ayafujimiya2

credits: in_monochrome


ROCKOON! March 2009

- Your latest release A KNOT OF offers an amazing plenty of material. How did that happen?
Kaoru: Well, we chose the most important concert-documentations from different tours and shows that toke place between 2005 and 2007.

- How did you come up with the cover and artwork?
Kyo: We took the three designs from our fanclub-limited DVD's (put them together) and then created the design for this DVD.

- What kind of feeling is it to look at this footage and watch how DIR EN GREY has developed over the years?
Toshiya: To see that, everyone will have the chance, because this DVD practically combines everything that has happened during the past three years. Pretty straight-line and clear.

- The DVD contains recordings of your live performances at the German mega-festivals Rock im Park and Rock am Ring 2005. What was your first impression when you overlooked this huge area?
Toshiya: I was very excited to play our music in front of so many people. The crowd that sprawled in front of us is what impressed me the most.

- Does it make you proud when you watch these scenes or do you sometimes privily think: 'Oh, that could have been better/different...'?
Kaoru: Of course we're proud when we look back, but we never let it go to our heads, because we want to advance in future as well and want to try new things. At the same time it's only human to feel disappointed now and then.

- The current release clearly shows what huge popularity DIR EN GREY has gained worldwide within the past three or four years. How do you deal with this enormous success?
Kyo: I don't think that we achieve success yet. This is is just the beginning for us.

- Have you been in luck to get to know or become friends with artist-colleagues through your frequently touring through America. (grammar?)
Die: In doing so we've found a lot of friends. Some of our musician-friends come around when we're in their city. That's always funny.

- You've been playing numerous concerts by now, presenting songs from your fresh album UROBOROS. What kind of experiences did you gain within the band with that?
Kyo: We still try to figure that out.
Die: We've only played these songs a few times, so we can't say anything concrete about that yet.

- And how did the audience embrace the songs so far?
Shinya: I think, they go down well, and to us it seems like they will even more in future.

- At the moment you're on the road a lot. What is it that lets you step on stage with enthusiasm every night?
Kaoru: We step on stage and let out all of our frustration and all of our feelings. That's what drives us.

- This album - UROBOROS - was it a possibility for you to draw a line under something - to sort things out?
Kyo: No; for us it's the first step to what's up next.

- The way of DIR EN GREY is...?
Toshiya: The "way of life".