NEO Magazine 209 interview

 

MASS HYSTERIA

Interviewer and translator(?) - David West

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Posting this for purely archival purposes and also so that anyone outside the UK can read the interview, if you live in UK support the magazine ect and all that good stuff.

Also Ruki’s not in this interview for some unexplained reason.

(via juunanasai.tumblr.com)

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URUHA: ‘For me, I’m always working to exceed what we did before, so regardless I’m always motivated to push forwards and reach our highest production level yet.’

REITA: ‘It’s definitely a milestone [on it being their tenth album] It would feel even more like one if we went on tour though. I feel like my own expectations, and the expectations of the other members, are even bigger than those of the fans.’

KAI: ‘Just because it’s our tenth album doesn’t mean it should be put on a pedestal, but as a career milestone it’s an achievement. It’s also something that we cannot possibly make without expectations from fans, so I’m grateful for that pressure!’

AOI: ‘World events and my own personal demons have stood in the way from it feeling like a proper milestone, when I make a piece of music, I’m often projecting my mental state into a new shape. As such, I don’t really feel any pressure. That’s not to say there aren’t parts I don’t like, but it’s hard for me to convey such nuances with words.’

REITA: ‘I believe the essence of the GazettE’s sound is the continued expression of these three things; intensity, melody and atmosphere.’

KAI: ‘There’s certainly songs with varying atmospheres on this record, each of them a powerful weapon in the arsenal of the GazettE, and I believe the true essence is found when we perform live. When I’m working on new material at the back of my mind, I’m imagining how this is going to be performed.’

AOI: ‘The most important thing to consider is how the performance of a particular song fits in with the flow of a show. Because of this, individual songs can be extravagant or calm. I want people to enjoy the album as if it’s a fine meal with a variety of dishes, and not just one main dish.’

AOI: ‘We’re a band of many parts and skills, where there’s something missing, another member can fill the space and bring back the balance. That is how we were able to maintain balance. Together we can be a strong unit.’

KAI: [Usually someone brings a demo to the rest of the band that needs everyone to add their finishing touches] ‘This time we we did it that way too, but also the tracks HOLD and FRENZY were made from scratch with all the members involved’

REITA: [On those two songs evolving the most through conception to the album] ‘There was an intro we had that was difficult to progress from, we took some time out and discussed what we can do to fix it, while also imagining the excitement of playing it live. We kept trying and testing to see what would work until we settled on the version you hear now.’

KAI: [On how the songs on the album were narrowed down from 40 to 11] ‘There was no particular reason the final songs made the cut besides the inspiration that came from all five members, these were the ones we thought were the absolute coolest of the bunch!’

AOI: ‘I feel like we’ve lost valuable time for all those involved in the live music industry. Like with athletes, sometimes a small break can make a big difference.’

REITA: ‘It’s made me hit the gym more than usual to work on my strength and to release stress. At least when I hit the stage again, I’ll be in my best physical condition yet!’

Kai: ‘As a way to deal with my feelings I’ve been practicing and imagining that we’re in front of an audience. It’s been two years now since we were last onstage, so next time I’m there let’s push things beyond the boundaries of imagination.’

Aoi: [On their popularity outside of Japan] ‘It still blows my mind that we cannot speak another language except Japanese, yet our music can cross many seas. I’m very grateful to have such an opportunity.’

REITA: [On his most memorable gig outside of Japan being Russia’s Kubana rock festival] ‘It took us over 30 hours to get there, and then the bus from the airport to the hotel took a while too. By the time we finally arrived it was the middle of the night and I was starving. I was handed a lunchbox with my room key, and opened it up. I was surprised to find a banana and some cucumbers.’

AOI: [On their first UK gig] ‘From the day before the show many people had lined up outside the venue and I realised that all these people had big expectations for us. However, on that day, the venue was double-booked due to a mistake by the promoter and we had to end early. As a result, from the past 12 years I have felt as if I have estranged the fans by betraying them. I’m really grateful for everyone who accepted the GazettE when we visited in 2019 and asked us to come again. Of course, after the situation in the world calms down, I definitely want to come back to the UK!’

KAI: ‘Of course! Where there’s a call for the GazettE we will surely answer’.

 

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