-What are the good and bad things about being an artist?
k: Hmm...a good thing is that I get to do what i want to do (tht outweighs the bad), but the bad is mostly...everything else.
-Are you able to go outside normally?
k: Well i do go out normally but...we did 121 lives and 99 of them were overseas, right? Is that a good thing? Well at least to me it was like hell...i hate it, nothing good about it.
even in lives, its not like I say "wow today's show was really fun. Now, lets go eat something good."
Its not fun, really.
-When it goes on for this long and something bad happen you wouldn't be able to go on would you?
k:yea no shit
-I'm surprised you didn't breakdown. it was really long.
-are there any artists that inspired you?
k: Not a lot, a little bit but these last few year no one. just to let you know its "I don't have any now"
-was Chino of deftones in the artists that you used to be inspired by?
k:nope
-wait.i thought you liked DETONES?
k:yeah, i do
-how was it? doing a tour with them.
k:they were awesome.
-do you have any artists you like right now?
k: artists i like...um...not an artist but an actor, Christian Bale. Hes in "Batman Begins" and what else..."American psycho" and "The Machinist"...i dont know much about him but hes one of the people i respect.
-not his characters in the movie but in person?
k: yea. in "the machinist", he wasn't able to sleep a lot and got really skinny. He doesn't use CGI (or special effects)...but hes really buff usually. Only in that movie hes so skinny you can see his bones, and its really not CGI he really went on a diet. Then i was watching the interview and they asked him "how did you get so skinny?" and he answered "just didn't eat, thats all"
I thought he was so cool, and i just fell in love with his strong determination
-it seems easy but he did something really hard...
k: no, i think its strong that he got rid of everything unessesary(in a human).
-during this long tour I'm guessing that you tried not to drink alcohol but what is your favourite drink?
k: white wine.i love white wine.
-what do you eat with it?
k: i don't know...wait no, i just drink it alone.
When the tour was over i was thinking i was gonna drink a lot of it, so much that i would drown in it (but I'm gonna drink i don't know what it says like hell too!)* i wasn't sure about this bit, so left it
-wheres your favorite place in tokyo?
k:favorite place in tokyo...i dont know...well oviously my house but other than that...i don't know. empty movie theaters.
-yeah, its nice to go to movie that aren't so popular that's in theatres for a limited time or backwards when its a popular movie but there no one in there because everyone watched it.
k: yup
- what are you into other than music?
k:clothes and ps3
-do you know what you are already buying before you go shopping? or do you go and look for something you might like?
k: i go and see
-CDs too?
k:yeah CDs too but i go to buy a CD on that release date and then i buy what i find with it.
-do you believe in fortune telling?
k: no, but when you have no choice to listen to it, it bothers me sometimes, so hate it when i think about it too much. and then...i hate the people who just blabber it out. especially in like shows in the morning it says "todays lucky zodiac" or "blood type reading" right?(in japan they do this at the end of news casts usually zodiac readings. they tell you what color you should wear and rank the zodiacs in acending order). they show it even if you dont want to know right? i always think they only need to show 1st place. why do you even bother showing it from second place you know?
-when i'm 12th place i just sit there with my mouth open...
k:i dont care if its 12 but i just hate when its like in the middle and you cant tell if it good or bad.
-sixth(laughs)
k:yea(laughs)and then they tell you "your luck color is yellow" or "you should wear yellow today" but its like...who the hell wears yellow you know?
-i know its all the sudden but do you think you're happy?
k: I don't know? If I was happy I probably couldn't perform the way I do now. I've never felt fulfilled in my life, I expect too much, so I'm never satisfied. No matter what I do, I always expect too much from myself.
- i think that's the secret to continuing . if you don't desire anything from yourself you're just gonna get washed away from the people around you and that's the end of it.
l: yeah, but anyway, I expect a lot.
-you've mentioned that you never feel happiness but what is an everyday happiness?
k:um...when i buy clothes. and when i overcome something.
-you have tattoos all over your body but any meaning to them?
k: no specific meaning
-feeling?
k: i just wanted them.i know there are people who do it with a meaning to them but whats wrong with having something that has no meaning?
-do you choose what you want to do with the tatoo artist?or do you ask them to do a specific thing?
k:my left and right arm are done by 2 different people. my left is done by Ozaki and then i just get the rest from random places.i just have whatever i want.
-at that time?
k:at that time
-pierces too?
k:yup
-do you draw a line between people you hate and like?what should you do to like someone you dislike?
k:i never like someone i hate!so i dont know any way to like someone you dislike.
-so you just draw a line?
k:yup and i think i do it a lot more than normal people. i treat people completely differently.i dont understand why you have to like to people you hate.
-to you what is song lyrics?
k: song lyrics are...i dont know.song lyrics are...whats inside of you.
-what are the good and bad things about being an artist?
k:hmm...good thing is that i get to do what i wanted to,more than half of it. bad things is, mostly mostly mostly everything
-are you able to go outside noramlly?
k: well i do go out normally but...we did 121 lives and 99 of them were overseas right? is that a good thing? well at least to me it was like hell...i hate it, nothing good about it.
even in lives, its not like i say "wow todays show was really fun. Now, lets go eat something good."its not fun, really.
-when it goes on for this long and something bad happen you wouldn't be able to go on would you?
k:yea no shit
-im suprised you didnt breakdown. it was really long.
-are there any artists that inspired you?
k: not alot, a litle bit but these last few year no one. just to let you know its "i dont have any NOW"
-was chino(?) of deftones in the artists that you used to be inspired to?
k:nope
-wait.i thought you liked DETONES?
k:yea i do
-how was it? doing a tour with them.
k:they were awesome.
-do you have any artists you like right now?
k: artists i like...um...not an artist but an actor, Christian Bale. Hes in "Batman Begins" and what else..."American psycho""The Machinist"...i dont know much about him but hes one of the people i respect.
-not his characters in the movie but in person?
k: yea. in "the machinist", he isn't able to sleep much and he get skinny. and he doesnt use CG...but hes really buff usually.but only in that movie hes so skinny you can see his bones. and its really not CG.hes really on a diet. and then i was watching the interview and they asked him "how did you get so skinny?" and he answered "just didn't eat, thats all"
i thought he was so cool, and i just fell in love with his strong determination
-it seems easy but he dont something really hard...
k: no, i think its strong that he got rid of everything unessesary(in a human).
-during this long tour im guessing that you tried not to drink alchohol but what is your favorite drink?
k: white wine.i love white wine.
-what do you eat with it?
k: i don't know...wait no, i just drink it alone.
when the tour was over i was thinking i was gonna drink a lot of it. so much that i would drown in it but im gonna drink i dont know what it says like hell too!
-wheres your favorite place in tokyo?
k:favorite place in tokyo...i dont know...well oviously my house but other than that...i don't know. empty movie theaters.
-yea, its nice to go to movie that aren't so popular thats in theaters for a limited time or backwards when its a popular movie but there no one in there because everyone watched it.
k: yup
- what are you into other than music?
k:clothes and ps3
-do you know what you are already buying before you go shopping? or do you go and look for something you might like?
k: i go and see
-CDs too?
k:yea CDs too but i go to buy a CD on that release date and then i buy what i find with it.
-do you believe in fortunetelling?
k: no, but when you have no choice to listen to it, it bothers me sometimes, so hate it when i think about it too much. and then...i hate the people who just blabber it out. especially in like shows in the morning it says "todays lucky zodiac" or "blood type reading" right?(in japan they do this at the end of news casts usually zodiac readings. they tell you what color you should wear and rank the zodiacs in acending order). they show it even if you dont want to know right? i always think they only need to show 1st place. why do you even bother showing it from second place you know?
-when i'm 12th place i just sit there with my mouth open...
k:i dont care if its 12 but i just hate when its like in the middle and you cant tell if it good or bad.
-sixth(laughs)
k:yea(laughs)and then they tell you "your luck color is yellow" or "you should wear yellow today" but its like...who the hell wears yellow you know?
-i know its all the sudden but do you think you're happy?
k: dont know? if i feel im happy...i probably cant do shows like i do now, and ive never felt fulfilled in my life, i expect too much. and im never satisfied. no matter how hard i try in anything. i expect too much from myself.i have high expectations on what kind of style i want to be too.
- i think thats the secret to continuing . if you don't desire anything ffrom yourself you're just gonna get washed away from the people around you and thats the end of it.
l: yea but anyways expect alot.
-you've mentioned that you never feel happiness but what is an everyday happiness?
k:um...when i buy clothes. and when i overcome something.
-you have tatoos all over your body but any meaning to them?
k: no specific meaning
-feeling?
k: i just wanted them.i know there are people who do it with a meaning to them but whats wrong with having something that has no meaning?
-do you choose what you want to do with the tatoo artist?or do you ask them to do a specific thing?
k:my left and right arm are done by 2 different people. my left is done by Ozaki and then i just get the rest from random places.i just have whatever i want.
-at that time?
k:at that time
-pierces too?
k:yup
-do you draw a line between people you hate and like?what should you do to like someone you dislike?
k:i never like someone i hate!so i dont know any way to like someone you dislike.
-so you just draw a line?
k:yup and i think i do it alot more than normal people. i treat people completely differently.i dont understand why you have to like to people you hate.
-to you what is song lyrics?
k: song lyrics are...i dont know.song lyrics are...whats inside of you.
-There were a lot of overseas concerts this year
k: yeah
-as there are an increasing number of overseas concerts do you feel any difference or similarities in the people who live in different countries?
k: Yes, as I've been saying 'it's a different culture'
-is that a positive thing for you?or no difference?
k: Yeah
-Nora,the translator, mentioned that since the DEFTONES tour she has noticed that DEG has started to head for a different direction but you guys seem like you haven't noticed or haven't even thought of it. Have you considered the change?
k:not really
-where do you want to do a concert in a country you haven't been to yet?
k:...north korea
-in front of whom?civilians?or the higher ranked society?
k: civilians
-you see footage of people suffering poverty on late night shows sometimes but are you talking about those kind of people?
k:um...i don't know but i guess it's ok if i can
-any countries you want to go again?
k:nope. no difference where i do concerts.
-what do you expect from fans?
k:i don't expect anything from them. We are always in the stance of people expecting things from us to begin with, so i don't expect anything from the fans, especially in this band.
-ok, from here i'm going to ask personal questions:
what is life?
k:...to find who you truely are and to make yourself stronger
-what do you think is the final goal of living?
k:to...find yourself
-Are you finding yourself?
k: yeah, im constantly chasing myself
-so you always have an ideal self in your mind and you are constantly seek for that, correct?
k: yeah...mhm, I always agree with what I do, do whatever I want, and I'm always running towards the place i want to be standing.
-what do you think the most important human characteristic is?
k: "to better yourself"
-this is a popular question...which would you choose if you can choose either a short, full life or a long, empty one?
k:short, full life
-You were able to do a concert at kyoto this tour. Is Kyoto now different from the kyoto you lived in?
k:completely different.
-where was the most place you felt a change in the culture?
k:...wasn't the security(maintenance) really bad?
-security... did something happen?
k:no...there were a lot of dumbasses walking around,at night.
-i see...
-any plans after retiring?after you've completed all your goals right now.
k:um...i guess so...
-the other members have said that they wanted to live in malacia
k:im going back to kyoto
-going back...go back and do what?
k:go back and sleep.that...um...what do you call it...you know i want to wake by the sound of the bell in the temple. I used to wake up by that sound all the time and now i always wake up at 7.
-7 every morning...?isn't it just new years eve?
k:no. they ring it every morning but i used to be afraid of it because it was dark and all. Now, when i hear it i get relaxed so yea, i want to wake up by the bell everytime, it's best thing.
-this is a question from mr.oono(i think stage director)
do you go to alot of temple in kyoto?
k:um...no but o really like sanjyuusangendou and kiyomizudera(both temples in kyoto)
-oh!i hear there's a lot of butsuzous(image of buddha) lined up there and there is 1 that has your face.
k:yeah. when i went there for the first time i think i found mine.
-what it still there the next time you went?
k:no, there was way to many the second time i went and i couldn't even figure out what section it was in.
-(laughs)mr.oono loves kyoto and envies the lives of people in kyoto.
k:hmm. but i'm interested too. i want to go to more temples.i want to go but i have no time right now. theres actually a lot of people who live in kyoto that don't know much about it, i barely know too. when i was 17 or 18 i already went to Osaka.plus when your young you don't care about those kinds of things right?like kyotos temples...so yea i don't know anything about them.
-how do you relax?
k: i don't
-...isn't it hard for you?
k:especially when my schedules packed with tours.
-are you the kind of person who sleeps well?or are you the kind of person who can't sleep to well and finally gets to sleep in the morning?
k:depends but...i only got 1 hour today.
-1 hour!what do you do when you can't sleep?
k:uh...games or take a walk...or watch a movie
-say someone can't get to sleep, what movie would you recommend watching?
k:um..."votoms"not a movie...its a anime but "Soukoukihei Votoms"(Armored Trooper VOTOMS). it's a about robots but it's really dark.and they're not strong like gundam is. it's has a really dark story and you just fall asleep while you're watching so yea...i recommend "votoms"
-If someone was going to rent something, what would you recommend?
k:...was there something good?...the movies i put on my favorites are pretty much the ones i like(at the end of the interview there are picure of his favorite songs and movies)
i don't know...was there something good?...oh! it not released on dvd yet but "PAN'S LABYRINTH" was really good.
-what's it about?
k: The genres fantasy, but a really dark fantasy
-since we're talking about recommendations how about music?
k:music i recommend...i don't listen to music that much anymore so...um...well i've liked this band for a long time but "Bauhaus". i really like them
(there was a computer nearby so he searched a cover of one of their albums)
-how old is "Bauhaus"?
k:oh, they're really old. i don't know what year but i think they releasing something recently?i think they revived so theyre back again or something...
- how did you find them?
k: during that time an artist i liked was listening to them...i bought their cd and listened to them but i didn't really like them but now i love them.
so some ppl still wanted my unedited version so ill post both up at the same time
up to you to read the part you want
-there was a lot of overseas concerts this year
k:yea
-as there are an increasing number of overseas concerts do you feel any difference or similarities in the people who live in different countries?
k: yea...i've been saying this but "difference in culture" i guess
-is that a positive thing for you?or no difference?
k:yea
-Nora,the translater, mentioned that since the DEFTONES tour she has noticed that DEG has started to head for a different direction but you guys seem like you haven't noticed or haven't even thought of it. Have you considered the change?
k:not really
-where do you want to do a concert in a country you haven't been to yet?
k:...north korea
-in front of whom?civilians?or the higher ranked society?
k: civilians
-you see footage of people suffering poverty on late night shows sometimes but are you talking about those kind of people?
k:um...i don't know but i guess it's ok if i can...sorry i can't read the writing...too blurry
-any countries you want to go again?
k:nope. no difference where i do concerts.
-what do you expect from fans?
k:i don't expect anything from them. We are always in the stance of people expecting things from us to begin with, so i don't expect anything from the fans, especially in this band.
-ok, from here i'm going to ask personal questions
what is life?
k:...to find who you truely are and to make yourself stronger
-what do you think is the final goal of living?
k:to...find yourself
-did you find yourself?
k: yeah, im constantly chasing myself
-so you always have an ideal self in your mind and you are constantly seek for that, correct?
k: yea...mhm, always agree what i do, do whatever i want, and always running for the place i want to be standing.
-what do you think the most important human characteristic is?
k: "to polish yourself"
-this is a popular question...which would you choose if you can choose either a short, packed life or a long, empty one?
k:short, packed life
-we were able to do a concert at kyoto this tour. If the kyoto now different from the kyoto you lived in?
k:completely different.
-where was the most place you felt a change in the culture?
k:...wasn't the security(maintenance) really bad?
-security... did something happen?
k:no...there were a lot of dumbasses walking around,at night.
-i see...
-any plans after retiring?after you've completed all your goals right now.
k:um...i guess so...
-the other members have said that they wanted to live in malacia
k:im going back to kyoto
-going back...go back and do what?
k:go back and sleep.that...um...what do you call it...you know i want to wake by the sound of the bell in the temple. I used to wake up by that sound all the time and i always wake up, at 7.
-7 every morning...?isn't it just new years eve?
k:no. they ring it every morning but i used to be afraid of it because it was dark and all. Now, when i hear it i get relaxed so yea, i want to wake up by the bell everytime, best thing.
-this is a question from mr.oono(i think stage director)
do you go to alot of temple in kyoto?
k:um...no but o really like sanjyuusangendou and kiyomizudera(both temples in kyoto)
-oh!i hear theres alot of butsuzous(image of buddha) lined up there and there is 1 that has your face.
k:yea. when i went there for the first time i think i found mine.
-what it still there the next time you went?
k:no, there was way to many the second time i went and i couldn't even figure out what section it was in.
-(laughs)mr.oono loves kyoto and envies the lives of people in kyoto.
k:hmm. but i'm interested too. i want to go to more temples.i want to go but i have no time right now. theres actually a lot of people who live in kyoto that don't know much about it, i barely know too. when i was 17or 18 i already went to Oosaka.plus when your yound you don't care about those kinds of things right?like kyotos temples...so yea i don't know anything about them.
-how do you get rid of stress you get.
k: i don't
-...isn't it hard for you?
k:especially when my schedules packed with tours.
-are you the kind of person who sleeps wells?or are you the kind of person who can't sleep to well and finally gets to sleep in the morning?
k:depends but...i only got 1 hour today.
-1 hour!what do you do when you can't sleep?
k:uh...games or take a walk...or watch a movie
-say someone can't get to sleep, what movie would you recommend watching?
k:um..."votoms"not a movie...its a anime but "Soukoukihei Votoms"(Armored Trooper VOTOMS). it's a about robots but it's really dark.and they're not strong like gundam is. it's has a really dark story and you just fall asleep while you're watching so yea...i recommend "votoms"
k:say someones going to rent something, what would to recommend then?
k:...was there something good?...the movies i put on my favorites are pretty much the ones i like(at the end of the interview there are picure of his favorite songs and movies)
i don't know...was there something good?...o! it not released on dvd yet but "PAN'S LABYRINTH" was really good.
-what's it about?
k:genres fantasy but a really dark fantasy
-since we're talking about recommondations how about music?
k:music i recommend...i don't listen to music that much anymore so...um...well i've liked this band for a long time but "Bauhaus". i really like them
(there was a computer nearby so he searched a cover of one of their albums)
-how old is "Bauhaus"?
k:o, they're really old. i don't know what year but i think they releasing something recently?i think they revived so theyre back again or something...
- how did you find them?
k: during that time an artist i liked was listening to them...i bought their cd and listened to them but i didn't really like them but now i love them.
-there was a time you saw god during the headlining tour in America right?
k: America...maybe?...yeah I think so.-It was a pretty small gig but i remember you said "he hasn't come down in a while" and you just sat down on the sofa all bloody
-Last interview i asked that "if you were able to set up a stage yourself what kinds of things would you put in?" and you answered "simple lightings". This year your wish came true but how did you feel actually standing in the stage you wanted?
k:I don't know. I wasn't actually able to see myself from the audience so...I'm not sure-That's true(laughs)
k:(laughs)It's true right?I'm glad i was able to do it but I was never able to see it from the audiences perspective so I'm not sure how I feel...-Maybe it was easy to walk on stage?
k:Not really. The stage doesn't change what i do in a show, it's not like I'm going to change at all. I would rather ask you how is was.-you want to ask?
k:well, not really...it's not like their opinions are going to effect me in any way(laughs bitterly)-do you imagine yourself standing under a red light?
k:not really...because the red lights were used mainly in these last couple shows but it's not like it's going to change what i do on stage. i just hate it when its too light!Especially when its so light that you can see everything...i just hate it-still a related question but this years tour used a lot of videos(on a backdrop). Do you have any ideas for the stage you want to challenge next year to set the mood you really like?
k:The tour right now and the one before had the characteristics that was really close to what I'm craving for. so i think the next albums going to have something that's more perfected...well, at least that's what i think, so yeah, perfected.-this tour used footage of the moon or sun that kind of sets a warm mood or video clips...either of those 2. Did you like both of them?
k:Believe it or not...i kinda feel bad for saying this but...i don't really care, but i think the backdrops really pictures me and when we played "MACABRE" i remembered i really wanted to do this and i wanted to do this but i want the pictures to be...i don't know how to word this...i want the pictures to make the mood easier to understand but if i'm asked if its really necessary then...i guess i'm not sure-in 07 you changed how you've been dressing and started wearing warms ups(the ones you wear for sports) but what was the reason of that?
k: i got that same question a lot in letters too...(laughs)-so answer for the fans!(in a friendly way)
k: well,i guess those kind of questions, are good too?...in one phrase "i don't really care". i want the band to go straight out with the songs we have and the mood we have. that's what the band normally does, that's all i can do for the band so one day i just decided i wanted to take out everything that was unnecessary. i wanted to go all out with that style and see if i can make out something i liked, yea. when i think about it now that's all there is to it. I wore clothes i would usually wear on one day and then wear warm ups another but as a result no one(in general) really cares what i wear. so its either they don't care or they never noticed and truthfully i think its easy to move in...i guess it really doesn't matter. and i just wanted to wear it.-how's your throat lately?
k: it's been really good lately but...i think 3 days ago in Osaka my throat was really bad. TOMMY came back to Tokyo and he invited me to drink and i went but i didn't want my throat to get worse so i tried not to drink too much but we were in a room and people around us were smoking. The air inside was full of smoke and we could see it. and then everyone was drinking so i was pressured to drink beer and the beer and smoke took my throat out immediately and that's it.- Are you serious!?
k: so my throat was fucked, and i was all "this sucks" but then the 3rd day at COAST was the best day throughout the tour, at least in my mind it was the best. So my throat wasn't the best that day but i had the best day means that it doesn't matter at all. People who were watching knew my throat wasn't too good but some told me that it was a really good show.-yea, when it started i thought "sounds like his throats bothering him" but towards the end i noticed that you were you were giving more.
k: I think normal vocalists would think that if they fuck up their throat and then they only have one weapon so it's over, right? but i don't think my "voice" is my only weapon, my whole body's a weapon so if my throats gone i just have to take out my next weapon right?-so you're saying that(pretty much rephrases)
k: no shit. if your right arms gone you would eat with your left arm right?same thing.-DEG has released "DECADE".looking back at the old songs, did you feel any strong connections with any song?
k:i didn't listen to it so i don't know-in this tour you started to put "kasumi" and other past songs into the set list but do you have any strong connections with these songs?
k:i have connections to every song but..."kasumi"s one of my favourites-what do you think about the DEG now playing song from "GAUZE" and "MACABRE"?
k:...what do i think?does it really matter?-would your body(mind) refuse them?
k:there's some that my body(mind) doesn't except the songs that don't fit in our band's mood...-did that change how you chose what to put on "decade"?
k:i guess so...yea. the ones i really didn't want i didn't put in.-did the other members have songs they didn't want?
k:i don't know about that. we never talk about those kind of things-when you look at the customer surveys, it seems like they really wanted "yurameki" included in the album
k: just buy the album(that has the song). if you buy the album(GAUZE) its in there. There's a lot of songs that are only released on the albums. Just because we're releasing a best album doesn't mean we put in every song that became a single.Are you guys stupid?(laughs bitterly)Don't push your requests to me! all right?- i see.
-looking back these past 10 years(as it is their 10th year anniversary), what do you think of the path you and the band made together?
k:nothing-did you become someone you wanted to be 10 years ago?
k: I don't know? I don't think about myself too often so i never think "Oh, what will i be in 10 years" but I'm getting closer to becoming the vocalist i want to become-interesting...so than would you image what you would be like in 10years?
k: i'm not interested so i wouldn't think about it.- how about DEG in 10years?
k:don't care at all. All that matters is if I give 100% or 120%. The next album...i guess that's about the future but its not 10 years from now. Even if you think "oh i wonder how many albums we would release in 10years?" you wouldn't know what direction we're going to would you? if you have time to think about that i would think about how i can give 120% of what I can do.-thinking about yourself 10years ago, do you think what you did then was the right thing?
k: there's a couple things that i guess i can say was right but...something wrong... not wrong but from my perspective now...i don't know...i guess there's a lot of bad things-but you don't want to erase everything?
k:there's some part i want to erase completely-i see.
-are there any concerts(that you have completed) that you have no regret doing?
kyo: uuuuummm...well i never have regrets in any concert.i don't know but if you talk about recent concerts i would say the 3rd day at COAST. Maybe today though...today might be better...i think
(some ppl may not know how the japanese music market works so i'll explain here.I think it is common for america to release best albums after the band has died or a change in record labels. In japan it is common for band to release such albums after a 5,10,15...year anniversary.Also unlike america, japan release singles as a sneak preview for their upcoming album witch are usually released once in a coarse of a year. The songs that that are released on singles are usually the songs that end up on the best albums but for DEG, apparently, that is not the case)
again minor corrections
thanks
-Yoroshiku onegaishimasu
Kyo: Okay
-You're last interview was Haiiro no Ginka Vol.32(Sept. 06) why did you want to do this now?
K:Wow it's hard already(laughs bitterly)Why?...Because there's no magazine that I want to talk in.-I see...
K: no, it's not that I don't want to talk,there's just no magazine that makes me consider it-That means there's none in Japan?
K:No, internationally-Are there any tv shows you want to talk in?
K:nope(answers quickly)
-There may be a few questions that have already been asked in previous interviews.
K:no problem
-In concerts, you do high pitched shrieks and screams that seem to express anger. Do you feel anything different when doing this?
K:Just anger.
-When was the last time you were really angry?
K:...(takes a deep breath)I don't know...there's too many times
-During concerts you use voice delay to do acapellas.What are you thinking about when you do this and what are you expressing?
K:What am I thinking?..."nothing"What am I expressing?..."the atmosphere in my mind"
-During concerts you happen to stare in one place at times. what are you thinking about then?
k: Don't remember-2007 was a year where dir en grey has completed many concerts.(i think i read 121)what gig was easiest for you to do a concert?
k:...Are you talking about the tour now?COAST(gig in tokyo:shinkiba studio coast)-How about throughout the whole year?
k:I really like COAST.I also like Hatch(gig in osaka:nanba hatch)-Compared to other artists it seems like DEG plays there music with their entire soul and body...where does all the strength/stamina come from to complete one concert?do you have any effort towards this?
k:You don't need effort to show emotion. Do you put effort into feeling mad? You don't, right?-But if you are really tired, the emotion becomes less powerful right?You think "eh whatever" you now?
k:When you're sad, you're sad, right?Even if I feel like "eh whatever", I just express whatever I'm feeling, Whatever is on my mind.-DEG did a concert with DEFTONES for 7days straight.did u do any training for stamina?
k:I'm not a one man band so it was easy.Anyway, Even if I lose stamina,or even if my voice starts cracking...the level I'm aiming for doesn't care about those kind of things...it doesn't matter.
-What would you think of yourself on stage as?
k:um...I don't know?..."me"-how do you feel when you are performing a song for the first time?
k:Never thought about it-do you get nervous?does it differ from something you're used to singing?
k: I guess there's no difference in expressing but the only difference is if I'm used to it or not.other than that it's the same.-there was a tour after the release of "the marrow of a bone" and the songs on that album started to show up on the set lists.the staffs had mentioned "you need to play a song many times to have it seep into your body". was it hard to get the songs into your head until you completely understood what the songs express?
k: No...its not that hard to get the mood of the song out but when you play it many times the songs starts to look different.-during concerts, when are the times when you cant completely get into the mood of the songs?
k:depends on the order of the songs or when some dumbass cant understand the mood.when I'm in a bad mood, half of the time its one of those 2 reasons
-i see(laughs bitterly)
-during concerts have you ever forgotten that you were in the middle of a concert?
k:mhm-how do you notice?
k:mood of the song...or sometimes the gap of what I'm trying to do and what I want.-so when you forget how do you act?like movements...
k:No idea.when I forget I just act the way I am. Isn't that what concerts are? I hate forcing myself to get excited or getting back to normal.Its like being pushed around. I hate that so all I do is express my feelings the way it is.-have you experienced miracles during concerts?
k:What do you mean by a miracle?-like when you reach a tone that you wanted?
k:...not that kind, but God came down to see me(laughs)-God huh...many times during the year?
k:Not many times but...(laughs bitterly)
really minor corrections
i think i'll to Jely_Ann first and then i'll post that up so you may need to be i little more patient than before as we are both busy with our own lives lol
i will post up the revised part 2 and start working on part3
thank you
ok so i guess i gonna rely on Jely_Ann for the edited version but here it goes
im gonna refer to kyo as "k" and the interviewer as "-" like before
he didnt have much to say about god...sorry to keep you waiting
-there was a time you saw god during the headlining tour in america right?
k: america...maybe?...yea i think so.
-It was a pretty small gig but i remember you said "he hasn't come down in a while" and you just sat down on the sofa all bloody
-Last interview i asked that "if you were able to set up a stage yourself what kinds of things would you put in?" and you answered "simple lightings". This year your wish came true but how did you feel actually standing in the stage you wanted?
k:i dont know. i wasn't actually able to see myself from the audience so...im not sure
-thats true(laughs)
k:(laughs)it's true right?im glad i was able to do it but i was never able to see it from the audiences perspective so im not sure how i feel...
-maybe it was easy to walk on stage?
k:not really. the stage doesn't change what i do in a show, it's not like i'm gonna change at all. I would rather ask you how is was.
-you want to ask?
k:well, not really...it's not like their opinions are going to effect me in any way(laughs bitterly)
-do you imagine yourself standing under a red light?
k:not really...because the red lights were used mainly in these last couple shows but it's not like it's going to change what i do on stage. i just hate it when it too light!Especially when its so light that you can see everything...i just hate it
-still a related question but this years tour used a lot of videos(using the projector screen to show behind them during a song(sorry if you dont get it)(im going to call them backdrops just like the interview does)). Do you have any ideas for the stage you want to challenge next year to set the mood you really like?
k:The tour right now and the before had the characteristics that was really close to what im craving for. so i think the next albums going to have something thats more perfected...well, atleast thats what i think so yea, perfected.
-this tour used footage of the moon or sun that kind of sets a warm mood(?)(or whatever mood the sun or moon gives...)or video clips(of i think their mv)...either of those 2. Did you like both of them?
k:Believe it or not...i kinda feel bad for saying this but...i don't really care but i think the backdrops really pictures me and when we played "MACABRE" i remembered i really wanted to do this and i wanted to do this but i want the pictures to be...i dont know how to word this...i want the pictures to make the mood easier to understand but if im asked if its really nesessary then...i guess im not sure(ah this one was really hard for me to understand the meaning of his answer...sorry if u didnt get it)
-in 07 you changed how you've been dressing and started wearing warmup but what was the reason of that?
k: i got that same question a lot in letters too...(laughs)
-so answer for the fans!(in a friendly way)
k: well,i guess those kind of questions, are good too?...in one phrase "i don't really care". i want the band to go straight out with the songs we have and the mood we have. thats what the band normally does, thats all i can do for the band so one day i just decided i wanted to take out everything that was unessesary. i wanted to go all out with that style and see if i can make out something i liked, yea. when i think about it now thats all there is to it. ive worn(wore?) clothes i would usually wear on one day and then wear warm ups another but as a result no one(in general) really cares what i wear. so its either they dont care or they never noticed and truthfully i think its easy to move in...i guess it really doesnt matter. and i just wanted to wear it.
-hows your throat lately?
k: it;s been really good lately but...i think 3days agoin osaka my throat was too good. TOMMY came back to tokyo and he invited me to drink and i went but i didnt want my throat to get worse so i tried not to drink too much but we were in a room and people around us were smoking. The air inside was full of smoke and we could see it. and then everyones drinking so i was pressured to drink beer and that beer and smoke took my throat out immediately and thats it.
- Are you serious!?
k: and my throat was fucked, and i was all "this sucks" but then the 3rd day at COAST was the best day throughout the tour, atleast in my mind it was the best. So my throat wasn't the best that day but i had the best day means that it doesn't matter at all. People who were watching knew my throat wasn't too good but some told me that it was a really good show.
-yea, when it started i thought "sounds like his throats bothering him" but towards the end i noticed that you were you were giving more.
k: i think normal vocalists would think that if they fuck up their throat and then they only have one weapon so it's ever right? but i dont think my "voice"is my weapon, my whole bodys a weapon to if my throats gone i just have to take out my next weapon right?
-so ur saying that(pretty much rephrases)
k: no shit. if your right arms gone you would eat with your left arm right?same thing.
-DEG has released "DECADE".looking back at the old songs, do you have any strong connections with any song?
k:i didnt listen to it so i dont know
-in this tour you started to put "kasumi" and other past songs but do you have any strong connections with these songs?
k:i have connections to every songs but..."kasumi"s one of my favorite
-what do you think about the DEG now playing song from "GAUZE" and "MACABRE"?
k:...what do i think?does it really matter
-would your body(mind) refuse them?
k:theres some that my body(mind) doesnt except. the songs that dont fit in our bands mood...
-did that change how you chose what do put in "decade"?
k:i guess so...yea. the ones i really didn't want i didn't put in.
-did the other members have songs they didn't want?
k:i dont know about that. we never talk about those kind of things
-when you look at the customer surveys, it seems like they really wanted "yurameki" included in the album
k: just buy the album(that has the song). if you buy the album(GAUZE) its in there. Theres alot of songs that are only released on the albums.Just because we're releasing a best album doesn't mean we put in every song that became a single.Are you guys stupid?(laughs bitterly)Don't push your requests to me!alright?
(some ppl may not know how the japanese music market works so i'll explain here.I think it is common for america to release best albums after the band has died or a change in record labels. In japan it is common for band to release such albums after a 5,10,15...year anniversary.Also unlike america, japan release singles as a sneak preview of their coming up album with are usually released once in a coarse of a year. The songs that that are released on singles are usually the songs that end up on the best albums but for DEG, apparently, that is not the case)
- i see.
-looking back these past 10 years(as it is their 10th year anniversary), what do you think of the path you and the band made together?
k:nothing
-did you become someone you wanted to be 10 years ago?
k: I dont know? I dont think about myself to often so i never think "o what will i be in 10yrs" but im getting close to the vocalist i want to become
-interesting...so than would you image what you would be like in 10years?
k: i'm not interested so i wouldn't think about it.
- how about DEG in 10years?
k:don't care at all. it's just if i can let out what i can do 100% or 120%. The next album...i guess thats about the future but its not 10years from now. Even if you think "o i wonder how many albums we would release in 10years?" you wouldn't know what direction we're going to would you? if you have time to think about that i would think about how i can let out 120% of what i can do.
-thinking about yourself 10years ago, do you think what you did then was the right thing?
k: theres a couple things that i guess i can say was right but...something wrong... not wrong but from my prespective now...i don't know...i guess theres a lot of bad things
-but you don't want to erase everything?
k:theres some part i want to erase completely
-i see.
-are there any concerts(that you have completed) that you have no regret doing?
kyo: uuuuummm...well i never have regrets in any concert.i dont know but if you talk about recent concerts i would say the 3rd day at COAST. Maybe today though...today might be better...i think
theres page 2
thanks for being patient guys
sorry for the typos in advance
this is a really interesting interview so enjoy!!!
ill try my best to translate wut he is exactly trying to say
this interview took place on Dec. 25, 2007 right before a concert
yoroshiku onegaishimasu
kyo:ok
-last time u did an interview was on Haiiro no GInka Vol.32(Sept. 06) but why did u want to do it all the sudden?
k:wow it's hard already(laughs bitterly)why...cuz theres no magazine that i want to talk in
-i seee...
k: no, it's not i don't want to talk,,theres no magazine that makes me consider it
-that means theres none in japan?
k:no, internationally
-are there any tv shows u want to talk in?
k:nope(answers quickly)
-there may be a couple questions that i might have asked already.
k:no problem
-in concerts u do high pitched shrieks and screams that seem like it is all anger. is there a difference in wut u r feeling when u do these?
k:all anger
-when was the last time u when u were really angry?
k:...(takes a deep breath)i dont know...theres too many
-during concerts u use voice delay to do acapellas.what r u thinking about when u do this and wut r u expressing?
k:wut am i thinking..."nothing"
wut am i expressing..."the atmosphere in my mind"
-during concerts u happen to stare in one place at times. wut r u thinking about then?
k:don't remember
-2007 was a year where dir en grey has completed many concerts.(i think i read 121)wut gig was easiest for u to do a concert?
k:...wait.ur talking about the tour right now?COAST(gig in tokyo:shinkiba studio coast)
-how about throughout the whole year?
k:I really like COAST.I also like Hatch(gig in osaka:nanba hatch)
-compared to other artists it seems like DEG plays there music with thier entire soul and body...where does all the strength/stamina come from to complete one concert?do u have any effort towards this?
k:u don't need effort to let out emotion.do u put in effort to get mad?u dont right?
-but if u are really tired, the emotion becomes less powerful right?u think "eh whatever" u know?
k:when ur sad ur sad right?even if i feel like "eh whatever", i just let out however im feeling.wutevers on my mind
-DEG did a concert with DEFTONES for 7days straight.did u do any training for stamina?
k:i ain't a oneman band so it was easy
btw even if i have stamina,or even if my voice starts cracking...the place im aiming for doesnt care about those kind of things...yup,doesn't matter.
-wut would u think of yourself on stage as?
k:um...i dont know?..."me"
-how do u feel when u are performing a song for the first time?
k:never thought about it
-do u get nervous?does it differ from something ur used to singing?
k:i guess theres no difference in expressing but the only difference is if im used to it or not.other than that it's the same.
-there was a tour after the release of "the marrow of a bone" and the songs on that album started to show up on the set lists.the staffs had metioned "u need to play a song many times to have it seep into your body". was it hard to get the songs into your head until u completely understood what the songs express?
k:no...its not that hard to get the mood of the song out but when u play it many times the songs starts to look different.
-during concerts, when are the times when u cant completely get into the mood of the songs?
k:depends on the onder or when some dumbass cant understand the mood.
when im in a bad mood half of the time its one of those 2 reasons
-i see(laughs bitterly)
-during concerts have u ever forgoten that u were there?
k:mhm
-how do u notice?
k:mood of the song...or sometimes the gap of what im trying to do and wut i want.
-so when u forget how do u act?like movements...
k:no idea.when i forget i just act the way i am. isnt that what concerts are?i hate forcing myself to get excited or getting back to normal.its like the same thing as being pushed around. i hate that so all i do is express my feelings the way it is.
-have u expierienced miracles during concerts?
k:wut kind of thing is a miracle?
-like when u reach a tone that u wanted?
k:...not that kind but god came down to see me(laughs)
-god huh...many times during the year?
k:not many times but...(laughs bitterly)
okay so ill do a page at a time like that
theres 6 in all and i cant promise u that ill do it everyday so please be patient with me
im sorry if u didnt understand a couple parts as they were hard to express in english
thank you for your understanding