ShockWAVE 16 - PSC All Guitarists Special - MYV x Tora [Translation]
Today it is Miyavi and Tora, labeled as the PS Company International department. In the office it would be Miyavi-Sempai and the young and hopeful Tora of Alice Nine. As Miyavi, who is half-Korean and Tora, who is American by a quarter, both have foreign blood running through their veins, it can be very well seen as PSC International. What would be other points of similarity, apart from their aggressive sound and their pursuit of a (unique) performance? We bring you this exciting talk about what they have in common!
MYV [To what extend do you (Tora) speak English?]
Tora [Ah, well, I can’t speak it at all.]
MYV [In that TV comment just recently, didn’t you say something in English?]
Tora [Oh that was nothing (laughs)]
MYV [And before, when you all went to Hawaii, you didn’t talk either?]
Tora [Yeah. But I really tried!]
MYV [I see, but after all we are PS Company’s International Department (laughs) Well, Tora is rather often…in Suginami-Ward…]
Tora […going drinking and eating. Please let’s just start from there.]
MYV [Ahahahahahaha. Is this always the what interviews with Tora are like?]
- Yeah, pretty much. (laughs)
MYV [If that’s so, we seem to be really alike. Within the Visual Kei-world, it really seems that Tora and I are the most similar. The way his face is shaped also; it’s totally not Visual Kei-like, is it?]
Tora [It’s not?]
MYV [It seems, the scales are different.]
Tora [Am I being praised?]
MYV [I am praising you, of course! I’m just on the go like that.]
Tora [It’s probably not good, but I am listening (laughs)]
MYV [It is! I do praise you here. In the beginning, didn’t even our haircut look alike?]
Tora [Well, but that wasn’t good, was it? (laughs)]
MYV [No, that’s not it. However, because our faces are shaped like that, we are good to wear a Mohawk. Oh, but because I am saying this, and in case Tora actually got a Mohawk, the fans would know it was my immediate fault, so maybe you shouldn’t (change your hair into a Mohawk). ]
Tora [Ahahahahaha, however, I did have a Mohawk once. That was when I had been really interested in what Miyavi-kun (was doing).]
MYV [Ah! That’s awesome!! Wasn’t that, when you also said you wanted to ride a Hägendaz some time?]
- Hägendaz?
Tora [You mean Harley, right?]
MYV [Yes, yes!!]
- Please don’t make mistakes like old men, here!
MYV [Well, it’s such an easy day, so I’m not really into this. (laughs)It’s fun to talk to Tora-san. He is a very sociable person, I think, and he has an enormously wide view, when it comes to making music. When we had been in L.A. for that event, he immediately came over to talk to all the guys of KAVKI BOYZ, didn’t you?]
Tora [Ah, yes I did that. Well, since I don’t really have many chances to talk to people outside the field of Visual Kei, it was a really fresh and new experience. It was great fun talking to everyone. I did learn a lot and it was good motivation as well.]
MYV [It also happened, that we talked about doing some project together some time. If we did a (jam) session together, I am sure we would get some great things done.]
Tora [Oh, I remember something! Listen for a second, ok? What do you think was my part when participating with the KAVKI BOYZ?]
- Eh? Wouldn’t you play guitar?!
MYV [Guitar is my part!! (laughs) Well, doing twin guitars would also work, but when Tora asked me to let him participate with the KAVKI BOYZ I just said [Well, fine you could be a sculpture!] (laughs)]
- Ahahahahaahahaha!!! A sculpture? (laughs)
Tora [Yes, a sculpture. I was just standing there.]
- Honestly, I have never heard of such part. (laughs)
MYV [That’s something new, isn’t it? Those features are really distinct and it would be something great to do. Wouldn’t it be great if YORKE (the KAVKI BOYS’ painter) painted you naked?]
Tora [Naked wouldn’t be so good, I’d say. I could rather do some interesting sound with my nose. Listen! (Makes a sound as if he is breaking his nose)]
MYV [Ahaahaahaha! That’s interesting! (Totally excited) We really need YORKE to paint this strange sound as wel!]
- Ha…haaaa! (laughs) That looks like fun, Miyavi.
MYV [A lot of fun, don’t you think, Tora?]
Tora [It would be great if we got to do something fun like that. However, as for my part, I do respect Miyavi-kun a lot - as a guitarist, as an artist, even his way of living. His new guitar phrases are extremely cool and he creates things a lot of people really couldn’t do. I think it is amazing, how he can at last realize so many things.]
MYV [(In a low voice) Keep going, keep going! (laughs and moves the tape recorder closer to Tora)]
Tora [Ahahaahaha!! But really, this isn’t even limited to him being my Sempai in the company, or even to this whole Visual Kei scene, I think the things Miyavi-kun is doing should catch everyone’s attention. I think he is a Sempai who has to be greatly respected.]
- What’s your point on that, Miyavi-kun?
MYV [Hmm…well, I haven’t attended a lot of Alice Nine lives yet, therefore I can’t talk about it big style, however, at any rate, I see great potential in Tora and his possibilities. This is not only about his skills, but also his sense (for music), which is really important, I think. He possesses an incredible thing (as a person) to be a very individual artist, no matter what field he is in.]
Tora [Certainly I always thought, that my sense for music was rather limited. Whenever I thought about doing this or that, challenging myself with something new, it ended up having been done by Miyayi already. That happened a lot recently. Therefore I thought a lot about, how I need to practice moving faster as a person. Those people who have an eye for things and do something before anyone else does them are awesome.]
MYV [Good job! (moving the tape recorder yet a bit closer to Tora)]
- Isn’t this also great motivation for Miyavi as a Sempai, to be told something like this by someone pretty close?
MYV [It really is. When I think about people catching on to the things I do, I realize that I have brought something across. That is something incredibly great. As for me right now, I am considering to change my style in Visual Kei yet again in the next step. This is not about wearing less make-up or dropping the visuals, after all make up is part of being visual. However, I would like to do this harsh and distinct thing while still being somewhat normal on the outside.]
Tora [Ah, that is something really amazing!]
MYV [It is! I want to challenge other people and even myself by trying to pursue an even higher level of development, I think. While going in that direction, it is absolutely necessary for me to surpass myself in the first step. After all, once I polish myself enough, I will be able to create those great chances, I think]
Tora [Aaahh…that’s a great saying (is moved)]
MYV [Therefore I think I might just cut my hair a little and probably change the color. It’s ok if you take over this hair knot with that cap. (laughs)]
Tora [Ahahahahahaha!! That is certainly Miyavi-kun’s trademark and even if you get rid of it, it still left a lasting impression in your image and people’s memories, I think. That was certainly amazing! Within everyone, it will be left as an establishment of great individuality. However, on the contrary, I would really like my hair to get longer still. In the band before Alice Nine, my hair had been pretty long, too.]
MYV [Oh really?]
Tora [Yes. Also, like Miyavi-kun now, it was something very much influenced by the Japanese style.]
- Oh yes, yes! Back then Tora-kun’s stage name had been [Ken Ya Mata]
MYV [For real? And you are sure this wasn’t the band name? That’s so cool, Tora. (laughs) Well, listen there was something quite similar for me. In that band before Due le quartz my stage name was [Sharikoube / scull]!! (laughs)]
Tora [Outstanding, isn’t it. (laughing loudly)]
- Anyway, the theme we are discussing today with all of you would be [In case the two of you had to form a unit, what kind would it be, and what would be your name?]
MYV [The unit’s name would be [Ken Ya Mata and Sharikoube], like [Takki and Tsubasa]. (laughs)]
Tora [What kind of music should we make? Maybe it could be something demonic and disturbing. (laughs) That’s probably going to sell!]
MYV [That’s good! Something like Black Sabbath.]
- Ahahahahaha, so some sort of satanic metal?
MYV [Exactly. (laughs) And Tora’s got to eat the bat!]
Tora [What? I have to eat it?]
MYV [Of course! You are Ozzy Osbourne and I am Randy Ross.]
- Wait a moment, aren’t you rushing this a bit?
Tora [That’s fine. Ozzy isn’t bad (laughs). Although eating that bat is kinda… (laughs)]
MYV [Right, it has been decided! He is Ozzy Tora-bour and I am Ozzy Miyabi-bourn.]
Tora [But in that case, won’t we both be Ozzy?! (laughs)]
MYV [Ah, you’re right! (laughs) Well, then I’ll be Randy Miya-ross.]
Tora [Ahahahahaha! Randy Miya-ross is pretty good, isn’t it? With that name we could surely move overseas! (laughs)]
MYV [And just like that [Ken Ya Mata and Shirakoube] will come along! (laughs)]
Tora [Please look forward to this becoming real!]