Ayu ~Anything Goes~ XVI

[mi|kshake]

I just love VERBAL so much and I have for YEEEAARRRS and years and years so it just makes me so sad when people don't like his rapping XD

It was so nice to finally hear him on an Ayu song! I prefer Merry-go-round to My Way.

[Gustavopc]

Eh, I'm one who doesn't love Merry-go-round. I adore the instrumental of the beginning and the verses, but the chorus spoils the song for me, it goes totally in the opposite direction of what the song builds up to imo. This technique can work sometimes, but it didn't for me in this case unfortunately. And I don't mind VERBAL, I think he's a nice addition and brings something new to her music.

[truehappiness]

I think they did the chorus switcheroo on purpose. I feel like it just works as a whole. Predictable choruses are so not the drama imo.

[Gustavopc]

Yeah, I also think it was on purpose, and I agree it works as a whole. I just don't like how it sound if only there was a remix of it on some ayu-mi-x or some singles oh the good times

If she ever goes for this kind of song, I'd love to hear something like Ami Suzuki's Kiss Kiss Kiss, I love how smooth everything in that song goes and I think ayu's voice could KILL it. Like an extended electro version of everlasting dream <3

[truehappiness]

I think we'll get a remix one day. ayu-mi-x come on, 20th anni!

Pictures like this just make me think...



Ayu really is beautiful.

[Surreal17]

Chaku Uta full (or Single track/ full songs)

A Song for xx : A Song for xx (100k)
LOVEppears : Who... (250k)
Duty (2): SEASONS (100k) / teddy bear (100k)
I am... (3): M (250k) / evolution (100k) / Dearest (100k)
RAINBOW (2) : HANABI (100k) / Voyage (100k)
Memorial Address (2): No way to say (100k) / Memorial address (100k)
MY STORY : Moments (100k)
(miss)understood (3): STEP you (100k) / fairyland (100k) / HEAVEN (100k)
Secret (4): Startin' (100k) / BLUE BIRD (100k) / JEWEL (250k) / momentum (100k)
A BEST 2 : part of ME (100k)
GUILTY (6): Glitter (250k) / fated (100k) / talkin' 2 myself (100k) / Together When… (250k) / MY ALL (100k) / Mirrorcle World (100k)
NEXT LEVEL (3): Days (250k) / GREEN (100k) / Rule (250k)
Rock'n'Roll Circus (3): Sunrise ～LOVE is ALL～ (250k) / Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ (100k) / You were... (250k)
Love songs (4): MOON (100k) / crossroad (100k) / Virgin Road (100k) / Love song (100k)
FIVE : progress (100k)
Party Queen : how beautiful you are (100k)
Love again : You & Me (100k)

no Colours, A ONE and sixxxxxx.

Looking through my ayu certification list and I'm really amazed at how many certifications GUILTY has. Love songs and Secret too. Also, few non-single surprises like momentum, JEWEL, teddy bear, MY ALL etc.
I'm surprised Last minute or Zutto.. didn't get any certification.

[truehappiness]

A lot of the certifications came later so it is possible that some could pop up later on down the line. I had a thread for it but I don't think I updated it too much in Enquiries after the RIAJ certs stopped happening too often.

[//ABEST]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I think we'll get a remix one day. ayu-mi-x come on, 20th anni!

Pictures like this just make me think...



Ayu really is beautiful.

that picture in blue top/dress is drop dead gorgeous

[MessiahofSilence]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I think they did the chorus switcheroo on purpose. I feel like it just works as a whole. Predictable choruses are so not the drama imo.

Same, I think they purposely did this. I'm fine with it, because I find Ayu's voice very pleasing in the chorus. This song is so underrated, though.

[NintendoHTF1242]

I was listening to July 1st and forgot why that day was really important to Ayu. Can someone enlighten me?

[truehappiness]

I believe it was the day after someone would have a huge party for their birthday and it would last for a whole night from June 30th to July 1st.

There are two usual summer events to me. One is the party held every year on June 30, the birthday of the owner of this bar (in Tokyo), when many old friends of mine I can't usually see gather here. To me, that is the one and only unhealthy night of the year, from June 30 to July 1st. (Laugh) ...(omission) ... And the other is the event of watching fireworks after gathering at the shop of my acquaintance near the sea in August every year ... 　　("Zappy" Aug. 2002)

- from masa's site

However, she's probably changed quite a bit from then, so who knows if she still tries to get in touch.

　This article makes it clear why the second song is titled strangely as "July 1st." But the scene sung about in this song is not the party place at night but the sea in the daytime. Why? -- In fact, there was one more thing which lead her to make this song. In the interview of "Hamasaki Republic", she and the interviewer were talking as below, looking at a photo of the sea in a magazine.
　O: How do you think about the sentence? ("If it's fine tomorrow, let's go to the sea.")
　A: Nice. I'm glad to hear someone tell me so, for example. A family member or a friend or a boyfriend. Because if someone tell me so, I'm in his or her future. I'm in his or her tomorrow. I'm glad of that.　　("Hamasaki Republic")

Another addition.

I still enjoy masa's articles to this day. I wish someone would do stuff like that again... I would make some sort of attempt if I had access to all interviews from eras and such.

[attractive nausea]

Hey guys,
At what time should I be at Yoyogi to be sure to get all the goods that i want? At what time do they usually start selling them??
Also do I have to pick up my tickets EXACTLY 1 hour because the opening of the gates? They keep talking about "pick up your ticket one hour before the show" but i haven't understood well.

That would be my first time so i'm so nervous i might do something wrong

[Aderianu]

Originally Posted by attractive nausea

Hey guys,
At what time should I be at Yoyogi to be sure to get all the goods that i want? At what time do they usually start selling them??

http://avex.jp/ayu/live/tour.php?id=1000566
last column is goods sales start

[attractive nausea]

^ Thanks, but i guess people will be waiting in line already before that time, huh?

[truehappiness]

Judging from photos taken pre-concert, it's never TOO many people, but it's good to get there probably like an hour early just so you make sure you get the things that tend to sell out within an hour.

https://www.instagram.com/evanbon1017/

This guy on Instagram really loves Ayu! Has some really expensive taste in clothes too... has A BEST t-shirt in one of his looks and replicated Ayu's Opening Ceremony look on Instagram!

[rainbow_smile]

Originally Posted by attractive nausea

Hey guys,
At what time should I be at Yoyogi to be sure to get all the goods that i want? At what time do they usually start selling them??
Also do I have to pick up my tickets EXACTLY 1 hour because the opening of the gates? They keep talking about "pick up your ticket one hour before the show" but i haven't understood well.

That would be my first time so i'm so nervous i might do something wrong

I remember I was at Yoyogi at least a couple of hours before they started selling the goods, and some stuff was already sold out, like some sizes of the parka. But last year I went to both shows in Yokohama, I went to get the goods after the sales started because I was queueing for the TA booth, and I was able to buy everything I wanted.

You can pick up the tickets one hour before they open the gates. You may pick them up at any point after that, you don't have to be there exactly one hour before, but don't pick them up, like, 1 minute before the concert starts because you'll be late for the show

[attractive nausea]

^ Okay! Thank you for the information!

[Baernash]

Originally Posted by 4Seasons

Why doesn't she do 2-3 singles before each album anymore? Has that been discussed on this forum? I'm curious to read the reasoning.

Times has changed, sales has changed and way of promotion has changed. It's not just Ayu but other artists too (except teenage-idol bands and H!P). It's kinda like asking why they still not releasing her PVs/concerts on VHS/VCD. People loosing interest in buying physical singles and there are multiple reasons behind it:

1) a lot of people prefering digital downloads nowadays - most of people will rip CD and will listen to it on their smartphone/mp3 players anyway, so CD is more like collectible for fans by big "F"
2) content of singles started to shrinking - remember old Ayu' singles? Some of them had multiple remixes and 10-11 tracks at all. Later you could find just A-song, B-song and instrumentals, so if you're not a fan who cares for instrumentals you don't really need it in your collection
3) agressive marketing discouraging to buy - when they started releasing each single in multiple versions (with small difference like different bonus track or just cover), they tried to "encourage" fans to buy more than 1 version (to raise sales) but it didn't work. Fans would like to have all versions to not miss any content (like remixes or making of movies) but not everyone could afford it, so some of them just stopped to buy any version. In the past when she was releasing for ex. 3 singles + 1 album per year than total cost to buy it was Y6839. Now just to buy 1 single in all versions available you would have to spend about Y6000... Besides don't forget that japanese society is rotten by consumerism - they love to buy but they don't really have enough of pace in their appartments to keeps all the goods.
4) Ayu lost a lot of "old" fans - she changed and her fans changed too. People matured but can we say the same about Ayu's music? Sorry but no. She was composing songs, had great PVs with meaning... Now she's giving us things like "XOXO" and "Lelio" - empty, mainstream, Americanised.

[truehappiness]

XOXO and Lelio are fun experiments though. I say that it was mostly a diversion for her and a way for her to 'run away' from Japan, but now since then she has gone back to being herself.

[Baernash]

"Party Queen" or "Colors" it's not Ayu I used to like but does it really matter? Few years ago I became disapointed in direction of her career and couldn't say a good word about it. I think I just accepted things as they are now, because I'm starting enjoy songs like "XoXo" or "Lelio". Ok, it's not the same "wow" feeling as in the past but...