Finally finished kaz after working relentlessly for hours lol. Gonna take a bit of a break to give my brain a rest and then do Monthly VAMPS vol. 14 ^^ Already transcribing those into the computer. Hope you enjoy. I really loved the interview kaz gives here.

SPECIAL INTERVIEW feat. K.A.Z

“When faced with it, I’m really glad that I made these songs”

Kaz looks over his passion for VAMPS and shows his unchanging faith in music.
He includes his activities with other bands, his feelings toward VAMPS, and discusses possibilities.

Since we have this great opportunity to conduct a long interview, I wanted to explore your history as a musician and your overseas activities.

Before VAMPS?

Yes. From the start.

I think my first experience with lives in America was when I was in my early 20s. Maybe about 22 or 23 years old. That was with a band even before Oblivion Dust. Back then we went to LA with the intention of doing lives. We were doing opening acts for foreign bands called Jet Boy and kicks at live houses. Even now I remember the first time I went abroad really well. When we arrived at the airport we got into a car and rock music was booming from the radio. “I knew this would be a great place” I thought. When we went to the rehearsal studio, Motley Crue and Metallica were there, and there was this car with a license plate that had “Noisemaker” written on it. I remember getting excited by each thing and thinking how cool it was (laughs).

So it was just before Nirvana released their 2nd album “Nevermind” and became world famous?

Was that it? Or was it earlier than that? In those days it was the American band Guns and Roses that had taken the world by storm.

I see.

But I have quite a few memories associated with America. My experiences there have been really interesting. Meeting fellow musicians in the studios from time to time, doing sessions on the spur of the moment, those kinds of circumstances.

So just now you said the words “memories associated with America.” Back then did you want to get a lot of American experiences?

Yeah. Back then I had a lot more people around me who thought that way too. Back then that was the age when rock was rock I think (laughs). Back in the day they would broadcast western rock music on the TV in the middle of the night, for those who loved rock it was like…we had this feeling of yearning, we were still green and inexperienced. And for myself I really wanted to go to America and do lives. Actually, I wanted to do that ever since I started playing guitar. But the first time I went to America was actually terrible (laughs). We went over there and were being lent the use of this house right? But when we went to the house for some reason the owner’s sister came out and says to us, “My brother didn’t tell me anything about this and unless you can pay me I can’t help you.” So we ended up with no place to stay (both laugh).

That’s quite the severe start (laughs)

Yes, yes (laughs). But what could we do right? Eventually we wound up in a motel. In the same hotel this couple staying there were having a fight, this dude comes out of the place holding a rifle (laughs). Then in the middle of the night we get a knock at the door and when we look to see who it is, we found out it was a drug dealer (laughs). There were all these dangerous situations and I remember thinking at one point “So this is America…” (laughs) At some point I had an acquaintance tell me they want to start a band that they intend to take overseas. I thought it seemed interesting, so I decided to join. That was Oblivion Dust. And then after they said “We’re going to do some prepro recordings” we went to Scotland. At that time we first formed, the bassist for Oblivion Dust was Scottish. It was the bassist Derek Forbes from Simple Minds.

What? Why someone like that? Where did you get to know him from? Was it a musician connection?

The producer for Oblivion Dust. He was with the predecessor of the Sex Pistols. That is to say, the band that existed before the Sex Pistols formed. I used to play the guitar there. So, back at that time, I had all kinds of acquaintances. When we formed Oblivion Dust and were gathering members, we also had Derek on bass. We did the prepro recordings in Scotland and did the real recordings in America. Even though we did the recordings in America we didn’t have a single American in the band or on staff (both laugh hard).

Wow that’s really interesting…the fact that you have this worldwide thing going on (laugh).

Yeah it was like that (laughs). I met so many different people there. And we did lives for the first time there. LA live houses were at the center of everything. As interesting as it was, that was the place and time that I reformed a connection with hide. Even though I say I was performing with Oblivion, there were really no people at all. They didn’t let us know their names. And all our clientele were friends of ours. At that point we were just musicians. Hide would come to see us too.

Wow that must have been great right? Did that make you more nervous than your normal clientele? (laugh)

Yeah, we had cult members, the Pistols, and hide. Those were the only people throughout the lives (laughs). It was like we were being auditioned (both laugh loud). Or maybe it was like being a big shot band (laugh).

And that was your later 20s?

Yes, that’s right.

Wow you had an amazing time as a twenty-something didn’t you?

I had great motivation and a lot of interesting experiences (smile)

As someone who does music, between being active overseas and active in Japan…what kind of differences do you feel in the two?

Hmm…well overseas it’s very laid back. The footwork is a lot lighter? Probably. The environment also makes a big difference on influence. It’s the kind of laid back where you can make a contact with a fellow musician and just hold a session in someone’s garage. In Japan you have to arrange for a studio, then confer with everyone’s schedules…enter into management…those kinds of things are important (smile). It’s a lucky day when you make up your mind (laugh). In that respect, the fact that things are more laid back overseas is a bit more compatible with my character (laughs). Maybe? (laughs). I like when there’s a sense of freedom. It makes it enjoyable.

Let’s talk more specifically about the VAMPS LIVE 2010 BEAST WORLD TOUR.

First we did Taipei? When we thought it was going to be a big space, we were wrong. Within this big arena they had made partitions. We had to do the live within that space. It was a strange atmosphere. It sort of brought me to mind of the first time we went to Taipei in 2009. We had this big field, and it was raining really hard, but cleared up in time for the live. The attitude we got from the crowd was really close to the one we get from the Japanese fans.

Jump to America. Let’s go from LA.

Just as expected the climate and atmosphere of LA really set me at ease. The venue was really nice. I think it really went well with VAMPS. Backstage was good too. The time spent there was really easy. San Francisco…I remember the clam chowder haha. I ate it during this tour and the one before that too (both laugh loud).

All the members of VAMPS went out together to the wharf to eat clam chowder?

And after that was the fog. The fog had a really heavy feel to it. It was veiled over the city. I remember thinking it was really cool. It was the same west coast but it was a good city and had a completely different atmosphere from LA. Las Vegas…I had the impression there were a lot of people coming to see VAMPS for the first time. I could see them standing in the back kind of still and quiet at the beginning. But as the live went on, at the very end, they all eventually made it closer to the front little by little. This was a really great experience I thought. To be able to bring in first timers, while we do what we’ve always done as a band, that means a lot to me. And it’s so necessary too. I’m really glad to have had an experience like that at a place where VAMPS has appeared at before. New York we went to a renovated venue. There was a stage and right under that there was a normal floor but on the second floor there was a seating area that made a passage surrounding the whole thing that you could also watch the live from. We had a lot of fans come to that, and the live was really fun. I actually didn’t really like New York the times we went before. But going there as VAMPS and recording there I’ve come to really like it. Before that there was this image of the skyscrapers and Manhattan that I just hated. But if you get away from the heart of the city center you can find all kinds of places with a different atmosphere. When we were recording together, we went to Josh’s neighborhood and there was greenery and relaxing cafes, it was really restful. It was a nice atmosphere. I’m sure there are places I don’t know and haven’t seen yet too.

From New York you went to Barcelona. I heard your birthday came about while you were on the plane?

Well to be accurate: *shrug*. What with being on the airplane and the time change I’m not exactly sure when my birthday actually hit (they both laugh loud)

Yesterday was Japan version, today is the North American version, tomorrow is the European version. Right? Almost like release dates for overseas CD version haha.

Hahahaha! Yeah but inside me there was a Barcelona feel to it somehow or other.

What’s the reasoning for that?

The atmosphere of the live venue. And the response we got from the fans there. It was the first time we’d been in Barcelona. I didn’t know if I would like it there or not but I actually did. In Barcelona, going to the bars with everyone, the people of the shop and the other fans giving their support, holding sessions…We never decided what song we would play but just would start playing on a whim. There was this flamenco type song that was played that was really fun. The national character there, the music they have there is much different than rock, and the way they lay down rhythms is also different. I thought it was really interesting there. I remember thinking it was nice have good experiences in a new place. I was really happy about that.

Even at the actual live, the spectators had a different way of taking the rhythm right?

Yes, that was really surprising and interesting. To make a song, and for it to be really well received and thought of, to be faced with a situation where I’m taken along on a different road in a different place…I was glad I went. I’m glad I made these songs. I feel really supported by those kinds of things.

One other impression to give is South America’s Chile. I want to ask you about the fans loud voices making you unable to hear anything in the ear monitor.
Yeah (laugh). I could hear the music being played in the ear monitor but normally you can’t hear the fans in there too. But in Chile they were so loud their voices just completely overwhelmed the place. I couldn’t even hear the drum count. I had to turn up the volume and it was like this piercing “ki—“ sound. I was like is this a bull ring or something? I had the feeling of being right in the middle of one of those. But you know they were fire up that. And of course I want to send my songs out, I want them to play something good for them. And there was this sense that they were keeping some part of composure, but they were also on fire. That’s the first time experiencing a live like that. I really treasure that memory. It was so much fun.

With all that you’ve done in the last two and a half years you must be looking forward to what VAMPS will put out next.

Hm, I do want to write a lot more good songs. Since I know that VAMPS’ music is reaching people, I want it to spread even more I think.