So I was looking through my live journal, and found the first entry about Mdm, and Mana. What a strange beginning.

His music is still just as fresh for me, even after all these months.

Ozzy slightly dulled out in four or so months ( I still love him though).

This is a long entry, but some may find it interesting and perhaps see some commonality.

This was sometime in August 09

[ Tags | absinthe, hizaki, malice mizer, mana, mdm, moi dix mois ]
[ Current Location | at the comp ]
[ mood | hopeful ]
[ music | Bach's tocatta en feuge, Hizaki's race wish. ]

So let's see.

Aside from a new experience this past weekend, and my discovery of new music from the last place I would expect such, not much has happened in the past several months.

I have been just plugging along with attaining the flight instructor's certificate, which has been an experience. I am learning my flight instructors may not have been as good as I had thought they were, even my first instructor who was an old veteran may not have been the best, as I had thought. Amazing how images can be shattered to pieces by a little knowledge.

I have been improving on my guitar skills, though still not all that good yet. I still hit strings that I shouldn't, and don't use enough pressure on the frets as I should, especially with the pinky, and ring fingers. Years ago when I last attempted to play, I had the same problem, but I was much less patient then.

While looking for guitar lessons on line, a came across what looked like a lady in Victorian clothing, with the video title "Hizaki, race wish", In the description was "the most awesome guitar work EVAR!!". So my curiosity piqued. The video started with some nice classical sounding synth music, as the camera found and focused on this figure in a maroon dress of a very ornate and beautiful design.

Then the figure began playing. The tune was simple enough, and very nice to hear, not really what I would call awesome.

then the tune went to the second part. A little faster, and a bit more complex, probably would take me a little effort to nail, but still not that awesome.

Then the third part. The fretting fingers dissolved into a blur, the guitar sang as VERY fast notes were individually picked out at a most incredible speed. Tears started welling up in my eyes as I watched, and heard this unfold. I had never heard something like this done in this manner. There are those guitarist that fly up and down the scales at mind numbing speed, but the sound produced is really just noise. Fantastic noise, don't get me wrong, but it is still noise. What I was hearing here was melodic, AND fast.

The piece continued, and my eyes were fixed on the fretting fingers, I could barely make out what they were doing they were moving so fast. The pace then slowed down a little, and the piece got a little less complex, but still wonderful to hear.

Finally the piece came to a close with some fast picking fading out.

Well, I had found my main practice piece for guitar work.

I later learned Hizaki, is a guy, and part of the Japanese visual kie movement.

I had heard of visual kie before on another site I frequented about fashion freedom. The artist that stood out was named Mana.

After watching Race Wish for a third time, and reading the comments, I looked at the related search column. Lo and behold, there was a familiar but different face looking back. I had only seen pictures of Mana on my first set of encounters of his visage, and was amazed at how well he could pull of a feminine image, but he wasn't really a fashion freedomist, but more a cross dresser, so I didn't pay him too much mind.

The face looking back on the related search though was not overtly feminine. It was definitly a blend of male and female, along with what was a bonus for me, a very Gothic looking, angel of death look. Shadows temple was the name associated with the image. Nice sounding name.

I have always loved classical music, when done right harpsichords, and violins can sound wonderful. My all time favorite instrument to hear is the Pipe organ.

The opening notes of Shadows temple started playing, accompanied by an image of Mana holding a glowing symbol, that I would later learn is the band's symbol. He looked to me positively awesome. The creepy sounding violin and vocals (synthed, I am sure), gave way to my favorite instrument being played very fast. It sounded very much like a piece of Bach's Tocatta en Fuege being played repeatedly over and over. The sound was gorgeous. Soon the vocals came in, "Shadows dream of truth and false"

Interesting lyric.

I then found myself lost in one of the most intense, and marvelous pieces of music I had heard in a long time. The images on the screen changed and I recognized Mana in one of the costumes I had seen on the fashion freedom site. He had changed. I definitely liked his new appearance. It looked like something I would totally have pulled off, had my parents allowed my goth self to be expressed, when I was a kid.

That night I experienced more and more of Mana's works, with his band Moi Dix Mois, and later his earlier band Malice Mizer, which was the time I had first learned of this man's existence. The music was great, the costumes, were very impressive, the over all package....like nothing I have ever seen. They made Oingo Boingo look like amateurs.

So yea, within the past several months I discovered a Japanese artist named Mana, and am so happy I did. He is incredible.

Not just for his music, but his philosophy, and views on gender expression. He and I are akin, except for the fact he did not allow fear to limit himself. He used it to his advantage, and consequently became the heart throb of many a fan girls (and I am sure boys as well). I learned he is also a clothing designer, and pioneer of the Gothic Lolita, and later Gothic Aristocrat look.

The guy is a freaking dynamo. Also, to top it off, he is a geek. He loves video games, has a fascination with sea monkeys of all things, and he is very connected with his fans.

I joined his fan club, witch aside from George Lucas is the only person I have done such for. The money was not wasted (like it was with Lucas), I find reading his fanclub stuff quite fun. Very down to earth, and the guy is quite a good person, despite his dark appearance. He may not acknowledge it but he is a goth at heart.

So let's see. Now that I am done being a fan boy, what else is going on.

Oh yea, that's right. Nothing.

Oh wait, almost forgot. This past weekend I and two of my friends experienced the effects of "The Green Fairey". We at last had a go with Absinthe.

Oh my god.

We hardly had any, and thought the effects that were happening was a psycological reaction to drinking this drink with an interesting past. But no, indeed we were experiencing the mind altering effects of the drink of Edgar Allen Poe, and several other literary geniuses. It was great. I was buzzed, but I did not consume several tequilas to get at the stage I was at. That night we played on the organ, I tried to successfully play some of Mdm's piano pieces, and organ pieces, along with Tocatta en feuge. I can only play bits and pieces of that piece, but intend to get the whole thing down sometime. Monophobia's piano is as simple as it is beautiful. That night I introduced them to Mdm via you tube.

That was a fun night, and the most marvelous part....no hang over.

So that I believe is it. (looks around), oh yea, I received Mana's fan club medallion, which is a nice looking if occultish looking piece of jewelry, it should work well with my costume I am working of for Halloween, if I haven't received Mdm's medallion by that time.

Right. That's it. I am done here for now.

Wow, no other remembrances.

I know why!! My post is too long. LOL

Violins in Shadows Temple sound like something from the score from Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho". Not literally the music that its famed for, but more like the music that accompanies certain suspenseful scenes.