Monthly Archives: December 2009

明けましておめでとうございます

Posted by gacktpause on

Before I finish up for 2009….This is more of a Christmas story, I suppose, but somehow the story (and more importantly the video attached to it) seems fitting for both the final night of December, and the final night of 2009.


In Japan it is common to spend Christmas with your most-precious person. However, GACKT once remarked that he remembered many years ago when he was stranded on Christmas without a taisetsu-na hito to spend the evening with. He called YOU, who, even though he had a girlfriend at the time, opted to spend the evening with lonely GACKT instead. YOU brought his guitar, and they played ’80s rock-band T-Bolan‘s tear-jerker Hanashitaku-wa nai (’93, from the albumT-Bolan). Years later, to honor–and perhaps humor– this memory, the two members performed the painful, aching, traumatizingly beautiful piece on the excruciatingly romantic banks of Kyoto’s Kamogawa River, on a cold December night, before a group of sweetly swaying lovers holding candles.

In my opinion, no December night could be more perfect. x Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!

T-Bolan‘s 離したくはない/ GACKT (vo.), YOU (gt.)

And performed again, on December 18th, 2009. Beautiful.

“Arigatou, ne”

Posted by gacktpause on

Well, it’s New Year’s Eve. I don’t know what you lot are doing, but thisVisualist is sitting up to wait for dawn and my New Year’s wish!

The New Year is always a bit of a mixed time. On one hand, there is a depth of reflection and thinking back on the year we are now leaving behind. Hopefully you’re looking back and taking stock of your successes, achievements, and gained experiences. If there is anything you’re regretting, hopefully there’s a chance of making up for it, or achieving it, in the next year. On the other hand, there is a chance to look forward with positive expectation for everything that is to come in the new year. For example, a.b.s.’ Abingdon Road album. I hope your piggy-banks got fat this holiday season!

I, at least, feel like 2009 has been a fantastic year.

In April I spent one month in Kyoto, Japan, where I spent many hours at karaoke joints with some wonderful people; scoured used (and new) CD shops for just about anything and everything I could get my hands on (and stood for the first time in a real-live VISUAL KEI section); and brought back 60 CDs, including brand-new GACKT singles, and a stack of Visual Kei and Jrock magazines.

In November, I went to the UK to see one of my favorite bands, abingdon boys school, perform live. This was a monumental, life-changing experience worth all of the hard-work and effort I put in to achieving it. The live was unbelievable, as well as being my first ever Jrock concert. (And my first visit to London.)

Tower Bridge, London, UK

I was also able to complete some long-standing writing projects….One of the most fun out of these, however, which will probably never be “completed”, is the work I have put into SECRET GARDEN. I feel like I was really able to dive much deeper into Jrock and Visual Kei, and that has been a priceless experience.

On that note, I wanted to take a moment to say that it has almost been a year since I moved Secret Garden to WordPress. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who reads Secret Garden; everyone who left comments, emailed me, linked me, or shared and spread the word about this blog in any way! I am looking forward to another fun year full of Jrock, and I am very much looking forward to connecting with more of you in 2010. Arigatou ne…

I would also like to extend a Special Thanks to a few particular people:

Otousan, Roukku-Star, 日本におねいさんへどうもありがとう、スターさんへガクトのものをどうもありがとうございます、ブレイスレットさんやおじさんの社べたことありがとうございました；and everyone whose media appears on SG!

明けましておめでとうございます！Photo credit:

Japanese lanterns – Shutterstock

Fushimi-Inari shrine, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto –  Gacktpause

Tower Bridge, London, UK – Gacktpause

Fireworks- mypetjawa

Programming

Posted by gacktpause on

I would just like to interrupt the flow for a second and apologize for some programming issues that have been occurring around here lately.  Wordpress has been being a bit funky with the “Schedule” system (basically I write posts ahead of times and then schedule them to publish at a certain time.)– and unfortunately some posts have been publishing sort of whenever they want. I think I’ve fixed the problem– but for anyone who subscribes via email, I apologize for any inconvenience and confusion this may have caused!

Thanks, and keep reading!

What’s more of a Fan than a Geisha’s accessory?

Posted by gacktpause on

..Anyone who listens to hardcore rockers The GazettE. Typically this may strike depression into the hearts of non-Japanese accessories tucked into the obi of Gazette fame. However, in response to the announcement of a 2010 fan-club-only tour, finally they’re giving us a bit of mercy-rule. How so, you ask? By opening their fan-club membership to overseas fans!

The information was posted on Christmas Day (merry Christmas from GazettE?), and what a stocking-stuffer this is, as well. Here is the official information concerning membership application (in Japanese, English, and German), as posted on MUSIC JAPAN+.  (+Not that the membership will help us much– all the tour dates are in Japan.)


HERESY PRESENTS
the GazettE STANDING LIVE TOUR 10
THE END OF STILLNESS

03.05 (fri) ZEPP FUKUOKA
03.07 (sun) SINKIBA STUDIO COAST
03.08 (mon) SINKIBA STUDIO COAST
03.10 (wed) ZEPP NAGOYA
03.11 (thu) ZEPP NAGOYA
03.15 (mon) CLUB CITTA’ KAWASAKI
03.17 (wed) ZEPP TOKYO
03.19 (fri) ZEPP SAPPORO
03.21 (sun) ZEPP SENDAI
03.25 (thu) YOKOHAMA BLITZ
03.26 (fri) YOKOHAMA BLITZ
03.30 (tue) ZEPP OSAKA
03.31 (wed) ZEPP OSAKA

※There will be no regular sale of tickets for this tour.
Fans who would like to purchase tickets, please refer to the
「HERESY」information send by postal service。

【Information】HERESY 03-5300-3158(Mo-Fr 12：00－18：00 (Japanese Standard Time))

【Ticket Reservation】

Fans wishing to purchase a ticket, please apply for membership until January 15th,2010 (Friday) (valid according to the postal stamp date). Thereafter, please see the [HERESY]　direct mail information on pre-reserving tickets.

【Official Fan Club「HERESY」Membership Information】

People wishing to join the GazettE Official Fan Club, please send a return-envelope including an 80Yen stamp with your real name and address to the following address:

[Japanese]

〒168-0064東京都杉並区永福3－49－11
メゾンデュソレイ101
PS COMPANY内「HERESY入会案内希望」

[English]

〒168-0064 Tokyo, Suginami-ku,
Eifuku 3-49-11, Maison du Solei 101
PSCOMPANY [HERESY Membership Application]
Japan

You will receive an application form to fill out and return.
(Please note that overseas application is possible, yet delivery times may vary.)

official HP: http://gazette.pscompany.co.jp/gazette/

☆Check out what the GazettE have been up to in 2009!

HERESY PRESENTS
the GazettE STANDING LIVE TOUR 10
THE END OF STILLNESS

03.05 (Fr) ZEPP FUKUOKA
03.07 (So) SINKIBA STUDIO COAST
03.08 (Mo) SINKIBA STUDIO COAST
03.10 (Mi) ZEPP NAGOYA
03.11 (Do) ZEPP NAGOYA
03.15 (Mo) CLUB CITTA’ KAWASAKI
03.17 (Mi) ZEPP TOKYO
03.19 (Fr) ZEPP SAPPORO
03.21 (So) ZEPP SENDAI
03.25 (Do) YOKOHAMA BLITZ
03.26 (Fr) YOKOHAMA BLITZ
03.30 (Di) ZEPP OSAKA
03.31 (Mi) ZEPP OSAKA

※Die Tickets dieser Tour werden nicht in den regulären Verkauf gehen!
Fans, die Tickets zu dieser Tour erwerben möchten, beachten bitte die Informationen des「HERESY」News Letters mit der Post
HERESY 03-5300-3158(Mo-Fr 12：00－18：00 (Japanische Zeit))

【Ticket Reservierung】
Fans, die Tickets zu dieser Tour erwerben möchten, werden bitte bis zum 15. Januar 2010 (es gilt der Poststempel) im the Gazette Official Fan Club [HERESY] Mitglied. Danach sind die Informationen für die Reservierung dem brieflichen News Letter zu entnehmen.

【Official Fan Club「HERESY」Mitglieds Information】.
Leute mit dem Wunsch dem the Gazette Official Fan Club beizutreten schicken bitte einen frankierten Rückumschlag versehen mit einer 80Yen Briefmarke, dem eigenen Namen und Adresse an die folgende Anschrift:

[Japanish]
〒168-0064東京都杉並区永福3－49－11
メゾンデュソレイ101
PS COMPANY内「HERESY入会案内希望」

[Englisch]
〒168-0064 Tokyo, Suginami-ku,
Eifuku 3-49-11, Maison du Solei 101
PSCOMPANY [HERESY Membership Application]
Japan

Es wird dann ein Antragsformular zugeschickt, dass ausgefüllt an obige Adresse zu senden ist!
(Bitte beachtet, das seine Bewerbung für Übersee Fans möglich ist, jedoch können die Lieferzeiten abweichen!)

Offizielle Homepage: http://gazette.pscompany.co.jp/gazette/

☆Schaut mal nach, was the GazettE 2009 sonst so getrieben haben!!!

+ MUSIC JAPAN PLUS (source)+


+ Happy Find +

Posted by gacktpause on

+Happy Find!+ For Jpop, Jrock, and Visual Kei official goods, try The Official Shop. A Japanese company that sells some official goods– mostly official photo-cards “digiphoto” [89 x 127mm in size], and magazines. Digiphotos sell for JPY 150 for one, or JPY750 for a set of 5, and are only available for set periods, so if you see something you like, snap it up before it’s too late.

Website in English. Prices in Japanese yen.

http://www.the-official-shop.com/