Who likes ZARD?

[HiruNoKaze]

I first heard her when I listened to Don't You See, one of the Dragon Ball GT ending themes. My first reaction was liking the sound of her voice. Second, I liked the old school feeling the musical style gave me. Anyway, a few years later, I went to bookoff for the first time and found one of her albums for $3. lol in fact a lot of ZARD stuff is dirt cheap at bookoff...so I listened to her now and then. Just recently I put a slight hold on Ayu to listen to a bit of ZARD because I'd read about how far back ZARD goes and how she is one of the classics of jpop.

From this thread http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showth...highlight=zard,
I was like, whoa, she's got Ayu beat in certain aspects. Ayu wouldn't be quite as high up if ZARD counted as a female singer instead of a group still. Ayu releases considerably faster, though, so I expect Ayu would overtake ZARD given time.

It's really intriguing to me how she's the completely opposite of Ayu. While Ayu gets a huge amount of publicity, ZARD avoids the spotlight, having only appeared on TV early in her career back when ZARD weas still a band. Ayu goes concert crazy with annual tours and CDLs. ZARD had her first concert tour in 2004 13 years after her debut. Ayu has massive tours in massive arenas. ZARD had her first concert on a cruise ship in 1999 singing for a mere 600 people. Ayu is always changing her style. ZARD has kept like the same hairstyle from the very beginning, wore regular clothes at her concerts, and seems not to deviate much musically (from my point of view so far).

Despite their numerous differences, I find that they share a few key similarities. Both have distinctive voices that have been a huge reason for why I've been drawn to them. Both write all of their lyrics and have done some composition. Both look quite young for their respective ages. Actually, watching some recent footage on youtube, ZARD...seems to have Ayu beat here. Just as ZARD doesn't change her style much...she seems to look the same as she did a decade ago...I don't know how that would be possible. She's like 39 and she looks bloody the same. Sigh probably make up has done a number of Ayu's skin... x 100. Well, in all fairness, it's hard to make a comparison because ZARD gets a lot less pics taken of her and we don't get as many close up shots.

Anyway, I like ZARD's warm and smooth vocals, but she just doesn't have edge like Ayu...

Btw, I think on one of the music TV shows, Ayu mentioned Yureru Omoi by ZARD for some reason...maybe Ayu likes that song. Yureru Omoi was 1993...and one of ZARD's biggest hits, so Ayu was about 15 at the time, hehe. 39 years old! damn! and just released a new single this summer.

[truehappiness]

Wow, ZARD did a bunch of Conan themes cause they're on GIZA I believe..

I think I like then.. kinda. XD They are popular in Japan, hm? XD

[HiruNoKaze]

GIZA? I dunno how popular nowadays, but seems ZARD was kicking ass in the 90s.

[truehappiness]

GIZA is the label that everyone that does CONAN music is on. Like Mai Kuraki [I think], Rina Aiuchi, and uhm.. Aya Kamiki..

[davus0]

I think the reason Izumi seems not to have an edge is that her look is somewhat dated. At the time Zard was just coming out there must have been something very compelling about her, something original. Also compared to Ayu almost anyone is not so trendy.

I really like her look but her voice I'm on and off with. I'm not used to the way she sings (esp. sore-throaty high notes)

[HiruNoKaze]

TH: No, I think ZARD's always been on b.gram.

Hmm I think the lack of edge is the wholistic thing. The way she sings, her image, etc.

[truehappiness]

http://www.beinggiza.com/

Which is under GIZA ';D'

[HiruNoKaze]

Ahahahaha TH, 1; Hiru, 0 lol. Touche. Oh cool Garnet Crow! First time I heard about them, I thought it was a Japanese girl with an English name alias. I guess cause Garnet Crow reminded me of Sheryl Crow lol.

Agh! B'z! Damn their legendary status! Wooow ZARD is the only one on b.gram? Funky.

[HiruNoKaze]

I guess ZARD isn't too big among foreign Japanese music fans? lol

Edit: Oh crap, double post. Sorry...

[AyuGAME]

i like her/him?! haha...there is a few song from him/her that i like

[HiruNoKaze]

Personally I call ZARD a she...cause it's pretty much just Izumi Sakai...

[Miku]

I really like ZARD. ^^

[Aisha_Angel]

I LOVE ZARD! But it's so hard getting anything by them/talking about them because alot of people either just don't know them at ALL.
So far my favorite songs as "Don't You See?", "Get U're Dream" & "Today is Another Day". I really want to hear their old and new stuff but alot of it is normally out of stock or without a more affordable overseas version of it. Ugh, it's so hard being a fan of theirs because of that though...

[HiruNoKaze]

BOOKOFF = $3 ZARD ALBUMS
Oh have you heard 3rd album "Hold Me"? I think it's quite a solid album. All the tunes are catchy. I really like "dareka ga matteru" and "suki na you ni odoritai no."

I have the albums "Hold Me," "Today is Another Day," and "ZARD BLEND II ~LEAF & SNOW~"

Actually I uploaded the iso of "Hold Me" to sendspace for my friend...so anyone who loves ZARD, get this now!
http://www.sendspace.com/file/4vz5d9
http://www.sendspace.com/file/c4rya1

Total is about 480megs I think.

[leafyamazaki]

I like ZARD. I'm not really that big a fan though.
I particularly like two TV series tie-up songs, "Kimi ni aitaku nattara... ('Risou no Kekkon' theme song)" and "Ikimo dekinai ('Chuuka Ichiban!' opening theme)."

[HiruNoKaze]

lol still soooo many songs I haven't heard yet.