The Last Rockstars?

 

Four of the most well-known rockstars in Japan have recently formed a band called The Last Rockstars which should be something to celebrate, but their debut single has stirred up some controversy. The band name as well as the lyrics have been criticized, being called "lazy" and "uncool" by fans online. Many believe it was band member Yoshiki's idea, since he has a history of using unusual, awkward English phrases in the past in his music.

Besides Yoshiki, who is from the world famous X-Japan, the band is comprised of members Sugizo from Luna Sea, Hyde from L'Arc en Ciel and guitarist Miyavi. Many fans believe Gackt would be perfect for this lineup, but due to his recent illness he is no longer active as a musician. It's a shame, but since Yoshiki is the leader not much would have changed when it comes to the music or band name anyway.

The odd English lyrics in the song which is also titled "The Last Rockstars" are being criticized the most of all. It is quite commonplace for Japanese songs to have unnatural English phrases, but the lyrics in this song in particular are extremely simple and yet still make little sense, with no uniformity.

I believe they missed their chance to release an impressive song as their lead single. It's a shame to see such legendary rockstars stumble like this in the public eye. Each one of them is very successful and talented, which makes it even more bewildering that they released this song without double-checking the English lyrics first. A much cooler，impactful single was definitely expected of these four music giants. What the lyrics seem to be trying to get across is that, simply, they are the last "surviving" rock stars in Japan. Unfortunately, it was executed poorly.

I personally like all four of these legends so I don't want to be too harsh on them. The single is a hot topic on the internet at the moment and I'm sure the four of them are aware. "The Last Rockstars" could just be their "introduction song". If you think about it that way, a very simple, no frills lead single might not be the worst choice. The melody is reminiscent of Japanese rock songs from a couple of decades before, but as of now I'm not sure what direction the band will go in. It would be a pleasant surprise if their next single is much better with more natural, impressive English lyrics, or even better, in Japanese.

I'd like to add that the "bigidin bigidin bang bang bang" part is just...not it.