Shoxx 236 - Song interview (1/2)

The Gazette
from DIVISION to DIPLOSOMIA part 1
#2 sublimation

[XI]

Interviewer: This is the SE at the beginning of DISC 2 and with form that follows the course of DIPLOSOMIA at the end of DISC 1. Is it correct to think of a correlation between these songs?

Ruki: Yes, they are connected. There's a flow in this four SEs added in this album, it's an abstract representation but in DEPTH there's something that precipitates. Then, in DIPLOSOMIA, this thing conjoin and in XI the fact, that in MELT dissolves, happens. This is the feeling described with words.

Interviewer: Compared to the Limited Editions which is divided in 2 CDs, in the Regular one the album is unified and this song XI is set as first song. This sound was maybe created considering this aspect too?

Ruki: Roughly. After the process of the transformation ends, since it is a representation of the moment during which a new world begins from that point, the digital element becomes stronger even in the sound.

DERANGEMENT

Interviewer: It seems that Ruki composed this song, but did you decide to place it in such an important position from the beginning, I mean as first substantial song after the SE?

Ruki: No, I didn't concretely think about it. It's just that there's the feeling that it was composed as main song. From the moment I took it out during the meeting, it was that kind of atmosphere.

Kai: When I heard it for the first time I thought it was a song easy to comprehend.

Interviewer: When you play this type of songs, Kai, what do you keep in mind?

Kai: For this song, there wasn't a moment when I thought to play it in a particular way. Basically for the recording of this album, since some things began like a continuation from TOXIC -as first thing we did well the tuning for this song- , when I played it I did it with a quite normal and peaceful feeling. *laugh*

Interviewer: Speaking of which, you do the the tuning with the tuner [1]?

Kai: Exactly. We, the Tuner and I, examined deeply with every composer of the songs.

Interviewer: Among this three type of people, what kind of conversation took place?

Ruki: It's different from a chord instrument or guitar, drums tuning has inaccurate points. A regular tuning or a flat tuning, there's not a precise criterion, is there? Since the important thing is to hear the sound on-the-spot and decide only if a low sound is better than a high one, basically I assisted it and decided when it was good.

Interviewer: Drums is an acoustic musical instrument and the sound is easily influenced by humidity and temperature, is it a form from which you search a pleasant feeling?

Ruki: Yes, exactly.

Uruha: However, it's really hard to decide. From a condition in which there's nothing yet, thinking what the best sound that could be heard at best is and forecasting a situation in which the whole sound is added till the end. Essentially, deciding from the beginning something that no one is able to know.. I think it's awesome.

Kai: Now that you tell me, it's exactly like this. *bitter laugh*

Uruha: Even if we say that the tuner follows our indications, it doesn't mean that he isn't a song expert.

Kai: The tuner, from the point of view of musical knowledge, supports us. When I say "If I want to do in this way.. how can I do it?" he answers.

Ruki: If I have to say that in this way the sound decided from these three people is absolutely right, well there are times when it's not like this. However, I think this time is perfect.

Interviewer: Speaking of the dynamic movement feeling, I've the feeling that there are lots of points where it's created from the bass sound.

Reita: Ah, maybe it's like this in particular in that intro. To say the truth, speaking of this song, who composed it told me really absurd things, it was really hard. *bitter laugh*

Ruki: Eh? I said such absurd things?

Reita: Didn't you tell me various things at first? Things that were told to me in that moment were things I couldn't see, because concretely speaking I didn't know how to do.

Ruki: I see. I said "Generally, it has this atmosphere." and I made him listen a certain CD, in the end I told him he could refer to it. *bitter laugh*

Reita: Mah, speaking of DISC 2, since I gave more importance to the combination as rhythm group than in DISC 1, I played that song with this tendency.

Interviewer: Then, speaking of the guitar part of this song, I had the feeling that in particular the emotional extent of the solo is original. Uruha-kun, you play the solo?

Uruha: Until now, there isn't inside of me the conception of adding that type of solo in a digital song yet. However, it's long and when we did various things with some exclusions, I added that inevitably ambiguous form.

Interviewer: It's interesting how the sound with humanity contrasts with a mechanic sound.

Uruha: When we thought about the coexistence of the band sound with electro, regarding digital sounds -that bring a remarkable quantity of informations- we thought not about a sound familiar to digital but "isn't it better to clarify the contrast crashing it with the analogical sound?". Moreover, for this reason it was necessary to record in a clean way even the sound of the band, such as the digital sound. As guitarist, including this song too was a great subject.

Interviewer: Regarding Aoi-kun, with what kind of attitude did you face this song?

Aoi: I thought "good, I'll do an excellent thing!" at first I was full of this feeling. Eh? It's not like this?! *laugh*

Interviewer: Could you be more concrete, please?

Aoi: If I have to say it from my point of view, I thought that the recent music is hard. Programming and the type of sounds too are really a lot.

Interviewer: Even sounds that you can't produce with human techniques, you can do them easily through programming?

Aoi: Exactly, exactly. When we tried how to act in that contest, both Uruha and I arrived at the same conclusion. We thought that no matter what the circumstances are, as long as works are made as the GazettE what we have to do as guitarists is to produce a great sound and this is probably the challenge.

Interviewer: This courage, without any doubts, led you to this great work.

Aoi: In a certain way, the thing is that we just adopted a universal and orthodox approach. As Uruha said, it's not a topic limited to this song only, but it's a constant thing throughout the entire album.

Interviewer: I see. Good, now I'd like you to explain the lyrics of DERANGEMENT too. At first, when you started to write it, Ruki-kun, what appeared as first thing in your head?

Ruki: mhhhh… maybe speaking of my ideal state? Speaking of this is simple, the content in this lyrics is when something happens to you and that day is irreparable by then.

Interviewer: From the point of view of a third person, I can't think of Ruki-kun as someone who can be in such an extreme situation. Until now what you had in mind didn't go smoothly?

Ruki: It's just a thing that I write through personal subjectivity. Even in lyrics written until now there were some similar to this, but this time in DISC 2 there aren't only that type of lyrics. Anyway, I don't know how fans will interpret this lyrics but I think it would be perfect if they do it like I felt it myself. Since it describes the inner aspect of human being. It is as it's written but at a second interpretation the issue can change, for this reason I entrust you.

REQUIRED MALFUNCTION

Interviewer: This song starts with a really energetic drum sound, even in the interlude the double bass drum [2] explodes. It's a song where Kai-kun runs quite wild.

Kai: That intro and the double bass drum speed are all things that were already added to the original melody composed by Ruki.

Interviewer: Ruki-kun, with what concept did you start creating this song?

Ruki: As first thing, I started creating it while craving for something energetic that could light things up. I wanted a good feeling that could pierce with power while listening to it.

Interviewer: Is it for this reason that the attack feeling of the refrain is particularly strong?

Ruki: Of course. This is a song based on the refrain. It was in that moment that the flowing of the song was completely established.

Interviewer: From the point of view of the coloring [3], even the feminine chorus -added in the middle- takes out a great appeal and I had the feeling that this whole was perfect.

Ruki: About that part, the persons of the chorus did it deciding even the age limit. At first they asked me "You want to do an atmosphere with people of about what age?" and when I answered "Let's see… around 19 years old." *laugh* the feeling was so juvenile.

Interviewer: Together with the vivid melody, when you listen to this song there are moments where the image of an amusing scenery like in lives flows in a natural way, as creator, were you aware of that?

Ruki: Yes, it's like this. I wanted a feeling of elation, like you could have a feeling of pleasure while listening.

Interviewer: What becomes the main source -from which this feeling of elation originates- isn't it the bass sound?

Reita: In this song, since lots of pauses were added, I think this is the main point from the point of view of the execution. Comparing it to DERANGEMENT, it's not entirely full of sounds, in fact it's easy to hear the bass even in really precise points. If I didn't play it in a balanced way, there could have been the possibility that some passages could turn out strange, so I paid a lot of attention.

Interviewer: Listening to it, it's the kind of song that definitely livens up but what support this background is the delicate play interweaved by the members.

Aoi: For this song, we gave lot of importance to uniform the line that joins every instrument. Naturally, it doesn't change the fact that this line has lot of importance in every single song, but in this case in the passage of the refrain in particular. From now on the concern will be the live *laugh* during the recording, I played it severely.

Interviewer: Uruha-kun, in this song, to which type of things did you give particular importance?

Uruha: More than giving particular importance, let's say that, personally, I gave more attention to the packing that resonates in the background of the refrain. Even if we didn't shoot the PV, it was strong the will to show in the refrain an aggressive attitude while I played it 'down' [4], so I played in the studio like I was ripping with all my force the guitar.

Interviewer: You mean like a camera was recoding you?

Uruha: Yes… I played alone with that type of tension. When I was done, my arms hurt a bit. *laugh*

Interviewer: It was really worth it. Even only listening the CD, the image of Uruha-kun playing passionately emerges in the mind.

Uruha: If I managed to convey that passion I'm really happy. Creating phrases while thinking to convey the passion through the execution, unexpectedly maybe it was the first time.

Interviewer: An energetic song that pitches forward, Kai-kun too, while playing it, didn't your tension grow up?

Kai: During recording, I played in an extremely calm way. But when it will be live, it will probably be different. It will be hard since how fast it is. *laugh* I've the feeling that it's a song that can elate myself too while playing it.

Interviewer: Even if it's a song with a vivid sound, on the contrary, from the title REQUIRED MALFUNCTION a severe impression transpires. Ruki-kun, at which kind of things did you think while writing the lyrics?

Ruki: As the title says, the theme is an essential malfunctioning. The human being, during his life.. there are really lots of times when they lay down in various human relationships. Both if it's a band, school or workplace. When people gather together, clashes or disagreements happen but isn't it necessary? The lyrics talk about that. I wrote it here replacing it with relationships between man and woman.

Interviewer: Because, no matter how many problems can rise, if you can overcome them, the relationship between humans becomes deeper.

Ruki: I think that the cases when the bond becomes deeper are lots.

Interviewer: However, in Japan, there are aspects in which conformism predominates.

Ruki: I've the feeling that it's more about people of a certain age than the new generation. *laugh*

Interviewer: No no, the new generation wants to avoid a direct collision too.

Ruki: Of course. Probably there's the question of the national mentality. I think that basically people who want to avoid that are the majority. Speaking of me, I'd like to avoid it if possible. *laugh* It's just that there cases that it's impossible to avoid crashes, in those moments, great results can come to life from an essential malfunctioning.


[1] Tuner may refer to someone or something which adjusts or configures a mechanical, electronic, or musical device.
[2] Double bass drum
[3] He means: how would it be better to play it and what kind of instruments and chorus to add.
[4] Downpicking




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