Aoi (3/3) - Groan of Diplosomia 01 Pamphlet

GOD PAMPHLET
AOI abrasion
Interview

Interviewer: So did you get your head together?

Aoi: Who knows… however, I deeply hate going to conbinis. The day I'll meet someone while doing shopping in a conbini, I'll be really depressed. *laugh*

Interviewer: Someone.. are you talking about fans?

Aoi: Exactly. It's easy that just when I'm doing shopping there, I meet them. *laugh* I wonder why is that. *laugh*

Interviewer: Since they are fans who came to the live, I think the time you do this kind of things in the end it coincide for the both of you.

Aoi: Probably. Since I don't want to get out of the hotel, I stock up. For example, when we stay in the same hotel for two nights, I stock up for two days. So if people saw me, they could think "does he eat so much?" *laugh*

Interviewer: Moreover, people who drinks alcohol buy it in big quantities, don't they?

Aoi: Exactly, I buy a lot. Even buying alcohol is a pain so I buy packs of them. *laugh* They'll think "how much does he drink?" *laugh* It's something I hate. It's a good chance to tell you, since during tours I don't go every evening shopping at conbinis, I'd like you to understand something: even if you see me there, please pretend you didn't. *laugh*

Interviewer: I want you to understand that, eh. *laugh* The fact that you go around for taverns, bars doesn't mean you are the kind of person who enjoys the taste of different places?

Aoi: Not so much. Since I usually go to Izakayas. If -going into the right place- there are different things is the best… I don't do things like.. going around and looking for a place so I can drink different things. Above all I want to drink. *laugh* And then, while you're looking for a drink, couldn't you already drink a shot? *laugh*

Interviewer: You're seasoned… which is the alcohol you like the most?

Aoi: Recently as first thing is beer, then I really like Shochu [1]. In the past I said Whisky but I grew tired of that. *laugh* Now I say "Shochu is the best!" *laugh*

Interviewer: Shouchu, it'd be a good thing if it's not left over.

Aoi: Really? I leave it over.

Interviewer: … isn't it maybe because you drink a lot of it?

Aoi: Ahh you think? *laugh* Since whisky's flavor is strong, it happens that you grew tired of it and you can reduce it. While for Shochu ..you can drink your fill. *laugh* I can even say that each part of my body perspire alcohol by now. *laugh*

Interviewer: Wanting to drink your fill with alcohol easy to drink is something of heavy drinkers, isn't it?

Aoi: I want to drink a lot of it by now. *laugh* Then, when I wake up the next morning, my throat is super dry. *laugh*

Interviewer: It's better if you put near your pillow some water when you sleep.

Aoi: Of course, I always do that. *laugh* When I come back from bars, I absolutely buy water. However, sometimes it happened I forgot and the next morning I felt like shit. *laugh*

Interviewer: I feel you. *laugh* In the end you drink tap water.

Aoi: I do, I do. *laugh* I normally drink it by now. *laugh* Having such a dry throat is so terrible it can't be described. *laugh*

Interviewer: Please, don't forget to buy water, ok? So you get drunk… how can I sau… not speaking of Izakayas, is there a food you absolutely eat when you go into a place?

Aoi: Hokkaido's Ebi [2] ramen. It's not that I want to eat it but I really like it and other members too. That's why we usually go and eat it. It's in those moments that we go all together eating or when we party the end of something.

Interviewer: For bands who holds together for such a long time, such a thing seems natural.

Aoi: Probably. It doesn't mean we don't get along well but if you always stay together you end up feeling suffocated. Of course everyone's taste is different. Fans usually say "isn't it better to go with the other members?", I answer "No, It's not." It's worst to force ourselves and go out eating together. I want to say this too taking advantage from this interview.

Interviewer: Respecting each one of your individuality is the pillar that allows a band to hold together for such a long time, isn't it? Aoi-san, aren't there food you would like to eat?

Aoi: When we go to Osaka, I absolutely eat Takoyaki. To say the truth I only eat Takoyaki. *laugh* After drinking, there's a Takoyaki restaurant open till morning. It's good too. *laugh* They don't pour sauce, instead it's mixed with the broth. It seems it's really famous. But I forgot the name of the place. *laugh*

Interviewer: Eeeh?? You can't remember it?

Aoi: I can't. When I go to Osaka, I always go there having fun with members of bands of the place. So, after I drank like a fish I asked "isn't there a Takoyaki restaurant?" and they said there's only that place opened. In a few words, since there's just that place open, I eat Takoyaki only there. *laugh* But it's good!

Interviewer: If you'll remember the name, please let me know. So, during tours, do you do something? Like paying attention to your physical?

Aoi: I don't.

Interviewer: I thought "would it be rude if I ask"? It seems there are a lot of people that during tours go running or do muscle training.

Aoi: Eh….

Interviewer: What does "eh…" mean? *laugh* Then, you can have plenty of sleep.

Aoi: Not at all. Everybody says to me "since you don't care of your body, wouldn't it break dawn sooner or later?" *laugh* Not thinking too much is the most important thing. *laugh* Even if I don't care, my body will be ok. On the contrary, when I go back to Tokyo, its conditions get worst. *laugh* Moreover, during tour even if I drink till morning, I still have to work and couldn't it happened that they could forbid drinking to me? That's what worries me a lot. *laugh* That's why during tours no matter how terrible the hangover Is, I try and avoid to be late at the live's hall or I do my best not to show how tired I am. And when manager says to me "Aoi-san, please control yourself." I get a hold on myself. *laugh* Sometimes it happens I wake up late but not as in the past.

Interviewer: During tours, isn't it normal since the flowing of the day is set up? Maybe that's why your body doesn't break down.

Aoi: It could be. However, I really feel like shit in the morning. *laugh* I've nausea and my body feels heavy. Moreover, I think I stink of alcohol quite a lot. However during the live, the alcohol goes away too with the sweat. When the lives end, I feel again my strength back and I want to drink again. *laugh* I say like "Ah, I've to fuel!" *laugh*

Interviewer: You're the sample of a rock musician. *laugh* Did it happen at least once during the tour that you felt extremely bad and did a live in really bad conditions?

Aoi: Maybe never. However, I'm thinking about how to sleep properly in bed. *laugh* Covering myself up really well with the futon. *laugh* If I'm at home, I just throw myself on the bed and I fell asleep like that. *laugh* That's why I catch a cold. Since I know it, I try and pay attention during tours. I try to do at least this well. *laugh*

Interviewer: The hotel is dry and since the air-conditioning works perfectly, I think this is great.

Aoi: True, when it's cold but even in plain summer I feel cold. Moreover, when I feel I'm getting a cold, I take the medicines they give me in the morning. It's better to take them as soon as possible, so they have an effect. I took Loxonins [3] but when I do it my head hurts because of the hangover. *laugh* Loxonis is the best. *laugh* Even if I'd go to the doctor, they'll prescribe me only Loxonis in big quantities. *laugh*

Interviewer: You reached the end of the line, eh? *laugh* Is there something you absolutely have to do before lives?

Aoi: Recently it happens that I play guitar. And then I do some light bending and stretching exercises. Uruha does some accurate stretching, he prepares the mat and do it there.

Interviewer: Is it ok if you suddenly head-bang without doing stretching or similar before?

Aoi: It's just one of those things. *laugh* You get whiplash. *laugh* But it never happened to me. Speaking of which, at least two times I exercised listening to a radio for gymnastic exercises. I think that's great. It makes you think good of it. The first lessons of gymnastic exercises at the radio is awesome… I know just the first one. *laugh* During summer holidays if you do it seriously, you sweat a lot, I don't know if doing it listlessly too. It's hard, at the beginning you're out of breath.

Interviewer: Ah.. even if you know that radio's gymnastic exercises are effective, how come you don't keep doing them?

Aoi: Well.. during the previous tour, there were lots of things to do before the live. When a lot of your time is taken away form these things, in the end the checking of the guitar comes first. But in the next tour I want to persevere with exercises at the radio. *laugh*

Interviewer: Absolutely do that. It seems you can dived artists among who -accumulating experience- consider lives as an extensions to their normal life and who consider the stage as a special place. What do you think about that?

Aoi: To say the truth, there were times I thought it was a real pain. But that was simply an egoistic behavior. Even now it happens it's a pain but I consider it something particular inside of me. Going on a stage is a fun but I'm afraid of it too. It's not fear like being nervous but how to convey everything to people watching me. Since I'm the kind of person who pays particular attention to that, I remember well fans' reaction. During previous lives this opinion come out too and now I'm wondering if everything will be alright. Fans who speak about music are really nit-picking. Sometimes they are out of place but generally they're right. Critics from those fans are really painful. *laugh* However, I'm happy because it means there are some people who listen to us with passion. Lately, these kind of fans are increasing and I want to respond well to their expectations. When I think about that, I can't go on stage as if it was an extension of my normal life.

Interviewer: Impressing. I think isn't the fun of a live going on stage with motivation and managing to take out the sound you wanted?

Aoi: In the past -during tours- I had the feeling like I was there by chance. Since then for sure there's a part of my way of thinking that hasn't changed. It doesn't mean I took it lightly but now the feeling is deeper. Moreover, each time I face the live with a precise pourpose. I pay more attention to how I could appear too. I'm sure if you come and see me live, I'll manage to convey the fact that I'm on stage with that awareness.



[1] Shōchū
[2] Ebi means prawn.
[3] Loxoprofen






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Aoi (2/3) - Groan of Diplosomia 01 Pamphlet

GOD PAMPHLET
AOI abrasion
Interview

Interviewer: Basically, even if you can play your solo without difficulties when you are home, when you play it live you are anxious, aren't you? *laugh*

Aoi: Exactly. At home, I actually think "I'm so good!!" *laugh* Maybe at lives I'm dragged in that kind of atmosphere.. ? Inside, I think the most challenging part is the guitar solo in YOIN. Besides the fact that it's not a simple solo, this time I want to bring it to the point of playing it with passion.

Interviewer: You're conveying us the fun of trying and do all of this. In order to face this tour, it seems you renewed the equipment you are going do you use, right?

Aoi: I completely replaced it!! It's without any doubts different from the one used for LIVE TOUR 11 VENOMOUS CELL. First of all, the amp, since for VENOMOUS CELL I used a CORNFORD amp, I think the sound too gave a modern feeling. Even if it was a bit high gain. Now I use a Divided by 13, which doesn't distort. Actually I used it 2 o 3 years ago, I stopped using it but now I'm doing it again. Moreover, I bought a Marshall that has the same age as me. It's a two input JCM-600 with master volume. That makes me really happy!! I like it a lot!

Interviewer: It's an original 2203, isn't it? People say that since it has a particular sound it's difficult to play.

Aoi: No, I think it's a great sound! It's the same model Nuno Bettencourt from Extreme used and I wanted one from the same period. When I found it, I immediately bought it. Even when I go to the studio and play I think "Marshall has a really great sound!" and then "Aahh, this is the sound!!". Even recently, a certain guitarist, who uses a modified Marshall, wrote a tweet "Guys, you don't know the real Marshall!!". It seems there's a place like a Marshall museum in Yamaguchi prefecture. Apparently the owner said that it's a big loss that no-one knows the real Marshall. For sure there's a Marshall in every rehearsal studio but aren't they overused amps and so not in good conditions? The ones used in live houses are like this too. It's the same for me. Since it happened to me to only play that kind of Marshalls, I didn't know the real sound. I thought the Marshall had a frail and not strong sound and that the way out of the sound was slow. But for the JCM-800 I bought, they did a complete maintenance and I've the feeling it's totally different from the Marshalls I played until now.

Interviewer: That was a really good investment!

Aoi: For sure! Moreover, in the past I thought that the sound when you directly plugged the guitar in an amp, which could distort, was the best. However, recently I learned to use both the distortion by the amp and the Effect units at the same time. [1]

Interviewer: Eh? Are you serious?

Aoi: Yes. *laugh* I didn't use comps at first. So now I'm a so called "normal guitarist" *laugh*. Like, I line up all comps with the distortion unit and the effect unit.. now, speaking of Multi Effector I just use the Delay audio effect. In the past I thought that arranging a lot of amp racks was the coolest thing to do but now I don't have that feeling anymore. Since now I can use the effect unit with the distortion unit, even with the JMC-800 the sound is easy to create.

Interviewer: Divided by 13 doesn't distort very much and the timber is vintage-kei but it's extremely Hi-Fi.

Aoi: Exactly. It's an extremely Hi-Fi sound. That's why I'm still not sure if using the Marshall or Divided by 13. I think I'll find the solution during the rehearsals for the tour. However, I didn't go for the fancy. In the past I used 3 or even 4 amps but now I usually end up with just one. *laugh* and it doesn't matter which amp you use, the distorted sound you create using the bucking and the crunch tone are the same. I thought of regulating the distortion with the guitar volume without changing the amp settings.

Interviewer: Really? Isn't it how guitarist from the 70s played?

Aoi: Exactly *laugh*. Uruha said "doing this kind of adjustment.. wouldn't it be hard during lives?" but I've the feeling that if I won't do in this way, there will be a sound that won't come out… that's why I even substituted the volume pot of the guitar. In the past, during lives a used a pot A turner in order not to change sound, even if the volume decreased when I hit it with my hand. Now, I decided to use a B turner, it changes the gain and the sound volume. In the past I used the multi-effects, the distortion using the baking, the crunch tone, the clean tone and I selected in details the sound for the solo but now I'm going towards an old style, let's say analogical. I hope that in this way it will be easier to apply the change to the songs. To say the truth, during the fanclub tour and the festival I did it shiftily. *laugh* In this way I've the feeling like not to touch it as usual. Even during rehearsals I realized that I was calibrating the sound with the volume in a natural way!! Since the extremely tricky sound and the clean tone are extremely different, I regulate the sound with the multi Fractal Audio system. The "wah-wah" and "whammy" effects, I play them directly with the amp. Let's say I resolved this way.

Interviewer: Don't you have the feeling the guitar is somewhat alive when you can regulate the sound with the guitar volume?

Aoi: I do! *laugh* I'd like you to experience this during a live.

Interviewer: In the next tour is important to pay attention to Aoi-san's right hand, isn't it? Moving on, let's speak about guitars!

Aoi: Recently I changed the pick up. How to say… it belongs to single coil [2] and humbucker [3] groups. I found the pick up that has a distortion like the Humbucker but it remains the typical sound of the single coil. I bought the Bill Lawrence pick up privately and I had it shipped to my house. The guitar I use is the same one, however since I changed the pick up it has a different attitude. The sound is more real and catchy. I looked for so long for a good Humbucker with the dimensions of the single coil but I couldn't find it. One like that was made by ESP but I wasn't convinced. So I tried the Bill Lawrence and when I did, a melodious sound came out! It hit me so much that I use it for all guitars.

Interviewer: It was a great sound 5 or 6 years ago, perfectly mixed with other musical instrument and it gave a deep feeling, now it changed for sure.

Aoi: Now that I finally perfectly understood the touch of the picking, the sound is real. I think that if I'll make kohai guitarists play with the set up I'm using now, they'll say it's extremely hard. Because it's a sound in which the impetuosity of the play is direct, moreover it's not fluid and it doesn't distort as it seems. I'm using a picking set like this. There's no doubt that the sound is extremely crystal clear. Moreover, the shade is different with Uruha's sound.

Interviewer: It seems like you are satisfied with your new equipment.

Aoi: Let's say yes. Speaking about Bill Lawrence PU, it's not much compatible with the multi Fractal Audio system multi-effects. When I play it directly with the amp the sound is really rich but if I use the multi effects, the timber changes. It doesn't matter if it's a good sound or not, the multi-effects create a multi sound anyway. Since the different timbers are more emphasized I can say it gives a security feeling but I think sometimes this is a disadvantage. That's why I find interesting that with a PU, a guitar and an amp the result doesn't change. However, I was a person that thought these things were too much trouble. But recently, since the sound I want to create is clear, now creating that sound is extremely funny.

Interviewer: You move on with something new. During lives, you alternate among different guitars, what what's their utility?

Aoi: Actually I'd like to use just one guitar. However, since the GazettE uses different tuning, I've to do it this way. Who knows if there's a main guitar..

Interviewer: You have a lot recently, but is there one with which you can create a standard sound?

Aoi: There is! Actually two, the A-III in which the Synchro arm is installed [4] and the snakeskin A-III[5]. They create a sound that suits me, how to say.. now the sound is much more mild. Then there's the completely black A-III I recently created, with that one too I'm managing to create a sound which conveys a great feeling.

Interviewer: Among the original models you created with ESP, you care more for the A-III than the 艶~en~[6], don't you?

Aoi: Yes. But I use the 艶~en~ too. It's just that for the 艶~en~ the body material is different. For the others is alder, but fort the 艶~en~ if we used alder, the sound would be light, I had the feeling that high would be too hight. That's why its body is in mahogany. So for these 4 guitars we make tunings different for each one of them and then I play them for songs. However, when people usually ask me "which is your main guitar?" I usually answer "The ESP Forest[7] I use at home." *laugh*

Interviewer: Is it the guitar you are using since a long time?

Aoi: Exactly. It's a model for sale, it's the Forest in which a Hambucker is generally installed *laugh*. No, at home I don't use models created by me. I use the Forest to practice, let's say that it's probably the guitar I use the most *laugh*. However, since my models became interesting, right now I'm making guitars to play at home.

Interviewer: When you're done, please show them. Going on, I'd like to ask you things about the tour and such. During the tour, you go around a lot in the cities?

Aoi: I'm the kind of person who goes around in taverns, bars. Or I lock myself inside the hotel. However, I generally go out drinking. When I don't go out drinking, it's because I can't catch the manager. *laugh*

Interviewer: I.. I see. *laugh* During our off days don't you go out sightseeing?

Aoi: I don't. When we move from one place to an other, once we arrive, I don't say anything if not "Is there a tavern/bar?" *laugh*

Interviewer: There aren't cities without taverns or bars. *laugh*

Aoi: No no. Sometimes I found them. Near the hotel there's nothing… just darkness. *laugh*

Interviewer: When it's like this there's no choice...

Aoi: I stay mad in bed. *laugh* Or I buy sake in the hotel but then I want to go to a Izakaya [8]. However, there are moments I'm tired of this. *laugh* Thinking about the past, I'm less attached to the fact of going out drinking.



[1] Effects pedal
[2] Single coil - for a strong sound.
[3] Humbucker - for a full-bodied sound.
[4] The third one.
[5] This one.
[6] The first one from the right.
[7] This one.
[8] Izakaya






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Aoi (1/3) - Groan of Diplosomia 01 Pamphlet

GOD PAMPHLET
AOI abrasion
Interview

Interviewer: While facing the realization of the LIVE TOUR 12 -DIVISION- GROAN OF DIPLOSOMIA 01, were there themes you wanted to stick to?

Aoi: Isn't DIVISION an album with 2 CDs with different concepts? It was divided in two: one part with really strong electro elements and the other one in which you can find the new form of the GazettE until today. It was necessary to gather these two parts during lives but if we think about the bond it has with TOXIC, isn't it all much easier? Even when preparing the setlist, there's the feeling that you can combine the songs without much difficulties. From the beginning the GazettE was a band that crated various kind of music and we showed different faces during lives. Since we didn't begin the tour yet, I don't know but I think lives won't divert from the actual the GazettE image till the extreme.

Interviewer: I can't wait to see the lives! The hard tune used in DIVISION, while exploiting electro elements, gives a feeling that it can create a different atmosphere than before.

Aoi: When we were interviewed about DIVISION, words like electro or dustup came out, I couldn't fully understand the meaning… so I thought that since it's out of my competence, it would be better to hand it to Uruha and Ruki. However, facing lives, I thought it could be impossible if I didn't know at least a bit of what kind of things they are. So I did some researches and unexpectedly it was interesting. *laugh*. Starting from this, I'm recently having fun dabbling with the synthesizer. That's why I'm really busy. Because I've to both play guitar and dabble with the synthesizer. *laugh* I've just started recently with that, I'm still in that phase in which I look everywhere for buying equipments and stuff.

Interviewer: What you are doing now, could it be aimed to the future more than the next tour?

Aoi: Let's say it's now in my view of things. There's nothing better for me than understanding it too. In the end, the synthesizer is an electronic sound that goes 'pi-' or 'bu-' [1], adding them you create sounds and that's interesting. If I've to say it I think it would be good to exploit all of this during our next tour. Creating a SE using the synthesizer, playing it between the main part of the live and the encore. But I think I won't be in time for that. I've got the idea too late. *laugh* Even if it's not possible for this tour, I think I'll do it soon.

Interviewer: You are full of good will as always. Speaking of stage set [2], gimmick, etc.. which kind of things were conceived?

Aoi: I think it will be a pattern in which images will flow using LED. I don't know yet which kind of images but they could be things to awake the imagination. Ruki is taking care of that this time too. Moreover, since the staff said that the nature and quality of the images are better than TOXIC, I'd like you to look forward to it.

Interviewer: I can't wait! Speaking of the pamphlet of this tour, it's important that you are using photos in which the DIVISION concept is expressed from each member.

Aoi: The suggestion to do this kind of photos came from Ruki. Even doing only one point of view of the concept with all members would be fine but this suggestion points to put in motion our mind. Since it could be a good opportunity to show the way of being of each of us, I thought "why not?".

Interviewer: While DIVISION artwork has a form that express the concept as a whole, looking at the pamphlet photos you can understand how DIVISION is perceived from each member. For this reason, I think fans will be extremely happy.

Aoi: Just like that, since you will be able to see the personal part of each member. Our photos are.. how to say.. really forward, extremely ambiguous and staff told me "what do you want to do?" Since that, from when the suggestion came out to the photoshoot not much time passed, I thought I could simply express the first thing I had inside myself. These photos were taken basing on this. The theme is "tearing the skin off" and from the point in which the epidermis is ripped, you can see the inside of the body.

Interviewer: I thought that maybe you were representing (from the divided form of DIVISION) the nature of the two faces: the outer face (the exterior part) and the inner face (the interior part).

Aoi: It's not like that. the GazettE keeps changing, doesn't it? Among all of this, since I work in this band I feel that you can't always remain the same. While the band goes by, don't you have to change skin more than once? I think that probably while doing this, evolving is necessary. I wanted to express this not in a grotesque way, not with blood, but I turned on a mechanic feeling. That's why I lacerated the skin of a man in the flesh, not to say "I'm a machine". I'm introducing the image of 'changing skin' in my own way.

Interviewer: The part where the skin is lifted.. is it some special make up?

Aoi: Exactly. Even if I say it's a special make up, they were just some kind of pleats attached to the skin. *laugh* The make up staff took them already shaped so since they had to just attach them, it didn't take much time. The photoshoot too was fast. As a whole, about two hours. I thought that it could take a whole day but I was lucky to finish so soon. *laugh* It's awful keeping the tension during a long photoshoot. I thought "doing a solo photoshoot is the best!" *laugh* When we took photos, the designer told me to kind of scratch the part where the skin was torn. However, I wanted to convey that the skin was torn not that I lacerated it myself. In the end, we took that kind of photos too. Since we were in the middle of producing I thought to express my opinion. *laugh*

Interviewer: I look forward to the fulfillment of the photos! Heading towards the tour, what are thinking privately? Aoi: Inside of me, a part from the huge respect of being a part of this band, there's the desire to show myself even more. I think that realizing this is an advantage for the band too. However, doing this during lives is hard. Especially in the tour for this album. Because if you don't move along as in program on a certain level, there will be negative consequences. For this reason, I don't know how it will end. In this note, the goal of this tour could maybe be to blow away all mistakes? *laugh*

Interviewer: But.. do you make so many mistakes?

Aoi: I do.*laugh* I don't want you to misunderstand. The mistakes I talk about are not just elementary things like doing a chord wrong. For example. When I go and see lives of young bands, it happens that exhibitions do not fit together [3] and members run far and wide until they are dead tired and I say "where are you going in such a hurry?" *laugh* Maybe you are busy jumping while playing a song with a fast tempo or showing yourself. However, doesn't it lead to mistakes too? These kind of exhibitions.. I think they lead to mistake from the point of view of the whole song.

Interviewer: It's a weak point without any doubts.

Aoi: Since they are less evident than chord mistakes maybe there are lot of listeners who don't realize that but these mistakes are worse. The mistakes I talk about are the shades of the picking, the precision in the ensemble, a pleasing groove, etc.. it's a topic of this level and I don't want you to mistake it with elementary mistakes. However even if I say that, in the previous tour I didn't play the guitar solo, I turned around! *laugh* But I said sorry lot of time for that. *laugh*

Interviewer: It's true. *laugh* I speak with lots of artists and I can divide them between people who make mistakes but they don't care about it and people who's tension crashes.

Aoi: In my case the tension falls down. That's why it's dangerous for me to make a mistake. I arrived to the point of thinking that it was a shame. I don't care if it's one or two times but if it keeps going on I sag. I think "I can't really play today" and I can't have fun during the live.

Interviewer: In these moments, even if it's not like this for sure, don't you have the feeling that people in the first row are laughing at you?

Aoi: Just like that. *laugh* That's why I can't look at fans. *laugh* Even if I don't care in the exact moment I do a mistake, while time passes I think "I made a mistake before!" and from that moment I sag. *laugh* Moreover, during fan club tours, fans and band are close and this is good but in the next tour I want to 'leave' the fans. I don't do it egoistically, I want to show this attitude. In this condition doing a mile a minute mistakes is different. Now, I'm in a phase of constant preparation. *laugh*

Interviewer: It's wrong playing straight, still in order to prevent the mistakes, isn't it?

Aoi: Exactly. After doing a mistake-less exhibition I want to make a good impression too. Speaking for visual key, isn't the standing and way of showing themselves of hardcore bands hectic? That's why some bands mess up with the exhibition but there are anyway people with a good play. I want to point at that. the GazettE messed up too in the past, there were parts connected in a natural way but you couldn't say that they were harmonized in a clear way. *laugh* Since fans are maturing with the band, fans who give lot of importance to the listening and not only to have fun and go wild are increasing. That's why I seriously read fan letters, etc.. and when things that are not good are pointed out I think "ah, sorry.." *laugh* It's hard but I'd like for both parts [4] to have fun. And I think that from now I've to desire this even more with this awareness.

Interviewer: It's really admirable that you are pointing that high even now! Among DIVISION songs, if you have to name a song you have fun playing and, on the contrary, a song that makes you feel the pressure, which would they be?

Aoi: I think that each song gives a kind of satisfaction while playing it so I'm impatient. In an interview I said that I made my part of guitar really simple.. but when I looked back at it, I thought I was doing my utmost. Moreover, when I make new songs for the first time, I'm always unsure during the rehearsal but this time I made them well combined. Who knows if they'll convey a good feeling. There's not a particular song that makes me feel the pressure. For Kago no Sanagi acoustic part, I've the feeling that I can do it in some way, unexpectedly I think I can play it. I practiced and I think it's good. *laugh* It's really true that practicing is very important, it's not a fib. Recently, I practice a lot with the guitar playing not only our songs. Yesterday, we started the rehearsals and I felt that this way of practicing is giving its fruits. Until that moment, since I played alone, I didn't realized that but when I play with the band I can fully understand that.

Interviewer: This is the proof that if you gain experience and practice, you make progress. Moreover, the fact that you are not against playing the acoustic guitar during lives is a strong point of the GazettE.

Aoi: Really? I don't know that. However, I can understand why lot of guitarists don't want to play the acoustic. But I want to play as soon as I can Kago no Sanagi. Maybe the song during which I feel more the pressure is Yoin. Probably because, during the live, when it slows down I've to play my solo. *laugh* I wonder why I played the solo in that song. *laugh* It would be better playing it in a fast song. *laugh*



[1] We think he meant high and low sounds.
[2] Everything related to the stage: lights, screens, images on the screen etc.
[3] We think he meant that members are not harmonized together.
[4] Band and fans.







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Shoxx 236 - Uruha & Aoi interview

The Gazette
from DIVISION to DIPLOSOMIA part 2
URUHA // AOI

Interviewer: In occasion of DIVISION creations, the guitar team introduced new methodologies in the phase of creating sound.

Uruha: Until TOXIC we created the sound which was added by guitar technicians who thought about coordinating everything about instrumentation. However, this time we worked together with a tuning specialist. More than creating sound focusing on the equipment, as first thing we gave particular importance to sonority and the tension of guitar strings.

Interviewer: Which was in first place the reason of this choice of proceeding?

Uruha: Because the musical pieces in which we used an abundance of A tuning increased. In order to do it, there were various points we had to review.

Interviewer: I see. For this reason, now more than ever, you opted for a lower tuning rather than a regular one. Speaking of which, the effects, which can be perceived working with a specialist, what kind of effects are, concretely speaking?

Uruha: As I thought, the tension feeling actually stabilized. We used thicker gauges [1] and changed a little the way of changing strings, I thought "who knows if it will be different?". Naturally, even from the point of view of changing sound, it became a bit better with more tension. However, during the exhibition it's harder than before to play pulling strings [2].

Aoi: To say it simpler, generally speaking it became easier to play than before.

Interviewer: In other words, during recordings you can focus only on the execution.

Uruha: Exactly. Speaking of the instrumentations, both Aoi and I buy what we like and we use them constantly. Even more important, during recordings thanks to the improvement of guitar condition, we managed to create a situation in which we can pull out a sound without any stress.

Interviewer: For this album, the contents of DISC 1 and DISC 2 are different, about that, were there points that you as guitarists found hard in particular?

Aoi: I think there weren't. Unexpectedly, everything went on as usual.

Uruha: Exactly. The atmosphere changes from song to song but that doesn't mean that the guitar approach in both DISCs is different till that point.

Aoi: Speaking of the sound nature of both parts, since no matter which the song was, Uruha elaborated a certain path and I followed an other. Since Uruha is a person who's seriously studying the sound, I've nothing to say about what he proposes. *laugh* Only for very particular parts we consulted and work went smoothly from the beginning until the end.

Uruha: And then, in the mixing part, an original point is the big sound transformation.

Aoi: Maybe it's a rough way to say it but we recorded with "a sound that we can do as we want in the future".

Uruha: If we record a refined sound really original and typical of guitars, we can later add it combining it with the songs. For this reason, it was necessary to do a more hi-fi sound.

Interviewer: I see. In the last month interview Aoi said "a refined sound", was it about that?

Aoi: Exactly! Depending on the songs, the sound is distorted but the original sound is refined because it's high quality. We played all picking one by one with attention, during aggressive songs we played in an impetuous way.

Uruha: In the creation of this album the fundamental point was how to let the sound reach the listener even adding every kind of effect without any deterioration.

Interviewer: Actually, while listening to it I had the feeling that the clearness of the sound increased but behind that there was the fussiness of each member.

Uruha: To say something not important, we shortened as much as possible the gap of cave rewind.

Interviewer: This to shorten the so called electrical resistance.. doing like that aren't we going in a physics related topic?

Uruha: For sure. *laugh* Recently the staff say that "who can do and give importance to this kind of things is the GazettE".

Interviewer: I think that while you managed to produce a better sound, isn't there the fact that there are musical pieces that created an age [3] ? I would be happy if you could explain them concretely speaking one by one.

Uruha: It's a song I composed myself but the intro of GABRIEL ON THE GALLOWS was really difficult. Since the tempo is terribly fast, when we started pre-production, the right hand couldn't follow the tempo. *bitter laugh* I managed to learn how to play it right before the recording. It's not at all a speech of a new age or something like that *laugh* But for me it was the first time I played a song that fast.

Aoi: Speaking of the executing phase I didn't do anything in particular. I committed myself to do a constant execution that could match the song.

Interviewer: So you had a craftsman attitude?

Aoi: No, at least not yet. Because I think that what I'm doing right now as the GazettE is the best worked, doing the minimum work. Mah, probably if I'll refine more I'll change again, I'm playing some high quality guitars but what I've to do now it's a perfect execution more than going on.

Interviewer: So you're giving more importance to the execution with the team instead of the exhibition itself.

Aoi: If I wouldn't do it, I would have the feeling that I'll be left behind. Little by little hard songs are increasing. Even GABRIEL gives a hard time. I reaaaaally didn't want to play it. *laugh*

Uruha: I don't want to play it. I think that the feeling when he play it, like "what the hell is this song!!", was similar to mine. Even if it's one of my songs. *laugh*

Aoi: AHAHAH *laugh* Since we can't do anything about it, we just have to play it.

Interviewer: In a certain way, the most important thing is facing it with an extremely positive attitude. *laugh*

Uruha: Even for HEADACHE MAN, previously composed, was like this but thanks to the fact of doing lives you learn to play them while moving. This change is really interesting and I think it will be good if even the songs of this album will evolve in the future.

Interviewer: At the same time, as listeners, I think that the fact that this is absolutely not an hermetic album is important. It's an elaborated work but the impact and the feeling of attack are really strong and you can see that it's a quite explicit piece of work.

Uruha: In us it's strong even the feeling of doing a work that appeals to the listener sensitivity.

Aoi: We have the certainty of letting a much clearer sound reach you too, something more real according to us.

Uruha: Let's suppose there are fruits from this works, which will they be?

Uruha: Creating a single product following a precise concept was the first experience but it was funny the process that lead all of us until all of this. Despite the fact we looked at the same direction, the way of thinking of each one of us were different, we talked about it and gathered our opinions… this whole process was interesting and it was really worth it. I've the feeling that us ourselves, in a certain way, met a new face of the GazettE.

Interviewer: Even more, I think that the GazettE is became a band with a incomparable existence feeling. Musically speaking, while you kept doing what you like and having such a strength of persuasion is something really rare.

Aoi: This is because it's a visual kei privilege. Since oddly in the walls of music genres, visual kei doesn't have a specific genre, if you want to do something you can do it.

Uruha: What we, as band, can say is that we absolutely won't change in the visual kei field but then.. sometimes it's just about doing things we found interesting.

Interviewer: This greed seems to encourage even more this work!

Aoi: However we said it already: "it's a band that's earning the best things." *laugh*

Interviewer: Does it mean that the feeling is perfect, doesn't it?

Aoi: I think that the antenna receptivity is quite good. Previously, even BORN's Ryoga said that the GazettE are unfair, that things they want to do.. we end up doing them first! *laugh*

Interviewer: So, following the topic. After DIVISION, you'll start the tour -DIVISION- GROAN OF DIPLOSOMIA 01 in the fall. Did you think of which kind of scene to do in this tour?

Uruha: I'd like to exhibit the sound of the new GazettE in a solidly structured world. I'm really impatient myself.

Aoi: It's just it seems you need physical strength to play that A tuning. It's terribly rigid.

Uruha: Probably if we'll play it, our wrists will break. *bitter laugh*

Aoi: Maybe it's better if we strengthen our wrists before the tour. Moreover, since I heard awesome things from Uruha during the trouble of ear monitor during the previous FC tour, I would like to put into practice that things too. At first I thought that if someone tell me "You can't understand even things like that?", what should I do? But unexpectedly I finally found the answer, thanks gosh. *laugh*

Uruha: eh? You really thought that? You can ask me anything, let's share informations! *laugh*

Aoi: No no, I say it again, asking you something in your face embarrasses me. However, it was a long time since I did that. Wasn't it when went on tour sharing the same room?

Uruha: When we entered in this office it seems it happens quite a lot.

Aoi: We talked about guitars after going to bed until we feel asleep. *laugh*

Interviewer: It's a cuter than funnier episode.

Aoi: No, thinking about it now maybe it was something that gives a strange feeling. *laugh*


[1] Strings Gauge
[2] A way of playing they often use during solos, Uruha uses this technique quite a lote. For example: this video at minute 1:12 or 1:21
[3] He meant 'age' like.. they created something such extremely new that could create a new musical generation.






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Aoi - HETERODOXY PAMPHLET Q&A

Aoi - the GazettE HETERODOXY PAMPHLET Q&A translation

• Q: Which is your most embarrassing moment until now?
  A: I don't think it's something to be told on purpose to people.
• Q: You are with the GazettE for 10 years, are there things that you would like to take as example and make you dignified?
  A: Maybe there aren't. Because we are different from each other so the meaning we give to 'values' is different. If we think about things with the same sensibility, I think it will be a boring band. On the contrary, I think there's no need to say "make you dignified".
• Q: Is there something that's worrying you?
  A: How the band will go on from now. It's the only thing I'm worried about. Because who can predict their own future? You can't see it, can you? Honestly, it's scary and there are times when I'm distressed.
• Q: Aoi-san, how much do you like us fans?
  A: As much as a sausage that I can hold between my index fingers in front of my eyes. I'm joking, eh!
• Q: Please tell us, which are the outfit, make-up and hairdressing you liked the most among all your outfits and the reason.
  A: Maybe the TOXIC one, because I could move easily. But both make up and outfits are chosen by us. I like them all.
• Q: Beside of the GazettE, if there was something you could do with an ability, what would it be?
  A: Maybe a bar? It's fine a good pairing too… I like handling with people showing how I am. However, since I want to preserve a kind of sense of distance in certain bonds, I'd like to do customer service.
• Q: Do you like girls with short or long hair?
  A: Both. Short and long are both fine.
• Q: Which events made you laugh recently?
  A: Maybe when I'm with friends?
• Q: If fans organized something to surprise you at home, what would you do for them?
  A: At least, I would offer tea.
• Q: What do you have to do at any cost when you arrive at a live house?
  A: I greet.
• Q: If you had to do a session band with your kohais or other PSC company bands, which role would you have and who would you invite?
  A: Everyone is fine and any role is good for me.
• Q: In this FC tour, what kind of appearance are you going to show to fans?
  A: I'd like to show a cool look.
• Q: What kind of atmosphere is there during meetings for song's choice?
  A: We are detached and we smile. Lately, there is a quite peaceful atmosphere.
• Q: What is the thing that relax you the most?
  A: Mhhn. I don't know for others. But for me, I'm relaxed when I'm at home.
• Q: What do you want from fans?
  A: This is a hard question.. that you behave like always? Because I'm really grateful to you and you're really nice persons. Instead, I want to say just one thing "I entrust you like always". *laugh*

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