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.
  

PATI-PATI May 2004 - L'Arc~en~Ciel Lottery Interview

I: Interviewer
h: hyde
k: ken
t: tetsu
y: yukihiro

L'Arc~en~Ciel's new album after about 3 years and 7 months, "SMILE", have you listened to it? Soon after its release, for the cover and first page of this special edition, all of the staff discussed what to be talked with these 4 important persons in interview. So this theme now is following this route - "SMILE" --> laugh --> happiness comes to the smiling face --> lottery interview. Each member will get quastions from another members. The staff also collect their questions using the contents of this album. The questions collected are more than 20 questions, 1 questions is written on a paper, then they will be entered into a lottery box, member will take 1 piece of paper from the box then answer the questions. The theme is about the courage to reveal the past that maybe wasn't heard before. Are they going to have good questions or bad questions? So now, we will decide the order. Yes, ja-n ke-n po-n!!

I: The one who lose on jan-ken-pon hyde-san, please pick the first question.
h: (pick the question with his hand mixing it) ... E-, question from hyde-san (laugh). "yukihiro-san, did you ever watch erotic video?"
All: Ha ha ha ha ha ha (laughing hard)
I: The first question is really good.
y: E- ... Though I ever watched it, I don't watch it recently (laugh).
I: hyde-san, are you satisfied with that kind of answer?
h: I'm satisfied (laugh).

I: Next, tetsu-san, please pick your question.
t: Question from "REVELATION". "Even until now, is there a thing that you keep a secret? Please expose one now".
I: It's a question from staff. There's a song titled "REVELATION" in this album, it can be translated literally as 'exposure/disclosure' ('bakuro').
k: Aa, the song "REVELATION" isn't about 'disclosure' ('bakuro'), there's another meaning of it in vocabulary.
I: Yes, when I check 'bakuro', there's a meaning 'revelation'.
h: It also means 'apocalypse' ('keiji').
k: I also think about that meaning ('keiji').
I: Surely it's 'keiji' then, it's written in the bible too, but this question is made from the ordinary literally translation. So, now, let's have a talk about 'disclosure' ('bakuro').
t: Now let me answer that (laugh). I have one secret, it's in the past. In my way back home from elementary school, I saw an alarm of a bank, "It surely will ring" I thought, if I pressed it. Though I don't remember it clearly, I had kinda curious feeling that time. Together with my friend, we're like "Come on, press it". When I pressed it, it rang. Uwaaaa!! Then we ran out immediately, ne (laugh). Then, on the next day, I was afraid to go to school, "Am I gonna get caught?". But when I arrived at school, nobody talked about that. I thought nobody saw us, hosh, I was so glad about that (laugh).
I: It's in what grade?
t: I think it's when I'm in second or third year of elementary school.

I: I see. Next, ken-san.
k: Question from yukihiro-san. "What did you eat yesterday?". E~ pork shabu with hourenkusa (a kind of grass).
I: Let's ask the others.
h: Ochatsuke.
t: When I collect data, I ate bento.
y: Yesterday, i ate Matsuya's

I: OK. Now yukihiro-san, please pick your question.
y: "With the scene of "SMILE" album recording, what scene scene that come up from your mind?" ... E~to ... ken-chan played guitar in front of me. Though he usually plays in amplifier's place, that time he played his guitar in control room. He played in front of me. hyde-kun also saw that.
h: It's pro, ne.
y: Pro musical performance, seen near like that (laugh).

I: Next, hyde-san, please pick your question.
h: Ye~s (smiling face)
k: What makes you so happy like that!? (laugh)
h: Question from "Time Goes On". "Please tell use one impressive event that you think it's like in a dream". Things like in a dream... (closing eyes and thinking seriously). It's just think I can't tell na-
All: Ha ha ha ha ha (laughing hard).
h: Are there things I can tell? ... n-, let me think ...
I: Do you wanna pass?
h: No! No no, but really, nothing came up from my mind. Things like in a dream... things like in a dream... Surely it's only about things I can't tell (laugh).

I: Let tetsu-san be the next, then.
t: OK (with smiling face, picking the question) ... Question from "Lover Boy". "Among the members of L'Arc~en~Ciel, who is the most shy person? Please tell the reason too".
I: It's from the lyric, the question was made from a word of it.
t: Shy..... Isn't it me? (laugh)
h: I know!! (raising hand). Wa-wait a second, about the dream, is it OK if I answer now?!
All: Ha ha ha ha ha (laughing hard)
I: You have something in your mind? (laugh)
h: Yes. But it's thing like nightmare. It's when I watched TV in January this year. About Apollo that went to the moon in 1969, I watched the TV program that told a lie about that.
k: I also watched it.
h: You watched it too? When I watched it, my relative also watched beside me. That person said, "That Apollo thing is lie!!" It's like a completely rejection of what I had in my mind. My relative that beside me also told a lie.That person said, "The waving flag is weird, because there should be no atmosphere in that place". It was a shock... (laugh). The TV program said, the reflection when landing on the surface of the moon, it's only human-made. That TV program is so convincing. Finally, in the very end of the program, they told that what they're talking about just now was totally a lie. My relative beside me who also told me the lie had left me alone (laugh). I don't know where should I throw my anger to...
y: That TV program about trip to the moon that is told to be a lie, it's actually the TV program that was lying?
h: Yepp.
k: the Hollywood thing, that reflection capture, it's also lie.
h: Though it's totally a lie, it's a great TV program. It made me shocked. Really, it's like a nightmare. Now, that thing comes up from my mind (laugh).
I: I see. tetsu-san, what the reason for the shy question?
t: E~to. The reason.... u-n....
h: You don't listen to my answer from beginning? Oh, no no, I shouldn't think about my own question (laugh).
All: Ha ha ha ha ha (laughing hard)
t: It's because I can't explain well with words in front of a girl. That's shy, I think (laugh).

k: Sshaaa!! (picking the question and yelling) Koooo-i!! ... Question from "Eien". "If you're promised an eternity, what do you wish to be eternal?" N- .... It's difficult thing ne.... I think it will be health.
y: ... (picking the mixed question) Question from "Coming Closer". "What things that make you worry recently?" This month's task concerning the trash
All: Ha ha ha ha ha (laughing hard)
h: It's serious matter ne (laugh).
y: Right. A little (laugh).

h: Next is... Question from "Spirit Dreams Inside". "Among the members, who has the hottest spirit?" Ma, if I should say, it's yukki, isn't it. I can still imagine hearing the sounds he made.
I: Recently, what things happen?
h: In this recording time, I also did some promotions for my solo. I got to collect some data, so if recording had finished, there's still a lot of work to do. When I went to studio, yukki really hit his drums seriously. 1 song took about 2 - 3 days. It's really hot yukki, for me, he really got into it, he's really serious. You're so hot, yukki!!
y: Ha ha ha ha ha ha (laugh).
I: By the way, what song that he hit his drums seriously?
h: Umm... "Coming Closer" I think, though I don't really remember about that.

I: I see. Jaa, tetsu-san, please pick your question.
t: OK.... "What things in your mind soon after the recording finished?" E to .... I think it's little out of program (= sooner that the schedule) I think it's good. It's about 1 week faster from the first program.

k: Question from "Seppun". "Is there any place that you swear not to go there again or not back there again?" Nope!!

y: Question frrom "Feeling Fine". "How you spend your time if you're unable to sleep?" Recently, if I can't sleep very well, I spent the night with cleaning. Because I can't sleep then I do cleaning.

h: Next!! ... (picking the question, soon after fininsh reading it, his whole face is smiling) Question from ken-san!! "What's your dream in days when you're getting old?"
All: Ha ha ha ha ha (laughing hard).
h: My dream about my old days is, I'll but a villa in L.A., there... when I wake up early in the morning, I have a glass (for drinking sake), maybe in the living room, spread with tatami, I have a relax time, and while I'm drinking my tea, if I die it will be fine. The tea, the hot water, and cotton is falling. Then, my grandchildren say "Grandpa? Grandpa!! Grandpaaaa!!!" (All: laughing hard).
I: Let's ask the others too.
t: I'm in my own luxury ship and having a trip around the world.
y: I.... I'll be in the place I don't know where, but it'll be a quite place I live alone.
k: Should I answer too?
All: Ha ha ha ha ha (laughing hard)
h: It comes to you at last (laugh).
I: What about you, the question writer, ken-san?
k: For me, I think it's OK if I pass them with relaxing or still busy in my old days. I'll do things which make me happy. Like the answers you have heard. So my answer now is same with the other three (laugh).

t: Question from "REVELATION" "What proverbs that made up frrom 4 kanji letters do you like?" Four-kanji proverbs ... I can't think any, 'yakiniku teishoku' (yakiniku package food). But that's not a good product. No ... n-, four-kanji proverbs, I really can't think any.

k: Koooo-i!! (picking the question with big action). Question from "READY STEADY GO". " Recently, what time do you feel your heart pounding so fast?" ... when I did free-fall in Las Vegas. It's the most sensational time in my life.
I: Compare to the jet coaster system, how was it like?
k: Though I dislike it, I rode it until end.

y: E-to, question from tetsu-san. "What do you do in your days off?" In my days off I go shopping ne, I buy a lot of things.
t: Where do you go?
y: I go around Shibuya, Harajuku.
t: I see, ne.

h: " ..... For ken-chan. On 10 March, who was with you in the taxi? from tetsu"
k: 10 March? I was alone... it's opposite from what you asked. (laugh) I met tetsu that day...then we have a talk, this!? That day, I was going to buy guitar in Ikebukuro.

t: Iyaa, this world is really small, ne (laugh). Atto, the next, isn't it me?" "Please mention one accidental moment that made laugh" It's my gag ne. The pun. I always talked the pun.

k: Koooo-i!! Ah!! Question from tetsu-san!! "What time did you sleep? What time did you wake up?"
All: Ha ha ha ha ha (laughing hard)
k: It's about 4 or 5 in the morning when I slept, and I woke up at 1.
I: Let's hear the answers from the other two.
h: E-to... I slept at 4 or 5 in the morning and woke up at about 1.
y: Recently, I sleep at 8 or 9 in the morning, woke up at 1 ne.

I: OK, the next, please pick up your question.
y: OK. Etto... Question from "Hitomi no Juunin". "In what kind of fragrant you want to sleep?" .... Good fragrant.
All: Ha ha ha ha ha (laughing hard)

h: Question from yukihiro-san. " Please tell us the color of your underwear you're wearing today" (laugh). Black, ne.

t: Question from hyde-san. "What do you eat in your day-offs? Do you have any recommendation?" ... In my day off, I go to a Japanese food restaurany, ne. Recently, I go to OO director (=film director)'s placee. The food is really dedlicious there.
k: In that place, are they wearing pants!?
All: Ha ha ha ha ha (laughing hard)
t: They wear, they wear. I never go to that kind of shabu-sahbu restaurant (laugh).

I: It's a dangerous topic. So, the next please.
k: OK. A, there's only 1 question left. Kooooo-i!! Question from ken-san!! (laugh)
All: Ha ha ha ha ha (laughing hard)
I: Because it's the last question, let's hear the answer from all members.
k: Yes, it's good to ask everyone this question, this is "What things do you want to have now? Though I won't give them t you"
h: Villa, ne. In L. A.
t: Things I want to have?
k: Yeah, things you want to have. Though I'm not gonna give them to you.
t: I want another house, ne.
y: I ... Recently, I want to raise pet. Recently... I feel a little lonely. (laugh)
k: What pet do you think is good?
y: Cat.
k: What kind of cat?
y: Whatever is good. It's OK even if it's not a high-class one.
k: Long fur or short fur?
y: Short fur.
k: A calm cat?
y: A calm cat ... ka na~
Staff: We'll send you a cat as a present (All laugh)

I: All of fans, please don't send ne. Everyone, thank you.
Staff: There isn't any closing? It's OK to end this?
k: Though we're in front cover?
h: Eh? Only this?
I: No no, we will also have solo interview. But, at last, please say some closing speech. Something about the long waited national tour.
k: Etto ... Because the title is "SMILE TOUR 2004" ... Everyone, please come with smiles.
t: Happiness comes to the smiling face.
h: I think you should prepare your physical condition seriously for that.
y: Uhm.
All: Ee?!
I: Nothing more?
y: No, from now, i just think what to talk....
k: It's a domineering husband, I think.
y: Ha ha ha ha ha ha (laugh). Jaa mou, it's OK (laugh)

At last we would like to thank to hyde, ken, tetsu, and yukihiro for participating in this 'courage to reveal the past' theme until end. Because of them, this interview is filled with smile.

thx to Dolce-san who had gave a very big help in translating, and thx to vivid-colors board for the article scans. ^_^

Note:

• About Four-kanji proverbs, it's written as Yoji jukugo. are like proverbs consisting of four kanji letters. For example, 一石二鳥 = 一(one)石(stone)二(two)鳥(bird) = to kill two birds with one stone. This a typical Yoji Jukugo. (thx to Dolce-san for this information ^__^)