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Motto2 Vol. 20: Saga (A9) and Ryosuke (Lolita23q) Interview Part 3 of 3

“Somehow.. I feel that A9 which came a full circle with your 12th anniversary are in the same state with us” - Ryosuke

“Yeah. We are going towards the same direction, and have the same energy, so it’ll be great if we can do something together. Let’s have a party with our 2 bands!!” - Saga

Saga: And then, I thought, maybe it would be easier to form a band if I play bass... so I started to play bass. That’s why, my root is that I like singing and I want to make good songs. And on the contrary, I’m not really particular about my instrument.

Ryosuke: It’s the same for me. I just happen to be playing the bass. It’s like, bass is just a mean to express myself. When I thought about being a musician, it just happened that bass was the instrument that fitted me. And that’s why, there’s something that I really want to ask you, Saga-san.

Saga: What is it?

Ryosuke: In the Visual Kei world, first of all there are only few bassists who are also composers, and since a long time back you’ve stated that your musical root is western arena rock, and that you like bands like U2 and Aerosmith, didn’t you, Saga-san?

Saga: Ah, that’s true.

Ryosuke: Is it to make your audience understand your music more?

Saga: That’s right.. How to say it, in this (Visual Kei) scene, even if I adopt my musical roots as is, it’s difficult for people to accept and understand it, and first of all the other members are the ones expressing it. So I guess, with the other members as filters, maybe it will be able to blend with this scene well. For example, with Shou’s singing it will be more neutral. That way of adopting (a musical style) is also possible, I guess.

Ryosuke:  Some time ago, Shou-san said to me, “After going independent, A9 will present music with high cultural values.” And I think, “PRISMATIC” does feel like maroon 5.

Saga: Ah, right, right, right.

Ryosuke: Knowing your musical roots, I can understand. And at the same time, I think in the Visual Kei market, there is no other band which uses this kind of approach, so it’s really amazing. And with that you embarked on your spring tour.. but in summer, didn’t you do a ‘going back to starting point’ live performance? 

Saga: That’s right.

Ryosuke: When you came with “PRISMATIC”, I thought, maybe they’re going to a new direction. I was excited and was like, if they keep going like this, by summer maybe they would become like Japan’s U2 or Radiohead. Ah, I said this because I really like “PRISMATIC”.

Saga: Thanks (smiles).

Ryosuke: But why did you go back to your starting point now? Isn’t it also possible to continue with that style?

Saga: It’s possible. We can do it if we want to. Somehow, looking back at our 12 years of activities, we had always been making stuffs while thinking, we did this in our last album, so for our next one we should do this, writing new music by removing (what we had done). By doing it, people around us would start to have a certain view of us, like “So this is what A9 is like”, wouldn’t they. At the same time our aesthetics are also formed and polished, we also came with our own ‘branding’, like we should be like this, or we should show this. Keeping those things in mind while making music,  it might seem like our musical range is expanding but it’s actually shrinking. Because we don’t use things that we have used before.

Ryosuke: I see, I see.

Saga: And then in our 12th year we feel that we’ve done everything we can do. And that’s why, “PRISMATIC” is the kind of thing that we’ve been avoiding the most, and for A9, the most difficult approach. I also think, it’s the kind of music that Shou’s worst at. It’s like, we’re using the last remaining stuffs that we’ve been keeping in our drawers, and it became “PRISMATIC”.

Ryosuke: Eeh.

Saga: By making it, we had no more things in our drawers. And I came to think, if I want to make new songs with more new approach, then there’s no more need to do it with A9.

Ryosuke: So it was like that..

Saga: And that’s why, we made a decision to do a ‘back to our origin’ live performance once. And after that, I learned that at that time, we weren’t restricted by our past works, and just put whatever we thought into music. And I thought, even if we had no knowledge in music, and the music we made were crude, they were good. And at the same time, what would happen if we write songs the same way now? I want to write songs the same way I did 12 years ago. Although, strictly speaking, it’s not possible to make the same thing as 12 years ago, as we have accumulated things since then. And particularly for us, we were blessed with an environment where we could learn from famous producers. Like Okano Hajime-san and Nishihira Akira-san who produce musicians like L’Arc-en-Ciel, or Hirade Satoru-san who produces musicians like Uverworld. There are things we could learn from them.

Ryosuke: Ah, that’s wonderful.

Saga: But at the same time, I also came to understand that there is no right or wrong in music. There are things that different producers have opposite opinion on.

Ryosuke: Ah.

Saga: But that is something that we came to understand only because we had been under different producers.

Ryosuke: So it’s like, in 12 years you’ve come a full circle.

Saga: Yeah. I guess, in the end it’s about whether the person feels good about something or not. But it’s exactly because we took a long way before coming a full circle that I can cherish things like “this is what I like” or “this is what I want to do with A9″ no matter what people say, and went back to our origin. In that sense, maybe we’ll get closer to our initial works... in our 13th year I want to make music without thinking like before, but with my current body and brain.

Ryosuke: This is just me, but I think that somehow, your state is similar to the current me.

Saga: That might be the case:

Ryosuke: Now that we’re starting Lolita once again, I’m also writing some new songs. I have a few years of blank and it feels like a time slip, but I’m not satisfied with just that. I want to focus on the current time and show things that will be fresh to people who haven’t seen Lolita before.

Saga: I see. And you will fully start next year?

Ryosuke: Yes. With 5 original members, we will go back to our origin.

Saga: Regarding our activities in 2017, ‘going back to the origin’ seems to be a common term for both A9 and Lolita.

Ryosuke: Yes. And as bands with the same state, let’s do something together.

Saga: Because we’re going to the same direction and have the same energy, we might be able to do something amazing together. Let’s have a party with our 2 bands!!

Ryosuke: Please do so.

Saga: But before that... let’s go for a drink together, talking like this is not enough (laughs). And there are stuffs that we can’t say in official settings as well (laughs).

Ryosuke: Yes please!! (laughs)

Translated by ダンチョウ

Jump to: Part 1 | 2 | 3

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Motto2 Vol. 20: Saga (A9) and Ryosuke (Lolita23q) Interview Part 2 of 3

“I really hate people who say ‘You’re a traitor’ towards someone who puts away their bass and takes the microphone. I think it’s nonsense” -Saga

“It was a quick decision to put away my bass for my solo (project). I also did some DJ-ing, and I didn’t feel any resistance towards standing on stage without my bass” -Ryosuke

Saga: But, Ryosuke-kun, don’t you also have WING WORKS, your solo project, where you put away your bass and sing as well as be in complete charge of the production? I think you are a unique existence in this (V-kei) scene. That’s why, for some time I’ve always had an interest in this what you were thinking when starting your solo project. Maybe this person thinks 2 - 3 steps ahead when doing his things? Something like that.

Ryosuke: I see. When I had to stop the band activities due to various things, I think, I can’t be in a band again.

Saga: Like, you thought can’t form a band which surpasses Lolita?

Ryosuke: That’s what I think. And, it’s not that I disagree with how the other members do things, but that time, the representative of the label we were in told me, “Once you’re going to this world, the way of music is ‘One lifetime, one band”, and his words have always stayed with me.

Saga: I see

Ryosuke: Even so, in the beginning I thought of forming a new band, but I immediately thought, ‘But I can’t form a band which surpasses Lolita..’ If that’s the case then I will do it by myself.

Saga: So that’s why.

Ryosuke: Moreover, I’m a big fan of MIYAVI-san and got a lot of influence from him.

Saga: Oh, is that so?

Ryosuke: Yes. If I’m not mistaken, the time when Lolita went on hiatus and I didn’t know whether to go solo or not, coincides with the time MIYAVI-san and bobo-san first started their current style. That time I bought a ticket and went to their performance, but when they changed to their current style, in the beginning there were hardly any audience.

Saga: You bought a ticket yourself?

Ryosuke: Actually I’ve been a huge fan since his Due le Quartz era. And after he went solo I bought ticket and went to his important performances, by myself. 

Saga: By yourself? Seriously?!

Ryosuke: I’m serious. And every time I go to his live performance, I would learn something from it and be like ‘I should work hard like him’. When he first went solo as miyabi ~miyavi~, he had quite a large following. didn’t he? But when he changed his style, you wouldn’t even think about it now, but in the beginning he had very few audience. But, he clearly progressed a lot compared to before. And that is the biggest reason why I chose to go solo.

Saga: I see.. so that’s why. How should I say it... that time we were under the same management company as Miyavi-san, so I was watching him at that time, but one day he went abroad and came back as a different person. Suddenly he started speaking in English. Maybe towards Miyavi-san, the people around him were like, ‘What happened to Miyavi-san?’, like, they didn’t know what he wanted to do.

Ryosuke: Ah

Saga: But in that situation, he kept going down his own way... I think, he found something really important abroad, and when he came back, he was persistent in doing in despite the harsh environment. And I guess because he was unwavering back then, he became what he is now. Because, as you can see, there’s nobody like him.

Ryosuke: He has become a one of a kind artist, hasn’t he.

Saga: As you have said, he went through tough times, but now he gives live performance at Makuhari Messe. In WING WORKS, do you devote yourself to singing?

Ryosuke: Yes. Actually in my solo recording there are also songs which don’t use a live bass. Like, won’t synth bass do? It’s usual for me to make decisions like that (laughs).

Saga: I think that is perfectly fine. It something is not needed in a song, then there’s no need to put it. Often, people say ‘You’re a traitor’ to someone who puts away their bass and take the microphone instead, but I hate people like that. I think it’s nonsense.

Ryosuke: Saga-san, I wish you had said that to my fans when I started my solo project (laughs).

Saga: (Laughs) Because you see, Ryosuke-kun, you’re making music. From your talk I can understand that it’s not because you wanted to play bass that you started making music, that’s not the order.

Ryosuke: Ah, it’s exactly as you said.

Saga: For example, in my band, if I disregard the vocalist and say, I will sing, then I might get a lot of criticism. But in your case, it’s a solo project in which you bear the risk and are responsible for everything. It’s not a problem what and how you express yourselves. On the contrary, everything is possible.

Ryosuke: That’s right. And before that, I did some DJ-ing as well, so I don’t feel any resistance towards standing on the stage without my bass. And in WING WORKS, the songs have relatively complicated bass lines, so I think, naturally I can make better quality songs if I devote myself to singing. If it’s something like punk maybe I can sing while playing (the bass).

Saga: I see.

Ryosuke: However, I don’t have punk as my roots. That’s why, putting my bass away for my solo project was a quick decision.

Saga: Maybe that came naturally to you.

Ryosuke: It did.

Saga: It’s just that by chance, that is the way you can be yourself. But, the people watching you don’t know this, do they? This part of Ryosuke-kun, I mean.

Ryosuke: It’s difficult to get it across.

Saga: Well, that kind of problem is also there. 

Ryosuke: Yeah. By the way, what are your musical roots, Saga-san?

Saga: My roots... before I got interested in bands, I wanted to be a singer and songwriter. Rather than making music because I want to play bass, originally I wanted to be someone who sings the songs that I write. That’s how I started to be interested in music.

Ryosuke: I see!! How come?

Saga: In my house, there are CDs belonging to my parents. They were mostly stuffs like folk music and influential singer-songwriters like Nakajima Miyuki. As I grew up listened to them, I wanted to become someone who writes their own music and sings. So at first I thought, I should play guitar. But, in middle school, I saw LUNA SEA on video and I got infected by this poison called band (laughs).

Ryosuke: Poison!!! (laughs)

Saga: I was done in by this mistake called band (laughs).

Ryosuke: Mistake!!! (laughs)

Saga: Because of rock I went astray and became what I am now (laughs).

Ryosuke: I understand (laughs).

Translated by ダンチョウ

Jump to: Part 1 | 2 | 3

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Motto2 Vol. 20: Saga (A9) and Ryosuke (Lolita23q) Interview Part 1 of 3

“I’ve known Saga-san for a really long time, since way before he was in A9. That time he used to show up at Takadanobaba Area”  -Ryosuke

“That was such a long time ago!! (laughs) I heard about Ryosuke-kun from Shou. He said, “He is very good mannered and really good at playing the bass. He's good at everything he does.” -Saga

Saga: I’ve known about the existence of Ryosuke-kun since quite a long time ago.

Ryosuke: I’ve also known Saga-san from a long time ago. Before starting A9, I was a roadie and also appeared on some sessions with the vocalist, Shou-san. And I’ve known Saga-san since he was in Delta Ark.

Saga: That was such a long time ago!! (laughs)

Ryosuke: But today is the first time I had a proper talk with him.

Saga: That’s right. We had never properly met, but I’ve heard about Ryosuke-kun from Shou since a long time ago. “He’s a really good guy with good manners and very good at playing the bass. That boy is good at everything he does.”

Ryosuke: No, no. It’s not like that at all (laughs)

Saga: Ah, I’m sorry for referring you as “boy” (laughs).

Ryosuke: It’s totally fine. I’m your junior. And you’re also a senior whom I respect.

Saga: Eh, when did you form your band?

Ryosuke: We had our live performance in November 2004.

Saga: We also started our band in the spring of 2004.

Ryosuke: Our bands started within 1 year of each other, but career-wise.. when I had my live house debut, Shou-san and Saga-san were already regular faces at Takadanobaba Area (laughs).

Saga: Somehow I started reminiscing about that time (laughs).

Ryosuke: That’s why, when Shou-an and Saga-san joined together and formed Alice Nine, I thought, a really amazing band has been born. Here, I’m using the old name instead.

Saga: But despite our bands forming in roughly same period, we never met, didn’t we? I think we only performed together with Lolita23q (will be shortened to Lolita from hereon) once.

Ryosuke: That is because A9 gained popularity immediately after it started. 

Saga: No, no. It wasn’t like that (laughs). Right after we formed the band we immediately got signed to a management company, so I guess we didn’t have much freedom... But now that we have gone independent, we don’t have much restrictions anymore so we can do more things. That’s why, this time I could have a collaboration work with Ryosuke-kun.

Ryosuke: I’m also happy to be able to talk to Saga-san like this.

Saga: Although we had never formally met, I felt lonely when Lolita announced that it would go on hiatus in 2012.

Ryosuke: Really?

Saga: Yeah. But I wasn’t surprised. Because I really understand how difficult it is to maintain a band. And when it reaches 10 years... right?

Ryosuke: True.

Saga: Even though I don’t understand the real circumstances (of the hiatus), as the band continues their activities, there are bound to be problems in various aspects, aren’t they. And even though I felt sad, I also felt that it couldn’t be helped. That’s why when you announced your hiatus, to be honest I felt a little happy. 

Ryosuke: Thank you very much.

Saga: There are things that I want Lolita to show to recent V-kei fans, who haven’t seen Lolita before.

Ryosuke: I want to show them.

Saga: Lolita had always left impression on me since the beginning. Your artist photos always packed a punch.

Ryosuke: Ah.. we really pour ourselves into them.

Saga: BAN-kun became a good accent for your band (laughs). He’s really unwavering isn’t he. Even in the new artist photo, he’s still like that. It’s amazing.

Ryosuke: He has his own way of expressing himself. I think, up until now BAN’s newest photo that we put on our website is the coolest.

Saga: I also think that, including your old photos, the current one is the best. Among other photos, I think the new ones shine the most.

Ryosuke: Really? Thank you very much. We paid a lot of attention to the composition. After Lolita went on hiatus, I studied design for a bit and learned about stuffs like balance and proportion, and I think I was able to incorporate that in our latest photos.

Saga: Ryosuke-kun, since the beginning you have been in charge the visual aspect of your band, haven’t you?

Ryosuke: I wasn’t really in charge, but back then I took the initiatives in the creative aspect of our band. However, we restarted our activities, I thought I should just work in the background. With the know-how and idea that I have, I want to contribute to the band more than I did before the hiatus. 

Saga: You don’t want to show that you’re the one doing all these.

Ryosuke: I guess, if the members or other people working on Lolita need my work, then it’s good enough for me.

Saga: Like looking at the band from the back.

Ryosuke: Yes. I’m a member but at the same time I have this director perspective. But I don’t want to say things like this.

Saga: Oh, is that so?

Ryosuke: I want to avoid making myself look important and all. Although, I do have interest in directing and stuffs.

Saga: So you like seeing things in total?

Ryosuke: Yes. But, isn’t it the case with this position? (= bassist) (laughs).

Saga: Well, it’s true. You end up doing that (laughs).

Ryosuke: Don’t you! (laughs)

Saga: Position-wise, you end up seeing everything even if you don’t want to (laughs)

Ryosuke: It’s just as you said. And I think, maybe that’s why I chose the bass as my instrument.

Translated by ダンチョウ

Jump to: Part 1 | 2 | 3

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A9 DI:GA Online: What is the first live performance you went to? (2017.02.09)

A9 will talk about the first live performance they went to. The episode which guided Shou’s and Saga’s fate!!

Shou (Vo)   L’Arc-en-Ciel

Shou: The first live performance I went to was L’Arc-en-Ciel’s comeback live performance at Tokyo Dome, “REINCARNATION”. I bought the ticket with my pocket money. The first ever live performance I went to was in Tokyo Dome (smiles). I went to other places like Budokan long after that. I was on the top row of the 3rd floor. It was like I watched hyde-san from the side. I bought Laruku’s single, “Niji”, and was like “Uwahhh this is awesome!!” “Cool!!”

Saga: “Niji” is also the first Laruku CD that I bought. It was good so I also bought their album “true”

Shou: I still think that the black CD jacket, with the cutout layout and collage of models in it, is very cool, and the songs were also amazing. If I’m not mistaken, the CD comes with advance booking form for the Tokyo dome performance. I registered and got a seat. In the first live performance I went to, I remember hyde-san saying in his MC, “A lot of things happened, but in the past people often said this. ‘If the end is well, then everything’s well’”. I was so far from the stage and could only watch from the big screen, but just to be able to be in Tokyo Dome with L’Arc-en-Ciel and breathe the same air as them made me happy (smiles). And right around that time, I started playing musical instruments. I bought a guitar together with the son of a classical guitar teacher. In only 3 days after buying the guitar he was able to play “Kurenai” by X JAPAN, while I couldn’t even play the arpeggio intro for “Beloved” by GLAY (smiles bitterly). I thought I had no talent for this, and gave up quickly.

Saga (Ba)    Live performance of a hardcore band

Saga: The first time I spent money to go to a live performance was in my 1st year in high school. I myself didn’t want to go, but my friend dragged me to a live performance of a hardcore band at a live house in Shibuya. It was really something. At that time I just started to play guitar, but when I went to that performance I didn’t know what they were playing. I thought, “If it’s like this, then there’s no meaning in practicing guitar”, “I’m giving up playing guitar”. That time, I lost my hope on playing guitar. It was so loud that I didn’t know what they were playing, and  my ears were also done in. It was too much. On top of that, it was scary. It was full of guys going crazy, and it was really too much. And because of that, I was like “I don’t want to go to live performances anymore.” I used to have this image that a live performance would have the same sound like the one we get in the CD. I thought, if it’s just like the CD but with bigger volume, it would be awesome. But when I went, it was completely different and I was shocked. After that, I didn’t go to live performances at all. However, later the people around me half-forced me to go with them. And then, finally my ears got used to it and I understood the sound so I finally appreciated the dynamics in live performance.  Because of that I came to like live performances.

Translated by ダンチョウ

Original interview: http://digaonline.jp/pleasure/27488

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Lolita23q Total Comeback Personal Interview: Sou

Q: Thank you for the live performance the other day Sou: Thank you.

Q: That day, in the hot weather, you stood on the stage for the first time in a long while. Sou: That’s right. I think it’s been 5 years since I last stood on a stage.

Q: Was it like, you didn’t appear on stage since your last performance with Remming? Sou: After Remming disbanded, I performed once with the guitarists. That was the last.

Q: I think among the members you were the one with the most blank time. How do you feel about it? Sou: I didn’t really feel the blank, but I did feel the 7 years gap. Still, it was nothing but awesome.

Q: I watched the live while also taking pictures, and I felt you gave off the same energy as before. How did you feel at that time? Sou: I also talked about this with the other members. Actually I felt that we lacked a bit of power. It’s been 7 years since I performed as part of Lolita, but I felt that we were quieter than back then.

Q: Maybe that is something that only Sou-san who hadn’t been performing in quite a while, could feel. Sou: That might be the case. More than the people who are used to Lolita’s live performances, I got the impression that there were more new fans.

Q: Maybe among the fans, there were also people who, for various reasons, couldn’t come to see Lolita’s live performance with you as the vocalist. Sou: I got that kind of impression more than I had expected. It was refreshing and I was so happy.

Q: After the One Day Revival ended, you announced that you would give a live performance at Zepp on January 15, 2017. It was a shocking announcement that the fans have been longing for. Sou: Actually I was really curious about the fans’ reaction, so I watched from the stage side. When I heard screams when the comeback was announced, I was honestly happy.

Q: You were using support guitarist, and Ryuuto-san was watching from the 2nd floor. Personally, it’s been a while since I met Sou-san, and I got the opportunity to watch the live performance. I’m thinking of going back further. When was your AX live performance? Sou: It was 7 years ago, so 2009.

<<The reason for leaving the band>>

Q: You left the band when it was at its peak, and it was shocking to your fans. Is it alright if we talk about that time? Sou: Yeah, it’s ok.

Q: To be honest, I think that you chose to leave the band because you felt that you had a different conviction, even though it was a good time for the band and you had started seeing good results, but if you’re alright with it, could you tell us how you really felt back then? Sou: Although it might look like that, actually there were also some negativities, and the biggest reason for me was because I couldn’t see myself singing in Lolita anymore.

Q: Was it like, you lost your way as Lolita’s vocalist and frontman? Sou: I think Lolita is a band which style changes with time. And it wasn’t like I was the only one who wrote the lyrics. That time we just changed our management company, and we used the things I wanted to express as our main style. But as it went on, I felt the gap with the things we had done in the past, and also difference in values with the other members, and I started having doubts about staying in Lolita. Q: Is it alright if I assume that there was a friction between the band’s style up to that time and the change in your lyrics? Sou: That’s right. We can think of the band as a big ship, going towards a destination. Then because of personal conflicts or friction, the destination becomes clouded and we can’t see it anymore. Something like that.

Q: I’m sure that because you had your own vision, it was really hard for you to see that the other members didn’t share that same vision. Sou: It was. It was painful, and I started having doubts about my singing and expression.

Q: And so you thought that it wasn’t right for you to continue performing on stage as Lolita with all these doubts. Sou: That’s right. I kept having these doubts and conflicts, and I felt that my voice won’t resound in the hearts of the listeners, so I made my decision.

Q: How did you feel when you talk about it with the other members? Sou: As expected, it was really hard to talk about it... It was like separating from a long time partner (laughs).

Q: It’s a difficult to talk about it isn’t it. Sou: I’d like everyone to think of it as a joke, but when I finally managed to talk to them about it, nobody stopped me! (laughs)

Q: Maybe it’s precisely because it’s a band with a strong conviction, that they saw how strong your resolve was, and thus didn’t stop you. Sou: Until the end, only Yu-ki was like “Let’s continue in Lolita”.

Q: It was a great episode. Sou: Well, at that time I had already made my decision. Although, I ended up choosing to leave the band.

Q: When you look back on it now, what do you think? Sou: Because everyone in the band was really serious about it, I think it wasn’t the wrong decision. Even now I still think so.

Q: How long was your activity with Remming? Sou: It was short. Around 2 years, but I could do what I wanted to do during that time, and I think it’s because I had that experience that the 5 of us could gather as Lolita again.

<<Once again, “I want to sing”>>

Q: After that, you ceased all musical activities, and finally came back on September 17 this year. Sou: That’s right.

Q: I think, from the perspective of fans, it was a performance which made them like “Finally, after all these years he showed himself again!!” But, since you had made your decision back then, why did you choose to come back at this time, and how it wasn’t just a one day revival, but a complete comeback. Could you tell us about your change of heart? Sou: Although it looks like I was missing (laughs), during that time I did a lot of things.  Anyway I wanted to experience a lot of things, so I went abroad, and went to various places in Japan as well.

Q: So by going to various places you wanted to experience a lot of things which you hadn’t got the chance to until then. Sou: Yeah, I went back to the place I used to work at as a student, and also helped a long time friend of mine on some night jobs. Things like that.

Q: Those are experiences that seems hard to get if you’re in a band. Sou: Anyway, I just wanted to experience a lot of things. I went to other countries and saw the various culture and character of the people living there, and experienced them fully.

Q: It also happens in Japan, but abroad, sometimes the things that you thought were common sense here are different there.  Sou: That’s true. Foreigners are really bold (laughs). And while experiencing various things, I started reflected on myself. I honestly thought, “I only live once, so I want to keep doing things I want to do until I’m satisfied with it”. And when thinking about, what would that thing be, I really really wanted to sing.

Q: As expected, you wanted to sing once again. Sou: I really think that the stage is where I truly belong.

Q: What made you want to sing again? Sou: In a lot of places I got the chance to be in touch with music again, and I watched a lot of street performances as well as performances at live houses. And naturally it reminded me of the time I was in Lolita.

Q: I see. And from then on, how did it get to Lolita reunion? Sou: One day suddenly I got a call from Yu-ki. It started with him saying, “Do you want to meet with Ryosuke and I?” When I was in Lolita, I didn’t go for meals with other members so honestly I was surprised.

Q: When was it? Sou: It was exactly a year ago.

Q: What did you think they would talk about? Sou: Somewhere in my heart, I thought “Maybe there’s an invitation from some band.” But I wasn’t sure of it.

Q: How did you feel, seeing Yu-ki-kun and Ryosuke-kun again after a while? Sou: I was surprised that they hadn’t changed (laughs).

Q: Oh! When I asked Yu-ki-kun the same thing, he also answered the same (laughs). And when I asked Ryosuke-kun, he said you still haven’t changed, in a good way. He said, “Like back then, he knew clearly the path he was taking, and is unwavering.” And he thinks that it’s something that no one but Sou-san has. In a sense, regarding restarting your musical activities, there was an option  to start a new band altogether. But, you chose to started the band again with the vocalist who once left the band... Sou: It’s unheard of (laughs). I think we’re really a band who creates a lot of ruckus

Q: When you actually met them, what did you talk about? Sou: When I met them, they talk about, “Do you want to be in Lolita again?” There was a part in me which was like, I knew it! And there was also a part in me which was surprised, like, a Lolita comeback? I was the one who left the band. Is this kind of thing even possible? (laughs).

Q: That time, how did you answer? Sou: There were various circumstances, so I didn’t give a direct answer. To be honest I needed time to think. And when I thought about the thing I want to do, I felt that I wouldn’t be able to express it unless I’m in Lolita. I believed that Lolita is the place where I belong, and I strongly thought, “It’s not bad if I can see the continuation of the dream we had back then”. 

Q: It’s a really wonderful reason. Did you meet with BAN-san and Ryuuto-san after that? When did the 5 of you finally meet? Sou: After that, actually.. a lot of problems occurred (laughs).  And that’s why the 5 of us finally meet around half a year after the talk (about the comeback) was out.

Q: You officially announced your comeback on April 23rd. So it was sometime before that? Sou: After I made my resolve to sing again, I met Ryuuto a few times. But the 5 of us only met after we made the announcement. Because Ryuuto was busy with his other band.

Q: So you didn’t meet until after you made the announcement! Sou: Actually when we made that announcement, we still haven’t decided whether it would be a continuing thing. Things like having different management companies.. well, other than that, there are also a lot of problems (laughs).

Q: And you finally reach a complete comeback after you overcame various hurdles. Sou: Something like that.

Q: So are you coming up with new materials now? I heard that the demos for your new songs are in progress. Have you written the lyrics for your complete comeback? Sou: Because I really want to capture how I feel at each point of time, I don’t really write my lyrics down. I want to write things such as discontents  in our current society,  disparity, “real feelings” that everyone has.

Q: So you want to write about the dark side of the current society and the feelings that you yourself have about it.  Sou: I think, everyone just don’t talk about those kind of feelings and just keep them to themselves. I want to be able to sing about those things freely.

Q: For your live performances also, you will keep adding new songs. Sou: I want to make a lot of new songs. I want to convince everyone that “Lolita really has come back” and I want to express it with these 5 people.

<<I have no intention of doing what others want>>

Q: I think there are quite a lot of bands which do things as the fans demand. What do you think about that? Sou: Lolita can only be Lolita and in the end, what matters is what you want to do, isn’t it? So we have no intention of doing things as other people would want us to do. Each person has their own preferences so if there are 100 people then they’d like 100 different things too.

Q: I think the bands that keep refining their path rather than just pleasing the fans are more sought after. Maybe it’s because they have the kind of music and words that can move people. Sou: We would like to be that kind of band.

Q: I feel that by doing that, Lolita will have its own unique position. Sou: In the end,  I guess it comes to “Only the real ones survive”. We believe that I can bring out the best in Lolita. And that’s why we came together.

<<Lastly>>

Sou: Starting from our live performance at Zepp Tokyo in 2017, Lolita will aim to disrupt the visual scene, so all of you should also be ready to live and die with Lolita! Q: The continuation of the dream. I’m looking forward to it!

Translated by ダンチョウ Original interview: http://lolita23q.com/special.html