Vif 『SM』 Interview
◆This work is MEJIBRAY’s „best” at this time (Koichi)
- The title of current work is 『SM』, but how it should be read?
Tsuzuku: Simply “ES-EM”.
- And it stands for?
Tsuzuku: Lately it’s being popular…
MiA: “Amazing Mejibray” (in Japanese it’s Sugoi Mejibray”).
- (laughs)!
Tsuzuku: We make that kind of ateji game. Others can be “Great MEJIBRAY” (Subarashii Mejibray) or “This is how MEJIBRAY are” (Sou desu Mejibray)… (“Ateji” is phonetic equivalent mostly for kanji, without connection to its root reading)
MiA: Or “This is MEJIBRAY” (Sorette Mejibray).
- But I immediately thought of S and M from “Sadisgate” lyrics!
Tsuzuku: Isn’t it funnier that way?(laughs)
- For sure(laughs). By the way, on this single collection (regular edition) you’ve put 10 songs +one c/w from the time of your forming till now, but there are also songs which had been recorded once again.
Tsuzuku: It’s “KILLING ME” and “Divergence”, drums were recorded for “Sabbath” and “Karma-Gareki no Manticors-“, so it’s 4 songs in total.
Meto: …….
Ruana: He says… since we had a lot of time, I recorded again drums a lot.
Tsuzuku: Since we changed drums, it slaps and matches well now.
- So you thought you should make big changes in drumming?
Meto: …….
Ruana: He says… absolutely not. During LIVEs I play making new arrangements, so it’s only changing it into (recorded) sound.
Tsuzuku: We also record the melody of vocal arrangements from LIVEs. Aren’t people coming to our LIVEs thinking “Oh, finally this sound has been recorded! I can listen to it at home!”?
- So this piece seems to be a must-have one for people, who had seen your LIVEs. But, why have you recorded “KILLING ME” again at the same time?
Tsuzuku: This is the only (title) song, which had no MV. That’s why we went “Let’s record the video!” “Well, and also the sound!”.
Koichi: It’s “MV (recorded) at last” (In Japanese it’s “Sorosoro MV”.
Tsuzuku: SM, right? (laughs)
- I see(laughs). It’s quite unusual practice to record sound at the same time you recorded the MV.
Koichi: Probably. Personally, I feel more like if the new song was released than like if we re-recorded the old one. It didn’t evolve, it’s just the other thing. I think that both are amazingly cool, the time we released single’s “KILLING ME” and when we released this album’s “KILLING ME”. Bass line differs from the one we released on the single, so this time I felt like if I was putting my bass line into a new song.
- Is there any change in your parts in new “KILLING ME”, MiA-san, Tsuzuku-san?
MiA: I was given many ideas from fans regarding my guitar for this song, but the exact situation is a secret for now. I think that maybe I’ll reveal it in a year(laughs).
Tsuzuku: I wasn’t wasting my voice. My scale is wider and I think I improved, when it comes to expressing emotions and interpreting my lyrics. By the new point of view, thanks to growth of my expression, I also could put nuances. From the beginning thinking “I want to replace it with this kind of shout” I’m putting it into recording.
- So you've done it just like you imagined.
Koichi: At current stage released: Divergence" and "Killing Me" are just the best if MEJIBRAY of current time.
◆Now it's ok if we laugh together like that (Tsuzuku)
- MEJIBRAY has been created in June 2011. It is really impressing that you have so many songs to release single collection, even though not even 3 years have passed.
Tsuzuku: We're also surprised but until now we've released also 2 mini-albums and one full album. We love releasing.
- Have you decided from the very beginning to release single collection at this stage?
Tsuzuku: Nope, this time we said "We want to release it." and "OK" came from our manager. (laughs)
Koichi: In MEJIBRAY "We want to do this, so we do" happen often. More than thinking of plans for future. We think of things we just have in front of our eyes, for example "Let's make it that way during next performance". The thing common for us is that we "love new things" and that we "always want to make it latest". Because we perform and act like if there was no tomorrow.
- Is it so from the very beginning of your activities?
Koichi: Right. This is the thing that never changes. I think that the best of all is that our four's stance never changes, even if we walk around aimlessly, but maybe it's not so beautifully said.
- So, what changes the most?
meto: .......
Ruana: He says... Isn't it me?
Tsuzuku: Maybe meto's hair (laughs)
Koichi: But it doesn’t change a lot, for sure.
MiA: I made a lot of senpais if look closely.
Tsuzuku: When I met MiA, he was still under 20. But now he gets along with many senpais really well.
- Did relations between members change?
Koichi: It doesn't change since the very beginning of the band, that's why we're not going to break up. If people change they open a big space (between them) and then they become incoherent band, isn't it so? That's why when even once this balance will be disrupted, it will be end.
Tsuzuku: We've played 30 lives travelling together each day so now if we're laughing like this, then it's fine.
Koichi: I generally have no rules so I do things only if all 4 of us want to do that. I think that if we do what all of us want to do reasonably, I won't regret it at the end of my life.
- If to read Koichi's blog, it can be seen there.
Koichi: Because tomorrow meteorite may fall, right?
Tsuzuku: Ah, Koichi-san lately wants to become Casshern. Last time it was Arnold Schwarzenegger. So even if meteorite falls it's fine by him.
- Why Casshern?(laughs) But it’s rather rock, or better to say 'ephemeral', way of living.
Koichi: Lazy people die lazily.
Tsuzuku: “Koichi’s quote” is out!
Koichi: Shouldn’t we specialize in something, if we miss anything as people? It’s better to shut mouths of people, who watching lives say “Oh, he skimps his energy like if he already thought of tomorrow’s LIVE”. No one likes vocalists, who only care “probably tomorrow I won’t be able to make a sound”.
Tsuzuku: By the way, the reason Koichi picked me was that “You sing like if you were meant to die tomorrow”. Thinking “Whoa, he dies on stage” we decided “Let’s make a band together”.
- If watch your ghastly lives, I’m convinced.
Meto: …….
Ruana: He says… By the way, Koichi told me yesterday “You appear like an angel”.
Tsuzuku: Erm, isn’t it so, that you won’t die tomorrow, because you’re already dead?
Everyone: (laugh)
◆It’s a business card of the band (MiA)
- Speaking of actual single collection, how positioned work is it?
MiA: It’s business card of the band. Because MEJIBRAY have many songs, isn’t it hard to pick CD, which we should look through, if we want to introduce the band? But if you listen this piece through, you will know us. If you’ll like this one, then listen to others too.
Tsuzuku: Right. Buy『MESSIAH.bat』…
MiA: And『Slivers.exe』 too… collect singles… and then you’ll complete collection till DVDs (laughs)
- Moreover after listening again to those 10 songs, MEJIBRAY music has strong metal sound, but those melodies are beautiful and easy to listen.
Tsuzuku: From the beginning of the band I wanted to show “melodies which will stay in mind”, “melodies to singing”.
- Among those 10 recorded songs, which song becomes your turning point?
MiA: Erm, I surely make progress, but I don't change. I also change guitars and gear, but because I do everything with my whole energy, everything is my turning point.
meto: ....
Ruana: He says... Together with outfits. Wouldn't they be worn by stylish people?
- For sure! And what is meto-san's turning point?
meto: .....
Ruana: He says... If think of it carefully I also make progress but my drumming doesn’t change. It's because nothing changes in me.
- Koichi-san, you changed your bass for Rickenbacker but did it lead to big changes?
Koichi: Absolutely, I play this new bass since "DIE KUSSE" but personally I think that this song is cool exactly because of that. If people tell me to put cool phrases and nuances without judging if sound is good or bad it's ok as long as they are skilled or having big knowledge. It's important to me to play what I want on whichever bass I like. It's important icon for me. Let's take Iron Man, he can't transform without his suit, right? For me it would be Rickenbacker.
- So if you keep your icon in hands it becomes your characteristics.
Koichi: That's right. It's amazing. To tell you the truth I think that previous bass made better sound. But I want to play Rickenbacker, so I play it. So the first "KILLING ME" and this "KILLING ME" are two different songs for me.
Tsuzuku: I evolved in "A Priori". Around 1 month after the debut suddenly because of bad condition of my voice I couldn't sing notes I've been singing till then. I asked for an advice my friend voice trainer and he said it was change in my voice scale. I started disliking singing because my voice was harsh in high notes, which I was able to sing until then and which I couldn't sing now. And during recordings I thought "But I was able to sing that before...", when it was continuing I kept restoring my voice. This is "A Priori" suddenly sung in midway. But even though my voice is different, singing was fun.
- So you suddenly became able to sing it?
Tsuzuku: That's right. Moreover, from the moment we were recording "A Priori" Mr. Ito (manager) started coming to the studio to support us but singing when I was stressed and seeing him shout something was funny (laughs). It was easy to add nuances and make it precisely monochrome.
- Your recording sounds like fun (laugh). Speaking of which, in "Divergence" Koichi-san seems singing the chorus for the first time.
Koichi: That's right.
Tsuzuku: I don't sing everything during LIVEs, I leave some to Koichi-san. Earlier during LIVEs, vocal solo before the last hook point <Divergence itsuka~> wasn't sung, so Koichi-san sang <Divergence> as a backing vocal alone (laughs).
Koichi: We all laughed when we heard this part on LIVE recording... But it continues already for a year (gets irritated).
Tsuzuku: We're listening to it endlessly. And he tells us "Stop that finally!" (laughs).
◆Because MEJIBRAY are MEJIBRAY (meto)
- MV surely is remarkable but MEJIBRAY are changing their visuals dizzyingly for each work.
Tsuzuku: That's right. I pick my outfits by myself so it happens a lot that I see outfits of other members on the day of the shooting. So when I saw meto's bear-outfit I was like: "Good mornin'... uaaa...!".
Everyone: (laugh)
Tsuzuku: I said: "It's a bear!". Moreover, because we showed "punk" theme in "DIE KUSSE" I expected meto to come as a cute punk girl so we can record kiss scene. But, because "meto-san" came crew-cut on the back of his head, there was no kiss scene. In "Avalon" he was like dog and before that he kept strong elements of dolls in his look, so I thought he will be punk girl for sure, but then he comes in crew-cut (laughs). But that meto was awesome so I like it.
- I didn't think you pick it on your own, you match each other so well!
Tsuzuku: Each of us is a great self-producer but we can see each other well. There is no "wear this, wear that", maybe it's what is called "being MEJIBRAY".
- I carefully watched MV on "SM"; after the release starts tour “『Kessei 3 shuuen zenkoku nana daitoshi ONEMAN TOUR』「Shinshou: SM=Itsuka hibiki wataru utsukushiki minikui voice diver」~goya、kore wa minarenu mono de ippaina akumu , maen(sabat) no sanaka ni nirareru taiji, rouba no ekeshou, akuma wo yuuwaku shiyou tote, kutsushita naosu hadaka no shoujo.~”. What does that title means? I'm curious.
(“ONEMAN TOUR in seven metropolis commemorating 3 years of activity” ‘New Chapter: SM=someday resounding beautifully disgusting voice diver’ ~goya*, fetus boiled on sabbath full of unfamiliar nightmares, make-up of the old woman, tempting devil, naked girl putting back her socks.~
*Goya means the time in the night from midnight till about 5am)
Tsuzuku: It's the same mystery as lyrics.
- Speaking of which, you don't write 歌詞 but 歌詩.
Tsuzuku: 歌詩 means "something what only author would understand" but the interpretation I will leave to our listeners. I hate forcing others "it's written like this in the lyrics so feel it deeply". So even if you interview me about the lyrics, I won't tell you much.
- Same as the lyrics, tour final is covered by mystery but is this 章(chapter, poem) used in "Shinshou" the same as in "Joshou" and "Daigoshou"? (tour titles)
Tsuzuku: Please, come to see the LIVE and find out by yourself. "Joshou" has the theme of "destruction", "Geshou" is "construction" and "Shinshou" is "rebirth".
meto: .....
Ruana: He says... if you don't come to see the LIVE, you won't understand.
- So during this tour what kind of MEJIBRAY you want to show?
meto: ......
Ruana: He says... but MEJIBRAY is just MEJIBRAY.
MiA: Only people who come will feel it.
Tsuzuku: I think a lot about setlist for Zepp DiverCity Tokyo but now if I say "GO" to myself, I will be able to make new things, right? Lately, I plan climax.
Koichi: Because last LIVE we play in Odaiba, it'll be "Gundam or MEJIBRAY" style LIVE, so after seeing Gundam please, come to see MEJIBRAY.