2014.02 Ongaku to hito translation - Kaoru interview
I cannot completely understand other members, but it would be good if we could see the feeling of “we're getting closer to each other” at least a bit.
(please keep in mind that this interview was carried out at the end of 2013 ^ ^)
- According to the band, how was 2013?
If I picture the previous year - the image I have of that year is full of concerts after the release of THE UNRAVELING. There was a lot of trouble as well, but also including that, if we re-examine ourselves I still see it as a good year.
- The year before as well, when you had to pause your activities, I think you also re-examined yourself then.
That’s why 2013 was a year when we did many changes after thinking about many things while we continued our activities. Things we and our staff were thinking about, what I felt till now, including what we felt while performing in front of the fans, we can say that we made those changes while thinking about all those things. Now, as the end of 2013 is approaching, in the end it feels like all those things are engaged together.
- So alongside with those changes, those things came together?
Yeah. I had always been thinking “Where are we heading to?”. If I trace it back, from the time [when we released] DUM SPIRO SPERO I was in the state of exploring it. Also, from the release of THE UNRAVELING I was always searching, I might say that now. I’m finally able to see it. I’m at a place where I wonder if the thought or direction of our feeling starts to be visible.
- So it was a year like that.
Yeah. In 2012 members were re-examining themselves individually, but 2013 was a year when we were thinking together while being on a tour. At last, I have a feeling that it became one thing.
- Do you think that the facts that 2013 was a year of re-thinking things and that Kyo started solo activities are hugely related?
Huh. I wonder. I don’t really care about that. Originally I always thought that “if you want to do it, do it”. If there are no obstacles for the band, I don’t really care. If there were some obstacles, I would have said something; that’s how I feel. It’s rather that members who are doing solo activities are more careful about the band.
- I see.
Band [activities] continue without any problem. That’s why I don’t really care about that. Of course it’s not like I don’t pay any attention at all.
- Certainly the band continues with a feeling “it’s not a big problem (deal)”.
If we do that and the band moves forward steadily, there’s no problem (trouble) with that. Are you asking if I felt awkward or was thinking about weird things when we suspended our activities? (laugh)
- If we say that, when I asked you “aren't you doing any solo activities?” during the suspension of bands activities, you gave me a negative remark for that, but how is it now?
Well… I’m feeling more casual about the band compared to that time, but that’s why, in my case, I don’t get the feeling like I had to start any solo activities.
- Why?
If I do anything (else), the band will cease [it's activities completely] (laugh).
- Hahahaha… I can’t really laugh at that.
It’s a joke, but as for me there’s absolutely nothing aside from DIR EN GREY. I really care a lot about the band called DIR EN GREY. We had a talk about this with other members. Like, are we able to do other things, like solo activities, as we have DIR EN GREY? If someone started something that has more heat than DIR EN GREY, we wouldn't be able to continue in same way as before, right?
- Looking realistically, no.
Everyone had shared an opinion like this, I think that’s very good. That’s why even if members do something else, now I have a reaction like “well, that’s ok / I don’t care”. I didn't have any particular strange feelings during creating songs. Isn't it rather hard for members who are doing other things? As they have to balance things out.
- Kyo said that he has absolutely no time.
That’s right (laugh). You use your time for various things (laugh).
- That’s right (laugh). But band became more breathable compared to before.
That's true.
- When I listened to the new single this time, first impression that came to my mind was “ok, this is so different to their previous works”. I thought that in the end the band situation is also showing up in this work.
It is like that. Especially that member who have other stuff than this band only, compared to the time when they were only thinking about the band, they might be missing energy and it’s harder to produce things like that, are you trying to say that? Isn't it better not to project all of you into it?
- Right.
So now it became like we don’t force something like our own ego on other members, the stress of the band at this part s fading, it might be because of that.
- What do you personally think about SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH?
All band members were pursuing this kind of climate (feeling)… I cannot say more than that about this song. The truth is, besides this song, we have several other songs, we were wondering which one should we choose for a single, but we decided on a song that is unlikely to match the image of DIR EN GREY. In other words, we wanted change. We wanted to challenge things that would result in change.
- Like choosing a song that is easy to understand?
If I have to say it, yeah. But at first [we were wondering] what can we do to make the band more interesting? If we made a song that was heading in the exactly same direction as our songs before, the possibilities of the band would narrow down, if we only did it this way (same way). I thought that the things the 5 of us want to do, things we are thinking, would get damaged gradually.
- But that was the methodology, the way things were with DIR EN GREY till now.
Yeah. But, it started to become bit boring like that. It’s not like someone said it specifically, but I sensed something like that talking with other members. That’s why we decided to [choose a song] that had a more real form for the band. Besides, we thought that song that makes an immediate impact when listened to is the best. Recently, we had many songs that were constructed, but it wasn't about that. [We chose] the song that made people react “wow!” from the first second.
- And yet it was something simple.
Yeah, also something like a song that had a parts easy to play for each member.
- Till now the 5 of you were creating songs while exploring and not knowing what will become of the song in the final stage, right?
That’s right.
- I think now it’s the opposite. You decided on the direction of the song in advance, it’s a song that you all headed for.
Yeah, but it wasn't like we could see the final song just after we made a decision like “let’s do it like that”.
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progress: 2/3
sorry it's hard to find time with the tour in addition to work ^ ^'
(please keep in mind that this interview was carried out at the end of 2013 ^ ^)
- According to the band, how was 2013?
If I picture the previous year - the image I have of that year is full of concerts after the release of THE UNRAVELING. There was a lot of trouble as well, but also including that, if we re-examine ourselves I still see it as a good year.
- The year before as well, when you had to pause your activities, I think you also re-examined yourself then.
That’s why 2013 was a year when we did many changes after thinking about many things while we continued our activities. Things we and our staff were thinking about, what I felt till now, including what we felt while performing in front of the fans, we can say that we made those changes while thinking about all those things. Now, as the end of 2013 is approaching, in the end it feels like all those things are engaged together.
- So alongside with those changes, those things came together?
Yeah. I had always been thinking “Where are we heading to?”. If I trace it back, from the time [when we released] DUM SPIRO SPERO I was in the state of exploring it. Also, from the release of THE UNRAVELING I was always searching, I might say that now. I’m finally able to see it. I’m at a place where I wonder if the thought or direction of our feeling starts to be visible.
- So it was a year like that.
Yeah. In 2012 members were re-examining themselves individually, but 2013 was a year when we were thinking together while being on a tour. At last, I have a feeling that it became one thing.
- Do you think that the facts that 2013 was a year of re-thinking things and that Kyo started solo activities are hugely related?
Huh. I wonder. I don’t really care about that. Originally I always thought that “if you want to do it, do it”. If there are no obstacles for the band, I don’t really care. If there were some obstacles, I would have said something; that’s how I feel. It’s rather that members who are doing solo activities are more careful about the band.
- I see.
Band [activities] continue without any problem. That’s why I don’t really care about that. Of course it’s not like I don’t pay any attention at all.
- Certainly the band continues with a feeling “it’s not a big problem (deal)”.
If we do that and the band moves forward steadily, there’s no problem (trouble) with that. Are you asking if I felt awkward or was thinking about weird things when we suspended our activities? (laugh)
- If we say that, when I asked you “aren't you doing any solo activities?” during the suspension of bands activities, you gave me a negative remark for that, but how is it now?
Well… I’m feeling more casual about the band compared to that time, but that’s why, in my case, I don’t get the feeling like I had to start any solo activities.
- Why?
If I do anything (else), the band will cease [it's activities completely] (laugh).
- Hahahaha… I can’t really laugh at that.
It’s a joke, but as for me there’s absolutely nothing aside from DIR EN GREY. I really care a lot about the band called DIR EN GREY. We had a talk about this with other members. Like, are we able to do other things, like solo activities, as we have DIR EN GREY? If someone started something that has more heat than DIR EN GREY, we wouldn't be able to continue in same way as before, right?
- Looking realistically, no.
Everyone had shared an opinion like this, I think that’s very good. That’s why even if members do something else, now I have a reaction like “well, that’s ok / I don’t care”. I didn't have any particular strange feelings during creating songs. Isn't it rather hard for members who are doing other things? As they have to balance things out.
- Kyo said that he has absolutely no time.
That’s right (laugh). You use your time for various things (laugh).
- That’s right (laugh). But band became more breathable compared to before.
That's true.
- When I listened to the new single this time, first impression that came to my mind was “ok, this is so different to their previous works”. I thought that in the end the band situation is also showing up in this work.
It is like that. Especially that member who have other stuff than this band only, compared to the time when they were only thinking about the band, they might be missing energy and it’s harder to produce things like that, are you trying to say that? Isn't it better not to project all of you into it?
- Right.
So now it became like we don’t force something like our own ego on other members, the stress of the band at this part s fading, it might be because of that.
- What do you personally think about SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH?
All band members were pursuing this kind of climate (feeling)… I cannot say more than that about this song. The truth is, besides this song, we have several other songs, we were wondering which one should we choose for a single, but we decided on a song that is unlikely to match the image of DIR EN GREY. In other words, we wanted change. We wanted to challenge things that would result in change.
- Like choosing a song that is easy to understand?
If I have to say it, yeah. But at first [we were wondering] what can we do to make the band more interesting? If we made a song that was heading in the exactly same direction as our songs before, the possibilities of the band would narrow down, if we only did it this way (same way). I thought that the things the 5 of us want to do, things we are thinking, would get damaged gradually.
- But that was the methodology, the way things were with DIR EN GREY till now.
Yeah. But, it started to become bit boring like that. It’s not like someone said it specifically, but I sensed something like that talking with other members. That’s why we decided to [choose a song] that had a more real form for the band. Besides, we thought that song that makes an immediate impact when listened to is the best. Recently, we had many songs that were constructed, but it wasn't about that. [We chose] the song that made people react “wow!” from the first second.
- And yet it was something simple.
Yeah, also something like a song that had a parts easy to play for each member.
- Till now the 5 of you were creating songs while exploring and not knowing what will become of the song in the final stage, right?
That’s right.
- I think now it’s the opposite. You decided on the direction of the song in advance, it’s a song that you all headed for.
Yeah, but it wasn't like we could see the final song just after we made a decision like “let’s do it like that”.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
progress: 2/3
sorry it's hard to find time with the tour in addition to work ^ ^'