Merry - Japanese modernist (LIVE at hibiya)

the first one was kiyoharu not kyo

Dir en grey and Kyo is the one big thing that got Gara into Visual Kei and all that. Becouse he was a rodie to Dir en grey under the Missa tour in -97. And Gara thought all of the band members (dir en grey) looked really scary. (his is real from an intreview with gara i read somewhere)

As much as I love this song live, the live version of the lyrics makes me uncomfortable. :/ (It's just a couple words difference, but it's a significant change; I have a feeling it was censored for the album because of possible controversy.) I wish I'd taken notice of which set of lyrics they used for the U.S. live because if it was their usual live lyrics, well, that would've been a bit awkward. xD In any case, THEY ARE FANTASTIC, and I hope to be able to see them live again.

what exactly is changed, may I ask?

I already know the song is pretty much an anti-american song, but... What makes the live version worse?

In the album version, Gara sings "Why is only that nation strong?" four times. During lives, he changes the last one to "Why only America?"

It's not that bad, but it feels like anti-American propaganda. I don't mind the PV because the image of Bush makes it clear that the song is against his particular administration, but if the "true" lyrics are anti-American, then it won't matter how America changes thereafter. That's why it makes me uncomfortable. :/

Ah, I see.
Well, you probably already knew this, but the entire album this song was off carried a sort of nationalist attitude.

It makes sense though - They're associated with the Angura Kei movement whose ideals and principles deal with what it means to be post-war japanese. Look at Inugami Circus Dan and Guruguru Eigakan. Both have a similar foundation. I do love Merry for their musical talent and uniqueness, and while I do sympathize with post-war japan (and fear their impending retaliation) I kinda laugh when I read japanophiles comments of how much they love angura bands without even knowing what the words mean

i agree. Alot of angura kei bands have this "nostalgic" feeling towards pre-war Japan, and quite a few of them also seem to have feelings of dislike towards western culture. Another example that'd fit in is 大日本意識革命軍狂暴, whose patriotism probably overthrows that of most other angura bands

and yea that whole "OMG SO GREAT" thing is pretty funny

Though I'd say it's also their frustration at Japan's depending on the West, and a simultaneous inferiority/superiority complex - they are expressing themselves through a genre that originated (at least partly) in America, after all. ;)

As for fearing their retaliation - to be honest I'm more worried about Japan destroying themselves than attacking anybody else.

I love Merry! Gara has such an amazing voice ^.^ you can tell he was influenced by Kyo who has equal amount of talent! I wish I could see them live someday! I'm going to see Diru on Nov 8th for the first time! *excited*