KAMIJO telephone-interview on NACK5 Beat Shuffle on Sept. 8 2001
Translated by: Niji
I=interview, K=KAMIJO
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I: Hello, this is NACK5 beat shuffle. Right now I've got NEW SODMY's vocalist KAMIJO on the telephone. Hello?
K: Ah, Hello.
I: Is this KAMIJO?
K: ...Ah, Good afternoon.
I: It's been awhile.
K: Yes
I: Well, I'm sorry that it's taken us so long to have you on here again.
K: It's been a year, hasn't it?
I: Yes, it has...
K: Yeah.
I: Well, this time we have you here as NEW SODMY's new vocalist.
K: Yes.
I: When I welcomed you in the studio last time, you talked about continuing your activities under the name of LAREINE.
K: Yes...
I: So.. how was this new band "NEW SODMY" born?
K: Well, um... when I decided that I would continue LAREINE alone, well... this...well I thought that it was such a final state.
I: yes, yes.
K: I was like, it won't end like this... yes. (KAMIJO kind of skirts around the question and doesn't really answer--Niji) Well, during that time I was invited by YOU. Our bassist YOU.
I: Yes.
K: Well, YOU had also invited MAYU who had left LAREINE.
I: Yes, yes.
K: Well, I thought, these guys are pretty good.
I: Yes, yes.
K: Yes, well that was last year just before the new year.
I: Yes, yes.
K: And then, well this january I did a live concert as LAREINE...
I: That's right.
K: Well, it was just me as LAREINE.
I: Yes.
K: And then, during that time when I was touching the fans, well I started to really believe that I wanted to be in a band again.
I: I see.
K: Well, after that various things... hm, I guess I started working on NEW SODMY.
I: Hm.. What kind of style music will NEW SODMY be doing?
K: Well, the members all have their own band histories.
I: Yes.
K: And well, without changing ourselves, we thought it would be good to mix our styles and create new things.
I: Hm.. About "Mode Rock,"
K: Yes?
I: That word was on the (sorry, it's not clear on my tape >_<;--Niji)
K: Oh, yeah.
I: What does "Mode Rock" exactly mean?
K: Hm.. Mode Rock. Well, it's the arrangement of the songs that we make. When we arrange the songs and listen to them, we kinda intuitively thought "Oh, this is like a mode!"
I: yes?
K: And then, we call it mode rock. But well, I um.. I like various different fashion collections and look at different fashion magazines.
I: and?
K: Well, "mode" appears in them, and it's a really abstract word isn't it?
I: Yes, that's true.
K: Well, I think I took that word from fashion and made it much broader.
I: I see.
K: In one meaning, we'd like to present our music and feelings that way...like decorating ourselves with fashion through music.
I: I see.
K: Well, to put it really simply, we think it would be really cool if the sound of NEW SODMY could become "mode rock." Something along those lines.
I: I see.
K: yeah.
I: And so, You just established the band at the beginning of the year, and your activity has been going on for about 6 months and now you've got your first musical piece, first maxi single, coming out on the 26th of september.
K: Yes, it's called "WHITE LIE."
I: Wow, it has three songs in it?
K: Yes.
I: So what kind of single is this going to be?
K: Well, white lie means a lie without sin...
I: Yes?
K: Well, whatever.. hm... we'll start with something small and hope this small thing grows into something big.. (I think that's what he said, it's not too clear..--Niji)
I: *laughs*
K: And so well, it's kind of like, at the beginning why don't we say a little white lie? *laughs*
I: *laughs*
K: Well, after this I think we're going to commit a big crime.
I: er.. really?
K: Yes. *laughs*
I: Oh, by the way, after the first single white lie is realeased on sept. 26...
K: Yes?
I: I'd like to ask if you have any other release plans.
K: Well, Actually, White Lie is the first in a series of three releases. The second and third releases will be in November and January.
I: September, November, and January.
K: Yes.
I: Will they be singles?
K: Well, even if you say single, well WHITE LIE is the same thing, the title isn't the name of the song.
I: I see.
K: Yes, I guess it's more like a mini-album. Maybe you could call it a maxi.
I: So, if you buy all three singles then...
K: Hm?
I: This... NEW SODMY's first... well, you'll be able to thoroughly know all of the music that you're presenting, right?
K: Well, no... I don't think that you could understand all of our music just by the three singles.
I: Oh, really?
I: On the contrary... actually, um.. On November 4 we will have our first live as NEW SODMY at Shibuya ON AIR WEST.
I: Yes, that's right isn't it...
K: And it's been decided..
I: Yes?
K: That at that time, we'll perform much more than the songs of those three singles.
I: hehehe.
K: So in some sense, well I think that we'll be able to show an image of the current NEW SODMY.
I: Are all of the songs already done?
K: Well, there are already 2 - 30 songs in excess.
I: Wow.
K: Yeah, it's really become a difficult thing.
I: Are you the one creating most of the songs, KAMIJO?
I: No, Well, of course I'm writing songs, but...
I: Yes?
K: Well, MAYU is writing quite a few.
I: W-wow!
K: Also, AYA writes quite a bit.
I: Really?
K: And then, YOU makes really (lonely?) songs...
I: hehehe.
K: In the three singles, (we made it a point to include songs written by all of us together? --sorry, didn't quite catch what KAMIJO was saying--Niji).
I: Well, among the members, two of them are former LAREINE members...
K: Right..
I: Well, what the two of you are doing now is a very different feel from LAREINE isn't it? Or no?
K: It's not like that. To the contrary, the name LAREINE that is inside of me... the music and imagination, etc. have surpassed the framework of LAREINE...
I: Yes?
K: And so it still persists in me...
I: Yes?
K: And so, well the members who aren't former members of LAREINE, AYA & YOU, they are already pretty familar with LAREINE.
I: hehehe.
K: Well, um.. MAYU and I hope that we'll be able to express that music and imagination that has overcome that band name in NEW SODMY.
I: There is something else I'd like to ask you...
K: Yes?
I: Um.. please tell me what the name werewolf means?
K: Ahaha *laughs* Actually, NEW SODMY... Well, um.. the members got assembled, and each member had some degree of plan..
K: We're active, but.. well everyone.. because we're a newly formed band, we wanted to be able to act freely (KAMIJO said violently, but I think what he means is to just be able to do whatever they want without thinking of the consequences--Niji) without any limits.
I: Yes?
K: Well, all of a sudden we became aquainted with the owners of several live houses..
I: And?
K: Well, on that day's notice, for example.. well in many different forms (part of this sentence got cut off because of bad reception--Niji) we thought we'd start some trouble..
I: !?!?
K: *laughs* And so, if we cause some kind of problem, the band name NEW SODMY would get a bad name, so we're not using it since it may be ruined.
I: Ahaha... So you assumed a different name so you could stir up a little trouble?
K: That's right.
I: You're going about like guerilla (warfare)?
K: ..it's a name that will serve to get ruined...
I: I see.
K: yes..
I: And so there is a live planned under the name "werewolf" on October 13, so I hope that all of the listeners check it out.
K: Yes.
I: Well, we've talked about several different things. November and January, and..
K: yes..
I: Please come to the studio also at the time of your next release.
K: Ok. At that time, we'll have decided on a tour.
I: Ok.
K: So I think I'll be able to talk about it then.
I: Ok, I'm looking forward to it.
K: Alright, and now I'll deliver, or actually I'm getting (I guess KAMIJO is playing/sending it?--Niji) a piece from the first single "White Lie" that will be released on Septmber 26,
K: Yes..
I: KAMIJO, could you introduce the song for me please?
K: Ok. Well...m.. the next song, um.. whenever I'm troubled, or when I can't move forward, my heart is supported by.. well anyway, I hope you'll listen to this song when you're troubled. Please listen to NEW SODMY's "actor."
I: This is NACK5 Beat Shuffle. I've just talked with NEW SODMY's vocalist KAMIJO over the phone. Thank you very
much.
K: Thank you!
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Niji's notes: Sometimes the reception wasn't so good, sorry about that. Yay, I'm finally done! This is my first time transcribing something from tape (well, I did the other interiew too, but it was really short so it didn't count), and I'm so glad it's done. It took so much longer than I thought it would. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!