..This is my shrine to the wonderful Jpop group L..Arc~en~ciel!!
I want to tell you first off I Will NEVER spam you, so you have no worries, L..Ar~fan will never send you dating service stuff, ringtone crap, adds for free gifts or easy money. I am simply here to share my love of L..Arc~en~ciel with you!
It is hard to have interest in contemporary Japanese culture without constantly coming across this notorious band. There was a time when their music and pictures were everywhere and now, even if things have been quieter on the L'Arc-en-Ciel (French for "The Rainbow") front, their music still echoes in sound systems across the world. Whether or not they decide to continue as a band, the mark they left on the the Japanese music scene is here to stay.Judging from the reaction of hysterical schoolgirls, their pretty faces pictured in every Japanese magazine may have something to do with their fame but the keenest music aficionado can surely agree with the masses on this one. These guys can produce some the most addictive music in recent history, music you may have already heard in anime series like DNA², Great Teacher Onizuka and Rurouni Kenshin, and in movies such as Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within and the original version of The Ring.Whatever the song in L'Arc-en-Ciel’s inventory, the bass never goes unnoticed. Without taking too much space, as a good bassist should, Tetsu uses complex and unpredictable lines that place him as one of the best players out there. As the band’s leader, he also composed some of their most well-liked songs including Blurry Eyes and Driver’s High. Ken, however, is the principal composer and the one responsible for heavier songs. He can, nonetheless, adapt his style to any of the member’s without losing his personal touch, which stands out to the highest degree in every song, regardless of its composer.Even if Tetsu is the founder and official leader of the band, Hyde is without a doubt L'Arc-en-Ciel’s frontman. I have no objection to him receiving most of the credit, as he is an exceptionally talented singer and lyricist. After looking up translations of his words, I was given an entirely new perspective on songs I first interpreted as cheery and carefree. He sings his award-winning lyrics with much passion and tone variations no one should ever attempt in karaoke. Hyde was chosen as vocalist, yet singing is but a fraction of his abilities; do not be surprised to see him with a guitar or saxophone on stage.Yukihiro had big shoes to fill after the departure of Sakura in 1997 since the former drummer and the band had come a long way together. My hat goes off to him, however, as he managed to build a strong presence within the group, imposing his softer style and calm attitude, poles apart from that of Sakura. Newer fans like myself did not have to face this drastic change but I can believe it was hard for early followers to adapt.It all began in 1992 when Tetsu recruited Hyde, Hiro and Pero to form a group bearing the name of a movie he had just seen. A year later, when the band was starting to gain recognition playing in their hometown, Osaka, Hiro and Pero sequentially withdrew, obliging Tetsu to convince his long-time friend, Ken, to drop his studies in architectural design and to convert Sakura to L'Arc-en-Cielism, after seeing him drum in a Live House. In April 1993, the newly reformed band ruled the underground charts with their debut album, Dune.This was, of course, merely the beginning as they steadily enlarged their fan base until Sakura, their erstwhile drummer, was arrested for heroin possession in 1997 and left. Too close to their dream to quit, the remaining members organized a new tour introducing Yukihiro, previously of Die in Cries, on the drums. The first of such concerts had a possible attendance of 56,000 and sold out in four minutes. Another record was set when they released two full albums, Ark and Ray, at once and saw them share the first two spots on Japanese charts. Their next record, Real, even though excellent, will unfortunately be know as Laruku's last album in a long, long time. Compilations, remixes, more compilations... Everyone seemed to be heading in different directions with their solo projects and the foul stench of disbandment was in the air.However, the band members seem to have renewed their vows. One can almost call their Shibuya Seven days 2003 concerts in June a reunion tour and a new album from the band has been announced. That's the good news. The bad news is that this album is scheduled for release March 31, 2004! A lot can happen until then but L'Arc-en-Ciel's management seems very confident about this new start and even announced a nationwide tour in May of next year. In the mean time, a photo book and DVD of their week at Shibuya are to be expected.
