OK MUSIC Vol.103 Interview with DIR EN GREY
English translation done by me, original can be seen here
Interview by: Takashi Kanazawa
The new form of a band seen at the end of reconstruction.
THE UNRAVELING - new album released in a span of few months after previous single. This piece consists of 6 re-constructed songs and 1 new song, and this work gives a glimpse over the true nature of the currently existing DIR EN GREY.
We seek the different direction from original songs, 're-arrangement' that is closer to the us now.
――The world from the title, unraveling, has a meaning of going back to (the state of) white paper, a deconstruction. On the other hand it also has an implication of 'bringing solution, making something clear'.
Kaoru: Title was created by Kyo (v), so only he knows for sure, but new song and re-arranged 6 songs had progress at the same time, so I don't feel like we only made new song. While re-constructing already existing songs a new song was born, thus I think this feeling is also included.
――First, let's talk about THE UNRAVELING, the new song. Although the melody is different, but I felt something lead to the preceding single, Rinkaku.
Kaoru: I think it has a bit of nostalgic feel/atmosphere. In the riffs in a major key the ominous feelings and cheerfulness are flowing, and the dancing rhythms are riding there... Lately we haven't done that, but the smell of what we had often done in the past is set there. Also in Rinkaku through the high pitch singing there is a part that transforms in a blink*, in a sense that a bit of nostalgia is felt, there might be some parts that feel common (between them).
――DIR EN GREY had once a period when you were a visual kei band, but I personally think that visual kei has a nuance of non-genre. I felt like this song inherited this type of "sense of the lack of national belonging".
Kaoru: Right. If thinking till here then the significance of the title can be felt as well.
――At the situation when you could release new song, this time we received a product consisted of several re-constructed songs, what is the significance of this?
Toshiya: There was a preposition of wanting to reconstruct the sounds from past, it feels that it started from there. Only, (reconstructions) are not something that started now, with last flow there were many that were added as a b-sides to singles, so there's no such feeling as them being new songs.
――Re-arranging the song and creating new song, what is different?
Kaoru: In the case of rearranging, there is a hard time with discovering the direction of image different to the past. If you cannot find it, there is no point in doing reconstruction. Depending on how we employ our current selves, there is an importance in making them not as oldies. On the other hand, in case of new songs although you're creating images you need to go ahead. If we only create an image there would be an ending point, which we will try to reach while struggling, and from there again, I would want to change it to see ahead. In this way, both are quite different. If we felt anything at that time, there might be part reflected in each work.
――With the image of the rearranged songs, do you think that they might have became different songs despite having an original version?
Kaoru: I don't perceive them to be so different (to the point of being seen as new songs); but past is past, now is now, I think this way. It's not like that this time, but before I had a feeling that 'it became a totally different song' (laugh).
――I would like to see what will happen when current DIR EN GREY will perform in succession old versions and new re-arranged versions live.
Kaoru: That might be interesting (laugh).
Toshiya: I would like to see that.
――Did you start working at the same point (time?) as in the case of Kiri to mayu from Rinkaku?
Kaoru: No, even from before. We started doing THE FINAL or Kasumi around February, when we stopped activities. At first Kyo couldn't sing, so it feels that only since last years May, when Kyo could sing again, the songs gradually took shape. As for number of songs, we made enough for one album, we made few arrangements that were not included here. With those, there were also songs that we thought were bit odd and were not recorded.
Toshiya: Thinking about labour required there is no much difference between (working on) new songs and rearranging, but working with songs is fun either way. Although we also had many artistic deadlocks.
――Perhaps now you are just releasing one song, but in truth you have more songs ready?
Kaoru: No, nothing like that. We try to some extend, if it doesn't feel right, we steadily go to the next one. We don't have anything that is completely finished.
――The re-arranged songs this time, they were picked up with no connection to (their release) period, but upon picking up songs did you have any criteria?
Kaoru: Simply, we thought 'if we try this one, it will be interesting', also despite such songs like THE FINAL being incredibly popular abroad, they were not released there properly in any form, so there are songs picked because of this. Though it was pretty before, but when we'd done live song called I'll from indie era, we were told by PA technician: 'because sound is not as light as in the past, it's not getting better. Whatever I do, I cannot match it to the bands sound'. That time, the songs that 'felt good to them at the time' now, after a long time, they felt totally different when played. That's why, we have a reason of 'songs that match current us'.
We are only aware of 'now' as even in silence our true form becomes visible
――If we compare the time of recording original songs and now, I think that the times, materials, recording technique and overall bands' members consciousness are all different. Were you also aware of such thing?
Kaoru: We haven't though only about now. That's why, depending on the song, there are some for which we didn't re-listen the original version when working on them. Songs we play often are engraved deeply in us, so there's also a point that we didn't have to listen to them, but instead of listening too much to songs, we tried tracing the point where songs got a main point in ourselves. Instead of doing it faithfully to original versions, we were faithful to the atmosphere of the song.
――Through the sound itself being hugely different, there's an emphasis on bas sound, right?
Kaoru: There are some songs that have different tuning, there are songs that have the same setting/key as the original version, so it's not only the tuning. How the sound was produced or played also made a difference.
――Speaking about the bas, I think Toshiyas playing is also an important part, but did you have something you were careful about recording this time?
Toshiya Approach might have changed between natural and the past. That was also what I wanted to try doing. I was thinking a lot while playing.
――Unknown.Despair.Lost became an arrangement where Kyo vocal's dynamics are displayed, but was there anything that required advise from Kyo?
Kaoru: Not really. Of course when asked he did have opinions. About the song, I think we managed to re-arrange it in very natural way. Having the original things, I think it was how we ourselves changed. There are songs which lyrics changed at all/entirely*.
――Those re-arranged songs, are you planning to play them at lives from now on?
Kaoru: Yes. They also have a feeling of being made for lives.
――If the rearrangement of the choice of songs now represents the form of DIR EN GREY now, I look forward to (seeing) how those songs will influence the new songs made from now on.
Kaoru: There might be some kind of influence. However, I don't know what is ahead.
――I think that through the series of work this time you were able to confirm past and present DIR EN GREY, but could you see the general/universal part as a 'this is us' type of band?
Kaoru: We kind of can see, but kind of can't. Of course, we are here (as we are) because of the past, also a part that thinks that doing past songs is cool exists. However that being said, even if the cosy/comfortable part is silent, it will come out by itself, so we need to seek parts that are not like that.
――Also, the rearranged version of MACABRE, released in special pre-order only version, the original song is longer than 10 minutes, I was wondering if re-arrangement must have been quite difficult.
Kaoru: The parts that did not change are not changed, but as it's long, it took some time. If we change important points, there's not well understood song completed, so in the parts that are left almost original the later sections are joint, so it became a feeling of original + a.
――In the special pre-order only version there are unplugged versions of UNRAVELING and THE FINAL.
Kaoru: We asked Mr. Tadasuke, who also helped in the past with AGGITATED SCREAMS OF MAGGOTS, to do it. The result became awesome. He is someone with very enthusiastic (bright) character, so to the point of thinking such person could not make it, the final result is amazing (laugh). There are piano and flute present, sound is quite folkish.
Toshiya Saying it in few words would become a spoiler, so I can't really say (laugh). For me it was totally interesting.
――Special pre-order only version had DVD included with the footage from performance at Tokyo Kokusai Forum on 2012.12.25. This performance gave rebirth to Kyo, to resume activities in October, it became a breaking point performance, so did you have any strong emotions (then)?
Kaoru: It might be strange thing to say, but it was ordinary/normal. We done the tour normally it finished normally - that kind if feeling (laugh). About Kyo, I didn't really worry. If I thought about the atmosphere of worrying, when it break again it will break, like this.
Toshiya I felt it's nice to play once in a while in a concert hall... this much.
――On 5th April new tour, TOUR2013 TABULA RASA begins. What kind of content will it have?
Kaoru: I would like to include songs from the latest album.
――Also on 24th May in Shibuya Koukaido there's a special live for people who purchased special pre-order only version of mini-album, performance called TOUR2013 TABULA RASA -ageha no hane san no yume ha ni sanagi-, do you feel that the content will become quite enthusiastic?
Kaoru: I wonder. I would like to do something extra. Subtitle is the same subtitle of MACABRE song, so we should do MACABRE. I mean, no matter how you look at it, I would do it.
――Don't tell me, complete re-appearance of MACABRE (album)?
Kaoru: That would be difficult... But should we think about it? (laugh) Still, MACABRE has a chance. GAUZE has not (laugh).
Interview by: Takashi Kanazawa
The new form of a band seen at the end of reconstruction.
THE UNRAVELING - new album released in a span of few months after previous single. This piece consists of 6 re-constructed songs and 1 new song, and this work gives a glimpse over the true nature of the currently existing DIR EN GREY.
We seek the different direction from original songs, 're-arrangement' that is closer to the us now.
――The world from the title, unraveling, has a meaning of going back to (the state of) white paper, a deconstruction. On the other hand it also has an implication of 'bringing solution, making something clear'.
Kaoru: Title was created by Kyo (v), so only he knows for sure, but new song and re-arranged 6 songs had progress at the same time, so I don't feel like we only made new song. While re-constructing already existing songs a new song was born, thus I think this feeling is also included.
――First, let's talk about THE UNRAVELING, the new song. Although the melody is different, but I felt something lead to the preceding single, Rinkaku.
Kaoru: I think it has a bit of nostalgic feel/atmosphere. In the riffs in a major key the ominous feelings and cheerfulness are flowing, and the dancing rhythms are riding there... Lately we haven't done that, but the smell of what we had often done in the past is set there. Also in Rinkaku through the high pitch singing there is a part that transforms in a blink*, in a sense that a bit of nostalgia is felt, there might be some parts that feel common (between them).
――DIR EN GREY had once a period when you were a visual kei band, but I personally think that visual kei has a nuance of non-genre. I felt like this song inherited this type of "sense of the lack of national belonging".
Kaoru: Right. If thinking till here then the significance of the title can be felt as well.
――At the situation when you could release new song, this time we received a product consisted of several re-constructed songs, what is the significance of this?
Toshiya: There was a preposition of wanting to reconstruct the sounds from past, it feels that it started from there. Only, (reconstructions) are not something that started now, with last flow there were many that were added as a b-sides to singles, so there's no such feeling as them being new songs.
――Re-arranging the song and creating new song, what is different?
Kaoru: In the case of rearranging, there is a hard time with discovering the direction of image different to the past. If you cannot find it, there is no point in doing reconstruction. Depending on how we employ our current selves, there is an importance in making them not as oldies. On the other hand, in case of new songs although you're creating images you need to go ahead. If we only create an image there would be an ending point, which we will try to reach while struggling, and from there again, I would want to change it to see ahead. In this way, both are quite different. If we felt anything at that time, there might be part reflected in each work.
――With the image of the rearranged songs, do you think that they might have became different songs despite having an original version?
Kaoru: I don't perceive them to be so different (to the point of being seen as new songs); but past is past, now is now, I think this way. It's not like that this time, but before I had a feeling that 'it became a totally different song' (laugh).
――I would like to see what will happen when current DIR EN GREY will perform in succession old versions and new re-arranged versions live.
Kaoru: That might be interesting (laugh).
Toshiya: I would like to see that.
――Did you start working at the same point (time?) as in the case of Kiri to mayu from Rinkaku?
Kaoru: No, even from before. We started doing THE FINAL or Kasumi around February, when we stopped activities. At first Kyo couldn't sing, so it feels that only since last years May, when Kyo could sing again, the songs gradually took shape. As for number of songs, we made enough for one album, we made few arrangements that were not included here. With those, there were also songs that we thought were bit odd and were not recorded.
Toshiya: Thinking about labour required there is no much difference between (working on) new songs and rearranging, but working with songs is fun either way. Although we also had many artistic deadlocks.
――Perhaps now you are just releasing one song, but in truth you have more songs ready?
Kaoru: No, nothing like that. We try to some extend, if it doesn't feel right, we steadily go to the next one. We don't have anything that is completely finished.
――The re-arranged songs this time, they were picked up with no connection to (their release) period, but upon picking up songs did you have any criteria?
Kaoru: Simply, we thought 'if we try this one, it will be interesting', also despite such songs like THE FINAL being incredibly popular abroad, they were not released there properly in any form, so there are songs picked because of this. Though it was pretty before, but when we'd done live song called I'll from indie era, we were told by PA technician: 'because sound is not as light as in the past, it's not getting better. Whatever I do, I cannot match it to the bands sound'. That time, the songs that 'felt good to them at the time' now, after a long time, they felt totally different when played. That's why, we have a reason of 'songs that match current us'.
We are only aware of 'now' as even in silence our true form becomes visible
――If we compare the time of recording original songs and now, I think that the times, materials, recording technique and overall bands' members consciousness are all different. Were you also aware of such thing?
Kaoru: We haven't though only about now. That's why, depending on the song, there are some for which we didn't re-listen the original version when working on them. Songs we play often are engraved deeply in us, so there's also a point that we didn't have to listen to them, but instead of listening too much to songs, we tried tracing the point where songs got a main point in ourselves. Instead of doing it faithfully to original versions, we were faithful to the atmosphere of the song.
――Through the sound itself being hugely different, there's an emphasis on bas sound, right?
Kaoru: There are some songs that have different tuning, there are songs that have the same setting/key as the original version, so it's not only the tuning. How the sound was produced or played also made a difference.
――Speaking about the bas, I think Toshiyas playing is also an important part, but did you have something you were careful about recording this time?
Toshiya Approach might have changed between natural and the past. That was also what I wanted to try doing. I was thinking a lot while playing.
――Unknown.Despair.Lost became an arrangement where Kyo vocal's dynamics are displayed, but was there anything that required advise from Kyo?
Kaoru: Not really. Of course when asked he did have opinions. About the song, I think we managed to re-arrange it in very natural way. Having the original things, I think it was how we ourselves changed. There are songs which lyrics changed at all/entirely*.
――Those re-arranged songs, are you planning to play them at lives from now on?
Kaoru: Yes. They also have a feeling of being made for lives.
――If the rearrangement of the choice of songs now represents the form of DIR EN GREY now, I look forward to (seeing) how those songs will influence the new songs made from now on.
Kaoru: There might be some kind of influence. However, I don't know what is ahead.
――I think that through the series of work this time you were able to confirm past and present DIR EN GREY, but could you see the general/universal part as a 'this is us' type of band?
Kaoru: We kind of can see, but kind of can't. Of course, we are here (as we are) because of the past, also a part that thinks that doing past songs is cool exists. However that being said, even if the cosy/comfortable part is silent, it will come out by itself, so we need to seek parts that are not like that.
――Also, the rearranged version of MACABRE, released in special pre-order only version, the original song is longer than 10 minutes, I was wondering if re-arrangement must have been quite difficult.
Kaoru: The parts that did not change are not changed, but as it's long, it took some time. If we change important points, there's not well understood song completed, so in the parts that are left almost original the later sections are joint, so it became a feeling of original + a.
――In the special pre-order only version there are unplugged versions of UNRAVELING and THE FINAL.
Kaoru: We asked Mr. Tadasuke, who also helped in the past with AGGITATED SCREAMS OF MAGGOTS, to do it. The result became awesome. He is someone with very enthusiastic (bright) character, so to the point of thinking such person could not make it, the final result is amazing (laugh). There are piano and flute present, sound is quite folkish.
Toshiya Saying it in few words would become a spoiler, so I can't really say (laugh). For me it was totally interesting.
――Special pre-order only version had DVD included with the footage from performance at Tokyo Kokusai Forum on 2012.12.25. This performance gave rebirth to Kyo, to resume activities in October, it became a breaking point performance, so did you have any strong emotions (then)?
Kaoru: It might be strange thing to say, but it was ordinary/normal. We done the tour normally it finished normally - that kind if feeling (laugh). About Kyo, I didn't really worry. If I thought about the atmosphere of worrying, when it break again it will break, like this.
Toshiya I felt it's nice to play once in a while in a concert hall... this much.
――On 5th April new tour, TOUR2013 TABULA RASA begins. What kind of content will it have?
Kaoru: I would like to include songs from the latest album.
――Also on 24th May in Shibuya Koukaido there's a special live for people who purchased special pre-order only version of mini-album, performance called TOUR2013 TABULA RASA -ageha no hane san no yume ha ni sanagi-, do you feel that the content will become quite enthusiastic?
Kaoru: I wonder. I would like to do something extra. Subtitle is the same subtitle of MACABRE song, so we should do MACABRE. I mean, no matter how you look at it, I would do it.
――Don't tell me, complete re-appearance of MACABRE (album)?
Kaoru: That would be difficult... But should we think about it? (laugh) Still, MACABRE has a chance. GAUZE has not (laugh).