TOSHIYA ROCK AND READ 120 II
-Right now, you are still in the middle of making songs, but you said the 6 songs you already made are purposely the type of songs that don't fit into the band's sound. Conversely, have you considered creating something more conventional or something heavier that fits the band'?
Toshiya: Yes, I have. Right now, I'd say I'm shifting in that direction. However, it might sound cliched if I say it but, I'm still trying hard to fit in it. But I also enjoy thinking about it like...”If I make a song in this direction, will it fit in DIR EN GREY?” Also, since I don't feel any pressure to sell, I just want to create something I find interesting or that I want to do. I feel relaxed in that sense, and I can focus purely on music and songs. Maybe I should be thinking more from a bussiness perspective (laughs), but I've been able to set that aside and just create music I find interesting, that I think would be interesting for the band to do, so it's fun to make music.
-Since you are touring and performing overseas, your perspective naturally looks out on the world. Do you ever pay attention to what's popular overseas or the latest cutting-edge sounds?
Toshiya: I don't know....I think I do pay some attention to that. I'm aware that certain sounds are popular these days. But I don't really have any intention of forcing them into my music. If there's something I like, I'd like to try it, but I'm not like, "This is popular now, so let's go with it." Of course, we need to keep an eye on the times, but I don't think it is good to chase latest trend too much. It will only lead to confusion, and become something meaningless.
-That's cool. It's a confident statement that shows determination to create your own path after you.
Toshiya: No, it's not that cool (laughs). But lately we have no choice but to create our own paths. It's not that we want one thing or another, but we do have the desire to do and try new things, because we're human. Paving a new way is like walking in complete darkness. We seek light in it, but I don't think it's good to focus too much on the light we find. When humans enter a dark place immediately after seeing something bright, they lose their sight for a while, right? I think it's the same thing. If you only look ahead at the light, you will be disoriented and will lose the sight of the important things right in front of you. I think it's important to do everything in a honest way.
-What type of new songs do you expect from the other members?
Toshiya: This time, I've been making a lot of them myself, so I'm not really expecting anything. If I feel like I want some type of song, I'll go and make it myself. It's a wholesome approach when it comes to music, or maybe it's a healthy approach. If there's something you want, you have to go and make it yourself. You can't just wait around. Right now, I really feel like this is what I have to do.
