Jrock Wiki:About

This page is all about the .

This Wikia is dedicated to Japanese rock.

The Wikia was created on September 19, 2007.

What is Jrock?

Psychedelic rock was invented in the 1960s by American and British counterculture figures. However, in Japan, psychedelic rock took on a different flavor. While psychedelic rock was known for the drug intake of its performers leaving an impact on the hazy, drugged-out music, J-Rock performers tended to be drug-free, or even adamantly against the use of drugs.

Like in the UK and US, the psychedelic rock scene was linked to a political movement involving young, spirited students. An economic boom brought many young people to universities, where radical politics abounded. Central to this movement, arising from the late 60s Kyoto student revolts, was the band Les Rallizes Denudés and the Taj Mahal Travellers, followed by Lost Aaraaff.

From the late 1980s, popular rock bands such as X Japan helped define the Visual Kei aesthetic in Japanese rock and pop music. "Visual kei" is often focused upon in the West as a uniquely Japanese part of the Rock music scene.

Since the success of X Japan and other Visual Kei bands in the 90's; "Visual Kei" is often focused upon in the West as a uniquely Japanese part of the Rock music scene. Strictly speaking, however, "Visual Kei" is not defined by its sound (which may or may not be "rock" music, as defined by American listeners) but by the appearance of the bands.