Glay, a hotter H.O.T.
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The release of H.O.T.'s new album I Yah1x was accompanied by fans' complaints that H.O.T. was imitating the Japanese visual rock band Glay. It's true that Glay did collaborate with H.O.T. on at least one track. But who is this Glay? Teru (vocals), Takuro (guitar), Hisashi (guitar), and Jiro (bass) comprise the group. Two supporting musicians, Toshi Nagai (drums) and Shigeo "sk55" Komori (keyboards) usually play with the group.
The title song, Beloved [MP3], from their third album also displays some mature guitar sounds and great fills by Toshi Nagai. This song was released as Glay's ninth single in 1996. Kuchibiru [MP3] is a much different song than Beloved. While all of Glay's music could probably fall into the genre of rock, Kuchibiru captures a little bit of the edginess of punk. However [MP3] was Glay's next single. A song about sadness and regret, it is at times evocative of the Beatles (late Beatles, not early).
One of my favorite Glay singles is Soul Love [MP3]. This was the group's fourteenth single, released in April 1998. I like the tight instrumental beginning, and the song doesn't lose its appeal when Teru adds his voice to the mix. It has a late 1990s style reminiscent of The Rembrandts. Yuuwaku [MP3] was released the same date as Soul Love. The "Because I Love You" refrain might sound familiar. Be With You [MP3] was released as a single later in the year, and it has a more soulful sound than the rest of Glay's 1998 hits.
Glay's sixteenth single, Winter, Again [MP3], was released earlier this year in combination with Hello My Life [MP3] and Young Oh1x Oh1x [MP3]. Winter, Again was the first Glay song I heard and it turned me into an instant fan. I love the opening measures, and I like the groove I can feel underneath the lyrics. Hello My Life has some strong guitar playing, but I think the song has a lighter feel than other recent hits. Young Oh1x Oh1x is colored by the acid guitar. This would make a good punk song if Teru added a big of anger to his voice.
This brings us to 1999. Supporting member D.I.E. (keyboards) left the band late in 1998 to work on his solo career. He was replaced with Shigeo "sk55" Komori. Survival [MID] was the first single to be released this year with this new configuration. Survival is rock all the way, except, of course, when it's being punk
In summary, Glay has a sound unlike any gayo group, primarily because the depth of their instrumentation. H.O.T. may be inspired by this group, but they haven't managed to duplicate Glay's talent and music.
By Denise Ahn
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