[TOMO] Yes. It’s started! This time I get to meet Kai-san. As expected, right, speaking about me, Kai-san! Well, I thought that no one would appoint Kai-san to sit beside me. Conversely, if you’re appointing anyone for Kai-san, I’d show up no matter how many times! And if it’s okay with you, I’d be okay always doing this together with Kai-san! It’s just inevitable that I really want to talk to Kai-san to that extent.
[Kai] Ahahahaha. Since we did have meal together once. Well then, what should we talk about?
[TOMO] Today I’m thinking, aside from the serious talk, I would also like to ruin Kai-san’s image (lol).
[Kai] Ahahaha. What the hell, I’m going home (lol).
[TOMO] Ahahaha. That was a lie (lol). First of all, something quite orthodox, is it okay to ask you, what’s the first impression you got when you saw BORN? And then if you would criticize us (lol).
[Kai] What the hell was that (lol). About my first impression about your band, I thought you were a very unified band. I don’t often see other people’s lives but, in the past, I got to do that a few times. I thought you were a really awesome band.
[TOMO] Thank you so much!
[Kai] Of course, since I myself am a drummer, all I see is the drummer (in a band). That’s why, I thought back then, if I got the chance to talk to TOMO-kun leisurely, I would like to teach him one thing.
[TOMO] What’s that!?
[Kai] Well, to begin with, music is my hobby, tone color is also a favorite thing of mine, regarding TOMO-kun’s drumming, I thought it would be better if you could make your sound clearer. In the past, in a meeting I gave some advice, I thought I would tell you some instructions so I could see a great result.
[TOMO] Oh! For real!? I’m so happy!
[Kai] The toms, you beat them properly during sound checks until the guy who checks the monitor for the sound outside gives his okay, right? And then, when you’re silent, the guy on the monitor will cut the best sounds. That’s why, first of all, about the toms, without the microphone attached, beat your toms, and you’ll hear that the remaining ‘boom~’ that usually stretches out will be removed. Once you’ve done that, you’ll find that the sound of your toms become clearer.
[TOMO] Hee~ (listening seriously).
[Kai] Personally, I don’t like a band in which the sound of the toms disappears. That’s why I do the same thing myself, and because of that, my band becomes a band in which the sound of the toms can be heard loudly. That’s why I fuss a lot in order to make the toms’ sound audible. When I went to BORN’s live, I noticed one thing that the sound of the toms was drowned by the bass drum. I think that was such a waste. About when I turn the toms, because it is the bloom of the drums, I think that the more the toms stand out, the better it is. Why am I talking like a senior, all of a sudden (lol).
[TOMO] No no no, I’m really happy!
[Kai] I myself have been doing it while thinking this isn’t clear enough, this isn’t clear enough. That’s why I thought I would like to teach TOMO-kun about it too.
[TOMO] I learned a lot! I’m going to try that next time!
[Kai] Yep, yep. It’s definitely awesome if you can give it a try. I’ve been through a lot of trial-and-errors myself. In order to easily raise the volume of the toms I consumed the band’s sound, worrying about what would be best for me to do. Because of that, I gave you that advice.
[TOMO] I’ll try that once I get the chance! I just heard something really awesome. Thank goodness, for sure do appoint Kai-san!
[Kai] Right (lol). Ahahaha. What was that (lol).
— You both talk about drums often?
[TOMO] No, that is, I’m usually reluctant talking about drums. Whenever I heard the topic even for a bit, I would say, “Come on~, let’s stop talking about drums~”. This is the first time I feel excited.
[Kai] Ahahahaha. Unintentionally, right (lol). However, since we love drums, once the topic shows up we just can’t stop talking about it (lol). Once you’re with a fellow drummer the conversation gets lively, unintentionally so. But, personally, rather than about drums, I think I’d like to know more of TOMO-kun’s personality. When I’m playing mahjong with the tour staff, I really like to talk about anything other than music (lol).
[TOMO] Ahahaha. I understand that, I understand! I really like that kind of moments too.
— Okay then, today TOMO-kun will play the host as well, so let’s try to approach this unknown Kai (lol). If you would please strip him down.
[TOMO] Is it okay (lol)!
[Kai] It’s fine (lol). If you’d like, should I take off my clothes one piece at a time?
— That won’t be necessary.
[Kai] Ah, you didn’t want that (lol)?
[TOMO] Yes. Let’s stop it right there (lol). Or else the mental image I have of you will be naked (lol). On the contrary, is it alright if I tell you what my first impression of Kai-san was like? Honestly speaking, I have known Kai-san from the time he was in his previous band before the GazettE.
[Kai] Eh!? Seriously!?
[TOMO] Yes. The impression I had of you at that time was that you had a very delicate image. Well, but of course back then I only know you one-sidedly. Since then and until the time Kai-san is in the GazettE, I’ve always been observing you. And then we got into the same company, I kept wondering when I would be able to have a decent conversation with you. But just as expected, the GazettE was really busy, so I didn’t get to see you at the office. The time when I did get to see you face to face was in 2011 in Shibuya hall during the 7Days event live. At that time I was thinking like, huh? He’s this muscular? That was my first impression (lol). And then, from our manager and other people in the company I heard various things about Kai-san, I was told that you always worked hard in the shadows. And afterward, when you invited me to go eat yakiniku, you asked me if I would join you in working out.
[Kai] Ah, I remember! I did say that, didn’t I! It takes a great effort, body-building (lol).
[TOMO] But at that time Kai-san said a very impressive phrase that, until now, still clings in my head.
[Kai] Eh? What did I say!?
[TOMO] You said, “It will prevent you from getting gastroptosis.” (lol)
[Kai] Ahahahaha. I said that (lol). Nah, as a drummer, it’s absolutely awesome to have a well-built body. Not only for the sake of the appearance, but it also builds your power while you’re playing the drums. However, genetically I don’t think it’s impossible for me to get fat. But I know that’s just a mere excuse. That is, human beings, no matter what, will get fat when they eat (lol). Anyhow, about the food I ate. Normally I ate until my stomach was full, and then I forced myself to down 3 or 4 onigiris. I ate like that 5 times a day. After eating like that for 3 weeks or so, naturally, I gained weight, around 3 or 4 kilos. I repeated this routine and did training, and within a month my posture changed.
[TOMO] You changed immensely, Kai-san. I heard this story from Kai-san, so I tried to do it. After eating until my stomach was full, I downed 3 or 4 more onigiris. And afterward, I did felt that I had become a bit bigger. I thought it was awesome.
[Kai] And then, it’s best to get yourself a trainer. When you’re training by yourself, you’ll definitely stop one way or another. However, if you have a trainer, when you think you’ve had enough and you want to stop, he’ll tell you, “3 more times!” When you’re forcing yourself, those 3 times feel awfully hard. If you’re training all by yourself, you will give up as soon as you think it’s impossible.
[TOMO] That’s true. Definitely!
[Kai] Lately I haven’t been going to the gym, but when I went I would only spend an hour there, even so, I’m thinking those 3 times were good. I did it twice a day. I kept going back and forth for 2 or three months. Your body is absolutely, no matter what, an important thing. In order to create, in order to look healthy. Starting from washing your hands, health care is very crucial. In a band it is not okay if even one member gets sick.
[TOMO] Right. Without a doubt. Staring from washing our hands. That’s the foundation, right (lol).
[Kai] Right (lol). I do think it’s hard for everyone, standing on the stage giving it all they’ve got, but a drummer particularly has to move all parts of their bodies. Aren’t drummers the only ones sweating during rehearsals?
[TOMO] Ahahaha. Obviously (lol). Everyone else doesn’t sweat (lol).
[Kai] Right! When checking up the song, everyone does it lightly, not playing with all their might, not really singing. Well, they do it that way because they don’t have to put so much force, but for a drummer, if he doesn’t hit the drums properly then the sound won’t come out (lol).
[TOMO] It’s a matter of musical instruments’ special characteristics, right (lol).
[Kai] Right~. I somehow feel like I’m working so hard (lol). Like, I’m drenched in sweat even before the performance begins (lol).
[TOMO] Ahahaha.
As expected, here, too, the talk about ghosts…
— It’s a drummer’s nature, isn’t it (lol).
[Kai] Yes, yes. Being a drummer is a test of one’s strength (lol). Hey hey, what is an ideal drummer like, according to TOMO-kun? What sort of a drummer do you want to be, something like that.
[TOMO] Hm~. The drummers whom I respect, YOSHIKI-san and Shinya-san. But I don’t really like drum solos.
— I like them.
[Kai] I haven’t heard that (lol).
[TOMO] Ahahaha. What about Kai-san?
[Kai] Me too. I don’t really like drum solos either.
— Why? Even though it’s the highlight of the show.
[TOMO] I think that drum is like an instrument for other instruments like guitar or bass to ride upon.
[Kai] Me too. I think so too. I think that drums are a part of a band. I myself am into LUNA SEA as well, and I do respect Shinya-san’s drumming, but certainly I love “LUNA SEA as a band”. That’s why, even when I go see their lives, I want to see their performance as a whole band, not for the drum solos. That’s how I feel, so I don’t feel like doing drum solos. Often, I have been told to do drum solos, but I think that, perhaps, even from now on I won’t do it. Drum solos by Jimbo Akira-san, for example, have an interesting side to it that is different from a band, so I don’t see his performance as a band. He creates by setting up the system, getting the melodies flowing, letting out singing-like voice, and then completing it with the drum solos. He’s a one-man orchestra.
[TOMO] Yes, yes. Jimbo Akira-san’s drum performance is something special. I see. You’re not thinking about doing all that yourself, huh?
[Kai] Yes. Because I want to be the drummer of the GazettE. Furthermore, although that was something I had always been thinking, I don’t want to become the drummer I respect.
[TOMO] Eh? Why is that?
[Kai] Because I would completely become that person. I would want to copy everything he does. Although I do think Jimbo-san is awesome, if I do what he does, I’ll totally be Jimbo-san. Eventually, respecting someone is consequently trying to perfectly copy what that person does. Thus, I’ll end up becoming that person. I don’t want to be like that.
[TOMO] I understand. That was deep.
[Kai] Yes. This is what I definitely think. But of course I too have drummers whom I like. I really like the drummer Buddy Rich. It is said that no one else can imitate this man’s drumming, but although he is like the god of drums, I don’t want to be him. I admire him, but I’d like to stop at ‘like’. It’s the same with Shinya-san. I think he’s really awesome, but I’ll stop at that. I don’t want to be those people, because I want to be the GazettE’s drummer.
[TOMO] That was an amazing speech. Oh no, somehow, I meant to strip Kai off of his layers, but I end up listening to lots of awesome topic… … What should I do (deeply emotional).
—What should you do (lol).
[Kai] Ahahahaha. What the hell is that (lol).
— This is becoming something like TOMO’s study meeting (lol).
[TOMO] It certainly is (lol).
[Kai] No no no, but right now the talk has been all about me. So this is not me telling TOMO-kun to do exactly what I say (lol).
[TOMO] No, I’ll definitely do it! With that said, I think I’ve only got it now.
[Kai] Yes. I suppose it will be your reference. Hey hey, by the way, who was the guest previously?
[TOMO] SuG’s yuji-kun.
[Kai] What did you talk about with him? What would a guitarist and a drummer talk about?
[TOMO] Err… … (lol). We didn’t talk about music for one bit (lol).
[Kai] Eh? But you’ve got the call, there must have been something he’d like to talk to you, right? What did you talk about?
[TOMO] About ghosts (lol). yuji-kun seems so fond of talking about ghosts, and because I seem to have a strong supernatural sense, he called me and wanted to hear about my personal experience.
[Kai] Ahahahaha. About that (lol). Now that we’re on the topic, I do have one scary story.
[TOMO] Oh no, but I don’t want to hear about it (lol).
— For sure (lol). The one who would like to hear it is yuji, right (lol).
[Kai] But can I just share it (lol)? I often practice all by myself in the studio, and in that studio, there is a room that is always empty. Even though the other rooms are occupied, that one is absolutely empty. Isn’t that weird? That’s what I thought. Then came a time when I had no choice but to rent that room. When I was practicing, all of a sudden I felt a gush of cold wind. But I had already checked that the air conditioner was turned off, thus, I felt something dreadful. But that’s all that happened that day. The next day too, that room was the only one that wasn’t used, so I rented it again. This time, I placed my shield on top of the bass amp, and it came to my view that it kept moving.
[TOMO] Eh? Wasn’t it because of the vibration from you hitting the drums?
[Kai] At first, I thought so too myself. But I also felt that dreadful feeling. Afterward, the shield finally fell to the floor with a thud. It was really scary, you know. Other days, when I used other studios and placed my shield on top of the same kind of bass amp, it stayed put even while I was drumming.
[TOMO] Oh right, a shield is pretty heavy. Then, what did you see?
[Kai] No, up until the end I didn’t see anything, even so, I told the guy from the studio about how I noticed that certain studio being always empty.
[TOMO] Yes, yes. What did he say!?
— Somehow, it seems like the positions of TOMO and yuji in the previous volume are reversed… … (lol)
[TOMO] Absolutely (lol). It’s totally interesting being the listener (lol).
[Kai] Well then, I told the guy from the studio, “Hey, what was in that room?”, and he said, “There’s nothing, but everyone keeps telling me the same thing.” Since then I never entered that room again.
[TOMO] Scary~.
[Kai] I don’t have the ability to see supernatural things, but people who do have it might be able to see something, huh.
— You should go there.
[TOMO] Ahahaha. Me, huh. I wonder if I can see it?
[Kai] I suppose you can? For sure. Anyhow the feeling was really dreadful. But during tours we had a lot of such talks, right. Once, in a local hall or the sort we did rehearsal, and after it ended, Aoi-kun said, “Hey, today, behind the first floor’s seating, wasn’t there a woman in white clothes? Whose guest was she?” But everyone else was like, what woman? There really wasn’t anyone like that. And then, before the curtain was raised, there was a woman’s voice giving announcement (like one whose job is to give announcements from behind the curtain). But the announcement was ahead of time, so our staff was confused and was asking around, “Who is this announcer!?”They hurried to the announcer room to check, but when they opened the door, no one was inside. At that exact moment, the announcement stopped.
[TOMO] Uwoo~! That’s obvious, right! There’s definitely something.
[Kai] That’s right! Because everyone clearly heard the announcement. It was awfully scary. And then, after the performance, we were like, “What the hell was that?” I was talking to REITA when, in the dressing room, some of the makeup stuffs fell down, and then from a radio tape in that room, a song was suddenly playing. REITA said, “No way!?” and abruptly just like that, the song stopped. When we approached the radio, we saw that the cable wasn’t plugged, and there was no battery in it.
[TOMO] Scary~~! That was awesome. I’m pretty sure if I went there I would be able to see something (lol).
[Kai] We’ve never gone to that venue anymore since then.
[TOMO] It’s better if you don’t go there, huh (lol). That kind of stuff often happens during tour. Those things do exist in venues.
[Kai] Right. AT the entrance of the underground passage under the stage, they stuck a sticker that said, “Since creatures tend to appear here, in any case please do not enter.” In the hotel we stayed in Hiroshima, Aoi-kun told me he saw a ghost of a soldier.
[TOMO] That can happen. Is Aoi-san’s supernatural sense strong?
[Kai] Yes, sometimes he sees things. Speaking of which, is it okay to talk about this?
[TOMO] Oh, somehow the topic has completely changed (lol). This kind of distraction does exist, huh (lol).
— We’re slowly coming to the end.
[Kai] Really!? It has turned out into a talk about supernatural sense (lol).
[TOMO] Is our time running out?
— Yes. It’s the end!
[TOMO] Ah. Okay, time extension please.
— We’re not giving time extensions (lol).
[Kai] Ahahaha. Alright then, shall we go for yakiniku again?
[TOMO] Yes! Please do invite me! Thank you so much for today!
(credit : theGazettE_INA )
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