Velvet Eden

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Velvet Eden
Origin Flag of Japan Tokyo, Japan
Genre(s) Ero guro, J-Rock
Years active 1998-2002 ("Velvet Eden") 2002-2004 ("The Velvet")
Label(s) Arachne, Castle Records
Associated acts Another Cell, E-Typ, Hora, Kalmia, Kaya, Pride of Mind, Rudolf Steiner, Schwarz Stein, Shrine
Members
Bera, Mimi, Lem (as "The Velvet")
Former members
Dada, Kalm, Hora, R.Y.O., Masahiro, Abe (Abexx), Hibiki, Ren, Reina

Velvet Eden was a Japanese Visual Kei (and later Rock) band formed in 1998. The group disbanded in 2002 under rather strange circumstances when vocalist Dada simply failed to show up at one of the band's concerts.

Contents

[edit] History

Velvet Eden was formed in 1998, with eccentric Dada performing vocals, and Kalm as keyboardist and composer. The group played electronic music with a darker emphasis, going perfectly with the obscure yet alluring stories that Dada told through his lyrics. After the release of the band's debut album Ningyou Shoukan, Velvet Eden became relatively popular within certain indies circles inside of Japan.

In 2000, just prior to the release of their second album Street of Alice, Kalm departed with little warning. Kalm went on to pursue a short-lived project called "Lurid Aqua" and from there seemed to slowly disappear from the music scene altogether. Dada, however, chose to continue the band by recruiting new members, Hora, Masahiro, Abe, and R.Y.O. This would lead to Velvet Eden acquiring a more rock-based sound. Hora left shortly after the release of the band's only single Sute Neko, and the rest would follow in suit later on. Eventually four new members, Bera, Mimi, Lem, and Reina joined (with Reina eventually leaving as well) to create the final line-up of Velvet Eden.

Having been unhappy with Velvet Eden's new sound for quite some time, Dada eventually made this known to his bandmates, deeming it unnecessary to show up for a live performance one day. The remaining members were each forced to take turns singing, announcing afterwards that they would continue on without Dada and change their name to "The Velvet". This is what most consider to be the end of Velvet Eden.

[edit] Status of Former Members

Dada no longer performs music, nor is he a drag queen any more. Instead he's produced a collection of artwork for Dir en grey and has illustrated the first volume of Dir en grey's doujinshi series "Deadly Claris", along with more practical art projects. Kalm on the other hand now composes songs for other people (such as Kaya) when it pleases him to do so.

Hora went on to form Rudolf Steiner (Schwarz Stein) with Kaya from Meties/Isola, and is now carrying out his own solo career.

Abe has been in various bands since then.

"The Velvet" carried on with Reina for some time, however they've fallen rather silent since the release of their 2004 single "Shounen". Their current status is unknown.

[edit] Trivia

  • Dada claims this is not related, but there is also an erotic/pornographic photobook called "Velvet Eden". It might be a reference to the monthly SM fetish event held at Caesar's not in London but in the outskirts of Coventry in the Midlands; once a thriving swinger's club, Caesars now limits its activity to weekly BDSM related events, one of which is Velvet Eden, so named because the hostess is Domme Blue Velvet. Early on, they described their style as 'pornographic-teki souzouryoku' (Translated as; pornographic imaginary power).
  • The band released most of their music on their own independent label, "Arachne"; they did however release their two albums Ningyou Shoukan and Street of Alice, and the single Sute Neko on Castle Records.
  • Dada has modelled for the Gothic Lolita fashion label called "Arachnophobia", but does not actually design for it. That's Zaki, who works at the ID Japan shop in Harajuku, and her friend. It was originally believed that Dada did the design, but this proved false.
  • Dada was known to call fans who filled out questionnaires after the lives to chat. This, of course, is not usually done in the Visual Kei scene.
  • Dada was in an electronic band called "E-Typ" with composer 'Shin (Ueda)' prior to the formation of "Velvet Eden", although he went by the name 'ID' at the time. E-Typ released only one 4 track demo tape titled "Der Jugenfrei Traum."
  • Dada's name comes from the Dada-seijin in Ultraman episode "Ningen Hyouhon 5 & 6".
  • Although Kalm and Dada liked bands such as Soft Ballet, their music preferences leaned more towards the foreign music scene. Dada professed a love for one-hit wonders while Kalm's tastes seem to have leaned towards the gothic and electronic side.
  • The band was unusual among the Visual Kei scene in the vein that they were known to actually spend personal time with their fans.
  • Vivienne Sato, one of the most renowned drag queens in Japan, did the artwork for the cover of the Street of Alice demo tape.
  • Dada didn't show up to the live because he and the other members had a band/professional fall-out and he took a bus back to Kansai.
  • In 1996, Dada did guest vocals for Pride of mind's revival demo tape. Pride of mind's former vocalist, Masaki Haruna (now known as Klaha of Malice Mizer fame), had previously left the Japanese New Wave group. Dada was known then as 'Yusuke Gotoh', and performed vocals for their last demo tape before the group disbanded.

[edit] Current members

3rd Generation (as "The Velvet") (2002-2004):

[edit] Former Members

1st Generation (as "Velvet Eden") (1998-2000):

  • Dada - Vocals (1998-2002)
  • Kalm - Keyboards (1998-2000)
  • Sayuki (not an official member) - Support Guitar (2000)

2nd Generation (as "Velvet Eden") (2000-2002):

3rd Generation (as "The Velvet") (2002-2004):

[edit] Discography (Velvet Eden)

[edit] Albums

[edit] Single

[edit] Demo Tapes

  • Street of Alice (3/1999)
  • Madame Tarantula (7/24/1999)
  • Kumo-Onna (12/2000)
  • Kumo-Onna (Unreleased) (12/2000)
  • Operaza no Kaijin (5/2001)
  • Kumo no Sujiro/Kajuen (1/2002)
  • Saigo no Bansan/Fushigi no Kuni no Alice (2/2002)
  • Fan Letter Kurenai/Rouge de Noir (3/2002)

[edit] Miscellaneous Songs

  • ···AND SCHISM (2000) (Music: Kalm)
  • Arachnophobia (???) (Music: ???; Lyrics: Dada)
  • CONFESSION (2000) (Music: Kalm)
  • Enerugishu Hansamu (???) (Music: ???; Lyrics: ???)
  • A LOST (2000) (Music: Kalm)
  • Operaza no Kaijin (Extended Version) (2001) (Music: ???; Lyrics: Dada)
  • Utsukushisa wa Tsumi (2000) ('Pataliro' Ending Theme) (Music: Katou ???; Lyrics: Katou ???)

[edit] Videography (Velvet Eden)

[edit] VHS

  • SAD MASK (3/10/2000)

1. Igyou Hime (PV) (Music: Kalm; Lyrics: Dada)
2. CONFESSION (PV) (Music: Kalm)
3. SAD MASK (PV) (Music: Kalm; Lyrics: Dada)
4. A LOST (PV) (Music: Kalm)
5. Saakasu Byou (Live) (Music: Kalm; Lyrics: Dada)
6. Ningyou Shoukan (Live) (Music: Kalm; Lyrics: Dada)
7. ···AND SCHISM (PV) (Music: Kalm)
8. MAZE (PV) (Music: Kalm; Lyrics: Dada)
9. LA FIN (PV) (Music: Kalm; Lyrics: Dada)

[edit] Discography (The Velvet)

[edit] Album

[edit] Single

[edit] External links