ayafujimiya2

Die – Meisho de meishu

Rider – Sachinobu Hasegawa (Interviewer)

Chef – Hideaki Shimada                                                         

*note: I’m not sure whether I got their first names correct.      

I got a call from Die during the middle of July when he must have been busy with recording. He asked me for my free days; he is a guy with adult’s manner. But you’re the one who is busy. So, we were able to meet at the end of July. The place was at a bar restaurant where Die went to eat frequently. This place was popular with stocks of many shochu (Japanese vodka) all over from Japan, and appetizers made by the young shopkeeper. Today, we ordered salad, special crab-cream croquette, and a soft fried burdock root as our appetizers, and while we relaxed, we began drinking.

Wow, it’s been a while. (Hasegawa)

Die: That’s true. I think it’s important to have this time sometimes. This place has good food. Have you ever been here? (Die)

I have. In the end, there was one musician and mentor who slept on top of the table (laugh).

Die: This place is changing into a hang-out place. This place is so good~. 

But please drink 5% alcohol. I’m not letting you drink the 20% just yet. Well, cheers, Renaissance.

Die: What’s that (laugh)?

This is Hige-danshaku’s (Japanese comedians) signature phrase. But you haven’t been drinking because of recording right?

Die: I would go home and have one drink. I’ve been in the studio for a long time. 

You had a tour in May, but did you spend the other hours on production?

Die: No, I took a break in January and February. I didn’t do anything music-related on January. From February I was in a music-making mode, so I didn’t go outside of home. I only went out drinking twice a month. 

Song-making pressures you and forces you to develop ideas, so in a way, it becomes a battle against stress right?

Die: Yeah, you don’t know whether it’s good or bad. And you become concerned with something so detailed. Once you distance yourself from a song and listen again, it’s like what is this. Why did I spend so much time with this? Besides, it’s not good (laugh). Song-making is nothing but “against oneself.”

Did you have good ideas around February?

Die: Rather than idea, I had sounds I wanted to make. I would play the guitar with that thought, but if you make songs with this mentality, it’s not that good.

Oh, so you would have a goal, and it would only move forward in that direction, and nothing else comes up?

Die: If you try to actualize your idea, it becomes something you can find anywhere (laugh). When I’m playing around with my guitar and think I have a good phrase, I try to put that in. Then I begin to develop from there. If I do it this way, it’s easier to evolve in a good way. Imagining beforehand would make ideas fixed.

You yearn for unpredictability? 

Die: Yes, yes.

When you have a fixed imagination, you would lose interest in your own work, but if you play guitar without any fixed ideas, do you come up with ideas beyond your imagination?

Die: Yes, yes, if I don’t pre-determine and play randomly, there’s a catalyst born in that moment. There may be 2 sounds, but if you put on an effect, they would sound interesting too. You can make that kind of idea. But where you’re recording, there are too many possibilities, and it’s difficult to decide. You can do it this way or that way, and want to try all of them, but in reality, you don’t have any time. There would be new sound by tuning your guitar differently, distorting acoustic guitar sounds, and think of those ways. At this point, the recordings for drums has finished, but there are so many songs that need decision on arranging or tone, so I’m thinking, for this song here, for that song there, and my mind is scattered everywhere. Every day, I’m always in this situation. It’s probably impossible for me to try out everything during this recording period.  

“It’s probably impossible?” (laugh) But if you try to do everything, you won’t be able to finish your work. 

Die: A person once said that you need common sense to decide. It’s important to have this common sense and be able to say this is it and choose quickly.

It’s nice to take time to create your work, but a work should be exposed to people’s eyes and ears or it won’t provide any significance of existence. Then, the listener’s feelings would be injected and have a new life born again. 

Die: For significance of existence, the songs need to be performed live. So after making a song, I think the recording to completion shouldn’t take too long. We would get bored of it (laugh). The songs would become something without any stimulation (laugh).    

Even if the actual people (band) would get bored, we (listeners) wouldn’t be, and not even have the chance to hear it (laugh). 

Die: Well, that’s true.

I think it’s actually better to have deadlines.

Die: Because of deadlines we’re able to exert our power as if we’re at a fire site (laugh) [note: basically saying one can exert their full potential at desperate moments]. For The Marrow of a Bone, we mixed for 36 hours continuously. We kept listening, and we couldn’t make decisions. That was not good. You should decide after listening with rested ears, so I want to avoid mixing for 36 hours straight. 

Engineer overseas record orderly and they never work overtime right. I think they work that way so that they make the right decisions. 

Die: That’s partially true. But with Japan, it’s not just with music; there is a cultural aspect for Japanese to work hard. There’s diligence. For people overseas, I think that’s impractical. I think they’re more like we’re done today so let’s party kind of a rouse.

Are you half-way through your work right now?

Die: No, I’m finished with 90% of guitar packing. I’m using a re-amp method, so I’m recording my parts as much as I can, and then use another time to create sounds. I still have a lot of that left. So even if I finished recording my parts, I’m not done and I actually have more work to do.

Impressions of sounds change with tone too. 

Die: Yes, yes. I’m just putting in the raw materials now. But I think this is a good way to be able to create sounds later. You can decide on the tone after all the guitar phrases are put in.

If you don’t re-amp, all the recorded sounds remain in the audio source.

Die: In that case, when a different guitar tone comes in after the first guitar part, the phrase you want people to hear recedes back. You won’t have that kind of problem with re-amp. 

You definitely have intricate phrases for this one too right?

Die: Yeah, I’m building them up. I always wonder whether this recording will ever end. I’m in an opposite mode from last year when it was all touring. It’s hot summer right now, but without any sunlight, having air conditioner full blast at the recording studio, I’ve immersed myself in there. After we finish the album, we’re finally going outside. 

With this weather, your skin is fair like Sonoko Suzuki. What are you some skin-lightening researcher (laugh)?

Die: Yeah (laugh). I haven’t been in the sunlight. The only time I feel the hot weather is for a few minutes when I go outside of my home to when I go inside the car. When I go inside the studio, I need to wear a jacket because it’s so cold. 

Everyone must be jittery. Are you guys pretty tense? 

Die: Not really. There’s Mr. Konish, our engineer, who isn’t like that, and it’s easy to tell from his mood. Rather, he makes these small-time jokes. Nothing but oyaji jokes (note: Oyaji refers to older men in their 40s and up; although it varies from people’s perception). 

Then please tell us one of those jokes.

Die: I’m not oyaji. They’re Mr. Konishi’s oyaji jokes too (laugh). Anyways, I don’t feel too stressed.

Maybe your experience with long tours overseas changed your mindset?

-No, that and recording are totally different. Our staffs say that when we go overseas, our personalities change. When we return from overseas, we’ve become American-like or so. I have no idea what exactly changed though (laugh).

I think you guys aren’t too uptight anymore. Years ago, you guys had this presence that wouldn’t make people go near you. When you guys are on tour and recording, I think your private life becomes tense, and it’s hard to talk to you lightheartedly.

Die: Oh, I guess we do have that kind of change. We did shows with different circumstances and locations last year. We didn’t have any leeway, but we couldn’t be tense all the time. Once we go up on stage, then it’s all right to act that way. We should take a bigger stance.

I think you’ve changed when you’re on stage too. Before, you were stoic, and only the people who understood you figured out what you guys tried to do, but they would not raise their voice with excitement; they just kept to themselves.

Die: Yeah, I think there was that kind of feeling.

 Now you guys are aggressive and make assertions. You stir up the fans too. That way, people watching you guys can jump into your shows. 

Die: I think last year made a huge impact on us. With the number of lives and situations; we had 3 domestic tours, 2 US tours, and 2 European tours, and went on a total of 7 tours. With the US, we had a headlining tour and a supporting-act tour with Deftones. Headlining tour allows you to have your own space, but with support, you’re touring along with Deftones, so there was a team effort involved. At first we were unable to fit in. A lot of American staffs told us stuff. “Why do you do stage shows like that? It’s not appealing.” Stuff like that. For them, having an appealing element is important. “Why aren’t you trying to attract the audience whey you guys are an opening act?” But we’re not that type of band. We’ve been doing our way of stage and because of that we are who we are now. And then they (American staff, etc) would say, “No, that’s not what I mean. Don’t you guys have any MC?” Or “You only look down when you play your guitar; you’re not stirring up the audience at all.” People told these things to us the entire time. We had a discussion within the band, and rather than having any conclusion, each of us changed naturally. Our shows were completely different when you compare the beginning and the end of the Deftones tour. 

That’s not an experience everyone has. It must have influenced you in some ways?

Die: I think we need to have a bigger view. Not “as Japanese” or “because we’re Japanese,” but be who we are no matter where we go. 

By having this experience, you no longer have any adoration for overseas, and you don’t have any border lines right?

Die: Is it? I want to be able to show our stage and communicate in English when I go there.

Did confidence root in to you unconsciously? 

Die: Well~ not really confidence. The mode is different for song-making and recording. I constantly have a sense of “this is seriously not good” when I can’t come up with anything. 

How do you overcome self-resentment?

Die: You have to look at yourself broadly. When you look with a bigger view, some things become trivial. If you feel negative about yourself, it’s a small matter. If you think about life, you want to have a good one. In life, negativity is merely a page. It’s all right to have that page within life. In the end, you should be able to think, “I had a good life” before you die. This age and this time are trifling matters. There’s no need to feel extremely distressed. So if you look at yourself in a broad perspective, then it’s really nothing urgent. But you need to work hard moment to moment, or else you won’t be able to have good life ultimately. 

That’s life philosophy right there. By the way Die-chan, you lost weight. Why?

Die: From this year up to the tour on May, I wanted to have a strenuous time over something. I wanted to do something I determined until I got up on stage. I wanted to be on stage after feeling pressured. 

Sort of like a votive?                 

Die: Yep. It could have been anything, but I kind of decided of getting rid of all my body fat (laugh). 

Why did you want to pressure yourself?

Die: Last year it was good to have many shows, but when we weren’t doing shows, we became really slack.   I felt like being on stage was a given, but I knew that was not the way to think. There should be more depth for each live, each time we get up on stage. So I needed to pressure myself so that I motivate myself to make me yearn to go on stage. I actually wanted to improve my English, and that would have been better, but I’ll start on that once I finish making the album. So I really didn’t need to lose weight (laugh). I’ve witnessed the extreme too. I calculated calories, so during April, I didn’t eat any rice, but you really need sugar for your brain to work. I guess for Japanese, rice is necessary.

You sound like Hadaka no taisho (note: Originally refers to Kiyoshi Yamashita, a painter. Film and drama series were made based on his life) saying you like to eat rice balls (laugh).

Die: It’s true though. But when you write US in Japanese characters it’s 米国 (“rice” and “country”). Why is their main food bread (laugh)? Isn’t it the country of rice?

If you complain like that I think many bands would envy you. 

Die: Would they? Lately many bands go overseas expectedly. But there aren’t too many people who witnessed the actual site. It’s really different from your imagination; we’ve received direct reactions. People would throw stuff at you and I think, “Wow, after doing this many lives we’re still not good enough.” People would throw crushed beer cans with ends sharpened, which fly into our stage, and we once had rocks thrown at us too. That was the time when we were at festivals. It was like that 2 years ago when we attended Rock am Ring where Korn, Deftones, and Guns and Roses were on the same stage. If we would try a medium-tempo song, a lot of stuff would get thrown onto the stage. And it was the World Cup period so these small soccer balls flew in (laugh). You can throw as many as you want; it won’t hurt or scratch me (laugh). When you’re with bands that have travelled around the world, there are many reactions. So you shouldn’t be swayed just because you toured once or twice in the US and Europe.   

Ah, so you shouldn’t call yourself to be “going international” at this level?

Die:  I wouldn’t really call it “going international” though (laugh). But I think that experience is very interesting. When you’re shot down, it actually becomes a motivation. This happened when we’ve been together for 10 years, so it felt like we can climb further together as a band.

You had this ridiculous amount of energy emerging like you did back in your debut?

Die: Yep, yep. You’re able to go without having any fear. I think that’s really important. You record, release an album, and go on tour; when this becomes a rotation, it’s difficult to maintain motivation. Your passion begins to disappear. You begin to wonder whether it’s right to repeat this process every year. We were about to go into that phase, but were given a place to feel inspiration, and the band was able to solidify again. I think 2006 to 2007 was really energetic. We also were able to accomplish many things. You need to have rough times. 

Once you finish recording that would start again?

Die: Yes. The album after the one we’re making now is going to be way ahead. I think this means we’ll be doing a lot of shows. It’s coming up. 

How are you like when you’re on stage?

Die: I can’t understand myself either; when I’m doing a live, I become so energized. I think that’s really natural for me. I want to play guitar in high spirits to the point where I’m about to lose control. I don’t want to be calm on stage. From the beginning, I want to feel carried away. I want to listen what’s around me and get on top, and lose control; this is what I enjoy these days. 

You awaken from your own sounds?

Die: Yes, yes.

Did your votive bring changes during your tour in May?

Die: It was completely different. I felt joy to be able to go up on stage. It’s been a while since I felt that way. It actually felt refreshing. 

Did your aesthesia sharpen?

Die: I guess so. And I also had this feeling of “I’m at my place.” There’s the audience, the SE begins, and once I was at my position, I felt like “This is the atmosphere. I’m finally here.” But then, a fan said, “Die-san you look languished; and sent sugar rice (note: snack?) to me as a present (laugh). I’m fine you know. .. Well, shouldn’t we start drinking the issho bottle (note: This is a glass bottle measurement. It’s equivalent to 1.8 liters/.476 gallons)? Let’s drink Kirishima.

You’re finally drinking Kirishima Die-chan? And you’re drinking it rock too. You’re drinking shochu like water, and the issho bottle is about to be empty. We’ve been drinking and being drunk for three and a half hours. You said you were all right, but I don’t think that’s the case. He (Die) kept shaking my hands and I thought my fingerprints were going to disappear. Afterwards, I left the restaurant. 

Dr. Nemunemu no Daigyakusyu

This month’s Dr. Nemunemu has begun. Right now, I’m in the midst of recording the new album. One day, our studio was very close to Tokyo tower. Dr. Nemunemu visited Tokyo tower when he was 9 years old when he went on a family vacation; that was the first time. Later on, when he was 18, he went there for some magazine series. As people who live near Mount Fuji never climb the mountain, when you live in Tokyo, you don’t want to go to Tokyo tower. However, Tokyo tower has Noppon, mascot characters that have two brothers. They are twin brothers where the older brother wears a blue clothes and the younger one wears red clothes; and the older brother is showing very good character. I would like to quote from Tokyo tower’s message board how this character is.

•I went to Disneyland. Many characters were popular. Will Noppon plan to join them in the future?  

Noppon: If the charismatic mouse pleads me to join, I will. 

•Last week, I went to Tokyo tower for my birthday by myself. I was happy to see the older Noppon brother doing a celebration dance. I think I’ll come again alone next year. Older Noppon brother, thank you!   

Noppon: Bring someone along with you next year…

So, this older Noppon brother makes these comments that are unlikely of an official Tokyo tower mascot. 

Dr. Nemunemu was intrigued by Noppon for a while, so as a topic for my corner, I decided to search for Noppon. I first decided to buy tickets to go to the observatory, but since it was a Sunday, there was a long line. My high spirit fell immediately. I was about to leave when I could care less about Noppon until I saw this poster.

You can actually visit Noppon if you go to Foot town on the first floor. I decided to go there right away, and there he was! The younger Noppon brother! I didn’t expect to find him so easily, and I thought this would end my corner quickly this time, and began to look for older Noppon brother. However, he is nowhere to be found. I asked the person at the information center, but they didn’t know where he was. We looked for him on the other floors of Foot town. He is not found. The staff cameraman K-san had a laptop, so I asked him to go online and go into Tokyo tower’s message board and typed in, “We came here just to see you Noppon. Where are you?”

We waited for a while, but no response. Older Noppon brother is just as I expected. He ignored us. 

While we were searching, on the fourth floor, I found a trick art gallery. Dr. Nemunemu loves trick art, so he went inside. Then, I found older Noppon brother! 

When I looked closer, it was a trick art painted on the wall. I was tricked. But the trick art gallery was too small, and this was not enough. I need to go to a bigger gallery or else I won’t be satisfied. 

Calming myself, I returned to the first floor of Foot town and thought that I needed to come back here and search for the older brother. In the end, I took a purikura (small photo stickers) that has Noppon inside the frame. As I was taking this photo by myself, outside the curtain, K-san was yelling, “The blue one is here!” I thought to myself, “really?” And when I went outside, the older Noppon brother appeared! He’s wearing weird clothes too. 

I was glad to see the Noppon brothers. 

Now, I would like to give my purikura to one person as a present. If you want it, please write your member number, address, name, age, phone number, and impression on Dr. Nemunemu’s Daigyakushyu corner (longer writings are advantageous), and send it to 106-0032 Tokyo-to Minato-ku Roppongi 4-8-6 Pacific Capital Plaza Building 6F 「aknot」Nemunemu present係. Last winner was No. 18355 Fumi Noguchi-san. Congratulations. 

Dr. Nemunemu was not convinced with the size of the trick art gallery, so the next day, he went to a trick art gallery that was known for having may works; and headed for Takaoyama Trick Art Museum. I was very satisfied because there were so many works. 

Satisfied, Nemunemu corner will now end. Let us meet again if we have a chance. Good-bye.     

Aibiki no Mori

How are you? The newsletters proceed quickly, and we have released our 40^th volume. Time indeed passes very quickly. And our 7^th album Uroboros will be finished!! I want everyone to listen to this sound soon. I want as many people to listen to it. I am looking forward to it. Also, our tour will begin! This time, we will visit places we have never gone before, so I’m looking forward to them.  I am willing to go to places where I’ve never been before. I want more people to watch our shows. We’ll be heading to the US and go into training! It’s intense, but there must be many things to gain. And once I digest everything, I would like to head to Osaka-jo Hall at the end of the year. I’m thinking to end 2008 in a great way. Thank you!!

Gansonaki Kaoru-ya

How are you guys? This is Kaoru who is exhausted but full of high spirit.

Today (I began writing this on 8/11) at 8am, I finally finished recording my guitar part, and feel relieved… But we’re now onto mixing. We still need to work on synthesizer and some parts we need to record and replace, but we need to keep because we seriously do not have any time.    Five days later, we were no-where near finished with mixing…We might not make it. We slept over at the studio until the last day of mixing, and this time there was a feeling of being finished, but around noon… Koni-young’s Mac was acting strange and had to stop; we started this process again when there was only 18 hours left…

And 45 hours later, Die, Mr. Furuta, the director, and I went to NY for mastering. Until today, we have not been able to sleep for the last 2 weeks, and finished Uroboros. After we finished mastering and listened to the album from start to finish, my eyes became a little watery because all my memories of recording came back… We started making songs at the beginning of this year, and from March we got together, argued about the songs, tweaked them, and began preproduction. Around April, after the songs were ready, we recorded the rhythm parts, made another song and then another preproduction, and repeated that process. All the songs were ready just before July. After that, everyday was intense recording.

This past month, I seriously have not gone outside. It was really tough near the end, but I give my appreciation to all the staff who worked very hard! Because of you guys, we were able to make the most insane album!

And if this Uroboros resonates in your heart, that would be great. This work is packed with Dir en grey sound that is not trendy or obsolete. I would like you guys to listen to it carefully, and I hope it becomes an important part of you. 

For the people who have always watched us,

For the people who have watched us,

And for the people that will know us from now,

Here is Dir en grey.

Thank you everyone, I seem to have full of appreciation. 

Now, let’s go drinking～!!

I bought a deluxe limited album from a catalogue. I hope it comes soon~.