Translation of The Gift 2004 Tourbook Long Interview (Part 2)
After many days of hard work, I have finished translating Part 2 of the Long Interview in "The Gift" Sixth Day Seventh Night tourbook. I chose this interview to translate because there is just sooo much interesting information in it regarding the upcoming "Darts" theme. I was just amazed at how the SDSN tour tied in with "Darts", and how "Darts" itself ties in with "Moon".
Just a word of special thanks to tarogirl without whose support, encouragement and feedback I could not have finished this translation!!
There are a couple translator's notes at the bottom too. If things are confusing, just blame Gackt because he can be confusing! And so difficult to translate at times. :) Oh, and sorry for doing Part 2 before doing Part 1, but I just wanted to get this one done first. :) I hope to do Part 1 some day... Enjoy!
Q: Regarding the opening image, the title of this tour's first song (in The Sixth Day and Seventh Night tour) is shown as "泡沫の夢" ("utakata no yume").
A: It's read "utaka", though. As in "a person's dream is fleeting."
Q: From where/what were you inspired?
A: There's the Gift theme that has continued over one year, this year's concert is a gift, and there's another theme that forms the core of the concert, which is "memory" (kioku). That's why the opening image was in that form. "Utakata no Yume" is one of the two songs through which I thought I would show a little bit of the next theme.
Q: You mean the theme after "The Sixth Day and Seventh Night"?
A: That's right. I thought I'd show it at the beginning just a little bit.
Q: I didn't realize that.
A: I thought about how to deliver what I wanted to express, and I put part of the next story into the opening of the concert. As I see it, memory is divided into parts, memory of the present as seen from the past, memory of part of the future as seen from the present... The symbolism of "Utakata no Yume" is concerning a prophecy of the near future as seen from the past. "In ancient times, there was one clan/family..." is the story, and the future that the clan/family is prophesizing is turning into this form, which is the song, so I thought it would be alright to show that and to express it. [1]
Q: Oh, so that's what it was. The near future as seen from the present. To sum up, it's as seen from the Heian period?
A: That's right. The memory inside a person changes shape, and whether it's an event of the near future or it's a story/fable... It's a selection of the story that I am thinking of doing next. I'm trying to make it the next theme, but the story is too big and there's no conclusion, so there are times when I think "what should I do?"
Q: So then is it bigger than "Moon"?
A: The target emotion is the next chapter after "Moon", I am trying to do a sequel. "Moon" is a story about a parting/separation but there is a point of agreement between the two. (laughs). It's a subject that is connected with "Moon", but it's all confused/complicated inside me.
Q: Is it like the same time-setting, but a different clan/family that's the motif?
A: It's like that. It's a story that I started when I first revealed the "Darts" concept through the silver accessories line. In the "Darts" story, a family/clan emerges from the darkness, they are people that have a unique power, but there is one person among them, a few people that are being revealed. [2]
Q: Hearing that story and seeing the spectacle of "Utakata no Yume", it seems like a new concept is welling up. And regarding the following song, "Oasis"?
A: The dancers are performing as wooden dolls, they are taking the form of something instilled with a soul and prophesizing the future. I wanted to divide "Utakata no Yume" and "Oasis" as: "Utakata no Yume" is "there was a family/clan like this", as an introduction, and "Oasis" is the point of the prophecy. But as of the time of the tour, I thought it'd be okay to not reveal that much so straightforwardly.
Q: Yes, I see. The costumes in "Utakata no Yume" and "Oasis" did have an image of being death/burial clothes. [3]
A: Yes, I'm aware of that.
Q: Come to think of it, wasn't that costume designed by h.NAOTO?
A: Yes that's right. Regarding the outer part, I told him "do it like this" for all of it, but h.NAOTO's main area is the paint and the coloring. The pattern is derived from looking at antique background materials and then playing with the details. It's not "A Heian nobleman's clothes", it's more "imagine the ancient background of the mid-Heian, I want to help express this one family/clan's clothes", was how we talked about it.
Q: And the wooden doll's masks?
A: My brain made that. All the masks have numbers on them written in ancient kanji. There are 12 dancers and the 13th is the people of that world.
Q: The guitar that you use in "Another World" has a new design too.
A: That was specially made. h.NAOTO-produced, it's Sanskrit characters, and its name is "Kanna". [4]
Q: Oh come to think of it, I thought you'd do "Death Wish" this time.
A: Eh, why?
Q: I personally like it, and I just somehow thought you would want to sing it.
A: The truth is, before the tour, there was talk of "let's do it." It's just that playing that song would go too far into the next concept so we left it out. This concert was to go with the flow of the singles collection, but along the way I changed (within myself). I wanted to do a concert that was more me. Just lining up the singles and saying "Yes, I've done it" is not something I needed to do anyway. When I was searching inside for the best way to do it, the thing happened that I was telling you about where a person close to me died; what I should convey is what I am now feeling inside. That's how it came to be that way. "Death Wish" would've been easy to do though...
Q: Because it is closer in concept to "Utakata no Yume"?
A: Yes. But if I did it, I thought people would get confused and not be able to understand.
Q: What I also believe is linked to the new "Darts" story, and what is recently coming out of your mouth are Japonesque words, isn't that true? I have a sense that that area is the key to grasping what comes next.
A: Inside, I was worried about which one to do between "Darts" and "Moon", but in reality both stories don't have conclusions. (laughs). There are times when I wonder what I should do. Of course, if a different theme came out then I might lose interest (in those two stories). I want to express "Darts" by connecting together the CD with anime and a movie, and even with comics and novels. Oh, and a game too. But a game will take a lot of time to make.
Q: The hidden story in "Utakata no Yume" is the story called "Darts", will it hold a Japonesque taste?
A: The main character of the story is the group of people who were originally in Japan. Although the stage is the near future.
Q: So, that's how it's connected with "Moon". Both are staged in the near future, and both have a group of people in Japan. But is it like Maleppa will not appear in "Darts"?
A: Yes that's right. It's like a sci-fi fantasy; I want to do it in the shape of a world that I like myself. Apart from that, we are in a different world now. There is also the album I am planning to work on for release later this year (2004). There are other things I am working on too, so it's getting confusing...
Q: The album coming out at the end of this year is the last display for the gift year, isn't it. Thereupon you want to show the "Darts" story?
A: No, there's no relationship between the two; "Gift" is a theme made of its own. This new album might spill over into 2005, so the new concept might start in 2006.
Q: I see. Seems like you won't be doing any concerts for a while.
A: When the album I'm working on comes out, I am thinking of going around the small halls. This time it was an all-arena tour, next time I want to go around to many various halls. If possible, I want to perform at live houses.
Q: Then will it be an album with good ノリノリ(nori nori)? [5]
A: It'll be the opposite.
Q: Will it be more like pulling up a chair and taking your time?
A: That's the way the songs are, and the title is planned as "Love Songs". I am thinking of putting together an album of only love songs and ballads. In the hall, I want to stick with that direction, I want to be able to reach out with just a very simple song. I am wondering how it would be to do a tour that is pulled by just the vocal, I want to experiment. Rather than the image of the band that everyone pictures, I want to do it in a more narrow space. Like narrow and solo. (smiles).
Q: And the three unplugged songs in "The Sixth Day and Seventh Night" (concert) was impressive and unforseen.
A: I hadn't shown that until then. I'm thinking it would be nice to do that a little more in a club-type place. I like that, the club space, I want to perform in a narrow (cramped) space... Right now there are too many things inside myself that I want to do, to be honest, there is no conclusion....
Q: But are you hinting that the next album is an insane, rock-type direction?
A: That's the album after the next one. That's "Darts". I thought it'd be good to make all the songs in the direction of having a maniac core. The entertainment will be pulled out, the rock color will become stronger, and it will be an イケイケ (ike ike) live, I think. (laughs). I'm also wondering about how it would be, but I'd like to do it at live houses too. I think it would be good if I could do a live house tour that will stir things up like ガツンガツン (gatsun gatsun). [6]
Q: Now finally, please comment on the memories you've experienced from the fans as you stood on the stage for the "Sixth Day Seventh Night" tour.
A: First of all, it was a live where the feeling of "thank you" was reaching out from the audience seats. I am only doing what I should/must do, and I am extremely thankful for those people that follow me as I am, but everyone also seemed to be saying "thank you" to me; I am thankful to be able to hear those words, and I am purely happy.
The other thing I felt was "It's Gackt after all." Gackt is reaching out to the things that are beyond his imagination, and it's not just betraying expectations; it's like replying to the anticipation/expectations. This time, I think there were a lot of people who came for the first time, but when those people said "Oh!", the people who have been supporting me all along will look at them and say "That's a matter of course (it's natural)." (laughs) I also felt that. It's like "It's natural for Gackt, so be astounded/amazed/surprised." [7]
And... The biggest feeling I got was "Please don't disappear." It was at Yokohama Arena, where the video image was being checked, and four days worth of video checking was completed, the staff roll had started and there was this huge applause that erputed, and a lot of people were crying; people did not want to move from their seats. After the staff roll was finished, another round of applause went up, and still people wouldn't move from their seats. I thought it was wonderful. I was wondering why people could not leave; I know they couldn't move because they were impressed with the live for many reasons, but, they also probably had an anxious feeling of when will we meet again, and how many times will we meet again. It's like the feeling of seeing off your sweetheart at the train platform. When I also looked at the video images of the fans, it was a lovely feeling. That is the memory I felt the strongest.
NOTES:
[1] The family/clan is written 一族 (ichizoku). I am not sure if he is talking about a family or a clan, but I think I prefer the word clan because in the opening of the Sixth Day Seventh Night tour dvd, the voiceover does use the term clan.
[2] The "few people" is a translation of 数人 (suunin), but he actually says いや数人, and I don't know what that translates to.
[3] It's written 死装束(shinshouzoku), which I just translated as death or burial clothes.
[4] "Kanna" is written 神無. I don't know what it translates to, but 神無月 means the 10th month of the lunar calendar (October).
[5] I don't know what ノリノリ refers to. But in context, it's just the opposite of "pulling up a chair and taking your time".
[6] イケイケ (ike ike) and ガツンガツン (gatsun gatsun) are two japanese onomatopoeia that I just can't translate properly.
[7] Yes, Gackt is speaking of himself in the third person. I don't know if it's common for him to do that in interviews, but he did it only once for this interview. I think he is able to step back and see himself for what he is on stage versus who he is off stage. The interesting thing is, he is looking at himself and saying "it's Gackt after all", so it seems like he's essentially still one and the same person.