For those going to the Slim’s concert

I’ve heard from a few places, one being Love Laruku, that Slim’s will let people line up at 5 PM and not before.

Someone else told me they said they might ban from the venue any who persist in lining up earlier.

I’m kinda glad, actually (not about the banning part but the line up at 5 part). Now, I can sleep in that morning instead of hauling myself down there at the crack of dawn.

EDITED: Just read on Tofu that some are saying 3 PM. I think the latest word from Slim's is 5 PM but can't say for sure (I may call or email Slim's and ask).

I’ve seen photos of Hyde in these glasses before but…

Was happy to see that loveoohyde uploaded a video clip of him talking (and flirting) while wearing them. A performance of Countdown follows.

(Thanks to kairi-yume for the pic)

Opening act

Saw a post on Tofu saying the band The Black List Club will be opening for Hyde. Looks like that’s true. Here’s their My Space page.

Also, a sort of "6 degrees of separation" kind of thing: the lead vocals/rhythm guitar for Black List is Evan Taubenfeld, who played with Avril Lavigne, who is admired by Yuki, who is a member of L'Arc~en~Ciel along with Hyde (and I think L'Arc played her music before the Otakon concert??).

EDITED: realized that last part could sound like L'Arc covered Avril Lavigne's music. I believe it was just that they had her music playing over the loud speakers before the concert started.

Translations of three interviews

All hail to zelda-zero who has translated Hyde interviews into very readable English. Here are the links (all interviews were published in March 2006):

What's In?
Oricon Style
R&R Newsmaker

"He looked like a fallen angel."

A huge thank you to Miya, who recently attended a live in Japan and has given us permission to share part of her report (also, she's asked that no one copy it--thanks!). Reading it makes me even more excited to see Hyde in California!! Enjoy!

SHIZUOKA CONCERT

The FAITH concert was in the city of Shimizu, in the Shizuoka prefecture, right by Mount Fuji. The show was at 6:30 PM in a little local club called JAMJAMJAM. The venue was tiny. I don't know how they managed to fit 300 people in there!

While waiting in line we met lots of cool fans. Some asked us where we were from, and we explained that we didn't live in Japan. One woman said how proud she was to see Hyde fans from overseas. She was very sweet.

Later a cab pulled up in front of the door. Hyde got out of the taxi, waved at us, smiled, and then went inside the club. He was wearing black sunglasses and a black sweater, I believe. Now let's stop for a second.

It was HYDE. The real, one and only, human version, and I had seen him in person for the first time in my life. I didn’t scream. I just stared in wonder and waved back. I was already in another dimension at that point.

They started selling tour goods at 4:30 PM. "Zenbu ikko, onegai shimasu." I bought two of the Hyde gummies (ate one; the other will remain untouched), two faith t-shirts (one for my younger sister), two tour bags and a tour book. I also spotted a group of high school boys who stopped by to purchase things. That was really cute.

So we got our goods, went to the train station (where we’d already reserved a locker) and deposited our stuff.

Back at the venue they organized us in different rows, one after the other, according to ticket numbers. 1-50, 50-100, 100-150, then 150+. My friend and I were in the last group, because we had tickets 280 and 281. We were very lucky to have them. About 90% of the people there were Hydeists.

We finally were let inside (my legs were about to give out on me - with anticipation, you know?) and the place was crowded!! Like crazy. Not only that but they had a barricade in the middle of the venue! Therefore, fans were separated halfway through. The barrier was too high to jump over (I tried), so we couldn't get up front even if we wanted to. That didn’t really matter to me, though, as long as I could see HIM.

Most of the fans were female but there were a few guys. I positioned myself behind a "sea of little people" and there it was: the staaaaage. I could see almost all of it.

The lights turned off. I stopped breathing. Kaz, Hiroki and Furuton came in, together with a secret/masked bassist (my friend who was with me has an interesting theory about who the guy was~). Then THE MAN came out.

He was wearing his Cape of Storms sweater! The hood was on, and his head was down. I was completely in wonderland, when they started rocking on Sweet Vanilla. I couldn't help but scream!

Hyde first came up and got on the speakers, so I could see all of him. Playing the guitar, shaking his head up and down. The way he does. Then he took off his hood and started singing.

His voice...was I listening to a DVD or something? I couldn't believe it. Instead of jumping and cheering with the crowd, I just stood there, in awe. The power that emanated from him...I can't put it into words. I was shocked.

This may sound real cheesy, but his voice was so damn sexy. And he looked...unbelievably hot. His hair was a little longish (more than the recent photo shoots) and darker. Some strands of hair were covering his eyes, but not completely. You could still see them, scrutinizing the crowd.

Second song: Jesus Christ. This might be my favorite song on the album, so imagine what sounds my heart was making! I will never forget his expression. He had his eyes closed most of the time, and sang with this…voice...I still shiver when I think about it. And his face…he looked like he meant each and every word. He looked hurt and like he was desperately praying. My heart broke every time he sang, "Ah, God give me death." So many emotions, so early in the concert. I was utterly happy. And touched. God...so touched. Especially when he reached those high notes.

Total change of atmosphere with the next song: Words of Love. That's when I really started jumping with the crowd. Hyde sang with a rough, sexy voice. He also made us sing with him, the "Six Six Six" part. Of course, he was playing guitar and singing at the same time, as with all the songs (except Midnight Celebration at the very end). He had his eyes open, but his head was mostly down when he was not singing and playing the guitar.

Then Dolly! I absolutely love the part, "To bring you back into this world..." So did the other fans! We all sang that together with him! I felt such a sense of unity. And, oh, he made his crazy eyes during the, "Build a tower tall and strong, it will be beautiful..." You know, his Bull's Eye eyes, like during the Otakon concert.

During the guitar part he got up again on the speakers. The crowd, including myself, went wild as he was banging his head to the music, before pausing to make hot faces. He showed his teeth to the crowd, in an open/close motion, like a vampire. Then he gave the crowd the "I'm your god" look. Yes, Hyde-sama.

And did I mention he had black eyeliner on? The power and testosterone emanating from him, though, was crazy. Even if he has soft features, there is absolutely nothing effeminate about Hyde, as least not on stage. A MAN. All in caps.

Next song: I Can Feel. Hyde's voice and performance made me feel utterly peaceful. He had his eyes closed the whole time. I closed my eyes during some parts, to hear his voice better, and damn was it deep. However, I didn’t close my eyes for too long. I mean, I had to see him perform, you know? Every minute of it.

Now Evergreen! The new/rocky version. The performance was great like all the rest, however, the crowd didn't seem as enthusiastic. I was kind of disappointed at the other fans for that. I wanted to shout, "COME ON GUYS IT'S EVERGREEN!!!" Didn’t matter, though. I highly enjoyed it.

At that point, I was lacking air and starting to feel faint. We were all so squished. I raised my head up for air a couple of times. That was noticed by one of the staff members, who were there the whole time with flashlights and water to make sure everyone was okay. One of them asked me, "Daijobu deska?" I innocently said: "Wakarimasen" (I don’t understand you). I wasn't gonna let him pull me out of my spot! No way!

I think the MC break happened at that time. According to a friend who knows the language better than I do, Hyde talked about how he liked Japanese animation, and how he was happy about artists participating in soundtracks and such.

As he was talking he would look down, while speaking with a sultry voice. Then, with his hair in his eyes, he’d look up once in a while and smile. He asked questions and random people in the crowd replied back in a relaxed, familiar fashion. Everyone was laughing and being cheerful. I found myself laughing with them, even though I had no idea what he was saying.

It was also during the MC that I noticed Hyde was sick! He made a sniffing sound/gesture with his nose then wiped it with his wristband. He did that a few times, so I'm pretty sure he had a cold. With so many venues and after performing two nights in a row, I can see why. But, he performed with such energy! The show rocked from beginning to end.

Masquerade was next. The Japanese fans LOVED it, as the crowd heated up right away, myself included. We jumped and banged our heads the whole time, and especially when Hyde got up on the front speakers. And I think that's when he started holding onto the ceiling and sort of hanging over the crowd, teasing them. I could see his arm muscles quite distinctly.

It's Sad. Let me tell you the music rocked on this one, especially the guitars. If I recall right, Kaz got on the speakers at this point (and one thing’s for sure, Kaz is much hotter in real life than in pictures! So many tattoos, too! I like him).

But back to Haido~ He was really having fun with his guitar. He got up next to Kaz, then Kaz went down, leaving Hyde up front. Then he...spat on the crowd. They were little spits, so I wasn't sure what he was doing at first. I was like WTH??? Why was he gesturing those hot, pouty lips like that? Then I realized what he was doing. I still can't decide if I'm repelled, confused, or whatever about that.

But, then, the perfect song. The perfect performance. The flawless voice. It was the best performance of the night. Hyde just mesmerized me. It was unreal. It was Perfect Moment. Bathed in a soft blue light, they played a longer version of the intro music. It immediately calmed me down, made me feel so peaceful. After about two minutes of beautiful chords, Hyde started singing. That voice broke me. It was perfect. And he looked like a fallen angel.

That's when I realized how lucky I was to be there, how lucky I was to be able to see him so clearly, right in front of me like a framed painting. When he was singing, "I'm happy, to die in this moment,” I thought, "Yeah...I really wouldn't mind to. At this very moment."

I think he whispered, “thank you,” at the end of the song, although, I'm not sure because I was so high up dreaming, as were the other fans. We clapped quietly. It was beautiful. I'll never forget it.

Hideaway was the last song of the first half of the show. It rocked, maybe even more than all the others. I'm not saying the performance or song was better (they were all so good) but the crowd was SO into the song!! And Hyde as well!! The groove got RIGHT to me, rather quickly, especially after the previous performance. Lots of jumping/happiness! The official setlist doesn't have this song next at all, but I think my memory is pretty accurate about which songs belonged to what part, although the order might be messed up.

And the tongue. That wonderful entity of its own. When Hyde was leaning on top of the crowd at a certain point, he had his tongue out for a long, long moment. I think everyone was just fascinated, because I didn't hear as many screams as expected. Or maybe they were just covered by the music? And of course, he kept tempting us with it throughout the night, sticking it up, down, to the side...

Hyde also gave the crowd the finger several times It just looked awfully sexy, especially with that ravaging expression on his face, erotic and rough.

A little detail: the guy with the mask was hidden even on stage. He was all the way on the left side, behind big speakers, so most of the crowd couldn't see him. Quite the mysterious one, ay?

During the intermission I tried breathing normally, taking a moment to observe the people around me. That didn't work out too well cuz I couldn't take my eyes off the stage, hoping Hyde and the rest of the band would return soon!

And they did. Again, Hyde was last to enter. He looked absolutely flawless. The light was brighter, now, so I could see everything clearly, including his skin. His hair was pulled back, and I could see his perfectly smooth features. He looked relaxed, with a cigarette in one hand, a bottle of water in the other. I melted. My knees felt weak. I couldn't believe it was the real thing. That I wasn't watching some computer screen. He was beyond words.

Water time!!! Too bad he didn't have the water gun this time. He just used the bottle he was drinking from. Without realizing it, I started squeaking like the rest of the fangirls, reaching out with my hands. When he came to our side and threw the water, first to the people up front then to those in the second section, with a stronger arm movement, a big splash hit my face. It was the water he was drinking. A sense of bliss overcame me. I can't explain it, but it was like he had touched me. Very strange, I tell you…

Oh! I forgot something! The naughty joke of the night. I don't know if he did it after they got back from the break (that's my guess) or during his previous MC, but Hyde said something about being wet, like after sex.

Also, this is where I get a little confused about the order of songs…Let's say it’s Made in Heaven. That's when I realized his English has improved so much! Also, the crowd was singing the "Ha, ha!" part, except for the first time. I wasn't happy about that. I adore it when he sings that part. But, oh well, no complaining.

Then… Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds! I love his cover of this song, especially the part where he plays really fast. And he did play really really fast in the last part. The whole crowd was loving it. Lots of jumping/head banging. I thought I was gonna faint at one point. The energy was just so overwhelming. But, I took a moment to rest, and I felt better. And as if that wasn't enough, he performed Hello closely after!!

Another heavenly, softer performance: Season's Call. For some reason I remember his each and every expression during that song. He had his eyes tightly closed on "does it have an end," and for most of the chorus he had this dreamy look on his face. He looked down at his guitar when singing, "How many cuts should I repeat.” He completely pulled his hair back at one point, starting at the top. When he did that he looked like young Hyde! Like pre-Moon Child Hyde. That image of him hit me in the face. I was like, "Wow, total flashback." Overall, this was one of my favorite songs in the show.

I think they did another MC next. Kaz did the talking. I couldn't see him from where I was because he was sitting, and he was on the far right, while I was on the left side of the venue. Hyde didn't say a word, and he was looking at his guitar most of the time.

Then Mission. The fluffy song off the album. It had a nice feel to it live! I just wanted to dance, but everyone was a little too packed for that. His voice went really high, like on the album, without breaking. Also, he had us sing the "Come and dance with me" part. Everyone was a good fan and knew her lyrics

Faith. I adore this song. Like pure LOVE. And the performance was pure LOVE as well, exactly as I expected it to be. You have to understand, hearing and seeing Hyde sing those lyrics with the crucified picture of him in the background is very special. Even the light on this song was bloody/dark orange. I can still see his face when he sang, "Carried down through time…my will…lives on~“ Mysterious. Fascinating. Both the imagery and the song.

Next was Countdown. The crowd was really heated up, so it just went wild during the performance. Especially when he came back up front on the speakers. During the guitar part Hyde did the "Jesus pose" (like on the cross) with such a superior, defying look. Ah, how I wish I could have taken a picture of that very moment!

The song he always ends with: Midnight Celebration. The energy of both Hyde and the crowd was simply out of control. With that whispery voice and those lyrics, how could it not? I think Hyde stopped playing guitar after a while, because he came up front several times and I don't think he had it. He was being overly sexy at this point…the man, he was so provocative! Almost indecent…

Then he did it: He grabbed the mic, went on the front speakers, and just went crazy with the song! The guy from the staff was underneath him trying to hold the cord, so the crowd wouldn't pull on it. Hands were up, really close to Hyde. One girl even TOUCHED him!! I could feel his aura, his energy from where I was…it was so intense.

Next thing I knew Hyde dived into the crowd! I was actually expecting this, because he was SO into the song! He went down, away from my sight. I don't know if it was because the crowd was pulling on him, or because they couldn't hold him up…but I actually stopped breathing until he resurfaced, with some people from the staff helping him get back on stage. I was so worried, but excited at the same time.

Hyde didn't look back. His hair kind of was messy. I think he waved goodbye and exited from the back door, followed by the rest of his group members. I still couldn't believe he did it.

One staff member told the crowd to move aside, to see if Hyde had dropped anything. I wasn't really paying attention, as I followed Hyde with my eyes as he exited the stage, and then kept looking at the stage until the normal lights lit up, meaning it was the end of the show. I stood there for the longest time after people started leaving, leaning on the barricade, looking at that empty stage. I think I saw Hyde pass by the door that led to it. I thought to myself, "thank you."

At that point I couldn't really think. When we finally exited the venue, I cried. It was just too overwhelming. It was beautiful. We waited a little bit in the cold (man, was it windy) but decided to leave, because we were just too exhausted.

CD Listening Party

From Tofu:

Big News for HYDE! FAITH is now listed on AOL music for a limited time full CD listening party!

http://music.aol.com/songs/new_releases_full_cds

scroll over a few times on the cds across the top and you'll see HYDE's FAITH pop up!

Congrats to HYDE!

As I type this, I'm listening to it on AOL instead of my CD. If AOL Music is keeping track of hits then I figure the more people who click on the link the better for Hyde.

Kyoto and Saga

Eleonora translated two more diary entries by Manager Fa. One for the Kyoto concert and one for Saga.

During the Kyoto concert there were numerous blackouts during the song, Midnight Celebration, so Hyde started it over three times. The lights went out again in the middle of the third try but “obstinate” Hyde kept going anyway.

Also, if I’m understanding right, Hyde has a favorite lighter jar with the anime character Hakushon Daimaou - The Great Magician Hakushon on it.

* * *

(As an aside, I was glad to read Eleonora’s notes about the shortened versions of standard greetings, such as “Chi-su” for “Konnichiwa,” Good afternoon. It confirmed what Ikuni and I thought about a certain humorous Dir en grey clip, where they use both “Ohayo gozaimasu” for Good morning, as well as a shorter version of it.)

Tofu announcements

Tofu Records announced that a FREE Hyde Badge Holder (works for keys, too) is available at participating retailers--Virgin Megastore in Boston, MA or Amoeba Music on Haight Street in San Francisco.

Tofu provided “this handy coupon” to present at the register. Supplies are limited!

* * *

You can also enter to WIN concert tickets at these Virgin Megastores:

Virgin Megastore @ The Block, Orange, CA (7/2 Anaheim Show)
Virgin Megastore Hollywood, Hollywood, CA (7/3 Sunset Strip Show)
Virgin Megastore Sunset, Los Angeles, CA (7/3 Sunset Strip Show)
Virgin Megastore San Francisco, CA (7/5 Fillmore Show)

* * *

Tofu also included this flyer to give to local record stores that aren’t carrying FAITH. You can print it for them and request that they stock it for you!

FAITH Reviews

Fan reviews of Hyde’s album are starting to pop up on the Internet. I'll post excerpts here (or just the links if this post gets too long). You can read the whole review by clicking on the author's name.

I'll edit this message as I find others, and there will be a link in the sidebar to this post with the last time it was updated.

If you know of reviews not listed, feel free to email us at mesmerized [at] insightbb.com

Steven

Not only does this album portray HYDE's amazing sound, but it also offers fans of L'Arc a new way to look at one of their favorite vocalists. As far as U.S. debuts go, HYDE's proves to be one of the strongest yet, and when you throw in the fact that Tofu Records even mixed in a DVD of HYDE's "COUNTDOWN" and "SEASON'S CALL" music videos, it becomes apparent -- as a fan of HYDE, L'Arc~en~Ciel or J-Rock in general -- you would have to be an idiot not to pick up this release.

Nepenthes

Pros: Hyde's amazing voice, nice concept, you gotta give him kudos for that English, mostly good. No really bad songs. No bad songs at all really. Arrangements are less simplistic than 666. Depending on your pov, the lyrics. Straightforward, yes, but also thoughtful.

Cons: the singles didn't seem to fit with the rest, the drumming on Season's Call, the rather grating vocals of Made In Heaven (though I like the song), sometimes the uber distortion is a little much. Depending on your pov, the lyrics. If you hate them,you're missing some good music.

"I thought of stopping, but this band can’t be stopped."

~Hyde, said while covering Smells Like Teen Spirit at a recent live (seems they were only going to play part of the song).

Eleonora has posted translations on the ARK of Nara, Wakayaman and Nagasaki diary entries by Hyde’s manager. Among other things, the messages tell of playing with deer, riding in rickshaws, and a peeping Hyde.

Also included are translated fan reports of concert MC’s. Hyde spoke of unexpectedly good food, scary band members who swim in the buff, and getting sunburned.

And is it possible Hyde could ever be boring?

Hyde's signature

Thanks to fantomu for sharing this pic of Hyde's autograph. I've seen his signature before and this does look like it.

And though the accuracy of Graphology (handwriting analysis) is debatable it would be interesting to see what they’d say about Hyde!

Also, here’s a fun site that “analyzes” your handwriting online.

Hyde at Anime Expo!

Tofu Records just announced that HYDE will appear and be interviewed July 1st at their booth in Anime Expo!

They’re also asking for questions from fans. If you have a question for HYDE, fill out this form and e-mail it to info@tofurecords.com or FAX it to 310-829-3743.

Message for U.S. fans

Hyde recorded a brief message for American fans. It’s on Tofu’s site in the sidebar under Artist Extras, titled Hyde Web ID.

Thanks to lovelarc for the heads up.

Pati Pati July 2005

Thanks to Asuka Tsuzuki for scanning the whole photo shoot from the Pati Pati July 2005 issue.

This is how much Hyde has invaded our home

Two of my sons are playing Guild Wars on their computers. 20-yr-old son listens to some jrock. 15-yr-old listens to none.

15-yr-old yells, “Mom, you gotta come see this.”

I enter the room and he’s pointing to a necromancer class character on 20-yr-old's screen. He says, “Looks like Hyde, don’t you think?”

“Actually,” 20-yr-old son says, as he turns the character to face us, “it looks more like Toshiya from Dir en grey.”

Ikuni joins us and we agree that, yes, it looks more like Toshiya. Still chuckling, though, that my 15-yr-old called me in there to show me a potential Hyde look alike.

Perfection deserves perfection

click to enlarge

Found the above image of Hyde posted by yorupan on photobucket. It originally looked like this. Not sure I covered that long white line like I wanted to, but it’s as close as I could get.

Concert MC’s

Eleonora translated a few recent concert MC’s by Jin and Hyde. She also included a couple of brief fan observations.

It seems Hyde likes physical contact (is a “touching devil”), didn't notice the earthquake in Kyushu, and teaches his audiences bad words in Italian.

"Fashion is the attempt to realize art in living forms." ~Francis Bacon

Hyde placed 4th in Oricon's “Dressed Stylishly” poll. You can read a translation of the whole list thanks to Ikuni-web (not to be confused with Ikuni who comments here).

Seems this particular poll was done in April. Ikuni-web also mentions that Hyde placed fourth in the “Best of the Best” poll, too.

I was hoping someone would upload this on YouTube

And Luthi585 just did. It's Hyde's Faith interview on Space Shower Hot 50 Chart Cobain. In it we see a relaxed Hyde who seems to be fighting a cold. Watch the first part here.

*UPDATED*
Here's Part Two

Now, for a really serious subject

For those attending a Hyde concert--what are you wearing???

No wheelchair for me, thank you

The other day I read someone’s live journal account of the Wiltern Dir en Grey concert. She said that, because of the packed crowd and the sweltering heat, a bunch of people fainted and there were at least eight or nine wheelchairs carting fans out.

Okay, now, I’m not flying cross country to see Hyde only to faint and miss the performance! And I’m sure none of our Mesmerized readers who are attending his concerts want to faint either. We have to do something to prevent this, people! Every one of us must come out of these concerts with a memory of Hyde not an emergency room doctor.

So, I did a little research. According to this guy, when seven or more people are squished into a square meter the crowd becomes a fluid mass and individual control is lost. The heat and pressure of the bodies can cause some to faint (or worse--almost all crowd deaths are from “compressive asphyxia” due to the domino effect of people leaning against each other). The main reason this happens, he says, is because there’s lack of communication from the front to the back of the audience. Fans in the back have freerer movement and don't realize that those up front are being crushed.

How to keep the above from happening? Well, here’s a summary of what I found from a number of different sources. Print it out, memorize it, and let’s all enjoy ourselves!

1. Before the concert eat light but often and drink lots of water. This helps keep your stamina up and reduces the chances of fainting.
2. Dress in something lightweight or at least in layers (so you can remove clothing when it gets hot).
3. Wear well-fitted shoes. Crowd surges have been known to lift people right out of them if they're loose.
4. Avoid wearing things like long jewelry, flowing scarves and dangly purses. They can easily get tangled and cause problems.
5. When the doors open don’t run like a crazed maniac to the stage. You won’t be able to be up front if you break your leg on the way.
6. Once inside note where the exits are and make sure they’re not blocked (if so, tell the venue’s staff).
7. Keep a little bit of distance between yourself and others, at least, enough so everyone can breathe.
8. If someone near you is bugging the heck out of you, don’t cause a fight. Move away from them and/or call security.

If there is an emergency crowd situation

1. Keep calm. Do NOT panic.
2. Try and maintain your balance so you don’t fall (if you do fall, get up as quickly as possible, and if you can’t get up, curl in a ball and cover your head).
3. Don’t pick up any items you might drop. You want to stay upright at all times.
4. If things get unbearable, move toward an outer edge, taking the path of least resistance. There are usually lulls in any crowd push. Wait for one then move to an open space. A MTV writer says these spaces are often located in a diagonal fashion. So, make like an accordion and zigzag your way out.
5. Usually you should move with the crowd, especially if you’re in the middle of a wave, but in the rare case of a fire the best direction might be toward a lesser used exit.

Muse n. A source of inspiration.

I found some fantastic sketches of Hyde while surfing the Net. There are three more drawings of him on larukulove's photobucket page.

Nagasaki MC

Thanks to Eleonora for translating a fuller explanation of Hyde’s MC at Nagasaki, which included his comments about the dropping of the atomic bomb.

She also shares brief MC’s from the Saga and Miyazaki lives.

Read her translation here.

Definition of a the diehard fan

Was looking at the official fanclub site for the band, AFI (saw their recent performance on the MTV Awards and my first thought—J-rockers!—only they’re from California). Anyway, their fanclub’s website gave this definition for the truly devoted.

"…This is for the fan-letter fans, the gift-package fans, the first-in-line fans, the front-of-the-stage fans, the eight-hour-drive fans, the cross-country-flight fans, the fan-since-I-was-a-kid fans, the fan-till-I-die fans..."

Okay, let’s see. If I think Hyde instead of AFI. First-in-line fan: check. Front-of-the-stage fan: check. Cross-country-flight fan: check. Fan-till-I-die fan: check. (I know the first three haven’t technically happened yet, but I already have my plane tickets and I’ll do everything in my power to make the other two come true)

So, I’m missing the fan-letter, gift-package (I plan on signing the banner, though, so I’ll count that) and the fan-since-I-was-a-kid fan (I’ve been a fan since I first heard him sing, so that’s close enough). And if he ever plays within eight hours drive of me, I'm there.

Off to write letter to Hyde.

The very first time

Patty mentioned in a comment that Shallow Sleep was the first song she ever heard sung by Hyde.

The first song I heard him sing was Orenji no Taiyou from the movie Moon Child, however, I didn't know the difference between his voice and Gackt's when I heard it. The first time I heard him when I knew it was him singing was Kuchizuke on the Smile CD.


What about you?

Work of art

Hydeist entries 2006/06/12(Mon)

Thanks to Insomnia on the ARK for posting her translation of the most recent Hydeist entries.

Hyde writes of the lucky people born on 6/6, practicing for the acoustic mini-concerts while baking shellfish on the beach, deer, and the big Buddha statue. He also apologizes to female fans who apparently were frustrated by his coded message.

And he has no mercy on bugs.

Just because this is a Hyde solo site

Doesn’t mean I can’t plug Get Out from the Shell posts, right?

Go there now!

More about the secret code mini concerts

On the ARK liv shared a fan’s report about Hyde’s recent surprise performances.

Seems Hyde and the band played twice, once around three in the afternoon, while sitting on some steps near a building that looked like a church, and then again near a small bridge. They played six to seven songs at each place, and it was said Hyde made everyone feel comfortable.

Go here to see a list of the songs and also the comments Hyde made to the crowd like: “The next 666 will be 1,000 years from now [06/06/06--June 6, 3006]. I'll be dead. We have to appreciate/do our best each day.”

Oh, also, the fan who saw him said he had nice shoulder muscles and the blood vessels in his neck were amazing.

R&R Newsmaker or, The most recent photo in the continuing saga of Hyde's Love Affair with Food

A big thanks to matsuchan for posting on the ARK about the R&R Newsmaker FAITH Tour report.

Click here for the article and a bunch of pics.

The place he comes from

I’m not sure how many Mesmerized readers are like me, where your love of Hyde (and jrock in general) has spilled over into a love of Japan. But, I’m seriously studying the language and would like to live there one day, at least, for a year or two.

Because of my interest, I frequent a number of blogs whose authors are Westerners living in the Land of the Rising Sun. One of my favorites, Thrusher, has just returned to the U.S. Before leaving Japan, though, she wrote some great posts.

In one, she listed why she loves Japan. She said that the people there are the “kindest, most courteous, gentle, friendly, smiley, biggest-heart-est people in the entire world.” She also mentioned their focus on nature, their lack of crime, their thoughtfulness and simplicity.

I especially liked her list of things she'll miss. She writes:

• 800 year old people talking walks everyday
• Seeing people wearing coats in summer in the 90* weather because they have zero body fat
• Women riding bicycles in high heels e-mailing friends on their cell phones holding umbrellas and adjusting their skirts - all at the same time
• The sing-song "Ohaiyo gozaimasu!" that I hear multiple times every morning ("Good morning!")
• Being called -san or -chan (Thrusher-san, Thrusher-chan)
• Awesome foot reflexology places in every mall or shopping center
• Japanese pottery - intricate, moving, (I won't miss it too much because I'm bring a thousand pounds of it with me to the US)
• Crazy demonstrations in the aisles at the supermarket
• Pizza with corn (I love you, Potato Country)
• The customer service - you wouldn't believe it even if I told you about it, so just trust me on this one. You'd miss it, too.
• Japanese men who tszuj their hair all the time
• Kids reading manga in Family Mart
• About a million more things

Granted, no place is perfect, but reading her thoughts made me want to experience Japan for myself even more.

Something else I thought of when reading her words--that is the place Hyde is from. Where he grew up, where he lives. He is truly and totally Japanese. And I love that about him.

* * * * *

EDITED: Just so I’m not misunderstood. I don’t believe Japan is some kind of utopia. It’s not that it’s better or worse than my native country (America), it’s just that it is so foreign. A friend who’s traveled the globe--Italy, France, Morocco--said that, after a while, she would feel a kinship with most countries, but that during her stay in Tokyo she never got her feet under her. It was that different. And it’s often those differences that appeal to me.

Leaving no controversial topic unturned

Fans are saying that at the Nagasaki concert Hyde said he visited the memorial for the atomic bombing and said that even though Japan lost to America, they should be proud to live in a country that doesn’t make war (and I’m thinking he meant doesn’t make war now, not referring to the past).

Seems he then went on to say, “America no baka na yatsura” and “mawari ni meiwaku kakerunayona” (the Japanese text is posted on the ARK).

According to Insomnia (No.15217), Hyde is not saying all Americans are stupid ("baka") but is referring to when the U.S. has fought battles where innocents have been targeted. In the context of Nagasaki, he’d be talking about the bombing of civilians who had nothing to do with the war.

Hyde Hearts Hats I

Got carried away... Boy, I've spent a lot of time looking for pictures of this guy.

Boldly going where I’ve never gone before

For the sake of pure research purposes on behalf of all our Mesmerized readers, I joined THAI LE-CIEL, the L’Arc~en~Ciel Fan Club in Thailand.

I did this because pika on the ARK said someone had posted pics from Hyde’s free street concert—the one fans found out about through his Da Vinci Code like message.

The webcam shots are small and not that clear. But you can see Hyde descend some outside steps. It looks like he's wearing a sleeveless dark shirt and tan pants (and with something on his head, a scarf or hat maybe?). Then he sits on the steps with other band members and sings, while playing acoustic guitar. Most of the pics are similar, but every once and a while he leans toward a bandmate and seems to be saying something.

You can join the forum if you'd like to see the photos yourself (Hey_Hyde asked that they not be reposted). The instructions are in English, so it's easy. Once you've joined click again on the link above and it should take you to the post.

Also, Eleonora reported (No.15210) that 2chan fans said Hyde's voice was raspy, but he went pretty high when he sang, "Come and dance with me." They also said Hyde asked if the riddle was too easy.

Last Quarter U.S. release

The film, Kagen no Tsuki (Last Quarter), will be released in the United States July 4, 2006. Thanks to seremela_linwe for the info! Here's the product description on Amazon.com:

Do you believe in love after death? On the eve of her 19th birthday, Mizuki (Kuriyama) doesn't have a lot to celebrate about. Her mother recently committed suicide, her stepfamily bothers her, her boyfriend has been cheating on her and her best friend has betrayed her. Hurt and disillusioned, Mizuki runs from everything and is drawn by some unknown force to a dilapidated estate. Deep within the house Mizuki discovers the mysterious Adam (Hyde), playing a hauntingly familiar melody on the guitar. Melancholy and full of secrets, it seems that Adam, and the house, have a strange, irresistible link to Mizuki. Can Mizuki's boyfriend and a couple of well-meaning schoolchildren uncover the secret of what happened 19 years ago and free Mizuki before the last quarter of the moon falls?

* * * * *

Preorder Last Quarter at Amazon.com

Shojo Beat interview

Rinoa Heartilly posted a translation of Hyde’s recent interview in ShojoBeat. Here are some excerpts:

SB: Your group L'Arc~en~Ciel has performed in the United States, China, and Korea. How has your international recognition affected your work with L'Arc? How about as a solo performer?

H: When our music reached out to foreign audiences, it was a big deal for me to have the music transcend borders... to have people from different countries learning our Japanese songs and singing along with us. I felt as if we became one through music overseas. I saved up each of those emotions within me. I don't actually know how that has affected my new album, but I'm certain it had an effect.

SB: What made you decide to perform concerts in California this summer?

H: I think it's because I'm confident about the sound I create. I really feel that Americans will connect with my hard-rock sound... So if there is a chance and a place for me to perform, I'll gladly be there.

SB: Will your performances in the States vary from those you've done in other countries? If so, how?

H: Well, I have the Japan tour prior to that, so I'm going to try things out there first and bring the best of it to U.S. fans.

Read the whole interview here.

Hydeist 2006/06/06(Tue)

Hyde must really be enjoying The Da Vinci Code.

Seems in Hydeist he typed a bunch of random-looking numbers (and ARK members are busy trying to decipher the coded message) then said that years from now they’ll find a dead man in a club house who’d scrawled those numbers in blood--griping about ticket prices!

(Thanks to bailey59 and Eleonora on the ARK)

EDITED: According to liv on the ARK (click link above and scroll down) this was HYDE's message: 0666 0715071525151809 041513 2015230518 19082121080514 040514151815101521 12092205 1415 1315251521 2315 230502 14092005

EDITED AGAIN: Seems that the coded message above let fans know that he was going to perform an acoustic live performance on the street (and shown via webcam) around 6:00 PM June 6th (6/6/06). Wow.

We’ve created a monster

This will be the seventh post in our "Hyde Hearts Food" series. Novel has already posted one baguette photo. Here are more from that shoot (click image to enlarge):

And for those who may have missed some entries, here’s the whole Mesmerized series (so far):

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six

Daily Yomiuri article

Hyde's Spiritual Lyrics

Hiroshi Ono / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
Daily Yomiuri Online

Faith is the title of the latest solo release by Hyde, vocalist of popular rock band L'Arc-en-Ciel. Hyde started his parallel activity as a solo artist with a debut release five years ago and, with hits like "Hello," he amply demonstrated his standing as a solo artist in his own right.

Three years since his last work, 666, the new album is imbued with a heavy, low and at times powerful sound symbolized by the single "Countdown." On previous albums, guitarist Kaz has participated in all aspects of production and this time Kaz has also had a hand in writing the music for the new work…read the rest of the article here.

(Thanks to bailey59 on the ARK for the info)


EDITED: Come to find out the article is a translation, which explains some of the awkward wording

Concert Banner

On the Hyde San Francisco live journal community yukiasakura announced that they’ve made a banner incorporating HYDE's Japan Faith Tour logo with his U.S. Tour dates. It’s approximately 300cm X 66cm.

They’ll have it at all four concerts for fans to sign, try and hang it up for Hyde to see at every show then give it to him through his staff at the last performance.

So, if you’re waiting in line and some strangers come up to you with a banner and some pens in their hands, you’ll know why.

And yet another installment of Hyde Hearts Food

Don't remember where these pics came from. I think the second one was from Reincarnation.

On a much lighter note

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zimFgNLwvLk&search=hyde

I hadn't seen this before. It's FAN-tastic (all puns intended). As anyone who's ever read my previous posts knows, Hyde reminds me of an old friend/crush from high school. We were at a club one night and some girl tried to pick up my friend by making similar mouth moves. Kevin turned to me and said, "You know when someone's trying to be erotic and it just gets silly?"

And to stem any comments--I think Hyde knows he's being silly.

Hydeist entry 2006/05/25(Thurs)

Thanks to Insomnia for translating five recent Hydeist messages (scroll down to No.15133).

Appears that Hyde…

Believes Sake drinking is more important than TV watching

Reads Yahoo News

Loves the manga, Death Note

Agrees with capital punishment (I can just see the debates this will cause on fan forums across the Net!). He writes:

There is the opinion that capital punishment is severe. But is anyone actually convinced that life imprisonment or some kind of reform (correction) is good enough? I’m not!

Is, or at least was, tired (hopefully, he got that good night sleep he mentioned)

And, my favorite, interacts with his fans on Hydeist and works through a little misunderstanding (some fans were concerned about the Hydeist lamp light being left on, thinking that he wasn't actually online anymore). He writes:

Hey, I want to read the responses to my posts and check a lot of other things, too, you know.

I understand how you feel but could you please stop telling me to turn it off? I’m going to leave.

Should I only keep it on when I’m interacting with you?

Hey.

(Next message) Okay, I got it.

While it’s shining (the lamp light) I’m still here, so please don’t worry.

Bye.

Recent concert MC’s

Liv and Eleonora on the ARK translated some comments Hyde made at concerts in Kyoto and Kobe (as reported by fans).

Seems that when he wasn’t diving into the audience, biting fans’ fingers and sticking out his tongue because he messed up the lyrics he said he thinks the Kyoto dialect is cute which makes girls speaking it 10% prettier, he saw the remake of the Omen the other day and liked the original better, and he encouraged our generation to put an end to war (amen to that).

"No walls--embrace a world as one"

Here’s the most recent Mesmerized Site Meter report, showing the countries our visitors have come from.

Saying hello to all the fellow Hyde fans in the United States, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Philippines, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia--takes a breath--Poland, Spain, Canada, Australia and Argentina.