I just listened to version since you brought it up and I can honestly say that's probably my first time listening to it all the way through. And then I listened to version M to compare. I think both serve their purpose. :laugh

But... I would much sooner listen to one of the remixed versions of Whatever, tbh.

I have no idea :P But those stuff usually is open to be interpretated... If anything I would say she is stating she isn't a japanese artist, but a world artist.

I have aleays thought "version M" was the more popular one since she always uses it in her concerts. Even on A COMPLETE she uses this version instead of J. Personally I like both versions but I definitely prefer M over J. It's better, more dramatic and I can't live without the Dub's 1999 Club Remix. That one just takes the cake~ :luv2

I see version M as the "official" version and version J as the "original" version. By original, I mean version J was probably the original conception of the song and version M was remixed to fit the dance sound ayu was going for with LOVEppears. This is just me speculating.

And I totally agree, Dub's 1999 Club Remix is amazing. My favorite version hands down.

Version M + ayu-mi-x was the beginning of Max's idea to push Ayu as a dance artist, since he was mr. velfarre and that's the music he was into. Ayu wasn't all that into it.

Version "J" was probably the original concept of the song, otherwise I don't think they'd have included it on the single at all... but M was the one max & the label wanted to push as her new song.

I don't think version J is bad or bland at all, I find it very sweeping and epic compared to a lot of the stuff on A Song for XX - to me it has a lot of the virtues of Hana and FRIEND II and songs like that, although it's still less developed than most of LOVEppears' era. To me version J is a good illustration of the in-between point between A Song for XX and LOVEppears; far better than version M is, since M is the more deliberately polished & manufactured of the two, and it's trying to take Ayu in a different direction on purpose. J is a natural evolution/maturation of the style on A Song for XX.

They each have their own virtues is what I'm saying lol... sometimes I'm in the mood for one, sometimes I'm in the mood for the other, sometimes I'm sick of them both :P

Very insightful. I haven't heard Version J in quite a while, but now that I read your post I'm reminded of thinking the same thing: Version J is much more "A Song for xx" ayu. Having both versions on the single was definitely a good way to transition ayu into a new genre, especially so early in her career.

Dub's 1999 Remix is the best mix (which is essentially version M lol)

I love this thread cause I am always learning something new from ayu :P Up to this discussion I had no idea there were these versions of it, only the Dub remix on the album. Gonna check it now, I'm curious to hear version J hahahah

"Most users ever online was 922, 10th May 2013 at 08:18 PM."

I'm curious what happened during that time? :D

Hum... There was the A BEST LIVE at that time...
But I don't remember if there was anything else, maybe in Ayu's private life ?

I just noticed that from 1998 to 2015 Ayu has went drastic appearance changes during the years O___o like if you look at Ayu from 2011 you wouldn't notice that she looks ljke that during 2005

I was checking my Ayu discography on my phone and just realized I had completetly forgotten to download from Tomoyo's discograpy the vogue single and the amazingness that is ''ever free''. How could I forget such an amazing song!? :no Shame on me!

I love ever free so shame on you indeed!! :D ( just kidding) I just recently fell in love with vogue... Just a great song.

I'm really fond of the vogue (HAL'S MIX 2000)... It's kind of a haunted version of the song.

BTW, I would really like A WINTER BEST from Ayu this december.... I dunno, if the concept is well-executed, why not ? But she has to make good photoshoot this time, and not being like a Summer Alien (e.g. A SUMMER BEST 2CD version...).
A photoshoot like the Bea's UP dec. 2014 would be f***ing perfect !

Where can I download the Daybreak PV mix? Is it a official remix like the kanariya one?

^ I think it's the first track on the Daybreak single(???). Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

^^ Yes it's the HAL's mix 2002, the 1st track of Daybreak's single :)

ever free is the definition of eargasm.

ever free is one of my favorite "true" b-sides from Ayu. Life as well.