation to Visual Kei in western music would be the likes of glam-rock, punk and occasionally metal.
X Japan in the 1980s
Visual Kei itself has branched off into various sub-categories (or sub-styles) over the years, some of which we will be going into in later articles when we introduce you to various bands. Today, however, we’re going to talk a little about the history of Visual Kei.
Visual Kei first emerged in the 1980’s and was pioneered by bands such as X Japan, D’erlanger, Buck-Tick and Color. The term ‘Visual Kei’ itself was derived from X Japans slogan; “Psychedelic Violence Crime of Visual Shock.” In its early years the Visual Kei scene was known for big hairstyles and oftentimes garish make-up. At the time the music associated with the style was heavy, melodic and pop metal.
X Japan in the 90s, their image had changed but their sound remained the same
Visual Kei was, and remains to this day, an almost entirely Japanese phenomenon despite efforts having been made since the early 90’s to spread its influence to the rest of the world. It was around this time that Visual Kei was at the height of popularity in Japan, with album sales at record levels, competing even with popular J-pop artists of the time. Some of the most notable and successful bands of this time were X Japan, Luna Sea and Glay, though this came with a drastic change in style. The big hairstyles and garish make-up that they had been associated with were replaced with more stylish substitutes. While their images were considered to have become tamer they still retained the ability to stand out, appealing to broader audiences with this change.
It was not until the beginning of the 21st century that the popularity and awareness of Visual Kei would spread worldwide, despite the fact it was declining in popularity in Japan at the time. The decline was punctuated by the death of X Japan’s Hideto Matsumoto (or ‘hide’; written in all capital letters when he was with X Japan and in all lowercase letters in his solo career) and the biggest bands of the time such as X Japan and Luna Sea disbanding.
X Japan and their current image, despite the lose of hide, the band still introduce him at every show!
2006 and 2007 saw the revival of Visual Kei; the beginning of a new wave of Visual Kei bands appearing on the scene. This came, no doubt, as a result of reunion tours from the likes of X Japan and Luna Sea, as well as the international success of L’Arc-en-Ciel. Some of the newer mainstream bands who use the term to describe themselves are Versailles, Nightmare and The Gazette.
The Visual Kei scene has evolved greatly since the era it was born in, with multiple sub-styles having emerged over the years. While many bands now wear suits and other stylish men’s fashions others still adorn themselves in elaborate and intricately detailed costumes. Hairstyles are often still elaborate and oftentimes seem to defy gravity, and a feminine image is more often than not associated with these bands. It is not unusual for a bands image to change with each new release. The style of music varies with each band, though all of them generally adhere to falling under the classification of J-rock.
Next week the @rcade will be heading over to London to see Versailles, one of the most popular Visual Kei bands at the moment, on their second world tour. While cameras are, unfortunately, forbidden, we’ll be sure to bring you a full review of our experience and continue showing you the amazing world of Visual Kei!
Versailles
