What's the obsession with it? Why the obscure symbols intermingled throughout the band names and the multitude of seemingly French (and sometimes German) band names. Seems like a common occurance. But what gives?
I suppose the same goes for English too, but the english ones are usually like one-word deals like with Deathgaze, Gullet, Lynch, or Blast. Then you have the semi-offbeat English stuff like By-Sexual or Malice Mizer which can confuse people.
But that's besides the point. Where did the overuse of the French names come from, and the obtuse use of obscure symbols originate? And why is it only that the most obscure bands seem to really have those qualifiers sprinkled throughout.
i dunno but if i ever have a band our name will be in hieroglyphics.
Quote from: Do As Eternity 6 on November 19, 2007, 09:24:41 PM
i dunno but if i ever have a band our name will be in hieroglyphics.
lol
it probably just sounds cool and different to them. just like some stuff does to me, if i had a band, the name probably wouldn't be derived from english because that's boring.
The elaborate names are an extension of the visuals I think.
I've been thinking about the random punctuation marks in band names and I may be wrong but I think the Japanese are more sensitive to the shape and form of signs which is probably related to their writing system. For us letters and symbols are basically transparent because we focus on the function, which is why we get confused by those names.
I agree, English, French, German names are probably considered cool.
Which makes Dir en grey an overkill :D
^ i never thought about that before, but it makes sense that punctuation would make more sense to them and look well, better to them because of their language's characters.
From now on our band won't dress up, we'll just stick a question mark in our name, and we'll hit it big with the visual kids.
No relation to FAKE? intended.
Quote from: ghostface on November 19, 2007, 10:10:53 PM
The elaborate names are an extension of the visuals I think.
I've been thinking about the random punctuation marks in band names and I may be wrong but I think the Japanese are more sensitive to the shape and form of signs which is probably related to their writing system. For us letters and symbols are basically transparent because we focus on the function, which is why we get confused by those names.
I agree, English, French, German names are probably considered cool.
Which makes Dir en grey an overkill :D
oh oh i like this answer xD even though i have doubts it's actually thought about that way when they choose their names T.T
I don't think they think about it either. It's a convention just like the convention in the west is to use a noun or call yourselves the Rakes or something.
true i get that btw i wasn't clear about it i know but when i was talking about them thinking about it in that way i was more-so talking about the elaborate name as being an extension of their visuals ^^;;
I think they don't really think much when they add strange symbols... it's like making a logo for the band. Anyway japaneses don't have any problems pronouncing it because they always have the katakana.
I hate the french trend though... but I think it has toned down by now.
lets try to come up with as many "en" names as possible! ready... go!
Dir en grey
L'arc~en~Ciel
Rentrer en Soi
Do envy and Laliene count?))
And there're also Due le quartz, Psycho le Cemu and Celestia Le Ciel, wannabefrench too
La vie en rose
Merveille Magique
Versailles
Moi dix mois
medue obscur
I mean, I dunno if they're french or not, but they sound like it...
theres a band called vol de mort...???
Seriously, you can go to visunavi and look at all the weirdness. It's kinda fund when you're bored.
As I already observed elsewhere, the most recent trend is vk band names are random women's names, lol. Just have a look at Visunavi.
アネット (Annette)
Veronica
キャサリン ("Cathaline"/Katherine)
サディ (Sadie)
CindyKate (pun on 'syndicate', but no less....)
Jessica
LiZ
hannah
JULIETTE
Dolly
heidi.
Marie
LuLu
Rosanna
Nowadays the "weird french/german name with symbols and ungrammtical aposthrophes" is an almost 100% garantuee that the band is some sort of "old school vk" or neo-classical stuff. Notable exception: Die La'vice :P
^ ah that's true *also ponders why she had no idea sadie was a girls name >_>*
and there really is a band called vol de mort? *runs to visunavi now*
Quote from: nekki_chibi on November 20, 2007, 09:57:14 AM
Do envy and Laliene count?))
And there're also Due le quartz, Psycho le Cemu and Celestia Le Ciel, wannabefrench too
yeah i was gonna go "le names count too"
Quote from: Do As Eternity 6 on November 20, 2007, 03:43:54 PM
*also ponders why she had no idea sadie was a girls name >_>*
Dunno if it was intended by the band. But to me it's clearly a girl's name. It always makes me think of "Sexy Sadie" by the Beatles. :P
ah i don't listen to the Beatles *hides* but yea i've just never heard that name before and all this time i've been wondering wth is a sadie xD
Re: girl names for bands
I didn't actually notice that. But I will say I shamelessy sought out music by LiZ because my name is Elizabeth and I always go by Liz. LOL
Random question...would Elizabeth be written like Erizabesu or Erizabeto? I know there is a German play called Elizabeth that was subtitled in Japanese and it was written as Erizabeto but I figured that was because Elizabeth was pronounced in German as Elizabet. End randomness...
Quote from: Yumeko on November 20, 2007, 06:25:27 PM
Random question...would Elizabeth be written like Erizabesu or Erizabeto? I know there is a German play called Elizabeth that was subtitled in Japanese and it was written as Erizabeto but I figured that was because Elizabeth was pronounced in German as Elizabet. End randomness...
For the english pronounciation it would be Erizabesu, yes^^
Like here. (http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A8%E3%83%AA%E3%82%B6%E3%83%99%E3%82%B92%E4%B8%96_(%E3%82%A4%E3%82%AE%E3%83%AA%E3%82%B9%E5%A5%B3%E7%8E%8B))
Quote from: Champ213 on November 20, 2007, 03:55:02 PM
Quote from: Do As Eternity 6 on November 20, 2007, 03:43:54 PM
*also ponders why she had no idea sadie was a girls name >_>*
Dunno if it was intended by the band. But to me it's clearly a girl's name. It always makes me think of "Sexy Sadie" by the Beatles. :P
I read somewhere that Sadie chose their name because it somehow means/sounds like 'sad' =P
If that's the case, they lose points for word association. But then there's also how they've been influenced by Dir en grey, and Sadie -> La:Sadie's.
There are two j-rock songs that I know named Raison d'être, and they both suck.
What the hell man. What the hell.
Dir en grey - Raison d'Etre
NIGHTMARE - Raison d'Etre [Single name: Raison d'Etre]
Moi dix Mois's Europe tour was called Raison D'tere too
fill me in, can't be that tough. ^^
reason of being is like the literal translation, I think. But usually when they say it they mean like "meaning of life" or they're trying to sound deep or something, I dunno. XD
I can't wait for a band to name their song 'Carpe Diem'.
Fuck, why don't they just pick up a French dictionary and pick a few words out of there as the song title.
At least 'Carpe Diem' wouldn't be french.
But I'm pretty sure that many band/song names are directly out of a french or english dictionary.
I like Latin. It sounds nice.
VENIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
veni vidi vici
dude i want my band name to be that
i'm french and i think they use french cause it might be cool for them to have a french band name!
it sounds different for them like RENTRER EN SOI, Lareine etc...
but unfortunately most of time the names doesn't mean anything or it's write with wrong letters...
it's kinda funnny for me
i went to japan this summer and a lot of shop or restaurant have french name and some name doesn't mean anything at all ^^ i was surprised
Quote from: gaijin on December 19, 2007, 04:41:01 PM
i'm french and i think they use french cause it might be cool for them to have a french band name!
it sounds different for them like RENTRER EN SOI, Lareine etc...
but unfortunately most of time the names doesn't mean anything or it's write with wrong letters...
it's kinda funnny for me
I say exactly the same ^^
I guess I'm the chosen one to say the truth bout using French names....it's because it's easier to pronounce than english for japanese people...yeah...truth sucks
and Malice Mizer are french words not semi-english words or whatever someone said XD
japanese use french on titles and band names
because they learn french in a lot of high schools.
that's it.
I've noticed the same thing too Gaijin.
I remember the 1st Japanese band I've ever heard was
Dué le Quartz lol
Haha, i'm french
I always smiling when i see japanese band's name XD
They Don't say anything, just french words è_é
Quote from: k0uji on June 09, 2008, 05:34:25 PM
Haha, i'm french
I always smiling when i see japanese band's name XD
They Don't say anything, just french words è_é
well.. with the exception of L'arc~en~ciel...
with the exception of learn to use the internet signal that mini album is all over the place
Quote from: MY BABY DADDAY P-GWIDDLES on June 11, 2008, 04:49:28 AM
with the exception of learn to use the internet signal that mini album is all over the place
i put that up like a few days ago and i havent looked around since, i figured it would be up here if i was annoying enough.
lol
its all good, i downloaded in from the direct downloads section literally a second after that post. see, my method works. almost TOO well.