SYNC LISTEN: Ayumi Hamasaki - LOVEppears (Jancelled until further notice)

[Diddy]

Hi guyz, I've been threatening to do this for ages, so I should just try to set a date and see what happens.

I don't know how much you know about Ayumi, but while Utada got all the critical praise during the early 00s, Ayumi was bringing the bangers to you every ball. Not that I want to pit women against women because they are both fabulous, but they both debuted around the same time, and occupied very similar timelines, even getting a record company-engineered chart battle between Ayumi's GH and Utada's 2nd album Deep River - with both shifting around 3 million copies each in their first WEEKS, which I'm still not over yet.

Anyway I want to take a deep dive into Ayumi's second album, the clunkily-titled LOVEppears. I wondered if it was just nostalgia for my first wave of Ayu-fever that made me think this was great, and thought it might get weighed down in gloop, given its almost CD-filling runtime, BUT it's not - there are a few ballads but even they are good, and when this album slaps? OH BITCH you don't even know.

Toilet breaks are pre-saved because most of the tracks are 5 minutes long and you can probably work out when is a good time for you. So sit back, crack open a chu-hai and a pack of dried squid jerky, and enjoy it with me.

 

[Diddy]

I was thinking of doing this TONIGHT (Japan) /SUNDAY LUNCHTIME (UK), maybe 12noon or 1pm UK?

Who's up for this? @supermassive @COB @ZenGiraffe
@Haiku @Queen of the Bay @RJN @Tisch @Iguana
(I tried to work out RJN's timezones but I got a nosebleed)

 

[Diddy]

Yes this was last minute but… anyone up for it?

 

[Saltwater]

I'll probably be at the beach but am not sure yet

 

[Diddy]

I'll probably be at the beach but am not sure yet

Tbh this isn’t looking promising

 

[COB]

I won't be home I'm afraid, but I have added the album on Spotify so will probably give it listen today anyway.

 

[Diddy]

I won't be home I'm afraid, but I have added the album on Spotify so will probably give it listen today anyway.

Do you want to do a sync listen? We could do it another time? So far it’s just me listening by myself, which I do anyway

 

[Diddy]

OK executive decision, let’s reschedule for next Saturday and I’ll see if I can drum up any support

 

[RJN]

I was thinking of doing this TONIGHT (Japan) /SUNDAY LUNCHTIME (UK), maybe 12noon or 1pm UK?

Who's up for this? @supermassive @COB @ZenGiraffe
@Haiku @Queen of the Bay @RJN @Tisch @Iguana
(I tried to work out RJN's timezones but I got a nosebleed)

It’s yesterday

 

[Diddy]

It’s yesterday

Then you already listened to it I guess

 

[supermassive]

Shall we do it on the anniversary of Loveppears?

 

[Diddy]

Shall we do it on the anniversary of Loveppears?

Ahh… I was hoping to do it before November

 

[supermassive]

With the girls..at this rate!! I'll be up for it sooner, I surely listen to it weekly.

I would recommend people watch this documentary which was released shortly after Loveppears release but includes much of 1999 in the content.


The other parts should be in the related video section on Dailymotion. The highlight is Ayu being dragged out of her car alseep and propped up in a makeup chair to film her 7th video of that year

 

[Diddy]

So… anyone up for this tomorrow?

 

[Saltwater]

I'll be working so may sneak in occasionally

 

[Haiku Rewrites]

I need to see nearer to the time but I should be able to make it!

 

[Diddy]

Just realised my massage will finish at 19.20 and it takes about 30 minutes to get home… it’ll be a bit TIGHT

can I move it 30 minutes later?
Well yes I can, so I will

 

[COB]

I'm definitely not going to be free this weekend, sorry! I'll be back and forth moving my stuff tomorrow and then I have to make my place look presentable for photos that are happening on Monday.

 

[COB]

Still do it though, I can catch up another time

 

[Diddy]

Oh I can’t do it next Saturday, I’ve got a THING I’ll miss you

 

[Diddy]

How excited we are for tonight/this afternoon, people are lining up in their zeroes and ones to join in the fun

 

[Diddy]

Just 2 and a half short hours to register your interest for this exclusive experience

 

[Beverley]

I’m not around either

 

[Diddy]

No but really is anyone coming in?

 

[Diddy]

OK hopefully this works - are there 16 tracks on here for you?

 

[Diddy]

@Marilyn I see you
@Queen of the Bay are you there? It's me, Diddy
@Haiku don't forsake me

 

[Diddy]

It's not really a sync listen if you do it by yourself, that's just listening to things

 

[Saltwater]

I'll be popping in and out depending on call volumes diddius

 

[Diddy]

I'll be popping in and out depending on call volumes diddius

I think I have to jancel this one - 20 minutes in and nobody came

 

[Saltwater]

And the youtube link doesn't show up either

 

[Diddy]

OH CHRIST

 

[Diddy]

I see @ZenGiraffe there too - can you see the playlist link?

 

[Diddy]

OK well I'm going to wrap up for tonight, I'll try again in a few weeks maybe

 

[Haiku Rewrites]

I am here now but the playlist doesn't work for me either.

 

[Diddy]

@Haiku Does it say anything about not being available in your region? I wonder if it's a region blocking but it's the whole playlist. It was unlisted, not private. I switched it to public

 

[Saltwater]

Now it does show up as unavailable to me.

 

[Haiku Rewrites]

Says it is unavailable to me too.

 

[Diddy]

Well, SHIT

I don’t know what happened

 

[Saltwater]

 

[ZenGiraffe]

I see @ZenGiraffe there too - can you see the playlist link?

I couldn't, no