These articles are reprinted from the Sony Magazines group - PATiPATi, WHAT's IN?, UB, and Gb.
This is a translation of a reprint of an interview that originally appeared in an item published by Sony Magazines. It accompanied the release of ectomorphed works. Familiarity with that album as well as other remixes that appeared on the 1999-2000 era singles is reccomended. This was reprinted for the Box Set of The 15th anniversary in formation. The translation is based on the reprinted version.
BEGIN INTERVIEW
He is already renowned as a remixer. For yukihiro, the drummer, this first L'Arc remix album, ectomorphed works, is an opportunity to discover a new side to their hits and to put the depth of their work on display. Let us obtain an explanation of the importance of each track from the artist himself.
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ectomorphed works, the first remix album in L'Arc~en~Ciel's history, features a neologism in its title, (Analyzed directly, ectomorphed means "recreated from the outside" and as so suggested, the artist has indeed made his decisive mark upon the songs by putting his hand to them from the outside in. Now, the details of the ten tracks that appear below were divulged by yukihiro, who alone applied his hand to the original works for this recreation. On the day following the album's completion, it appeared that he had something to conceal. He was, of course, exhausted the previous night, telling us "I realized I'd fallen asleep with my shoes on... that's how tired I was." with a characteristic laugh that tells volumes about his satisfactory completion of the work, truly expressive as always.
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● larva {ectomorphed long mix}
yukihiro [(In response to the question "Were you sure that this would become the opening track?") I guess so. 'Cause it's instrumental. I wanted to make it long. I like Underworld (1) and... They have songs with a singing part, and the rest of the track just goes on and on, you know. I wanted that kind of ambiance. The track has blocks where there's a bit more or a bit less sound, right. It didn't give me much trouble when I was making it.]
● trick {new^2 wave of japanese heavy metal mix}
yukihiro [A revised edition? That's what it is. It doesn't really have much of a concept. I just wanted to remix it, again. If I'm going to have a chance to release it again, then I want to remix it again. This song is kind of hard to work with. There's all kinds of kicks in it, so it's hard to get deep enough in to figure out which one should be emphasized when. And the subtitle, I thought it was a really cool thing to say about this song.]
● Kasou {0628 mix}
yukihiro [It's got enough sound, compared to the last version. There are more kicks, and more percussion, and I changed the rhythm around a bit. (For me, remixing is) Easier when there's singing, so-called club music is really monotonous, you know. It's loop music. It's easier to showcase when there's singing. It's easier for the listener to appreciate too, I think.]
● fate {everybody knows but god mix}
yukihiro [The subtitle is 'everybody knows but god'. It's the opposite of the saying 'god only knows'. So it's a twist, saying 'everybody knows fate, except god.' For this one, I had ken-chan play some new guitar parts. First I made a simple synth version with rhythm and bass for him, and went "Here, play something." He gave it back and I edited it... I wanted to try making a remix like that. ] (When approached about this style of music creation, ken called it "correspondence style". /laughs)
● Shinshoku ~lose control~ {ectoborn mix}
yukihiro [This is the only song that I really want to do over. I don't think the last one was cool. Of course, at the time, I did think it was cool, but now I look at it again, and as a remixer I think it was pretty amateurish. But honestly, a bit after I made the last one I thought "Oops, what did I do..." (laughs). I went into it thinking "I wanna do this differently" so I decided to put 'ecto' in as part of the title.]
● a swell in the sun {system in chaos mix}
yukihiro [Here, the subtitle alone is 'chaos' right. My image of chaos? It makes me think of... putting it simply, it's a 'snowstorm', like on TV. Only more twisted, and more solid. I used to dream about it a lot, when I was a kid. I dreamed about how it would twist around me. I don't dream about that anymore (laughs). Honestly, I haven't listened to the completed final track yet, but when I was making it I thought "Hey this is sounding pretty good." But I wasn't really adding much new sound. This is how I wanted it to sound in the first place, yeah, I'm pretty sure that's it.]
● l'heure {quiet afternoon mix}
yukihiro [After chaos comes floating? Yes it does. It's got the atmosphere of a quiet afternoon. It's the same for any song, but I think the bass and drums are what's important for creating the atmosphere, with this kind of sound. I try to take care, with that in mind. In this song, it's like the drums are floating on the bass. The sound the drums make, it's really quite dry. It's not about my own preference in sound, this one is about creating a world.]
● cradle {down to the moon mix}
yukihiro [(When asked about how this remix has 'moon' where a previous one had 'earth') Well yes (laughs). I wanted it to 'float' more. I thought, I want this one to go to space (laughs). I added some female vocals here. hyde's voice is Japanese, hers is English, see. At first I thought simply, they would work together, back and forth. It's kind of tricky to work with, you know, with rap. When the girl is singing normally and I licked into a rap, and stuff. I think it's really cool.]
● Shinjitsu to Gensou to {out of the reality mix #2}
yukihiro [In this one, the second half sounds like a draw. At first I thought it should be more, I didn't know more what, exactly, but it felt like it needed to be more. But, then when I laid it out I thought it would be hard to listen to. This is a "sequel" anyway, so it's not about adding or removing sound. I did a lot with it, but it still matches the previous one, it just brings more to the table. It's not about thinking "I've gotta change it," its simply "Can I make this any cooler?". I had the idea, and it sounded like it would turn out pretty cool so that's what I did.]
● metropolis {android goes to be a deep sleep mix}
yukihiro [This one is pretty different from the old one. It's kind of refreshing, I guess. The last one was all "Wooah!" you know (laughs) overall. I wanted to cut back on that, this time. Actually, it's got one piece less than the other. I took out one part. And it's actually the last thing that I put into the last one. I thought there was something missing, but that was overdoing it, I felt. In the end, the sound of the piano that I wanted to show off in the last one, it's more obvious in this version.]
Words - Masuda Yuuichi
Translated by Natalie Arnold
1.Underworld is an electronic music duo that has been recording since 1980.Go back.
This is a translation of a reprint of an interview that originally appeared in WHAT's IN?, January 1999 issue, alongside the release of the Light my Fire! tour video. It will not make sense to readers who have not seen that video. This was reprinted for the Box Set of The 15th anniversary in formation. The translation is based on the reprinted version.
BEGIN INTERVIEW
Having completed the longest tour of their history to date, L'Arc~en~Ciel is now releasing a video of their concerts. The release date is set exactly one year after the day they reincarnated at Tokyo Dome. This video puts on display the growth they have achieved over the past year.
---
L'Arc~en~Ciel. In 1998, this band attracted the attention of the entire country, and their Lives are an important side that cannot be overlooked. "We were on tour so long that I can't remember what I did when I went home," so spoke one of the members, his words proving that the lives were indeed their main activity. Despite all that, they found the time to release 10 titles (11 if one includes the GODZILLA soundtrack), which shows that their other focus has been on recording and releasing, which they have done simultaneously, and may very well be "The most impressive thing this band has done" over the course of the year.
The tenth title... Namely, the greatest work by L'Arc~en~Ciel this year: Light my Fire! will be released on December 23. This live video combines footage from the Osaka Dome live on October 17 with that of the final concert held at Yoyogi National Gymnasium on the 21st for its primary focus.
tetsu [I heard there were more cameras on us this time than ever before.]
ken [There was that R2D2 guy, he was pretty interesting. I know it was operated by remote control, but still, it looked like it had a face. Our eyes would meet, and it looked like it was having fun. And it went zoomzoomzoomzoom when it moved.]
hyde [Oh, and it looked embarrassed when I blew kisses at it (laughs).]
Beginning in May, "L'Arc~en~Ciel Tour '98 Light my Fire!" lasted nearly six months and spanned 56 concerts in 47 venues, mobilizing some 230 000 people. At every venue, the tickets sold out almost the instant they were put on sale, suggesting that an untold number of fans were left unable to see the lives. During this long tour, many backstage clips were filmed in the style of artistic shorts, and are included on the video as "Member Approved (?)Highlights".
hyde [Highlights... the Hokkaido Fox. It was so cute.]
tetsu [The backstage clips were put together out of stuff from the entire tour. I guess there's more from the first half, right?]
yukihiro [I think the highlight is the one where hyde-kun goes to the bathroom and suddenly transforms (laughs).]
hyde [Oh that. I thought "Let's film my hair standing up, frame by frame" so that's what it is, only a little exaggerated (laughs). So that's how it turned out.]
tetsu [I have that clip where I come out from behind Charlie's head (Charlie being a cameraman who accompanied them on the tour) but now I wonder why I did that in the first place (laughs). I can't remember what I was thinking, but I remember what it felt like (laughs).]
ken [The real mystery is that clip where yukkie goes "Dakkadakkadakka gwinn" (everyone laughs). I don't know, do you want to explain or tell us what that was about?]
yukihiro [Oh that (laughs). I don't remember what was going on. Not at all. Watching the video, I don't understand it either. What does that mean, "Dakkadakkadakka gwinn"?]
Of course, the effective use of CGI special effects can also be considered one of the highlights.
ken [A highlight... how about the opening? The first time I watched the video, I didn't know it was special effects. I thought "Wow, that's some awesome lighting," "We totally couldn't see it from the stage."]
yukihiro [That was the sun, right? It's 'a swell in the sun', so you know, it was swelling.]
ken [So that's why it got bigger? ...I learned something new today.]
tetsu [And there's something else that I didn't notice during the live. During 'Shout at the Devil', there were fireworks going off, bang bang, right behind us but I didn't even notice. Those fireworks, it was a special effect we only used at Osaka Dome. When got home and watched the video I was so surprised, "Oooh wow!" I had heard people talk about it but I didn't know it had turned out so great.]
The final addition was the 150-piece string orchestra that performed in the encore, 'anata'. This, too, was a special performance reserved only for the Osaka Dome show, and this highlight, too, was faithfully captured on video.
What follows is nothing more than my personal opinion, but it seems to me that every part of the lives of this tour, including the above-mentioned "Member Approved Highlights", which was captured on film is a special characteristic of this video. As you are well aware, their music displays the contrast of light and darkness as a key part of its appeal, and the same has always been true of their live shows. Yet, after seeing so many lives during this tour, I now believe this trait to be of the greatest importance. In the midst of their aggressive activity this year, their bright songs have not solely been bright, and their dark songs have not solely been dark. That is the power of this band. I believe this strength may have fuelled the tour. Despite the various restrictions and unavoidable edits required by video, it is nonetheless clearly felt. Precisely because of the greatness of the lives, the true power of the band can be displayed.
In closing, I asked them "What did you do on the day after the final show of the tour?" and will now transcribe the most memorable answer. It may also be seen as a hint about things yet to come.
tetsu [I don't remember what I did. But, with the tour being over, I didn't have anything to do and I felt bad. I'm better off when I have things to do, obviously.]
Words - Itou Aki
Tranlated by Natalie Arnold
This is a translation of a reprint of an interview that originally appeared in WHAT's IN?, June 2003 issue, just after the Shibuya Seven days 2003 lives were announced. This was reprinted for the Box Set of The 15th anniversary in formation. The translation is based on the reprinted version.
BEGIN INTERVIEW
In the midst of their lively solo projects, L'Arc~en~Ciel have just suddenly released three simultaneous 'Best of' albums, thus reminding the world of the high quality of their works. Now, the four of them have abruptly decided to reunite for a seven-day live. What could this concert, the first in two and a half years, possibly mean? What will become of the band's future? This publication had the occasion to speak with them on a fine April day. These personal interviews will plunge into the depths of their hearts, accompanied by precious photographs - The truth lies here.
*****
In his solo project, he alone can, and in fact must, determine every single sound, package, and picture. How will this experience come into play regarding L'Arc? We ask this, along with a few questions about the upcoming seven-day live, to hyde, who has just entered the second chapter of his solo project.
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- To start off, could you please tell me exactly how "Shibuya Seven days 2003" came to be?
hyde [Up until now, the usual pattern has been to make an album and then have the tour to go with it, but back when we were indie, we had the lives first and made an album later. We'd been talking about that back when the band decided to take a break, and it probably stuck, so I think this live has something to do with that whole thing. We didn't discuss it that way explicitly, though.]
- How did it come to be set for seven days from June 28 to July 6?
hyde [We all have our own projects, plus there's the venue's schedule too, so all things considered this is just what turned out best. At first we were thinking of making it a proper tour, but somehow we decided it was better to make it weird (laughs).]
- How did you feel when it was first decided?
hyde [It's gonna be a lot of work (laughs). Since we're doing this, we have to put on a good show, you know? It won't be enough to just start rehearsals a few weeks before the lives, like we always did before; I think we're going to have to work it until our heads explode.]
- Since the four of you haven't worked together in quite a while, it seems to me that you would need some extra time.
hyde [Indeed. In a way, it's going to be exhausting. But at the same time, part of me is looking forward to it. I know I can rely on the other members, and they've each spent the last two, three years producing their own sound, so I've been wondering how that's going to impact their playing. Obviously, there has to be some kind of effect, they'd be lying if there wasn't, and that was the whole point of stopping with L'Arc in first place.]
- As for yourself, hyde-san, how do you feel you have changed since the break?
hyde [Going back to the band means I can specialize in a single part, but since I've gained some knowledge of other parts, I think I'm a deeper person now. Before, I'd want to put things in just because they sounded cool, but now I know more about what seems cool to the other parts, so, let's do it that way. I have a feeling it's going to make me better, tactically speaking.]
- You've gained additional points of view, then.
hyde [That's right. Ever since the beginning, in L'Arc, there's been a sense that each of us is the ruler of his own mountain, and it was always cool when we clashed that way, I'm sure it helped to refine the balance between us, and it's always been thrilling, and yet now I think we might reach a whole new level of equilibrium.]
- The fact that the other members now have experience doing lead vocals will also play a large part, won't it?
hyde [You know, I've been working hard too, playing guitar, and to a certain extent the more experience everyone has, the more it deepens us as an ensemble, and I guess it will help us understand each other better than ever before.]
- What kind of live do you want this to be, hyde-san?
hyde [About three years ago, I went to see Mötley Crue, and since it was a greatest hits tour, it was like their best songs were on parade. I thought that was awesome. In a way, I'd like our live to be like that. Up until now, I think all our lives have been set up to focus on a single album and deliver it to the crowd. But on the other hand, wouldn't it be fun to just play the songs that everyone loves, like it was a big party? I want it to be something that L'Arc's fans will enjoy. I don't think it'll be quite the same though, maybe in ten years or so. Anyway, I guess this show will be kind of like seeing Haley's comet (laughs).]
- To pull off such a live, in any format, you must have a lot of confidence in the band's sound.
hyde [I didn't think I'd be so confident, honestly, but now that we're doing it, I think it will be great.]
- Would you say that taking a break from the band and working on your solo projects has changed the way you see L'Arc?
hyde [Working by myself, I found myself wishing for things that the others can do, wondering how they pulled off certain sounds, asking a lot of questions (laughs). Having L'Arc get back together will let me relieve those desires. I think it feels a lot like having someone finally scratch an itch that I couldn't reach on my own. Of course, that's what it comes down to, naturally. Things like that are hard to notice without taking a step back, you know.]
- How do you want the band's activities to proceed after the lives?
hyde [I think we're going to head toward making an album, but rather than go straight into recording, I'd rather do more lives. I don't want to exaggerate and say we need to strengthen the bonds between us, but I think it would be nice to have more intense feelings to build on before we move on to writing songs.]
- hyde-san, how do you go about keeping your solo work and band activities apart, in your mind?
hyde [It's really quite simple. It's like separating work and play. I don't mean that one is work and the other is play, work is fun in it's own way and so is play. If that wasn't the case, life would be boring. Keeping solo and band activities from interfering, aside from the scheduling, isn't much of a problem for me. They're both fun. To put it in an extreme way, it's like buying a Playstation; if you play the same game all the time, you get bored with it. This is a lot like that (laughs).]
Words - Hasegawa Makoto
*****
In creating his other band, SONS OF ALL PUSSYS, he jumped into an indie lifestyle that is the polar opposite of the monster band that has become L'Arc - such is ken. What could he have in mind for L'Arc now that he has recaptured the flat feeling so particular to the indie era?
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- How did you feel when this live was decided?
ken [Doing lives is mostly an excuse for the four of us to get together and make some music. I think that by playing our instruments, listening to each other play and hearing the sounds that come out, we express ourselves and communicate our feelings far more effectively than we ever could by talking with words. That's why, as a band, this is a perfect opportunity to determine what kind of music we want to make and what kind of direction we'll be heading.]
- Were you surprised to suddenly end up playing in Yoyogi for seven days?
ken [At first, there was talk of doing it in Osaka too, but instead of going for four days in Tokyo and three days in Osaka or something like that, we decided to stay the whole seven days in Tokyo, specifically in Shibuya, because it's crazy and more fun that way. (laughs)]
- The number '7' also has deep meaning attached. There are seven colours in a rainbow, and in the old testament, it is written that God created the world in seven days, so it's a number that symbolizes all of creation.
ken [I think we picked seven days because it has so many meanings readily available. Back in June, we wondered if it might be better to drop it to keep things from going overboard. Then we figured that since we went with the idea of doing everything in Tokyo, we were better off keeping it just for the fun value.]
- What kind of live would you like this to be?
ken [First of all, we need to rehearse; we need to hear each other play for real or else there's too much stuff we can't work out. I think things will become clear after that. Then, since we released those 'Best of' albums, and we know there are a lot of people who want to see us live, I think we'll simply respond to their feelings and give them what they want. That means we won't be playing new songs, we'll focus on what we've already got, and I think that's what we need to do right now anyway before we can move forward.]
- Even though you'll be playing old songs, since all of you have been working on your own solo projects, things won't sound exactly the same, will they?
ken [I think you're right. I wonder how the solos have affected us. How have we changed? I don't know, I guess I'll just have to see; and yet I think we'll just be L'Arc again, won't we? I guess there are two ways it can go. Either we'll try to be the same L'Arc we always have been and automatically stay inside our old shell, or we'll use what we learned during our solos to break out from that shell.]
- Which way do you personally want it to be?
ken [I want us to last forever, so I want us to keep on evolving. But it's possible to keep going without making any progress. You know, like traditional arts, we could end up just repeating what we did before. Ultimately, I just want all of us, all the members, to move forward to a happy place.]
- ken-san, at the moment, you are active in two different bands. Has your experience with S.O.A.P. caused you to rediscover the good sides of L'Arc?
ken [A 3-piece band is completely different from a 4-piece+keyboards band. In S.O.A.P. I have fun playing guitar, and in L'Arc I enjoy the whole ensemble, that's how it feels to me. Also, in both bands I indulge myself with the melodies, but to me, the goal isn't quite the same in each one. Just, if I'm going to be working with L'Arc now, I have a feeling that my sense of melody is going to be a bit different from what it used to be. The reason being that in the last two years, I heard and saw a lot of things.]
- L'Arc's 'Best of' albums were released in March. Since it's been so long since you made those songs, did you have a chance to enjoy them, as a listener?
ken [I didn't have a chance to listen to those albums, myself. Actually, since my manager had them, I just heard them in the car while going around on tour with S.O.A.P. It was more about the memories than the actual sound of the songs (laughs). Plus, in the back seat there were some staff members that were always around with L'Arc, too, so we reminded each other about a lot of things. About the thing with the lights, and the thing with the fireworks. I was so happy, hearing those stories all over again. It let me know that everyone really had a good time working with us. At the time, some details seemed so much more important, and other things were completely invisible. For the S.O.A.P. tour, all our travelling was by car, and so I had the time to rediscover a lot of things.]
- How do you feel about the fact that it's been ten years since you released your first album, DUNE, in April '93?
ken [Right now, I feel like I've gone back to the flat mood from back when we were making DUNE. Back then we didn't care about topping the charts, or about our position in anything at all. The more we went on, the more people got involved with us, and a lot of things got complicated, and some things got pretty messed up because of it, but the last two years have been a chance to reset everything, so from now on, even if more people enter the picture, I won't let it get messed up. That's how I feel. Now, I'm ready to pour my pure feelings about what I like right into the music.]
- What are your expectations for the other three members?
ken [I don't want to work them into the ground, except that I do, musically speaking (laughs). I want to produce some intense sounds. I have so many ideas to try out, my heart is pounding with anticipation of the collaboration that's about to start.]
Words - Hasegawa Makoto
*****
Having built up his own label on which to promote his solo project TETSU69, tetsu is now facing the seven-day live by preparing his body as a bassist. As he is the leader of the band, what does this L'Arc live represent for him? Let us ask and find out.
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- It's really been quite a long time since you've had a live. Two years and a bit, right?
tetsu [Doing a live as a band... you're right, it has been a while.]
- As for the live itself, have you already got everything planned out?
tetsu [No, not at all. About all I've done so far is go through all our songs since the beginning and put together a list of the ones I want to do.]
- What kind of songs did you pick out, tetsu-san? Also, what did you have in mind as criteria for selecting those songs?
tetsu [Ah... Personally, I looked at the Best albums (the three 'Best of' albums released in March) and picked songs that weren't on them. The Best albums were put together without any input from us members whatsoever. So, I picked songs that I would have put on them if it had been up to me, so we can do them for the live.]
- How did you feel when listening to the Best albums?
tetsu [What was it like... Ah, I wish they'd put in this song instead of that one... It felt pretty nostalgic, somehow. And... My performance was so youthful, back then. The arrangements, the playing, they were all kinda.... Listening to it, I unconsciously started mewing, kinda. There's no way I'd do things the same way, now... Part of me can't help but think like that.]
- I see. You've spent the last two years working on your solo project, and now you're going back to L'Arc~en~Ciel. Looking back at the band, do you see it any differently, now?
tetsu [Differently... I don't feel like I'm looking back, actually. Obviously, L'Arc~en~Ciel is a wonderful band. I still think so, and I always have; it's a wonderful band. Anything I want to do, I can accomplish with them, and I think they're all wonderful people. To think that I've been able to make a band with these wonderful members... it's so incredibly touching.]
- Could you tell me what, specifically, is so wonderful about the other members?
tetsu [No... er... I can't, they're just too wonderful (laughs).]
- I understand (laughs). So, tetsu-san, what do lives represent for you?
tetsu [Let's see... Personally, I ... Okay, so take recordings. They have a very 'secluded' feel to them, you know? We hide away in total seclusion, until we come up with something to show the world. After that come the releases, then the lives, the tour, which is like... Boom, exploding all over the place. That feeling... I've really come to enjoy it. To me, that's what lives represent, so no matter where we play, it's always fun for me. It can be a livehouse or a hall or an arena or even outside. There's something enjoyable in the atmosphere, each one is unique and can only be tasted once.]
- L'Arc~en~Ciel has moved on to progressively larger venues with time. How do you perceive that trend, tetsu-san?
tetsu [We can play big venues just as well as small ones, so doesn't that mean our range has gotten pretty broad? Thanks to that broadness, we have a choice of things we like to do in any given live, so there are fewer rules restricting our work. That's the reason we can pull off anything. Of course, it's more fun that way, getting to do what we want. It's very enjoyable, actually. We've gotten to a point where... L'Arc doesn't do that many lives. Ever since our indie period, I've always been pushing to reduce the number of lives we do.]
- I see. Is there any particular reason why?
tetsu [Well, hmm... Back when we were indie, we didn't have that many songs, and indie bands have lives two, three times a month, right? At that rate, you end up with fans thinking they won't bother coming to this live since they can always just come to the next one in a week or so. And then no one comes to the lives. Doesn't that happen a lot?]
- Indeed (laughs) it does.
tetsu [See? (laughs) So, I want each and every live to be precious, and to do that, there has to be fewer of them. I want the people who come to see us to feel a bit of fear, a sense that they can't know when the next live is gonna be. And of course, we've certainly increased the number of fans mobilizing to see us, since we've had this strategy all along.]
- What do you personally want to do in the upcoming lives?
tetsu [Honestly, right now it's my body... I'm working on getting back in shape, like I was two, three years ago. Naturally, the fans haven't seen us since two, three years ago, because L'Arc stopped. This time, when they see us again, I don't want anyone to think "Oh he's gotten fatter" or "Ah, he's getting old." So, I'm in the middle of a training program to get back into the shape I used to be. You could say I'm preparing my body for the lives.]
- But you don't look any different to me?
tetsu [No way! I've totally changed (laughs). I've lost muscle and I'm not as strong anymore. I did some lives for my solo project, but it wasn't too intense and it was too easy on my body. L'Arc lives are much more... They're really intense. I do a lot more with my body. So now I have to get that body back. As the day of the lives approaches, I'll probably have other... feelings, the part of me that goes into Live Mode coming back in full. But well, that's still two months away, so I can't know for sure right now (laughs).]
Words - Itou Aki
*****
He uses computers to create a world of sound, then grips a mic and steps up front. In a sense, as acid android, yukihiro is as different as he could ever be from the self he displays while with the band. That said, he was the first of them to start preparing for the lives. While re-examining his drumming style, he remembers L'Arc lives of the past.
---
- Could you please tell me how this new L'Arc~en~Ciel live, the first in a very long time, came about?
yukihiro [How it came about? How was it again... We had a meeting, talked about doing something, decided to have some lives, and I guess that's it?]
- Live first... is there a reason you decided to do it that way?
yukihiro [What do you mean? You think it's because we didn't have enough time to make an album? (both burst into laughter)]
- What are your thoughts on this approaching seven-day live?
yukihiro [I don't know anything yet. All I've done is practise the drums.]
- In the studio?
yukihiro [Yeah. I go to the studio alone, and play. During my solo project, I didn't play the drums at all... I haven't played them in about a year and a half. So at first, I got blisters on my hands. I'm OK now, though. I've been playing for five or six hours a day, I guess. I really started over from the basics. Like... baaang! Hitting each drum one at a time. Next, I play an 8-beat, or something. Anyway, it's a good opportunity to re-examine my style, all the way down to the basics. Right about yesterday, I started playing actual songs again.]
- By the way, what was the first song you played?
yukihiro [The first one was "Niji". I completely failed (laughs). I was just all over the place, my balance was completely rotten. That's why I think I need to work out until my body can handle drumming again. If only I had the muscles for drumming! You know (laughs). It's all I need to live! (laughs) Like I said before, just yesterday I started playing whole songs again, and it started to feel a little bit real. Like a faint feeling that I'm really going to do a live. But I really need to practise... Practise, and memorize everything again (laughs). So far, I've been remembering the basics, it feels like I'm doing everything over again.]
- I see. And we'll be able to see the results in this upcoming live.
yukihiro [Yeah. It'll have to show, won't it. I'm sure it'll work out fine. It has to (laughs).]
- May I change the subject a bit? yukihiro-san, do you remember what it was like the first time you played a live with L'Arc~en~Ciel?
yukihiro [That would be the time we called ourselves the Zombies. It was at... Rockets, in Osaka. I was nervous, of course. I think there was a mistake, and we had to stop, at some point. But it wasn't me who made the mistake. I think we started playing something with a completely wrong structure (laughs). But I don't remember it very well.]
- And L'Arc~en~Ciel's big live at Tokyo Dome was just after that, right?
yukihiro [The Tokyo Dome live... By then I wasn't nervous anymore. It felt like I'd moved beyond the need to be nervous. Playing in the Dome, it doesn't feel real. Even in the middle of the actual event, it didn't feel like I was in a live at all.]
- Of all the lives you've done with L'Arc~en~Ciel so far, which one has been the most memorable for you?
yukihiro [That would have to be the Big Side one, I guess. In Tokyo, for the outdoor tour.]
- 1999's "GRAND CROSS TOUR", the final concert. You were there two days, right?
yukihiro [Yeah. It simply feels like that was my best live.]
- From your point of view, what makes a live good, yukihiro-san?
yukihiro [Let me see... It's like, the way I hit (the drums), there's always a response. Then, when I'm done, it's like... Yay! In my mind. On the other hand, when there's something lacking, it's really obviously lacking. I always reflect on things as soon as they end. Checking for mistakes, parts that should have gone differently. Places where I wasn't really feeling it.... ...Every time there's something not right, I reflect on it right away. Anyway, that time, for "GRAND CROSS" in Tokyo, it was the conclusion of the tour, too, the very last day, so it really felt like an accomplishment, you know? The "Light my Fire!" (1998) tour was pretty long too, I guess. When it was over I thought "Ah~ I made it."]
- Has anything been settled for this summer's lives? If you have any ideas or plans, please share them.
yukihiro [Nothing yet... not particularly.]
- Have you started to think about the song list?
yukihiro [I haven't gotten that far yet. I'm still remembering all the songs, working my way through.]
- So what will you be focusing on between now and the lives themselves?
yukihiro [I will try not to hurt myself, I guess. I get hurt a lot, just before a live (laughs). But you know, I'm looking forward to these lives, a lot. We haven't even started rehearsing yet. I know I said I was drumming, but I'm just playing by myself at this point. All four of us together... we haven't gone there yet. So first of all, I'm looking forward to that, to us getting together again. It's been a really long time... I'm wondering how it's going to go, and I've got a lot to look forward to from now on.]
Words - Itou Aki
Translated by Natalie Arnold
This is a translation of a reprint of an interview that originally appeared in WHAT's IN? June 1999 issue. It was done around the time of the release of Pieces, before ark and ray were released and also just before the GRAND CROSS TOUR. This was reprinted for the Box Set of The 15th anniversary in formation. The translation is based on the reprinted version.
BEGIN INTERVIEW
As the century draws to a close, L'Arc~en~Ciel once again take up their activities after having lit the world on fire. Their second single of the year is a very gentle song that lends colour to the heart. This July, they will simultaneously release two long-awaited albums that will include their numerous hit songs from the past year, as well as these two newest ones. Still running strong this year; no one can stop L'Arc~en~Ciel!
---
Following up on HEAVEN'S DRIVE, L'Arc~en~Ciel will soon release a new single, Pieces, on June 2. In a reversal of its predecessor's hardness, this song is a solemn ballad that incorporates an elaborate string section. In a quiet, gentle sensation of fullness, this lovely song tints the heart ever more as it is heard. Representing the members, tetsu, this song's composer, had a few words to share.
- Another hit song for you.
tetsu [Is it really? Personally, I really love anata, the last song on HEART. So, I was thinking I'd write a song that would be even better than anata. That was my starting point.]
- Did you have a specific image in mind? For snow drop, you mentioned "Patrasche running through the fields" (1).
tetsu [Let me see... It was kind of irritating. Like, that feeling that you can't resist gravity, it's sad and it's maddening, and you can't do anything about it.]
- You had no problems writing the song?
tetsu [I got the A-melody and B-melody finished rather quickly. It was just the chorus that took some time. I couldn't come up with a melody that fit in well with the rest of it.]
- When it came to the lyrics, did you have any instructions for hyde-san, such as a specific image?
tetsu [Yeah. It would take too long to explain, but the shortest way to put it would be 'Consideration'. How can I say this... I think that there are a lot of people in the world who do bad things without having the slightest intention of being evil. For example, thinking they can get away without working very hard, but in the end somebody ends up getting seriously hurt because of it. I think that sort of thing happens a lot, so the idea is "Let's be more considerate." I had that in mind when writing the song, and I said the same sort of thing to him.]
- Ah, indeed, the end result has quite a caring feeling to it. Also, thanks to the string backing, it sounds very solemn.
tetsu [The strings, yeah, I knew I wanted them to be there right from the beginning. Partly because to write a song that's even better than anata, there have to be strings (laughs). The strings are incredible this time! Two or three times as many people as for anata.]
- I see! The sound is all the richer for it. Now, about the albums that are being released in July, how are they turning out?
tetsu [They're very broad, with all kinds of songs mixed together. There wasn't any particular concept behind them. With L'Arc, the songs usually come first. The music comes first, and the lyrics are made to fit the music, so in the end, even if there does seem to be an overall theme, it'll only be something we came up with after the fact. So, when we're composing songs, we can just focus on coming up with something good, something we enjoy, music that we want to hear and make for ourselves.]
- Once the albums are released, you'll immediately embark on a nationwide tour, but this time all the shows will be outdoors.
tetsu [That's right. This has been going on for a while, actually, I've always wanted to have a live that couldn't be sold out. So that no one who wants to come will be left out. That's why we booked the largest space available at each city we're visiting.]
- Since it will be the middle of summer, it sounds like it will be physically exhausting. Have you been training at all?
tetsu [Training, well... I have been going to the gym and working out, at least.]
- The title is 1999 GRAND CROSS TOUR, which makes me think of it as an End of Century sort of idea. What about you?
tetsu [No, it's not a question of making you think that, it is definitely connected to the idea. The End of the Century idea. It's not that we seriously believe it's the end of the world or anything like that, we're just using the concept.]
- These days, one hears of young people committing crimes that would have been unimaginable in the past. It truly feels like it's the end, doesn't it?
tetsu [No, I really don't think so. I think the same thing happens in every generation. It's just that now, we have more media to cover it all, so that as soon as something happens, everyone knows about it but no one would have heard about that thing in the past. I think it's been happening over and over again in people's lives. And I think other eras have been a lot worse. I heard that in a text written thousands of years ago, there were complaints about "young people these days" (2) I think it's the same in every generation. I don't think the present is special.]
- I see. So, to go back to what you said earlier, you are using the concept?
tetsu [Yeah. Even Marilyn Manson (3) has that hermaphroditic character, and I think it's really interesting to look at the way he's made himself into the king of terror with apocalyptic images. If Marylin Manson hadn't done it first, then we would be doing it (laughs).]
- Have you already begun planning for specific performances on the tour?
tetsu [No, we haven't really thought about it yet. First, we need to finish recording the albums. Then, we need to make the video for Pieces.]
- What kind of video will it be?
tetsu [Oh yeah. I want it to be kind of like a movie. I think it might end up being kind of awesome.]
Words: Harada Sachi
Translated by Natalie Arnold
1. See previous interview here.Go back.
2. He seems to be refering to a quote that is usually attributed to Socrates via Plato and reads "What is happening to our young people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They ignore the law. They riot in the streets inflamed with wild notions. Their morals are decaying. What is to become of them?" Go back.
3. Marilyn Manson is a Shock Rock band that is very famous for causing controversy with shocking images and actions. Indeed the lead singer, also named Marilyn Manson, was presenting himself as a hermaphroditic figure at the time this interview was made. Go back.