Part two in mu sucking english
What is your feeling now, 2 years after, about the reformation? What is your feeling about this new X Japan?
Y: I have a particular feeling about it. Indeed, we have disbanded more than ten years ago, and when we had first begin to discuss with ToshI about this reformation, we had not talked to each other since years. When we reunited, we were still quite ‘closed’. To me, X Japan is not only about the music, to us, it is not only a question of drummer, it is about all our differences who are mixed within X Japan. It is the sound from Sugizo, from Pata, from Heath, from hide of course, it is about all our influences who are mixed and who forms X Japan…
Two years ago you said that the reformation of X Japan was a mission to you. Do you still think like that now?
Y: Yes it is a sort of mission. I had not really the confidence in that time. But then, when I talked again to ToshI at the moment of the reformation, and we told each other to go for it, I had again the confidence. And despite of our problems, the management, ToshI’s situation, I have really the feeling that no one can stop us.
You had not composed together since many years? Did you had ideas for compositons that you wanted to perform together at the time of the reformation of X Japan?
Y: When more than 10 years ago, we separated, I had no ideas anymore about which songs could be done for X Japan. But now, I have a feeling of creations, ideas of which song is good for this new X Japan, and I think we did very good songs for our return.
Tell me about X Japan’s new member, Sugizo, is he a full (really) member of X Japan?
Y: Yes, Sugizo is our 6th member, because hide is still there, with us…Sugizo recorded the whole album with us, and he is a complete (‘whole’) member of X Japan.
Are you planning to re-use the hide hologram again in your future concert?
Y: I have thought about it, yes. (visibly very affected). I think it was a good idea, but it is really hard… I have not good feeling about that…The hologram was too realistic, it seemed so real, it was really very hard to perform with it…
Y, do you still work on Violet UK? Are you planning to release an album from this solo project?
Y: Yes, I consider about it. But I would like to finish the album from X Japan, we have so many things to do! Release our album, start our World Tour, do the concerts, we really plan to come here…
When? Is it a wish or is it already under discussion?
Y: I have talked to the American management, it is sure that it is planned for the next year, but we really are careful this time. Last year, in October, we were really ready for the show, even me, but the management annulated it. This time we really want to be sure. It is underway, but when all will be ‘corfimated’ (sure) for 100 %, we will tell you (laughs). It will not be in a Japan Expo or another convention, it will be a real concert date, with a real concert (show).
And what about another project you started 2 years ago: Skin?
Y: (laughs) I already have a lot of work with X Japan, mayby Violet UK, so Skin will be after all that, and I don’t think it will be for soon (laughs).
ToshI, do you practise your voice to be able as easily as that to change tonalities, change from screaming singing in a very sweet voice?
T: Not particularly, I don’t practice very much…
Y: I think ToshI is born with receiving a gift from God (divine gift). His voice is a gift from heaven. He doesn’t need to practice for months to be able to do what he does…He simply does it, it is almost natural for him. He comes, he sings, it is simple. It is almost magic…
T: (very moved) Thank you very much, but I practice my voice still a little bit (laughs).
Have you planned in the future to perform old X songs?
Y & T: Of course!
Y: Yes of course, we love all our old songs, Kurenai, Endless Rain, Silent jealousy and of course we will perform them in our future lives. It will be a mix from old and new songs.
And your oldest songs will not be forgotten then?
Y: Of course, no! They are like our children, we cannot forget them as that.
Have you planned to re-record them?
Y: Yes, of course, we have worked on them. We changed for example the lyrics (the words literally), we translated them from Japanese into English, sometimes just a little part of them. For example, for Kurenai, we have recorded the song in English, but we changed the chorus in Japanese. Even if we have kept parts in Japanese, we have voluntary translate lyrics in English for our album.
Because sometimes it is difficult to translate the songs?
Y: Yes, indeed, that is one of the reasons, it is a good point that you say there. (Yes, I know my English SUCKS…very much). There are words who simply are impossible to translate…And also, our fans sings our songs in japanese and love the Japanese pronunciation, we can not change everything.
T, did you planned to resume your solo career?
T: Yes. Why not? (laughs)
Do you have specific ideas, projects to come?
T: Of course yes! I would love be part of Skin. I really appreciate the music of the band! (laughs). Why not as a drummer (laughs).
Y: of on trumpet?
T: Yes on trumpet!
Y: Yes, you have to know Toshi really plays the ‘Euphonium’.
T: Yes! (laughs)
Y: Yes, when we were young, we were in the same chorus. In our next concert, ToshI does not sing, and I will not play the piano, we will play the trumpet and the euphonium (laughs). It is only an idea, but I thing it is a good idea (laughs).
It will be a very special live?
Y & T: Yes, it will be (laughs).
You have used samples from hide in IV. Are there other samples, and if so, are you planning to use them in the future?
Y: We have done that for IV but it is a very difficult thing to do. We have to find which to select, place it at the good moment in the song…When we have recorded IV, it was our moment of reunion, it was essential for us to have hide in that song. We are thinking about it to do it in the future, really, to include riffs from hide in our future compositions, but is is really difficult to do…
Do you have a last message for you French public?
Y: (in French): I love you!
T: (in French): I love you!
Thank you very much!
Y & T: (in French): Thank you very much.
