And Radical Pan: Who do you think was it who came up with the concept 'Psychedelic Violence X Crime of Visual Shock' first?
I simply think what here was called Glam Rock or Hair Metal was there then called Visual Kei... no big deal, so
Actually Murbas, 1981, had their logo with words
Visual Violence and that was before X with Psychedelic Violence Crime of Visual Shock.
On what I know:
Kei = style/ type. So in terms of word vocab (literally), visual kei = visual style/ visual type which means visual is equal to visual kei or visual is under visual kei category.
However, in terms of the time, history and style, they are different.
Visual is the style of the hair of early X, with armor costume, just like knight era or Hercules/ Xena costume style, looks masculine, hardcore & wild. The style came from western rock/metal style.
Visual kei is whole lot combination from here and there even til now, it keeps evolving. Lots of sources said that Malice Mizer started the first idea of Visual Kei, which was feminine and looking pretty or elegant, combining ribbons or laces, and the person in it normally appears androgyny. (heavy make up).
But nowadays in Japan, it seems that any visual style that's used to support the music or to express the music as a complete piece of art is called visual kei.
Not only limited on lolita & gothic style but also, kimono, school uniform, angel devils, and bright cheerful colorful rainbow style and I believe in the future visual kei category grows even much bigger than now.
Perhaps robotic? o.O
And what I notice is what VK now does not necessary have to be as heavy make up and dress as previously.