Hey everyone! (first post)

I'm interested in getting into some more jrock bands (I don't care much for most of the jpop I've heard) and was looking for opinions of others. The jrock bands I listen to now include Malice Mizer, Dir en grey, Asian Kung fu Generation, and Maximum the Hormone.

Non-Japanese bands I like include Nine Inch Nails, Rob/White Zombie, Black Sabbath, and Marilyn Manson (minus his last album anyhow).

Sounds like you enjoy the harder rock stuff, so these guys may be a bit too poppy for your taste, but try l'arc en ciel? They've got great stuff. I assume you're already checking out Gackt if you like the Malice Mizer stuff.

Can't go wrong with a classic, check out "Happy End" great band from the 70s, can't say I like Japanese music that much but these guys are great.

Gackt is pretty good (though Klaha definately had the better voice for Malice Mizer). I'll give l'arc en ciel a listen.

I listened to the Happy End song that was linked. Not really my thing, but it wasn't bad. Kind of reminded me of The Beatles.

Anyone ever hear anything by Mister Children? Somebody elsewhere suggested I give them a try.

I highly recommend Quruli (くるり). Was just listening to them in my car 5 minutes ago.

I loooove J-rock <3

I recommend these... Pierrot, Deadman, Kagrra, Despairs Ray, Gazette, 12012, MUCC, Juusankai wa Gekkou(album) by Buck Tick...um, I better stop here.

I like Mr.Children a lot, but they're not that similar to the other bands you're naming. They're a lot lighter, fairly poppy at times. Still a great band though.

I think you'd like Boris alot. They can get pretty heavy but their album Pink is just amazing.

I think yukamina beat me to it. Of course he mentioned a few that I didn't know. One thing that I've found that it seems to be difficult to find decent rock. Pop seems to be more popular (no pun intended) and the rock seems to be more preoccupied with the look of the band than the music. Most of the rock that I've found fall into the VisualKei style.
And shaydwyrm's right, Mr. Children is great, but not really in the same category as what you're looking for. Also, I like Spitz, but there more poppy than you are looking for. And an oldie but goodie is always The Blue Hearts, IMHO.
Oh yeah, one I just remembered. BALZAC. If you like the American band The Misfits, you'll definately like Balzac. They are almost identical, except for the language of the lyrics.
Good luck. I know the trouble in finding J music that you can really get into...

(Yukamina is female)

D'oh!* Sorry, I guess I should post more and lurch less.
Gomen.

*smacks forehead with hand.

My favourite J-Rock band is Abingdon Boys School, fronted by T.M.Revolution who I was a big fan of before hand. Acidman and The Brilliant Green are favourites after that. Brilliant Green hadn't brought out anything new in a couple years, but they justr released a new single which has got me back into them in a big way.

I've heard some various J-music on a Japanese internet channel, I.I.V.

Anyway, there's a guy called 'J', who's sound I really like. Anybody have any links to Japanese rock radio? (I'm not talking about those american run anime music networks >.<).

Acid is pretty good, Abingdon boys school, remioromen (although that's something very different)... Ehm HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR, might be worth checking out...

Happy End is now on a short list of people to check out. Thanks, meolox.

Rock music. Well, different vein again, but maybe Zazen Boys (formerly Number Girl)? And of course X Japan, everyone should at least know of them.

I don't know if you've ever heard of Hide, the guitarist from X-Japan. Unfortunately he hung himself with a towel back in 1998, r.i.p. Kinda old-school, but some of the best Jrock out there IMO.

It is quite hard to believe that no one has mentioned either Bump of Chicken or The Pillows yet. When it comes to J-Rock, the Pillows are pretty much authorities. Bump of Chicken also seems to be mega-popular at the moment.

Albums I recommend:

For Bump of Chicken: try Ygdrasill and Orbital Period.

For The Pillows: download a complete discography. (Everything will do, it's all good.)

For Gackt: try out Crescent and Diabolos. (I like these albums the most even though a lot of 'true Gackt fans' seem to despise them for being too mainstream .)

How do you guys find the music you're looking for?

Japanese stores? Online radio? Torrents?

clue me in

If you like Malice Mizer, you may want to look into Mana's current project, Moi dix Mois.

I'm always recommending the same 2 must-listen: The Pillows and Shiina Ringo (& Tokyo Jihen). For me, nothing else I know compares...

Don't forget B'z, especially if you're into guitar work. I also like SADS.

For a great california-punk-style band that sings in decent (and often funny) English as well as Japanese, try ELLEGARDEN.

I've had friends ask me, "Hey, what did that guy just say? Wait... is this English?" because they have such a Western-rock sound.

Apparently the lead singer/songwriter improved his English while he was programming for some IT company in Cali at some point. So, they've got some nerd cred too. (^_^)

Check out Tommy Heavenly, it may not be exactly what you're looking for, but it's Jrock, and very funny / entertaining. I don't actually listen to her songs (too corny) but I get a kick out of watching the videos.

Melt Banana, Shonen Knife, Guitar Wolf, Guitar Vader, and Mainliner are some of my favs.