(09-29-2009, 11:11 PM)mamikochan Wrote: good topic. glad to see something with a bit more meat on it. =)

i am a long-time L'Arc fan. bet you didn't know that. hahaha. as such , i have followed not just Hyde's side ventures, but the other L'Arc members as well. some i enjoy more than others. i'd be lying if i didn't admit Hyde holds a bit more charm for me because i am really word and voice oriented even more than instruments. i like his lyrical sense, i like how he lays it out there in a performance. i freakin' LOVE his voice. i thoroughly appreciate the other L'Arc members because the voice and words don't tell the whole story, they are just my 1st focal point. with me so far?

VAMPS is to me a side project, just as HYDE 666/FAITH were. ROENTGEN was more of a solo act, Hyde and studio musicians. i don't want to see him have to slow down for a long time; but when he does, i look forward to the next stage in solo artist. based on some comment i read earlier this year.[u]

KAZ i have seen long before he made a visual appearance with FAITH. that did prompt me to dig a bit deeper than what i was most familiar with, hide with Spread Beaver. Iceybabes and i were just musing over how much like the innocent, younger brother KAZ appeared in that delightful freakshow. even if he wasn't much, if any, younger in reality, just quieter and less of an attention grabber than some of his mates. same with OD. i love the Spin Aqua concept, another duo heading. i was impressed with Anna T. talking about how strong and supportive he was in that project. (mu-jack special with VAMPS- a paraphrase, don't have the exact quote in front of me) i think that was something Hyde has also found and KAZ has found a good match to be the voice and focal point so he can do what he feels comfortable doing. ok, just an opinion.

i think these 2 have gathered 3 very admirable and special musicians to join with them in fleshing out their ideas and dreams. thank goodness Gackt didn't throw a monkey wrench into the line-up. VAMPS has a different image than HYDE did, a slight change in line-up maybe fit better. Hyde has worked with Jin for a long time with L'Arc in the studio, no surprises there. KAZ knows and has worked with a huge number of musicians, Hyde used to claim he barely knew any outside of laruku. KAZ is a beneficial partner and influence there. he'd worked with Ju-ken before. Hiroki was great before, Ju-ken is more "vampish"..a flashier style perhaps. *shrugs* i know i really enjoy watching him prowl around, and not because he pulls attention to himself. most often he is trying to draw attention to another member's performance, rouse the crowd to becoming more active and vocal. the cheer-leader. XD

the one i know the least about is Arimatsu. i did see a photo of him in an old 1993 magazine a few months ago. shirtless, long hair and very hot. XP a lot of people felt he didn't fit at 1st. wasn't as good as Furuton. huh. i cannot say anything there. there might have been lots of things going on when touring 1st started last year. i find it amusing that he and Yukihiro had known each other so long and Hyde didn't know it. ^ ^

one thing i do see in videos, live, in photos is the camaraderie that has developed between all of the members. so quickly in reality. this is a much more cohesive unit than most side projects. it's that whole 'technically, on paper, VAMPS is Hyde and KAZ.' but on stage, where they all come to life, every man there is a member and integral part of the cohesive whole which is VAMPS. so, while i love the various parts, for varying reasons and lengths of time, i love VAMPS as a whole unit of 5 as well.

side note, i don't add J to this anymore than the other managers. he isn't the only one in that crew, just the American native english speaker and so more comfortable dealing directly with overseas fans. he works for VAMPROSE just like FA or the other members. they all came from Maverick DC probably before this gig. also, i don't think J just followed whichever band was going overseas, he was also assigned to MONORAL during last year's Japan touring, remember? not to belittle the man at all, but the management team is also a team effort i think.

sorry for this long harangue, epistle, pedantic ramble or senile jabber. take your pick. i also have a tendency of not being understood always, mostly because i dig deep, am not afraid to speak my full piece and have a long lifetime of being in the minority when it came to things i like. spoken my thoughts, "shot my wad" so to speak. 8P see you guys, hope i might have thrown a few more bits of tender in the fire. ^_^)V