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That pale, ephemeral beauty
I embraced softly
To avoid destroying it.
We seek each other at moon’s refuge.
What we feel is the sorrow of fate.
Warding off the approaching presence,
I touched the lips tinted with agony of being chased.
In the midst of light heading towards the finale
I cannot see tomorrow for it is too bright.
Turning back, you gaze beyond time’s constraints,
Remaining an innocent girl.
I can only lament
At your sorrows, awakening in these arms.
I yearn for your love to the point of madness.
Be by my side at all times, so that we will never be apart.
We continue wandering on the dry road,
Coloured with pouring sin.
I won’t let anyone touch this love.
Even if it leads me to turn against God.
In the mirror, with an inverted smile
You severed the fragile thread
Which spun dreams.
To the prayer destined to drown eternally
Granting no replies, the waters only stir.
At the time,
When I couldn’t save you from breaking down
And put you to sleep
In the midst of light heading towards the finale
Tomorrow cannot be seen for it is too bright.
Turning back, you gaze beyond time’s constraints,
Remaining an innocent girl.
- Location:somewhere among the 150 pgs of priv int law notes
- Mood:avoiding exams
- Music:finale
I am freaking out over two major essays worth 50% and 100% of the total semester respectively, due in a few weeks time, mostly undone and not likely to be done by 5th of June when I have to leave for a certain event.
But I'm still blogging just to bitch about yeah...I suck.
I really don't understand why making money with music is wrong, dirty, unspeakable, illegitimate or (add any word associated with pimping).
I also don't understand why professional musicians should be criticised for marketing and selling their music.
Will somebody be kind and intelligent enough to explain why 'talent' or 'creativity' cannot be merchandised?
In this glorified capitalist, materialistic day and age, what is so wrong with making money with your skills if it is in need?
And why do people automatically assume that the effect of fame and money on artists will result in a miserable Britney situation (to exaggerate a bit)...?
And variety and creativity and embodying the distinct "L'Arc" quality.
I think we are all old enough to understand that all these three flash words (flashy because it makes you sound oh-so-cool) mean different things to different people.
And the words are also interpreted by each artist or musician or a reasonable person with an ordinary mind in their own ways.
And we are all old enough to understand that if you don't agree with someone's interpretation, then we can just WALK AWAY. IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL.
Suppose, L'Arc~en~Ciel considers among themselves that their ideal structural form involves the mundane "Verse verse chorus verse chorus guitar solo bridge chorus (chorus)."
Let us further suppose that they then deem their musical flare or creativity or feathers will be expressed through other means. Is that a failure on their part?
Oh and! L'Arc~en~Ciel is a Japanese band, with a Japanese home, with a Japanese domicile, with a Japanese attitude. It's going to stay that way. The end.
And mummy dear mummy dear, I know you're meant to keep your mouth shut when you can't say nice stuff about people, but but but...
Why are some people so hypocritical? Why do they think they can be oh-so-cool if they put on a mask and say "oh yeah i only care about teh music money what's that?"...? And why don't they have the guts to address the scheisse they created in the first ?
I am so appalled at myself for wasting time like this...
Since when was anything a 'fact'/'truth'?
Since when was anything an universal truth/opinion?
Since when was there a single standard for judging musicality?
I'm probably one of the biggest L'Arc~en~Ciel fangirl in this universe and I don't intend to disclose that fact.
And most people who meet me probably end up thinking whoa that girl's nuts about L'Arc.
But it does not mean I see the world in terms of those who love L'Arc, and those who don't; things that relate to L'Arc and things that don't.
Believe it or not, I do actually have room in my head/heart to acknowledge that many also don't know or don't care or don't like L'Arc. Yeap, wow. I know that must come as a surprise for a lot of people.
I'm not like a Jehovah's witness - frankly, I don't care if you aren't interested in L'Arc.
If you don't like them and intend to stay that way, then good for you. Yeah follow your heart.
If you don't like them but then somehow get converted, good for you too. Follow your heart.
It doesn't matter as long as you're not trying to impose your standards/opinions/feelings/thoughts/ide
I mean, do you know anyone who has given a proper reason for their criticism about L'Arc~en~Ciel's music or performance? I personally am yet to see any...
So please, differentiate between criticising and voicing an opinion. This might shock some people but L'Arc fans have these things called empathy and brains - we actually understand that L'Arc is not universally loved.
Say it out loud - I hate L'Arc. Good for you. But just remember that's different to saying L'Arc produces bad music.
Music/performance can never be objectively/universally appreciated.
And I hate it when kids/kidults/idiots don't realise it and believe the world is to be defined by their opinions.
And yeah, since when was using minority groups of society as a source of humour legalised?
- Mood:
curious - Music:Mozart
There are the crazy midday-midnight debates, the English, French, German and Japanese language mix-ups and hundreds of different interpretations and opinions flying around.
Honestly, I don't care much about European fans, excluding my friends of course, and their attempts to see Laruku on their homesoil (sorry to all the non-French fans out there but you know what I mean).
But I'm freaking out because no one seems to have a clear understanding as to how the concert will take place. I hope I'm just being delusional or just over-analysing, but even Laruku don't seem to understand how things should go.
I do understand that there are European ways. After all, the concert is being played in Europe. But how far can you insist on European ways when the performance is being done by a Japanese band and when it will be attended by many non-Europeans?
The last thing I want is a disaster. I know Laruku can be very understanding and sweet and all that, but I also know they're serious about their work. The last thing I want is for the organising to f-up or the fans to throw a tantrum or for poor ticket sales...or for them to cancel the concert.
Come on all Laruku fans out there, I know you can give the boys their best concert in Paris.
Let's Rock'n'Hipshake!
- Location:din's very clean apartment
- Mood:
stressed
Happy Birthday
Mr Silly Hat-Wearing, SEXY, Dorky, Cry baby, Awesome vocalist for the Best Band, HAWWT, Engrish-speaking, Hip-shaking, Curry-making, Adorable, and Grateful Hyde
MWAAAAA!!!
Thank you for coming into the world today thirty nine years ago!
As a result of this tour, yukihiro’s weight has dropped to 47kg from what was only 52kg previously, and his body has been pushed to the extremes.
What on earth is driving him? Impulse? Professional mind? Resistance……?
There may be many words that seem suitable. But it is also true that every word sounds meaningless.
Yukihiro, who himself has strongly stated “There are no limits”, is fluently making that point.
“I didn’t realise that as a drummer, I would be doing a tour with such number of concerts. Well, I am resisting……no, I’m enjoying it.”
I thought he was like a boxer or an athlete. By the national hall tour, which spanned over three months, yukihiro’s body was pushed to the extremes. His original weight of only 52kg dropped to 47kg and his body fat fell to 5.5%. It’s an uncalculatable realm. Why is he pushing him to that extent? A question like that would be only foolish.
He is not just stoic. At this tour, he decided to enjoy himself and venture out as far as possible. The fulfilment from realising that decision is driving yukihiro as of now. At the hall tour, I was able to directly observe yukihiro, who continued to beat the drum with all his might, his facial expressions, his muscle movements and even the sweats. I could imagine there would be lots of fans who were struck by his sincerity. The cries of support for yukihiro at the live halls revealed that fact. His exhaustion had reached the peak, but his face was lively.
I asked yukihiro, who experienced that “There are no limits” from this tour, about the live and the new single.
yukihirosan, you have lost a lot of weight?
y: Yes, I feel like I’ve been squeezed out. I lost about five kilos. I am around 47 kg now, but before the tour, I think I weighed around 52kg.
What’s your body fat percentage now?
y: I can’t calculate my body fat anymore. The machine can’t work it out. It was about 6%, when it was possible for me to figure it out. Finally, I think it was around 5.something.
You are at the very extremes.
y: Once, I dropped to 46.5kg and I haven’t weighed that much since I’ve become an adult. So it was a bit dangerous. Every single person I met told me to eat eat eat. But I was really trying hard to eat.
Did eating not help?
y: There were times when I could eat and when I couldn’t’. It really wouldn’t go in when it didn’t. And when the concert is on, I only eat at night those days.
You don’t supply yourself with energy?
y: I always have yoghurt and vegetable juice when I wake up in the morning and a Vita jelly on my way to the live hall from the hotel because I can’t eat before concerts. I vomit when I eat then.
At this tour, I thought yukihirosan’s drum was particularly really awesome.
y: I am grateful for that. (Laughs)
I was able to yukihirosan’s facial expressions and the muscle movements during the drumming. So I was able to directly understand what you are like when you are drumming and that was really moving.
y: Hahahaha
What is your feedback of the tour?
y: It’s fun. From the start, I had planned to enjoy it. If I couldn’t enjoy it, then I thought it would become meaningless. So it’s like I did all the preparation to enjoy the tour before it started.
What kind of preparations are they?
y: I did rehearsals properly. For long tours with lots of concerts, you have to build your body so I was drumming with all might from the rehearsals. Until recently, L’Arc~en~ciel did recordings after the first live, but this time it was recordings, then the rehearsals and then the lives. So it wasn’t the rehearsals out of blue because there were rehearsals for the recordings as well. It was good to do it that way this time, in terms of performing.
Weren’t you being asked for a different kind of pressure this time due to the national hall tour?”
y: Because of the drumming position that I’m in, I am a bit far from the audience and I didn’t feel that much of a difference. But our company president came to the first concert and told us that the length of an ending and the breaks were not “hall tour-like” and more like dome tours. I thought may be it would be better to play more compactly after hearing that. For example, the bigger the performing place, the longer an ending needs to be to make the transmission easier. But in halls and live houses, I thought making it compact and playing songs one by one like crazy would be better for the live performance.
What was the most difficult aspect?
y: The fact that there were lots of concerts. Moving was hard too. I also didn’t realise that as a drummer, I would be doing a tour with such number of concerts
In that sense, it’s like a resistance movement?
y: Yes it is, I am resisting……no, I’m enjoying it.
There’s a drum solo at the end of the concert program (before the encore).
y: It turned out that way somehow, although from the beginning I’ve been doing the “beat the drums” ending.
I cannot imagine a drum solo at the peak of exhaustion.
y: By that stage, you actually feel good. It’s not a runner’s high but it’s like that.
Like you are able to see something which you’d never seen before?
y: Yeap, like I want to show people that “I can do it a bit”. (Laughs) But at that moment, I am not thinking about anything at all. But I am able to do it feeling fine.
You also play REVELATION.
y: First, hydekun came up with the menu and asked if there were other songs that I wanted to do. So I suggested may be REVELATION would be an interesting addition.
And the audience’s response is amazing.
y: That’s good to hear.
What is it like to observe from the back?
y: That area’s like my own world now. (Laughs)
What did this tour mean to you?
y: Because we’re doing so many concerts, I thought I won’t be able to make it unless there was some kind of a goal. And that was to ‘enjoy the concert’ and ‘go as far as I can’.
So in a way, you’ve surpassed your limits?
y: Well, rather, I thought there are no limits. There’s a Kondo-san from the producing section and I went “yeay~” with him after the live saying “Wasn’t it awesome today as well?” (Laughs) It was fun to make those exchanges.
Do you remember things from the 1998 Tour?
y: No, I forgot about it totally. I thought we went to Kagoshima for the first time so when I saw Sakurajima, I said “This is great! I’m seeing if for the first time”. Then someone told me “You’ve seen it already”. (Laughs)
In other words, you were so immersed in the tour last time that you didn’t even have the time to enjoy the scenery?
y: I think so. Back in those days…Laruku had just started to re-emerge and I was nervous from joining the group.
At the Korean Rock Festival in July, you were the first Japanese to perform as a headliner. How was it?
y: It was interesting. We really hyped up. I hadn’t much experience hearing screams that were not “kyahh” but “wahhhh”, I thought it was great to have audience with huge voices.
I want to ask a few questions about the new single as well. What was your first impression of DAYBREAK’S BELL?
y: I thought the drum part of the song is going to be difficult. During the song selection, I was the only person who didn’t choose this song. I thought I won’t be able to drum it for this one at first. But then the others chose it so I thought “ok we’re doing it…”. (Laughs)
The song has a three-dimensional and deep sound to it. What kind of an approach did you take?
y: I tried to follow the drum pattern kenchan came up with. The first demo tape was created with an electrical instrument, so there were parts where it couldn’t physically be done. So I did those parts with my own interpretations. But in total, the drum pattern is by kenchan. I didn’t really have much input this time. I left it to the arranging staff and kenchan.
What was most difficult?
y: Well don’t you feel the general drum pattern so complex that you want to ask why he came up with something like this. At first, I couldn’t comprehend how it is supposed to work. I questioned why the snare drum is not being placed two beats/four beats. But when I heard it over and over, I realised it was set as a counter against the guitar’s melody or an approach against the lyrical melody, so in the end I came to understand it. So in the beginning, I could only hear the melody and its drum pattern. I felt it was a really difficult song.
But once you fall for it, the song is really cool.
y: Yeah and that’s why I really fired up during the recording. I was the most excited person when the recording of this song was over. I thought, “Yeay I did it!”
Did you record it when the album recording was being taken place?
y: That’s right. It was the second song we did. Before this one, we did a take of MY HEART DRAWS A DREAM and we recorded two songs that day. Two songs in a day doesn’t happen often.
Doesn’t the fact that you were able to record it that quickly mean you had clear ideas about the songs within yourself?
y: Well, I did prepare myself. Before we did the recordings, I was given a day so I could test record the drums for all songs. I wanted to do the actual recordings after I cleared up what I had mentally planned and did. I did about ten songs in that day.
That’s amazing. Not many people do it to that extent.
y: But Hinuma-san (engineer) apparently had a dream that my drum recordings would go smooth. (Laughs)
In respect of the current album, are there any instances where your ‘music mode’ and projections are reflected?
y: Everyone was quite ‘puripuro’ about the songs. They had created almost-complete songs which had quite set images, so I tried to be loyal to that image. But I’ll get annoyed if I’m understood as having simply copying. I made my own interpretations to the extent of not destructing the song’s image.
And is that the same in respect of the sounds?
y: Yeap, I was allowed to create the sound that was being heard in the head of the songwriter.
What were you able to discover from that experience?
y: I don’t know if I can call it a discovery, but I got rid of all the taboos that I had. I had always liked a tight drum sound, so until now I pursued that style of drumming regardless of the song. But for this time, the ambience sound of the drums has quite a big part in the songs. I left those parts to the others.
Did you not like too much ambience sound?
y: I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t like how it becomes ‘rock-like’.
I see, because it reminds you of the established rock sounds.
y: Like “Don-ban-ban!”. I thought you couldn’t dance to it. But after trying it out this time, I learnt that it’s different. There are actually parts where you feel good, and dance.
And that was achieved because you grasped the essence of the sound.
y: Well, not because I did it. The song actually allowed me to grasp it. I tell people first that there is too much ambience sound and have it reduced and so on. But if I do that, the song’s image just changes. So with respect to those, I feel it’s better to create a sound that is being held by the atmosphere and the context of the song, rather than pursuing my own thoughts.
The P’UNK~EN~CIEL’s quite strong this time as well. I heard that the mastering of Natsuno yuutsu [SEA IN BLOOD 2007] was done by someone who worked with Slayer or Metalica.
y: I am not sure who did the mastering, but the arrangement was by hydekun, who had the image of Slayer.
I felt that you guys have improved constantly and come to this level.
y: I thought kenchan’s ‘two basu’ was quite fast.
Is it so good that you, as a teacher, want to praise him for?
y: He’s faster than me! (Laughs)
I’m sure that isn’t the case. (Laughs)
y: But he was practising so much. Apparently he had liked drums from before and for a while, we only talked about drums when we dined together.
Were there any memorable episodes during the album recording?
y: During the recording…everyone often slept on the couch. (Laughs) One day was quite long. I think (at night), it was normal for us to work past midnight. And even then, we would start midday on the dot the next day. So when it took a long time, we often stayed up till the dawn.
So the recording which you poured your soul into is now done, and the long-waited release is soon. What kind of an album will it be?
y: It’s a good album. There are places where it’s just been let go and places where it’s really gentle. In the previous album AWAKE, there was a clear concept like hydekun’s lyrics so the album had that definite context. But this time, it doesn’t go that far. But of course, there is some kind of a theme.
Were there any aspects in this album where your work as acid android was reflected?
y: Hmm, not really. My parts for each project are different so I can shift.
How many songs did you write?
y: I made three songs this time and one of them is in the album. What kind of a song? Let me see. Hmm....It’s hard to describe what it is, but I think it turned out to be a good album.
“The thought that was in my head when we debuted was to create a cool band. I thought it would be against our principle if we become uncool to sell.”
It may sound cool in words. There is no ambiguity. But because of that, there are times of misunderstandings. However, there is no one who acts for the band as much as tetsu. To where, should he head for, as a member and a leader? These words of truth can only be heard from none other than tetsu.
I think he’s a quiet person.
To my questions, he ponders and then puts the words to his mouth. So, during the interview, there are moments when I become nervous.
But, when I am later transcribing the interview tape, I realise that his words are unusually clear. If my question is vague, he confirms what it is supposed to mean and then answers it. Hence there is no . There is no lie.
I am writing this because, including this interview, many of his interviews have a different facet than the so-called “promotion interviews”. His interviews include not only music but other various subjects.
We discussed about many aspects again this time.
The various subjects ranged from the national hall tour in nine years, the new single DAYBREAK’S BELL, the new album KISS to be released on 21st of November and extended even to Japanese entertainment industry. On all the topics, his words are full of tetsu-esque perspective and reality.
On the day of the interview, the abnormally hot midsummer sun burnt the asphalt. I headed for tetsu, who was being chased by the tightly organised schedule.
In the rightly air-conditioned interview room of the recording company, tetsu is playing the piano casually. After a while, he sat next to me in the same couch.
The interview begins by going back nine years to “Tour ’98 Light fire to your heart!”.
I brought the Newsmaker article about “Tour ’98 Light fire to your heart!” from nine years ago. Do you remember it?
t: I remember to an extent. (Scheming through the article) The hairstyles and clothes are different. We were in our twenties then. Your fashion style changes when you’re in your thirties. The clothes we wear now are more expensive. When we compare it to then, the prices are totally different. (Laughs)
What about in terms of performance?
t: well, our performing abilities haven’t changed much in terms of technicality. Even back then, we were professionals to a degree so there aren’t many changes. I mean when I look at the old lives, at times I think “Wow that’s good”.
(Laughs) Is that so?
t: You know how we released a five-disc live DVD box (FIVE LIVE ARCHIVES) the other day? When we were doing the track down around the end of last year, I thought the sound of TOUR 2000 REAL Tokyo Dome concert was particularly good. That one’s awesome. It’s a bit funny talking about it myself, but the performance is good. It’s really awesome. It was so great that I was a bit surprised, (Laughs), like “Wow that’s good~”.
I acknowledged that you guys are a really good band at this tour as well.
t: I think we’ve been a good band from far back. (Laughs)
That’s why I think you should appeal it more.
t: Appeal what? That we are good?
Your performance and playing skills.
t: But, I’m the top Japanese bassist player in a bassist ranking site from the US or somewhere or rather.
I see, I didn’t know that. Also, I’ve come to think recently that there’s an increase in young musicians who play tetsu-like phrases.
t: I’m not sure about that. I don’t know. I don’t listen to Japanese music so I really don’t know. But on that line, I do think songs where you change to falsetto at the chorus and stuff have become fashionable because of Laruku.
Couldn’t you say that, in a sense, Laruku is influencing the Japanese music scene?
t: It’s a bit weird saying it myself, but I think stuff like quirky commercials are Laruku-firsts.
The “Tour ’98 Light fire to your heart!” was the first tour since yukihiro’s entry into the group. You have previously said that the reason you toured the nation back then, was to introduce yukihiro, who had just joined, to all the fans.
t: Um, introducing…well when you have a member change, there are definitely going to be different views. There is stuff that’s known only to us, but there are lots of people who do not know that and say lots of mean stuff. I know that can’t be helped. But you do receive letters which say “die yukihiro” or “tetsu you’re cruel”.
That’s really bad.
t: Well that kind of stuff still continues this day. Doesn’t it happen to everyone who works in this industry? As the number of people, who like us increases, the number of people who are against us increases also.
Aren’t there times when you get hurt?
t: Hmm, I wonder. If you are a type of person who gets hurt by that, you won’t be able to stay in this industry. If you are not tough somehow.
Since then, you have started on a national tour again and have four more concerts to go. In carrying out the tight schedule, did you not face difficulties due to stamina issues?
t: Nah, it’s not like that. Compared to nine years ago, it’s really a breeze.
Why is that?
t: When we are moving around, well first we don’t ride unlicensed taxis much anymore overall. The only times we had to ride unlicensed taxis were in Hakata and Fukuoka. Nine years ago, we mostly rode unlicensed taxis. In the Tohoku and Hokkaido regions, there was no culture of unlicensed taxis even from then, but in other places, there were unlicensed taxis.
I remember, on one occasion, you had a rug over you while in the car.
t: Yeah it was really like that. Nine years ago, I was often getting tired in places other than the live stage. Even on shinkansens and airplanes, I couldn’t get a rest where I should be able to rest. But this time, there aren’t the nasty groupies so.
So nine years ago, it was mentally hard?
t: Rather than getting tired on the stage, you tended to get just exhausted by the groupies. It was hard for the members and for the staff. This time, there were almost no people like that. It wasn’t like there’s no one, but it was comforting.
What kind of impressions do you get when you look back on this tour?
t: Now that it is all over, although we do have four more concerts to go, it seems to have been very fast. I can’t comprehend that we’ve already done more than thirty acts.
In addition, there are lots of teenager fans. But is a fact that there are now lots of cases where a veteran band of fifteen, twenty years is followed by fans, who age with the band.
t: That’s true.
But I witnessed that it’s different with Laruku.
t: I think it’s a matter of fact that we have lots of teenager fans. If we don’t, we can’t keep our current position.
I’ve wanted to ask you this from long ago. Is your vision for the band at the time of the band’s creation, like “I wish we could become this in the future”, close to the current situation?
t: No no, it’s beyond my expectations. Way beyond. It has become better than my original thoughts, but there is one difference.
And that is?
t: We are still being called Laruku an sheru! Sheru!
Hahaha, as if that is still the case.
t: No, it’s not something to laugh at. A lot of people do it. The fact that people can’t remember the band’s name properly even after fifteen, sixteen years wasn’t something I’d expected. (Laughs)
What about your expectations in terms of the number of mobilisation, sales and Laruku’s perspective?
t: It’s definitely beyond what I had thought when I was in early twenties.
You didn’t think you could perform at a dome at the time of debut?
t: I don’t know how to say this, but there weren’t any concrete goals. You often here stories of a person wanting to perform at Budoukan. But I’d thought that was lame. There were no aims like that. I haven’t had dreams to do a live performance at a particular place.
Then what other things did you dream of?
t: To create a cool band and it would be against our principle if we become uncool to sell. Although I think the definition of ‘cool’ would be different according to each person.
Could you be more specific about it?
t: No, that’s exactly L’Arc~en~Ciel.
Were there other rediscoveries from this tour?
t: Yeah, that there are still few hotels where L’Arc~en~Ciel could stay at. (Laughs) When you go out to the countryside, depending on the places, there aren’t suitable hotels in that city. So you have move to a nearby metropolis or the next scheduled city and stay there. There were a few places like that. This time our living standards had changed compared to nine years ago, so that was a bit difficult this time.
I see.
t: So I realised Japan is a country still in the progress of developing because the infrastructure is well-kept only in the metropolises. Because of that, foreign owned hotels are being constructed only in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. Even then it’s mostly in Tokyo. Also, there are lots of places where the halls are old.
I noticed that too.
t: I particularly noted that since people perform on the stage in those halls, the dressing rooms should be more properly maintained. There were lots of places where the not enough equipments.
It has been described as a society with district-based differences. I think the country cities do not have that kind of economic capacity to do such. And there were lots of station-districts and shutter-districts. (I think he’s describing the concentration of shops and etc near stations and how many local shops are going out of business). So I realised the differences between the different districts from that as well.
t: Yeah, I thought that too, because the streets were quieter than nine years ago. There were more ambiences back then.
We don’t really know it well because we live in Tokyo, but the trip to country cities made it seem real.
t: A lot of the politicians these days are born in Tokyo and have grown up in Tokyo, so they wouldn’t know it as well.
I thought that the increases in those district gaps could damage the Japanese entertainment scene.
t: Isn’t Japan very polarised? On every issue? That should be dispersed around the country side. Apparently there is a huge difference between the current statistics of distribution of population and the numbers from a hundred years ago. There was a better distribution of people among Japan back in the time around Meiji, but now the population is concentrated in the big cities. That’s why it might be better if they moved the capital city. There is no reason to do politics in Tokyo. (Laughs)
I believe the polarisation is related to the fact that the entertainment scene is not as big in the country districts.
t: The distinct, individual cultures of each district should rise first. Without that, because there is no bigger city than Tokyo in Japan, it will just become a small Tokyo or a small Osaka. That would be boring.
I am changing the topic here to DAYBREAK’S BELL, the single about to be released.
t: Originally the song wasn’t planned to be released as a single. But the tie-up with Gundam was decided and thereby the release was too decided upon.
What were the tetsu-esque ideals about the song?
t: Well, there were no aspects of the song, which I didn’t care about. From the bass lines to the song as a whole, I have my ideals about the song.
When I dined with you for the first time this year, we talked about the album. Do you remember that you told me that the album was going to be really good?
t: I do remember it.
What led you to think that it was going to be a good album?
t: I thought the songs were good. Simply, many of the songs which the members brought were really good. I thought it was going to be something unreal.
Were there times you had that kind of feelings before?
t: Yes there were. But it’s not like we put all the good songs into the album. I’m not sure if the description ‘good song’ is appropriate, but there are about twenty four songs. If you make an album with all the good songs from those twenty four, then you have the faulty left-overs. So we don’t choose songs that way. There are still plenty of good songs, which we weren’t and can’t put into the new album.
I see. Do you leave some out on purpose?
t: That happens all the time. When you are making an album if you collect ten single-oriented songs, for example, it is not always the case that that would turn out to be a good album. It becomes a mixed bento.
Could you give us a tetsu-esque definition of a ‘good album’?
t: It’s like coloured pencils. You wouldn’t need a twenty-four coloured pencils set that has only the flashy colours. You want white and black as well. You can’t make it work with only the flashy red and blue.
So an album needs exactly that kind of a balance.
t: That is why the band’s name ‘rainbow’ is reflecting L’Arc~en~Ciel.
The arena tour has been scheduled for the end of year.
t: Because we toured around the districts in detail this time, we are only touring the big cities Tokyo, Nagoya Osaka and Fukuoka. You guys have to come this time please. (Laughs)
You said “we toured around this time”, so the idea of ‘we are coming to meet you guys’ was strong in your mind?
t: We had that strongly in mind. First, we would visit the districts and perform un-released new songs, which would be spread by word so that nationally people would discuss that “the new album sounds good”. Then the new album will sell. Also, we thought that the people who came to this hall tour would want to come to the next one and come to the arena tour. For that, we have done the tour.
Do you think that plan will be a success?
t: I hope it succeeds. “I have placed the live in my own world. I am doing it at an ideal stance, and focusing on the singing.”
Looking back on the Hall Tour, Hyde made these comments. It was a long tour that took more than three months. The stance, which reveals the desire to look forward, was enough to allow one to sense the unlimited potential of the band, even as the band relishes its 16th year.
From hyde, who calmly answered the interviewer’s questions, you could sense the rising of a strength, which could only be held by one who has grasped something.
Although there were scenes where hyde held guitars during Ibarano namida and HONEY at the Fujikyu Highland Konifa Forest Stage, there were tour set-lists where he was totally guiltarless, but for P’UNK~EN~CIEL performances. It appeared as if hyde himself had forbade himself from playing the guitar, and concentrating on vocal during the live.
hyde focused on the vocal aspects of his artistic qualities, and placed all his attentions on that. As such, each song, no, each part vividly showed the fine vocal techniques as their expressions changed like a kaleidoscope. An example is SEVENTH HEAVEN, which also opened the live at Fujikyu Highland Konifa Forest. In the ending, the highlight of that song, a voice that is again a different volume to the original was released with ease. Where A melody returns after the chorus in the Fourth Avenue Café, hyde changed from a tense vocal to a worried tone mixed with sigh. In MY HEART DRAWS A DREAM, hyde expressed through his vocal the lyrical world–one that is filled with light and wind–and he led to a further zenith with the falsetto at the chorus. How will hyde use his vocaling to express the strong-themed lyrics of the new song DAYBREAK’S BELL to us?
I asked hyde, who has made a huge transformation as a vocalist and also by coming up with a new stage performance that is dancing.
How do you feel about the tour?
hyde: This was a long tour in the 16th year of the band and well, we had done it nine years ago. But we are enjoying the live in a way that is totally different to then. It’s like, the lives up until now had severe ups and downs. I thought the sense of having everyone feeling positive and having all the energy put forward could be only felt during 10% of the tour. The occasions were so seldom that I even considered counting them. (Laughs) Until recently, I had thought that way. But this time amazingly, that didn’t happen and we kept a near straight standard and had no bad days. That is amazing. Well, amazing in the sense that it was the first time to have a tour which was this good. (Laughs)
I went to see seven concerts this time and as you say there were no lives which made me think “Today’s a bit…”. It feels as if the band has “lit fire on its heart” as it comes to its 16th year. Like the band, I felt as if you have lit fire on yourself as a vocalist. You seemed to be of a really good condition and your voice did not seem to get hoarse.
h: I’m not sure, but I have changed the way I produce sound from around the time of 15th L’Anniversary Live. That might be it. Until this tour, I never drank alcohol until the final because my voice gets hoarse. But now, I’m drinking everyday. (Laughs) My voice does get a bit hoarse, but not to the degree where I go “this isn’t good”. That’s why I can focus on the songs. That might be due to everyone else though.
What does that mean?
h: I stopped from over-working. When someone’s having a bad day, I used to think I need to do more for the audience and put more than enough efforts. Like, when something’s missing, then I felt I had to do something. But now I just let it go. (Laughs) I just place the live into my own world and therefore, I am doing it at my ideal pace. There’s also the fact that I am concentrating on singing without being concerned about that. It was also straight after recording. For you cannot express L’Arc~en~Ciel with one vocal tone. That’s why I was probably trying different body forms, when I was singing. For example, like holding my abdomen tight and thinking a particular part could be sung better if I really put the strength into my belly. I’ve come to notice those little details, which I had not thought about at all up until now. I am probably concentrating on the singing in that sense as well. It’s really different now that I note the importance of each and individual song and sing it.
It’s not that you just got better, but you have changed the way you sing. Now, I would like to talk about the tour as a whole. The BGM before the opening of the concert was at times jazz and in the actual concert, there were also scenes where bears and ballerinas were dancing. hydekun, you were also moving your hips in an unprecedented manner, and telling the audience to “Move your hips dirtily” in all MCs. Taking into account all these factors, I thought perhaps “DANCE” was a keyword of the tour.
h: It was that keyword, which came up when we were putting the tour together, like a club at times and a disco at times. That could be due to SEVENTH SINGLE being the first single. Thus, we increased the number of songs in common time (4/4) and we were concerned with coming up with a menu which emitted that atmosphere.
Laruku and dance, I thought that was a new combination, from the perspective of an audience.
h: There was the fact that we wanted to change the previous atmosphere a bit. When we were discussing how to set the stage set, we really hated having the same old set. Because that would mean there is no change. I want a change which could allow me to to think “This was that particular tour”, when I look at the DVD or something ages later. That thought just somehow led to a disco-like mood and the idea of a chandelier to begin with, and then we just thought “This kind of tour could be cute”. A direction that is totally different to the hard anti-war sentiments till now. I think that relates to the current album itself as well. And before, we haven’t had a disco-like atmosphere that is gentle and not harsh. That’s why this time, we were making a stage which every audience would think “This is different to the usual.”
May be that’s why you are dancing so much, hydekun? That performance was also a shock.
h: Probably yeah. (lol) When I started to do it, it just became like that.
This time, other than for P’UNK~EN~CIEL, there were set-lists where you do not play the guitar and you seem to be using the hand microphone more often.
h: Now I can’t sing if it’s not a hand mic. The microphone stand is actually in my way. I think it’s due to the change in the way I sing. It’s easier to be in line with the rhythm when I move my body and easier to put emotions into it. That’s why a microphone stand gets in my way. I still use the stand for three or four songs, but it’s being used on purpose for those songs. Not because I want to use the stand but for the performance. I also think it’d be boring to look at the microphone for a long time. Honestly, it’s better not to have it. But until now, I couldn’t sing without the stand, because I was embarrassed about having free hands that were not doing anything.
So you used the stand to hide that?
h: Yeah, it’s like a baby’s pacifier. (Everyone laughs)
And now there’s more focus on singing a good song than that.
h: Oh, yeah it’s like that. I have intended to focus on singing before as well, like trying to make a particular song be heard. But now, I think I was simply putting more power into it. I actually became aware of coming up with expressions that suit each song from the 15th L’Anniversary Live. In that sense, this tour is significant because that attitude has become manifest constantly throughout.
What was the catalyst for changing the way you sing?
h: There is no specific turning point. But you know how we edit DVDs and stuff, I always thought “I suck at singing~”.
Wow-!! You actually thought that?
h: That’s why I hadn’t checked much. I didn’t want to see it. I had kinda given up on myself. I had a kind of determination that lives are meant to be that way. But then I became to feel really bad for the members. You know how we sing for television programs as well? And even in those circumstances, professional people are…Well, I’m supposed to be a professional as well. (Laughs)
Not supposed to be, but you are actually a professional!
h: There were plenty of people who were singing properly in those circumstances and I…. Even now, I don’t do proper vocal trainings. But I thought “it’s uncool”. But then, people who can sing properly for the actual program are the ones who are cool. So, if I can’t do that, then it’s not just my own problem but it also becomes the members’ problem as well. I felt bad about that and became more aware of vocal techniques because I thought I should be professional in respect of that aspect. That was the time around the 15th L’Anniversary Live and when I sang properly during the rehearsals, I felt better about it.
I see. Did you do anything else to bring out the expressions in the songs?
h: The monitor was different also this time. It was bigger sound and I couldn’t sing unless there were big sounds on the stage. I was concerned about it because that affects other people’s monitors as well. But now, I can sing really soft sounds. That has changed.
Isn’t that an advance?
h: I think it is an advance. That way, it’s easier to adjust the volume of my voice. Since I am doing that for the sake of adjusting volume as well, although there are still parts, with which I have trouble, those parts have become clearer for me to understand. Previously, I just vaguely thought “this song” should be sang a certain way but now I know it’s “this part” of the song. Now I understand why I find a part difficult and come up with different ways of dealing with that part.
That’s a huge advance!
h: Nah, it’s not something I should be doing now. It’s not like I’ve just debuted.
I would like to ask about the set-lists for the current tour. This is the first time I’ve been to a Laruku concert where one third of the songs are new.
h: tetsuchan wanted to do it. I think he tried to combine it with the new album’s promotions. I mean, it’s only at a tour like this that you can make a person form an impression about a song, which s/he hears for the first time at the tour and then later hear the album and think “Oh it’s this song!”. We thought it could be fun that way too.
Within the set-lists, I noticed you also played old songs, which changed almost daily?
h: It depends on the song too. Generally, I come up with the menu, but when you have been on the tour, doing more than thirty-something concerts, then you kinda get bored. There are times when you think “I might just divide it and see how it works out”. Like, giving the other members the task. (Everyone laughs) So, it would be tetsuchan’s day one day and kenchan’s day on another day and so on. That allows us to see what we each want to do and thereby new songs get mixed in. And then, we think we might as well just do the songs at the concert because we’ve done it at the rehearsals. So, we would say “Oh well we can do this so let’s just do it one more time” about a song that we played for fun at a random hall.
You are talking about Ibara no namida there?
h: Yeah, it turned out that way.
The reason you could do old numbers with ease was because of the 15th L’Anniversay Live, I suspect?
h: That’s a huge factor.
In addition, from a fan’s perspective, I believe this tour was a dreams-come-true experience because you get to see Laruku upfront. Why did you plan to do this, now?
h: Well we have been playing at big places for a while now yeah? I think it’s something like the carrot and the stick because when you see performances at halls, it lingers more in your memory. Although it is small in scale, by delivering it nation-wide, the bonding becomes tighter.
You have visited the Rock Festival in Korea during the tour?
h: It was really good that we went. It was awesome. I have thought that Koreans have a loud voice when we went there for a live before. But it’s really something. I noted that it is possible to sense the kind of awe, which I felt during the American tour, in Asia as well. In Japan, it’s only before and after the song that people go “WAH” and at the climax, people normally don’t make a noise. But in those places, the audience go wild. Like if a vibrato goes for a little longer, then they go “Wow”. So it’s really fun doing it. Recently, I made the audience sing along READY STEADY GO and I learnt how to do that from the Korean festival. Like, “Wow they’re singing along”. They taught me that the audience will sing louder when you turn the microphone to them. I tried that in Japan and it actually works. The Korean fans taught me that.
The single DAYBREAK’S BELL was also performed at the lives. I think out of the singles released this year, this one has the strongest message. What is the relationship between the message and the fact that it is the main song for the latest Gundam series (Kidosenshi Gundam 00)?
h: There was an image I’d formed when I first heard the song. I put it aside for a moment when the Gumdam thing came along and we had discussions with the director. He was the same person who did Hagane no renkinjutsushi and he said he’ll be creating a totally new Gundam from scratch. When we were discussing, particularly about the aspects which are relevant to the song, I thought that my original ideas would be fine. It linked quite well. Also, there was the impression that I could talk about quite sensitive issues in terms of the lyrics. That’s why there are words like “kill” and I thought they would rather like it that way. So I wrote it and when they saw it, they gave the OK sign. So, generally they let me what I wanted to do.
Because what you guys wanted to convey were the same?
h: Yeah. We both wanted to illustrate the foolishness and misery of war and its darkness. In that sense, it was a stress-free partnership.
But even so, it is a hard theme? And they gave it an OK considering it’s an animation.
h: That is precisely that aspect of the song makes it catchy contrary to the norm. Because when someone hears it for a first time, they would be struck by that. We didn’t intend it to work that way, but there aren’t many singles where you say what you really want to say. For some songs, it’s better if you frame the message or act like an adult, but with this one, I could just write it quite directly. This single’s the first in terms of being direct. Because I’m not twisting the message in anyway at all, I believe the message can be directly delivered to the audience.
The arrangement for the coupling song Natsu no Yuutsu [SEA IN BLOOD 2007] was quite amazing. To kenchan, who couldn’t do two bass, you said “why don’t you practice it while we have an off-day at Hamamatsu?” kenchan said he had thought “hyde’ll be coming along” but you didn’t?
h: I never said anything like that. (Laughs) I didn’t arrive in Hamamatsu early as well. I had originally decided on slayering it this time. I really love doing the arrangements for P’UNK~EN~CIEL and I thought “Next time, I’m definitely doing it in the slayer way.” I have been coming up with the idea from six months ago.
Just like the works, the stage performances of P’UNK~EN~CIEL have become more and more like a play.
h: It’s because we are really serious about the album. (Laughs)
Ok, now this is a question not about P’UNK~EN~CIEL but Laruku’s album. What kind of an album is it going to be?
h: There are hard songs like DAYBREAK’S BELL but the lyrics are more about the everyday events. You could it’s more friendly in a way. Last time the image was more about rock, but I planned to make this album more pop. I think the songs that I wrote were all pop. There are some remnants of rock, but I wrote the songs hoping it would become pop.
Have you decided on the title?
h: Yeap, it’s really poppy.
Like DANCE?
h: You’re sharp. NOPE-! (Everyone laughs)
Ok then, I’ll look forward to it. If you have any hints about the arena tour following the album, please tell us.
h: It’ll probably be a ‘gorgeous’ version of this tour. Because there were limitations this time due to the performance being at halls, I want a bigger version of the current one, but I’m not sure.
