(Photo from ROCK AND READ Twitter)
Last year I translated for myself the MALICE MIZER interview with ROCK AND READ magazine. I decided, because of the safety restrictions that have happened because of the virus, to clean up my translation and share it on the two year anniversary of the Deep Sanctuary VI shows. I'm not a trained translator, so it takes time and work to do this. If anyone reposts or shares this translation, I would appreciate it if you could first send me a message through here. And of course, give credit for my work.
Here is the first part of the interview. RR is short for the ROCK AND READ interviewer. And of course the three being interviewed are known to many. There were a couple small things I was not sure about, like the van donation. But I tried to keep this close to what was being said by all four people.
RR: Mana-san's appearance in this magazine is the first time in a year.
Mana: That's right, it was exactly one year because it was last March (2018).
RR: At that time we talked about the process leading up to "Deep Sanctuary VI" "The reality of 26th year". Közi is the first time in nine years since 2010, Yu ~ ki is the first visit, in fact once before Yu~ki was also been asked to take part in an interview.
Yu~ki: Is that right? I do not remember much. . .
RR: Yu ~ ki-san participated in the "Deep Sanctuary II" in 2010, and I asked to cover it after thinking that I would like to hear about the feeling of standing on the stage for the first time in a long time since MALICE MIZER's movement stopped. But you declined because you were not doing music now.
Yu ~ ki: I had nothing to talk about. So, it was so bad to get a magazine interview like that.
Közi: Well then, if you couldn't get him to talk!
RR: Doing an interview with the magazine as MALICE MIZER itself is the first time in 18 years, since the suspension of activity.
Közi: I was surprised. "Hmm, why this timing!?" Last year, we did the 25th anniversary live and are releasing it on DVD (Blu-ray), but it wasn't like we were "Having a revival!".
Yu~ki: Although we did the live at the milestone of the 25th anniversary, we have been suspended for a long time. I never thought that I could tell you the story for the interview, but I was really thankful and happy.
RR: Following the talk with Mana-san a year ago, now that “Deep Sanctuary VI” is over, I hope that all three of you will be able to share the background and the story behind the event. What were the stance and feelings of Közi-san and Yu ~ ki-san about this event?
Yu ~ ki: At first, did I receive an email from Mana-chan? First of all, Mana-chan likes anniversaries, so I had a feeling that we would do something in the 25th anniversary. . .
Mana: When Yu~ki-chan told me "You like anniversary", I thought "Ah, that's right" for the first time (lol). When I think about it, I think I'm sure that I don't do anything that is like an anniversary....
RR: Actually there was a plan to do something at the timing of the 20th anniversary. It seems that it did not happen due to various circumstances.
Yu ~ ki: Yes Yes. That's why I was fidgeting a little that there will be some 25th anniversary. Then I got the email.
Közi: After all, it looked like it (lol).
Yu ~ ki: At first, it was a proposal that was still skeletal, and it was a feeling like "I wondered what shape it would proceed in".
RR: ...When did that happen?
Mana: I did Deep Sanctuary V in August of 2016. “Deep Sanctuary" was originally held at a pace of once every two years as a sponsorship event of Moi dix Mois, so there is a regular section of doing MALICE MIZER sessions there. It was the fifth time in 2016, but the finale looked different. It is said that the event at that time influenced the 25th anniversary project at "Deep Sanctuary VI". Should I talk about that?
RR:...Sorry?
Mana: To sum it up, we played the MALICE MIZER "au revoir" instrumental at the finale. Then Közi-chan said "motto" (more). . .
RR: "Motto" was the one phrase サビ/sabi (solo, solitary voice) before entering the "au revoir" big chorus that happens.
Mana: Then there was a great chorus of "au revoir" from there.
Közi: The live was over, and three of us, me, Mana-chan and Yu ~ ki-chan were on the stage for a curtain call. Just when it was time to go back and forth, the solitary voice of "au revoir" flowed. At that time, there was a microphone in front of me. Then I suddenly said "motto", got off the stage and the big chorus happened.
Mana: As Közi said, it was not prepared for, it was a coincidence.
Yu ~ ki: Everyone sang "au revoir", the three of us together listening from the side sleeve (wing) of the stage. . . . It was certain that hot feelings had started to grow at that time. I had a feeling of saying "I want to live up to everyone's expectations" and "Is this okay?". It was a suggestion from Mana-chan that had such a background, but there was no reason to refuse it "that's right".
RR: Specifically, what kind of feelings did you think "is it OK as this is"?
Yu ~ ki: That's a complicated feeling, isn't it? How do you communicate it well? . . . Umm. It's difficult.
Mana: Three people will feel differently, though. . . Until then, I had been doing a MALICE MIZER session in "Deep Sanctuary", but I was like "If it is fun to do it would be fine". The number of songs was about two songs. But when I heard the big chorus of "au revoir", I was in serious mode. The feeling that "I want to deliver MALICE MIZER in a proper form" had sprouted.
RR: The choir of the audience had the power to move the hearts of the members.
Mana: The chorus echoed all the way to the (stage) backyard. Because, I remembered the difficult lyrics. He told me "Please remember me" in advance.
Közi: Everything started from my "motto" (lol). The chorus was sung from there, entered the second A melody and sang as it is. Even I didn't remember the lyrics, but it was amazing.
Yu ~ ki: I could not move from the stage sleeve anymore. I was lined up with three people while shaking their shoulders (lol).
RR: Without that happening, would there have been a big MALICE MIZER reenactment at the 25th anniversary tie-in?
Mana: That's right. It might not have moved on the scale up there.
Közi: With that event, the timing of the "25th anniversary", which was very good for anniversary lovers, fit together.
Mana: Actually, 2018 was the 26th anniversary of the formation （lol)
Közi: Yes, formed in 1992. But it was forced back one year to the 25th anniversary (lol)
RR: It was the day when various elements were intermingled.
Yu ~ ki: That's right. So what I really thought was that "MALICE MIZER is not your own. It was MALICE MIZER that everyone supported".
RR: Did you not think that "MALICE MIZER is for everyone" back then?
Yu ~ ki: Of course, I knew that it was a music activity supported by many people, I was allowed to do whatever I wanted. Especially me and Közi-chan, did what we wanted to do among the members, Perhaps it was more in the way our thoughts came before rather than "for everyone".
Közi: I was doing my best to do what I do, I don't think there was allowance at that time.
Yu ~ ki: How do you make a new thing, I think that "leader" Mana-chan had professional ideas of Mana-chan. But Mana told me "Közi-chan and Yu~ki-chan are fine artists. Do what you want to do".
Közi:. . . . Mana-chan, having a pin up face. Not remembering so well (lol)?
Mana: I don't remember if I said it the way Yu ~ ki-chan said it or not (lol). Because each member had a specialty field. I thought it would be good if I could get a good balance with a band while making use of it.
RR: As a result of freely expressing that idea, the unique world view, the one and only view of the world unique to MALICE MIZER spread.
Yu ~ ki: I had the idea that I didn't think I would get into the mould because I thought too much. Myself, I use to get close to the line of good bad, "If you do this you will be burned" while pulling that line it was fun to think about various things, wasn't it. Ultimately, I also had the feeling that it would be nice if people who understand could understand me, because I was allowed to do it, I think something new was born.
RR: Was it your idea Yu ~ ki-san, flying in the air at the Shibuya Public Hall performance just before the major debut?
Yu ~ ki: That's right. I was also in charge of theatrics, so I made a lot of effort in directing.
RR: Even though Mana-chan asked you to do whatever you wanted, did Mana-san stop the idea of the members "it's a little different" as Mana-sane proceeded with the overall production?
Mana: I don't think I've ever said "Isn't it different?"
RR: Didn't you say "Isn't it too quick?"
Mana: I wanted them to overdo, so I think I didn't regulate too much
Közi: Each of us was thinking about "let's go in a more interesting direction", and we were doing so while trying not to get outside of the MALICE MIZER frame. But one time, Mana-chan said, "I am not sure about Közi's song" when I started playing the song.
Mana: Maybe I said. . . .
Közi: I think it was around the third period. When I introduced a sampler, it became fun to put in sound effects.
Mana: I remember. It is a time when Közi worked with the Akai's S6000 sampler. I think it was really late, as it was in the time of "Bara no Seidou", I think I didn't say that before I got my hands on it.
Közi: I thought, "Oh no I have to work on this." (lol)?
Mana: No, I thought it was great. The PCM sound source, which was mainstream at the time as a device to approach other sounds, has a feeling that it must be "a sound that is close to a raw sound". I also felt that I could be obsessed with a sampler that can reproduce realistic sounds.
Közi: The song itself was a bit boring, but the sound of the strings was really nice.
Mana: You were too obsessed with the sampler, that was also the reason you were sneaking in too many various sounds.
Közi: (The sound source at that time) has not been listened to recently, but if I listen to it now, I might think "What is this?" (lol).
Mana: After that, I introduced a sample later, but Közi was quite quicker.
RR: Közi-san was the type who liked new things, certainly.
Yu ~ ki: That's right.
Közi: Mana-chan was the other way around, he refused to be a solid Mac (computer user).
Mana: My usage history of Mac is probably the shortest among band members.
RR: It is surprising. Mana-san is also curious, so it feels like Mana-san would have been trying various things.
Közi: Even though I used it later, the introduction of the sequencer was also introduced late.
Mana: Közi was already using a PC when he was in MALICE MIER. Until the middle of Moi dix Mois, I worked hard on the Yamaha QY700 (sequencer) (lol).
Yu ~ ki: Közi was the earliest person to use image processing in Photoshop. I was influenced by it, too, and made images for the newsletter.
Mana: Even when the photos digitally processed by Közi and Yu~ki were posted in the newsletter, I didn't understand any of using it at all. (lol)
RR: Returning to the story, Közi-san said earlier, "I was trying to keep from going outside of the frame of MALICE MIZER", but in the case of MALICE MIZER, the frame is very wide. In the first place, it was a wicked way as a band to dance without playing an instrument. Meanwhile, did you think "Let's protect only here as MALICE MIZER"?
Yu ~ ki: From that time on, there was the concept of "a stage like a movie scene." There was a strong commitment to "showing" from the beginning. Visa versa, I think there was no particular focus on musicality. While the classic elements are in the base, we also did bossa nova and French pop, anything.
Közi: Be flexible.
Yu~ki: Közi, especially always let me blow a new wind. The reason I didn't think "I can't do this", Perhaps it was because the favorite thing that the core of all the members was close.
RR: There was an episode in the previous interview with Mana-san, it seems in the early days there opposition to a van being donated by customers. Did Közi-san and Yu~ki-san feel swayed by the reaction?
Yu ~ ki: I'm not influenced by people either for good or for bad. I was recognized as a bassist for MALICE MIZER in the world, actually, I wasn't playing the bass very much. I just played the bass as one of my expressions, and it was a way to do what I wanted to do. For our stance like that, I was often told "wrong" by people around me. But, I did not care.
RR: In the first place, how did Yu~ki-san get started with the bass?
Yu~ki: When I was a student, I think that it happened to be that the position was open.
RR: If the band wanted to do it and was looking for a companion, was the bass (position) vacant?
Yu~ki: No, it doesn't mean that the band wanted to do it. I was just invited by good friends and started. Besides that, from long ago I always liked to draw a picture from old days. I have always liked to express myself while creating something. Bands and bass, it was just one way for me. So, even when doing makeup with MALICE MIZER, I made my face a canvas, I had the feeling that I was expressing what I wanted to do. But, really, at the early lives I did it as a scene.
Közi: From the beginning I did also did dramatic, there were no noisy customers.
Yu ~ ki: However, the flash of the camera was amazing.
Közi: I see "It's a photo shoot".
Mana: When I was an indie, I decided to take some live photos. I think the strobe light that was produced, it certainly dazzled.
RR: To take a step back, did the customers take photos because photos were rare?
Mana: That might be true.
RR: Közi-san also, did the reaction around you shake you?
Közi: On the contrary, I want more reaction like "Eh !?". Isn't it better to think that way, whether you're good or bad? Rather than to be told nothing, I thought it was good there were various reactions. When I put on"strawberry head" for the first time, I remember being laughed at the moment I went out to the bandmen. . . . (lol).
Mana: I also remember. A shiny glow, ordinary bandmen absolutely wouldn't shake this headgear the first time.
Közi: To put it simply, it's a control. I thought it was tough at that time (lol). I heard my voice and I culd see the amazed faces of the customers. But that's what I have now!
RR: If you think so, MALICE MIZER members were all strong mentors. The young children of today, in the modern sense, will break as soon as they meet "disrespect".
Közi: Basically, all three people were De M. Is it strong to be hit. . . . Do you like being hit?
Mana: No. . . .
Közi: Oh, different (lol)?
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