Also judging by his IG, he looks like he would be a messy drunk and those are the best kinds of people in my eyes lol

I agree. If I remember right though, Versace featured pretty prominently on her My Story cover (the duvet cover).

Although I have mixed feelings about the deluxe cover - I love how fierce and in control Ayu looks in the shot - don't know if it really fits with the rest of the release (yes it fits the title but doesn't seem to tie in with the rest of the pics and the previewed song - yes there are two other songs yet to be heard and WATQ is fierce).

What I love is that she's finally manifesting her 'street' or 'trendy urban' style on a release! No more princess glamour! (which she pulls of well but this is fresh!)

And while others might call it tacky, I would LOVE if she had an endorsement deal with CK. I think it would be a sign of a resurgence for her.

^ there's only one song yet to be heard

Thanks for the info.

Lyrics from Trust:

Our lips start to get closer
Even though I have never seen forever
I can believe in the two of us now.

I didn’t know she had a thing with Max. :shakehead

If I recall correctly, there are actually photos of them kissing from the 90s that were leaked by a Chinese? tabloid a long time ago? There was an Ayu blog that actually had a post (including the images) on it, but I'm not sure if that blog exists anymore.

If it's the photo I'm thinking of, isn't it in a social setting, and they're both laughing? It's not a scandalous photo of them alone.

That was definitely one of them, but I'm also sure there was another where their faces are close together (enough for a kiss) and her hand is obscuring their lips, making it seem as if she didn't want the camera to explicitly show them kissing.

EDIT: Found it, it's on the first page of 'ayumi hamasaki max matsuura' search on Google Images hahahahaha.

I would have preferred this to be the box set cover, oh well!

https://scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram...48993792_n.jpg

I would too.
CK wouldn't though.

^^^The official story about how they met and she got signed is pretty... strange. :P

^ I think there is room for storytime. What do you know?

My mistake. I've only heard the snippet released on spotify.

Ok, well, I have high hopes for that one last song then. :yes I would love something that matches the mood of the CK photo.

I think i have watched my PoM DVD over 30 times til now. I really really watch her concerts very often.

That's why i'm a little mad about this realease. I don't need the goodies and boxes and 2 versions of the mini. I just want the concerts!!! XD

The official story is the one he mer her by chance, saw potential in her and tryied over and over again to convince her to sign in. After that she started skipping her vocal lessons because she found them boring and instead of scolding her or something he sent her do New York. After that he noticed from the letters she sent him she had a talent for writing and convinced her she should write her own lyrics.

I mean, you pick this random girl who already is a failed pop star and a gravure idol, invest time and money on her while she keeps on fucking things up on purpose and them you reward her fuck ups by sending her to live abroad for free. :B

No audition. No back catalogue. Just a lot of money invested on someone with nothing to back it up based on a hunch.

Doesn't sound very plausible.

I believe they met when she was full on living her night life, started dating, maybe even out of the fact he was rich, and he saw the potential as they grew closer. On Ayu's older interviews she always sugest she had done some questionable stuff she never really elaborated about.

There's another snippet on AWA (AX_YUKU_0592 NKN_arr#2.5), has it not been posted on Spotify?

It does sound murky but if I recall, she met him at a club owned or somehow tied to Avex? And that they had gone to karaoke a couple of times after clubbing?

I agree there could have been some questionable actions. I also like to picture a situation where Max was just really good at spotting raw, unpolished talent.

I also like the interpretation that Max understood that Ayu was skipping her vocal lessons because she was too strong-willed and creative for the rigid training that is the norm for Japanese training (constant repetition, copying other artists etc.) In a word, Ayu was different. :yes:yes:yes

I need to go back and check. I thought it was a slightly more-finalized version of the original mystery demo. Thanks for the info!

^ the finalised version of that demo has "WAT" and "rough mix" in the title, it was the 3rd mysterious track, I'm talking about the 4th one, although I'm not sure if it was released on Spotify ^^

I am grateful for Max. If it weren't for him, there would be no Ayu.

He saw potential in Ayu and invested in her and it succeeded for both him and Ayu.

I see why some might not like the cover of the box set but imo it's the only one that fits "Trouble" the best. And it's something new from her. Er never got á cover like that befor.

Yeap, this is a fact. And how they met or if they dated pales compared to what they did together.