1961 replies to this topic

[anhh]

INDEX: http://www.hello-onl...ost__p__1392910

....

So this thread starts with a common experience: I’m checking news sites and suddenly I’m reading that Negicco and Vanilla Beans are the two first releases of Tower Records new record (and idol only) label. Maybe you are not interested in both groups, maybe there are already threads for them to check this news, but the record label news probably should be better known, or at least there should be a place to knew this type of things.

http://natalie.mu/music/news/50692
http://www.girlsnews.tv/21440

Or say, you follow Negicco and find this show on UStream:
http://www.ustream.t...corded/11190082

And then, the entire festival:
http://www.ustream.t...OFFICIAL/videos

Except Tomato’n Pine:
http://www.ustream.t...corded/11136311

Or for that matter, interviews on Tokyo Idol Festival Ustream channel:
http://www.ustream.t.../tif2010/videos

Or say, you see this video in GirlNews YouTube channel and except some names you don’t know anybody else but maybe are interested in trying to listen them.



Or you get some flyers with Tokyo Girl’s Style, but don’t know anybody else…

 GPFkoukokumein.jpg   1.07MB   47 downloads  harumoe.png   924.14K   48 downloads

Or you know who Ai Shinozaki is, but never listened to her group…



Or you like Jewel Kiss…
http://www.ustream.t...corded/14931713

Or say, you like CANDY GO!GO! and checking their blog:
http://candy-gogo.syncl.jp/
you found this TV show:
http://gotouchi-idol.com/directory/

Or maybe you like some idol group, singer or song from the 70s, 80s or 90s and you want to share with us that you are currently mad for them.

Or maybe you follow some girl who does dance covers but many people wouldn’t know the songs, groups, singers…

Or say, you find this interview with Yasutaka Nakata:
http://search.japant...20110603r1.html

And then you read this bit:

“says Yasutaka Nakata of electro unit capsule and producer of idol sensations Perfume”.

And you think: Perfume are “idols”? If yes, why? If not, again why?

Or this other bit:

"with Perfume, before I even start work on a song, it is already assigned to a certain commercial, so it's all about getting a single idea or hook that stands out, whereas capsule's music is more complex and part of the fun is in finding new sounds every time, or how different people can hear different sounds whilst listening to it."

And maybe you want to learn more of this commercial side of music, or you think this kind of things is against idol music and kind of killing it, or you think is good because it exposes all the associated subcultures and maybe more people can find ways to know things that they could like. But also remember that these are subjective matters.

Or you can find links, activities, wotagei videos, or express things you do as idol fan that maybe other people doesn’t know or other people also do but think they are alone doing it.

Or you can find some text about idols and ask the rest of the community if it is rightful or sounds a bit naïve, like this example from “A Companion to the Anthropology of Japan”:

“Male fans of girl aidoru are stereotypically depicted as introverted, asocial (sometimes anti-social) and suffering from a ‘‘Lolita complex’’ (rorikon) or pedophilia. A common explanation for their veiled passion is substitution theory: aidoru are harmless substitutes for the girlfriends they hesitate to socialize with in real life. Some are attached more to the commercially unsuccessful girls than the popular ones, in part because ‘‘B-grade aidoru’’ are less protected by their production companies, allowing fans greater accessibility. Some commentators have offered explanations premised on a perceived dialectical relationship between the socially and commercially marginalized. In my view, such facile explanations overlook the heterogeneity of male fans of aidoru, and gloss the processes of fan group-formation through multi-mediated experiences, including the projection of heterosexual and patriarchal desire upon the vulnerable aidoru”.

Or you think that all this sounds good but the title of this thread sucks. So share with us a better one…

[Mei.ka~]

This is a handy thread when there's too many idol groups booming to make 100 threads about! Actually, though, who are the groups in the flyers? Of course, the "english" names are already self-explanatory, like HOP CLUB or SKETCH, and I already know groups like TGS, PASSPO, Sakura Gakuin, Vanilla Beans etc., but what about the names with kanji and hiragana in them? Would you be able to read them? Also, that group "Dance Pop Girls" looks interesting. I'm always a sucker for good dancing! I'll look up their videos right away!

[anhh]

Only thing I could do about that is linking websites, blogs and videos…

GIRLS POP FESTIVAL in KINTETSU (Left to right)
TGS

HOPCLUB
http://www.horiproos...club/index.html
PV:

Mary Angel
http://maryangel.net/

SKETCH
(I don’t find a website, but members' ameblogs):
http://ameblo.jp/minorin-blog/
http://ameblo.jp/xnqwchqnx/
http://ameblo.jp/ri-ri02/
http://ameblo.jp/sketch-noriko/

Their latest single live:

あめちゃん
Some live show on YouTube
Members’ blogs:
http://ameblo.jp/ando-erina/
http://ameblo.jp/emily1005/
http://ameblo.jp/sakamototomoko/


KRYSTAL BURNISH DOLLS
http://97.xmbs.jp/sh...3-233582-ch.php
Doing a 4Minute cover

サリジュア (Salijua?)
http://ameblo.jp/salijua/
http://twitter.com/#!/salijua
1 song

ザ☆ミルク (The-Milk?)
http://www.the-milk.com/
YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/THEMILK55


Harumoe

Passpo
Sakura Gakuin

星のオトメ歌劇団 (Hoshikage?)
http://hosi-kage.syncl.jp/
PV-CM

DokiDoki☆ドリームキャンパス (Doki Doki Dream Campus?)
http://ameblo.jp/dokidoki-dreamcampus/
One song

でんぱ組.inc
http://dempagumi.dearstage.com/
http://ameblo.jp/dempagumi
http://twitter.com/#!/dempagumi

(And they are related with this site: http://moejapan.jp/dearstage/and maybe this group: http://ameblo.jp/idolbu)


Fudanjuku
Vanilla Beans

小桃音まい (Kotone Mai?)
http://ameblo.jp/kotonemai/
PV

TEAM 純情
http://ameblo.jp/teamjj/
DANCE POP GIRLS
http://ameblo.jp/dancepopgirls/
Both of them

復活！ミニスカポリス
http://www.fukkatsu-...suka-police.jp/
One song (not sure if it is the PV)

[anhh]

DOROTHY LITTLE HAPPY have a new Ustream show, each Wednesday 20:00-20:30. (Their songs are great by the way…)

http://www.ustream.t...hy-little-happy


…..

Tomato n’Pine new single is going to be the ending song for Beelzebub.

http://natalie.mu/music/news/50741
http://www.oricon.co...full/?cat_id=tw

…….

Another new girlgroup: Meguriai

http://meguriai.jupiter-japan.com/

…….

From Tokyograph:

http://www.tokyograp...a-beans-negicco

"Music store Tower Records held an event at its Shibuya branch on Friday (June 3) to announce the launch of its new idol-only label, T-Palette Records. The label’s first two artists are the duo Vanilla Beans and the Niigata-based trio Negicco.

On May 24, Vanilla Beans had announced that they would hold an “urgent press conference” on June 3, though they gave no details at the time. Along with the announcement of their move to T-Palette Records, they revealed that they are releasing a new single called “Tengoku e no Kaidan” on June 29, followed by a full album titled “Vanilla Beans II” on July 20.

“Tengoku e no Kaidan” is actually a cover of the famous Led Zeppelin song “Stairway to Heaven” (which is also known as “Tengoku e no Kaidan” in Japan). The single’s coupling songs are their early songs “nicola” and “a little crying,” plus a cover of Pizzicato Five’s “Baby Portable Rock.”

Meanwhile, Negicco will be getting their start with the mini-album “GET IT ON!,” also being released on July 20. The group has been active in the Niigata prefecture since 2003, mainly as promoters of the region’s yawahada-negi (a type of green onion), but their victory in the U.M.U Award 2010 idol audition put them on track to debut nationally".

[anhh]

Another new girlgroup: Tokyo Cheer2 Party



http://ameblo.jp/officejr-cheer/


.......


AeLL should be doing a PigooRadio show on Ustream in some hours...

http://www.ustream.t...nnel/pigooradio

[Nouciel]

Anyone want to discuss about the image of idols? I mean, in general. For me, it's something that is marketed to have a personal approach, at least on some level. And it's also something that is obvious yet at the same time not. It's not too obnoxious, like when some magazines or news talk about super stars in a way like ~important detail of such and such revealed!~ (note that I said super stars... celebrities), and it's not completely invisible either. I'm talking about a coherent image - one that seems that could only be broken with confirmed rumours about scandals and the like, and one where all the characteristics (that fans know) of the idol get to form something... well, coherent.

Yesterday a friend and I were watching a show about plastic surgery, and how it's related to self-esteem and thinking of oneself as a whole. Then I mentioned professions that have image as one of its main elements. She mentioned models, and said that from things like the way a person walks, one could think "ah, they seem to have good self-esteem". Then I said that maybe the people in such professions can be trained to do certain things (things that are part of the job), or maybe they really are like that. We agreed that, regarding those jobs, it's not possible to know for sure wether things like the way of walking are part of the image or the real person.

To me it's become more interesting to think about image of idols in relation or contrast to what they could really be. When I started thinking like that, it was... something too new for me lol, but I personally like thinking like that more. Maybe later I will find another interesting way of thinking.

[anhh]

To me it's become more interesting to think about image of idols in relation or contrast to what they could really be.

I think that I kind of agree with you, but I’m not sure about what. In which sense do you find interesting or rewarding thinking in that way?

I mean, let’s say that there is a tension between the image of an idol and what you perceive as the performer of that image, let’s say between “Suzuki Airi” and the girl who is Suzuki Airi. I found different ways in which this could be related with your reflection.

For example, I read that Kashiwagi Yuki (AKB48) which is a girl that projects a very polite image but is also very funny and tender, when she is alone with the group, uses to tell dirty jokes. Is related to feeling that kind of sudden distance? Is not that you merely discard the image as “fake” (you know that she is funny but you don’t know that side) but that you find engaging to see glimpses of how that person is or could be emerging from say routines (making of, TV interviews or appearances (looking when she is not the focus; how she interact with other members), when she or he is enjoying on a live show). I don’t know, she makes a brief gesture or a distinctive trait (it doesn’t need to be something spontaneous) that brings a different light about how you see her. But this can be discovery or recognition. If Yuki, to continue my example, blinks an eye in a determinate way, I think or like to think, that she is enjoying that moment, that here, then is how she really is, so I value that she cares when she shouldn’t need to care to do her work.

Also maybe is not something you are looking after or searching for. When I see blog pictures form Jun Jun and Lin Lin, I think that I recognize them but also not. I care about them in the same way, even if I’m not much of a fan right now, but I feel that what I know about them is contingent, and worse, maybe is only meaningful for me (maybe without me nobody would see them and/or appreciate them in the same way). But I kind of value when I know that things are happening but they are fragile, than having fear of learning that something “flawless” is not flawless (even if the second one is more enjoyable). Is something like that? If not (or yes), please continue exposing it.


………………………


When I was reading your first paragraph, I thought that maybe I should share some text that could be related with this or not. Is by Carolyn S. Stevens and it’s called “Buying Intimacy. Proximity and Exchange at a Japanese Rock Concert” and tries to talk about how fans make emotional connections with musicians (in this case, The Alfee) through the consume of goods related with that artist, musician, idol. Maybe is more common sense than a revelation, but I think is good to see it expressed sometimes (a plus also that is jargon-free and very readable). A long quote and then a link to download it:

“Although our topic in this volume is fandom, we must also understand stardom, its logical counterpoint, which shapes fandom. Stardom entails both individual profit and loss. The stars lose normal perspectives of physical distance. Much of their lives revolve around concert hall dressing rooms, backstage passages, the recording studio, hotel rooms, and limousines. Their movements are restricted and regulated to maximize their marketing potential. Ironically, the strategy most successful in increasing fan support—facilitating intimacy—is that which restricts them the most. They can never freely walk the streets of Tokyo precisely because a fan might be tempted to cross the predetermined boundaries and accost them. Yet, they must create an image of accessibility, presenting the fans with fantasies of the boys next door (Sakazaki is particularly portrayed as such a type). Fantasy, at first, requires distance; giving form to and deriving enjoyment from fantasy requires an imagined intimacy.

Fantasy is important in analyzing fandoms, but empirical data offer necessary grounding. By analyzing marketing techniques, we can see what and how much fans are actually buying. Interviews with these fans yield a portrait of discriminating rather than passive consumers. They do not buy products they do not need or desire. They see their money paid to The Alfee’s tour company as an investment not only in the band’s future but also in the fans’ own future. Without concerts, the fans would have no arena for interaction, and they articulate a responsibility to maintain it. And much of the pleasure they receive is not just from The Alfee. It derives too from other fans”.

http://www.mediafire...7x7dcgc7jd5bwu6

[anhh]

Another new girlgroup?: iDOL Street.

 idol street.jpg   224.47K   5 downloads

http://ameblo.jp/idolstreet/

Not sure if they are a new girlgroup, they are the girls Avex selected for their idol sublabel (the one where Super Girls are).

[anhh]

Another new girlgroup: HimeKyun Fruit Can



http://himekyun.jp/pc/

[anhh]

 akbakushu.jpg   334.2K   7 downloads

So AKB are going to release a book about how to act in handshake events, with rules, tips and girls telling you good phrases to exchange with any of them. And is a good excuse to think about the written (like that book or a contract) and unwritten laws about what being an idol or idol music is. Take this for example:



Both of these girls are AV idols (they an Ebisu Muscat’s unit), and probably are mocking the music with the lyrics, but I don’t understand them, so I loss that layer. But the no-boyfriend rule is shattered and broken and they make all the possible fun of it. So my question should be, which of those rules (about the music, presentation, performance, how to act, what it implies, how it should sound, etc.) you think could be disposable and still be idol music?

………….

By any means this is not a new girlband: SKi (or Seifuku Kojo Iinkai)

http://www.idol-japa.../ski/index.html
http://blog.oricon.co.jp/ski-official/


They started around 1992, but from what I get from Wikipedia, they have two different periods 1992-2006 and the current one 2010- , they have units and all that (you can check them, the video below is from their YouTube channel).



They also stream live shows (next one is 06/16/2011 1:00 PM CEST)
http://www.ustream.t...i-happythursday

They are also appearing on A.I.S.A. (All Idols Song Award) which starts broadcasting in an hour from now…

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/a-i-s-a

[anhh]

Another girlgroup: Kirapojyo



(this PV is almost a year old, not sure if this is the current line up)

http://kirapojyo.net/
http://ameblo.jp/okpro/

Like many other groups in this thread they have a Ustream channel that they use to broadcast shows, news, etc. that they never archive. Next one starts in two hours.

http://www.ustream.t...l/kirapojyo-com

Another new girlgroup: OS☆U (Osu Super Idol Unit)



(Beware with the chorus of this one, the same user has another version with them in bikinis amongst other things)

http://osu-idol.com/

Also this other YouTube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/KOCHAN1202

Another new girlgroup: Pastel Joker

http://pasteljoker.com/

Nothing to find in YouTube, heard them in the show I linked yesterday.

[Stellosphere]

Wow, so many groups!
Thank you for sharing! I don't know where to start

I like Super Girls so I'm interested with iDOL Street and their futur.

[anhh]

[Mattthecat]

I've put together a torrent with Negicco videos taken from youtube.
No interest in it so far though which I think is a pity.

[Nouciel]

@anhh: Both of those things. I think the first thing can still be throughly (or not completely) felt from a fan perspective, but the latter I find it's more related to a dettachment perspective. But like you said, there's also the feeling of seeing something that is perhaps only appealing to you.
Perhaps thinking from different perspectives (fan and non-fan perspectives I mean) is interesting to me because when, say, I read something that is supposed to be a tidbit of the personality of some idol, and for whatever reason I get interested in it, reading it from a fan perspective and non-fan perspective most of the times results in two (or more) interpretations. And I'm a supporter of the idea that pretty much anything can be read from different, free ways (though I like it when an argumentation is consistent as well).

That book looks interesting, I read the chapter about the enka singer. It's full of examples that clearly have an emotional element in them.

About the question in your other post, I somewhat think that though a certain type of clothes are usual amongst idols (mostly shiny stuff), I think that could be changed... lol I don't mind them personally, I just think that it's something that could be completely removed.

[Mattthecat]

Two more torrents.

One for Hime Kyun Fruit Can (who have alreasdy been mentioned above),

the other one for an interesting Enka idol group called
Columbia Girls Collection
コロムビア・ガールズ・コレクション スペシャルキャンペーン



http://columbia.jp/cgc/
http://www.houseofja...promotes-single

[anhh]

Thanks both of you for your replies and torrents.

If you have checked Girls News GIRLS POP Ep.15, then you would have seen these two groups. I’m not very sure if they fall in some standard category for Idol music, or even inside this Idol music, but these borderline (non)cases fit with this thread:

BiS (Brand-new Idol Society)


(there is another PV in their YouTube channel)
http://brand-newidolsociety.syncl.jp/
I think this is their Ustream channel (but it sounds like a noise album):
http://www.ustream.t...corded/15261908

tengal6


http://newtral.info/tengal6/
http://tengal-6.blogspot.com/

…………………..

Girlnews reports about:

Kotone Mai
http://www.girlsnews.tv/22597

Tokyo Cheer2 Party
http://www.girlsnews.tv/22380

And in Natalie, YGA (showing their new half-naked members):
http://natalie.mu/music/news/51528

[anhh]

It seems that somebody uploaded Idol College's first CD on YouTube:



AeLL doing PR:

[anhh]

This is currently broadcasting (around 3 hours shows) and you shouldn’t miss it (no place where you are going to see those PVs):
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/a-i-s-a
…………..

Another girlgroup: Fantapeace (Star)



Is hard to describe how porny, but in subtle ways, this PV is…

http://www.fantastar...o/schedule.html
http://ameblo.jp/fantapeace/
……….

User RoadToBudokan has uploaded 6 recent Negicco live videos:
http://www.youtube.c...r/RoadToBudokan
………………..
On GirlNews:
SKi:
http://www.girlsnews.tv/22628
JK21:
http://www.girlsnews.tv/22608
……………
Tomato n’Pine news:

They are in the Zone tribute CD.
These are the covers for their new single.

 tp.jpg   122.63K   6 downloads

A CM with them:



………………
Idol Zukan is a photobook about minor idols. With the book there was also released a CD + DVD compilation, plus there is a Ustream channel where you can see the photo sessions with almost everybody. There is also a competition between various groups, solo singers and others on their website. And there are tons of them if you want to check them (some of them doesn’t have any activities or had updated their blogs since months ago):

 izb.jpg   93.58K   6 downloads  izcd.jpg   116.65K   7 downloads

http://idolzukan.jp/
http://www.ustream.tv/user/idolzukan
http://ameblo.jp/idolzukanblog
……….
And AeLL are streaming tomorrow again on Pigoo Radio. Also a new number of this magazine (first one in years).
 GiRLPOP.jpg   58.13K   14 downloads

And no clue about what this is about:
 idol_after_sengoku-jidai.jpg   390.6K   8 downloads

[anhh]

Oh shit, the lyrics...

『ダッ！ダッ！脱・原発の歌』（詞）鈴之助　（曲）AKIRA
B,B,Break out Nuclear Power Plant

That it really unforgivable story
それはそれは　とても許せないお話
Even if these are national policy
例え例え　国の政策だとしても
But lying about it had a dangerous
危ない事が　起きてしまったのに嘘ついて
"Not immediately affect the human body is!"
直ちに人体に　影響はないなんてネ　

Even if it's a wonderful invention
それがそれが　素晴らしい発明だとしても
Full of words that never learned
それはそれは　習わない言葉が溢れ
Becquerel, Cesium, Meltdown, Turbine building
ベクレル　セシウム　メルトダウンにタービン建屋
Monitoring and High microsievert, oops
モニタリングに　高い　マイクロシーベルトもう

☆
Remember Proponents of nuclear power
忘れないから　　原発推進派
You can stay if you say it's safe
安全だったら　　あなたが住めば良い
Greenhorn who cause trouble
みんなに迷惑かけちゃって
Aren't you ashamed?
未熟な大人で　　はずかしいよネ

B,B,Break out Nuclear Power Plant
ダッダッダッダッ脱！　　　原発を！
B,B,Break out, Big whoop
ダッダッダッダッダツ　　　大きな声で
Shout to the world that the real danger
世界へ向けて叫ぼう　　　　危険な現実を



Politicians do not work in case of like this
こんな時も　政治家さんはダメですネ
Always keep hold honor and wealth
いつもいつも　富と名誉のことばかり
The migratory birds fly now over the unexpected nature
自然を生きる　渡り鳥たちには想定外
Do not know where the evacuated area is
避難地域が　　どこからどこかわからない

All we do remember Nuclear power plant accident (Fukushima)
もう　忘れないよ　　原発事故のこと
All we do remember the magnitude of the damage
覚えておこう　　　　被害の大きさ
Land and sea,
大地と海
Secondary disaster,
2次災害
Up to people's minds
人の心にまで
　
☆Repeat