Takeru (SuG) - The thing I really want to do
Profile
Born on May 11th. Blood type O. The vocalist of SuG, which was formed in 2006. Other members are Masato (g), Yuji (g), Chiyu (b) and Shinpei (ds). In March 2010 he launched his own brand “million $ orchestra”. SuG is going to start their oneman tour “crazy”LIVE”coaster on December 14th at Nagoya E.L.L. , followed by a performance in Osaka Muse on 15th and Shibuya AX on 18th.
It’s his 2nd appearance in this magazine! While seeing his previous appearance, he laughed and said “I was still young ne”.
Their drummer quit in 2009, and once he was thinking about quitting or disbanding.
However, something triggered them to resume their activities. He then started a brand as a way to express himself, and SuG also went major. The tempestuous 2 years and 9 months. And also, the him that grew during that period.
Takeru, who has grown up a little, reflected upon those times and confessed.
Even though it looks like I’m doing a lot of things, I have only one intention. I’m just doing what’s important regarding the things that I want to do.
Q: It has been 2 years and 9 months since your last appearance in “ROCK AND READ”. What has changed during this period?
Ummm… I don’t know if I should say this. People around me told me, “Suddenly you became an adult”. When I did an interview with you last time in 2008, we just gave a 1st anniversary oneman live at Rokumeikan, and for me it was a turning point. At first we had only around 10 audience, but after we released “I SCREAM PARTY” in the end of 2007, for the first time we could give some vigor, and thus we were able to give a live performance at Rokumeikan. Finally I could grasp the meaning of my doing music, so I thought there was no other way but to express things than by music. However, now we have a lot more choices. Now I have more things that I want to do, and things that I have to do. By doing each one of them, I feel that I could understand music more thoroughly.
Q: You’ve had interest in writing screenplays and making movies since you were a student ne.
Right. Before I thought “I will only do music!”, but now along with music, I’m also thinking of other things like pictures (videos) or fashion. In other words, with SuG as my base, now I’m able to express things in various ways. That’s why, if people say “I prefer the you before”, I would be truly troubled. I can assert that now I can do things that I like. Actually, by starting my own brand “million $ orchestra” and directing our PV, in many ways I have become an adult. Or, my vision has simply widen.
Q: Can you tell us in detail?
I’m originally kind of a shut-in. I also fall sick easily, but more than that I’m afraid of knowing people and being told this and that by other people. However, I started thinking that rather than being frightened of what other people say and shut myself inside my shell, it’s important to go on and create something. That is the big change that I experienced in these 2 years.
Q: Let’s look back on those 2 years chronologically. First, in the 2008 interview, you said “I want to be greedy”. In reality, how has it been?
I had been too greedy that fans said “I can’t keep up!” (laughs). First, the mini album that we released in September “Punkitsch” was a big challenge for SuG. Even though we knew that the song “HYSTERiC HONEY” would be more accepted, but instead we chose the hard-and-cool “Butterfly BoY” as the lead song, so as expected it wasn’t accepted. The next single “Tricolour colour” which was released in December also had a ballad as the lead song, and maybe that’s why it wasn’t accepted either. At that time I was troubled, “Maybe we shouldn’t make serious singles”. Even though we understood that pop sound was more accepted, we took a big challenge instead. That was the second half of 2008.
Q: Why did you do that, even though you knew it already?
Even though pop songs are easily accepted and people like it, if we make them consecutively people would be bored. And from our point of view, we didn’t want it either. So, in 2009 and 2010 still we had been changing the type of lead song every time, even if people say “I can’t keep up with you” or “I don’t know what you guys want to do”, for us we’re just doing what we want to do. Personally, when I see their songs or photos and found that they were doing something different from usual, I would be like “Uwa, they made something like this. I’m done for!” and it’s the most enjoyable for me. I like people who surprise me, so I want to od that too. SuG is not a band who keeps doing same thing.
Q: That’s why your songs have a clear theme and story, and give surprises to the listeners. Moving on to 2009, you starred in a movie called “Beat rock ☆ Love”. I think it was really important.
It was a big turning point. If I just shut myself in and don’t meet other people, even if I try to broaden my world I could only do it through internet or book, and no matter what there was a limit in creating something new. I started to realize it that time, so when I got an offer to act I thought “this is interesting”. I could talk to the actors and people who are active in different genres and got a lot of motivation.
Q: It’s an experience that you can’t get from your band activities.
And then, the person from the brand that provided my costume, MALKOMALKA… after that we became partners and started a brand together. I became close friend with him, and we collaborated to make costume for “39GalaxyZ”. He introduced our current stylist, and also the DJ whom we had an event together. I like the work of a VJ that we met there, so for the PV of “dot.0” I asked him to do the CG for us. I could encounter new abilities thanks to going outside. And then, I could see which ability I want to work with.
I didn’t feel like doing only band anymore. I just kept living somehow. That half year is the most painful.
Q: So, now SuG are working with staff you met outside.
That’s right. That’s why, bands have to go out more! Since every band has similar stuffs, they end up making only similar stuffs, and they will end up becoming boring. However, there are a lot of people in this scene who think that meeting outside people are bad things. Even though going drinking with other band members is also important, this (meeting outside people) is important too.
Q: Then, even though you became more sociable, you’re not getting more band member friends?
No, not that much. However, I have people I respect. For example, Miya-san from MUCC, whom I have got the chance to meet on a DJ event. He is an interesting person, and has his own aesthetics. That’s why, it’s not like I’m deliberately avoiding Visual Kei people. However, in Visual Kei there is a weird tendency of hiding everything including personal life, reading too much into something vague, or fantasizing things isn’t it? Actually, once by chance I met a fan on the way home after watching a live performance, and the next day I got a letter from her saying “I don’t mind Takeru-san spending his time with other people, but it’s painful to see you do that”. It looks like, she sees some illusion beside me! When you go out there’s also a chance of seeing something “scary” like that, and even if they’re just a friend people make some images that force you to be alone. That’s why I couldn’t get close to other band members. I really disliked getting involved with other people. It climaxed when our previous Drummer quit on May 9th.
Q: In an interview with another magazine, you said that you were troubled by a lot of rumors regarding his quitting.
So many lies and made-up stories were spreading. If we couldn’t deny it, it wouldn’t be just a rumor, but some people also really hated us. Until they died down, I was like, “Is there any meaning of being in a band?”, and didn’t want to do just band anymore. During tour everyday I couldn’t sleep, it was really bad. And even though we had more than 1000 audience in our Shibuya O-east performance on May 9th, in summer it decreased to around 400, so we weren’t allowed to give live performance. Our manager also changed, and I thought our agency also abandoned us. I was just living somehow. Not being able to give live performances or anything, that empty half-year was the most painful for me.
Q: Did you think of quitting, or disbanding?
Yes. Afterall, everytime we stood on stage we would get complaints. They said, “It’s your fault the drummer quit”. If you believe such lies and hate us, I would take all responsibilities and do something. However, even if this band disappeared I had some things that I couldn’t give up no matter what, so during that half year I decided on the things I could do. I used the fact that I couldn’t do anything to my advantage, and learned design and dance, and went to events by myself. So I didn’t spend that half year hurting and shutting myself off. In the end, it got connected to our album after going major and our activities after that.
Q: And then you decided to restart the band, and in September Shinpei-san joined as your new drummer.
No, I think that time we still had some hesitation. That time our major debut was decided, and it was like finally we started our activities again. The director who decided our major debut originally knew me from “Beat rock ☆ love”. Then he listened to SuG’s songs and came to our live performance, and felt that we had the potential. I was really happy that there were people who praised our work and supported us, and I thought “maybe something will change if we go major”. Because of that flow, I was really moved in our first major live performance at Akasaka Blitz, like I was in our Rokumeikan performance. With that live performance, I could change the painful things in 2009 to a positive direction, and finally I could find out the meaning of what I’m doing.
Q: It was a performance that lead to your album “TOKYO MUZiCAL HOTEL”, and moreover it was sold out. Seeing that you lost a lot of audience the year before, I think it’s natural that you got moved.
We really ended once in summer 2009. And to bring us up again from that situation was really difficult. And to be able to continue that and performed at Shibuya CC Lemon Hall the next year, although it was obvious, we wouldn’t have been able to do it by ourselves. I really felt that it was due to the power of a lot of people. With my experience from the blank half year, and going to Thailand in October after that, I could experience Japanese music and fashion from abroad. In the end it led me to our album “TOKYO MUZiCAL HOTEL”, and finally I could feel “I know what I want to do now”. And in our Shibuya CC Lemon Hall performance we could express the world of the album. And since we could come that far, it means we had to go further next. It will get more difficult for us (laughs).
Q: Your Shibuya CC Lemon Hall live performance is an entertainment package that embodies everything that you wanted to do. I think, it succeeded because of the hardship in 2009, and because you didn’t let your spirit be down in 2009, when you couldn’t see your future at all.
Yes. Because of the hardship in 2009, in 2010 I could do what I wanted to do. I had to save myself that way, otherwise I would’ve felt really bad for the me in 2009.
Q: That means, for SuG your major debut is like a help from the heavens. If the major debut hadn’t come….
Maybe the band would’ve ended just like that. As usual, we were also told “You changed after going major” (laughs). But, actually, the songs that fans thought “changed” were actually made when we were still indies. Our first to third single, and even “dot.0” were made during the blank half a year. The first time we released a song we made after going major was DVD single “mujouken koufukuron”. Even then, still people thought we “changed”, and we learned from that. We can’t help that people would say something.
Q: That’s why, there’s no end if you are bothered by what other people say.
That’s right! No matter what kind of rumor comes up, they are all lies so we don’t care! Before, we were still children so we just accepted everything and got hurt, and tried not to get in touch with people. However, it was more important to have conversation with other people and absorb things from outside and use them to enrich our works, and I realized how much information I could get from it. Of course, some things changed after we went major. However, they are good changes, and since the beginning we understood that we couldn’t have done the things we wanted to do had we not gone major.
Q: That’s because, in the major scene you can work with a lot more people, and you can realize what you want to do with more precision.
I really felt that. It’s not that our core had changed or that the things we do had changed, we simply leveled up in the way we present them. For example, like adding VJ, or getting help with putting sounds, because we have more specialized staff, now we can come up with higher quality works. I think making that kind of environment has to be top priority for an artist.
Q: You touched a bit about it before, but your brand “million $ orchestra” that you started on March 9th is also one of them.
That’s right. I was really happy when someone wears the clothes on a magazine. By setting up my own brand, I could also feel the narrowness of Visual Kei genre. Actually, I was told “I don’t want to wear it because it’s visual kei clothes”. There’s a perception among people that Visual Kei is not fashionable. I didn’t like that, so I wanted to destroy that prejudice. There are cool people in Visual Kei too! Personally, I think Miyavi-san, Tatsuro-san from MUCC and Tatsuhi from Zoro are cool. And there are also people who really understand themselves and totally show their personality. However, no matter what most of them still get fabrics from the same shop and make the same clothes, so people look on us with tinted images.
Q: As the thing you want to do increases, you realize how high the wall is. Maybe that’s how it has been these 2.5 years.
Little by little I came to understand how difficult things that I want to do are. Moreover, fans told me “Please do your real profession” (laughs bitterly). But, telling me that is like telling someone who goes to pachinko to take a breather that it’s not good. There isn’t a person who only does their profession, right? Everyone relaxes at home, takes a bath, and has some food. That kind of time is important.
Q: Because you use the things you get in other activities for your real profession.
In that sense, I’m the type who utilize my work for my real work. I won’t play unless it’s related to my work; I just simply let all my interests out. Like, directing PV for the first time in “mujouken koufukuron”, or writing a 50-pages story for “TOKYO MUZiCAL HOTEL”. Actually I’ve thought of a much longer story but after going major I became busy so in the end it was just 50 pages. That’s why, one day I want to really make something from the background story of a song. But for me mixing or mastering is impossible. I feel that I’m better at images and words than in sound.
I want to keep biting off more than I can chew. I think, for an artist it’s an absolute requirement.
Q: That’s why, in a good way, for you rather than a goal, a music is a way to express your images. Composing music itself is not your goal, but it is a way to give your images a shape.
I really think so. To make a simple comparison, in fight one can use head-butt, kick or punch. For me, music is my kick, lyric is my punch, fashion is my head-butt… (laughs). In the end, it’s just that the method is different. I also think that way for music genre. This time, we shot the PV at a live house where I used to perform and hang out at when I was 17. That time, my entrance to music was punk. Of course, as a means, electronic, dance music, hip-hop, rock, and metal are also there . That time, I was bored and I wanted to do something fun, and talked with people with same interest and look at the stage. For me, who couldn’t help but thinking that I’m not good at music, punk taught me “Even if you’re bad at singing, even if you know nothing, you can play music”. Even today, during the shooting I could still feel my strong punk spirit. That’s why I want to go against the norm, like “It’ll be interesting if I do this in Visual Kei”, or “It’ll be eccentric if I do this kind of fashion”. To me, “punk” is doing pop-ish art which is the opposite of Visual Kei aesthetics. I have a strong image of it.
Q: Originally, punk began as a counter culture to rock ne. In other words, what SuG does is “punk” towards Visual Kei.
Right. Originally the word “punk” doesn’t refer to the music, but to the rebellious spirit in it. That’s why even though SuG’s single songs which are the entrance to our music are pop, the couplings are punk-ish songs, songs with some heavy mixtures, and sometimes very dark songs; they will surprise the people who come from the entrance (laughs)
Q: Before, you said “From now on it’ll be difficult”. How is your next album?
Actually, by the time we finished “TOKYO MUZiCAL HOTEL”, we’ve already come up with the concept for our next album. “TOKYO MUZiCAL HOTEL” has ‘The cool Tokyo seen from abroad’ as the image, and each songs are independent and represent each floor (of the hotel). This time, we want to make the songs more connected, and make a conceptual album with a concrete story. Musically of course there is no limitation. As you can see, til now we’ve been releasing really diverse singles, but actually all of them are connected to the album. Because we came up with the album concept before we composed the singles.
Q: Eh?! “koakuma sparkling” with latin vibes, anime tie-up song “R.P.G ~Rockin’ Playing Game” and ballad “mujouken koufukuron”, the singles that will be included in the album have really different themes, and I can’t think of any common feature, but actually they were made with album concept in mind?
That’s right. That’s why, it was really difficult to keep the balance as we made the album! Well, now we’re till in the middle of making it, but I want to make songs that can connect those singles well.
Q: I’m really looking forward to it. Well then, not only about the album, but as an artist what is your next goal?
For now, it’s only how to express my story stocks, or the new stories that will come with a high quality work. If it’s required, I will dance, or I will learn english. In the end, I’m still doing the things that I want to do. That is also my reason for launching my brand. Originally I started because I wanted to make costumes with original material. Even though it looks like I’m doing a lot of things, I have only one intention. I’m just doing what’s important regarding the things that I want to do.
Q: In other words, to be able to come up with such a clear image is Takeru-san’s ultimate ability/
I think it’s my strength. I’m often told by our PV director. Usually the artists can only say abstract things like “please make the background more flashy”, and to instruct things like “tear the stocking and stretch it like this” is unusual. But, to me I’m only saying how I want the PV to be shot. To be able to do that I often go for deep thinking, and I decided to read at least 10 books every month. It’s the same as musicians listening to a lot of music, so it’s not like it’s amazing or anything.
Q: It’s really a result of hard work.
It’s just that everyone else don’t have enough input. For example, a fan consulted to me, like “I want to start my own brand, what should I do?”. To that question, I asked, “How many fashion magazines do you read every month”. And she said, “One”! To say it strictly, when you think “Why can they do these things”, it’s already impossible. You can’t survive unless you think, “How to become better than this person”.
Q: One shouldn’t stop at “Why”. They should reach “How”.
I agree. Regarding that, I have some confidence. No matter how amazing someone is, I won’t think “I can’t become like them”. The moment I think that, I will only be able to follow behind them all of my life, so instead I think, “What should I do to surpass this person”. Even if some people will laugh at you, like “he doesn’t know his limit”, or “it’s impossible for him”, to give up because of that means it’s not suited for you since the beginning. That’s why, I want to keep biting off more than I can chew. I think, for an artist it’s an absolute requirement.
Profile
Born on May 11th. Blood type O. The vocalist of SuG, which was formed in 2006. Other members are Masato (g), Yuji (g), Chiyu (b) and Shinpei (ds). In March 2010 he launched his own brand “million $ orchestra”. SuG is going to start their oneman tour “crazy”LIVE”coaster on December 14th at Nagoya E.L.L. , followed by a performance in Osaka Muse on 15th and Shibuya AX on 18th.
It’s his 2nd appearance in this magazine! While seeing his previous appearance, he laughed and said “I was still young ne”.
Their drummer quit in 2009, and once he was thinking about quitting or disbanding.
However, something triggered them to resume their activities. He then started a brand as a way to express himself, and SuG also went major. The tempestuous 2 years and 9 months. And also, the him that grew during that period.
Takeru, who has grown up a little, reflected upon those times and confessed.
Even though it looks like I’m doing a lot of things, I have only one intention. I’m just doing what’s important regarding the things that I want to do.
Q: It has been 2 years and 9 months since your last appearance in “ROCK AND READ”. What has changed during this period?
Ummm… I don’t know if I should say this. People around me told me, “Suddenly you became an adult”. When I did an interview with you last time in 2008, we just gave a 1st anniversary oneman live at Rokumeikan, and for me it was a turning point. At first we had only around 10 audience, but after we released “I SCREAM PARTY” in the end of 2007, for the first time we could give some vigor, and thus we were able to give a live performance at Rokumeikan. Finally I could grasp the meaning of my doing music, so I thought there was no other way but to express things than by music. However, now we have a lot more choices. Now I have more things that I want to do, and things that I have to do. By doing each one of them, I feel that I could understand music more thoroughly.
Q: You’ve had interest in writing screenplays and making movies since you were a student ne.
Right. Before I thought “I will only do music!”, but now along with music, I’m also thinking of other things like pictures (videos) or fashion. In other words, with SuG as my base, now I’m able to express things in various ways. That’s why, if people say “I prefer the you before”, I would be truly troubled. I can assert that now I can do things that I like. Actually, by starting my own brand “million $ orchestra” and directing our PV, in many ways I have become an adult. Or, my vision has simply widen.
Q: Can you tell us in detail?
I’m originally kind of a shut-in. I also fall sick easily, but more than that I’m afraid of knowing people and being told this and that by other people. However, I started thinking that rather than being frightened of what other people say and shut myself inside my shell, it’s important to go on and create something. That is the big change that I experienced in these 2 years.
Q: Let’s look back on those 2 years chronologically. First, in the 2008 interview, you said “I want to be greedy”. In reality, how has it been?
I had been too greedy that fans said “I can’t keep up!” (laughs). First, the mini album that we released in September “Punkitsch” was a big challenge for SuG. Even though we knew that the song “HYSTERiC HONEY” would be more accepted, but instead we chose the hard-and-cool “Butterfly BoY” as the lead song, so as expected it wasn’t accepted. The next single “Tricolour colour” which was released in December also had a ballad as the lead song, and maybe that’s why it wasn’t accepted either. At that time I was troubled, “Maybe we shouldn’t make serious singles”. Even though we understood that pop sound was more accepted, we took a big challenge instead. That was the second half of 2008.
Q: Why did you do that, even though you knew it already?
Even though pop songs are easily accepted and people like it, if we make them consecutively people would be bored. And from our point of view, we didn’t want it either. So, in 2009 and 2010 still we had been changing the type of lead song every time, even if people say “I can’t keep up with you” or “I don’t know what you guys want to do”, for us we’re just doing what we want to do. Personally, when I see their songs or photos and found that they were doing something different from usual, I would be like “Uwa, they made something like this. I’m done for!” and it’s the most enjoyable for me. I like people who surprise me, so I want to od that too. SuG is not a band who keeps doing same thing.
Q: That’s why your songs have a clear theme and story, and give surprises to the listeners. Moving on to 2009, you starred in a movie called “Beat rock ☆ Love”. I think it was really important.
It was a big turning point. If I just shut myself in and don’t meet other people, even if I try to broaden my world I could only do it through internet or book, and no matter what there was a limit in creating something new. I started to realize it that time, so when I got an offer to act I thought “this is interesting”. I could talk to the actors and people who are active in different genres and got a lot of motivation.
Q: It’s an experience that you can’t get from your band activities.
And then, the person from the brand that provided my costume, MALKOMALKA… after that we became partners and started a brand together. I became close friend with him, and we collaborated to make costume for “39GalaxyZ”. He introduced our current stylist, and also the DJ whom we had an event together. I like the work of a VJ that we met there, so for the PV of “dot.0” I asked him to do the CG for us. I could encounter new abilities thanks to going outside. And then, I could see which ability I want to work with.
I didn’t feel like doing only band anymore. I just kept living somehow. That half year is the most painful.
Q: So, now SuG are working with staff you met outside.
That’s right. That’s why, bands have to go out more! Since every band has similar stuffs, they end up making only similar stuffs, and they will end up becoming boring. However, there are a lot of people in this scene who think that meeting outside people are bad things. Even though going drinking with other band members is also important, this (meeting outside people) is important too.
Q: Then, even though you became more sociable, you’re not getting more band member friends?
No, not that much. However, I have people I respect. For example, Miya-san from MUCC, whom I have got the chance to meet on a DJ event. He is an interesting person, and has his own aesthetics. That’s why, it’s not like I’m deliberately avoiding Visual Kei people. However, in Visual Kei there is a weird tendency of hiding everything including personal life, reading too much into something vague, or fantasizing things isn’t it? Actually, once by chance I met a fan on the way home after watching a live performance, and the next day I got a letter from her saying “I don’t mind Takeru-san spending his time with other people, but it’s painful to see you do that”. It looks like, she sees some illusion beside me! When you go out there’s also a chance of seeing something “scary” like that, and even if they’re just a friend people make some images that force you to be alone. That’s why I couldn’t get close to other band members. I really disliked getting involved with other people. It climaxed when our previous Drummer quit on May 9th.
Q: In an interview with another magazine, you said that you were troubled by a lot of rumors regarding his quitting.
So many lies and made-up stories were spreading. If we couldn’t deny it, it wouldn’t be just a rumor, but some people also really hated us. Until they died down, I was like, “Is there any meaning of being in a band?”, and didn’t want to do just band anymore. During tour everyday I couldn’t sleep, it was really bad. And even though we had more than 1000 audience in our Shibuya O-east performance on May 9th, in summer it decreased to around 400, so we weren’t allowed to give live performance. Our manager also changed, and I thought our agency also abandoned us. I was just living somehow. Not being able to give live performances or anything, that empty half-year was the most painful for me.
Q: Did you think of quitting, or disbanding?
Yes. Afterall, everytime we stood on stage we would get complaints. They said, “It’s your fault the drummer quit”. If you believe such lies and hate us, I would take all responsibilities and do something. However, even if this band disappeared I had some things that I couldn’t give up no matter what, so during that half year I decided on the things I could do. I used the fact that I couldn’t do anything to my advantage, and learned design and dance, and went to events by myself. So I didn’t spend that half year hurting and shutting myself off. In the end, it got connected to our album after going major and our activities after that.
Q: And then you decided to restart the band, and in September Shinpei-san joined as your new drummer.
No, I think that time we still had some hesitation. That time our major debut was decided, and it was like finally we started our activities again. The director who decided our major debut originally knew me from “Beat rock ☆ love”. Then he listened to SuG’s songs and came to our live performance, and felt that we had the potential. I was really happy that there were people who praised our work and supported us, and I thought “maybe something will change if we go major”. Because of that flow, I was really moved in our first major live performance at Akasaka Blitz, like I was in our Rokumeikan performance. With that live performance, I could change the painful things in 2009 to a positive direction, and finally I could find out the meaning of what I’m doing.
Q: It was a performance that lead to your album “TOKYO MUZiCAL HOTEL”, and moreover it was sold out. Seeing that you lost a lot of audience the year before, I think it’s natural that you got moved.
We really ended once in summer 2009. And to bring us up again from that situation was really difficult. And to be able to continue that and performed at Shibuya CC Lemon Hall the next year, although it was obvious, we wouldn’t have been able to do it by ourselves. I really felt that it was due to the power of a lot of people. With my experience from the blank half year, and going to Thailand in October after that, I could experience Japanese music and fashion from abroad. In the end it led me to our album “TOKYO MUZiCAL HOTEL”, and finally I could feel “I know what I want to do now”. And in our Shibuya CC Lemon Hall performance we could express the world of the album. And since we could come that far, it means we had to go further next. It will get more difficult for us (laughs).
Q: Your Shibuya CC Lemon Hall live performance is an entertainment package that embodies everything that you wanted to do. I think, it succeeded because of the hardship in 2009, and because you didn’t let your spirit be down in 2009, when you couldn’t see your future at all.
Yes. Because of the hardship in 2009, in 2010 I could do what I wanted to do. I had to save myself that way, otherwise I would’ve felt really bad for the me in 2009.
Q: That means, for SuG your major debut is like a help from the heavens. If the major debut hadn’t come….
Maybe the band would’ve ended just like that. As usual, we were also told “You changed after going major” (laughs). But, actually, the songs that fans thought “changed” were actually made when we were still indies. Our first to third single, and even “dot.0” were made during the blank half a year. The first time we released a song we made after going major was DVD single “mujouken koufukuron”. Even then, still people thought we “changed”, and we learned from that. We can’t help that people would say something.
Q: That’s why, there’s no end if you are bothered by what other people say.
That’s right! No matter what kind of rumor comes up, they are all lies so we don’t care! Before, we were still children so we just accepted everything and got hurt, and tried not to get in touch with people. However, it was more important to have conversation with other people and absorb things from outside and use them to enrich our works, and I realized how much information I could get from it. Of course, some things changed after we went major. However, they are good changes, and since the beginning we understood that we couldn’t have done the things we wanted to do had we not gone major.
Q: That’s because, in the major scene you can work with a lot more people, and you can realize what you want to do with more precision.
I really felt that. It’s not that our core had changed or that the things we do had changed, we simply leveled up in the way we present them. For example, like adding VJ, or getting help with putting sounds, because we have more specialized staff, now we can come up with higher quality works. I think making that kind of environment has to be top priority for an artist.
Q: You touched a bit about it before, but your brand “million $ orchestra” that you started on March 9th is also one of them.
That’s right. I was really happy when someone wears the clothes on a magazine. By setting up my own brand, I could also feel the narrowness of Visual Kei genre. Actually, I was told “I don’t want to wear it because it’s visual kei clothes”. There’s a perception among people that Visual Kei is not fashionable. I didn’t like that, so I wanted to destroy that prejudice. There are cool people in Visual Kei too! Personally, I think Miyavi-san, Tatsuro-san from MUCC and Tatsuhi from Zoro are cool. And there are also people who really understand themselves and totally show their personality. However, no matter what most of them still get fabrics from the same shop and make the same clothes, so people look on us with tinted images.
Q: As the thing you want to do increases, you realize how high the wall is. Maybe that’s how it has been these 2.5 years.
Little by little I came to understand how difficult things that I want to do are. Moreover, fans told me “Please do your real profession” (laughs bitterly). But, telling me that is like telling someone who goes to pachinko to take a breather that it’s not good. There isn’t a person who only does their profession, right? Everyone relaxes at home, takes a bath, and has some food. That kind of time is important.
Q: Because you use the things you get in other activities for your real profession.
In that sense, I’m the type who utilize my work for my real work. I won’t play unless it’s related to my work; I just simply let all my interests out. Like, directing PV for the first time in “mujouken koufukuron”, or writing a 50-pages story for “TOKYO MUZiCAL HOTEL”. Actually I’ve thought of a much longer story but after going major I became busy so in the end it was just 50 pages. That’s why, one day I want to really make something from the background story of a song. But for me mixing or mastering is impossible. I feel that I’m better at images and words than in sound.
I want to keep biting off more than I can chew. I think, for an artist it’s an absolute requirement.
Q: That’s why, in a good way, for you rather than a goal, a music is a way to express your images. Composing music itself is not your goal, but it is a way to give your images a shape.
I really think so. To make a simple comparison, in fight one can use head-butt, kick or punch. For me, music is my kick, lyric is my punch, fashion is my head-butt… (laughs). In the end, it’s just that the method is different. I also think that way for music genre. This time, we shot the PV at a live house where I used to perform and hang out at when I was 17. That time, my entrance to music was punk. Of course, as a means, electronic, dance music, hip-hop, rock, and metal are also there . That time, I was bored and I wanted to do something fun, and talked with people with same interest and look at the stage. For me, who couldn’t help but thinking that I’m not good at music, punk taught me “Even if you’re bad at singing, even if you know nothing, you can play music”. Even today, during the shooting I could still feel my strong punk spirit. That’s why I want to go against the norm, like “It’ll be interesting if I do this in Visual Kei”, or “It’ll be eccentric if I do this kind of fashion”. To me, “punk” is doing pop-ish art which is the opposite of Visual Kei aesthetics. I have a strong image of it.
Q: Originally, punk began as a counter culture to rock ne. In other words, what SuG does is “punk” towards Visual Kei.
Right. Originally the word “punk” doesn’t refer to the music, but to the rebellious spirit in it. That’s why even though SuG’s single songs which are the entrance to our music are pop, the couplings are punk-ish songs, songs with some heavy mixtures, and sometimes very dark songs; they will surprise the people who come from the entrance (laughs)
Q: Before, you said “From now on it’ll be difficult”. How is your next album?
Actually, by the time we finished “TOKYO MUZiCAL HOTEL”, we’ve already come up with the concept for our next album. “TOKYO MUZiCAL HOTEL” has ‘The cool Tokyo seen from abroad’ as the image, and each songs are independent and represent each floor (of the hotel). This time, we want to make the songs more connected, and make a conceptual album with a concrete story. Musically of course there is no limitation. As you can see, til now we’ve been releasing really diverse singles, but actually all of them are connected to the album. Because we came up with the album concept before we composed the singles.
Q: Eh?! “koakuma sparkling” with latin vibes, anime tie-up song “R.P.G ~Rockin’ Playing Game” and ballad “mujouken koufukuron”, the singles that will be included in the album have really different themes, and I can’t think of any common feature, but actually they were made with album concept in mind?
That’s right. That’s why, it was really difficult to keep the balance as we made the album! Well, now we’re till in the middle of making it, but I want to make songs that can connect those singles well.
Q: I’m really looking forward to it. Well then, not only about the album, but as an artist what is your next goal?
For now, it’s only how to express my story stocks, or the new stories that will come with a high quality work. If it’s required, I will dance, or I will learn english. In the end, I’m still doing the things that I want to do. That is also my reason for launching my brand. Originally I started because I wanted to make costumes with original material. Even though it looks like I’m doing a lot of things, I have only one intention. I’m just doing what’s important regarding the things that I want to do.
Q: In other words, to be able to come up with such a clear image is Takeru-san’s ultimate ability/
I think it’s my strength. I’m often told by our PV director. Usually the artists can only say abstract things like “please make the background more flashy”, and to instruct things like “tear the stocking and stretch it like this” is unusual. But, to me I’m only saying how I want the PV to be shot. To be able to do that I often go for deep thinking, and I decided to read at least 10 books every month. It’s the same as musicians listening to a lot of music, so it’s not like it’s amazing or anything.
Q: It’s really a result of hard work.
It’s just that everyone else don’t have enough input. For example, a fan consulted to me, like “I want to start my own brand, what should I do?”. To that question, I asked, “How many fashion magazines do you read every month”. And she said, “One”! To say it strictly, when you think “Why can they do these things”, it’s already impossible. You can’t survive unless you think, “How to become better than this person”.
Q: One shouldn’t stop at “Why”. They should reach “How”.
I agree. Regarding that, I have some confidence. No matter how amazing someone is, I won’t think “I can’t become like them”. The moment I think that, I will only be able to follow behind them all of my life, so instead I think, “What should I do to surpass this person”. Even if some people will laugh at you, like “he doesn’t know his limit”, or “it’s impossible for him”, to give up because of that means it’s not suited for you since the beginning. That’s why, I want to keep biting off more than I can chew. I think, for an artist it’s an absolute requirement.
Niciun comentariu:
Trimiteți un comentariu