Alice Nine, who has formed 10 years ago, released a single called "Shining" before the release of their new album "Supernova".
The lead song became "Shining", making a bridge to the new album with it's coupling song called "from KURAYAMI".
The two newly made songs can be called Post-Rock, mixing roaring sounds and silence.
This time, it's about Alice Nine's soundmaking, up until now their songs are devoted to pouring the feeling of love into the listener, guiding them to a place of light.
Furthermore, the "songs of Alice Nine who affect themselves the most" as it was said at their formation 10 years ago, are now brought to everybody.
With this songs, the triangle dream called "Dream, wish, Alice Nine",
didn't it become possible now? (Nao)
==
Q: The new single "Shining" was a work in cooperation with Hiraide Saroru, just like "Daybreak".
It is Rock, but the sound has a Post-Rock finish to it, hasn't it? Aside the hook, there are also parts without a powerful guitar,
like in "Daybreak", right?
Tora (G): That's right. Hiraide-san is the strong part related to the guitar.
The parts in which the guitar gets powerful with power chords are covered with a differend sound.
Moreover, because both guitars are playing differently, it sounds refreshing (the hook), but there's still a powerful sound.
Because Hiraide-san also is an engineer, it's an arrange which also cares about the overall sound.
I'm also making songs, and I'm putting in more intense guitar sounds, so I was sometimes wondering, "is it really okay like this?", because I'm really creating songs the opposite way, I got to learn new things.
Q: And in these parts instead of the guitar, an intense bass sound was put in.
Saga (B): My impression about Hiraide-san was, that he really highlights the songs rhythm.
Because also the beat of the guitar is entirely like "Baam!", I thought that the sound is not plain Rock, it also is really catchy. And because the sound got changed with mixing it, I think it also became punk-ish.
Therefore, it will not change at all when played live.
If we decrease the synchronization even more, I think it would make a Rock-ish sexual feeling.
Q: When you first created the sound, did it have a different feeling to it than the Post-Rock-ish atmosphere it has to it now?
Saga: As for me, I think that "Daybreak" is a song that goes especially well at lives.
In the live's setlist it fell a place, but then it went up again alot.
Until now, we have made no song like "Daybreak".
It didn't come up suddenly, but "Daybreak" turned really naturally into a song that literally lights up like a breaking dawn.
And there I thought, we really made a huge success with Hiraide-san.
When looking at the corporate work with "SHINING", the finish became not just a mere sexual feeling.
For example, if we take some really depressed people, we won't forcibly make them say "Chin up!", their mood won't go up - you can call that greatheartedness.
I thought that it pulls out the positive feeling of gentle awakening to it because of Hiraide-san.
Shou (Vo): Certainly.
Hiroto (G): I think "SHINING" became a song which holds light and greatheartedness, and overflows with a mature strength.
Nao (Dr): Therefore, didn't we manage to make the triangle dream of "Dream, wish, Alice Nine"?
Q: Wow, wonderful! What about you, Nao-san? (laugh)
Nao: Everyone said it already, but I think it's a song with the athmosphere of spontaneity and happiness.
Until now we could create works with an open attitude, going further without straining, and as a result I think we could make the triangle.
The things I wanted to transmit could be said properly, the song was really well prepared.
Thanks to that, I could write for me typical and good lyrics. (Shou)
==
Q: Shou-san's lyrics are also supporting that image.
The symbolic phrase "Kick it off" in the song's lyrics, it's a feeling of shouting out negative emotions at once, it's a powerword which holds power in it, I think. (annotation: Powerword is written in English, Power in Japanese)
Shou: Because it's a song which really makes things necessary to say for the songwriter.
The things I wanted to transmit could be said properly, the song was really well prepared.
Thanks to that, I could write the for me typical, good lyrics.
Q: Furthermore, it flows into the beat. The beat also stirs up power.
Shou: About this, Hiraide-san said he had produced it during night work alone. (laugh)
Q: Are you doing this hand clapping with your fans during lives?
Hiroto: Of course, we really want to do that.
Q: Another Post-Rock song is the second one, "from KURAYAMI".
The title really gives a strong impact, doesn't it?
Shou: The temporary title was "KURAYAMI".
When I first saw it, I thought "Did Hiroto go crazy?" (laugh).
In our 10th year, for the first time, we used the temporary titles for the arrangement.
Usually, there are a lot of temporary titles who are unfit and weren't used in the end.
Q: This is when the temporary title is too indecent?
Tora: It's not meant as naughty!
When I'm making songs, I wouldn't make up such a title, would I?
As one would expect.
Shou: If such a title would have been sent to me, I might have gotten angry!
It doesn't raise my songwriting mood (laugh).
To begin with Shou's voice, it's like the space condensates, a Big Bang happens,
a star is being born, and all that is tied together in the album. (Hiroto)
==
Q: "from KURAYAMI", in regard to an individual person.
Like surrendering to the sound, the body completely melting with the darkness, even if it means being shattered, it's
a lovely song.
Shou: Now, in our career, we feel like we're really being praised for that song (laugh).
Q: A thing that differs from the types of songs you have made by now, is not only the eroding into darkness, but also the sensual sound and words of the throbbing pulse of existence, like "live!", can be felt.
Singing about howevermuch darkness, but certainly from there on leading to a place of light and hope.
This also is just like Alice Nine.
Hiroto: There's nothing to add, you picked up the intention of the song so well (laugh).
This song is connected and placed with the song "SHINING" and the album "Supernova", but isn't it the calm before the storm, right before the Big Bang of the universe?
The sound also meets up with the complete darkness.
However, there where hair or pins are unknown, merely a thin ray of light can only just be seen.
After that, to begin with Shou's voice, it's like the space condensates, a Big Bang happens, a star is being born, and all that is tied together in the album.
Because the abilities of everyone have increased so immensely during the last 10 years, the member as they are now are able to perform the dynamic sound of this song.
So the song starts with really little sound, but starting from the Big Bang, in the process of the star being born, the sound develops more and more expressing.
Tora: Concerning this song, Hiroto has been really strict though, hasn't he? (laugh).
Shou: The funny thing is, when Tora asked Hiroto about the guitar part "Should I record it at home? Or at the studio?", he answered "If you record it at home, I think you will have to do it all over again" like some swift attack.
So Tora said, "Then I'll record at the studio".
Hiroto: It would have been bad if in Tora's part the raw sound would be shaky.
So I told him to not record it at home... right? (bitter smile).
Tora: Well, it's fine, but you certainly were very strict. Like giving orders about playing the guitar with less force.
Therefore practically, it's now on a level we can't perform live like that.
The recording part was really dreadful.
Saga: I also remember it being really difficult (laugh).
To be honest, it really differed a lot from the planed song we wanted to put in.
About 4 days before recording, it came like a shock.
So I had to frantically struggle through the arrangements of the rhythm and the drum and stuff.
Saying it like that, it sounds like something Nagashima Shigeo would say (all laugh).
But when finally demon sergeant Hiroto said about the playing "It's fine", I felt relieved. (Saga)
==
Q: There's also a bridge and a bass solo.
Hiroto: When we were doing the Demo and he was about to open his mouth, I wrote down with a marker "bass solo".
Saga: So when I was asking, demon sergeant Hiroto said "Play it according to the athmosphere to make people say, "Eh! Seriously?" " (all laugh).
Q: Hiroto Demon sergeant (laugh).
Saga: That's not what I wanted to hear, is what I thought (laugh).
Shou: Oh yeah! Like, it's nice that you didn't have to confirm Hiroto (laugh).
Saga: Isn't it? Saying it like that, it sounds like something Nagashima Shigeo would say (all laugh).
But when finally demon sergeant Hiroto said about the playing "It's fine", I felt relieved.
Shou: Earlier, I got to listen to that bass part and it's really good.
Without it, the direction of the lyrics and the way of singing would have changed.
Nao: When I was waiting for Saga-kun to do the Rhythm arrangement, I heared that Hiroto changed the already settled things there again.
In the end, I got to hear it properly just the day before recording. ... I fell asleep.
While sleeping too much and drinking, I still practiced (laugh).
Well, it felt like being tested.
But there are a lot of fans, who give us their close love unconditionally and
complimentary. Generally, it's family or lovers, though lovers are a bit more difficult,
I think. (Shou)
==
Q: The lyrics are also wonderful. No matter how many times we get to hear the phrase "Entrust", it still takes us aback.
Shou: Earlier, I had a conversation with THE BACK HORN's Yamada-san. He said, "Shou's soul also got sharpened", which made me really happy, because the words I write can also be seperated from the song itself.
This song, like Hiroto said it, "It's an image of a thin ray of light which gradually becomes stronger", so I wanted to write about that without blurring the image.
It feels like the hook is filled with light, and I could have written that directly, but on the contrary, I thought about how to express the isolation
until that point is reached.
The parts with, "From here on, take it out." or "On the grave marker of an unfulfilled wish", it's the feeling of wandering about in the drifting fragments of a star, I wrote it with the 10 years of moratorium of myself in mind. I think, I could express the feeling of loneliness, which is not easy to understand, very well.
It probably is not the first time, that we expressed darkness precicely.
Q: No matter to what extend we draw the darkness and isolation, Shou-san's lyrics are in it's basics full of affection, until the end, there are a lot of things that convey a devoted love.
And this hasn't changed since the early days, has it?
Shou: Me as an artist and as an identity, I have felt isolation a lot since my puberty, but now there are so many fans, who give us their close love unconditionally and complimentary.
Generally, it's family or lovers, though lovers are a bit more difficult, I think.
Therefore, I always wanted to somehow return it to the people, who give me their complimentary love.
This is somewhat the base of my values.
Originally, I don't have a pure heart and it doesn't mean that I'm only thinking about good things, but my wish to convey via songs, my wish to give, to someone unconditionally... to save him, you could say, that's really important to me.
I want to become someone's light... yeah, this also is important to me.
I want to softly push up someone's back, something like that.
As a result, I want to leave behind something warm in a person's heart, like the road the person wants to go will go well, like softly pushing up their back, that's what I want.
Q: So Shou-san doesn't want to say something like "You, give your best!", but to convey the stance of "I'm by your side".
Shou: The phrase "You, give your best!" sounds like pressuring someone.
A stance like "It's fine like that" doesn't match my personality.
I don't want to say, "I'll cheer you on!".
Because everywhere, this side is... beeing bend, I think, by that kind of bands (bitter laugh).
During a live, when we perform that song, I'm deeply moved, thinking "Wah, it's
a really good song". (Tora)
==
Q: And now, since you're having your Alice Nine 10th anniversary, please tell us what Alice Nine song moved you the most.
Shou: During lives, it happenes that I cry during "Waterfall".
I thought, "Saga, that complete idiot, he really wrote a good song here".
Saga: The song "birth in the death" is still generally on my list of what music I like to hear.
So that's my favourite one.
Picking a song of us that moves me, is difficult though.
Because I've came to know the song during making it.
But if I come across this song, it still kinda catches me aback.
Well, but I'm not playing the bass (all laugh).
Tora: During a live, when we perform that song, I'm deeply moved, thinking "Wah, it's a really good song".
Hiroto: For me, from the album "GEMINI", it's "birth in the death".
The year before last, during the time of changing my household registry, when I had time to, I met up with someone, and after that, I listened to the lyrics of "GEMINI" alone in my car and thought "I still want to do it".
Eversince we made these two songs, I still have the feeling of wanting to perform it.
Nao: I'm playing the drums first during recording.
And when I then hear the demo when the drums are put in, it's... fun!
The raw sound which remains before we completed it, no matter which of our songs, I just won't get tired of hearing it.
So when hearing a demo or something which was made by a member, I'm thinking "Ohh!" and it deeply moves me.
Q: To celebrate your 10th anniversary, you announced an Asia Tour this year, aren't you anxious or something?
Saga: Because due to the country, the local staff also makes use of a good interaction, knowing that, we will surely make the best of it.
Q: For you, Nao-san, who likes clean things for example with toilets, is the sanitation okay with you?
Nao: The toilets... are aweful~ (bitter laugh)
Tora: Was it in Jakarta? Before (the live), the moment I opened the door, there were 5 super gigantic cockroaches, it made me stiffen up.
Shou: I was completely calm though. I said, "Hello there".
Hiroto: Shou-kun is fine with insects.
Shou: That's because no matter if it's a Japan or Asian Tour, or an Album Tour like we're doing now, I want to show good faith, I guess.
Saga: It's not a "BEST OF" tour, and by all means in 2014, it's the best to show the latest Alice Nine songs, until the tour final in South Korea, it will be like a tour for the album "Supernova".
Q: Understood.
Now, in the end, please tell us the outlook for Alice Nine in 2014.
Shou: I want us to sell well!
Saga: I want us to be popular! (like a guy being popular among girls)
Nao: I said during the last 10 years that I wanted us to be popular (laugh).
Hiroto: On the contrary, when we first started, we didn't think of that at all.
Shou: We really didn't. It was unexpected that everyone was being so serious.
Tora: But I thought, we will be popular (all burst of laughter).
Source: BARKS
Translation from Japanese to English: xmyrkul
Walang komento:
Mag-post ng isang Komento