K:Ken-san
This is a sudden announcement. Last year, ASIALIVE 2005 Tour had over. Each Laruku's member then started their solo project. The one that keeps silent, Ken, has also started his solo work. I thought he's starting his solo work with S.O.A.P., but suddenly, it's not Laruku, it's not S.O.A.P. also, he's doing his solo work under the name 'Ken'. The first song 'Speed' is orignial song he made, and the second song is Gary Moore's song 'Empty Rooms', and the third is the theme song of 1965 movie titled 'The Sandpiper', that is instrumental song 'The Shadow of Your Smile'. That will be released on August. Why does he do that? Let's ask him.
I: First of all, I would like to hear about your recent activities.
K: Recent activities, the real recent activities?
I: Fu ha ha ha ha ha, yes, of course. It's about your real recent activities.
K: My real recent activities are recording for the new single, finishing the music. It's started from collecting the stuffs (laugh).
I: You weren't that busy before?
K: Yes, last year, after Laruku had finished its activity, the first thing appeared in my thought is making song once in a month... a that's lie (laugh) I made the demo in a week, I really used it for the song (laugh).
I: Hoo, that's really great.
K: I made it twice, ne.
I: Only 2 weeks, then you quit?
K: Yes (laugh). Though the song was chokochoko, I could only make 2 demos. Then... I felt little bored.
I: Ha ha ha ha ha, so fast!
K: De, after I finished it I give it to the director so he could listen to it. And then, "Ken-chan, won't it be good if you sing? (<-- boss' voice that really affecting)" he said."Is it so? I still don't know whether I'll sing or not" I said. Then I made song and practicing my guitar, until the end of year came.
I: Time goes so fast, ne.
K: Yes, then I had to have a rehearsal with S.O.A.P. for Budokan, in Danger event. When the year was over, I had practised my guitar... for two months "A re? I don't have any works na, these days.. yosh! After this I'll be recording!", that was my thought. When I went to the office "I want to work now, but is it OK?", there's a contradiction in me, while I was thinking whether to work or not, but 5 minutes later, I'd made my decision, "It's OK!"
I: It was started in January?
K: Yes. When I sing a song, though I think it's good to deliver it with yelling, I really want to deliver the message from the lyrics, then... A, I got idea! I want to make a cover song, with only piano, guitar, and vocal in live. Gary Moore's song 'Empty Rooms'. S.O.A.P. always want to cover this song, but we never made it.
I: Ha ha ha ha ha.
K: Then, another song, it's actually "Moonlight" from Beethoven. I practised with a lot with my guitar, though I tried to record it many times, but there's nothing really fits. I don't remember how many times!
I: Ha ha ha ha ha.
K: Though I didn't have my original song at that time, I like "The Shadow of Your Smile". That's a good song ~ I was thinking to play it with my guitar. But I always thought this song as 'Falling Leaves'.
I: Aa, Eve Montan's.
K: One day, I played it in front of Sakura "This is 'The Shadow of Your Smile'", I said. "E, it's 'Falling Leaves', isn't it?" "No, it's different, ther's a singing part in it" "Eee? There's a singing part?" he said.
I: A ha ha ha ha. At that time you didn't know whether there's a singing part or not, did you?
K: I don't know! By the way, this song has so many modulations, until nowthere are many different ways to play it, however, I always play it with my guitar for recording.
I: Well, you're getting used to do many kind of things, right?
K: Yes. If someone doesn't have goal, he won't develop, ne. Maa, though I didn't think until that way, "A ~ I think it's gonna run smoothly!" I placed myself in that way (laugh).
I: It's so (laugh).
K: It's like a motor for me, a shot without against anybody. I'm in that mood.
I: To minimize the debate. So that's the reason you start this solo project on your own, ne.
K: Yes. There are something else beside yelling. Though I don't understand when, I'm in a mood that can't make song with heavy feeling.
I: For this kind of song, you think it'll be good to do it with just one person.
K: Yes.
I: Maa, honestly, the first song 'Speed', you don't think to play it in a band?
K: Yes. I had a feeling like "This song wil be good to be played in a band, isn't it?" (laugh). Though I feels like that, but when I yell it, that song didn't seem like it supposed to be. So I had to practise to sing harder.
I: Voice training?
K: Voice training, no, not like that.
I: Not like that? (laugh)
K: Well, I'm not used to do that (laugh).
I: A ha ha ha ha ha.
K: So, I continued to sing my demo song at my home.
I: E, you're in front of the microphone in the booth?
K: No no no, in my own livingroom.
I: Wa ha ha ha ha ha!
K: I really practised ne! It felt like in karaoke box. With the remote control in one hand, I picked 'E-m-pty-Ro-om'... A re, the key is too high, I have to repeat it! That kind of repetation happened on and on (laugh).
I: Jaa, to put the emphasis on the lyrics, what you'd thought to be put as the center of your singing?
K: Nandarou naa... Some times ago, when I had a rehearsal with S.O.A.P., I also thought about that ne.
I: Do you think singing is a big problem?
K: Yes.. In playing the guitar, if I want to make sound like this, or like that, or any other sound, I can do it with practicing a lot. But for singing, I can't do like that! I haven't decided what kind of singing it would be at that time. Then I thought "A re? It can be sung in various styles!"
I: Ha ha ha ha. If that can be so, you can make a switch for the singing part.
K: I've thought about that. So, in Danger event, when I had rehearsal for S.O.A.P., we've discussed about that. "Focusing for the lyrics, is it OK if I gave the singing part to Sakura and Ein?", that's my thought (laugh). So, I don't have any conciousness to do that maniac thing. Singing is simple. So that it's heavy.
I: It's not heavy. It's more mellow. That's why it's reflected in in your cover. It's not weird if you pick Geoge Michael or Shaadee's song.
K: Ha ha ha ha! Sou sou, about Shaadee, I realize it when I did Gary Moore's cover. But for me, though I like Shaadee a lot, I didn't make songs like that (laugh).
I: So how about 'Speed'?
K: I made the demo with Muraichi-san (GAI drum) and the former DIE IN CRIES member Takashi-san (now he's BUG bass). I think they can make a wonderful music performance.
I: S.O.A.P has been playing based on the motto of just simply having fun or to feel the joy of beginning a band. But do you think this concept has changed and that you're expecting more musical qualities?
K: There is that kind of things. That's the first time I sang by myself, and the bassist was still a beginner, we have so much fun in it. But I don't want it to be that way now.
I: So you don't want it to be like S.O.A.P.
K: Right. About S.O.A.P., the feeling to form this band for the first time, when I'm yelling, when I'm playing my guitar, though it's the first time, we've already passed 4 years. I think it's more that we expect. So now I want to try other things outside from S.O.A.P.
I: I see.
K: Maybe that 2 persons also think "Cause we did it all from fun/happy feelings, it'll be fine if we don't talk about complicated things", like what I thought. These days, I want to do things based on my own will. Since last year I had felt that kind of mood. Who decided it? I have the feeling like that. When we go together to eat, or to have fun, there's no discussion about band at all (laugh).
I: In that kind of situation all of you not talking as S.O.A.P. anymore nee?
K: It's kinda embarassing. A band comes from that? Like that (laugh).
I: Jaa, each year you can meet onve in Budokan, right? (laugh)
K: Ka na~?
I: A ha ha ha ha ha .Though there's a need for being in such tension, sometimes you like to do it yourself.
K: Yup.
I: And the other one...well, it's hard to say. But firstly there's Laruku, and then there's SOAP in the form of what you can call "Anchiteeze"
K: Yes, it means foot work.
I: Yes, Now, you want to leave that kind of part, with the feeling apart from Laruku, you want to realize your feel by yourself, ne.
K: Yes, it's true, that's the point.
I: I want to do it in this band's style! There's no such need in your way of thinking, isn't it?
K: Yes, because there's nothing came naturally, ne. A feeling like 'umm, I want to make it like this!'. There's no such thing this time. Though it wasn't started in nature, is that alright? So it's like such weird dilemma, na...
I: So, in this Laruku's current situation, there are things you still want to achieve more?
K: A, maybe like that.
I: Having different drawers (different options) means you're in good condition, or?
K: Yes, maybe it's nearing my mood when creating 'NEO UNIVERSE' in Laruku.
I: That time's mood?
K: The bass' sound, the guitar's melodies, the drums' rhythm, though the band is complicated I want it that way!
I: If you make with that kind of feelings, you'll do what you want like doing interesting things, ne.
K: Yes.
I: I would also like to hear 'Careless Whisper' then.
K: A ha ha ha ha! With sexy Ken, ne. A, it's when I arrange 'Empty Rooms'., I remember saying that I wanted to make a mellow song that you'd want to hear after you had your glittery, sparkly time at the club. Yeah. Smooth, sexy time.
I: It's preparation of waist, ne.
K: Right. A ha ha ha ha ha! When I gave 'Speed' demo to the manager, he said, "Ken-san, you'd better not sing ne~". "A, yes, I'll also put the instrument" I said.
I: A ha ha ha ha ha. That changes the reality.
K: Yes. That changes the reality, it hurts me (laugh). Then I thought not to sing... did my singing annoy the song?
I: Ha ha ha ha ha.
K: It can't be like that!
I: Maa, S.O.A.P. has passed a wonderful time more that expected.
K: Yes, it's true. So I want to do other things.
I: In a year, there's a chance to perform in Budokan. Then this year's Budokan will be a busy event for you, isn't it?
K: How come?
I: There would be S.O.A.P., Ken, Laruku ...
K: Ken also in?
I: E, you don't want to do it?
K: Not only 1 song... That's really hard!
I: Ha ha ha ha. But the boss had told you to do so.
K: A, that is... really heavy, now.
I: A ha ha ha ha, if you do the cover, it'll be good.
K: I don't want to do that 'Slayer'! (laugh)
I: Well, people will think 'What will this person be this time?'.
K: Such thought made me afraid. If I got to do so many covers, being 'Slayer', being 'Shaadee', adding my own guitar instrument, I'm afraid people will often think 'What this person really does? He seems doesn't understand with that.'
I: So you think it's enough now.
K: Yes. I think it's enough to express my thought in S.O.A.P. and Laruku.
thx to Matsu-san who provides the article scans in a very good quality! ^__^
also thx to Dolce-san who gave a big help in translating ^_^
Note:
- about 'voice training', it's actually written as 'boitore' in Katakana, I translated is as 'voice training', related to the previous question, cause in Japanese language, there are many abbreviation,such as 'depaato' for department store, 'suupaa' for supermarket.
- about the song 'Falling Leaves', it's actually written in kanji as 'Kareha'. When I googled Eve Montan's song, it can be 'Autumn Leaves' or 'Falling Leaves'.
- about the term 'Shaadee', 'Anchiteeze', and 'Slayer', i don't really know what their mean, so i write them as what written.
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