What's IN Web November 2006 - ken

k: ken

From this time, in this magazine's chat, we'll talk about such style of buying the things with the feeling that is put in it. It's the first time this time, ken-chan, in the super oseibo corner had bought a high-class Konbu Maki for us. In that time, actually, from the conversation, ken doesn't know about Tokyo meika (special cookies), outlet!

Why that "Hiyoko"? It's about its logo ka na

k: That famous Bunmeido CM, I have never seen it, ne.
K: Eee!! "(sing) Castella ichiban ~ Denwa wa niban ~," you don't know that?
k: Sou Sou. Of course, I've ever heard about that, things like story from Tokyo people, there's people who laugh in it, I know there's such kind of things. But beside Tokyo meika, is there another thing?
R: Actually, I think the most famous in Tokyo is Nabona more than Bunmeido, ne.
k: Nabona, cookies for the king of home run?
K: sou sou.
k: I wonder, how delicious the cookies for the home run king?
O: Because the one who made it is a famous director, it's enough to attract isn't it?
k: A -, I see.
O: There's also "Tokyo meika Hiyoko"
k: Now, I only have heard that name, I don't have any idea how delicious it is.
K: The form of Hiyoko, inside of castella, there's white an (Translator's Note: I don't know what an is, so I wrote as the katakana written) that is put in it.
k: N - Nande? (Why?)
R: If you ask us about that weird form "Why?", we also don't have any clue for that (laugh).
k: (laugh) No, it's not like that, I mean, there's a lot of known hato from Tokyo, but I wonder why Hiyoko's logo also use that.
R: About using hato, I think it's the symbol of peace, so Hiyoko simply used it.
O: It also affects the form, ne.
k: Unexpectedly, there's no reason for that, ne.
K: By the way, that Konbu Maki is really good, ne. Especially the Nishin one is really delicious.
k: Nee, nee, Nishin shusseuo?
R: How is it.. I don't know if Hamachi can be Buri, I also didn't know about Nishin, I'll check it on the internet then (in this conversation, the answer of ken's questions is exactly appeared every time it's looked up in the internet) ... Fish that becomes Buri, there's different way to call it according to the region, ne.
k: A, so it's like that. There's various ways to say it, but in the end, the main of Buri is shusseuo, ne. It's interesting the shusse name changes a lot.
O: For you, ken-san, do you want to change names like that shusse?
k: I don't want to be like that.
O: Do you think you will change your perform-name someday?
k: I don't think so ...

When I was a child, honestly, I don't want to be anything, ne.

R: By the way, ken-san, in your signature, what feeling is brought?
k: At first, I wanna write it with kind of feeling that it can be read or can't be read as ken (laugh)
O: Do you think about the sign yourself?
k: Yes, of course. Do you guys not think about your own sign?
O: There's some people like that (laugh). Girls, once they admire their idol, in entire school they'll make sign like that.
k: Becomes like the idol?
O: For now, it's Morning Musume. Many girls want to be like them .. Because only know about the world inside the TV, they only think about the beautiful things.
k: Hee! Ja, the boys don't have any idols to admire.
K: As the substitute, the soccer athlete, baseball athlete, become the target, ne.
k: I don't have any idol I admire, K, do you have one?
K: Yes. When I was in elementary school, I want to be a baseball athlete.
k: Then you gave up to be like tha?>
K: First being a baseball player, I think that';s impossible for me to be the pro one, ne.
O: For you, ken-san, when you were a child, what would you like to be?
k: Well, to say about that, honestly, I don't want to be anything. I've thought about that from elementary school until junior high school. If I saw people who worked, seemed like they didn't have time to rest. If I became adult I thought I won't have any spare time
R: That's a good reason (laugh)
K: What kind of profession do you think is good?
k: Detective, ka naa. Well, it's from Matsuda Yusaku's "Tantei Monogatari", ne. I think being a detective will have a lot of spare time.
K: For musician, the time for rest is only a little, except that, it's really a busy time.
k: That's right. It's beyond imagination (laugh)
R: But, sometimes there's a thought of changing job.
k: I'll find a lot of difficulties if I do that. Up to now, I don't have any will to change my profession. (laugh)

Note:
shusseuo: fish that are called by different names as they grow larger

thx to Meiko-san for the link! ^_^

RnR Newsmaker December 2006 - Sakura

With his attention to the Tokyo band scene since 80's generation, he officially entered L'Arc~en~Ciel in 1993. Though he retreated from Laruku in 1997, he continued his activities in various bands like ZIGZO, SONS OF ALL PUSSYS, Lion Heads (as guitarist), then he also becomes arranger/producer, I remember he was startled when he was asked to explain about his carreer "One person, as who!?". Drum . Sakura . This time with him here, he'll explain anything about "In Tokyo band scene there is this kind of person" and what made him chose this carreer until now.

There's a record in my brother's room that I searched all over

When the most important festival in Rock history "Woodstock" was held in 1969, Sakura was born in Tokyo. He has a brother that 7 years older than him, and a sister that a year older than him, so he was the next son. With the neighborhood that "compared with it, maybe we have a house that looks richer", and being the next son, he grew with wide thought.
Though my brother went to tuition and my sister learnt ballet and electone, I think I'm quite different with them, ne (laugh). I've taken a private lesson once, but then I didn't want to take it anymore! After that suddenly I was like awaken. My brother was kinda raised strictly, I waas really glad I wasn't raised that way. I remember when I was a kid... I went to the elem entary school by bike, I also reached until Sunshine 60. There, if I continued move up until the top, would I find money there? I don't know about such things, I only went school and went home after school. At that time, I like stone-carving, ne. I'm looking for soft stone that waas the materials for wall, and I carved Gaikotsu (Translator's Note: I don't know what it is, so I write it exactly as the katakana written), then I buried it into a hole. If I think again about that now, why I did that? ... Around the backyard of my parents' house, maybe I also buried that."

The first time Sakura became interested in music was when he's in the 6th grade of elementary school. It was started with "Best Hit USA". The program that was started in 1981 about the latest hit chart and video clips. At that time, that program brought a new and fresh concept that gave a really big influence for youngsters. Also to Sakura.
Though my brother was in folk generation, he always checks Best Hit USA, and records it properly. "This week in the first position is Police with "mitsumeteitai". I guessed the record is in my brother's room" with that kind of feeling I searched through my brother's room. Inside that there's also Led Zeppelin's "Four Symbols" (The masterpiece that ever recorded in Rock 'n Roll "Stairway to Heaven"). At that time Zeppelin was written everywhere. How frequent? Well, the feeling was like I was dragging out listening to their song. At that time the one that gave me a big shock was Frankie goes to Hollywood. Among the band that entered the hit chart, that artist was really different, I really like their song. Well, that's really a surprising memory. I also like Duran Duran and Culture Club, ne. Even if I listened to Culture Club now, it still gives great impression. At that time, I can't play any music instruments. My brother had a folk guitar, I learnt to press the chord one by one, C chord, F chord, I have a feeling like "Where should I press?", that's when I was in elementary school. My fingers were getting hurt.

I want to be like this person," that's what I thought, in a sudden, in a roadie

The first time Sakura met with drum was when he was in the third yeaar of junior high school. He who continued his study to boys high school, when he saw his senpai (senior) in the brass club hitting the drum, he felt like "A, that's cool. I think this is good for me".
When I was in junior high school, I joined the judo club. Because I've joined judo club when I was in junior high, I don't want to join the same club again in high school. I tried to avoid that, that's what I thought that time, through my friends I want to play music together for the first time. Well, what kind of music instrument will I play, I thought, then I wanted to join the brass club. In that club, I met my senpai who played the drum. It was the start. Suddenly he said "Here, try this". But I can play it well for the first time when I was 17 years old, ne. When I entered high school, I was practising bass - I copied the bassline of Duran Duran's John Taylor - I played the bass alone, but don't know why, where's no "get" feeling? Well, I really enjoyed when I played drum

"Hit since the beginning," then Sakura's natural gift was felt, he actually developed a lot, his existence was known in various bands. He of course joined the school band, anw when he's in the third grade of high school, he also participated in the other bands.
The peak time was when in a week I spent 5, 6 days in studio

That's when he's nearing the pro label.
It felt like Rental Studio musician, ne. From my father's relations, there's a chance of becoming pro musician, from that person I knew a lot of people. I was participating in various bands. I also often in and out the Urawa Narciss livehouse. Though it started from my relation's band, I was getting used to play the drum, the feeling was really fit in me, so it's like going there everyday. Being roadie, being PA, set the lighting, then also handling the ticket. De, meanwhile, "Could you be DEAD END's roadie?" there's came such talking.

With the powerful vocalist that really had a charisma, Morrie, DEAD END was really an important band in Rock scene at that time. They had a brilliat performance technique, their music seemed to be the only one with lyrics in gothic view. Kiyoharu, SUGIZO, as rock stars at that time, they really gave great influence to him.
DEAD END's drummer was Minato Masafumi, when he was in Saber Tiger in Sapporo, from that time, "He's really great. I want to be like that person," I though. Then suddenly "Could you be the roadie?". It's a great circle, "How come? This is really the power of fate," I felt like that. Though it's not proper if I talk about Minato-san, I really learnt a lot from him, I got a lot of influence. Please teach me to play drum, though there's also that kind of line I asked to him, " It is not like that. You can learn by watching me play. So though the lesson you obtained is like stealing from me, but that's fine," he said. When I looked the music sheet, "Uh-huh, I see," I said, then I paid attention a lot, ne. "Umm, how to play this phrase..." there's also that kind of question. You can't do that like that, "When you face this song, what kind of image you draw on your mind?" or "what kind of image you get?" from such kind of conversation, it really answered my questions. The biggest thing in my live is meeting with DEAD END. I can get connect with my favourite drummer, Minato-san. I really improved a lot. From that point and on, I made a decision to do music.

Then, Sakura was accepted in the higher school (His marks were good, there's a time when he was in top five of the students), but seems to be guided by fate, he walked with his strong will toward the music path.
In the third grade of high school, I got my driving license, so I can drive cars. Then I got a lot of directions from my counselling teacher. Maybe for the person had that kind of position, I thought they would talk about kind of deviation value a lot, but that teacher is different. "You are a person who keeps paying attention to the one whom you talk, and you also listen to the others' saying very well, and you could understand it. So, anything you have decided, as long as you think it's good for you, ganbare (keep up doing it)," he said. My teacher in brass club was also like a parent for me. That person was a sax player before, so he had passed through difficult ways in music and really understand about that, "If you enter a proper university, that's also good," he said. Are those people I met are gifts? Maybe. I'm just like a child who carve on a stone, ne

In the end, after he graduated from high school, he entered music school. But because he had gotten a lot of experience in "the real place", the lesson in that school was really boring for him.
When I did PA, I had recording engineer's course. I thought that it's not good if I only learnt drum, I also had to know various methods of sounds producing. I've learnt a lot, ne. Things regarding PA, I've quite known it in livehouse, MTR's direction of use, I also understand about that. The difference between the lesson and binary number system was interesting, ka na. According to the lesson, "In 1 atm, 20 Celcius degrees, the speed of sound is 340 m/s," such kind of things, while in binary number system it's using "0, 1, 0, 1" digital counting. I like to learn like that. But, ... Of course, the methods used outside the school is really interesting, ne.

I think there's no such person that his existence as a pro player can be considered as God.

Two years later, when Sakura was 20 years old, DEAD END was disbanded. He stopped being roadie and started to earn living by being a pro drummer.
I joined "Hako Ban" in Yokohama cabaret. At first we played "Uta chino", it sounded like jazz. I've played many things except reggae, maybe. In doing our performance, sometimes there's also stripper. We had the preparation for 10 minutes, then "Sa, let's do it". A person who had the ability to know the note when he watched music performance was searched. "The tempo is like this," there's such saying "with BPM it can be said like this," I said as a consideration before the real rhythm came out. I learnt a lot about those meanings, but then I stopped it after half a year. When I went from Yokohama with car, it took 3 hours long, I arrived at my house on 2.30 A.M. I thought, though I've collected a lot of money, I didn't have time to play, 'I thought "No, I won't do it anymore". I've influenced a lot in Hako Ban, seemed like my feeling as a drummer had decreased in value.

But, the existence of Sakura was very well-known in Tokyo live scene, he hasn't focused in one band, but he continued being supporting player and stunts in variious bands. Let's listen to his reason for that, he'll answer it.
Nanka ne, I don't want to be bandman, I want to be a pro drummer. I talked to myself, even if I did not much only hitting the drum, I still got a lot of admirer... At that time maybe I'm such being modest to people surrounding, I don't wanna see a separation in a band. To complete uncompleted things. I thiink there's no such person that his existence as a pro player can be considered as God. At that time, instead of being a 'God' musician, I felt like "What else that good?" It depended on the person about the way to get the feeling. Now, I have different way of thinking, "Let's do it with full of spirit," I think, but that time, such thought as "I want to do it together with these people," I didn't have that kind of thinking. Until I met L'Arc~en~Ciel members

In the end of 1992, Sakura was destined to meet the members of L'Arc~en~Ciel. In the next yeaar, January 1993, a week after the recording of 1st indies album "DUNE", he officially joined Laruku. It's the first time that Sakura, with his own will being an official member of a band after some years, then his existence is well-known until now.

Comment on the photo:
A piece of photo about a memory of child time. This is a picture of Sakura with his sister that a year older. The boy, with his smiling face, made gaikotsu by carving a stone.

Note:
Roadie = road crew. More info can be seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_crew



CHRONICLE of Sakura:

1969
One day on 17.09, he was born in Nerima, Tokyo

1985
First time hitting drum in brass club

1986
Start to play drum seriously / first time listening to DEAD END

1987
First time being in-and-out in Urawa Narciss / participated in some bands

1988
Continued his study to the higher school that is a music school / start being the DEAD END's roadie

1990~1992
When DEAD END is disbanded, he started to earn living with being Dr. of Hako Ban / doing the activity of Dr. in various bands such as The HALEM Q, DIE-KUSSE, etc.
December -> met the member of L'Arc~en~Ciel

1993
January -> officially entered L'Arc~en~Ciel
April -> 1st AL 'DUNE' released
June~August -> 'Close by DUNE' (all 10 locations 10 public performaces), 'Close by DUNE FINAL' (Nissin Power Station)

1994
April -> 'Nostalgia no yokan' (all 3 locations 3 public performances)
July -> Media Debut with Video SG 'Nemuri ni yosete' / 2nd AL 'Tierra' released
July~August -> 'Sense of Time '94' (all 7 locations 8 public performances)
October -> 1st SG 'Blurry Eyes' released

1995
May~June -> 'in CLUB '95' (all 19 locations 20 public performances)
September -> 3rd AL 'heavenly' released
September~October -> 'heavenly '96' (all 8 locations 9 public performances)
December 'The other side of heavenly '95' (all 3 locations 3 public performances), 'TOUR heavenly '95 final' (Nippon Budokan)

1996
April~May -> 'kiss me deadly heavenly '96' (all 23 locations 24 public performances), 'kiss me deadly heavenly '96 REVENGE' (Tokyo Bay NK Hall)
August~September -> 'BIG CITY NIGHTS ROUND AROUND '96' (all 3 locations 5 public performances)
December -> 4th AL 'True' released
December~January -> 'FRESH LIGHT presents TOUR '96-97 "Carnival of True" (all 8 locations 10 performances)

1997
April -> retreated from L'Arc~en~Ciel

1999
April -> ZIGZO, live debut
July -> 1st SG 'chi to ase to namida no uragawa no happy' released
August -> 'The 1st Scene ZIGZO' (all 2 locations 2 public performances)
October -> 1st AL 'MONSTER MUSIC' released
November~December -> 'It's a Wonderful Day' (all 8 locations 8 public performances)

2000
April~May -> 'all standing "GET A SPLASH!" tour' (all 20 locations 21 public performances)
August -> 'all standing "GET A SPLASH!" tour special in 9 Provinces' (all 4 locations 4 public performances)
September -> 2nd AL 'Add9 Suicide' released
October -> 'Add9 Suicide YAON!!' (in Hibiya Yagai Ongakudou)
November~December -> '"Add9 Suicide" tour' (all 8 locations 12 public performances)

2001
April~May -> 'TOUR THE WORLD INTRODUCTION' (all 16 locations 19 public performances)
November~December -> 'TOUR 2001 "HOLIDAYS IN CHELSEA"' (all 8 locations 9 public performances)
From this year and on, start to get involved in producing MUCC

2002
January -> best AL 'Gol"S" and dis-Star ~Best of ZIGZO~' released
March -> 'THE LAST SCEAN ZIGZO' (all 6 locations 6 public performances) / on the last day ZIGZO officially disbanded in Akasaka BLITZ
December -> performed as S.O.A.P in 'DANGER' (Club Citta Kawasaki)

2003
February -> 1st AL (mini) 'GRACE released / 'BUBBLE FESTiVAL' (all 3 locations 3 public performances)
April -> 2nd AL (mini) 'gimme A guitar' released
April~May -> BUBBLE FESTiVAL (Summer 2003)' (all 6 locations 10 public performances)
August -> performed in 'SUMMER SONIC03' / 'SUPER JUMBO BUBBLE FESTiVAL' (Akasaka BLITZ)
November -> 'Overseas. Asia Festival' performed in overseas Century Park Music Hall / 'First Time of SHANGHAI BUBBLE FESTiVAL' (overseas Xitiandi ARK) / 3rd AL (mini) 'high' released
December -> performed in 'DANGER II' (Nippon Budokan)

2004
February~March -> 'BUBBLE FESTiVAL "Winter Shogun 2004"' (all 13 locations 14 public performances)
July -> 1st SG 'Paradise' released
August -> 'SUPER SUMMER JUMBO BUBBLE FESTiVAL' (Nippon Budokan)
December -> performed as S.O.A.P in 'DANGER III' (Nippon Budokan)
From this year and on, start to get involved in producing SID

2005
October -> held Lion Heads event (Shibuya O-West)
December -> performed as S.O.A.P in 'DANGER IV' (Nippon Budokan)
This year, got involved in producing Sokoban

2006
August -> Lion Heads 1st AL 'Shiro, Kuro, Ao, Aka.' released
October -> 'Lion Heads 2006 in overseas ARK' (overseas . Xitiandi ARK)
December -> performed as S.O.A.P and Lion Heads in 'DANGER V' (Nippon Budokan
From this year and on, start to get invloved in producing Girugamesh, 176BIZ

thx to matsu-san for the article scans!! ^_^

RnR Newsmaker October 2006: tetsu x sakura Interview

L'Arc~en~Ciel. It's not necessary to write it to know that it's the band of hyde, ken, tetsu, and yukihiro.
But, in their major debut era, maybe it's little known that the one who hit the drum is sakura.
In year 1997 he walked in different pathway, he who has spent his time with L'Arc~en~Ciel chose his way alone.
Many people still haven't known about the time of 'Early L'Arc~en~Ciel'.
tetsu and sakura.
In their faces that sparkle when they talk about memories of 'that time' still reamin their signs of youth from their smiling face.

I: Interviewer
s: sakura
t: tetsu

I: How did both of you first meet?
s: I was holding two or more positions concurrently in various amateur bands. At that time, suddenly I got a phone. In my house. From a guy named tetsu
t: Who called to your house? That's me.
s: "You got a phone call from 'tetsu from Osaka', you know that guy?", my mom said. "No, I don't know him", I replied. Then, "It's related with Danger Crue (Maverick) office. You know about that?" "No, I don't", I said.
I: So it's suddenly from the office.
s: Though I knew that name, I thought "Could it be"
t: I looked for sakura's contact, I was looking for it on and on. I didn't know what I saw in sakura, sakura did various things that time, and I thought he's good. Then?
s: When I got the phone call, I didn't know about tetsu's band. Ma, when I did supporting things, there were times I want to become an official member of a band (bitter laugh).
I: sakura's existence has been known.
t: Of course it's known. From lots of support he did, he seemed like he didn't want to be consistent in one band, if I came to his house, maybe there's a possibility he would join my band, with that thought and that interest, then I looked for how to contact sakura, and then I contacted him.
s: In the end, we came up with "Let's meet". At that time, the band which I support went to Osaka for a tour, on 20 December... it's around Crhistmas. There, hyde, ken-chan, and tetsu came to see that live.
I: Do you remember what kind of conversation you made?
t: Which kind of conversation? At the first time we met? At that time we talked about round, triangle, and rectangle.
s: At that time I haven't talked with ken-chan.
I: n???
s: No, no, it's like round music note is better than rectangle music note. Maybe if it being remembered, there's a '?' sign that appear in everyone's mind. ken-chan then join our chat.
t: Maybe it's a conversation of Tokyo people that can't be understood.
s: I remember that time, at that time, we ordered pork kakuni, ne. In Isakaya, a common restaurant.
t: No no no! It's a quite good shop. At that time, with our economic capability it can be considered in a quite good level.
s: That's true. We ordered pork kakuni. While we ordered the pork kakuni, the conversation became more fun, we've talked for quite long, but the pork kakuni hadn't came up yet, what happen, I wondered "Excuse me! How is the pork kakuni?", I asked , "We've delivered it", they answered. While I thought how come it be, hyde had eaten it all. He showed kinda reluctant face (laugh).

I: sakura, that's the first time you met tetsu.
s: Yes, that's also the first time I met tetsu.
t: Before that, we've talked in phoine right?
s: Yes, we've talked.
t: At that time I knew his house phone number, so I made a call once. "It's L'Arc~en~Ciel", I said, sakura then said "I don't know you!" (laugh)
I: He certain didn't know because it's Tokyo and Osaka.
t: No no no! We have appeared in magazine. In Osaka we're quite known (laugh). From Tokyo.. there's LOFT ka naa.
s: There's La Mama too?
t: Right. La Mama, Kuroyume too. That made L'Arc~en~Ciel seemed not in it. The one who knows would know and said "I know it's a band!" (laugh)
s: I didn't read magazines (laugh)
I: So in that Isakaya, you said "We'll do it together?" frankly.
s: No, but on the next day we went to the studio together.
I: On the next day, when performing in the studio, what kind of impression you've got?
t: It's perfect! I never thought about going to the studio together, so it's really a good feeling.
s: It's 2 hours or 3 hours long ka na. I, at that time, facing the band that was in same generation as me, I wanna know what they could do. I think about what kind of songs decided that can be played by them. But, at that time, thought it's a usual tone that came up, when they did the phrase and the session to build those tones as a song, I got a really deep impression. At that time, a, because there are such people like them,I must be careful in judging people, I think.
I: From that, you want to join that band.
s: I've a lot of interest. Even I have a thought of "I'll join, I'll join" (laugh).

I: Then, sakura became an official member in January 1993, then the first recording started. 1st album 'DUNE'. How was it, do you still remember about that time?
t: I remember. Though sakura is a Tokyo person, me, ken-chan, and hyde lived in Osaka, so in Tokyo we live in a weekly mansion.
s: When we met face to face in Chinese food restaurant, everyone were eating nasubi (aubergine) miso na.
t: Aa -, it was in Shinagawa, when we had a recording, we also went to Nakano Shinbashi, ne.
s: We also went to Egota weekly mansion
I: Weekly mansion, it's a hard life, ne.
t: To Otsuka also
s: There's old woman there who said, "So you're a band member? Please give me your signature"
I: How old were you that time?
s: 23
I: That's young naa.
t: Recording, we did it in Shinjuku ne. For that, we stayed in weekly mansion in Shinagawa. It's really far (laugh). Now do you think that's really torturing?
s: Sure.
t: Because our priority is L'Arc. So we should go to the studio altogether. The heavy traffic could take about 1 hour long, I think.
I: At that time, you guys had already in Danger Crue, right?
s: But when we went to the studio, we didn't see any adult's shadow at all. It's mysterious, I thought, but when we went to the studio in the fourth day, the director came up. That's our first meeting.
t: Really?
s: "Who's the engineer?" he said "It's me", I replied.
I: That year, there's the first tour (TOUR 'Close by DUne')
s: Right. That's our first tour. There's one time when I had to live in Osaka.
I: It's in May 1993?
s: After the May event (Rock'n fPRESENTS 'Subliminal Vision') finished, one morning, everyone went home to Osaka, then I decided to stay in Osaka too. Until I got some stuff, I stayed at tetsu's house ne.
t: Maa, that's not for a long time. sakura always played guitar in his room.
I: For how long did sakura stay in Osaka?
s: Actually, for a half year. But, thought it's nice to stay there, in January, we have 2 weeks in Tokyo "Well, for collecting data, photo session, discussing the preparation", so we spent a half month in Tokyo.
t: When we're doing Tokyo-Osaka trip, it's in 1993 which L'Arc~en~Ciel really develop in Tokyo. Because "Sakura comes!" too.
s: It's definitely I must went back to Tokyo when I went to Osaka, but I didn't want to buy TV at all.
t: Usually it's the opposite, ne. "We, 3 people, let's go to Tokyo", we said. So, ne! That's the majority decision.
s: It's democracy.
t: But, we really came ne. I think it's quite great. I was really touched.
s: Together with tetsu, I came to a house broker. We went around together. I learnt various things. Because I can't get a proper stuff, he said, "to know whether it's good or not, sakura naa. Beside the information written on the stuff, they are all lies naa. It's only a trick for getting the customer na. We can't really get it". When we go to buy some electronic stuffs, ken-chan also said "it can be bargained"
I: It's unbelievable. People like you guys looking for a cheap stuff (laugh).
t: No, no! it's not cheap that we looked for, we're looking for a stuff that good enough.
s: I almost didn't believe it. There's a lot of useless things we bought.
t: Ano, at that time, what kind of house do you want to buy? I really didn't think about that at all.
s: With Auto-lock. As usual.
t: We're kinda "hard work that really a hard work" (laugh)
I: When you were in Osaka, do you went for a recreation?
t: Yes, we did, we went to Kenkou Land ne (laugh).
s: Yeah, right, when I went to Osaka, the welcome party was Kenkou Land (laugh).
I: Ahahahaha, what did you do in Kenkou Land?
t: Well, we went to onsen, to sauna, we did a nude socialization (laugh)
s: Beside taking a bath in Kenkou Land, what else? Ah! We also took some pictures in Kenkou Land.
t: That's when we wore casual outfits.
s: That photos also weren't published ne. Maybe we'll keep them until we died.
t: That 1993 tour is the first tour. Until that we haven't reach other area except Osaka and side of Kanto. Because we only used a limited transportation.
s: We went by microbus na.
t: Right. With one microbus. It's enough with a microbus. The back part for the equipment loads. The front part for the member and the manager. But there were still some remaining seats. It still spacious.
s: So around the tour, naturally, automatically everybody knew where to sit on.
I: hyde had mentioned that also.
s: Once, hyde was practising with clarinet. Inside of the car he always played it pi-pi-pi-pi "Why?", I heard "No, I think to start playing sax", he said.
t: The final is in the power station (Nisshin power station)
s: In that power station's big screen (13 August) there's a text came up "Next is Nihon Seinenkan!" The audiences were excited, we're getting excited too (laugh). But how come it be Seinenkan, we didn't know. "Ee-!" we said. No one knew the answer, ne.
t: Really? No, I knew that (laugh)
s: Member were surprised how come that be (laugh).
t: Because I was the leader, I knew everything, ne. This is the first time I heard that you don't know about that (laugh).
s: No, no, maybe ken-chan also didin't know about hat (laugh).
t: Is he?!!
s: We both look on each other face (laugh) and goes "really?!"
t: Hahahaha. Sorry, naa. I think sakura maybe, also didn't know if that was debut time when we did debut. (laugh).

t: Speaking personally, I never had a family trip. I also never went to anywhere.
I: Outside Kansai?
t: Yep.. The first time I went to Tokyo is also the first time for L'Arc, that's for L'Arc's 1st single mastering. I went alone (laugh). So for the person who came alone, that tour is my first trip. To Hakata, Kanazawa, Niigata, Sendai, Aomori, Yokohama.
I: That's bad to say it as 'The first trip', though.
t: No, it's like a trip. Beside, it's not a part with microbus hi-ace, I felt a little bit 'rich' feeling.
I: There's a deep impression of "In CLUB '95" in 1995 inside me. National tour with car. In Kumamoto livehouse Django (13 June) there's an incident when tetsu left the stage and back to the member room.
t: In Hakodate also. In Hakodate, it was a small place, so the stage and the audience was really near. There was a kid that hold my bass' head and pulled it, naturally, the tuning went wrong. We can't perform well. So, there was a bass part that I skipped.
s: For musician, that's a little painful ne.
t: Because we can't perform, ne. Sometimes the audiences had bad manners. For example, the kid I talked before. I really wanted to handcuff him one on my side, one on hyde.
s: A, at that tour, I arranged tetsu's hair.
t: A, that's right. At that time, because the hairmake-san and stylist-san couldn't go to the tour with us, so sakura made up my hair.
s: The braided cord is really detailed.
t: It's really tiring in the backstage.
s: Yeah, right, ne. I did my own hair also, put make-up on my face, did tetsu's braided cord, stood up my hair.
t: It also had to be maintained.
s: Yup. There's also Dura time na.
t: Yeah, there was.
I: Dura!?
s: If I got to arrange the hair style everytime, it's really tiring. So, I thought of using it to tetsu.
t: I thought it won't be revealed. It seems like sakura's responsibility, so he made Dura. My standing form hair was using Dura (laugh).
s: I made it seriously.
t: I also used Dura, sakura also used Dura, it's perfect! ... that's what I thought while we're moving during the live, our hair weren't changed ne.
I: How about on stage?
t: We could do that with it (laugh)
I: For how many performances?
t: 1 performance (laugh). It's the first day in Osaka Malepark Hall.
s: For the next tomorrow, we're still used it (laugh)
I: It's Malepark in 15 July 1994.
t: That's a precious live yo.
I: But it's not recorded in video?
s: Maybe we'll find it if we search it.
t: Where that Dura go, I wonder (laugh)
s: I think it's in somewhere.
t: I want to put it in L'Arcafe na (laugh)

I: I see, ne. This time, how it feels to look back to the 'Early L'Arc~en~Ciel' era, for each of you? Now, in what kind of existence are you?
s: .... how to say that, I'm not the member of L'Arc anymore. It's 15 years old now, with that count, I'm in it for 5 years long, am I? So that will be 1/3 of it.
t: That's right, ne.
s: From that point, if L'Arc keeps continue, that 1/3 part will be decreased, become 1/4, 1/5, ..... But in my life, that time is really a precious memory, ne. Because for tetsu that is real time, I think the nuance is different.
I: But in the early times, to spend such valuable time is not everyone's experience, I think.
s: ... Imagine it further, if it's said in a proudness, maybe I can say that now L'Arc~en~Ciel has jumped to the upper class. Now, I also participate in various young band creation, and facing various concepts from them. If I have a chat with 23, 24 years old young men, I'll think "In that age, what kind of things in my mind? Was it little different?" But "A, now, there's such kind of new concept", sometimes there's such kind of answer. That time, ken-chan was also playing phrase like this, it's also like tetsu's bass. Band should be like this. hyde's sense of beauty, his singing, his lyrics, his songs, I think band should also have things like that, with all of thoughts like that, I think L'Arc~en~Ciel has really jumped to the upper class.
t: With sakura, above thoughts of arranging a song, I've learned a lot, ne. About arranging a song, if I can't think what would it be next after a part, sakura can think about it. Then, I can understand.
s: He--, I didn't think that you thought like that.
t: "A - I see", I said. Even now, about arranging things, I really want to say about that to sakura, so he will say, "A, let's arrange with that kind of style".
I: At that time, you say it to the related person?
t: No, I don't say it.
s: So that's why I didn't know about Nihon Seinenkan (laugh)
I: From such word we've just heard, Nihon Seinenkan had a special memory (laugh)
t: Basically, the core of the band and the music was established in year 1994, 1995. Now, it's really related with that time, I think. Now, the things that should be considered are the song making, the tour, the live. It's established this time.
I: So, for the last, now when you both walk on the different pathways, if you send a message to each other, what kind of words will you send?
s: When I was in L'Arc, among the three people, the one I chat with least was tetsu. But the time we spent together was quite long. Maybe the point is, resemble with what I think. It's just our direction we face which are different. So, from the difference of direction, we could know the plus, minus, for each of our goals so we can always feel like facing the plus side. So though our directions are different, if we meet again someday, ma, we can have a nice little chat about what usual thing we've done.
I: How about you, tetsu?
t: With sakura that produces various junior bands in office, I'll say "Ganbatte". A re? How about sakura's Lion Heads album?
s: Finally it's released.
t: I think, sakura is playing guitar now, what next? I really like guitar solo, but I never play guitar solo only.
s: For me, I only play the guitar for the backing. The backing spirit is burning. By the way, what do you do recently, tetsu?
t: Recently, making songs. Though I have a feeling of making songs, actually there aren't yet. Because for the demo, I play the guitar solo seriously ne (laugh).
s: Jaa, let's have a guitar battle next.

Note

• Dura/Zura = wig (according to Japanese slang http://www.e-japanese.jp/slangs4.htm)
• Autolock = a door that will be automatically opened if the key is entered to the lock

thx a lot to matsu-san for the article scans ^_^
and thx to Frans who had helped me with difficult words ^^

RnR Newsmaker June 2006 - acid android Interview

I: Interviewer
y: yukihiro

acid android's 2nd album 'purification' finally released. Industrial is definitely the main element of it, gothic and hard & pop dance also in it. The tune range from heavy rock to ambient, there are various dynamic sounds. The last song in 'purification' is a beautiful love song. Here, we would discover the inner side of yukihiro-san. There are also two new songs composed in collaboration. Now we will ask some questions.

I: After finishing this album, what is the impression you get?
y: Maa, it was a challenge. This time maybe there's a big difference in how we work. It's a new experiment.

I: Please give the concrete example.
y: If I can get involve in studio like this, I think it's amazing.Though there were a lot of works, this time there were also a lot of things hat make me moved.

I: You put a lot of live drum in it?
y: I think it makes the most difference in the way we work now. I want the drum part sounds natural now.

I: This time, you think it will be good if you put the live drum. What's the reason for that?
y: In the previous album there is a challenge for it. But I think the drum in the previous album is good that way.

I: At that time did you have a strong feeling to put the machine's sound?
y: Yes, it's true. That time I still used industrial. My impression toward body beat hadn't really strong.

I: Though In your previous works you only pushed the 'cool' side, but now, beside putting the live drum into, you also add the singing feel, it makes this entire album more rock.
y: Yes, indeed.

I: What is your satisfaction point?
y: In my previous work, my satisfaction point was simply when I finally finish my works by myself. But now, it's also up to the others' satisfation standard.

I: Now, there are songs that you made with the band members, kishi-san and antz-san, ne.
y: But, the biggest thing is doing the mix. This time, I couldn't do the mix by myself. What would my works be, there was no plan for it.

I: If that's so, mixing of your previous work takes a lot of time, right?
y: So this time I went Berlin (laugh). (In my previous work) when I made a song, I must got the rhythm before the day after.

I: This 'purification' title is beautiful. What is the theme of this album?
y: This is, the love song, ne.

I: What's your thought in putting the tittle 'purification'?
y: I wrote the lyrics about being purified, when the perfection is really accomplished, that image were a lot. The things left are about being purified. By chance, when I was thinking about the song's title and used my computer translation software, what Japanese word I entered, it was the output.

I: It's just a coincidence?
y: Yup, when I input the words, that's the output. What word I input I don't remember. But it's a good word, I think.

I: Do you remember when you felt like your mind becomes white/purified when you made the songs?
y: It's when I was writing the words. The focus of the words was that huge feeling. What should I say. I feel like being purified, ne.

I: Do you have any dormancy desire like that?
y: ... ka naa. What's good to say? For example, in the 10th song 'a lull in the rain' everything seems to be purified by the rain, that's the point. I wonder if there's a thing like that.

I: Do you remember any feeling of being purified related with sounds?
y: Though it's not being purified, when I concentrate, it's like writing my thought. I must be able to find the way to concentrate, therefore it's like being purified. I don't like to be in time like that.

I: When I watch acid live, I have a feeling like falling into white out. Though the sounds are very hard, I can imagine the scene.
y: About being like that, being in such situation, that kind of feeling is really strong, ne. So I like the scecne like that situation. Unexpected and natural things.

I: You like the inside of woods?
y: Yes, yes (laugh)

I: The song 'a lull in the rain' is about 10 minutes long, right? There are rain sound, footstep sound, and another nature sounds, then it continued to hard melody, and when it is listened until end, there are a feeling like being purified.
y: At the beginning the song is 50 minutes long.

I: It's like a soundtrack, isn't it?
y: When I thought about releasing the album CD with 1 song in 1 copy, I've made a song that time. At the beginning it was 52 minutes long. To make it not being DAT, I must reduce the sounds. That's a song I've made more than 10 years ago, from that, I erased the piano phrase only, and I did shuffle on it. So, at the beginning, it's more cheer out, an ambient song.

I: I would like to listen to the long-version someday, ne.
y: KLF released the song that took about 50 minutes in 1 copy of CD, didn't they? That's the song I made that time. I thought of releasing it someday.

I: It was 10 years ago?
y: It was when I was in DIE IN CRIES. We were asked to make BGM.

I: In your previous work, it was Toni Haliday as the feature artist in 'faults'. Now, there is also a duet song with female vocal.
y: She was the one who made the English version from my Japanese lyrics. She lived in America. This one who compose the song wth me (mica asakawa) is a different person.

I: How can you collaborate woth asakawa-san?
y: The song I've made required female vocal, the Bristol one. I also need a person to sing the song. At the beginning, it's asakawa-san who sang it. But th first version is a totally different melody, I've changed the tempo a bit.

I: Is the album title 'purification' the first thing you're thinking about?
y: No, it is the last, when I was in Berlin. It was the only tittle that haven't been decided though the others have. So, the title was deecided in Berlin.

I: Do you think the mix in Berlin was good?
y: There are some good parts, because I've worked in Japanese way, I think maybe that made the mix finished faster. If I worked it all in Japan, maybe it haven't finished yet. (laugh)

I: You will have 2 days live overseas on April, right?
y: L'Arc have done it, so if it's acid who go, won't it be interesting? the staff said then discussed the schedule.

I: Finally, acid android develops overseas, ne.
y: Is it OK? (laugh) I don't understand the music situation there, but it's a pleasure they accept our music, ne.

I: Maybe it's the first time for Chinese people to hear the 'industrial' music.
y: I really don't know that. The fact is, maybe there are people who like it. I think some clubs in China also have techno music, the industrial genre also, so I think there are people who like it. It's out of our mind, isn't it?

I: Audience who enjoy the music become stand up. It's a great impact, right?
y: That kind of way is interesting, ne.

I: All of your national tour is 34 times, what do you expect from that amount of tour?
y: I wish I can give the whole. I hope I can really use the time to do my best. After all, there are some intervals I can use to think about what to do next.

I: You feel special thing about Meguro Rokumeikan (laugh).
y: It's a pleasure. Because we're not performing in Rokumeikan for many days (laugh). It's what I expected ne. It's from Zi Kill time.

I: The hot summer have come, ne. Enjoy!

thx to matsu-san who provide the article scan! ^_^

Note:

• Information about DAT : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Audio_Tape
• Information about KLF : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_KLF

UV Vol. 6 - Facing kiss me heavenly Tour

Go to every place all over the country in sequencing days, the long tour "kiss me heavenly '96" will be started on 3 April. Right before the tour is started, we get an interview with them. Last year livehouse tour 'TOUR heavenly '95', continued with end of year Budokan Live, what kind of experiences they got, will it be reflected through this tour? So, let's ask them some questions about that.

hyde Interview

I: This year tour 'kiss me heavenly '96', all of them are 25 concerts, up to now, that's the biggest amount of tour that you should be proud of, ne.
h: Right. It's the biggest L'Arc~en~Ciel tour since the beginning of this band. Last year we perform in livehouses. At that time, we perform 20 performances, this time, it's hall version of them.

I: The way you perform in live house and hall, it's different, isn't it?
h: It's different, ne. What makes them different ... In live house, people who watch us were crowded. In hall, the biggest difference with livehouse is its lighting. Sometimes the lighting can make people don't really pay attention to our performance. What kind of image would it be, that's the most thing that can be felt.

I: So the meaning that carried out by the songs is important.
h: It's really important, ne, it's about the whole thought. The most important is, what kind of emotion/thought we deliver, when the audiences listen to us, they will feel the same thing. If the lighting doesn't match with the feeling of the song, I don't know what kind of feeling will it be. I think it's not good if the atmosphere isn't mixed well.

I: Staff work will be important thing, ne.
h: Yes, in the first performance, though there are various attempts to prevent the mistakes, but in the end they're failed. I think they should had the same thought and understand each other well. I strongly feel it. Then, because it goes in the wrong way, nothing we said but "I want to have this kind of feeling here", we'll said the main point about what we want to the staff clearly. Then, we want the staff to use their special skills well.

I: Of course that what the band wants to carry out will change the whole atmosphere of a performance.
h: Right. Where we want a performance to go, we ask it to the staff and give them the main points of what we want. Actually, because we work with professional people, we leave the sense to them. The most important is, as long as everyone understand very well, it's OK, I think.

I: If it's not understood well, there will be various mistakes.
h: If the emotion is different with the lighting, our reputation won't become bad. But from that time, the stage we want to express will be felt in different way. We want our performace also be felt by the audience.

I: Usually in that kind of surface there's a repeating mistakes, you don't use that experience to develop the feeling?
h: L'Arc~en~Ciel body is the continuation of the mistakes. Since the beginning of the band there are such kind of repeating mistakes. That lighting that I mentioned before is one exmaple. But from that, we tried to end up the mistakes and stand up more than the time before, we step up the stairs one step ahead. Usually, the situation goes that way. So, recently, there's no fear of being fall.

I: Though these things can't be seen by the audiences, when the handling of the mistakes is clarified, sometimes it can't be delivered well to the backstage until the frontstage.
h: Maybe it's like that. But usually behind the performance there's emergency situation. Because we had problems since long time ago, we're getting used to handle it.

I: So the band is also important to be thought about.
h: Because that's what we depend all of our life on, there's no other feelings at all. Shortly, because we're not salarymen, it's not right to judge that a person is doing well if a person does a standard job, isnt' it. Every single step is important, every single place we perform in is impotant, usually I think that way.

I: Because of that for the last year, you also arrage a rehearsal, right?
h: Right. It's back to the basic. So it's good, I think. I feel that we seem like walking up the stairs last year, ne. In the previous year there's wrong direction we took.

I: But, one last year, if we look back to the condition, there's should be no minus point again, right?
h: That's right, everytime we fall we'll try to walk a step ahead moere and more, repeatedly.

I: Though it isn't discussed just now, in the band side that can't be seen, usually, there's an emergency situation inside the band.
h: Yes, there is. Usually there's a direction that we dislike. Actually, to handle that thing, because we're flowing to the wrong river, we'll paddle the oar as strong as we can, aiming the direction without changing the next plan though it can't run smoothly. That's our usual meal. Recently, seeing us who are paddling our oars, there's a little bit rejection among us. But, we haven't take any initiatives that make the boat can't go forward to the world we look for.

I: So because the 4 persons have their own will, there are things that can't make you go forward.
h: Right. Maa, because there's different direction in each of 4 persons, the focus of L'Arc~en~Ciel can't be reached. Usually, we don't let the things that can't unite our objectives to be done, ne.

I: The way of thinking like that is severe, ne.
h: It can be said severe, but we really want to pass the days with happiness. So the basic is, let it flow easily, we don't think too hard. So, basically it can't be said clearer.

I: Your band's world view is also important.
h: Right. If it can't be done, the more important is, because of that L'Arc~en~Ciel won't be exist, that's the only thing I afraid of.

I: What is L'Arc~en~Ciel in you view?
h: L'Arc~en~Ciel is, consists of 4 persons, each person can be drawn as a piece of a circle. The full circle is when the 4 persons gather around, that's L'Arc~en~Ciel in my thought. So, if anyone is missing, the circle wont' be perfect, that person will involves in a little part in L'Arc~en~Ciel, it wont' become L'Arc~en~Ciel anymore. So if each of the 4 person facing the center of L'Arc~en~Ciel and give each power to it, the stem of the center will be bigger. I feel that will become the important thing.

I: So you won't perform only based on the realtionship as friends, while you understand each other you'll grow together. But if your development is left behind there's a possibility that the whole band will develope late.
h: I also think about that. But I don't think it's a feel of friendship. It's more like close relationship in a family. Though the bloods are linked, the way of my father and my mother think is different, everyone has its own way of thinking. But all of the family member is one. The basic is being together, usually though there are many different opinions, in the end, it will be one. If it reaches that point, it doesn't matter what kind of disaster will shake the house, what kind of happiness will come. With all of the member that work together to solve the problem, we can search the happiness.

I: So there are things that should be continued to keep the band exist?
h: The important thing is if the stem grow bigger, from that tree seems like we can see everyone. This year I'm kinda like that, I think the stem grows bigger and higher.

I: I understand. Jaa, at last, we'd like to hear your spirit about this time's tour.
h: This year the feeling that the band is growing up along with sakura tree is really strong (laugh). Moreover, I want to do that nearly perfect. That's the first target of this year. Especially for the live, such awareness is strong. Actually, in Budokan live, when we performed, we had 100% feeling inside us, now the spirit is already developed 70%. This time's tour is 100% of L'Arc~en~Ciel. Please look forward for it.

ken Interview

I: Now, you use your gold-colored ken model guitar, what kind of chareacteristics that represented by the guitar?
k: Until now, there's only a minor change in the guitar I used. For example, the color changes, the lumber quality also changes, neck's grip also changes. For the next live it's OK if I only used 1 guitar. What kind of the song, and the sound quality's condition, the standard of live's place, I use guitar that can handle such flexible situation. But if the tour has finished, and I had performed in stage, that's not enough. In the stage, if there are people who see my gold-colored guitar, please think about the guitar that is discussed now.

I: That will be interesting. By the way, has the stage theme of 'kiss me heavenly '96' been decided yet?
k: The rehearsal will be started from next week. (13 March), in fact the plan has not been decided concretely. But the tour title 'kiss me heavenly '96', it's more than the previous tour, I feel that it's the second time of 'heavenly' tour.

I: The first 'TOUR heavenly '95' is 9 performaces, this time until now, it has the biggest aount of tour, ne.
k: Yes, that's right. That is more than double amount of last year hall tour performances. Before that, we performed in 20 live houses. In hall, what will the tour be, from my first experience, what will we be, i still can't imagine that.

I: But last year, because of long live house tour, there's no such thing of nervous feeling right?
k: Usually I feel nervous (laugh). But still, there's a difference between going to the live house tour last year and facing the tour that will be started.

I: What is that?
k: Until now tour is, we perform the live in those places full of energy. When we exhausted, we'll take some sleep, that happened over and over again. That time, there's a lot of tour, we pushed ourselves until reaching the limit. But if there' spare time, we still have some energy left to hang out in the streets, we fully enjoyed the trip, so we felt the atmosphere of those places while we did our tour.

I: Until that, each of you filled up your world view.
k: Because there's a lot amount of tour, there's a different feeling in each place. So when we spend the time, we feel the different approach.

I: When you only perform in live house, you don't feel that exhausted?
k: I think it's fan who felt hot, but when there's a lot of people who come, it's us who felt hot. If we use rating, there's no special performance. From the beginning until the end, our music performace and doing the things we like with our power, give a new feeling more and more.

I: With the live house experience, when you perform in hall, you'll feel the different sensation of stage, ne.
k: Right. Until now, livehouse is livehouse, hall is hall, what kind of feeling I have, from 'TOUR heavenly '95', continued with live house tour, the distance with the audiences, and else, building a happy relationship, it's better than before. I feel a close relationship with the audiences

I: Until that, is there any thought to do things on your own will?
k: Maybe. But when we performed in live house, back once more to the hall, there is mysterious feeling. The performaces in livehouse tour, is a step to the hall tour, that's we really feel.

I: Because there's such kind of thing, in Nippon Budokan, you can feel a weird pressure, you perform near with the fan's posistion.
k: Right. First, the place is wide, though I feel far away, we'll let the performance flowing the same, I think that will bring good feeling. When we performed in Budokan, we felt a new feeling. Shortly, for us who performs only in livehouse before, it became our first experience to perform in hall. So I want to feel that kind of feeling when I perform in Budokan again this time, ne.

I: Jaa, the first time in hall, there's such kind of feeling.
k: At that time, "I will feel good", I thought. We surely feel that we're definitely not performing in live house. In livehouse, there's a wall in the back, so I feel the atmosphere that kept closed. But, sometimes I don't want to feeel that kind of feeling, but in fact, there's a wall, so it's kinda dilemma. In hall, there are various place and atmosphere that can be used. When we did our first performance in hall, we felt that way.

I: With that thought for the tour that will be started on April, what kind of feeling that will be reflected in your next tour?
k: I can't say it concretely. Actually, one last year, I have good experiences. Actually, though I didn't know until each one's face, I feel I can have direct communication with all of the people who come to that place. So with this tour, I think that feeling won't change.

I: So it will be like your previous tour.
k: Yup, since long time I likehanging around, so when I do the tour, I can really enjoy the trip. For example, if I hit pachinko in the place I don't know, I should consider the special rule in that place. I'll search a good cafeteria with delicious food to go eat. Because there are various things that can be absorbed daily, I can use my power well to do the tour, so dong the tour is really exciting.

I: Jaa, this time's tour, it takes 2 months, but no one knows what will happen in the middle of the journey, isn't it?
k: Right. So in every tour, in the end I will be a person that doesn't feel usual, this time tour give a better value for the long run, in the end I will be afraid if I'll be a disabled person (laugh). But, this time I only think about how to handling problems that maybe happen.

I: What is that?
k: The things that talked about become messed up. That's like a drunk condition (laugh).

I: Jaa, does the pace division for 1 tour become a heavy work?
k: Though it's really heavy, above that, usually we want to face every single performace, and giving all of our strength in it. So to think about the pace division, there's no absoluteness in it, anything that decided is for giving the best performance in each performance. No matter how the pace division is, we must not dissappointing the audiences.

I: I see~. Jaa, for the last, please give the message for the upcoming tour.
k: Few das ago, the video with Nippon Budokan reflection 'heavenly~films~' has been sold, for the people who came to our live for the first time, for the pople who always come to our live, that video can be a preparation lesson, let's repeat it when you come to the live (laugh). In that place, I go out playing outside, wearing colorful clothes, coloring the street, so for the live that we're gonna perform, all of you together with us, let's share happiness.

tetsu Inteview

I: This time's tour is like the continuation of the last year tour, isn't it?
t: Yes, ne. This tour is also the continuation of the release of 'heavenly' album. It feels like we're doing the encore of last year tour, and in the place we haven't been before, there are also the same audience I think, it's like repeating once more.

I: The amount is more than last year, right?
t: Yep. Since the time this band began, it's the biggest amount of live. 25 times ka na.

I: Do you already have a thought about this tour that drawn in your mind?
t: No, we have to do single recording until this interval. So, I only think about creating new songs, the arrangement and recording mode inside my heaf. I still don't know, because there aren't any rehearsal yet for live. There will be 2 new songs in that single. Though we haven't decided the day of releasing singles, I think it'll be in the summer, ne.

I: Why did you create new single this time?
t: Because the tour will takes time for about 2 months, I think we can't do the recording then. 6 months after the tour, I want to do album recording. So I think it's really late for the release. I think it's great if we can do recording before the tour started.

I: Think about that, have you arranged the a-year-schedule for this year?
t: Yes. Because we were really busy last year, though I think we're going to do slower this year, it's flowing however. That flow can't be stopped, fans are also waiting. The big plan has been discussed among the members. From that, we then talked about the schedule.

I: Though the band hasn't started its activity yet, there's still a spirit of being in a band.
t: This time, the single recording can't be done in a week. So, with that thought, album recording will take more than 1 month long, the activities in TV, video, magazine will be decrease, I don't want to be like that.

I: That activities, have it started yet?
t: No, there's no such activities now. I think we're kinda slow. This time, releasing songs is more than the large amount of tour, I think about making a good song because I want to make a good album. If that important point has been settled, there's nothing to worry about.

I: If we looked back to the last year Budokan live, is that part also included in the next tour?
t: It's the thing we always include in, though we have to plan about many little things to make a good live, so at least we must have that for our next live. We can't do better live for the next time.

I: Actually, do you have a good feeling about this year tour?
t: Yep. Last year we were doing national club tour In May and June, I think the feeling turns out like that time feeling.

I: At first, Laruku couldn't really do a thing like that tour, ne?
t: For the debut, the most important thing is not only doing tour in city level.There were 10 lives in our national tour. It's 1-2 times in a year.

I: You thought it was enough?
t: Yes, ne, it's because the amount of lives. The tour that is decided now has larger amount than last year club tour. Though in our debut time, the standard was only about the amount of lives, since last year the member started to do the things we want to do. So thought about the amount of lives was not many, it's staff's strategy. That thing is complicated, concert in Japan however results in deficit. Though our concerts are cheap, there are opinions that can make the band got plus points. It's complicated.

I: Since last year, what is the most reflected from the member's will?
t: When we performed in club, the lighting in live house wasn't good. Lighting, PA, and the stage set that are carried out around the country and the money are arranged well. The personnel expenses and the transportation cost also. So, in livehouse, it's around the member, the smallest equipments, and the staff, then they will be linked each other. It's a good live, I think, next, in time we expand to hall, the audiences also come.

I: Was it a long road?
t: There are various things, shortly there were something that didn't run smoothly. But we only want to do live. There were only few lives, I forget how many lives we could do in a year. Don't know for how many months, we can only do 1 live. But that kind of feeling is over now.

I: This year tour, the amount, the theme, do those things suit with you want?
t: No, I still don't know about that. Cause it hasn't started yet. First day curtain hasn't opened yet.

I: Let's view from another point, what kind of tour you think is good?
t: I can't think about what I really like (laugh). The place, the tour menu that should be decided before we perform, it's only flowing. In deciding the menu, we change the order of the songs that we will play everyday experimentally, if we get the best formation, we would continue it for the tour. In final, we will feel that we've made the best formation. So, I don't know what will happen next. The menu still hasn't been decided yet.

I: The main songs are still from 'heavenly'?
t: There are 'heavenly' songs. Because it's 'heavenly' tour, 'heavenly' songs become the main songs. Just like in 'Tierra' era, 'DUNE' era, we focused the tour in those albums. If the new album is released, that will be the main.

I: Jaa, does the detail part, like rehearsal, has been decided?
t: I still haven't thought anything (laugh). But I think this tour will be exciting. This year first tour is 3-4 months from the end of Budokan live.

I: After you finished the live in Budokan, do you feel something new?
t: Something new, I think there's no such kind of thing, because what I think the most is happy things. If we do what we want to do, and the other people can feel what we feel, I think it's the happiest thing, ne.

I: Don't you think about using new equipments?
t: For now, I don't. Though we change the equipment from last year tour, no one will notice (laugh). We change the speaker. It's sad if the music magazine doesn't notice (laugh). Though what can be seen seems not change, if it's seen clearly, it's different. Like the speaker. My bass is also new, so it can be seen together (laugh). Though now is the time of making songs, that thing can happen. Because it will happen in this time tour. So when I think to make songs in this time tour, I think of having the set to make songs.

I: MTR?
t: MTR is not hard to maintain, isn't it (laugh). It can be brought anywhere. I can do recording with 1 guitar if I have tape recorder. I also bought micro-cassete. Then I bought guitar, it's like it's OK even if it's broken. But in tour, you can't make an experiment (laugh).

sakura Interview

I: Have you collect the concept for the upcoming tour?
s: Actually, the rehearsal hasn't started yet. We will talk about the equipment we'll use concretely after that. Since the Budokan live has ended, the next live hasn't started yet. However, there are a lot of ideas each month, so we feel time flows so fast. Performing in Budokan means that I have reach the upper level in making music. The point is I can decide things in my own will. Until now, I try to do my best. But actually, until now, I feel the live that can get 100 marks can't really be performed. But, I have good experiences. If the next live runs well, it will be a great happiness.

I: In Budokan, what kind of feeling you got would you live up next?
s: To live up, I think it's the feeling that comes out from my own will. Though there were things I got, sometimes they change. After the performance ended, there's a kind of acknowledgement of someone's existence. That can force my egoistic. When I have finished the tour in Budokan there's a kind of feeling that I can proud with it. At the beginning I also achieve things like that. Because of that, there's an encore. I think encore is good to express that feeling. The 'thank you' part that becomes the basic, though we can't give our best to the audience, we can still feel harmonic with them. That becomes egoistic, if there's no reason for it. From a lot of lessons I got, persuasive power isn't big.

I: So, though it can't be focused in the time around Budokan, when it has ended, is there anything you think about yourself?
s: Yes, in the end, I reallize about one thing. I'm here not because of myself, but because of people around me. My field of view becomes wider. Still, I have a thought that in the end of Budokan, the word 'Arigatou' is the most proper word. In that simple word we can feel a wonderful happiness, a harmony.

I: I agree. After last year Budokan performance ended, does it have a relation with you next 'heavenly' tour?
s: After the Budokan ended, we don't search for another big place to perform. That kind of thing doesn't have any relations with our performances. For example, it's OK if we perform in places that has smaller capacity than Budokan. It's definitely different if it compared with Budokan. But, that's not related with our performances. Any place is good I think. So, inside me, being in Budokan, releasing album, a turning point in 1995, they don't influence me. In my career, there's one big crossroad. If I think like writing the right chapter maybe it's a turning point, a turning point is simply a world we haven't thought before. But I still can't lose the feeling, there are things that also heal my feeling.

I: Adding the amoung from your last year tour, do you think it's good for your band?
s: I don't feel that kind of part. If I think the origin, I want to do musical performance. In a live, there's an energy that can't be felt only by our five senses. With that meaning, I like the live a lot. Though I can't say it with words, everybody become calm. We're all gathering in a wave together, that is like the amplification of togetherness. I really like it.

I: That kind of amplification, don't you want the live lasts for a long time?
s: Though I want that, I only have one body. In fact, there's a difficult time. But if I think that being busy is good, now maybe it becomes good. More than need, if I can't earn money from my activities, it will be useless (laugh). If the condition is good maybe there will be a good topic. The worst, it's the only thing given, so it should be seen as a good thing. It can't be thought to deep, and can't be felt. More than to have a meal, I don't have any busy activities.

I: Jaa, though the plan haven't been decided yet, what do you think the next live will be?
s: I'll try to do my best to realize the schedule. From what I always think, if I revised my words, there will be no persuassive power in it anymore (laugh). So there should be no mistakes always. It's more than just this time, but everytime. Though this time there might be some new challenges, they're only little things.

I: There's change in the menu?
s: There are double amount of songs compared with last year tour, there will be some additional songs. But I can't guaranteed anything now (laugh). There are no songs I hate. So I always like to perform any songs. Though I can't do it myself (laugh). Usually, I think about that in flat.

I: Viewing from its position, after 'heavenly' album released last year, there are things that should be think about to perform the songs from the album live. For this time tour, do you think about the different way to perform the same songs?
s: I think there's such kind of idea. Because my will changes everyday. Though it seems simple, but actually it's complicated. If we only have to do the same things, we'll let the rest to the equipments. I think we should put the feeling into it. I can't do the same thing, I think.

I: You can't think about the change, so that time it comes out from yourself?
s: Yes, that runs naturally. If we force to change, I think it will be a bent change. That time, anything that is in my thought, I think it's good.

I: So, what a special good meaning you got?
s: It's happy (laugh). Because there are things we dislike, we can't say that we hate our responsibilities. We should take our responsibilities well.

I: If you back to behind the stage, what kind of preparation you did yourself?
s: Before the performance I think I can't add anything, because it still not clear. But I can say one thing, I want to have a harmonic feelings with others. Then anything will run well, I think.

I: People who watched your last year tour can come again, but the feeling can be different, do you have any premonition about that?
s: I think people who will watch us can't be decided yet. There can be a lot of assumptions about that. I think that kind of assumption is a sign of an ego. But I admit that, I think if I open the things that is closed, I can get something. So, it can be known naturally as the day changes. For the person that always watch Arc lives, if they feel there's something different between the performace that they had watched and this time live, it won't be good. So, for the people who came to our tour until now, or for the new people, if they can feel the same feeling when they watch us, it will be good.

thx to Asuka-san who provide the scans ^_^

Vicious July 1994 - Sakura

Being a human, though maybe the image is gotten from opening the doors of human living one by one, but I'm the opposite of that. When I was little, with the most open situation, I think to be an adult. I should close the door. I filled up my brain's databank with a bunch of knowledge, so my feeling become weaker. When I wanted to do some kind of activities, I thought about the plans, I also thought about bad things that might be happen.

So, I want to open such door. I want to deliver my feeling. Such situation is interesting. Musician who leave their names in music history, also open the door. For example, Jimi Hendrix. When I watchd his live, there were things I can't explain. I only felt that. At that time I only think about the drummer Mitch Michelle (laugh). If Jimi Hendrix was die in young age, the music history will be changed a lot. There are also Janis Joplin and John Lennon, who open the door in unusual ways. For me, people like them give influences in being a human. For that purpose, surely I have to open the door.

Of course I got a lot of influences. But actually who gave the influences to me? Well, I can't find the answer. Basically, it wa smy parents and my relatives, Laruku's member, friends, various people gave me so much of influencees that mixed up, so I can be like this now. When I met Laruku's member, it's maybe the biggest turning point in my life. I think I got many influences. But, it's not only that.

For example, when I'm 100% myself, I can't accept the 99% influenced by other people. My stance won't change. For example, if there's a girl that I like a lot, it will be hurt if we broke up. Though it makes anger, sadness, and many kinds of feelings, that's all related to ego, I think. If someone hurts my pride I'll get angry, if a girl I like can't be with me, it can make me sad. If it's traced to the beginning, it's all because of ego. Of course because I'm a human, sometimes I don't have the same opinion with the others. If I think about it calmly, about the cause of the problem I had with others, but maybe I can fix it, so it's unnecessary to get really mad at others. It will be good if there's a chance to walk along with friends, but if I can't walk with them, I'll think, "This person is different with me". The event around me in this recording time is, my 2 friends were died. The one is a friend that I'm not often meet with, when I met that person one day, a week after, that person commited suicide. Though my other frinds cried, I didn't. Because that's the way that person chose. My other friend who also died is my good friend who always be with me, I cried hard when that person died. But it's only for 5 minutes. But I only cried at the moment, because that person can't live anymore. That person still lives in my memory. Maa if I leave this world, maybe I'll meet that person.

If I have a strong faith in this situation, I think I can't be influenced. Because of that, things that being a person's turning point, maybe it won't go with me. If a person happy because he/she only changes his/her outward appearance, it can be a problem. Of course in one's turning point, there's a time we can't close the door, it can be me that close the door, it can be closed itself... That will make a big change, I think. So, a person that has changed 99% is a type of person that close the door. A person that closes the door maybe a person that doesn't care.

For example, if there's a lot of delicious food in front of me, if my stomach is empty, I'll want to eat. But if there's some food that can't be eaten for some reasons, I'll think, "Aa, I'm a kind of person that can't eat". "I'll eat later", a person who only thinks about food, a person that only thinks to collect money is a kind o person that close the door. Shortly it can be said like that. But there's a kind of situation that makes us have to close the door, at that time it will be fine if I close the door. The point is there's a time that it'll be good if I open the door.

thx to bananavocado and matsu who provide the article scan ^__^

Ongaku To Hito January 2006 - yukihiro Gyuunyuu

25 December
This year, Danger is also held ...

It's interesting. Various (laugh). This is the first time the backstage/dressing room looks like a long house. There's a lot of people, they're drinking wine, the situation looks like a party. But I avoid to go near the backstage/dressing room location it's dangerous zone, I slept in the make-up room. This time, we do cover songs in acid android, we have thought about that before, at that time BUCK-TICK was the candidate. But, we thought it's not enough if we do only 1 cover song, so in the end, it becomes 3 songs. Suddenly, all cover songs we did are Japanese songs, if we did other songs, what would they be?

That BUCK-TICK cover is soft-ballad, and hide-san's song is which I like. For the live I depend on Hiruma-san who did the manipulate, with Hiruma-san who likes soft-ballad, 'EGO DANCE' will be perfect. "Please play the synthesizer!" I said (laugh). By the way, the other cover candidates are Shiina Ringo and Cocco. Cocco's 'Jukai no Ito' is my favourite number. But the song is really complicated, so I wasn't using it.
Then the session. We did the Slip Knot cover, yasuo-kun as the drummer said "I will play the drum?" to me, then he said, "Please give me 1 day for it". But in the next day, he called me and said, "I can do that". If there's yells, it wil be perfect! To match the amount of the member with Slip Knot, I asked the manager to help, with the mask, he agreed. I was shocked when all of them had prepared themselves seriously. I felt so satisfied and completed. But this year's event is only for adult. But i don't drink the red wine. The water tank in the store was really elegant. It must be expensive I thought, and when I asked about it to the shopkeeper, I got the answer that the maintenance cost is 1.000.000 yen. Oi oi, it that OK for the store's management? That question still remained until night.

One Day in December
In the renovation of my house

I did the renovation on 3 stairs part in my house. First, the bedroom, it's in my mind for now. In my house, there's also a place to work. Will it be heavy if I work in my own house? From what I heard, it's not like that.
There's also a basement studio, 1 stairs is in the garage and lobby. Then, the second stairs is in the living room. It makes me easier to switch from my living space to my work place. It can be said that there's nearly no window in my house, the center of the 2 stairs becomes stairwell, which surrounded by glass, so I can see the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom, and the others, it seems like limitless.
Shortly, there's no windows facing outside, most parts of the inside are glasses, so in the noon time, from above the bright light can enter, so I don't have any problem with the lights. Under the stairwell is exactly the ceiling of garage, I use glass tile for the ceiling.
I placed a lot of fluorecent light there. With all of that, that room doesn't need any electricity at night until morning. When I got to take a bath, and I turn on the light in the morning and look up at the other room through the glasses, I told to myself "This house is cool, naa!". But the bathroom that surrounded by glasses, in this winter time it's impossible to shower only. However, with glasses surrounding, I can feel the chill more. I have to fill my bathtub with hot water, when it's not warm enough I won't get in. Maa, with this style, I feel happy to live as a bachelor for this moment.

4 January
Happy New Year

Since Danger IV, I kept myself in my house for recording work. When I smoke while I went upstairs from the basement studio, I felt that 'It's 2006 now'. While I was smoking alone, I said to myself, "Akemashite omedetou" (Happy new year) There's a lot of things that made me couldn't go anywhere. I called to my parent's house, "Seems like this year I can't go home", but then, "However, you should go home!". While I think, on 10 o'clock in the evening, I went to my parent's house by car.
I want to eat mochi in this new year. Because there's new lagoon in my parent's house, every year we eat mochi with shouzu beans. There are a lot of delicious food, and the extremely delicious shouzu beans are also there. In new year, surely there's oshiruko (red bean sauce). When I was in Shoumi for about 2/3 hours I also ate oshiruko, my relatives were sharing stories, it filled my feeling about the new year. From tomorrow, recording will be started.

18 January
No Hikirouri

I've started to work in the studio since 2 days ago. Since that ... I nearlt didn't go outside my house. When I went home to my parent's house, I went to the hairmake-san's place to play ... umm, what else? This day, I go to office to collect data, I only go out 4 times this year. When the member comes to studio, I go to garage to open the shutter, I step outside only up to this side everyday. With that daily activities, I mostly preparing the studio. I fell glad about that. Of course, I don't know any other things beside things related to work. Recently, when I wake up in the morning, I clean the lobby and studio. To make them keep clean, I clean them up once in three days ... Ah, am I gonna be studio-san?

One day in January
In the climax of recording

While the recording of guitar sound hasn't finishedd yet, I wrote the lyrics. But, most of the subject is about the living in a house without going outside. Maa, though it will be good if I go out to find other subjects. Recently, I even haven't read manga. The time before, I borrow a tankoubon of 'GANTZ' that was recommended by antz (nabe-kun) and read it. I really want to know the next episodes of it, I felt like, "Ah, I must but the tankoubon from that episode", so when I went to convenient store to buy 'Shonen Jump', I also checked the episodes. Though I knew antz a long ago, we really talked for the first time in acid android. First, I think that he had a really cool image. But the other tension is high. Usually it will develop, I have that kind of mysterious tension, yasuo-kun was also like that. In fan club's bulletin, acid member also appear. yasuo-kun is the most excited member. Usually, he's like young man who suddenly hit the drum. Is young man like that?

thx to matsu for article scan ^__^

Note:

• I still didn't know the meaning of hikirouri, i'll update this translation if i find it out.