Tuesday 20 October 2015

A9 Rock and Read 60 Show Interview (Part 3 of 4)


Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4


It's like I'm hungry for music. I've already thought of my plans until the end of next year. But still, it's not enough. Or rather, it still can't catch up with my thirst.

Q: That's the atmosphere of songs selection meetings for a lot of bands.
Show: Yes. It's more business-like. It's not a peaceful atmosphere, but rather something like a competition. And that's why, now, even for songs presentation it feels like we're going back to our roots. I think our 'blood' is running more in each and every song that we are making. This method might be roundabout, but I think it's a good method. And plus, in my case, I'm also doing another thing. And there I just make stuffs that I want to make and say "Please do this". In a way it's really easy for me (laughs).



Q: Regarding that other thing. It's about DIAWOLF that you're doing with Tora-san, isn't it? You're also scheduled to release an EP on July 11th. How did the project come to be? Is it something that you can't do with Alice Nine?
Show: We had a talk about, "Let's not depend on one person anymore", and that was the beginning of it. If it's something that I make and then have someone copy it, then maybe I can do it with Alice Nine, but since it has to be something that the 5 of us makes together, then I have to separate things that only I want to do. Coming back to the topic, when thinking about wanting to do this for 10 more years, I feel that my skills still aren't up to it. There are things that I have to do... or more like, I should experience harsher things than in Alice Nine, or I myself won't level up.

Q: So you put yourself in a corner, on your own choice.
Show: It's like something that a masochist would do (laughs). But it's true. If I do something in Visual Kei framework, everyone will treat me warmly. So I invited other bands to perform together and started once again from a place where I would be sneered at. 

Q: So you want to go beyond the wall. Moreover, as you chose to do it with Tora-san, doesn't it feel like going back to before Alice Nine was formed? Since the two of you were in the same band before.
Show: Ah, that's right. We were in the same band. Originally, Tora and I.... 12 years ago when I joined a band, I was told that it was a Slipknot cover band and was half-cheated to join the band. They told me, "It's okay if you just scream", so I was just like "Uoooghhh" (laughs). Even though we only had like 3 fans, Tora thought that I was cool (laughs). And at first, Tora invited me, saying "Let's make a band with heavy sound". But from there, for some reason it became more and more pop (laughs). That was the beginning. As Alice Nine we also went back to our roots, but as I personally also wanted to go back to my own roots, DIAWOLF was what I came up with.

Q: So it's not like you wanted to cover Slipknot once again (laughs).
Show: Of course not (laughs). I'm just doing things I want to do now. But If I don't upgrade it a little, nobody would listen to it.

Q: Direwolf is an endangered species which looks like a giant wolf. What made you choose that name?
Show: "I should've done this and that", I don't want to have things like that when I die, and that was my main reason. In the beginning when I was in dilemma whether to do it or not, I just had this concept of 'looking for a place to die'. A wounded wolf looks for its place to die, doesn't it? In that sense... Among people who see our activities in Alice Nine, I don't think they would think of any of us as wolves (laughs). Well, but I think, on the contrary that kind of mismatch is interesting.

Q: But you might be just a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Show: I think so (laughs).

Q: However, didn't you have some kind of hesitation in doing 2 things at the same time? I think there are also people who say things like, "Even though it's a crucial time for Alice Nine, he's doing something else instead".
Show: That's right. There is also that kind of risk. But of course, I discussed with the other members first before deciding to do it. And I believe that if I do it dead seriously, both in Alice Nine and DIAWOLF, it will get conveyed. Right now, really... it's like I'm being really connected to music, or like, I'm always hungry for music. Regarding the things I want to do in Alice Nine, I've already thought of my plans until the end of next year. But still, it's not enough. Or rather, I can't catch up with my thirst. Everyday I wake up, and after finishing everything I have to do on that day, I have time left for private matters... It's like, even though I want to make more music, there's nothing to do. Right now we're making 'ginga no oto', but if I keep making songs, maybe it will be alright to put them for our next release, but it's not the right thing. The 5 of us have to move forward at the same pace. I don't think Alice Nine will be in a dither if I also do stuffs in DIAWOLF, on the contrary, it makes me want to do more for Alice Nine. (For DIAWOLF) I do things in my own pace and have Tora support me...

Q: In other words, by being in DIAWOLF you also stimulate Alice Nine, and it's one way to make Alice Nine grow.
Show: Yes. I hope everyone will also have view it the same way.

Q: A few days ago I also went to Hiroto's solo live performance. Does it also have the same motive (with DIAWOLF)?
Show: I think so. I think if everyone of us doesn't level up individually, the band won't level up either.

Q: When you think of it, what is the most important thing so that you yourself level up and grow?
Show: What I need is, first of all, skill. Until I turned 20 I had never thought of becoming a pro musician. Although I went to a vocational school to become a music engineer, I never thought of standing on stage myself. But there are a lot of people who had been working hard to become a musician since they were small, so I have to do my music seriously so that I won't lose from these people. When I think of it, my skills still aren't up for it. And that's why, I thought I should put myself in a much harsher condition.

Q: The skills that you said are the everything that is related to being on stage, I guess?
Show: That's right. If we only talk about singing skills, I want to do concrete things like being able to sing high notes with good vibrato. But, until now there are also things that I just delegate to other members completely. Like synchronisation work. When I did it by myself, it was actually really difficult. There are still a lot of things I have to do, and by doing them I will be able to level up. That kind of things is exciting.

Q: What I'm worried about is that, when a band manages everything by themselves, they get overwhelmed by all the troubles in the management aspect and unable to concentrate on their music. But, from what I hear, it doesn't happen (with Alice Nine).
Show: Yeah. Although we had resigned from our company, we have people who support us. So we're in a condition that something like 'being overwhelmed by the managerial aspect that we neglect our music' wouldn't happen. That's why, don't worry (laughs).


(regarding Phoenix MV), It doesn't matter now but anyway I wanted to do the opposite of things like, "You sell your looks, don't you?"

Q: Show-san, ever since you were signed to Universal Music, you had been assertively giving directions on the 'visual aspect' of the band, like with artwork and videos. Will you also be the one giving these kind of ideas for Alice Nine from now on?
Show: I think so. Our distribution of roles comes naturally. For example, I'm in complete charge for the artwork. In this way, I think each and everyone of us will be able to level up. Hiroto said that when he tried singing by himself, he came to understood the pain that I go through (laughs). And that's why I'm the one in charge of artwork, Saga thinks of the flow of live performances and the performance itself, Hiroto takes charge of the merchandise, while Nao-san does the extra works... Tora is our PR person, he promotes us when he goes out drinking (laughs). Like, "You see, I'm in this  kind of band" (laughs). He has the sense of stepping back and looking at the balance of things. And that's why, for DIAWOLF I told him to make more songs.

Q: I see. So you also did the visuals for your official site.
Show: Ah, that's right.

Q: Your MV for 'Phoenix' has been made public. But somehow, only you were wearing a mask. It couldn't be that you went back to your Slipknot Era? (laughs) 
Show: Hahahaha! Maybe I had that desire deep inside (laughs). Somehow... well, since it's a restart, I want people who have become bored of Alice Nine to have a peek at us again. And so, I wanted to do something interesting. And also... well, now it doesn't matter anymore, but before there are people who think, "You sell your looks, don't you?" and I wanted to do the opposite of it. Like, "Even though we're this kind of band, we wear mask, isn't it interesting?" (laughs).

Q: It might also be interesting if it's actually not you but someone else in costume.
Show: Like, when he removes the mask, it's actually Esper Ito-san (laughs). I also thought that if we did that it would surely become a huge buzz on the net (laughs).


Translated by Val. Original interview scans from 幻想.


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