(03-17-2011, 01:15 AM)harumi Wrote: Just a heads up: I emailed Japan Discoveries (which is where I pre-ordered my mekuri calendar and photobook from) to ask them just how crazy the wait would be, also making sure to let them know there was no rush and that these are definitely horrible extenuating circumstances, and those sweethearts let me know that stuff is moving slowly, but they shipped my stuff today and I wanted you all to know that I fully intend to bust my ass and translate the interview in the photobook so please anticipate that as soon as I get my mitts on it :) It's supposed to be a "long interview" according to the description and as I will have no copy/paste ability I will probably have to look some stuff up the long and tedious way...but I will do what I must!!

i had ordered mine through cdjpn, but using fed ex shipping to save a few bucks. of course i got a delay message at first, but it was because fed ex couldn't get to them right away. i imagine the gasoline shortage was one factor. but today i got a message they'd shipped the goods going out by fed ex. this message is up on fb.

"Also, FedEx successfully picked up CDJapan packages today for the first time since the earthquake. Good job FedEx!"

i admit to being surprised. i thought it would be longer. Good Job INDEED!

i know it has to feel bizarre at times, going about one's duties/business knowing that such a horrific tragedy has taken place in the Tohoku region.

looking forward to your translations, Harumi!

As promised: Hyde Interview translated from VAMPS BEAST IN THE WORLD Photobook. Currently working on kaz :) Then will post their respective interviews from Monthly Vamps 14 as well...SO MUCH TO DO!!!! D:



Special Interview feat. Hyde
“Remaking my own image was my last goal”

Looking over the force known as VAMPS, Hyde has come to discover a new motivation in music. He discusses about the World Tour, the future of VAMPS, and his thoughts for the fans.

Q: When you first decided to start VAMPS, was a World Tour always in mind?

Hyde: Yes, actually. Kaz was planning on America from the start, too. From the beginning we were implementing strategies to get to America. So when we decided to start VAMPS, it was a very natural course to take. We didn’t know if the nuances would be too difficult to sort out, but, there was some Japanese artist up to that point who coined the term like, “Foreign Collecting,” but I didn’t really like that. It’s sort of…For us personally, I don’t know ifit was just because we hadn't come to view the world like that, but we just thought it didn’t have a cool ring to it. We were a bit resistant to that phrase. So we decided not to use words like “Foreign Collecting.” (Laughs) With that feeling in mind, we thought it would be better to go for it more naturally. When VAMPS makes music, we try to do it with a feel so that we don’t limit our target audience to just Japan. While that might seem a little vague, that’s what was in place from the start.”

I see. Well, in that case, does that mean you had the thought to have everything proceed from live shows?

I have a lot of confidence in our live performances, so I always was thinking that I really wanted to try doing lives abroad because of that. That feeling was really strong I think.

Looking over the past two and a half years, you had an earnest desire to make that into a reality?

“Hmm…well, yes…For example, when considering America, when the year before last was coming to an end, we began saying things like “Next is a world tour, right?” What I mean by that is, as a dream, we wanted to be able to make it come true instead of just hoping it would come true I think. But at that point it had yet to happen. To call it a dream…that made it more of a motivation. To be honest, we were still at the trial and error stage. In the beginning, it seemed as if America was scrutinizing us very carefully. With the progression of time the results we got were comparatively small I thought. But after two years passed, one venue would get bigger, and we shortened the program, etc. Then after the clientele came to change, next we began to assess how to approach that clientele. Each time we go through it, we apply trial and error and make changes.

For you, Hyde, is there a certain image you want a band to project, or a certain quality you want lives to have? And do you see that in your own band?

“Oh, yeah, sure. Especially in the case of VAMPS, there’s this sense of emphasizing the lives over the sound. I make CDs so I can do lives. But of course I’m serious about the sound too. But if I had to choose between which one I put more emphasis on it would probably be lives. I like lives, and I like doing lives, so if I have to give a reason, that’s why (laughs). With regard to the band, of course the sound is very important, but honestly, I don’t really like the work that goes into writing music. I probably should want to value the fact that I’m doing what I love. But in any case, whether the sound is good or bad there’s always that sense of anticipating the next live. For example, it’s great if you have an awesome sound going on, but if the lives are boring it really lowers the value of the band. I think we are strong in a lot of respects. And we want to keep up that kind of stance…we keep probing further into it…I just want it to be fun. So with regard to those fans abroad, we don’t want to just go after them blindly. We want to make it fun. We don’t have this idea that we need to do whatever it takes or gamble at our own loss, at least not to that point (laughs). That part of it is at least not stressful. Other people have chosen not to go that route. For example, those that have a pretty good knowledge of America will generally say something like, “We have to do a huge number of lives or it won’t do any good.” Like for hundreds of years. And then they end up just wiping out all the band’s strength. But others have already done that course. When it’s me, though, I don’t set out with any singular aim in mind. As VAMPS we say, “Hey, let’s try out this different method.” I said that I wanted to do a world tour, but you also have to keep in mind that I also was keeping my eye on the big picture. I think we were able to do a world tour in the first place because of the foundation we laid in Japan. Every action we took had a history to it, and we are able to do all this now. Because we made this foundation, we are able to meet new challenges. Adapting ourselves to that has been interesting, but I think even after this there will be more interesting things we can accomplish.

I understand. So, I think now I would like to speak more concretely about the Vamps Live 2010 Beast World Tour. The first thing I’d like to ask is about LA. This city has become a key point in the creation of your sound, hasn’t it?

I think there is a sense of VAMPS sound existing within LA. Kaz’s playing and the songs don’t have as much of a Japanese feel to them but, that sense seems to resonate much more strongly with LA. That’s why it was a natural target for us. When I think of VAMPS as a band in America, I don’t really see New York so much as I see LA.

Let’s move on to San Francisco and Las Vegas.

Well, we included both of those cities, even during the HYDE Tour days, and we’ve been each of those places 3 times now, but to be honest I don’t remember the exact details (laughs). But actually in the 2010 tour I got the impression that the fans attending had changed a little. Of course the core fans were still there, but…quite a bit actually…there seemed to be more of your everyday person there…I wonder if they just randomly showed up to see what the spectacle was all about…

I see. There were people there seeing you for the first time, and your die hard fans as well. Is there a difference between the two? Can you recognize it from the stage?

Oh yeah I do. Just by looking, I can see it. Normally I don’t pay much attention, but I do pay attention there. How to say it…I want to get the first timers excited. I want to really win over those people who just come out of curiosity (laughs). I do it with that kind of feeling. But I don’t just feel that way about the foreign audience, I do that in Japan too. The people who aren’t joining in stand out. Conversely, those who are REALLY into it stand out as well (laughs).

So in America do you get the impression that there’s a shift in the newer fans?

Yes. That’s so. Actually at this time I think that in America it’s not so much the lives that are important as selling the sound. With this being the case, if I were to just do lives, I’d probably have to hit up a lot of venues. That’s the feeling I get anyway. So next time we’re going to emphasize the sound in our promotions.

And what about Las Vegas?

My first impression is that Las Vegas is a really interesting place. The time before…when we came in 2009 we were also at the Hard Rock Café but the previous time we played in this tiny box right next to the hotel bar. It was like this place that musicians would just randomly come to drink and then put on a show. This time, though, it was a real and spacious live house. There you could see guitars of famous musicians, and there was this writing desk too. The desk had all these carvings in it, it just had a great atmosphere. And the dressing room was really interesting.

Is there a difference between how you spend your time in the dressing rooms in Japan and the ones abroad?

Well when I’m abroad it’s best if I practice my MCs. In foreign countries I feel more and more like that’s something I have to do (laughs).

And so from New York you went to Europe. Barcelona. After that Paris.

Since it was our first time doing a live in Spain, as expected, we had a huge response. But there was a little bit of a difference between the surge we get from the Japanese fans. Like for example, when they were waiting for the encore, out of nowhere they all just start singing Revolution and stomping. You would never see that in Japan. Conversely, when we sing Angel Trip, the Japanese fans will wave towels around, but you never see that in the foreign countries. Even though both have about the same level of enthusiasm, the way of expressing it is different. I really think that’s interesting. I think Paris shows France’s national character, but it’s like there’s no wall there. So they were really enthusiastic. This is just my thought but, I think if you’re raised in a country where English is the native language, those people tend not to listen to music from other countries. Of course that doesn’t apply to everyone. But more and more you’re seeing English music entering into non-English speaking countries. It’s the same in Japan, and probably the same in France. So there’s no wall there, by nature they’re a country that embraces the arts, and they have an interest in music from all kinds of other countries. I think they place more value on the music of other cultures, for example the music of America is the same there. For this reason,too, I’ve read that it’s really difficult to do lives in England (laughs).

Speaking of doing locations for the first time, doing a world tour this time, one of the really big points for you was doing Chile in South America.

Right from the start in the airport I thought it was amazing. I was surprised by this wild huge crowd that came to greet us. When we did the live…it was really incredible. What I mean by that: There were a lot of moments where I thought it was better than Japan. When we came out on stage, there was this huge voice in my ear, and the crowd was so loud and relentless that it left this buzzing in my ear the whole time. And when we started playing, you couldn’t hear anything else over their singing. I remember thinking,” Oh my God, this is amazing. For this kind of response. What do I do with this?”

So how did you get through that?

For that I…use zen (laughs). For the first few songs I have to tell myself to hold back my energy. I whisper it to myself in my mind to hold back, hold back. If we weren’t a live band, I would just dance all over the place during the opening, and I wouldn’t be able finish do a decent performance.

So you there’s no breaking point inside you were you have to totally switch gears into psyched mode?

No. If I don’t keep my excitement under wraps, whether I hear it or see it, I can't take it. (Everyone laughs) If I can keep a little calm on the inside, it’s a good thing. So when I’m doing the lives, I tell myself to try and always stay collected, but since I’m usually really psyched I can’t always help losing control. Always I try to be conscientious during lives. If I had to say what was most important to me during a live, I would say it’s to get the fans excited, and the next would be concerning our own excitement and tension. I think the one thing I try to do is give the appearance that I’m happier doing this live than any other.

Well, that’s because as a musician you have a history spanning 20 years, right? Given all that time, and in the current timing, are there many times when you experience a new sensation that just gets you really worked up?

Yeah, it’s true. As a musician I have received more blessings than I deserve, truly.

December 2010. On the last day of the Yoyogi 4 DAYS stint, during your MC you said, “VAMPS will return much bigger.” What is the true meaning behind these words?

When we had the 2009 tour, VAMPS did grow as a result of that. So based off of the things we weren’t able to accomplish until 2010, we think there will once again be new things we’ll be able to do next time. More concretely, it has to do with what we were talking about before in regards to our developments with America. For me, if we can go to countries other than Japan…to be able to do a world tour, it’s the opposite of promoting to Japan. The alteration of my image in Japan was my last goal. Since I was able to overthrow the image I had already established in Japan, I can see it working out well in other areas as well.

I see. So you used the term “overthrow your own image.” When it comes to behind the scenes and going into venues, is there a greater plan in mind to let out a self that you normally wouldn’t except with VAMPS?

Hm, well concerning that…I’ve already sort of examined it in hindsight. I think VAMPS is already established as a force in entertainment. There’s just one concept I want to try and show both behind the scenes and going into venues. We put a lot of work into the day of a live. The feeling to want to have fun is the strongest all day. We want to feel as if the fans are our friends. So when we enter a venue, if we don’t at least greet them it makes me feel bad (laughs). As a friend I’d like to be happily accepted on my return

Oh wow, thank you! This was a great interview, I like how he focused a lot on lives and his feelings instead of just the generic 'what inspires you to write' blahblablah all that stuff you see over and over.

And he picks out all the differences between fans..shows he really pays attention to us. Nice to see him mention us as friends and not just bank notes.

Thank you very much!

(03-27-2011, 04:53 PM)Tokio Wrote: And he picks out all the differences between fans..shows he really pays attention to us. Nice to see him mention us as friends and not just bank notes.

Yeah, that made me so happy!!! I couldn't help but smiling while reading the whole interview, knowing about his true feelings about his fans and lives is... priceless

And when he said "Yeah, it’s true. As a musician I have received more blessings than I deserve, truly." I felt even more proud of him... and even more proud of being one of his die hard fan

You are AWESOME, Harumi, thank you so so so so much for translating that interview Looking forward to the next ones!

@Harumi: this was AWESOME! I reaaally felt happy with this interview...I mean...HYDE demonstrates once more why I freakin' saved every penny that I got and sold bottled water on the streets to see him live TWICE...and yes, I feel happy that he felt our emotion to see their performance and just show our love and appreciation...

WE LOVE YOU VAMPS! AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT YOU FEEL IT TOO!

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.

Thank you so much for the wonderful translations! Kaz's in particular really made me smile. ^^ I'm so glad to hear that he had fun in New York, because I know I did!

(03-28-2011, 11:31 AM)vegetapr69 Wrote: @Harumi: this was AWESOME! I reaaally felt happy with this interview...I mean...HYDE demonstrates once more why I freakin' saved every penny that I got and sold bottled water on the streets to see him live TWICE...and yes, I feel happy that he felt our emotion to see their performance and just show our love and appreciation...

WE LOVE YOU VAMPS! AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT YOU FEEL IT TOO!

Truly!
LOL....you sold water and I recycled cans and bottles to get my money to go and see VAMPS. What we do for our addictions.

Ooooh, these interviews are so awesome <3 Love them very much! I love how HYDE is very observant about the audience, and it's very interesting to see how K.A.Z got his start in his international career. Thank you very much!!

(03-28-2011, 08:58 PM)cathb Wrote:

(03-28-2011, 11:31 AM)vegetapr69 Wrote: @Harumi: this was AWESOME! I reaaally felt happy with this interview...I mean...HYDE demonstrates once more why I freakin' saved every penny that I got and sold bottled water on the streets to see him live TWICE...and yes, I feel happy that he felt our emotion to see their performance and just show our love and appreciation...

WE LOVE YOU VAMPS! AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT YOU FEEL IT TOO!

Truly!
LOL....you sold water and I recycled cans and bottles to get my money to go and see VAMPS. What we do for our addictions.

OMG...you did that?! If recycling was so rewarding [$$ speaking] here, it would have made things way easier. -__- But yeah, my skin tone darkened like 3 shades by the date of the 2009 concert in LA...good times indeed. And let's not talk about my almost 3-shift jobs to have those extra hours paid for the NYC concert...sleepless nights for VAMPS, what an irony LOL

Maybe we should make a new threat called "Things that you did to see VAMPS Live" it would be VERY interesting, don't you think?