Dir en grey translations

生きている限り希望を持つ

[direngreytranslation]

Kaoru Ongaku to Hito Feb 2015

You say that ARCHE was a tough album to make.

Creating albums is always tough but this album had a different kind of difficulty than usual. It was difficult to see how it would all come together in the end.

So you were thinking about it all day even after you’d returned home from the studio?

No, recently I’ve been trying not to think about work all the time. I used to be always thinking about it; I couldn’t get away from it. I had an overview of everything but I couldn’t see, so now when I get home I listen once to what I did that day and then I try to forget about it. If I happen to think up a phrase or anything then I’ll say like “Ahh” into my iPhone and record it (laughs.)

That’s primitive (laughs.)

Then when I listen to it the next day I’ll think: “Oh yeah I thought that up.”

So when you get home you separate yourself completely from the band?

I’ll watch TV shows I’ve recorded or movies… But of course I can’t completely separate myself from the band. It’s always somewhere in my mind. I’ll think “isn’t there still something to do?” But often in the past when I’d always be thinking about it I wouldn’t be able to think up anything anyway.

You were more excessive in the past?

Yeah. But recently I’ve come to the point where I’m able to think “Even if there’s something else I could do there’s nothing more than this.”

I see. How is this album for you, personally?

This time… I didn’t think further than “It’s okay even if I could still go further.” It’s that kind of album. I don’t think it’s a work that’s perfect or has no room for improvement.

You said the same thing in your previous interview. In the past you thought about albums more but this time you actually tried not to.

That’s right. Normally even if I’m told “Isn’t it perfect already?” I’ll reply like “No, I want to think about it a bit more.” But this time I tried to just be like “It’s okay like this.”

So that’s in your nature?

Yeah. I’m indecisive… Right up to the bitter end (laughs.) I can’t decide definitively.

Even outside of music?

I’m more just like “whatever” outside of music (laughs.) Even though I seem pretty proper, I’m actually not. If there’s a piece of clothing, etc., that I like, then I could wear the same thing for half a year, and I don’t do things like properly lay out a meal before I eat. So I’ll inevitably become like that regarding music, or rather Dir en grey.

You’re only different when it comes to the band.

Yeah, and particularly when it comes to writing songs, for example, things like concerts and music videos are worked on by many people and I don’t know how far you have to go to make it perfect. So I entrust that stuff to other people, but I’m able to create songs mostly by myself right up to the end. Of course I also get other people’s help while writing songs, but compared to concerts, etc., it’s only a few people, and it’s easy for me to control. So that’s why I work on it right to the end.

Why are you so particular about it?

Well, what I can say simply is that I want to enjoy it. I just want to be happy that I’ve created something really cool. Speaking plainly, that’s all I’m aiming for. I don’t want to make something that’s like “I couldn’t make something good.” That’s why I never want to cut corners and am always thinking “Isn’t there more I could do?”

In the last volume all you were saying was “Can’t I still do more?” (laughs.)

Hahaha. But that’s what I’m like.

Have you always been that kind of person?

I don’t think I was like this until Dir en grey began. It was… maybe from around the time of VULGAR.

Nearly 10 years ago. That was a period in which Dir en grey was trying to change a lot, like you were stretching yourselves.

That’s right. If we just continued doing the same things we’ve been doing up until now then I felt that the band would end up just trying to preserve itself, and I didn’t want that. I didn’t think there was any meaning in creating songs that can be easily made just like “If I do this it will become like this.”

So you were struggling?

Of course there is also goodness to songs that come about naturally. But in my case I only half accept that…

You still feel like you could do more.

Yeah because I still feel like that. If Dir en grey continues for another 10 years maybe I’ll begin to think like “Isn’t this good enough?” but… if that happened then there would only be a short time between releases.

Please become like that soon then! (Laughs.)

Hahahaha! That would be impossible for me at the moment. That is how large the existence of Dir en grey is to me. I want to make things far beyond the expectations of our listeners and the people waiting for us. I want to make things they will think are amazing.

I see. So you’re motivated by appealing to people?

Yeah. But that’s the same even now. I like hearing “wow! They’ve made something amazing again.” And of course I like the sound of “Yes yes yes, I see.” I like “This is good for these people”, but my favourite thing is when people are like wow!! When they hear our songs. So I’m always searching for that.

So you struggle because you always want to make things like that?

Yeah… But I think I probably like it.

What?

The act of thinking itself (laughs.)

Hahahaha. I guess that’s right.

I simply like it. I understand that about myself, and that work gets tough because of it (laughs.) For example, when I’m thinking about songs that’s truly all I am capable of doing; even when I’m supposed to be thinking about my performance for a tour I’ll just be like “I can’t think about that right now.”

How long have you been in a band for? (Laughs.)

I don’t know (laughs.)

Isn’t it tough to continue playing in a band like that? No matter how much you say you like thinking or worrying.

Yeah it is.

Not helping with anything else, delaying releases, causing trouble to those around you, these must create some difficulties in your relationships with the other members. Since Dir en grey has been going for so long, I think you have the time to change direction. Without that you wouldn’t be able to see the future. Somewhere along the line you’d be divided or give up. So I think that this album was a necessary work for Dir en grey to continue on. What do you think?

Well… um… Well, the atmosphere in the band hasn’t really changed.

It hasn’t changed?

For example… When we get an offer to play at an event we never say “Let’s do it!” straight away. We don’t make prompt decisions; we think over a lot of things together. Also, for example, if a magazine is being published and they want us to appear in it we will only reply after thinking carefully about things like what kind of people are making the magazine, what kind of people appear in it, and what kind of people will read it. That aspect of us hasn’t changed.

I see. So you are responsible for this part of the band’s nature?

We’re a band who by nature doesn’t like to be like anyone else and we always want to do things only we can do.

The albums you arrived at from that feeling are UROBOROS and DUM SPIRO SPERO, the results of you always searching for things only Dir en grey can do.

Of course that’s right. So I probably like thinking and like making things in that way… But more than that, I don’t want to do the same things as others. Because if everyone were like “Let’s go here,” I’d reply “Then I’m going in the opposite direction.” Or “If we have to go that way then I’m gonna go like this.”

Are you really such a rebellious kind of person?

Probably; I’ve already talked about this in the latest fan club magazine, but I don’t have a driver’s license, probably because I’d cause traffic accidents if I did (laughs.)

Why? (Laughs)

Probably because I do things you’re not supposed to do, or I want to try doing them. So you can imagine if I drove… Part of me would want to go the wrong way, etc. Well, because of how old I am now I might be okay to drive, but in the past I thought driving would have definitely turned out bad.

You don’t really give the impression of a risky person.

I’m not usually reckless, but there’s a part of me that is like that. I think that’s probably why I’m in a band. I’ve always really hated being told what to do. Also, when I started playing in bands, and started Dir en grey, when I was told things by the office or the record label etc., I’d think why the hell do I have to do so much of what other people tell me to do?

Hahahahaha.

There was a time I was really unsatisfied because I’d joined a band precisely because I didn’t want to be told such things. Normally I’d say to the company head TOMMY “Wouldn’t you be annoyed if you were told these kinds of things?” and he’d reply “that may be so but my position requires me to say such things.” Then I’d be like “Even so, I hate it.” (Laughs)

So you argued (laughs.) But you don’t give the impression of not listening to or accepting what others say, and you’re not selfish at all.

Selfish… ah, no, I’m not selfish.

If feels like you lend an ear to what people say, and even if you’re told no you can properly grasp the reason, and you’re not unmanageable. 

Yeah I’m not. But speaking in regard to Dir en grey, I’ve only been able to accept things and be flexible in the past six, seven years. Up until then a part of me always rebelled against everything.

Ah okay, so that part still exists somewhere inside you.

Yeah. I still have moments like that.

Scary (laughs.)

Hahahahaha! So in the past Dir en grey had that kind of feeling. Even when talking to other members we’d be like “I’m not doing that!” In the midst of that it was gradually only me who took on the role to say things like “let’s just listen to what he has to say,” and, “wouldn’t it be interesting if we changed how we thought about it?”

Even though that wasn’t your true nature?

Yes. In the beginning the band didn’t have a leader because I said “Let’s not have a leader, because otherwise I’ll be forced to be it.” (Laughs)

You said that yourself? Hahahaha!

Because I wanted to be free and uncontrolled. Rather than being in the centre, I wanted to be on the side saying isn’t this kind of thing good too? Which is why I didn’t become the leader. But in the end the band wasn’t going to progress if I stayed like that so it was like “Okay, I understand.”

I’ve finally come to understand you (laughs.) In other words you can’t get rid of your fussiness in song creation precisely because it’s not originally in your nature to arrange or organize the band. That’s it, right?

Maybe. Even though I’m the leader there’s times I just rush ahead. So… I think it’s turned out like this from me just doing as much as I can. But even though I’m the leader I don’t really act like the leader. I’m just like the moderator for when we get together to talk and decide things.

What’s it like being like the band’s moderator?

…Not that interesting (laughs.)

Hahahaha! From talking to you today I get the feeling that there’s both a part of you that fights against your nature, and also a part that accepts it as being you.

Hmm… Yeah.

So to sum it up… you’re an unreasonably stubborn guy (laughs.) Hahahaha! Yeah, I’m unreasonably stubborn. There’s no doubt about that… But some part of me acknowledges it, and understands it, so I become like that.

The part of you that understands?

If I don’t act so unreasonably stubborn then I won’t proceed forward. In other words, I think it’s because as usual I don’t have self confidence. I accept that that is who I am. So I’m always thinking “Isn’t there still something else?” “Can’t I do more?”

Does that become your driving force to make more albums?

It undoubtedly does; and for this album in particular. I think that it’s good if I’m in the only one in the band who thinks like this.

Thank you to worthlesswarrior for the scans.

[direngreytranslation]

Hey, can anyone point me in the direction of scans or photos of Kaoru’s new book or any recent Deg interviews?? I’d love to translate them if I could find them. (I’m unable to buy any Japanese magazines etc. atm)

[direngreytranslation]

Kaoru and Toshiya CD&DL data Part 1

Kaoru and Toshiya talk about their documentary DVD and shows in Australia

On the 23rd of April you released your 4th documentary DVD "TOUR13 GHOUL", which covered the three months of your tour last autumn, as well as your US tour. What did you guys think watching it?

Kaoru: I thought we talked well (laughs) I think you can get very close to everyone and see a side of Dir en grey that hasn’t really been visible before. Seeing what kind of things we did, what things happened to us, and how we felt. Of course, it's also because it contains interviews, but I think you can understand those kinds of things easily and that it's an interesting DVD.

Toshiya: We don’t usually show our feelings while we’re on tour, so it’s a chance to catch a glimpse of that side of Dir en grey.

Soon after the DVD begins, Toshiya is heard saying, “We’ve come here because we don’t want to end like this, right?”, as if summarizing the theme contained in the DVD.

Toshiya: But I think everyone else probably thinks so too. What I said was vague but, personally, on tours, etc., I don’t really talk with others. So, it’s a bad way of putting it but, I think the interviews were a breather for me (laughs).

Kaoru: It made me realize again how we are always having various things happen to us (laughs). Big incidents only happen sometimes (the shooting incident that occurred while Dir en grey were at immigration at Los Angeles airport) but whenever we go to places like the US, something is bound to happen to our bus.

Speaking about this tour, your bus broke down and you couldn’t move so you had to postpone a concert.

Kaoru: It was the first time it was so bad, but it made me think “What is this?? Does this happen to everyone?”

It doesn’t normally happen repeatedly to the same band, does it? In your domestic tour, which comprises the first half of the DVD, you had two different types of set lists. One had standard concert songs, and the other was full of long songs. It was a novel plan, showing two extremes. The latter concerts in particular were worth doing, right?

Kaoru: They really were extreme shows... Putting it simply, we just wanted to try it. But if we hadn’t done it in this way, then we wouldn’t have been able to do it. For example, if we’d made all of the shows push forward with this dark feeling, and we didn’t warn the fans ahead of time, I’d worry if the people who came to show would be okay. But when we actually tried it, it refreshed us, and now when I think about it, I feel like it was necessary for us to have the feeling of having done this album to completion before we faced towards something new.

Did the crowd have a larger reaction than you thought to the shows with all long songs?

Kaoru: Yes. I thought they might be calmer… At the first show, at Yokohama, we were probing each other, but in the final shows, like at Shinkiba, it wasn’t like that at all.

Toshiya: In that way I think they were experimental concerts. But how we felt didn’t change in particular. We didn’t try to make it really different. There was a lot more to feel in the flow of the whole show itself, rather than just in each song.

What was there to feel specifically?

Toshiya: Rather than something to be enjoyed, the performances were more about drawing you in. So, that kind of thing. Like there’s no kishotenketsu (the four-part organization of Chinese and Japanese narratives) (laughs) I thought we wouldn’t know how it would turn out until we tried.

Kaoru: I knew that whatever feeling it had the fans would enjoy it. Of course, I think there would have been people who wanted to hear songs with a better rhythm, or songs with more atmosphere, but I just hope they thought they had seen a valuable concert.

Do you feel that your shows on the American leg of the tour were different yet again?

Kaoru: No, it’s a weird way to put it but, when we go to North America, it’s like we’re pulled back into the feeling of North America. For example, even if we wanted our concerts to be exactly the same in North America as they are here, there’d be many parts that would be impossible. For instance, we can’t take a lot of instruments with us. We only tour there once a year but when we play maniac songs (I think he’s referring to songs that the hard-core fans love) everyone is like silent… So we try to include as many songs people know as possible, but I feel like that will again connect to the next time we play there.

Toshiya: Even though it was also called “GHOUL”, I think the concept of the American leg of the tour felt different. Conversely, I also feel like it didn’t change; it couldn’t change, in many ways. Overseas tours are about making do with our restrictions.

Kaoru: However, this time we used videos, which we had never before done in North America, so I think the feeling was in fact a little different from previous tours.

Toshiya: Our performances were really visual. The same song changes depending on how it is performed. However, we don’t watch the videos while we’re performing, so it’s not different for us when we play.

Speaking of playing overseas, in February you played for the first time in Australia, on a festival tour.

Toshiya: Putting it simply, it was great. (Laughs) We traveled by plane on the tour, and the ocean was really beautiful from the plane. I also got to hold a koala. (Laughs)

Kaoru: It was interesting. But at festivals we only get to play for 40 minutes, so our performances went by in the blink of an eye, and we also couldn’t rehearse. Our dressing room was like a container, so we couldn’t relax either. When we weren’t performing we were just hanging around, watching performances, drinking beer. (Laughs) But Australia was really expensive. It cost around 4,000 to 5,000 yen just to eat out normally in town. I’m not sure if we went there to make money, or to spend it (laughs) Also, there were so many China Towns there, so we mostly ate Chinese food. It felt like we were in China rather than Australia. (laughs) Although we did try wallaby meat.

[direngreytranslation]

Kaoru Tattoo Tribal A to Z interview

Art

What comes to mind when you think of art?

Sometimes I visit art galleries, but rather than the kind of things you’d find there that everyone recognizes as art, I’m more attracted to, and feel more things from, things that stick out in my daily life. Natural things like flowers blooming in a weird place, or clouds with strange shapes, etc.

Battle

What have you been battling with recently?

Hmm I wonder…

When you’re making a new album do you guys battle with each other? Or do you work more indifferently?

It depends. When we have different opinions we’ll talk thoroughly with each other to make the songs. We try our best to understand what the other members are saying.

You don’t fight?

Not recently. In the past, we’d get into fights over small things… so we’ve definitely fought before (laughs). But we’ve all become calmer now; we don’t really fight anymore.

Computer

I think that these days, computers are necessary for making music. Do you think that’s good or bad?

Everything runs via computers. Sure, I could think of songs without a computer, but we’d have to spend a long time in the studio, and record all together like “3, 2, 1, GO”. We’d have to make music all together from stage one. I think we could make good music like that, and I’m interested in it, but in our current situation I can’t imagine not have computers.

Dream

Do you think the dream you had when you began playing in bands has come true?

Hmm. At the time when I longed to be in a band, I just wanted to stand on stage and play my guitar. I was like “I wanna gather some people, play our own songs, and go hard!” My dream was just to play in a band. So now, having been able to play in a band for so long, I think my dream has come true.

Europe

What is Europe’s charm?

The fact that old buildings and streets there are treasured and preserved. They don’t just casually make tall buildings like in Japan; they preserve old buildings, even in cities. I think it’s really great how they’ve preserved their old traditions into the present day.

Fan

What do you think about the feeling of distance between the present band and the fans?

I don’t really show to the fans a feeling like “I really treasure the fans!” But I hope I can express to the fans the things I want to do, through concerts and our music. So, for the music and also the art work of albums, I want to make things about which we can confidently say to everyone “I want you to experience this”. So in that way, I think I’m putting my faith into the fans.

Guitar

What do you look for when choosing a guitar?

At the moment I’m not really interested in vintage things; I choose guitars which produce sounds close to the image of the sounds I want to produce.

Hamburg

I hear you like Hamburg steaks.

That was in the past (laughs). Though it’s not like I hate them now; for example, if we’re able to choice from a variety of bento (lunch) boxes in the studio, I don’t normally choose Hamburg steak. Recently I like pork and chicken more than beef. What the hell are we talking about? (laughs).

Instrumental

I have the impression that Dir en grey plays a lot of instrumentals.

We don’t play instrumentals, but we often play sounds to help create the atmosphere of the concert, and to connect one song to the other. Anything is okay though, really. However, as long as the sounds are jarring, I think it will feel like a Dir en grey sound (laughs).

Joy

What have you enjoyed recently?

The Hanshin Tigers beating the Yomiuri Giants in the climax series (laughs).

Karaoke

I hear you like karaoke.

No, I hate it! I haven’t been to karaoke in 20 years… maybe longer.

What don’t you like about it?

The sound at karaoke is low; there are no high sounds. And I have a weak throat; it dries up after singing only one chorus. So karaoke is painful for me (laughs).

Luxury

What’s been a recent luxury of yours?

Using my time in a meaningful way; I’m always busy making music, or touring, so I’m happy when I can freely spend my time without thinking about anything. At such times I wonder what I should do, then I make plans, and it feels luxurious.

Magazine

Do you read any magazines?

Recently I haven’t read magazines much. But I’ve started looking stuff up online.

What was the last magazine you read?

Hmm (thinks for a while) I can’t remember… I don’t buy them often. I don’t like having magazines, etc., spread out everywhere when I come home, so I try not to buy them.

New Album or Number

Your new album is titled ARCHE. Did you name it after you’d completed all the songs?

No, the name ARCHE came up while we were still in the middle of creating the album. At that time we still couldn’t see the whole picture of the album, so when Kyo suggested we call the album ARCHE, I wasn’t so sure about it. But since the album began to lean in the direction of us expressing our realness and a band feeling that can only be created at this present moment, I began to wonder if the title ARCHE (roots) would be suitable for the album after all.

Is this album completely different from your previous work? Or, is it an extension of your previous work?

I think it’s different. Parts of our previous works were not made for first time listeners. But this time, we wanted to make something that would reach many different people in a wider scope.

What parts should people listen out for in the album?

The image of the album is very easy to pick up. Also, even in simple sounding songs, there are many different parts, and I think the songs become more interesting each time you listen to them. So I want people to listen closely to them.

Orange

What kind of tour do you want to make DIR EN GREY TOUR14-15 BY THE GRACE OF GOD into?

Recently, we’ve been using a lot of videos in our concerts, but for this tour we haven’t made any concrete decisions about what videos we will use. Instead, we want to gradually change them as we play shows. We don’t yet have a specific image of how the shows will turn out, so I don’t know yet.

Paradox

What do you think you would have done if you hadn’t become a guitarist?

Before Dir en grey, I had various part time jobs. I stayed at them for a relatively long time, and ended up in kind of managerial positions (laughs). So I think I could have done anything to a certain extent. But I couldn’t imagine myself in a line of work that required me to ride a packed train every day (laughs).

Quake

Did your thinking towards Dir en grey change after the disaster?

In a disaster things you consider normal suddenly lose their normalcy, right? I don’t know when Dir en grey will end, or when I’ll no longer be able to play the guitar. So it really drove me to live each moment to the fullest, and leave no regrets. Furthermore, it made me realize that you shouldn’t assume that things are okay just because of what is said on TV; you need to investigate things, and make judgements for yourself.

Record

I’ve been told you like record stores.

Recently I’ve been using the internet a lot, so I don’t really visit stores anymore. In the past, I tried to absorb many different things, so I’d wonder around record stores on the hunt for new records. But recently, I don’t really find any sounds that I can get into instantly, so I often listen to music I’ve liked for a long time.

Since you’ve mentioned that, what artists do you listen to repetitively?

This and that, I often listen to The Beatles.

School

Did you know about tattoos when you were a student?

Yes, some of the seniors who had graduated had them, and some scary people had them (laughs). But at the time I didn’t think about getting any tattoos myself.

What advice would you give your student fans on how to lead a good school life?

I can’t say I lead a very organized school life… (Laughs) I went to school every day just to meet my friends. So sometimes I was late, but I always went to school. School is a place where you can talk, and exchange ideas with your friends, isn’t it? I think it’s okay to live in a world by yourself, but since there’s a place where you can share things in common with others, I think people should have fun and make good use of it

Tattoo

I’ve asked if your tattoos have increased recently, but are your tattoos complete now?

No, some of them are still only lines, so they’re not yet complete. But recently I haven’t been able to go to the tattoo parlour.

So you haven’t met your tattooist recently?

No, I’ve seen him.

So rather than just being his customer, you’re more like friends.

Yes. One out of three times we meet he’ll suggest we continue with my tattoo, but I just tell him I’ll come over soon (laughs).

Have you collaborated together for work before?

We’ve talked about how we’d like to collaborate if we ever had the chance, but at the moment we don’t have any such plans.

Recently, with the banning of visible tattoos at seaside clubhouses etc., I think the situation surrounding tattoos is changing. Have your thoughts towards your tattoos changed since I last interviewed you four years ago?

My thoughts towards them haven’t changed. My tattoos all have meaning to me, so they’re not something I’ll ever get sick off. It doesn’t matter how much time passes; they became a part of me the moment I got them.

Upgrade

Are there any parts of the band you think you have upgraded by making this album?

I talked with the other members about wanting to not just follow what we’ve been doing recently, but instead, treasure the power that comes naturally from our band. We’ve reconsidered how we’ve always just progressed naturally with songs without confirming with the other members. I think we have improved in that area.

Voice

When Kyo’s vocals are added to your music, are the songs as you imagined they would be -from the point of view of being the person who wrote the music?

Normally they aren’t. That’s not just because of Kyo’s vocals, it’s due to each members different parts. But that’s what’s interesting about being in a band. It’s like “ahh this is how it’s turned out?” then I’ll make suggestions, and we’ll talk back and forth to complete the work.

World

Where do you want to visit again?

Europe. There are so many countries in Europe, and each country’s alcohol tastes completely different from the others. For example, no matter where you go in the USA, the beer is all kinda the same, but in Europe, there are lots of different beers and it’s fun to try them. Even though European countries are all so close to each other, they all have their own distinct alcohol, so I don’t get bored of them while we’re touring.

So your memories of the countries you’ve visited are synchronized with your memories of alcohol?

Yes. That is definitely true (laughs). I remember those kinds of things. I normally only remember the venues and a few other places. Even if I remember the atmosphere of a concert, I can’t recall which country it was in (laughs).

Which country that you haven’t already been to would you like to visit?

I’d like to visit South East Asia: Malaysia, Thailand, etc. We’ve never played in that region before, so I’d like to visit.

Xmas

How do you normally spend Christmas?

Just normally (laughs). I don’t do anything in particular.

You don’t, for example, have a party with your friends?

I don’t really like parties. I won’t go so far as to question what’s interesting about them, just that it’s good enough for me to just go out drinking normally with people I know. I’ve never really liked the word “party” (laughs).

So rather than parties, you just like to go out and have some drinks with your friends?

Yeah, I prefer that (laughs).

Year

What kind of year do you think 2015 will be for you?

I think it’ll be a year focused on concerts. Seeing how much our new songs will evolve through our concerts… Searching for those kinds of things while playing shows wholeheartedly… I feel like it’ll be that kind of year. But I also wanna do something irregular. Although I can’t think of anything specific right now… I hope I can attempt something interesting.

Zombie heroez

In connection with your first tattoo, that reads “Zombie heroez”, do you have any information or advice for people considering getting a tattoo?

Firstly, I don’t want people to lose their self-confidence when they get one. People will look at you differently just because you have a tattoo. In that sense, I think your life changes when you get a tattoo. I don’t want you to be shaken in yourself just because you have a tattoo. I don’t want you to regret your tattoo. I hope that you can be positive about the things you have done.

Thank you to diru915 for the scans.

[direngreytranslation]

Shinya on “ARIYOSHI'S Meeting for reviewing”

According to this video:

Likes:  picking strawberries and chestnuts (just because he likes eating them),girls who don't smoke or have tattoos, shellfish, spring onions (scallions), spending time indoors, and remodelling his apartment (sometimes up to once a week…)　

Dislikes: getting a tan, a lot of food including: bell peppers, carrots, burdock, and daikon (They comment he has the same tastes as a 5 year old), snakes, and cockroaches.

His dream is to just stay at home reading books all day. He wants to go shellfish gathering (by himself), and they ask if he doesn’t want to go hunting for wild boar, etc., since that’s more rock-like, but he says he likes animals, so he wouldn’t want to. He didn't know how to eat the chestnuts he’d gathered, so he drew faces on them. He also goes out to pick shiitake mushrooms. He sleeps a lot, around 8 hours a night. He loves the character Cheburashka, and he often goes to see it. He heard that if you entered a competition/raffle you would receive a gift, and when it arrived at his house he was very excited. Perhaps out of stress, he went to see Cheburashka after having to work in the snake store. They joke that Shinya only stays in Dir en grey because the other members steal his chestnuts and say that they’ll only give them back to him if he keeps doing Dir en grey. He thinks that the other members’ tattoos look painful. The other members say he should get a Doraemon pocket tattoo. (A children’s cartoon character.) It’s his first time on a variety show, and when asked why he's on this kind of variety TV show, he said he had no idea. But he watches the show every week.

[direngreytranslation]

Kaoru interview Rolling Stone Feb 2014

In your documentary DVD TOUR 12-13 IN SITU-TABULA RASA, there's a scene where you are being interviewed by a German journalist. I think the kind of questions she asked you like "What do you think your weak point is?" and "What is the source of your negativity?" are often asked by journalists overseas. Are interviews always like that overseas?

They often are. They'll normally ask you things like "Why are you like that on stage even though normally you're quiet?" "What is the source of your power?" But it's just like um I've always been like this so I have no idea. (Laughs)

Dir en grey's music is very mysterious. So they're wondering who these people from Asia are.

Overseas, if a musician is energetic on stage, then they're likely to act in the exact same way backstage. (Laughs) They’re as wild as they want to be backstage. We're completely different from that so I guess they think we're strange. It's always very quiet in our dressing room, unless there's music playing. (Laughs) Members of the other bands burst into our dressing room saying "What are you guys doing!?! Let’s party!!" (Laughs) However, we're just like "uh, that’s okay." So our energy level is completely different from the other bands.

Ah yes, in the scenes on the DVD of you guys moving around you're always quiet. It doesn’t feel like you guys don't get along or that there's a tense atmosphere or anything; it just gave a strong impression that you guys are quiet. Well, sometimes the atmosphere was bad. (Laughs) When we go overseas we are constantly living together, and if one person gets in a bad mood it can affect everyone. So the atmosphere gets... Yeah. Playing concerts days in a row is tough physically and also tough mentally, so it's truly difficult and makes some of us just want to go home already... But when we play overseas for a long time we start not caring about that. It’s still physically and mentally tough, but we accept it as something to be expected. In the past some of us would be like "I wanna go home! I've had enough!" But now when someone says, "This is too tough" we’ll reply in good humor like, "Well what should we do?" "Shall we play only relaxing songs?"

In the DVD there are around 800-1,000 foreign fans gathered in each concert hall to watch you, and they all sing along to your songs in Japanese. You can also see that the fans aren’t only female, and that you’ve been fully accepted by listeners who look like they enjoy metal and gothic music. You could say that is the result of you having played overseas around every two years since 2005.

Yes. What I've felt playing concerts overseas is not what we can do, but, that doing what you are able to do to the very maximum is the best way to be original; it’s your power. However, I think that our good start overseas was in a large part thanks to the popularity wave of Japanese culture, which included visual kei. Compared with that time, the number of staff accompanying us on our overseas tours recently has shrunk, and we’re now in an age in which people don’t spend money on music. So there are some tough areas. But there are still many people overseas waiting for us to play in their countries so I don’t want to destroy that. At any rate, if we ever get in the red then we’ll reconsider overseas tours, but it’s not that bad at the moment.

So you’ll keep an eye on the situation.

Yeah. There are pragmatic problems: we’ve had to reduce the amount of equipment we take overseas. But we have a dream, right. We're not a band who originally thought about going overseas when we formed, and we weren’t releasing CDs overseas. But unbeknown to us, our music was being listened to online all around the world, and our foreign fans were growing in number. At the time we started playing overseas, our thinking had become a bit negative, but we received power from seeing all the fans who had been waiting for us overseas, and from then the band's gears began moving again. Because of that I want to treasure our overseas concerts; I want to continue playing overseas for as long as possible.

In 2013 you didn't only go to Germany, but, for the first time in a while, you also toured North America, right?

We did a solo tour in North America and also had the chance to briefly meet fans at meet and greets. We asked the fans there if they owned our CDs, but only around half of them said yes. Then when we asked how they listened to us if they didn’t own our CDs, most answered that they listened to us on YouTube. So they seem to know the singles and songs with music videos we've uploaded to YouTube but not other songs from albums. If you're doing an album tour then you're going to play all the songs off the album, right? But overseas if we play them all the audience doesn't get into it at all. (Laughs) So to a certain extent when we play overseas we increase the number of popular songs we play and reduce the number of album songs. There's the impression that foreign bands always play the same set list when they tour, right? It's like an understanding, like they know that if they play songs the audience doesn’t know or album songs then the audience won't get into it. I think it's because there isn't the culture overseas of buying CDs like in Japan; there also aren’t very many CD stores there.

I see, so there are things you’re able to notice because you’ve travelled outside of Japan. Seeing these things with your own eyes, and hearing about them, is it completely separate from your music activity? Or, is it more like you're learning about such realities in preparation -as the person who runs the band?

Ideally, I'd like to make music without hearing about such stuff but there are some things I just can’t ignore. It's easy to deny, or just resign yourself to things; but in order to make sure everything goes even a bit more smoothly, I always think of good plans at such times. That may be a luxurious worry, but overseas, there are problems like new songs getting leaked early; if something like that happened to us, it would cause us great damage. Many of the staff overseas just say things like, "That's just reality. There's nothing we can do." Or, “I'm sorry there's nothing we can do." But only looking at the bad stuff doesn't accomplish anything, so I also think about how to develop the good things.

On the DVD you talked about the band’s song writing, and I quote, "The basis of songs comes from phrases I make while messing around on my guitar by myself. Then everyone else brings their ideas to it." Are you always playing around on your guitar even during tours or other such busy times?

No. In my case I can't create anything unless I'm in the frame of mind that I’m going to make a song. Ideas don't normally come to me just in normal everyday life. Well, sometimes they do just come to me, but all I’ll do is hope that the idea stays with me till the time I'm making the song. Normally I don't remember them. (Laughs) So I need to be mentally focused on song creation when I’m writing songs.

So you vary your pace?

If I didn’t refresh, and go one step at a time, then it would be tough constantly working. I also divide my daily life into small sections. Otherwise, it wouldn’t go well. If we only played in Japan, then we’d have more time, but since we also play overseas, the time we have for song writing shrinks. I need to concentrate on song writing when it’s time for it, so if I don’t adopt the position of writing songs when it’s the time to, and not writing songs when it’s not, song writing would just drag on.

Leaving aside whether or not you're directly engaged in song writing, what is something that gives you a lot of inspiration for your music?

Personally, I'm easily influenced by many things. Not just from listening to music; also from going to the movies, or reading a book as well. Even just while going about my daily life; for example, those blinds over there. (Points to blinds) Looking at them I think, "The way they don’t overlap is kinda interesting. How would it turn out if I expressed that in sound?" In that way I'm easily influenced by many things. So when I'm writing a song I'll happen to look upon something, and it will give me an idea. Most of the ideas aren’t cool, but once in a while I’ll think of something good, then steadily expand it.

Did you like art when you were a kid?

I liked drawing pictures, and making things; as well as assembling plastic models.

So it's natural that you'd express things in this way through your guitar.

But song production itself is very gloomy work because you're continuously working in silence. But I think I probably like that kind of thing. I love recording as well; I get so impatient to see the songs gradually reach completion.

You get impatient. (Laughs)

The songs get cooler every day. (Laughs)

I see. In your new single SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH as well, I felt Dir en grey’s construction aesthetic. I felt overwhelmed, like when you view some amazing architecture. I thought that it was something different from just rushing with a concert feeling. You also created this song little by little right?

Yes, yes. I like that kind of thing.

Furthermore, everyone’s opinions went in to it.

I can't make the final design by myself; everyone brings their own ideas to it, and I always look forward to seeing how it will turn out. But of course at first I’m very uneasy. I wonder how the song will turn out and whether it will be good or not. But I think that depends on us. Everyone joins in and gradually the force of the song increases. But the opposite also happens, where everyone enters into it but it doesn’t go together well, or doesn't become cool. Anyway, when it all goes well it’s just the best. On such days when I return home I’ll keep listening to the song while thinking about how cool it is. (Laughs)

(Laughs) I think that kind of thing is important.

Because the five of us has been doing Dir en grey for so long and have gone big, we can't compare it to anything else. This is all we have. So it's like how hard can we work? Recently I've been talking with the other members about it occasionally. Because we’ve been together for so long, we feel like there’s limits to how much we can do in the future, and our relationships with each other become strained. Many things have happened in these past 15-16 years, but when I imagine Dir en grey no longer existing I realize there’d be nothing left for us. We’re not going into defensive mode and just doing anything to keep the band going; we’re just doing our best in the band and trying to keep it going. There’s bound to be a persuasiveness and power in the band continuing. There have been lots of bands getting back together recently, haven’t there? Bands that were active in the past but took a ten year break, and are just now getting back together. When it’s been such a long time since a band has been together, and they haven’t done anything in that time, then when they get back together their music sounds a bit different from before, right? So I want to keep going for as long as possible. I think it would be nice to have some breaks, but I want us to do as much as we can while we’re still able to continue increasing our persuasive power.

The five of you have continuously been working together; it’s like you all share a common destiny, right? How do you personally perceive Dir en grey?

Hmmm, it’s a strange feeling. We're not family, or friends, but we're also not work colleagues. But they’re definitely important to me. In that sense, we're sharing our lives, so maybe it feels like we share a common destiny. Like, we're under the sense that if someone passed away, or messed up, then it's the end for all of us. We protect the group, but at the same time while being considerate of each other we see each other as rivals. So we're able to say what we think because we're not super close to each other. It's a weird way of putting it, but to a certain extent we've been maintaining a distance from each other. I wonder if that is, reversely, a good thing.

So you don't go out drinking together?

We don't. We might go out drinking after a concert, but we never go out drinking together in our spare time. And eating together... well, when we're overseas, we often eat together, but we haven't eaten together in Japan in years. I think the last time was when our office was in Roppanji; we ate ramen together at tenkaippin. (Laughs) I think that was around four or five years ago.

Um, this is a silly question, but I've always wanted to ask you about it. Your blood type is A, right? Whereas the other members are all B?

Yes. (Laughs)

My blood type is also A, so I think you being surround by B types is amazing. Are you ever conscious of that?

I'm told that by people around me but I’m not really... No, of course everyone really goes at their own pace, and sometimes I see aspects of them that make me believe that they think only of themselves; but I also have parts like that, so it doesn't really bother me. Plus the other members are also considerate of me. But it's impulsive. Like while going about my daily life there's times I'm like "Agh I can't forgive that kind of thing." (Laughs)

I see. Because people with B type blood do what they want.

Certainly they are people you can’t organize. I’ll see them talking heaps, and then when they’re finished I’ll just say one thing. (Laughs)

[direngreytranslation]

ganso naki kaoru ya - Haiiro no Ginka vol 67

How are you? How was our spring tour? I thought the tour had a nostalgic feel and showed that we have an interesting future ahead of us as a band.

Now we've come to Europe. We've played a few shows and are currently in Berlin. The first few days were tough; I was in hamburger hell... The first time we played in Europe was here in Berlin 10 years ago. I came here dubious at first that anyone overseas would actually want to see us play. But then, hearing three thousand people singing together in Japanese, I was surprised and moved. We heard that people came from all over the world for that show because it was the first time we were playing outside of Asia. When I thought about the fact that our music had unknowingly spread to so many people around the world without us even attempting to make fans overseas I felt the flow of time, and it made me happy. Playing at Rock am Ring and Rock im Park in front of tens of thousands of people who didn't know us was hell...

When I eat breakfast, drowsiness...  I'm not jet lagged and don't get sleepy at strange times because this time I'm being consistent with my bed time. But I still always get sleepy after eating...

I think in the time between returning to Europe and starting our fall tour I'm going to write some songs. I'll rest for a little while but I always quickly tire of it so I'll probably be in the studio everyday doing something.

It's not certain yet, but in the summer I plan to release a special book of my reading the strings segments from the magazine ongaku to hito. I've only written boring stuff, but I have written some new stuff for it too. So please read it, even if you've already read all the published segments. Well, see you at the fall tour!

[direngreytranslation]

Die - Meisyo de Meisyu Haiiro no ginka vol67

At the moment I'm on a plane headed to Dusseldorf, Germany.

To start off, I drank one can of the super dry beer I always drink. Then, two bottles of red wine. Ah-they were small bottles. My first in-flight meal was katsu curry which tasted more normal than I was expecting, so I was happy.

TOUR15 THE UNSTOPPABLE LIFE went by in a blink of an eye.

There were a few shows on this tour that had a really good feel for me. I don't know if "good feel" is the right way to put it but without a thought I could effortlessly give it my all, becoming one with my guitar. Then while intensely concentrating on the song I would become more and more excited. That kind of time feels really good. It makes me wanna keep playing and not get off the stage. But even if I think "I've got it!!" there will be a whole week before the next show and the feeling will have disappeared off somewhere. It's difficult, no matter how many years you've been doing it for. But that's what makes it fun.

On this tour we visited a few places we haven't played at in a long time, and it really felt like a tour, so I personally enjoyed it. In Kanazawa I was also able to eat the best soba in Japan for the first time in 6 years. The soba store normally only opens for lunch, stops service when all the noodles have been used, and is very popular so I took the bullet train by myself from Tokyo at 8am and waited outside the store until it opened. How much do I love it ?! As was the same as every other time I'd visited the store I needed to wait a long time for my meal after ordering, which I was fine with. Totally fine with. I could totally wait. Eating it for the first time in 6 years... It was so so delicious I had such a big grin on my face while eating. My heart and lips were both numbed. It was a moment of pure happiness.

Since I'd come all this way I visited several places I'd been to in the past for previous Haiiro no Ginka issues and photo shoots. I love the atmosphere of old tea-house streets. Cold perms are still very popular but I wonder if Kimura has shut his cold perm shop by now. It has been 15 years since I was last here. The rusted, worn out sign out front of his store gives it a Shouwa era (1926-1989) feel. Afterwards, I went to kenroku park but it was so hot, and I was struck by the drowsiness you often get after eating, so I did what I'd come to do and then quickly left.

Writing this has taken a fair amount of time, but I still have four hours of this flight to go. Once we arrive in Dusseldorf, it's a 26 hour bus ride to Belarus, so I can sleep on the bus. It's my first time going to Belarus. I wonder what kind of place it is.

In any case, I hope nothing bad happens while we're there.

Our tours in Japan are blessed with carefully crafted stage production, full equipment, and lots of staff, whereas our tours in Europe only have the bare minimum of equipment and staff. The conditions and places where we play may be different but wherever we play I want to perform concerts which make people think "that's a Dir en grey concert!"

I'm looking forward to TOUR2015 NEVER FREE FROM THE AWAKENING.

[direngreytranslation]

ARCHE booklet interview - Shinya

What kind of album is ARCHE for you personally?

What kind of album…… Um, I think it’s the best album we’ve made so far, if I do say so myself.

You’re not just saying that as promotion for the album? (laughs)

No I’m not! (laughs) I really think so. Even if you're listening just as a listener or as a fan I think you'll find it's our best album.

What parts of the album make you feel like that?

Firstly, I simply like each song personally. The songs are all really good. Even listening to it objectively, any of the songs could have been singles.

Yes. It’s different.

I’d like to ask about those differences. Before making the album did you have different concepts and methods in mind for making this album than previously?

Yes. Speaking generally, we went in the direction of making the songs relatively simple, rather than complicated. For the phrases and the construction, we wanted to make them simply. I think we were thinking like that from the time we made SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH.

So you mean you'd decided to move in that direction one year before beginning the album?

Yes.

How did it turn out making songs in that new direction?

It was very hard work and took a lot of time as always however the fact that we made so many songs shows how smoothly production went. So maybe creating the songs was less tough than previously. Although saying that, during production we started touring and then we had no time. So the last part of production was really tough.

What made you guys decide to head in a simple direction for SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH and ARCHE?

Personally, I think probably because we thought about performing the songs live.

What do you mean?

We wanted to make songs that even if you were hearing for the first time at a concert you could get into quickly. I think it was the result of thinking like that that we wanted to go more simple for this album. Also, we've been playing at a lot of festivals recently.

Festivals in Japan right?

Yes. In other words we've been playing shows where there's many people who haven’t heard us before. So I think we were wanting to make songs that those people could easily get into.

Looking back at the band’s history I think that’s a big change. I think that in the past Dir en grey didn’t want people to easily understand or empathize with their songs.

But in recent years we began performing at festivals and I think we've naturally began wanting to do more accessible things.

You released the name of the album at a relatively early stage. Was the name of the album decided on when all the songs were finished, or while they were still in production?

It was decided on when most of the songs were done. It was Kyo who named it. He didn't offer any other alternative names just when he thought of it he came to us and asked “How about this?”

What did you think when you saw his title?

I thought it matched the album. I think that this album has… parts that will remind people of the old Dir en grey. So I think ARCHEs meaning of “roots” matches it in that way.

The roots, or in other words the natural form of the band.

I think it probably has that kind of feeling. For example….. for me personally, I can feel that particularly in the melodies. It’s like it has the feel of how we were originally. I feel that in most of the songs.

How did you approach ARCHE as a drummer?

Like we did for SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH we played most of the songs together in the studio before recording them. So I approached it like we were going to play together in a normal studio first before recording.

It's not how you used to make songs is it?

Yeah it's different. We made songs using computers so when recording as well we wouldn't play together. We wouldn't play all five of us together until rehearsing for a tour. But this time we played together before recording. Although towards the end work on the album was disrupted by the GAUZE tour and we weren't able to do so then.

How was it creating an album like that?

It felt fresh, and fun. Of course, it's a lot different when you play together before recording. When we played together we could slowly get rid of phrases which were hard to play so in that way the songs also became simpler.

So the reason ARCHE became the album it is is because the five of you played together before recording?

Hmm...... Yeah. Although before we played together we had already mostly completed the songs and there weren't any dramatic changes in the songs following us playing together.

Has the way you look towards the band personally changed at all?

Has it changed?...... (thinks deeply) Putting it simply, recently I've been thinking that I want to express more of a band feeling than before. It's more fun for me personally, and maybe also because the band as a whole has moved in that direction.

Speaking of which, how was Dir en grey in the past compared to now?

In the past.... it was like we brought together various things we all did by ourselves. I feel like that has changed naturally.

Is the band more fun now?

Yes. Before it was like.... just frantically doing what was in front of me. So.... It wasn't really "fun".

You had no flexibility at all?

Yeah. But I think from around a year ago.... from when we released THE UNRAVELING I began so slowly feel like I had more flexibility. I think it's probably because we began to loosen up on things that had been tense in the band. Maybe I've gotten room enough now that I can notice these things.

One of the keywords of this new album is "the future"

The future... For me, when I think of the future I imagine the future of the world, I imagine the things that will happen after I'm dead. In other words I don't really have an image of the future, I'm just living in a way that I'd be okay if the world ended tomorrow.

Don't you think that's an extreme perspective?

Is it? I'm just doing what I want to do so I'll have no regrets when I die. I think one of the reasons I began thinking in this way is because of the 2011 earthquake. And since my perspective has changed I feel like I've become more relaxed, more positive.

Do you think this perspective has had an effect on the other members?

hmm I wonder... I don't feel like it has.

Then reversely, have you received any motivation from them?

Yes I have. And I always admire them for thinking about things more properly than me. (laughs)

[direngreytranslation]

Die: “I hate sake!!Cos when I’m drunk off it I hit my head on telephone poles.” (From ARCHE chat room)

[direngreytranslation]

ARCHE booklet interview - Kyo

Despite it being a Dir en grey album I felt that ARCHE was musically very straight. It may be big that Un deux comes first. I don't think what we've done on ARCHE is that much different from what we've done previously. Like "we're grey, but positive" It's hard to explain but I think that we're not just going downwards like DUM SPIRO SPERO, instead the angle has changed again. And I think that the variation is more pronounced than before. That doesn't mean we're becoming looser, rather I think it connects to the future of Dir en grey and I believe we were able to pack in well the colours we already held.

Did you name the album ARCHE, which means origins in Greek because you were expressing the foundations of Dir en grey, rather then  re examining the roots of Dir en grey? In regards to the lyrics and the music too, the fundamentals haven't changed. While reflecting once more on what we've achieved up until now, and not just returning to the past but searching for the next thing... Thinking about how we feel about and how we would express now the things that we've done in the past and the emotions we held then lead to the naming of ARCHE. The name is Greek but it's not that I had a grand image for it. We did the GAUZE tour recently didn't we? When asked if we gained anything from that, each of our answers are different but, in my case there's parts of me that are like "no" and parts that are like "That's right, I see" That may have also had an effect on ARCHE. Your vocals on this album are again simply amazing. I think you are good at thinking up such things. Reversely, I think that almost all other artists  make such good melodies. I only ever think that i really suck in comparison to those other artists. In particular, recently I haven't had time to listen to music, and even if I did I wouldn't know what to listen to, but when I hear songs walking down the street I'll think "that's a really good melody" Sometimes when I listen to old rock I can only sigh. Then when I listen to our music afterwards I think man we suck. Only that. (Laughs) But I'm giving it my all so I have no regrets. I think the melodies you sing are wonderful. And I'm also surprised about the things you do that, as only one person you shouldn't be able to. Certainly there aren't many people who can make such a large variety of vocals as me, but I don't think my singing is good or that I make good melodies. Although saying that, I don't want to be second or third best. If I'm gonna do it then I must be number one. So while creating songs I'm always thinking about what things only I can do. Which involves increasing my range of vocals and giving form to what naturally floats to my mind.  But I don't think I'm number one yet. I need to fight, until I can think "this is good like this" Dir en grey has always used negative emotions as its inspiration for its music. Is that still the same now? Using negative emotions and pain hasn't changed but...  I think that Un deux, which has the easiest to understand lyrics, is positive. I write those lyrics while thinking "Even if you're worn out, by continuing forward something will come to be won't it?" It's not the same for every song on ARCHE but I think Un deux is representative of the album as a whole. So do you mean that what inspires you hasn't changed but how you express things has? It’s a bit... Easier to understand... Not that but, before I was often like "I don't need to say that much". I used indirect expressions. But this time I actually tried to be more direct. I thought it would be good to have at least one song like that. It was fresh for me and also when I sing it it goes straight inside of me. Like it seems normal but to me it doesn't feel normal. The other songs also have a different taste from those on DUM SPIRO SPERO, like they're more human like and closer maybe. That might be different from before. But like normal there weren't any lyrics or songs born from happy things? No there weren't. If I had to say, they were from things not going well and before you know it being hurt.  Most of the songs were like that. For the lyrics I just intersected that with the images the music brought to my mind. Even if something happy happens I always think that it will end but if something bad happens I always think that it will last forever. (small laugh) I don't believe that I will someday be rewarded. I always just think negatively. So it's very strange for me to write a song like Un deux which has the message that even if bad things happen and even if you're worn out you have to keep going forward. Your life is still continuing so is there anything about the future that you worry about? I think that now is the time in my life in which I am living to the fullest so even if I become unable to sing or I get sick and die I won't have any regrets. So for you recently everyday is your peak? I've always got another voice inside of me that says things like  "What, are you gonna rest here?" In the past year that voice has become especially strong and loud. So I need to become stronger. No matter what as you age you lose physically strength, however that voice gets stronger. For example for exercise I'll think like "I just can't today" and not do any. After that I'll do work, but in the back of my mind I'll always be thinking about how I didn't do any exercise. Then when I get home I'll exercise (laughs) that voice has something to say about whatever I do so sometimes I think "I've had enough!" I want like 2 days a month where the voice isn't there (laughs) Is there any specific things you're aiming for in the future? I think it's enough if Dir en grey can be more Dir en grey like... I mean doing what only we are capable of. I have a bunch of intense people around me so I think we'll naturally rise up. And without losing I want to have an existence in which I can go the furthest. I'm not aiming for anything specific like I want to do this kind of music or sing this kind of song. What things are vital for you to keep on living?

Like I said before, that voice in my head. If it wasn't there I'd be much lazier. Also, I feel that even more than before the people supporting me are important. In the past I used to say that whether or not I had an audience I could perform the same concert. But now it's not a matter of whether I could or not, it's that I receive power from the audience. It's said that people live while supporting each other, but I didn't understand that before. But I think I finally understand that now. I'm not performing for the sake of the fans and the fans aren't living for the sake of me. Putting it simply, we’re just one part of each others' life. But where our lives intersect is very important and we share power with each other. If I didn't have that now I might now be an able to do my best. The voice in my head may have also become stronger for that reason.

[direngreytranslation]

ARCHE booklet interview - Die

Work on ARCHE began in summer last year after the release of SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH. Was the album's image also formed at that time?

The whole image of the album hadn't been formed. Despite the feel of SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH we didn't want to be bound by it's atmosphere or anything and we continued to create freely. While continuing to create, being easy to understand was one of our themes. Without using complicated arrangements or adding many hooks like we've been doing, just making songs that are more intuitive and you can feel with your skin. Songs that first quickly touch your skin and then spread to the rest of your body. I was aiming for that kind of thing.

Is the short length of the songs also related to that?

Yes. We hadn’t tried making songs only 2 or 3 minutes long for a while. Up until recently we’ve made a lot of long songs nearly 10 minutes in length. But since we’ve already done that a lot this time I wanted to freshen it up, with the heat that only a short song can pack in.

As a result ARCHE has 16 songs on it, giving it the largest number of songs out of your recent albums.

Well we had no intention of making 16 songs when we began (laughs) But since we were working on an album it was like let’s do as much as we can. As a result we pushed and pushed in recording (laughs)

This time the up tuning was easy to understand and in the medium tempo songs you could properly hear the song. I received the impression that the individual characteristics of each song were well defined.

Yes. Feeling wise there were parts like that. Mid tempo songs with a dark atmosphere are easy for us to make. I’d make one type of song, and then want to try a different approach for the next one.

There are also many simple song names. Is that connected to the simpleness of the songs themselves?

Kyo named all the songs and he went for simple titles but with words you wouldn’t often hear normally. While making the songs they had temporary names and so it would have the strong image of that title, but then when the proper name of the songs were decided the images of the songs would also change with it and they would feel really fresh.

The name ARCHE holds in it the meaning of “origin”. Was the album named after it was completed?

Yes, I think it was named in the last stages of production. Kyo also named the album but it matched with the image I held of the album. And I thought it could be interpreted like “something new should start from here”

I see, since the beginning Dir en grey has been expressing things like pain and the negative aspects of people through its music. Your new album holds the meaning of “origin” so has that stance stayed the same ever since the beginning 17 years ago?

I don’t think it’s changed. Because I think that’s what we should be doing. While recording I thought “Yep, this is Dir en grey!” this may be something only we can understand but I personally felt that no matter how far Dir en grey goes we are still Dir en grey.

So do you think that how you perform and express these ideas to the listeners has changed?

Hmmmm…. Personally I’ve began just facing towards performing naturally without thinking deeply about it. More than thinking deeply about what I create I want to place importance on what resounds inside of me.

Changing the subject, the music scene and the world in general have changed a lot since Dir en grey formed 17 years ago. How do you feel looking at the world now after 17 years of being in Dir en grey?

Everyone complains that there’s nothing good in the world. You don’t really hear about good things these days do you? There have been many unbelievable incidents in the news and the economy is in recession and we’re told that the music world is also in recession.  In such an environment it’s been very tough to keep Dir en grey going so I strongly feel that precisely because we’ve continued for so long we need to go even further. I think that whatever anyone says we have no choice but to continue, and by continuing we’ll be able to see new things. We all want something we can believe in. I think we should aim for this exactly because it’s difficult and not simple.

In that meaning is it a very big thing to you personally that Dir en grey exists?

Yes. I’m always facing towards Dir en grey, and there’s no times that I’m not thinking about how I should be. While constantly wondering to myself about it…... I don’t find an answer straight away but it’s important to firstly confront it, where I stand.

What things in the future do you worry about? In five years’ time or ten years’ time for example.

Well, it’s not like there’s nothing I worry about but as far as Dir en grey is concerned, without changing our current stance if we just put our all into this new album, and then into the tours following its release then I think we’ll be able to see what to do next. That’s how it’s always been for the past 17 years so I don’t think that will change. So before I worry about what we will be like 5 years in the future I’m going to confront the things right in front of me. I don’t think that will ever change.

So the present Dir en grey exists because of you earnestly confronting the things right in front of you, one by one.

Yes I think so. Because I get the feeling that since the beginning I’ve never imagined how the future would be. Because I never thought we would last 10 years to begin with (laughs)

So you surely would never have been able to imagine releasing an album like ARCHE in 2014.

Yep (laughs) So I think we’ve done well with ARCHE. When I think about being able to release an album like ARCHE in the current world… It’s really great. There’s nothing much that really makes an impression on me in the music I hear in my daily life. Even looking overseas, each metal band only creates one kind of sound. I think that’s okay but personally I’d prefer bands to change more. I don’t think there’s any other bands in the world playing music like Dir en grey’s.

This album might breathe a breath of fresh air into the music industry.

I want it to, and I want our album to have mixed reviews. (laughs) I don’t think it’s an album which everyone can say “It’s a good album!” about. To us, having mixed reviews makes it a Dir en grey album (laughs)

[direngreytranslation]

ARCHE booklet interview - Kaoru

Firstly, I want to get straight to the point, what does the album   "ARCHE" mean to the band?

I think it was made responding to intuitive things. Rather than aiming for something in particular we just made it in the flow of that time. We talked together as a band and tried to make it so that the individual things that each of us hold could reach as many people as possible. We decided not to be like "the people who will understand it will understand it" this time. Instead, we decided to make it so that many people would understand it.

I thought that making songs which I get caught up in thinking about in my head wouldn't suit the mood of the other members. This time we cut out strong progressive rock feelings and the need to use your head while playing. I wanted to think about the album as being something we can feel with our bodies when we perform and can be done easily with our power as it's center. I also wanted to place importance on what I'd done up until now, atmosphere I can produce now because of my age, plus rhythm, and groove. Up until  now I've had the habit of going for more sharp and extreme things. I thought it would be best to take a fresh look at that one time.

For example, your recent works have been not only detailed and difficult in performance, but the images you created and and the view of the world you presented was also detailed and deep. So as a work of expression they were amazing right? So after having done that, did you think that you would lose some of the excitement of the expression by playing stuff that's straight and simple ?

hmmm..... With this album we wanted to place more importance on expressing ourselves, having people feel our work, and conveying things. It's not just that we're being like "We are in this world!" "We're just doing this"

Not like "We're creating this image!"

Yes. I worried about how people would interpret that. A little bit like opening a door.  like let's express ourselves in a way that's a bit easier to understand, I was working in that direction. When I made the songs like that I was able to convey many nuances and I thought that if I tried I could do it so I didn't really worry about that.

Why were you able to think like that?

That's the kind of atmosphere the five of us have, so it's like there's no helping it. So it's like even if we tried to change that aspect we couldn't. For example, if someone thought that a song someone came up with was a bit wrong  then we'd think we need to change course.

During the production of ARCHE you were playing a lot of older songs, from GAUZE etc.

That's right.

Did that experience have any effect on ARCHE?

I don't think it had any effect (laughs) no, well, because we did that kind of tour I feel like the band has become tougher. Like, now we're able to do many things. I think that our possibilities have expanded.

How was the GAUZE tour?

It was interesting. It felt like it had been a long time. What I wanted most for the tour was for the fans who came to enjoy it. Thankfully everyone seemed to enjoyed it and it was fun for me too.

I think you've said it all. Putting it simply, there wasn't anything particularly like "Look at this!!" just that it would be good enough if it were fun.

Yes.

Listening to your new album too, there were many times I felt that.

But occasionally I worried. Production went surprisingly smoothly and we really made a lot of songs. The other members wouldn't give me feedback on what I did so I'd worry if it were really okay. (laughs) Thinking things like  should I change this? But what if I just make it worse when I change it? I had many conversations like "Is this okay?" "Yes it's good" "really?". But I thought that those parts in the album would be interesting. I didn't make it like "This is perfect!" Rather it's like I left a lot of gaps in it? I hoped that people would find those areas interesting. Kind of like it's fallen back down to Earth.

Apart from the changing of Dir en grey, I think that that is also the relationship between Dir en grey and it's fans and others.

Yes

Because that's changed Is there any new approaches you want to try?

Hmmmm not really. I want to reduce the feeling that we're secluding ourselves. I think we should become more well known, there's lots of people who have only heard our name but they should also know what we're doing. I worry people get sick of us quickly. I want the people around us to be able to say more and more that we're cool.  I feel like we'd given up on that recently. It's like I've remembered that we need to want more and more different people to listen to us and come to our concerts....... When you get used to things it's boring.

Hahaha.

We're a band in which if we go in one direction then we will want to go in another direction. We can't stay in one place. Although we don't go on to things radically different. If you go back four albums, every album was very very different, but recently rather than do that I think that we've been pushing forward to a more narrowed down place. I thought it would be bad if we didn't challenge ourselves so that more people would think "Dir en grey is interesting!" "They also do this kind of thing!".  So there was a sense of danger. Like if we just stayed how we are then there would be no stimulus in the band. So I thought that firstly I needed to delete myself one time. So I'm putting aside what comes out of me. I did many things like starting to make a song based on a phrase with a completely different atmosphere from normal. But in the end they still ended up becoming songs very much with my personal flavour. (laughs) That's how it was creating this album.

*This sentence sounds so weird to me idk, original Japanese is: そのときどきの直感と言いながら、１つの、それこそ「根源」と名付けられるくらい、シンプルなベクトルを持っているアルバムだと思うんですが。 I’m sorry this has taken me sooo long to post!!! I will doing the others quicker :) And sorry for awkward sounding English at times, it can be so hard to make it sound nice ;o;

[direngreytranslation]

Shinya - Dr Nemunemu no Daigyakusyu haiiro no ginka vol 65

This time I went to a pancake store in Harajuku which was doing a limited time special Cheburashka cafe. Cheburashka was waiting for me outside.

There was even more Cheburashkas when I went inside.

There were even some up near the ceiling.

I sat down, looked at the menu and ordered Cheburashka's Beef  stroganoff.

Of course, I got the special Cheburashaka set which came with Cheburashka's beloved orange juice.

I got a special coaster when I ordered the Cheburashka set.

Then my juice came. Since it was Cheburashka's orange juice it had a unique flavour, different from normal orange juice.

Then at last my Beef Straganoff came!

Cheburashka had been drawn on the pancakes! I don't normally eat pancakes but I really wanted to eat these ones.

....hm?

.....hmmm?

Who......!?!?!? Then I put butter and maple syrup on them.

I also put it on the unknown characters one then it became even more unrecognizable.

It was weird to have such sweet pancakes with beef but I'll forgive it because it's Cheburashka.  Satisfied, I paid for my meal. There was a Cheburashka at the cash register too.

When I paid I got a Cheburashka film coupon.

It said that you could exchange it for a Cheburashka film at kiddy land. Kiddy land was close to the pancake shop so while gazing excitedly at the coupon I headed there. But then something unbelievable happened!

I noticed that the coupon said that the kiddy land where you could get the film was the one in Umeda, Osaka! It was too far to go to Umeda from Harajuku, and I had a photo shoot the next day so I'd have to return the same day, but no matter I went to the Harajuku store. Where they kindly exchanged the coupon for me anyway. I was really worried so felt very relieved.

The films were given out randomly and I couldn't choose which one I got so I looked at it excitedly wondering which one it would be.

Who.........????

[direngreytranslation]

Hello!! Do you know if someone happened to translate the ARCHE dlx limited edition booklet interview? The one they go through every song. I think I've seen some sporadic bits of it, don't actually remember. Thank you in advance!

Hey sorry for the late reply, a lovely person sent me photos of the interview so I will translate it :)

[direngreytranslation]

Kyo x Boo ARCHE interview

(I didn't translate everything Boo said because I'm lazy. I'm also way worse at listening than reading so I put brackets/a time at the parts I couldn't pick up so if anyone can help please do!!!) video here http://youtu.be/m82kBFI7LPE Boo: Good evening

Kyo: Hello

Boo: Can you introduce the next song?

Kyo: This is Dir en grey's Kukoku no kyouon

Boo: I'm really nervous about talking with you Kyo-chan

Kyo: Really?

Boo: I'm even more nervous than last time, right Kyo-chan?

Kyo:.... Why do you say "right Kyo-chan?" lol

Boo: Yep I'm really nervous. You've released your new album. How are you feeling about it?

Kyo: Nothing in particular... just that we've released it.

Boo: Is that the same every time you release an album? is there a special feeling?

Kyo: Not in particular. I can't remember how I've felt each time. I was doing a signing event just before and I felt like ah it's been released.

Boo: Ah you feel like it really has been released. But you have a lot of thoughts about the album right? What kind of meaning does the title ARCHE have?

Kyo: I've explained it many times for magazines already so now I'm sick of explaining it. So just interpret the meaning of it however you like.

Boo: I thought I'd be talking to all five of you at once, but it turned to be one at a time. I'm talking to you first so I want to say that ARCHE is like beef. Like there's lots of different types and forms of beef right? but it's all the same thing  - beef ah I'm talking about food again... "kyo beef" That's weird!  it's very catchy and easy to listen to. But it's differently Dir en grey, and your singing is still definitely Dir en grey. I went to one of your concerts recently and really felt so.  But what do you think?

Kyo:...

Boo laughs It's difficult to answer right?

Kyo: Yes.

Boo: But what do you think about my beef analogy?

Kyo laughs

Boo: was it funny?

Kyo: I get it.

Boo: Really?

Kyo:  Totally.

Boo: But I really felt like that. But beef's really delicious right? what do you think?

Kyo nods

Boo: There's lots of different flavours and stuff. I want to look at ARCHE's track list now. How long did it take to record ARCHE?

Kyo: Hmm I can't remember at all. I've been doing various recordings... and I can't remember when recording for ARCHE began. It's like just suddenly it was finished, suddenly it was being released.

Boo: But you were working on it while touring right?

Kyo: Yes when I had free days on the tour I'd write lyrics etc.

Boo: I think you've already been asked this many times but what about the meaning of "ARCHE"?

Kyo: I've already explained it many times so I don't want to say it again.

Boo: Okay I really wanna know so I'll look that up myself then. Before I kept pronouncing ARCHE with a ch sound not a k sound. I said it over and over and none of the other members corrected me. Did anything interesting happen while recording it? Or do you not remember?

Kyo: Anything interesting hmm (7:00 narrow/small something?) so there isn't any. I worked a lot by myself on the computer so.

Boo: Ah that's right. So not many interesting events but were there any times you thought  like "I'll sing like this.."

Kyo: I made it while only thinking about things like ironing out the wrinkles, or actually expressing them etc (video seemed to skip a little here so I think I'm missing something)

Boo: I think your voice has become a lot easier to listen to. What do you think about that? Do you not care about that?

Kyo: Well as long as I can convey something then if it's heard like that or not it doesn't really matter.

Boo: So you care a lot about conveying something. I thought there was a really good flow in this album. Making this after the budokan and the GAUZE tour, I thought it had a really good flow. Did you think like I'll finish this song then move on to this song...?

Kyo: When we'd decided on a number of songs I quickly started working on them all at the same time, I didn't consciously think like I'll do this one first etc

Boo: The album is very dramatic, or story-like. So after finishing the songs did you think "let's put this song first on the album, then have this one second..." etc.?

Kyo: I thought a lot about the order of the songs of the album, and made many different versions. We thought about it together.

Boo: When I first got the album and listened to it I thought it was so good. I quickly rang Kaoru up and told him how good I thought it was. Now you're on tour again.  chuua chuu (on tour is tsuua chuu, so he mispronounces it)

Kyo nods

Boo: You're on tour. I'm so nervous to be interviewing you. You're on tour.

*people laughing*

Boo: Wow I heard people laughing from soo far away. You're on tour. I saw you in Nagoya. Was it Saturday? no, Friday? No Saturday. right?

Kyo: Probably.

Boo: I heard your new songs for the first time there, and they really are great. This time there were some fan club only concerts. Do you feel any different when performing at a fan club only concert?

Kyo: Well simply the people in our fan club really support us so I think there's a bunch of people gathered who are hardcore into Dir en grey. Surprisingly there's a lot of guys in the fan club. So I'm very happy.

Boo: Yes when I went last time there were really tough bald guys there who looked like big Dir en grey fans. I was impressed when I thought that such a person properly filled out the application form to join the fan club. When I first met you guys 99 percent of the crowd was girls. So when I think about the crowd now it's amazing. Have your feelings changed at all with the rise in male fans?

Kyo: Not in particular. I'm just happy.

Boo: Recently at the end of concerts you're the last person remaining on stage. Is that due to a mental change?

Kyo: People often say that I stay on the stage a long time because it was a good concert, or I leave the stage quickly when it was a bad concert, but it has nothing to do with that. It really just depends on how I'm feeling in that moment.

Boo:  I see, it doesn't mean that the concert was bad or good. Just your feelings at that exact time.

Kyo: Yeah. There's times when I think that was a really great concert and then I leave the stage quickly. And there's times when I think the concert wasn't that great but I stay a long time on stage. Just depends on my feeling at the moment.

Boo: You're playing your new songs on this tour. So how is it playing them?

Kyo: (14:55 I was wondering if...  but...) and it was easy to create the concerts atmosphere and easy to perform.

Boo: Even listening to it for the first time I thought like it's here!!!! these are the new songs!! The final song revolution.

Kyo smirks

Boo: Huh, that's right isn't it?

Kyo: Revolution, yes, revolution.

Boo: Really?

Kyo: Yes!

Boo: No! That's definitely wrong! Ahh Revelation of mankind. Sorry I was mistaken. I make too many pronunciation errors. I can hear people laughing from far away again. When you played it last in Nagoya I thought it was an amazing song and when I heard it  was also last on the album I thought ah so this is how the album is. Do you have any special thoughts about it?

Kyo: I think all the songs have their own strong personality.

Boo: But this new album seems freer. I really want everyone to listen to it.  So what about the meaning of your current tour's title "BY THE GRACE OF GOD"? Well you've probably been asked about that a lot already...

Kyo: Actually, I haven't talked about that.

Boo: Oh you haven't?

Kyo: Nope. I think it was a line from some lyrics?? But I can't remember at all, not at all.

Boo: Ah I thought I'd asked a good question, but you don't remember at all. Anyway, your tour is continuing now and you will continue touring next year too. Do you want to say anything like "please come to our concerts"? Ah but you wouldn't want to say such a thing would you. Or do you?

Kyo: About our concerts? Well I don't want to force anyone to come so, if you want to come...if you come...

Boo: But the new songs haven't been released yet.

Kyo: Yeah.

Boo: Really I want to go to more concerts on this tour. But that flow, after playing the GAUZE tour... the heaviness.. and then the last song... re re re Kyo laughs

Boo: Revelation right? I get so nervous when you're here Kyo-chan! Their tour is continuing so please go to it. I know I'm going to. Shall we do a quiz now Kyo-chan?

Kyo: A quiz?

Boo: Yes. The quiz question/answers you gave me. Are you okay? okay let's start. We will do a quiz with four and the winner gets a poster signed by Kyo. Everyone wants that right? and whats more he'll sign it right here in front of you, a live-signing. Okay Kyo please sign it now.

Kyo: I'm signing it before the quiz?

Boo: Yes, before it. It's a really big poster, nice. Oh he's writing a lot. That's nice of him.

Kyo: Finished

Boo: Can I show it thanks? Here it is.

boo shows the poster to the camera. Okay lets go to the question. What has Kyo bought recently that cost over 10,000 yen?(around 100 dollars) 1) a car 2) a motorcycle 3)riders (like a motorcycle jacket )  3) a diamond

Boo: Hmm thinking about only over 10,000 yen these answers are strange, if it was over 100,000 yen (around 1,ooo dollars) it would make more sense. So that's a hint.

Kyo: Yep.

Boo: Okay lets look at the results a car: 2.6% a motorcycle 3.1% a riders jacket 89.9% a diamond 4.5%. Which is correct?

Kyo: The third one (the riders jacket)

Boo: So we'll select one person from the group who selected right. And that person will receive the signed poster. The winner is shigesan from Aichi prefecture. Yaaaaaay. So what kind of riders jacket did you buy?

Kyo: I saw it at a place called (23:48 Biririn??????) the shape looked really nice so I bought it.

Boo: Is that a brand you've been really into recently?

Kyo: I've liked it for a while.

Boo: You're not friends with the brand owners? You just normally went to the shop?

Kyo: Yes.

Boo: You're always very fashionable aren't you?

Kyo: No no no.

Boo: Yees! And today too you look really cute. Really cute.

Kyo laughs

Boo: It was weird for me to say that right. Okay now we have some fan questions for Kyo.  from e-mails? Have we recieved e-mails? We haven't? huh? ah we have!Yeah there's no way we wouldn't. Oh they came really early. Can I really them all? Ah okay just one. okay. From a girl called uhara in Hyogo prefecture "As I get older the objects I love and like is increasing, so this means I'm unable to treasure each thing, Do you guys put a lot of effort into treasuring all your belongings? Or do you just concrentrate on treasuring one thing? I'm sorry for my hard to understand expressions. There's too many things in my room now and I don't know what to do with them. But I will treasure your album"

Kyo: hmm I don't want to answer such a personal question. So her room must be messy right?

Boo: The amount of things in her room has increased and now it's cluttered. So do you treasure all of your things?

Kyo: Let's say I don't know.

Boo: He doesn't know, is that okay Uhara? Since you're here why don't we ask another question? From a girl called Mumin in Tokyo "Are there any old songs you haven't performed in a long time (excluding GAUZE songs) that you want to perform again live? Personally, I want to hear Shinya's fast drumming in pink killer again."

Kyo: This is a question for Shinya not me. (27:00 kaka de? pass?)

Boo: Well let's go to another one. From Mii "Thank you for the new album. I think you're able to visit many places on your tours. Are there any things that make you more excited if you have them in your room, or you get less excited if they're not there?"

Kyo: Well we mostly stay in buses or hotels so I don't take many things so (27:25 kaka de? pass?)

Boo: What about this one. A guy from Aomori "Hello. I'm often told it's hard to sell CDs these days. What do you think about that?"

Kyo: Yes, they're difficult to sell.

Boo: But I think the covers of the albums are also part of the work. I always buy CDs I've never downloaded songs. I want everyone else to do so too. Well it's about time to finish. So how was it being on the show with me?

Kyo: (29:00 ???) hasn't changed.

Boo: But today I was so nervous to talk to you, When I learned I would be talking to you alone first... I couldn't believe it. I thought I would lose weight by the end of it.

Kyo: Didn't you say that before?

Boo: Don't say that!!! Well I'd like to ask again how it was for you?

Kyo: It was fun.

Boo:  Really?

Kyo: yes.

Boo: Thank you for today

Kyo:  Thanks.

[direngreytranslation]

"I've been waiting for this" Dir en grey and Resident Evil's powerful collaboration.

Resident evil Revelations 2, the newest installment in the world famous survival horror video game series Resident Evil will feature Un Deux in its advertisements, a song whichmatches well with the world view of the game. About the collaboration the lead singer Kyo, himself a big fan of the Resident Evil series said, in a happy tone, “I’ve been waiting for this!”. When asked which Resident Evil game had left the biggest impression on him he replied “The first Resident Evil game. I wasn’t used to the controls and it was difficult”. It was also revealed that Resident Evil producer Michiteru Okube is currently working on a special music video featuring Resident Evil Revelations 2 and the song Revelation of Mankind, also from Dir en grey’s latest album ARCHE. The members gave comments on the collaboration. Die (guitar) said “It is a great privilege to have had them listen to our new album and select our song Un Deux. I hope we can spread our music through this collaboration with the world of Resident Evil.” Kaoru (guitar) said “As well as the dirty and grotesque parts, Dir en greys songs also share with Resident Evil the strong desire to stay alive.” When asked what they would do if they found themselves in the world of Resident Evil the members replied “I don’t think I’d be able to move” – Toshiya “If I had no choice about it, I’d get serious, and first start looking for weapons” – Kaoru “I’d be the enemy of the main character and frantically search for herbs and ammunition” – Kyo “I’d be scared and hide” answered Shinya, causing laughter amongst the reporters. “I’d make my last hopeless struggle.” – Die. Also, about the attraction of Resident Evil Revelations 2 Shinya said “I think it’s also fun for people who haven’t played any Resident Evil games before so please look forward to it.” While Die commented “I think it’s a game that will stimulate all 5 of your senses, so please enjoy.” original article here http://sp.natalie.mu/music/news/138317