Welcome to my RU-vid channel! I'm Andrew, better known as AJ, Hartley. I'm a novelist (International, award winning and New York Times bestselling, for what any of that is worth) and a Shakespeare professor at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, where (though my Ph.D. is in literature) I mostly work on performance issues. I post about writing, travel, and one of my other passions, the Japanese Kawaii rock band, BabyMetal, though I do analytical discussions of the songs rather than straight reactions. As an artist, scholar, and cultural critic, my interests often overlap, so you may get bits of everything in a single video. Though I realize that I am, as they say, not for all markets, I hope you find bits of what I do entertaining or interesting.
Ah, I wanted to add something about the ecclecticism of many japanese acts - I really love that; and a lot of (western) music/bands that just stays in one lane is getting boring to me. I'm still flabbergasted that japanese bands can make so stylistically diverse music and still be commercially successful without alienating their fans. If you look at Ado, Japan's most successful singer right now, it's amazing to me to see her topping the charts with music that is wild, sometimes aggressive and weird, and every song is different. Ado fans (I consider myself one nowadays) have to be very open to new styles since you never know what you'll get with a new track from her. Never in a million years would a western popstar (although Ado not really is a POPstar, she's too varied) like Taylor Swift, Adele or Billie Eilish etc. dare to shock their fans with songs like hers, f.ex. "Aishite", "RuLe" or "Love ka?". Their fans would be totally confused and the radio would never play this kind of stuff. It's cool that you can do that in Japan - it restores my faith in mankind (a bit) 🙂
Yeah, I think it's partly about how we listen/distribute music in the west, and how radio stations and their descendants shape notions of genre. It's also, I think, about brand identity. People want you to do one thing. That's how you get build a following. The same is true for writers. I think my agent wishes I had learned that lesson... :)
The Omakase video is a step too far in advertising for AG! IMO. The tacked on Toyota stuff just doesn't work at all. I love Omakase and it's original choreography and we just don't see enough of that. This is a miss form AG! IMO. I hope we still get a choreography video. So I was depressed by the Omakase video, but AG! have redeemed themselves with the MTH collaboration. It's brilliant. I don't want a BM AG! collaboration right now. If they'd done it in 2017 with the Eastern Kamis it might have been awesome, but I feel that BM have lost a step and the disparity in energy might be jarring.
Interesting. Thanks. I take your point about the car commercial thing (which was mostly wasted on me anyway!). BM have a tendency tor use to occasions so don't count them pout just yet :)
Have you outlined projects like Macbeth or Hamlet? Were these projects more or less anxiety-inducing? In other words, did you feel relaxed because you were working from solid material, or did you worry about messing it up? I often struggle with feeling inadequate when it comes to writing a novel. I worry I haven’t read enough, or that there are already so many novels out there, making mine feel unnecessary. I’m also paralyzed by uncertainty: is the story I want to tell YA or adult? Should it be a serious neo-gothic novel, or would it work better as satire? How do I overcome these doubts and move forward?
The reason for the car racing theme in the Omakase MV is due to a tie-in with the Toyota-produced short anime series "Grip", which is available on YT from Toyota USA. Omakase is the soundtrack for the second season. There's a nice article about it, including an AG! interview, on "The Drum" site.
Thank you for this one! You are slowly becoming my main gateway to Japanese Rock/Pop. My Hair Is Bad not only has an adorable name but makes music that had an instant apeal for me. Thanks to pointing them out! They also work against the trend as they are all male. My impression was that Japan had produced an insane amount of all-female or female fronted bands during the last ten years or so while the boys were doing not so well. But maybe this is just a skewed perception created by The Algorithm once it had identified me as a Babymetal fan. Omakase was the second song on the Cologne setlist in June, and the combination of the costumes (long coats), the choreo and the projections on the stage screen was absolutely gorgeous. The Shimi MV hit me like a sledgehammer. I normally have only a limited tolerance for death metal vocals; Electric Callboy is about as far as I go right now. But I do like this collab for all the reasons you stated. The annoncement video with AG! hatching out of an egg was hilarious! Making things work together that shouldn't. Pushing your own envelope. This seems indeeed to be one common thing here. It may or may not be more prevalent in Japan (It sure is one of the foundations of Babymetal's music), but it should be pointed out that similar things have happened in other parts of the world: Nightwish from Finland have made a career over the last 15 years by combining metal with classical music and operatic vocals. Sabaton from Sweden often use vocal arrangements that seem to come from choir music. Lead vocalist Joaquim Broden once said in an interview that some of his ideas came from his time in a choir as a young boy. Germany's Electric Callboy had been a hardcore metal band for a number of years until Nico Sallach joined around 2020 as new second vocalist. His clean 90s Europop vocals combined with founding member Kevin Ratajczak's harsh vocals created the EC sound we know today and which is one of the main factors of Electric Callboy's recent popularity. Bloodywood from New Delhi/India combine metal, Indian folk elements and Rap into something that feels pretty organic. I quite like their debut album Rakshak. Maybe hardcore death metal is about as far as metal can go regarding heaviness and distortion, and the only way forward are crossovers? we'll see.
Thanks! Delighted to hear you are connecting with My Hair Is Bad! And yes, of course, it's not just Japanese bands which use musical hybridity, (though I think there's a difference between incorporating unexpected instruments and combining different genres). I have often found that the bands I like best from the UK are those who cross genres and find something new in the process, particularly in the New wave days of the late seventies and early eighties as bands carved out new sounds from pop, disco, punk, hard rock, reggae etc. Think XTC and the Police, or instance. Cool stuff. That said, I think that this kind of generic hybridity is freer in Japan because of how music is distributed, particularly because they don't have the legacy of radio stations which defined themselves by a single style, thereby pressurizing bands to limit their range.
japanese rock music IS awesome! when I was 13 I found a band called The Pillows and another band called Asian Kung Fu Generation and they literally changed my life! I have been writing music in english and japanese since then! Andrew, it would be cool if you heard some of it and shared it with your friends! I am 35 now so I too have been into these bands for a long time! I wonder what you think about bands like One Ok Rock Gesu No Kiwami Otome Indigo La End L'arc en Ciel Very Cool AJ its so validating hearing you talk about these bands because I feel alone in america loving this music almost more than american bands which of course i listen to also!
Thanks! You are not alone. If you get chance, when a Japanese band comes close to your area, check them out. You'll find a lot of passionate fans. The first three other bands you mention I know, but not very well, though I own a few songs from One Ok Rock and Indigo the end. Will look into them more.
Thanks for your video/music tips. Japanese rock and pop for sure is awesome 🙂My listening habits have changed dramatically over the past couple of years (ever since I discovered BABYMETAL) and nowadays at least 2/3 of the music I spin on a daily basis is from Japan. But I don't like the MTH x AG song to be honest - it's way too heavy and harsh for me. The AG-parts are cool and fun but the rest, I can't listen to... It's great that AG are branching out nevertheless so I'm excited for their future. 🙂
Yeah, I get that. I actually like the song a lot but it's not a style of music that I'd listen to very much. Like you, I find that kind of harshness works in small doses. Maybe when I was younger... :)
@@AndrewHartley I politely feel: one song collab together is enough. An AG! album produced by Ayase, who is a pop music genius would be my wish. I feel Atarashii Gakko! deserve to be Taylor Swift level success. I like her, I love them.
Actually (😜) Atarashii Gakko, Babymetal and Maximum The Hormone are a spiritual oneness, separated at birth and they didn't know they are - in fact - a trinity. Babymetal has a faint glimpse of this but they misinterpreted it as "summoned by the fox god", which is close but wrong. And why there are no details about the founding of Atarashii Gakko? Why is it a secret? Because they don't know either! They attribute it to some (mystic) "energy". It is only a matter of time the three will meet and coalesce ... and this will be the end of the world as we know it (har-har-har)
Seems like "Omakase" was a deliberate attempt to reduce the gymnatics and more active choreo in the video (as we also saw with "Dora 1 Dokusou". I guess we'll have to see if this trend continues.
Yeah, that's a good point. Money Mark made the same point about Forever Sisters being a song that they would be able to perform for a long time when the high energy stuff was beyond them.
Professor, thank you for bringing up SHIMI😊 I think it was last year? SUZUKA is having a conversation with MTH's Ryo-kun in a magazine. SUZUKA's father is a big KISS fan, and it seems that this influenced her, who loves rock music, to be happy about it. I myself fell in love with this video, which purifies and frees my soul, and I listen to it over and over again. And now, it has become the second most popular video in just two days. In the Japanese music industry, when you turn on the TV, all you hear is KPOP, which is all about lookism. I feel like things are starting to change little by little. Rebellion against orthodoxy. I felt that AG and MTH have a common energy that brings out the brilliance of life even from the mud.
Amazing that it's getting that much attention, but well deserved. It's a masterpiece. Thanks for the background information! I agree with your assessment about rebellion as well!
@@AndrewHartley Thank you, Professor, as always✨ I know you are busy, but please take care of your health.I look forward to seeing the professor's videos in the future😊
As someone who plays a few instruments, the shamisen part doesnt sound too hard to play which for a complete beginner with a good instructor, one week of practice+lessons an hour a day should be more than enough. So, very possible Mizyu can at least play that part in the song.
I was curious so I watched the original video in slo-mo and I saw that the bachi (plectrum) barely touched a string. At 3:06 the bachi even got stuck under the top string (I guess that's why they made a cut here). Most people probably haven't noticed that because they got mesmerized by Mizyu's hairdo. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I am Totally shocked you have not reviewed or mentioned BAND MAID. Other than Baby Metal....they are the most popular Japanese rock band and have a huge following around the rest of the world. Their musicianship is absolutely top notch and our being touted as the best current rock band out there. They absolutely rejuvenated my love for music again which seems to be a common thread among their fan base. I would highly recommend you check them out !!!!!! You won't be sorry.
@@TomRussell-cy6ll I mean, their musicianship is obviously excellent, and I can admire their virtuosity. It's the songs themselves, both lyrically and musically which just don't speak to me, I'm afraid. But that's just me. I know lots of people who love them. I have a worse reaction to Love Bites, who I know are another fan favorite, though in their case a lot of my response is about vocal style and self-presentation. I grew up on a lot off hard rock in the 70s but y tastes toady lean more alt rock, so maybe that's why. Your mileage, as they say, may vary :)
@@AndrewHartley It's funny....I had the exact same reaction to Love Bites. Can't get past the vocalist. I also grew up in the 70's which pretty much made up my playlist that I was completely burned out on !!!! But I discovered Band Maid and even flew out to see them. They are the real deal live and made me feel 18 again !!!! I play drums and as you say, the musicianship is top notch. I would be curious to know whats songs you have listened to ? They have a huge catalogue with a wide array of genres. I know you are a big Baby Metal fan but would really enjoy your reactions of Band Maid.
Polkadot Stingray "Out" reminds me a lot of Band-Maid, just a few less layers of instruments. I know the full and rich tapestry of many Band-Maid songs can be difficult to latch onto at first listen, but I do think once/if you dig into them they are very surprising and satisfying.
Just a side note: this video seems to be only showing up in the playlist tab for now but not the video tab. I only found it cuz I went to the playlist tab😅
Was waiting for your reaction video to Shimi prof! Definitely wasnt expecting a full long video. Nice to hear more about your music tastes. As an extreme metal fan before knowing about AG, the thing about AG that caught me was their "metal spirited energy" live performances even though the music is not necessary the same genre. MtH was one of the bands I really wanted AG to collab with even before the announcement, and it arrived at least two years earlier than I expected xD Fun and chaotic performances is what I'd describe as the main thing I like about MtH and AG, and the collab is exactly that but multiplied.
Yeah, I could have spent more time on this one, but my longer videos don't get as many views and the quick reactions people put up do much better, even when there's little real content, so I moved quicker on this than I would usually like. Can't decide which is the better approach.
Hi Professor, just looking through the comments here already and I can see this might be a long series of videos, there are so many interesting and relevant questions. I think you may have opened a box of worms for yourself haha. This was my second time watching this video and the take-home points I got from each viewing were very different. From my first viewing the major point I took away was to get your first draft done. As you say, you have nothing without a first draft. The second viewing gave me the gem of plot being subordinate to character development. This one punched me in the face in the second viewing of your video. We talked briefly after another of your recent videos, about the challenges I am experiencing in relation to cultural appropriation and the presentation of cultural stereotypes, particularly over different time periods. I think your wise words might just provide me with a way forward, a navigational tool, to help solve the roadblocks that I have been running into. Thankyou,
You are most welcome, Len, and thanks for your thoughtful engagement. Yes, there seem to be a lot of questions coming in, though whether people will actually watch these kinds of videos in any numbers remains to be seen... :)
Do you have power now? Did yours go out? I pray that y’all are Good!! My Son is working up there Close by. From Central Texas here. He is a Lineman, he& his Brotherhood will help Y’all Out!! God Bless You ✝️🙏❤️✝️🙏❤️
Thanks. Yes, we lost power for several days. Other than that though, we got off easy, esp compared to the western part of teh state, parts of which got really hammered. Very sad.
Thanks a lot for giving us a sneek peek behind the scenes of your writing process. Most intriguing for me as a teacher was your description of how your urge to lecture got in the way of your writing. I know that myself, albeit in different contexts. While I love oral storytelling and writing lyrics for songs, I could have never envisioned me starting to write a whole book. But feeling your passion while you talk about finishing the book and having something real in your hands is really tempting. I very probably still won't do it, but suddenly tinkering with the thought seems more fun Good to hear that there will be a second Hideki Smith novel; I enjoyed the first one a lot.
Hey AJ, question for future consideration. I know everyone starts their writing differently. I'm quite curious, what do you find is the usual genesis of a writing project for you? Do you find yourself crafting a fully formed idea before you start putting words down, do you find yourself thinking of interesting prompts that you then begin writing your own answer to, or is there some other way (if in fact any consistent way at all) for your projects to begin?
How did you learn creative writing? Did you take classes, did you read books about creative writing (e.g. Sol Stein)? Do you use supportive software - not just spellchecking but tools for authors e.g. Scrivener? If not, have you tried them, what is your stance?
How much research do you do before you finish plotting? Has it happened to you that you wanted to write about (X) and started researching and then found out that (X) is (1) actually boring or (2) not fruitful enough to write a whole book about it (not enough information available). Has in-depth research ever made you writing the novel completely differently than you originally planned?
When you do author readings in e.g. bookstores, which are the criteria for the sections and chapters you choose for reading? Do you already identify potential sections for readings during the writing process? Do you treat them differently, e.g. "polish" them so they will shine and sound really cool?
How difficult is it to create characters which are not just copies of yourself? If a character is completely different from you, how do you "become" this character, do you do some sort of method acting? Do you look for such a character in real life and study him?
It looks like you got a bit of weather. I have been getting updates from a woman I know in Georgia, she was quite worried about the intensity of the storm, but it didn't seem to impact her at all and the creek at the bottom of her street was only up about a foot. I'm glad you and your family are safe though.
Yeah, it was worse in NC, especially in the western parts of the state. Little mountain towns like Chimney Rock where we sometimes go hiking are basically gone, roads and buildings completely washed away by flood waters and mudslides. It's terrifying and sad. We were without power for several days but got off easy.
Finding some videos that I never saw before or saw and never gave a thumbs up to. I always enjoy your videos even though I don't comment very often. Black BabyMetal is always fun because while, in my opinion at least, Moa and Yui are the main drivers of the Kawaii part, when they do songs, the music is usually harder, or have more punch than their normal songs. So, thanks for the reactions, and your joy watching them is infectious. Thanks!
