Club ZY MAG Vol035 - Aoi

The GazettE Aoi

Decision to have the 15^th anniversary live in Yoyogi Gymnasium on the 10^th of March!!

It's been nearly 2 years since the GazettE released the album 'DOGMA' back in August 2015 and in September they ended with the free live.

On the 10th of March they'll welcome the 15th anniversary since their formation, in this magazine Aoi will talk about 2016 and his ambitions for the 15^th anniversary.

In the end I felt that being in a band is great.

I think being in a band for 10 years and still be able to worry about so many things is great.

For the Gazette, 2016 was accompanied with “DOGMA” and full of lives like the oversea tour, the standing tour and the live in Makuhari Messe. Directly after the beginning of the sale of “DOGMA”, the lives with a dark worldview changed to something higher and from there on they reflected on their repeated trial and error method. What we wanted to ask Aoi most of all was what they felt within all of this.

I: The activities of the Gazette's 14^th year started with the WOLRD TOUR 16 from April to June.

Aoi: We experienced quite some oversea tours until now, but this time it was the first time we went to North America and China. As expected, that left an impression. We were told that for North America you have to tour continuously to around 100 live houses or it won't be worth it, that's why we thought that it's better to not go. But as we went there, the halls were quite big, the external sound was good too and the reactions of the fans were good too. That's why everyone was in high spirits (lol). Just if I think about it now, Dallas, where we went first, was super hot, wasn't it?

I: Oh really?

Aoi: Yes. After that I really saw the truth. With lives piling up, every member felt different about the Dallas live. But we still don't know what went wrong! Because we were in high spirits, right? (lol). And around the 4^th live in San Francisco, it seemed we finally started to notice (lol). San Francisco was quite severe, wasn't it? Not just the reaction from the fans, also the atmosphere from the staff member. After the live ended and we went to our hotel by bus, a strange guy threw me to the right. San Francisco was really severe. But even though there were things like that, I think we made some good experiences.

I: I think, it's great to be in a band for 14 years and still be able to have new experiences.

Aoi: I think so too. We were also able to visit China for the first time. We heard that it was forbidden for fans to stand and as we arrived we got a notification that „the government is constantly watching us“! But as the live started there really weren't any regulations, and everyone could enjoy themselves. Even in China we were able to have had a great live.

I: Because it's a world tour, depending on the country you can feel the differences with your own skin, right? After you came back from the world tour you had the STANDING LIVE TOUR 16 DOGMATIC – ANOTHER FATE in July and August.

Aoi: This tour was, how should I say this... It was „DOGMA“, but different or better said, we had really high expectations for „DOGMA“ and at the time of „UN“ and „DUE“ that we did right after releasing the album, we had the strong impression that we weren't done with the things we wanted to show and convey until that time! After that we went overseas, performed our older songs and figured that these were after all also The GazettE! As we mixed them with the songs from “DOGMA”, I thought that there was no strange feeling about doing so. It was the tour after we confirmed this, that's why we didn't have things we were troubled about in “ANOTHER FATE” and it was a tour where we got the feeling we can continue playing “DOGMA” even from now on.

Even while you let it flow in some ways, you're able to work, right?

But, The GazettE can't do something like this.

I'm glad that I could experience this again.

I: 'Shikkoku' which was held in Yoyogi Gymnasium in February was the end, but you succeeded in progressing from there on, right? How was the the live in Makuhari Messe international exhibition hall on the 27^th of September, which was the last chapter of “DOGMA”?

Aoi: For Makuhari the other member and I differed in our degree of enthusiasm. I thought that we should leave “DOGMA” out for Makuhari! Let's just bury it here! (lol) It was something like that kind of enthusiasm, but for the other members, they said something like, because of the Yoyogi live they were able to have rough feelings. And I was like: “eh? Such feelings?” (lol). Even though we went oversea and had a live house tour..., everyone definitely thought that it was over with Yoyogi. I remember that I felt like that (lol).

I: It wasn't the end, but a small break, wasn't it? (lol) And as I saw the Makuhari live, I felt that you completely sublimated “DOGMA”

Aoi: Yeah. Until we went overseas every member had many things he was troubled about, though! But in the end I felt that being in a band is great. I think being in a band for 10 years and still be able to worry about so many things is great. Because there are achievements from many years, even while you let it flow in some ways, you're able to work right? But the GazettE can't do something like this. I'm glad that I could experience this again. Until now there where many things I left to the other members, but for “DOGMA” I gave my everything and faced it. I'm not the type to give their everything to the band! I just think that it makes a difference when people who want to keep going on create something, and when they put so much effort in their work it's just not right, when you can't realize it. That's why I was the type to leave things to others and within this, I indirectly included myself. But this time I wanted to include myself and gathered with other people who usually don't say their opinion, and because I talked with them, it became natural for me to do this before I even realized it. That, too, was something important that the band received because of „DOGMA“ I think.

I: When you face things seriously, you can feel yourself and many things you gained once again. After that the GazettE had their first Halloween live „SPOOKY BOX“ at Zepp Tokyo on the 28^th of October.

Aoi: The most important reason for having our first Halloween live this year was probably because we overdid „DOGMA“ (lol). For us it was like this, and we thought that our fans wanted to listen to other songs by now too. That's why we changed our plan and because we were changing it anyway, it was decided that we should go for something we hadn't done until now. Even though I think that the amplitude is too wide, isn't it? (lol) It's not like we never talked about 'event lives', you know? Christmas lives or Valentine's lives, for example. We always suggest them, but everyone is always hesitant (lol). It surprised me a little that this time we went through with it.

I: It was really fun. Everyone's cosplay was worth to be seen too.

Aoi: Well, that wasn't a cosplay, though.

I: eh? What does that mean?

Aoi: As it was decided that we'll do the Halloween live, we needed to talk about what to wear, right? If you do it like that, I'm saying that it's not a cosplay! If you ask me 'What do you mean?' it's not as if we dressed like a specific character, but we gave a shape to the image from movies or attractions! I thought I understood, but it wasn't as was shown a concrete example, what I'm talking about is the shade of the clothes, right? (lol) A little bit fading, here a little deeper there... something like that (lol). And also while I thought that I didn't know anything, somehow everyone decided for their clothes at a meeting where we showed drawings to the others.

I: Aoi-san made me think about his old clothes: you often wore slightly gothic-like clothes.

Aoi: Ah, it wasn't like that. While I said that it's not a cosplay, everyone had a motive they thought of. A character from a movie or a tale, for example. Then we thought 'Eh? This isn't cosplay, right?' and ' Tell us about this atmosphere' (lol) That's why I'm saying that with doing so we thought about an original character that looked like it could appear in our favorite movie or such. I was in a situation that I didn't have a character I could choose as a motive and had to think from the beginning, that's why I was really troubled. That's why it became Visual Kei (lol). If you wear such clothes, you're movements look flashy right? Because all kind of things are attached to it, just moving makes it 'baaaam'. I thought that Visual Kei is really comfortable (lol).

I: I- I see (lol). I really would like you to do another Halloween live. Nevertheless, the 14^th year of the GazettE had an oversea tour, a standing tour, the special live at Makuhari Messe and the Halloween live- it was a diverse year, right?

Aoi: We were able to move like I envisioned. We released the album, had a tour in Japan, had a tour oversea, took part in festivals and also were able to have big lives... Something like this makes it seem like an ideal band. I always wanted to do these things. The oversea lives until now never were album tours, we always went there to show the GazettE, but this time we stuck with a tour with just the worldview of　“DOGMA“ and raised the mood right? That we were able to make such movements left us with a sense of accomplishment. It was really a great year I think.

I: You can say that the long-lasting effort was worth it, right? Well, in 2017 the GazettE are welcoming their 15^th anniversary. On the 10^th of March they'll mark their anniversary live with the title 'Dainippon itan Geisha „District of riots – the Stupidity of the Sakura“ in Yoyogi Gymnasium.

Aoi: This will be a live like the title already says. I think it's not far from what everyone is imagining. Just, the 5 of us have just roughly talked about it! We have just talked about the most basis things.. Like what kind of clothes we should wear, what the stage should look like, how we should select the songs. Therefore we don't have a clear image yet, but I definitely want to make it even better than everyone's expectations.

Edited by golden_kimono (Twitter)
Thank you darling <3

GIGS10 OCT No. 420 All member

I wonder at what time,but we ended up with a specialisation on something like a world view [RUKI]

It's less about reaching perfection than about reaching a standard. [URUHA]

Step by step the things we check increased in quantity, so as a result it's getting more detailed.[AOI]

the reason why I thought that we have to succeed with our own power is,that we came to often play in big venues. [REITA]

As an essence of the band the GazettE, the things we're persuading are charming I think.  [KAI]

I: the first time everyone of you experienced a performance before people was probably around middle school, I think,  but what are your memories of that time?
Ru: at the 3rd year of middle school, there was a camp for the graduation and it was at that time, but at that time I played the drums, didn't I? It's a story about drums tho (lol) (not exactly sure how I should translate it,but it's not usual to play drums at such a camp,so it's like:really?wtf). It was LUNA SEAs "HURT", THE YELLOW MONKEYs "LOVE LOVE SHOW" and SEX PISTOLS "Bodies", why I don't know, but we choose this setlist (lol).
A: at this time it was such a atmosphere,  wasn't it, such an awful setlist (lol). I was invited by an older student to do a live in the gym. I guess it was around the 3rd year of middle school? It wasn't my generation, but we played around two songs of ZIGGY at that time.
K: for me it probably was one time in the second year, the first time was at an open piano meeting from my mother. I supported my mother in the background as she played. The teacher, who always teached me, usually played with her, but he asked if we didn't want to play as mother child.
Ru: it gives the feeling of a thoroughbred, doesn't it? (lol)
K: Nonono (lol). It was really easy and just 8 beats, but it was pretty rigid (lol) I wonder if it was around 2nd year of middle school...
Re: my first performance was with a band I had with Uruha, wasn't it. We reserved a live house and did a two man show! We nearly did just covers of LUNA SEA, 8 songs or so. Even though I wanted to headbang awfully much,but as I watched the video later, I hadn't moved at all...and yet the next day my neck hurt like hell and I had a fever with 39 degrees (lol). That was in high school on the 28th October, wasn't it.
U: you remember quite well  (lol)
Re: It's also our leaders birthday (lol)

I: it's a day you should remember for many reasons, isn't it?(lol) Was that your first performance too, Uruha-kun?
U: no, for me it was in the 3rd year of middle school at the school festival. A teacher played the drums, but we played LUNA SEAs "ROSIER" and Mr. Childrens "innocent world".
Re: as he played the guitar in the school festival I lend him my amp! After that he didn't give it back... I also had just started, but the pure sound of an electric guitar is boring isn't it? So it was thanks to him that I quit the guitar (lol)
A: but, if you didn't lend it to Uruha at that time, the GazettE wouldn't be here now (lol)

I: the meeting of everyone of the GazettE was a miracle wasn't it? (lol) around what time did your own way to do lives establish?
U: wasn't it after Kai-kun joined the GazettE that we established our own fun way to do lives?
Re: well, after we were able to do a decent tour, we came to use the things we regretted in the previous lives, so after that,right? For example that the setlist shouldn't be like that, but like this, or something.
Ru: because until that time, until that day we didn't submit a setlist, right? (lol) We thought since the beginning that the live itself is something we enjoy too!
U: even if we're saying that the live is fun, there were also days were we just had 6 guests.
A: yeah. But we had something like a dream, I guess. If we went on tour, at that time we had to share rooms in a hotel, right? There, while we looked at the ceiling, we talked about what kind of tunes we want to produce and such things (lol)
Re: do you want to share rooms again? (lol)
A: no, it's okay now (lol) probably everything was like that because we were young, wasn't it.
Re: but if we'd still sleep crowded together, certainly we wouldn't sleep and fall into such a condition (where they'd talk about the tunes instead of sleeping), wouldn't we? (lol).

I: it was the most important to use the regret of these days for the next lives, but I think what made you progress even more was that every time there were various points!
A: especially in the beginning, there wasn't something like a one man live, so we went for events, but anyway we had the spirit of catching fans, didn't we?
Ru: it also happened that we saw the band before us and changed the setlist so we'll have the heavier live than them. The first time we had a two man was with Nightmare, I think. I thought that they were pretty heated! At that time even though we said that we catched fans, we probably didn't (lol). But it's not like we'd loose in intensity! Something like that.
U: we had no limits, right? At that time.
Re: we wanted to stand out, therefore we prepared the (stages special equipment) CO2 too, right.
Ru: also I did crowd surfing or something like that in the SE (lol)
Re: Into the seats where just 30 people were standing, right (lol)
U: the performance for example we thought that everyone was great, so we were depressed at the rehearsal, didn't we? So, if I speak about the things we were able to do at that time, it would have been over if we lost at enthusiasm,right? (lol) It's no use to compete somewhere you can't win, right?
A: we always did practices didn't we.

I: but, it's important to do different things than other people, isn't it?
A: yeah that's right. That's something we still can say and it didn't change since the past.
Ru: since we were able to do more one man shows, our way to do lives might have changed.
U: after entering the office, we were told that we had to decide the setlist in advance.
Re: yeah, at a time were we had a two man show the next day, we got a mail from our manager that he wanted the setlist for the next day! As we answered that it's fine if we do it at that day, promptly a phone call came and they asked what the hell we're thinking (lol). So that's why we decide in advance and as we enter the rehearsal it was like: "ohh, I see" (everyone laughs). Until we understood that, it took us one year (lol).

I: but that doesn't mean that there were no cases in which you decided just on the day, right? Till now you're doing lives for many years, so was there some decisions that left an impression?
U: I think that regularly changes arrive, but lately it was the latest Budoukan for example.
Ru: the time that I felt like I got a feeling of responsibility, I wonder where was it. Since the first Budoukan? We already had the talk that we didn't have an [responsibility] till then though (lol)
Re: but, the time I thought that we had to be successful with our own strength, was, because we came to be able to often play at huge venues, wasn't it.
A: the lives until then were in the live houses of the seniors of our office! Therefore I know that it's quite selfish.  But the first time of Budoukan, it was a 10000 people venue and the office was of unknown quality so, while everyone cooperated, we had to think about many things. In this spirit we went for a venue we could use and as we performed there, a live would be established, but this situation didn't happen.

I: the way you do your lives lately, are there points that are originally the GazettE?
Ru: I wonder at what time,but we ended up with a specialisation on something like a world view, but after it became like that, we became more detailed, right.
A: it's detailed, isn't it. Because we're requesting for the shooting of the light on the day of the live. Of course we're doing something like simulations before the real thing on the computer! But we came to think about the whole stage didn't we? We have no one who's in charge of the directions, so we have to come up with everything by ourselves.
Ru: even if the tour starts, I watch the pictures of the previous day and the next morning after we enter the venue, before the rehearsal starts, I get the part that worried me corrected, we do the rehearsal and correct it right before the real show. Therefore until shortly before the entry we're stuffed [with things to do]. There we'll first of all try it and continue in the same manner the next day, so we're getting an impression that we're slowly getting near our perfection.
U: even if the tour already started, if there is still potential, we'll continue to make changes.
Ru: we're also pretty detailed with every song. For example, after the head of the SE comes the intro, the A - melody that makes the mood. If we have around one month of time for preparations I think it will turn out perfect, but somehow it's not working like that, right? Of course the things we have to entrust to others are entrusted, but the important thing about the view of the world is, that we can't compromise. Lately there is a picture announcement after the lives right? We're even requesting for the timing of the blackout for the screening or something like that. It's weather you get goosebumps or not, isn't it?
I: the seconds of the connection from song to song you're playing at a live is a also something you're particular about, aren't you?
Ru: yeah. Therefore we have something that's called a blue blackout, which allows the member to still see their instruments, but from then on we get cue that it will get totally dark.
U: we're particular about the trigger.
K: because we're doing many meetings with the members and also with the staff, if in the middle of the live it's not like we talked about, everyone will notice.
Ru: if for example the timing of a silhouette is late, there won't be a shadow or something (lol). But the staff who's doing that for us... I don't know if he's enjoying it though (lol)
K: they are telling us that it's challenging, don't they? Or that it's very difficult to handle. It's really helping us that we have staff like that.
I: if you say it like that, it's perfectionism, isn't it?
Ru: simply said, it's rather that we're asking us more how we think about it than how it is for our fans.
U: It's less about reaching perfection than about reaching a standard.
Ru: a live is to store up the things from the CD and let them be transferred into action, so everyone has an atmosphere or a view in their imagination. But it's about that, if you think about a night sky it would be strange to have red lightning, right? But that's an extreme thing. We're handling such abstract phrases!

I: how is facing the perspective of the song as a vocalist?
Ru: it's probably just a matter weather I should include it or not. Are the song before and after that song a flow, or would it work if I changed it, should we stop the play, or the vocals? It's probably just about that. If it was a good or a bad live for a vocalist it's that, I guess.
A: especially if I'm not doing it with self command it's becoming a total mess, and with me being distracted, how could anyone let me do a live ? (lol) well, it doesn't concern the members, but if the power supply of the equipment isn't switched on or something, it will make some echo! That's a pretty difficult part to check, isn't it? In the morning, after I enter the venue, I'll first go there.

I: the things you have carefully to prepare are piling up, aren't they?
A: yeah. But because I want to be relaxed, it doesn't change much.
U: I also want to do different things than the vocalist, and the standard to put (feelings into the songs), or not is the most important part, isn't it? If we really put the feelings inside, it's not about emotions like having fun or not, but that something in my own condition is different! Isn't it about the concentration being high and about enjoying the venue? I feel it's worth doing for many reasons! Therefore, in an enviroment were we're able to do that, we're going to find this during a tour. It's not necessarily something I have control about, but that's probably the part that is considerably important.
Re: It's my major premise, that I want to go home with a good feeling, but to for this purpose I don't want to pile up stress from during a live. But something like somatic pain has to be controlled! If the feet aren't firmly on the ground or something. There it happens that problems are appearing, so I'm starting the live from already sweating a little... since I got used to stretch and do a light muscle training around 30 minutes before the live, that pretty much changed. How much do I sweat if I start in reality? If I don't get loose and soggy fast, I can't get into it, and I won't fall into a state of redundant power.
K: To concentrate on the live, and my wish to put my feelings into it are the same, but … I want to do it as we planned! For example, weather we can use the lightning on the venue, weather everyone properly knows about it or not, if you don't know about it or forget about it, the moment a problem like this happens you're surprised and you have to face it. If you're aware of this, isn't it that you can concentrate on the live?
Re: It's like a director, isn't it? (lol)
K: no, it's different! (lol) It's not that much about the members and the staff being aware of the flow, but if we're able to do it, or not, but for me it's not the most stressful, but it's an environment where I can concentrate! That's why I'm saying all the things I notice, isn't it? (lol).

I: There are also things happening you can't forecast right?
K: well yeah. But we can't do anything about problems with the equipment right? That's not something we can put the blame on. How to do in these times.. If there's an accident you have to convey it properly to the other members. I want the things we can't forecast too to go as we planned.

I: I see... I think, that the lives of the GazettE are build in a minute, but it's even more detailed, than we can imagine, right?
K: For us it's a matter of course, so we're not really giving any thought about it, but from the outside it might be like that.
A: Because we're doing it for a long time already, the single things we're confirming became an enormous amount, and as a result it's becoming more detailed right? I guess every band has their own way to do these things.

I: What this tour will become like, seen from this point of view the things to look forward to are incresing, aren't they?
Ru: What the worldview of „DOGMA“ completes, are the lives! Because we're and the fans are here, because the lightning get's adjusted. What „DOGMA“ really is, I think we're experiencing it since the first day step by step. We're also expecting things and the feeling to complete the absolute „DOGMA“ is pretty strong.
U: the last album was released just 2 years earlier, in the history of the GazettE the time we work on the conception is pretty long, but to hold this firmly build work in their own hands, it's that kind of tour, isn't it. The expectations of the fans who waited, are pretty hight too I think, and because I'm believing, that the dark content is able to answer these, I want everyone to feel easy and enjoy themselves.
Re: From the source of the tunes, it's complete, but the existence of „DOGMA“ is just barely born. How we could let it grow, was through the circumstance of the tour, and... equally, it's an album that was born because many things happened. I don't know how it possibly could fall down, but we have the responsibility to make it successful.
A: Because it's an well elaborated work, to the point where we thought how it would tempt on a live, it let's us try out our ability as a band, I think.
K: Our way to produce doesn't change in the basic, but the things everyone thinks about, the technic, and of course things that have potential are especially good I think. As an essence of the band the GazettE, the things we’re persuading are charming I think, so I want everyone to look forward to it.

GIGS10 OCT No. 420 Reita/Kai

It's the most important that the tunes of the 5 member are satisfying and I thought that it's finally like we returned

(I): As you turned your attention to „DOGMA“, what things did you thought of as you faced the production?
K: After all the songs were present, at the time we thought about what kind of approach we should do, we talked about wanting to go with even lower tunes than usual. For this purpose, we had the reality that if the kick drumms wouldn't make lower tunes, the bass wouldn't be heard, so we watched out for that. Regarding the set we changed thhe tunes that were directly hit, to say so it means that we requested a metal like Tam in the beginning. Towards the Tam Ruki was annoying me if I couldn't go even lower (lol). To go lower, I started searching for a set with a body that sounded properly. As a result I settled down with the Oak shell set, and with the first round (playing it) I already thought „wow, what is this rebounding sound?!“, so we started with this. The melodies this time are like that too, but we also wished for more symbols, and with the drums itself we wanted to exceed the extension line we had until now.

(I): It was the moment you started the production that you could clearly see the tunes that you should produce as a band, wasn't it?
K: I think, we could see the direction clearly.
R: The moment we just we had tunings with chord A and B, I understood that my part was to support the lower part and so we thought of this as an axis. But I always end up thinking that it's a good tune we made, but we also get to see reflection points, don't we? That's good, but I wondered if we couldn't record it more normaly. As in how could we record without mistakes, without wasting something? This time we investigated this.

(I): What do think about all the present songs?
R: As expected there are many intense songs. That means, it's just songs with high tempo and low tuning. In the middle of the pripro I thought that you probably wouldn't notice anything even if you think about detailed phrases. That's why we changed our point of view and made the plays itself more simple. We thought that chipping it off (the complicated parts) made more sense. After that I just had to be carefull of the picking.

(I): What you thought about the compositions is, that while you were putting various compositions together, unexpectedly it didn't sound complicated. I had the impression that you arranged something with an super comformity.
R: Indeed, as I took each of the deta of the pripro with me home to add the phrases, I said, that the composition is quite complicated, but as I tried adding it, that wasn't the case (lol), I got the feeling that I could accept it. That is a strange part of us, isn't it?
K: Because we were adding just the necessary things, as a result, the compositions were increasing. Nevertheless, because we are not doing some crazy things like jumping from 1 to 3, it was our way of constructing above going through with the order firmly.

(I): The recording went on smoothly, wasn't it? With a basic sound proucing are there parts that the reader of this magazine should be able to imitate?

R: Regarding the bass, first of all you're leaving the middle (tunes/ the middle of the bass) out and just go with high and low tunes, but that won't be enough, though it can rise the ecitement, doesn't it? If you do so, for the most part it should sound like that than (lol)
K: Because the drums are an accustic instrument, different people make different sounds , so it's a little difficult... This time I used an Snare of BelleGlass, didn't I? So, Until now basically I hang onto all of the rim and hit (the drum set), but this time, even if I didn't hang on, the sound came out as if I'd hang on, if anything, I wanted to hit it till it's real breaking point! Because I think that everyone can hit (the drums) without hanging onto the rim, I wanted to pay attention to this way of making tunes.

(I): So, is there something that put the exercise on an higher level?
K: With the drums is was the grace note of “DAWN”. I'm really hitting a back-beat, but if I'd hit it like a grace note the song wouldn't be complete. That's why I had the feeling to let the grace note firmly ring. But, if it were for a normal way of hitting the drums, I think that you probably wouldn't be able to hear it! That's why for indicating it as one note, hitting the back-beat, if anything powerfully or putting strength in the beats except 2 and 4, it can be heard naturally and regulary. That's not something you'll find in the songs of the GazettE, but it's ideal for training, I think. The vital point is on a conscious level, isn't it. Regarding the 2nd and 4th beat, I'm hitting the back-beat with a sixth to an eighths part of my strength. At least now that became my style, but aren't the drums philharmonic or an encouraging [instrument]? But, while the improvisation is getting more detailed, it's natural that the power of the tones come out different. Therefore I'm using 100% of my strength for the fast improvisations. If I do it like that, if you listen to it afterwards, you can hear the improvisation of the tones constantly. In this song especially are many places like that, aren't there? In the beginning it is okay to hit the tempo slower, I think. If your body get's used to it, accordingly it will work with fast songs too.

(I): You have a strong interest in the Tams right?
K: Most people are just using 12 inch Tams. But if you try out 14, 16 and18 inch … If you don't produce tones with something like 1 Tam and 2 Floor-tams, the moment you spin around the Tams the tone is light and there was no echoes. Therefore whether to get down to react to the pitch of the 14 inch tam or to end up with 16 inch depends on the „do“ (a tone I guess) I firmly produce. What's born there is a nice flow. Because we started this time with the attitude to go overall deeper and deeper, it is that we produced these kind of tunes, I think. Also because Reita said: „I want to go even deeper“...
R: No, I didn't say that! (*laugh*) But said from the position of a bassist, he chose a 22 inch, that's pretty big. Before that it was even 26 inch and the range where we had to arrange the bass and the drums was wide, so it was difficult to find a match for the bass. With the phrases for the bass the movements in the refrain of „DAWN“ was just that. That became a good exercise for my left hand. Furthermore to use 1 or 2 strings is pleasant, but the feeling of the melody would be lost, so because I'm playing the High Position (normally you'd produce the tone somewhere else-but because he's playing very fast he had to use the tone on this string) of the 3rd string, the movements of my finger are awfully busy.

(I): on the other hand, to live up faithfully to the part of the bass between the guitars and the drums, is interesting too, isn't it?
R: yeah, in this meaning I guess it's „DOGMA“. The tone and the attack is on max, but all of the interlude is down-playing. That is unexpectedly difficult, isn't it? It's a part where you cannot slip off. With this in mind, this time it's pretty often that I'm just the connection between drums and guitar, I think.

(I): The sound isn't buried though, right?
R: Normally we record the speaker cabinet through a microphone, but I had the feeling that it kind of sounded far. Furthermore we let the woofer (speaker system) sound, but if you think about the current songs, starting with the woofer brought problems with it. That's why we used a speaker simulator and as a result, we've stuck with line-in recording, so it became faster. And as we played our achievement, the tunes came out better than earlier, I thought.

(I): For example, in the latest songs it was your feature that there were things you had to use, though a decorative synthesizer was none of them, but for this reason, to stick with the bands sound, you controlled everything last down to the last detail. Didn't you?
R: From the beginning, the most important thing is that all 5 member are satisfied with the music, I think, and I had the feeling that we finally were on the edge of tearing up. The more tones you include the more are the single tones meshing with each other. It's quite unrealistic to include all tones clearly I think, and cause we want to produce good sounds I think we had to decrease the number (of tones) again. In this context, from here on too, it's okay if there are things with even lesser tones too. It became an album that's asking if you like or don't like the GazettE I think.
K: Because this album itself is clearly showing the quality of the GazettE, I think it's a good link to my motive why I started a band as well as our band sound. I think even if I try to look around us, after all isn't now the time to ask for too many things? But we were able to study the GazettEs role in this. So I guess „DOGMA“ is one ideal work of us.

GIGS10 OCT No. 420 URUHA/AOI Interview

I have the feeling that if we want to articulate the feeling of a band, we're finally coming nearer to our ideal.

(I): Regarding the sound approach of “DOGMA“, how did you deal with it?
U: We combined the phrases so it's easier to listen to, now more than ever we had it in our heads how to make it a lighter. That's what we went to do together and faced the recording, didn't we?
A: While we spoke about these feelings, for example as the rhythm side was recording, in fact we inserted the ringing amp and filled the tunes.
U: That's why it wasn't just an meeting, but in fact we put the tunes in, adapted our guitars to each other and tried out what's good and what's bad. Aoi tried to use an tube amplifier too... because you don't know just from imagine it, what effect it will have, so the time he tried it, we judged if it's compatible with my tunes.
A: That means, even though I tried 3 tube amplifier, I didn't even use one of them (lol). It also happens that if you try out something, the image of the sound isn't really the one you'd imagined.
U: We had to sort it out, didn't we.
A: yeah. Because we're a band with a strong character, and in some way or the other the sound too has a strong character, so I guess it's becoming our feature, but I especially thought about where we had a common ground.

(I): for the sake of this, it was first decided, that the tunes of you two will become the basic?
U: yeah, right. In the case of the album, we started with the song that was like a title song. It's a song that brings the album in tune and can adapt the songs to each other. This time that song was „DOGMA“, so we made this song the basic. Until now in the stadium of prepro (programm for musicmaking) the standard was plug in, so it's the first time this time to include the tunes with the recording equipment.
A: Before we concretely thought about what kind of tunes we wanted to make on the spot. But it happened that just the tune making would take a whole day.

(I): But the attempt to save time isn't the reason you're doing this, right?
U: Like expected, it's emotional right. In the early phase we have different opinions. Thereafter as we fix it, we have to record it again, so it's really a lot of effort. The most important is, that the technical surrounding is ready, isn't it.
A: „DEUX“ is also there right? This song was done provisional. But because we put too many tunes in the song, we had to think about it. Probably, because it was in our mind, that we had to record it again, we really devoted ourself to prepare it again.
U: Yeah. At this time, we didn't change our equipment, but after all with this way of recording, we couldn't recover.

(I): At the time of the Budôkan live at the encore, „DEUX“ was the song you played before its release. As I said, as you adapted the two guitars to each other in the album, it really left an impression, on how you made us listen to the song.
U: That's what we actually taked about (lol)
A: Ruki also joins the talk sometimes, right.
U: It's the common ground for a player who want to put your own essence in and for a great creator with an absolute vision. It's not the place for compromises.
A: It's been some time, that we talked that passionately about music. But at these times it also happenes that you get irritated (lol), bit I think it's good, that we can talk this siriously even after more than 10 years.
U: It's important to respect every opinion and to try things out. With trying something out there are also cases where you figure something out for the first time. That's what takes time in recording.

(I): Furthermore the way you listen to the tunes in one go, is nearly the same as the eqipment.
U: that's totally the case.
A: I have the feeling, that if something changes there, the basis for „DOGMA“ that was made by the Gazette, would have changed too, and because everyone understands these tunes, the album didn't change much, I think.
U: Throughout the whole (album) we thought about what we wanted to emphasize and because it's a really strong album, it's better if the tunes are konsequent.

(I): Depending on the tuning of chord A and chord B, are there some changes this time?
U: basically we're using the A chord since earlier, and above the knowledge that its pretty difficult, we dealt with it to the extent that we didn't really felt a difference between the tune quality of chord A and B anymore, this time we got the feeling, that we finally can go with the quality of the chord A. We finished it with a unexpectedly raw feeling.
A: Our right answer was, to make very clear tunes, to say so, because our way of producing tunes that had a pretty low pitch extent, that's normal for chord A and B, but it's rarely tunes in the GazettE. That's not something we're thinking to change.

(I): Even though there are just songs lined up with a down tuning, you can totally listen to the heavy and low tunes easily.
U: yeah. I think with other artists there are many songs that go with A chords and have a slow tempo, but in case of the GazettE it’s fast, and because of that it got important to bundle the tunes. Because that was a topic from the beginning, the easy listening comes probably from this part.

(I): How do you see the album you completed?
A: To be honest I thought something like “ah I can hear it!”. In the stage of demos I thought I won’t be able to hear it throughout the album.
U: Because it’s too intense, right? (lol)
A: yeah. As I listened to the demos, the singing wasn’t included yet, and I thought: “Ah, we did something like that..?”
U: For example, even though fast songs are continuing, it wasn’t that we could hear it, but more that we had moments where it got better. You could call that some unexpected result. This album showed that it’s not always necessary that after a intense part has to come a singing part.
A: Until now we always thought about the balance, and placed the songs thinking about that.

(I) I think that this album shows particulary the sound of the band, but what are the people around you feeling about it?
A: Something like wanting to express the feeling of a band. I came to say that about the albums until now too, but somehow I thought that the sound there wasn’t really expressed. But with this album we finally had the feeling that we’d come nearer to the term we were pursuing! It’s not really that we wanted to convey where every member is standing as an individual, but what our livelihood as a band is. It became obvious, that we wanted to give this kind of sound a form…yeah, vaguely, right. But if you ask me what kind of tunes the GazettE are producing, I guess that this album is the most typically for the GazettE, and also easy to understand. So I’m kind of thinking that we’re definetly producing the things other bands can’t do.
U: But I think that’s not easy to do so! To say it oneself is maybe a little strange, but it’s because we were growing to this point that we could do it. Because we were going through everyone doing the things they liked, it was that we could reach this point. It also took some time. As such a type of band this album became the answer we asked for, isn’t it?

(I): If we talk about the playing side, for example that you can use such diversified riffs asks for plenty of techniques, doesn’t it?
U: The things I boosted are in some way or the other reflecting, I guess, but that’s unconsciously. But in “RAGE” or “DAWN”, and especially in “PARALYSIS” it’s like that too, but they also had to have this image in the fast parts, as if you’re standing at an edge. It’s not always the alternate [picking] (a guitar technique where you’re picking the strings from down and upsides), but also in the parts that work, I wanted to go with something like down picking. But it’s for sure that if you’re playing this song there are many phrases that are fun to play! Therefore the thing I’m regretting is, … that it’s not in a regular tuning (lol).
A: Because it’s difficult to copy. (lol)
U: yeah (lol). If you’re playing the intro of “Blemish”, it’s an awesome feeling and is setting the mood. Every tune is pretty clear and that makes me kind of proud (lol).
A: I’m recommending “DERACINE”, because I think everything is included in this song, isn’t it. You can hear both of us and each has parts where he can expand, and also we’re using effects. It’s important to adjust these lines! (My Japanese friend had problems to understand this part too… but she thinks Aoi meant that Uruha and Aoi are playing each their parts but that they have moments where they have parts that are fitting each other. Like if Aoi is going up with the tunes Uruha is too or something like that) If it’s not fitting you can’t play. I guess it’s good that my ear is trained, isn’t it.

GIGS10 OCT No. 420 - RUKI

As we finished the album, we noticed that it's pretty similar to our splitting image.

(I) At the time of the Budoukan show in march, it was decided that you'll announce, that you'll make „THE BEGINNING OF OMINOUS YEAR“ the core of the Album „DOGMA“, but first: around what time did the strong word „DOGMA“ came around?
Ruki: Last year we let the topic of the tour circle around „Redefinition“, but in that time we did „STACKED RUBBISH“ ('07 release) and „DIM“ ('09 release) in the PULSE WRIGGLING TO DIM SCENE“ tour, so it was around june,wasn't it. But, this time's logo included, to be honest, the word „DOGMA“ was already there in the beginning of last year. At this time, we still didn't know how we would use it, but as we did lives, we thought about our bands situation and included the relationship with our fans, so the word „DOGMA“ fitted nicely, I thought. Also, at the time I saw the picture we used for the CD Cover, the image came up. At this point the title „DOGMA“ was decided for me. At the time of the first choosing of the songs, we chose the songs without deciding what kind of album it will be, at this time it was that I brought „OMINOUS“ with me, but as we were heading for the next song choosing it was that I told the members about my thoughts of „DOGMA“. From then on everyone made songs regarding „DOGMA“. At this time the prototype of „BLEMSIH“ was there too, because our we thought it was good, we corrected it, so it became „DOGMA“ish. The song 'DOGMA' was half way done at the second song meeting.

(I): Till the image of the artwork, it surprises me, that everything was afloat, but „DOGMA“, but I guess you really thought a lot about the meaning „DOGMA“ is carrying.
Ruki: Yes. First of all, we noticed that the public image like religious scene of a live we're doing, isolates itself in the visual kei scene and gives the feeling that it's not really mixing (with others from the scene)... but yeah, we don't want it to be mixed so... We're respecting our senior bands! As we thought about them, we also thought what kind of band we should be and a band that is doing that kind of stile for 13 years, somehow isn't really here. For us it's a normal thing, but if you take a look from above, you get the impression that we're becoming darker increasingly. We wrote these [songs] as „not merging black“, but even more than this black to go to an even deeper place, seems to be the right answer for us. That's something absolute that we want to deliver the fans. You get the feeling of yourself as a symbol of god, a symbol of black, and you don't know if this black cover is male or female and that is connected to it, isn't it? Like a cult group that mistakes the world, but we're respecting the people who act on their convictions... to include this nuance that stile fits us I think. That is why the absolute word „Kyougi“ (dogma), that includes many meanings came up, I guess.

(I): That means, you named it after the word „DOGMA“, but because you weren't doing something unusual, but more like it was decided that it's the word that summarizes your own steps until now, isn't it? With the set up of this topic, was the song making becoming easier, or was it the opposite, that you were bound by it? It seems that every (member) was different too.
Ruki: Isn't the term „DOGMA“ pretty abstract itself? Therefore everyone made songs with his own taste of „DOGMA“, I think. That means that the song who got sorted out, weren't „DOGMA-like“, right? For reasons we may or may not know (lol). But we made the parts, where everyone was nodding the right interpretation.

(I): Some time ago we had the talk, that you had the intention of excluding everything of its EDM (electronic dance music) and such, but why was that? To say it in different words, it was to harden your music, wasn't it?
R: yeah. The albums from „TOXIC“ (release 2011) to „BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY“ (release 2013) were pretty experimental wasn't it? At that time, there wasn't a band who did music like that. But, now as we asked us if we wanted to get to the bottom of it or something, as expected it wasn't like that. Then we couldn't tell a concrete concept, but through the redefinition tours we were able to see something like our own sign! So if we have to tell what wasn't enough at live, it was the really heavy and dark part! Always if we're producing an album, we pay attention to the balance. But this time we excluded the one song where I always want to sing beautifully. In addition we also excluded to think like we should do several strong and several medium ones. It's less which system is better, than that got to the point that we wanted to be biased. That gives an natural like band sound and an unusual feeling of structure. To say it even more detailed, anyway to recommend smth like down tuning or major chords are a no-go (lol), it just gives smth like strange feelings. That was something that was in every members heart.

(I): But of course it doesn't mean that the various experiments you did, were wrong, but it means that with every way of expressing it can be a dark and heavy form, isn't it?
(R): yeah. On the basis of such a way of thinking we calculated everything. Therefore I have the feeling that this time it's pretty near to our instinct. That is different from the way to build things until now, and I have the feeling that we're going back to our original stile.

(I): The tuning you used this time was just made with the A and B chord (I'm not familiar with music so I might have made a mistake >_<), but in RUKIS case, the time you made the songs, even though it was just basic tunes, such heavy and low tunes were ringing in your head, wasn't it?
R: In my case, first the things I make are not coming from a melody but from riffs! Therefore I leave it there and when we're taking a demo, we'll adjust the tuning of the guitar (lol). To tell you our work flow, it's first the intro, and as we did the A melody we're adding the singing. Next step is the B melody, we're doing everything separated. That's why the refrain of „DOGMA“ isn't coming until the end! We're slowly changing the tempo and other changes (while they produce a song)
That's why we're often find things with the trial and error method.
(I): But even though you did all kind of developments, this work is unusual easy to understand. The flow is really smooth. With the dark and heavy parts, if you tried to hold on to the evilness and the chaos, you'll add an even more complicated arrangement, because of this stile it's easy, isn't it?
R: I wasn't concious of it, but yeah it really is like that, isn't it. There are probably few things without a meaning. If I try to think about the band I really like it's the same, isn't it. My main conciousnes isn't that of a guitarist, but the phrases of LIMP BIZKIT or METALLICA or something, somehow you get the feeling to want to copy them... I really like the ones that are easy to play. Because we're a generation of mixture (not sure what he meant with this generation), I liked the simple riffs of Yama Arashi. (If you want to listen to him, there are songs of him on YT, you just have to use the Kanjis: 山嵐) The darkness of SLAYER or PANTERA are good too (lol)

(I): For example the riffs, there are various ones in each song, isn't it. Aren't you doing something like taking just one of these (riffs) and make a new song out of it? It's kind of a luxurious way of making them.
R: That's why my dark repertoire is slowly fading (lol). Because I'm not a guitarist, I don't think about how to place the chords, but play just with listening.

(I): The title track „DOGMA“ shows how the Gazettes form is, but the lyrics absolutely have the meaning of „DOGMA“, but it's not summarizing the unity of the content. Each song is independent and is summarizing the world of the GazettE or better said, Ruki.
R: As we're in a band, we're not staggering how we should proceed. This feeling is especially strong in „DOGMA“ I think, but in the end it's not like we're asking ourselves how it feels to have reached this point. As we tried to finish it I got the feeling that is pretty near to our splitting image, isn't it. Unexpectedly it's not an imaginary world. In writing I use metaphors, but for example, regarding the phrase the pain of the world, with this normal expression it's too light, I think.

(I): „BIZARRE“ is about a recent social problem isn't it?
R: yeah. As I wrote it, the youth crime just happened. But it's not particulary about that, it's more the end of it, isn't it. I have the feeling that I wrote my normal sensations, but in this world there are cases where it's a taboo. It's not like it's a thing that is important for a short moment and then forgotten, but after it happened it was in the news for about one week, but what's important is, what happens after that, isn't it? There are many things that let you think about them, isn't it.

(I): Related to this, this time all the songs are just one word, isn't it? I was wondering if each (song) has a symbolic meaning.
R: Yeah. It's the „seven sins“, isn't it? These too are just words strung together isn't it? Because this time the songs include just one emotion, so I thought that one word would fit best.

(I): Thinking of „Seven sins“, I guessed so because of the lyrics of „RAGE“ and others too, but as you were building the absolute dogma in the band, did you wonder how the listeners would take it? You gave them some space, I think.
R: It's like that. First of all the compulsion of the term „DOGMA“ is something like, „how is God thinking“, or „how is death seen“, such topics are thought of (by DOGMA). Regarding some cult or religion like „DOGMA“, believer are are spreading with their own interpretation, aren't they? Like I said before, in context of the bands I got to like, I adapt their thought as my own and make them absolute (lol) But for example, as Luna Seas „Rosier“ or „True Blue“ came out, in us the image of a big city night was really strong. Because it's strange, and even though it's not the case that a concrete word is coming up, but it's something like a mutual language. Also it's the character of visual kei I guess, but that's probably because in „DOGMA“ are many things about that time, that you can recall, isn't it?

(I): The albums last one, „OMINOUS“ was born pretty early in the process and I was very interested in it!
R: With the order of the songs, we talked that it was just naturally a song, that didn't fit in the middle, but the word „OMINOUS“ shows our current comprehensive self.
...
The Lyrics are a real story, the 13th anniversary pilled up too, at this time as we just named it, many things happend (wry smile). But as the days went by this song got stronger and stronger, didn't it. But in the beginning we didn't make this song with these feelings.

(I): From now on you'll be on tour, but with making „DOGMA“, was there something that you could see as a band?
R: For example is this the way to use music, or if we couldn't experiment or the feeling that something is strange, these things happened, but the time we finished it, we didn't have the feeling of satisfaction... If you listen to it, it's a heavy feeling or better it's like a close up of things I don't like and therefore like a diary. Originally if we had made it from the position, that we should give dreams, it also shows things that shouldn't be shown. But the appropiate way for music to be is the way of conveying, but I also think that it should be in an natural form!

The Gigs project was my first - so I gues there might be some mistakes (>_<)