Club Zy. MAG vol 20
Special talk session
Ryoga BORN x Tsuzuku MEJIBRAY
The 2MAN TOUR「MEJIBORN」got scheduled!
Translation: Myrkul
Scans: Nekoyuki livejournal
Ryoga BORN x Tsuzuku MEJIBRAY
The 2MAN TOUR「MEJIBORN」got scheduled!
Translation: Myrkul
Scans: Nekoyuki livejournal
The two bands BORN and MEJIBRAY, which are both known in the current scene as “extremely ferocious bands”, will be going in october on a 2-man tour together, called “MEJIBORN”. The vocalists of each band, Ryoga and Tsuzuku, which are carrying the respective band on their shoulders, are actually old friends with a deep trusting relationship. We inquired them about their first meeting, up to the expectations of the upcoming 2-man tour.
FOOLISHNESS CAN ALSO LEAD TO FINE ART.
MEJIBRAY and BORN are two leading bands in the upcoming Visual scene. Tsuzuku is living a not imitatable and extreme way of life, whereas Ryouga is presenting a visual style close to the Japanese, both being outstanding talents. While they are similar as vocalists, their unique personalities don’t seem to intersect, and still they share a reckless way of living and on the other hand a very delicate side. Let’s talk with these two, who have been friends ever since their former bands, about their mutual existence.
― The two of you have known each other for quite a while now, haven’t you?
Ryouga: That’s right. For about 6 years now. Before Tsuzuku was part of MEJIBRAY, when he was still working with VanessA, I looked them up on their homepage, and Tsuzuku really catched my eye, aroused my interest. I then invited him to some band event, which became the first time we met.
Tsuzuku: It was during the time BORN was still being spelled in lower case letters, but they were already being published in magazines. So I thought, “Oh! I got invited by someone from that born band!”, and gave him my OK immediately, without talking over it with the other members (laugh).
Ryouga: On the day the event was taking place, during rehearsal, I was really taken aback by Tsuzuku. Because though it was only the rehearsal, he was going completely crazy already. That guy is really something else, I thought.
Tsuzuku: I greeted him in the music room with a short and cold “Ah, whatsup!” and didn’t get any closer to him (laugh). Though we didn’t make any contact at first, after the event ended, we went drinking together until the reservoir of beer in that shop was all emptied out, that’s how we got closer in the end.
Ryouga: We were talking about the past, about my former band BLUE Chocolate and Tsuzuku’s first Kirakira Kei (sparkling style) band (laugh). I really have great respect for Tsuzuku. He is singing about such private matters, and the combination with MEJIBRAY impresses me. Watching them live makes me forget to breathe. Because you can feel Tsuzuku’s way of living through it.
Tsuzuku: I think Ryouga is someone who thinks deeply about it before actually stepping on stage. But at the same time, he is frank. His train of thought midways loses to instinct, and in an instant he blows his stack. And this one moment he suddenly blows his stack, is what I love the most.
Ryouga: Foolishness can also lead to fine art. I think, if humans wouldn’t have that foolish part, they wouln’t be fun but utterly dull.
― One can really feel the strong spirit when the two of you are on stage. But what is it like when you go down the stage again? Doesn’t it suck out loud?
Tsuzuku: What a funny expression (laugh) ! But well, it is like you say (laugh).
Ryouga: For me, it really is like you said, it sucks out loud (laugh).
Tsuzuku: I give up myself to the alcoholism (laugh).
Ryouga: Without a doubt, the axis my heart and my life revolve around, is the band, I can honestly say that it is what keeps me going. Through music, I can release, and this might be just the reason why I can keep on living. Isn’t that right?
Tsuzuku: Same goes for me. I think, without the band and Lives, I wouldn’t be alive anymore. I see no point in living.
Ryouga: I am constantly worried about Tsuzuku. Undoubtedly, his condition is alarming. He doesn’t use Twitter, so there is no way to check on him. It also adds to it that we barely have closer contact, that’s why I recently ask MEJIBRAY’s manager about Tsuzuku’s being.
Tsuzuku: That’s just like you (laugh). Seems like I really trouble his heart. I bet the postponement of our tour also worried him sick, and still he didn’t directly talk to me about it. We actually did talk to each other before this photoshoot, only via mail though, in which he only sent me a standart “Let’s work well together tomorrow~” message. And still, I get told about Ryouga’s worries concerning me. Ryouga really has a warm heart.
Ryouga: That’s because I can understand your feelings perfectly well. Of course it’s not like the band is about to fall apart, but I at least understand the anxiety and dread that suddenly something might happen…
― You’re talking about KIFUMI, aren’t you (after a temporary hiatus for personal reasons, he left BORN) ?
Ryouga: Right. To be honest, I thought that would be the end of our band. It really felt like that. Both life and the band won’t go on eternally, that’s why I’m living desperately. I don’t know when it will come to an end, that’s why I’m desperately giving my all. But I won’t ever stop singing, I won’t ever stop making music. For all eternity.
Tsuzuku: Yeah. Same goes for me.
Ryouga: I somehow understand Tsuzuku. And, he understands me. I once leaned on Tsuzuku when I was crumbling down myself.
Tsuzuku: Only recently, I unexpectedly received a mail from Ryouga.「I’m feeling lonely~」
― Feeling lonely is part of Tsuzuku’s character, whereas Ryouga is thinking too much. These might be quite unexpected sides of you both.
Tsuzuku: Yeah. That might be true.
― Why are the two of you singing now?
Ryouga: Music is very close to me, and I couldn’t do anything I don’t like.
Tsuzuku: I also like singing and being on stage, but now, I want to sing with no one else than with MEJIBRAY. I want to enjoy living in the present. I do have goals, but looking too much towards the future will only exhaust me. Because I can’t know what will happen tomorrow.
Ryouga: I fully agree. I don’t want to keep thinking endlessly, but live every moment with all my might. And now, I want to sing.
― In fall, the tour called “MEJIBORN” will take place.
Tsuzuku: Let’s sing as KinKi Kids then.
― With that style!? But you are quite the KinKi Kids, aren’t you.
Tsuzuku: Let’s suddenly do「Garasu no Shounen (glass boys) 」during the encore!
Ryouga: In the past, when we went to the Karaoke together, we sang that song! When I started singing「Garasu no Shounen」, he suddenly started singing as well (laugh).
Tsuzuku: “My heart is ~ ♪” (laugh). While enchanting with MEJIBRAY and BORN with all our might, I want us to do fun things as well.
Ryouga: Yeah. If I was a band kid, I would go see MEJIBRAY and BORN together, I think it will be really fun. I’m sure that with our Lives, we will even surpass all expectations.
FOOLISHNESS CAN ALSO LEAD TO FINE ART.
MEJIBRAY and BORN are two leading bands in the upcoming Visual scene. Tsuzuku is living a not imitatable and extreme way of life, whereas Ryouga is presenting a visual style close to the Japanese, both being outstanding talents. While they are similar as vocalists, their unique personalities don’t seem to intersect, and still they share a reckless way of living and on the other hand a very delicate side. Let’s talk with these two, who have been friends ever since their former bands, about their mutual existence.
― The two of you have known each other for quite a while now, haven’t you?
Ryouga: That’s right. For about 6 years now. Before Tsuzuku was part of MEJIBRAY, when he was still working with VanessA, I looked them up on their homepage, and Tsuzuku really catched my eye, aroused my interest. I then invited him to some band event, which became the first time we met.
Tsuzuku: It was during the time BORN was still being spelled in lower case letters, but they were already being published in magazines. So I thought, “Oh! I got invited by someone from that born band!”, and gave him my OK immediately, without talking over it with the other members (laugh).
Ryouga: On the day the event was taking place, during rehearsal, I was really taken aback by Tsuzuku. Because though it was only the rehearsal, he was going completely crazy already. That guy is really something else, I thought.
Tsuzuku: I greeted him in the music room with a short and cold “Ah, whatsup!” and didn’t get any closer to him (laugh). Though we didn’t make any contact at first, after the event ended, we went drinking together until the reservoir of beer in that shop was all emptied out, that’s how we got closer in the end.
Ryouga: We were talking about the past, about my former band BLUE Chocolate and Tsuzuku’s first Kirakira Kei (sparkling style) band (laugh). I really have great respect for Tsuzuku. He is singing about such private matters, and the combination with MEJIBRAY impresses me. Watching them live makes me forget to breathe. Because you can feel Tsuzuku’s way of living through it.
Tsuzuku: I think Ryouga is someone who thinks deeply about it before actually stepping on stage. But at the same time, he is frank. His train of thought midways loses to instinct, and in an instant he blows his stack. And this one moment he suddenly blows his stack, is what I love the most.
Ryouga: Foolishness can also lead to fine art. I think, if humans wouldn’t have that foolish part, they wouln’t be fun but utterly dull.
― One can really feel the strong spirit when the two of you are on stage. But what is it like when you go down the stage again? Doesn’t it suck out loud?
Tsuzuku: What a funny expression (laugh) ! But well, it is like you say (laugh).
Ryouga: For me, it really is like you said, it sucks out loud (laugh).
Tsuzuku: I give up myself to the alcoholism (laugh).
Ryouga: Without a doubt, the axis my heart and my life revolve around, is the band, I can honestly say that it is what keeps me going. Through music, I can release, and this might be just the reason why I can keep on living. Isn’t that right?
Tsuzuku: Same goes for me. I think, without the band and Lives, I wouldn’t be alive anymore. I see no point in living.
Ryouga: I am constantly worried about Tsuzuku. Undoubtedly, his condition is alarming. He doesn’t use Twitter, so there is no way to check on him. It also adds to it that we barely have closer contact, that’s why I recently ask MEJIBRAY’s manager about Tsuzuku’s being.
Tsuzuku: That’s just like you (laugh). Seems like I really trouble his heart. I bet the postponement of our tour also worried him sick, and still he didn’t directly talk to me about it. We actually did talk to each other before this photoshoot, only via mail though, in which he only sent me a standart “Let’s work well together tomorrow~” message. And still, I get told about Ryouga’s worries concerning me. Ryouga really has a warm heart.
Ryouga: That’s because I can understand your feelings perfectly well. Of course it’s not like the band is about to fall apart, but I at least understand the anxiety and dread that suddenly something might happen…
― You’re talking about KIFUMI, aren’t you (after a temporary hiatus for personal reasons, he left BORN) ?
Ryouga: Right. To be honest, I thought that would be the end of our band. It really felt like that. Both life and the band won’t go on eternally, that’s why I’m living desperately. I don’t know when it will come to an end, that’s why I’m desperately giving my all. But I won’t ever stop singing, I won’t ever stop making music. For all eternity.
Tsuzuku: Yeah. Same goes for me.
Ryouga: I somehow understand Tsuzuku. And, he understands me. I once leaned on Tsuzuku when I was crumbling down myself.
Tsuzuku: Only recently, I unexpectedly received a mail from Ryouga.「I’m feeling lonely~」
― Feeling lonely is part of Tsuzuku’s character, whereas Ryouga is thinking too much. These might be quite unexpected sides of you both.
Tsuzuku: Yeah. That might be true.
― Why are the two of you singing now?
Ryouga: Music is very close to me, and I couldn’t do anything I don’t like.
Tsuzuku: I also like singing and being on stage, but now, I want to sing with no one else than with MEJIBRAY. I want to enjoy living in the present. I do have goals, but looking too much towards the future will only exhaust me. Because I can’t know what will happen tomorrow.
Ryouga: I fully agree. I don’t want to keep thinking endlessly, but live every moment with all my might. And now, I want to sing.
― In fall, the tour called “MEJIBORN” will take place.
Tsuzuku: Let’s sing as KinKi Kids then.
― With that style!? But you are quite the KinKi Kids, aren’t you.
Tsuzuku: Let’s suddenly do「Garasu no Shounen (glass boys) 」during the encore!
Ryouga: In the past, when we went to the Karaoke together, we sang that song! When I started singing「Garasu no Shounen」, he suddenly started singing as well (laugh).
Tsuzuku: “My heart is ~ ♪” (laugh). While enchanting with MEJIBRAY and BORN with all our might, I want us to do fun things as well.
Ryouga: Yeah. If I was a band kid, I would go see MEJIBRAY and BORN together, I think it will be really fun. I’m sure that with our Lives, we will even surpass all expectations.