Anyway, i wanted to read Alice Nine's (and maybe other bands') earlier days interview, how they became what they are today. Also older interviews are simply more interesting to read lol. For now i'm looking at 2006 or earlier stuff, since i think 2006 is the year they sort of got their 'break', and seriously.....they have way too many interviews lol. They appeared in EVERY ISSUE of Arena37c in 2006. They still appear almost all the time now, but majority are probably live reports or personal interviews, but 2006 was almost all full members interviews or features etc. I have not checked Shoxx and other magazines but Arena37c itself is going to be a lot of stuff to translate. (and i'm not even including the special volumes for 2006 yet) But I've briefly read through all and there are a lot of interesting content [including how Tora got electrocuted, how Shou and Nao nearly died etc etc *spoilers end here*).
Also, if you have the chance, do thank and CREDIT the original scanners if you're going to repost them or anything. I can't thank these people enough because 2006 magazines are soooo long time ago and they actually scanned them for everyone ><
Arena37c January 2006
PSC bands are featured here. I don't see interviews for this one, just short bits of info. Links to scans: http://asiapicsgallery.wordpress.com/tag/2
Alice Nine Parts: [i can do other bands' too but only if there are requests]
Shou
2. What you look forward to during the tour: If i can sightsee....
3. What you're worried about during the tour: did i lock the house door!?
4. Durings lives, notice me 'here'!: HEART
5. Since you're together, say something to other bands: please be gentle with me
6. Finally, from 12/11 the tour starts! Go ahead and freestyle!! [he drew FULL in bubble alphabets, capital letters]
Saga
1. Birthday/ Blood Type: 24th June/AB
2. What you look forward to during the tour: What i can do at ZEPP, the tension of the performers
3. What you're worried about during the tour: Particularly Nashi-chan [i forgot who is that]
4. Durings lives, notice me 'here'!: my 'fierce' face, my 'fierce' eyes. [the word used is kireta キレた, will explain in notes]
5. Since you're together, say something to other bands: will be absorbing various things
6. Finally, from 12/11 the tour starts! Go ahead and freestyle!! [he wrote: complete domination of ZEPP]
Notes:
キレた kireta: maybe not the best explanation but it's kind of like an angry or exasperated expression. Imagine Ichigo's expressions in Bleach. Those are 'kireta' expressions. i think.
Tora
1. Birthday/ Blood Type: 17th September/O
2. What you look forward to during the tour: Live
3. What you're worried about during the tour: guitar maintenance
4. Durings lives, notice me 'here'!: movement
5. Since you're together, say something to other bands: I'm not gonna lose okay!
6. Finally, from 12/11 the tour starts! Go ahead and freestyle!! [I think he scribbled a 'Cool'/'Good', and signed there]
Hiroto
1. Birthday/ Blood Type: 4th May/O
2. What you look forward to during the tour: Food for 20 people. Live by 20 people
3. What you're worried about during the tour: Food for 20 people
4. Durings lives, notice me 'here'!: My destructive spirit
5. Since you're together, say something to other bands: Let's create a wonderful tour that starts various things! Individually, i'll be learning from everyone.
6. Finally, from 12/11 the tour starts! Go ahead and freestyle!! [he wrote: Give (me) time and space, be hotter than Japan's (can't read it)]
Arena37c Feburary 2006
Scans credits:
jrock_scans, 
rawkstarr23
link [Scans are from pretty way back and not really of the best readable quality but i don't really want to request the original scanner to rescan, so i'll translate what i can read]
First of all, please tell us why the 5 of you started this band.
Shou: Tora and I used to be in the same band. And then when we decided to search for members for a band, we were introduced to Saga-kun and Nao-san, who was already in a band with Saga-kun. It was a good feeling when the 4 of us went to the studio and on our way back, we went to a livehouse and Hiroto was doing a live and shining in front of us.
Nao: After everyone of us gathered and went to the studio, it felt that i can entrust everything to this band, and if the 5 of us don't work out, it'll be okay if we just quit [bands] altogether.
Shou: For our generation we usually start getting into bands after listening to LUNA SEA and all, and I have read things like "After the 5 of us entered the studio it felt like we can make it" from magazines. [from other bands' interviews perhaps] But until then i've never felt like that once, so i thought "that's just a dream tale", but when i truly felt that for myself, i thought this [Alice Nine] will definitely turn out to be interesting.
So when was that?
Shou: Last year around spring.
When Shou-kun wanted to form a new band, what kind of band did you want it [Alice Nine] to be?
Shou: I want it to be fun when the 5 of us bring out our sounds, and it'll be great if the 5 of us are able to balance each other with our own colors. We didn't decide in detail what kind of concept or musical style we want to do. The music that we like are all different, but we respect each other's interests and were able to readily accept one another's genres. That's why, at first the concept of our songs vary according to the composer, but as expected it'll be better if there is something in common among all the songs, so we thought it'll be interesting if we can express the beauty of Japan and Japanese culture when people form other countries listen to our music. [as a common characteristic for all their songs]
Who usually compose the songs?
Shou: The 3 who plays the instruments.
What kind of music do you listen to?
Hiroto: Usually i listen to pop-songs, but I also like emo-songs and punkish rock.
Saga: I like popular songs, UK rock or Japanese garage rock. For this band, i tend to compose songs that are somewhat pretty
Tora: I like oversea's heavy rock songs. Though it doesn't show in the songs that i compose, it's rather dependent on the type of feelings i have on that day.
Nao: For me, i seem to like female singers' songs. I'm said to be a bandman who goes in and out of clubs (laughs), i also listen to dance music ne. I'm working to input digital colors into our band songs but it's not used much.
Shou: Because i'm a follower of fads, i listen to everything. When i was a student i liked Visual Kei, then I also listened to punk, hardcore etc
Your sound originality do come out ne?
Shou: Even though our schedule's pretty tight, it feels that the necessary source of originality comes out in the midst of our activities.
Tora: Often, from an objective point of view, it'll be good if there's a certain originality to our sounds, and we're a band that goes about clearing our own goals while composing.That's why it doesn't mean that if a song is completed, it's original. We're pretty slow in composing songs ne.
Nao: Usually working to our 100% efforts.
On January 25th, the new Maxi Kowlon-NINE HEADS RODEO SHOW is released, but what intention do you have initially with this song?
Shou: Last summer we had our first one-man tour, but we want to come up with more impact. We have quite a few melody songs, so this time we put what we felt during the tour into this Maxi. We wanted to release a Maxi that contains only intense songs.
Well then, let us hear on your thoughts and impressions on each of the songs. First of all, Kowlon?
Nao: It's a song that's two-buzz-like that's we never had before. I look forward to how we can get our tension up with this song.
Saga: It'll be good if this song can be a good 'attack' song....[i cannot read that line at all]...aiming for that kind of feel.
Tora: I thought i'll compose an intense song, and so this was done. Personally, it's a song with a dirty image, so I had the concept of playing the guitar with many twisted forms.
Hiroto: I think it's a song that will shift the image of Alice Nine's bandface, so it'll be good if it has the tension of being on the verge of explosion.
Shou: Personally, i feel that the underlying theme of the song is a critical characteristic [Shou uses the phrase: garyuutensei 画龍点睛]of the song. It's a chinese saying, "an ink painting of a dragon was so beautiful, that when the eyes were added as a final touch, the dragon rose to the heavens", when i heard the original song from Tora-kun, I had the image of advancing to where there's light from an enclosed place. [very much like their PV] We're still a band that's chasing after the light so i put those feelings into the lyrics.
How about Red Carpet Going On?
Hiroto: It's a song packaged with the passion that I received from the audience during the summer live. I've been wanting to do a song like this, but I was worried that it might be lame doing this kind of simple and straight-forward song. But during the tour, the confidence that this [kind of song] will be fine came to me. That's why, i thought of lives as the theme and composed it.
Nao: When i heard the drum beat briefly, i think it's a song that can make the members and audience can smile.
Saga: Because it's a tune that we're doing for the first time, i had fun doing it. When i heard the original song, i felt the emphasis of the different parts, so i made it the way i like it to be [for his part].
Tora: I didn't have a positive, bright song in mind so it was difficult putting in such an image into that song [for his part]
Shou: [cannot see the first line at all]...~desuyone. I'm originally weak at this kind of rap like melody, but I challenged myself through that approach. The Red Carpet is something that's used in overseas' celebrities' events, but i expressed it as a path that we want to advance
How about Senjou ni Hanataba wo?
Tora: The first 2 songs were made with emphasis on the audience's mood, this 3rd song was one that I tried composing with the heavy, sluggish kind of feel I like. I think it's a song that has my kind of feel and a little unpleasant kind of feel (laughs)
Nao: We finished it in a cool way. For the drums, I worked hard for the first 2 songs, but this song's tempo is one that I'm good at so I recorded for it promptly.
Saga: There are often disappointing times where bass sounds for this kind of song couldn't be heard, so i only think about how to make the bass stand out for this song. I played a persistent, sexy bass.
Hiroto: We didn't have a medium-heavy song like this so i wanted to play an guitar that brings out the emotions from the interior [of the song].
Shou: Even though it's a heavy song, i think it will be an appealling piece for Alice Nine. At that time, I often watch war movies on DVD, so I wanted to write the dark side of humans into the lyrics. For the vocals, it's like rocking roll, so I tried singing it in a sexy, charming way.
On the 22nd Feburary, it's already quickly decided that your next single FANTASY will be released right?
Tora: We finished it 4 hours ago!
Shou: For Kowloon, we wanted to show an intense side of us, but we also want to show that, that is not what's all of us, so this single contains 3 songs that's the exact opposite of Kowloon. If you listen to both, you'll be able to understand the approach that Alice Nine is taking.
Arena 37c March 2006
Scans credits to: morgianasama link
Translation for this has already been done by aliceinrainbows -- link :)
Arena37c April 2006
Scans credits: miya_daisuki @ jrock_scans link
Even though today is Sunday, why is everyone in a 'sun-less' place like this in the middle of the day? [they are probably in an underground studio]
Nao: We are a group of guys who can't be in the sun doing activites.
Tora: That's just an otaku (laughs)
Shou: We're in the midst of album production. It's our first full album but we want to return to the point where Alice Nine first formed and produce a feeling of returning to our roots.
Just 2 months ago, you released Kowloon NINE HEADS RODEO SHOW, then last month you released FANTASY and Akatsuki/Kioku no Chandelier simultaneously and now you're in the midst of recording a full album, isn't the pace fast?
Nao: It's an unbelievable pace (laughs)
Shou: It's not like we're being cheated on by bad adults (laughs). Just that we had a plan on releasing a single and album, and that in the midst of the tour we had delicious meals in Fukuoka so everyone's tension rose and became like this.
Hiroto: Because we were on tour, we want to release a CD with intense songs in it.
Shou: Right right. At first we only had plans for FANTASY and the album.
Hiroto: Right after we decided on releasing Kowloon~ we had a talk on the anime tie-up
Shou: We were told "You guys are perfect for this", we said "we'll do it!" and in the end, we had 3 singles, 1 album! (laughs)
Hiroto: At first the intention was to have 11 songs for the album, but after composing, we ended up wanting to do 12 songs (laughs)
Shou: Since we are guys we have lots of fighting spirit!, or so we felt and rapidly moved forward (laughs)
Because Alice Nine has 3 composers, you're strong during those times ne.
Saga: Recently our leader known as Nao-san is also in a big hustle.
Shou: Nao-san did compose before, but his sensitivity is too grand that it couldn't pass through. But this time, there might be his song in it. That's why we have 4 composers.
Tora: I'm not really in good condition now. So i couldn't really think of songs.
[interview asks a question that i cannot see at all]
Tora: It's a slump
Hiroto: Because you didn't take a break~ (laughs)
Shou: It's also because your laptop broke big time
Tora: While composing, the power doesn't come on. According to the engineer, he said, I was thinking i'll do something about it but ended up failing (bitter smile)
Shou: He's someone who can't work too hard (laughs) [the engineer]
In actual fact, how much can you do at the moment?
Hiroto: Right now we're recording 3 songs. We separate into 3 courses, and now we doing mixing for the first 3 songs.
Tora: It's easier to concentrate with separate recordings. If we record all in one go, i'll forget which is which
After recording 3 songs, how do you feel?
Nao: my arms are numb (laughs)
Previously didnt you say your legs were numb?
Nao: This time, it's like what the engineer-san said, "this is tough" and I ended up often drumming continuously for 16 minutes and my arms went numb. The tempo is faster than what i practised in the studio. But this time i wasn't as down as the previous time. Because the devil instructor Hiroto was not there.
Hiroto: I've changed (laughs)
Shou: Rather, to someone between a dog and a ogre. (laughs) Hiroto's computer also crashed when the drums are recording.
Hiroto: On the first morning of the recording, the computer crashed, the next day it recovered, and in the midst of that the drums recording finished (laughs).
Saga: This time, the bass's simple. Because i don't want to do anything strengthy so i was more laid-back. For the songs, we're looking at something deeper than our principlitiies so i think we've completed a profound album.
While Nao-kun is working hard, what did the other part of the rhythms team do?
Nao: He played the bass for me to play the drums easily
Saga: But he said "i'll do a better take if i don't listen to the bass"
Hiroto: When i went to the studio, Nao-san lowered the bass volume at the monitor right? (laughs)
Saga: Even though i tried my best playing it?
Nao: No, no, it helped (laughs)
Saga: While the rhythms are recording, there's no guitar sounds or vocals so it's lonely. We have to play in the midst of "nothing". [with no accompaniment]
[I might have missed 1-2 lines]
[no idea who talked]: conversely i thought about it in a natural way. In a good meaning, i think it's a load off my shoulders.
Tora: This time i had some time so i thought about various things for the guitar but in the end, the engineer-san told me, "You don't have to practise on the guitar, just come like mediating under the waterfall" (laughs). [actually it's 滝に打たれて, i have no clear explanation for this but you know how samurai/warriors train under the waterfall thing to clear their mind and all....] I seem to be weak in actual takes so if i just go to the studio now and start recording it'll be bad. Since i'm told it's better to play on the spot, i discarded everything i've thought and just play right off.
Shou: If i think about it now, i think during the recording of FANTASY i put in too much. Last year, i think too much of "doing a great live" that i fail to notice the surroundings, but the audience taught me that "the most important is about portraying feelings" so i did, by returning to my original points. The song, the lyrics too, i put myself as the 3rd person and abandoned all vanity and simply sing what i want to say and naturally bring them out, and i felt that it's a good thing we've completed
Hiroto kun, have you been recording until morning yesterday?
Hiroto: I was here until 530am. The recording started late, but after the recording started, lots of happenings occurred. At first, the laptop crashed, then i thought we'll record Tora-shi's acoustic guitar, but the bridge slipped off [the guitar bridge], and yesterday the amplifier crashed....
The bridge is not easy to take off ne.
Tora: I just wanted to tighten the strings and just stretched them a little and the bridge came off. I thought i'll fix it but it seems that it wil cost 3 times the amount this was bought. Because it's a 9800 yen guitar, there's nothing to be done about it.
Nao: Huh, it was 9800yen. Even though it had a good echo
Hiroto: It's not about the cost. The guitar [that was spoiled] had a better sound than the one I borrowed from a famous maker worth 40k yen.
[unseen question]
Hiroto: Today, for the first time i blacked out. (bitter smile) In the morning, when i went home, even though i went to take a bath, before realizing it, i'd collapsed at the wash basin.
Shou: Did you see Hiyoko-san when you fainted? [no idea who Hiyoko is...]
Nao: That, you play games too much (laughs)
Hiroto: But, songs-wise, they're all good
At this kind in time, what kind of album do you think it'll end up being?
Nao: An album that has full of gentle songs
Saga: I recalled the excited feel during the "Namae wa mada nai" period. It's a compliation of songs that are like our hits.
Hiroto: Personally for myself, I really look forward to what i composed. I hope everyone looks forward to having it too
Tora: It'll be an album where you can see all that Alice Nine has been doing till now and what will be doing from now on
Shou: I'm producing it to convey whatever i want to deliver and to the best of abilities. I'm doing my best while thinking of the faces of everyone in the tour coming up in May. Everyone, wait for us!
Also, if you have the chance, do thank and CREDIT the original scanners if you're going to repost them or anything. I can't thank these people enough because 2006 magazines are soooo long time ago and they actually scanned them for everyone ><
Arena37c January 2006
PSC bands are featured here. I don't see interviews for this one, just short bits of info. Links to scans: http://asiapicsgallery.wordpress.com/tag/2
Alice Nine Parts: [i can do other bands' too but only if there are requests]
Shou
1. Birthday/ Blood Type: 5th July/O
2. What you look forward to during the tour: Traveling on the bus♪ (laughs)
3. What you're worried about during the tour: Waking up early...
4. Durings lives, notice me 'here'!: I'll be swinging around a lot so look out for me
5. Since you're together, say something to other bands: I'll be learning from everyone☆
6. Finally, from 12/11 the tour starts! Go ahead and freestyle!! [Shou drew some character with a huge nose and said: Let's do it!!....other stuff that i can't read]
Nao
1. Birthday/ Blood Type: 31st July/A2. What you look forward to during the tour: Traveling on the bus♪ (laughs)
3. What you're worried about during the tour: Waking up early...
4. Durings lives, notice me 'here'!: I'll be swinging around a lot so look out for me
5. Since you're together, say something to other bands: I'll be learning from everyone☆
6. Finally, from 12/11 the tour starts! Go ahead and freestyle!! [Shou drew some character with a huge nose and said: Let's do it!!....other stuff that i can't read]
Nao
2. What you look forward to during the tour: If i can sightsee....
3. What you're worried about during the tour: did i lock the house door!?
4. Durings lives, notice me 'here'!: HEART
5. Since you're together, say something to other bands: please be gentle with me
6. Finally, from 12/11 the tour starts! Go ahead and freestyle!! [he drew FULL in bubble alphabets, capital letters]
Saga
1. Birthday/ Blood Type: 24th June/AB
2. What you look forward to during the tour: What i can do at ZEPP, the tension of the performers
3. What you're worried about during the tour: Particularly Nashi-chan [i forgot who is that]
4. Durings lives, notice me 'here'!: my 'fierce' face, my 'fierce' eyes. [the word used is kireta キレた, will explain in notes]
5. Since you're together, say something to other bands: will be absorbing various things
6. Finally, from 12/11 the tour starts! Go ahead and freestyle!! [he wrote: complete domination of ZEPP]
Notes:
キレた kireta: maybe not the best explanation but it's kind of like an angry or exasperated expression. Imagine Ichigo's expressions in Bleach. Those are 'kireta' expressions. i think.
Tora
1. Birthday/ Blood Type: 17th September/O
2. What you look forward to during the tour: Live
3. What you're worried about during the tour: guitar maintenance
4. Durings lives, notice me 'here'!: movement
5. Since you're together, say something to other bands: I'm not gonna lose okay!
6. Finally, from 12/11 the tour starts! Go ahead and freestyle!! [I think he scribbled a 'Cool'/'Good', and signed there]
Hiroto
1. Birthday/ Blood Type: 4th May/O
2. What you look forward to during the tour: Food for 20 people. Live by 20 people
3. What you're worried about during the tour: Food for 20 people
4. Durings lives, notice me 'here'!: My destructive spirit
5. Since you're together, say something to other bands: Let's create a wonderful tour that starts various things! Individually, i'll be learning from everyone.
6. Finally, from 12/11 the tour starts! Go ahead and freestyle!! [he wrote: Give (me) time and space, be hotter than Japan's (can't read it)]
Arena37c Feburary 2006
Scans credits:
jrock_scans, rawkstarr23link [Scans are from pretty way back and not really of the best readable quality but i don't really want to request the original scanner to rescan, so i'll translate what i can read]
First of all, please tell us why the 5 of you started this band.
Shou: Tora and I used to be in the same band. And then when we decided to search for members for a band, we were introduced to Saga-kun and Nao-san, who was already in a band with Saga-kun. It was a good feeling when the 4 of us went to the studio and on our way back, we went to a livehouse and Hiroto was doing a live and shining in front of us.
Nao: After everyone of us gathered and went to the studio, it felt that i can entrust everything to this band, and if the 5 of us don't work out, it'll be okay if we just quit [bands] altogether.
Shou: For our generation we usually start getting into bands after listening to LUNA SEA and all, and I have read things like "After the 5 of us entered the studio it felt like we can make it" from magazines. [from other bands' interviews perhaps] But until then i've never felt like that once, so i thought "that's just a dream tale", but when i truly felt that for myself, i thought this [Alice Nine] will definitely turn out to be interesting.
So when was that?
Shou: Last year around spring.
When Shou-kun wanted to form a new band, what kind of band did you want it [Alice Nine] to be?
Shou: I want it to be fun when the 5 of us bring out our sounds, and it'll be great if the 5 of us are able to balance each other with our own colors. We didn't decide in detail what kind of concept or musical style we want to do. The music that we like are all different, but we respect each other's interests and were able to readily accept one another's genres. That's why, at first the concept of our songs vary according to the composer, but as expected it'll be better if there is something in common among all the songs, so we thought it'll be interesting if we can express the beauty of Japan and Japanese culture when people form other countries listen to our music. [as a common characteristic for all their songs]
Who usually compose the songs?
Shou: The 3 who plays the instruments.
What kind of music do you listen to?
Hiroto: Usually i listen to pop-songs, but I also like emo-songs and punkish rock.
Saga: I like popular songs, UK rock or Japanese garage rock. For this band, i tend to compose songs that are somewhat pretty
Tora: I like oversea's heavy rock songs. Though it doesn't show in the songs that i compose, it's rather dependent on the type of feelings i have on that day.
Nao: For me, i seem to like female singers' songs. I'm said to be a bandman who goes in and out of clubs (laughs), i also listen to dance music ne. I'm working to input digital colors into our band songs but it's not used much.
Shou: Because i'm a follower of fads, i listen to everything. When i was a student i liked Visual Kei, then I also listened to punk, hardcore etc
Your sound originality do come out ne?
Shou: Even though our schedule's pretty tight, it feels that the necessary source of originality comes out in the midst of our activities.
Tora: Often, from an objective point of view, it'll be good if there's a certain originality to our sounds, and we're a band that goes about clearing our own goals while composing.That's why it doesn't mean that if a song is completed, it's original. We're pretty slow in composing songs ne.
Nao: Usually working to our 100% efforts.
On January 25th, the new Maxi Kowlon-NINE HEADS RODEO SHOW is released, but what intention do you have initially with this song?
Shou: Last summer we had our first one-man tour, but we want to come up with more impact. We have quite a few melody songs, so this time we put what we felt during the tour into this Maxi. We wanted to release a Maxi that contains only intense songs.
Well then, let us hear on your thoughts and impressions on each of the songs. First of all, Kowlon?
Nao: It's a song that's two-buzz-like that's we never had before. I look forward to how we can get our tension up with this song.
Saga: It'll be good if this song can be a good 'attack' song....[i cannot read that line at all]...aiming for that kind of feel.
Tora: I thought i'll compose an intense song, and so this was done. Personally, it's a song with a dirty image, so I had the concept of playing the guitar with many twisted forms.
Hiroto: I think it's a song that will shift the image of Alice Nine's bandface, so it'll be good if it has the tension of being on the verge of explosion.
Shou: Personally, i feel that the underlying theme of the song is a critical characteristic [Shou uses the phrase: garyuutensei 画龍点睛]of the song. It's a chinese saying, "an ink painting of a dragon was so beautiful, that when the eyes were added as a final touch, the dragon rose to the heavens", when i heard the original song from Tora-kun, I had the image of advancing to where there's light from an enclosed place. [very much like their PV] We're still a band that's chasing after the light so i put those feelings into the lyrics.
How about Red Carpet Going On?
Hiroto: It's a song packaged with the passion that I received from the audience during the summer live. I've been wanting to do a song like this, but I was worried that it might be lame doing this kind of simple and straight-forward song. But during the tour, the confidence that this [kind of song] will be fine came to me. That's why, i thought of lives as the theme and composed it.
Nao: When i heard the drum beat briefly, i think it's a song that can make the members and audience can smile.
Saga: Because it's a tune that we're doing for the first time, i had fun doing it. When i heard the original song, i felt the emphasis of the different parts, so i made it the way i like it to be [for his part].
Tora: I didn't have a positive, bright song in mind so it was difficult putting in such an image into that song [for his part]
Shou: [cannot see the first line at all]...~desuyone. I'm originally weak at this kind of rap like melody, but I challenged myself through that approach. The Red Carpet is something that's used in overseas' celebrities' events, but i expressed it as a path that we want to advance
How about Senjou ni Hanataba wo?
Tora: The first 2 songs were made with emphasis on the audience's mood, this 3rd song was one that I tried composing with the heavy, sluggish kind of feel I like. I think it's a song that has my kind of feel and a little unpleasant kind of feel (laughs)
Nao: We finished it in a cool way. For the drums, I worked hard for the first 2 songs, but this song's tempo is one that I'm good at so I recorded for it promptly.
Saga: There are often disappointing times where bass sounds for this kind of song couldn't be heard, so i only think about how to make the bass stand out for this song. I played a persistent, sexy bass.
Hiroto: We didn't have a medium-heavy song like this so i wanted to play an guitar that brings out the emotions from the interior [of the song].
Shou: Even though it's a heavy song, i think it will be an appealling piece for Alice Nine. At that time, I often watch war movies on DVD, so I wanted to write the dark side of humans into the lyrics. For the vocals, it's like rocking roll, so I tried singing it in a sexy, charming way.
On the 22nd Feburary, it's already quickly decided that your next single FANTASY will be released right?
Tora: We finished it 4 hours ago!
Shou: For Kowloon, we wanted to show an intense side of us, but we also want to show that, that is not what's all of us, so this single contains 3 songs that's the exact opposite of Kowloon. If you listen to both, you'll be able to understand the approach that Alice Nine is taking.
Arena 37c March 2006
Scans credits to: morgianasama link
Translation for this has already been done by aliceinrainbows -- link :)
Arena37c April 2006
Scans credits: miya_daisuki @ jrock_scans link
Even though today is Sunday, why is everyone in a 'sun-less' place like this in the middle of the day? [they are probably in an underground studio]
Tora: That's just an otaku (laughs)
Shou: We're in the midst of album production. It's our first full album but we want to return to the point where Alice Nine first formed and produce a feeling of returning to our roots.
Just 2 months ago, you released Kowloon NINE HEADS RODEO SHOW, then last month you released FANTASY and Akatsuki/Kioku no Chandelier simultaneously and now you're in the midst of recording a full album, isn't the pace fast?
Nao: It's an unbelievable pace (laughs)
Shou: It's not like we're being cheated on by bad adults (laughs). Just that we had a plan on releasing a single and album, and that in the midst of the tour we had delicious meals in Fukuoka so everyone's tension rose and became like this.
Hiroto: Because we were on tour, we want to release a CD with intense songs in it.
Shou: Right right. At first we only had plans for FANTASY and the album.
Hiroto: Right after we decided on releasing Kowloon~ we had a talk on the anime tie-up
Shou: We were told "You guys are perfect for this", we said "we'll do it!" and in the end, we had 3 singles, 1 album! (laughs)
Hiroto: At first the intention was to have 11 songs for the album, but after composing, we ended up wanting to do 12 songs (laughs)
Shou: Since we are guys we have lots of fighting spirit!, or so we felt and rapidly moved forward (laughs)
Because Alice Nine has 3 composers, you're strong during those times ne.
Saga: Recently our leader known as Nao-san is also in a big hustle.
Shou: Nao-san did compose before, but his sensitivity is too grand that it couldn't pass through. But this time, there might be his song in it. That's why we have 4 composers.
Tora: I'm not really in good condition now. So i couldn't really think of songs.
[interview asks a question that i cannot see at all]
Tora: It's a slump
Hiroto: Because you didn't take a break~ (laughs)
Shou: It's also because your laptop broke big time
Tora: While composing, the power doesn't come on. According to the engineer, he said, I was thinking i'll do something about it but ended up failing (bitter smile)
Shou: He's someone who can't work too hard (laughs) [the engineer]
In actual fact, how much can you do at the moment?
Hiroto: Right now we're recording 3 songs. We separate into 3 courses, and now we doing mixing for the first 3 songs.
Tora: It's easier to concentrate with separate recordings. If we record all in one go, i'll forget which is which
After recording 3 songs, how do you feel?
Nao: my arms are numb (laughs)
Previously didnt you say your legs were numb?
Nao: This time, it's like what the engineer-san said, "this is tough" and I ended up often drumming continuously for 16 minutes and my arms went numb. The tempo is faster than what i practised in the studio. But this time i wasn't as down as the previous time. Because the devil instructor Hiroto was not there.
Hiroto: I've changed (laughs)
Shou: Rather, to someone between a dog and a ogre. (laughs) Hiroto's computer also crashed when the drums are recording.
Hiroto: On the first morning of the recording, the computer crashed, the next day it recovered, and in the midst of that the drums recording finished (laughs).
Saga: This time, the bass's simple. Because i don't want to do anything strengthy so i was more laid-back. For the songs, we're looking at something deeper than our principlitiies so i think we've completed a profound album.
While Nao-kun is working hard, what did the other part of the rhythms team do?
Nao: He played the bass for me to play the drums easily
Saga: But he said "i'll do a better take if i don't listen to the bass"
Hiroto: When i went to the studio, Nao-san lowered the bass volume at the monitor right? (laughs)
Saga: Even though i tried my best playing it?
Nao: No, no, it helped (laughs)
Saga: While the rhythms are recording, there's no guitar sounds or vocals so it's lonely. We have to play in the midst of "nothing". [with no accompaniment]
[I might have missed 1-2 lines]
[no idea who talked]: conversely i thought about it in a natural way. In a good meaning, i think it's a load off my shoulders.
Tora: This time i had some time so i thought about various things for the guitar but in the end, the engineer-san told me, "You don't have to practise on the guitar, just come like mediating under the waterfall" (laughs). [actually it's 滝に打たれて, i have no clear explanation for this but you know how samurai/warriors train under the waterfall thing to clear their mind and all....] I seem to be weak in actual takes so if i just go to the studio now and start recording it'll be bad. Since i'm told it's better to play on the spot, i discarded everything i've thought and just play right off.
Shou: If i think about it now, i think during the recording of FANTASY i put in too much. Last year, i think too much of "doing a great live" that i fail to notice the surroundings, but the audience taught me that "the most important is about portraying feelings" so i did, by returning to my original points. The song, the lyrics too, i put myself as the 3rd person and abandoned all vanity and simply sing what i want to say and naturally bring them out, and i felt that it's a good thing we've completed
Hiroto kun, have you been recording until morning yesterday?
Hiroto: I was here until 530am. The recording started late, but after the recording started, lots of happenings occurred. At first, the laptop crashed, then i thought we'll record Tora-shi's acoustic guitar, but the bridge slipped off [the guitar bridge], and yesterday the amplifier crashed....
The bridge is not easy to take off ne.
Tora: I just wanted to tighten the strings and just stretched them a little and the bridge came off. I thought i'll fix it but it seems that it wil cost 3 times the amount this was bought. Because it's a 9800 yen guitar, there's nothing to be done about it.
Nao: Huh, it was 9800yen. Even though it had a good echo
Hiroto: It's not about the cost. The guitar [that was spoiled] had a better sound than the one I borrowed from a famous maker worth 40k yen.
[unseen question]
Hiroto: Today, for the first time i blacked out. (bitter smile) In the morning, when i went home, even though i went to take a bath, before realizing it, i'd collapsed at the wash basin.
Shou: Did you see Hiyoko-san when you fainted? [no idea who Hiyoko is...]
Nao: That, you play games too much (laughs)
Hiroto: But, songs-wise, they're all good
At this kind in time, what kind of album do you think it'll end up being?
Nao: An album that has full of gentle songs
Saga: I recalled the excited feel during the "Namae wa mada nai" period. It's a compliation of songs that are like our hits.
Hiroto: Personally for myself, I really look forward to what i composed. I hope everyone looks forward to having it too
Tora: It'll be an album where you can see all that Alice Nine has been doing till now and what will be doing from now on
Shou: I'm producing it to convey whatever i want to deliver and to the best of abilities. I'm doing my best while thinking of the faces of everyone in the tour coming up in May. Everyone, wait for us!
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