1997 Teru Interview by Noriko Shoji ("Mother Rock")

"To attain 1 dream, you have to make 10 times the effort and 10 times the mistake and hardship." -TERU

Mother Rock: You got angry at me because I arrived late at the Yokohama Arena.
Teru: Hahahaha! You are lost 17% because you didn't see the opening.
MR: I thought I had to see the Budokan so Budokan's live is very nice.
T: The Budokan audience is great. The Budokan live is enjoyable for me. I feel very good. I wish I could continue the live at Budokan forever.
MR: Oh yeah? Last September's [live] is different from this concert. I had different feelings about this concert.
T: At that time, I felt a pleasure just standing on the stage. After that second time, I thought that I wanted to continue the concert at the Budokan.
MR: Wow. Teru's words about this place gives me a strong impression. I felt like I was listening to [HOWEVER].
T: [Laughs]
MR: You are very attractive on the stage. For example, jumping, running...
T: Everybody said, "You are a wild child!"
MR: You have a good sense of sports.
T: I liked sports. I have many experiences with sports. When I was an elementary school student, I played baseball, soccer (football), basketball, and volleyball. But it wasn't a club activity.
MR: You're very good. Especially at running. It's good for a very big concert hall.
T: Oh yeah? [Laughs]
MR: When you are running, most of your fans get excited.
T: Last time, Jiro told me, "You are not cool because you are running to go back to the stage."
MR: Is that true?
T: Before the encore, Hisashi and I were holding hands and running towards the stage. At that time, Jiro told me that it's not cool.
MR: I don't think so. It's VERY cool.
T: It was a natural act. I did that unconsciously. Natural acts are cool. Takuro made a mistake onstage. He fell down easily. But these days, it's okay to have small mistakes onstage.
MR: It's okay. You are human. Humans always make mistakes. Nobody's perfect.
T: The best way to act onstage is honestly. But Jiro said that the Arena stage (line) recording (tape) is not good[?]. Before, I thought I played very rough. A few years ago, I thought it was necessary to play fully [or correctly]. But these days I think that a live is just a show. We have to make the audience enjoy (themselves). It's okay if we make some mistakes onstage...but it's not good for us or the audience.
MR: Stylish play is one of the ways to attract the audience. But attractive concerts are slightly different from complete play. Maybe you've improved.
T: I had a wide viewpoint. But the members became good players. And good play is also enjoyable play. Good play plus enjoyable play is the best (type of) live play.
MR: Understanding what a good concert means improves your band.
T: ... In my mind, I can afford to have an easy mind.
MR: I can't imagine you're so busy. From last year to this year. Maybe you had the busiest year.
T: Actually, we are very busy. This year [1997] started with [Kuchibiru]. Last year, we released [Glorious]. Glay was busier than before. We had a lot of fun. Nowadays, we have concerts at big concert halls like Arenas. When Jiro had an interview before his debut with Glay, the interviewer asked him, "Could you tell me your dream?" He replied, "I will have a concert at the Arena." So his dream came true.
MR: That's right. After the Arena Tour, are you going to Abbey Road? [This question implies going to a foreign country.]
T: [Embarrassed] Eh? Hahaha!
MR: The songs [Kuchibiru] and [HOWEVER] are great. The songs which you released are big hits.
T: I think [Kuchibiru]'s release is good for us because it refreshes the members' minds. After the single [Yes, Summerdays], medium-tempo [songs] was the natural tempo for the Japanese. At that time, we felt frustrated. When we released [Kuchibiru], the director told us, "It's okay. This song is not going to sell well." Then they thought, it's okay. We had an easy mind. I decided to make the song very rough. But I don't know why [Kuchibiru] became a big hit.
MR: Making songs with an easy mind is good for you. Making a song which you want to make is the best way to make a song.
T: At that time, we were very powerful.
MR: In Yoyogidaiichitaiikukan, you had an acoustic live [Glay Unplugged '97]. At that time, I listened to [Kuchibiru] for the first time. I was very much impressed. You are a good performer because you express your feelings and your mind in the song.
T: Takuro's lyrics are Takuro's thoughts. I am NOT a speaker for Takuro. That's why I try to think of MY mind. [HOWEVER]'s lyrics has my feelings, which I want to say. It's also Takuro's feelings. Maybe these are the same feelings. That's why I can sing this song with good feelings. Takuro often tells me that a song is great because songs give us feelings which are greater than the songs themselves. That's why I can play with him.
MR: I'm very happy to hear that.
T: I'm also very happy. In addition, at that time, my mental condition was also good. I hope that when people listen to GLAY's songs, everybody has a sweet heart. Maybe it's important for me to be happy because if I'm not happy, it's hard to make another person happy. We have to have a gentle mind before we give a gentle mind to someone else.
MR: I agree with you. You are in very good condition and very honest. And maybe this condition makes a great song.
T: [The] BEST. It was the best. I thought that Takuro wrote the lyrics for me. I understood the lyrics immediately. I had the same feelings before so that's why I understood the lyrics deeply.
MR: Yes, yes.
T: I thought that Takuro wrote the lyrics for me. The same way people thought that Glay played the song for them. I realized that making a song for a specific person is NOT for a specific person. Good songwriting is like that. Even if the song is for a specific person, everybody understood that song.
MR: I think so. Basically, GLAY started with Teru and Takuro didn't it?
T: That's right. It started when we were highschool students.
MR: So when did you meet each other?
T: When I was in 5th grade in elementary school, we were in the same school. We were in different highschools but when Takuro found out that I played music, he asked me, "Let's make a new band together." At that time, I didn't want to be a professional. At that time, I couldn't imagine how difficult it was to be a professional. We just enjoyed playing together.
MR: At first you didn't want to be a professional?
T: No, I wanted to have something to make me feel good or stimulate me because highschool life is an obligation. I needed something new. Day after day, I wanted to become a professional.
MR: Oh yeah? So Takuro also wanted to be a professional?
T: That's right. Takuro played in copy bands before GLAY. He knows the feeling of a live.
MR: What copy bands did he do?
T: PERSONZ and BOOWY. For me, before making GLAY, I played the songs of Seikimasu. [Laughs]
MR: [Laughs] Did you wear make-up?
T: That's right, I did. Like Raiden Youzawa [Seikimasu's drummer]. I played the drums.
MR: Oh yeah? You played the drums?
T: For 1 year, I played the drums. When GLAY was established, I participated as the drummer. But there was no vocal. We were looking for a vocalist. But we couldn't find a good vocalist. Then I tried to sing until we could find a good vocalist. So I sang (while playing) the drums. It's like C-C-B.
MR: C-C-B? [Laughs]
T: I found it enjoyable to sing songs. I made a karaoke. One day, Takuro left the karaoke [instrumental music] tape in my house so I listened to the karaoke. Then I tried to sing a song with the karaoke. I used a 2-cassette radio player. I recorded the song using that machine. Then I asked Takuro, "Please listen to my vocal." Takuro suggested, "You are suited for the vocals. I will find another drummer."
MR: Was it easy to change from drums to vocal?
T: [It was a] good thing that I didn't go into the drums. That's why I could change.
MR: "Drums are my life." If you had such a feeling, you would never have changed from being a drummer to the vocalist.
T: Maybe I will never change (to the drums).
MR: By the way, do the 4 band members get along with each other? I heard from Takuro that he used bring the members home by car. [Laughs]
T: Hahaha!
MR: I have a feeling that GLAY is like that.
T: We are continuing that life.
MR: You haven't changed? Hakodate is your roots. That's why you are connected to each other. What do you think of my opinion?
T: No [maybe he means "yes"]. But the members will never change. Nobody will change us. If one of the members tries to become the leader, the other three members will knock him back down to their level. On the other hand, if three of them try to become leaders, the same three will try to pick up the last person. [Teru is emphasizing on teamwork. ~aciel]
MR: GLAY is changing constantly but I never feel that anything changes. Maybe something is centerline. It's the members' bond of friendship.
T: Yes. Everybody faces the same direction. Everybody tries to make a good song. One of my friends told me, "Now, GLAY is on top. If GLAY were last, you would try to sing a good song." So now we are very happy. We can sing a song with a happy mind. But [even] in the hard times, I want to sing a happy song.
MR: For example, there are many songs which are joyful, beautiful, but GLAY's songs are very stable... I have a good feeling about GLAY because your band is very sensitive to the movement of society. That's why your band understands the movement of society. Then you can sing a happy song.
T: We experienced many things. I'm 26 years old. I had a hard time. I made many mistakes. But step by step, I have improved. So people who want to be successful have to make an effort. If people want to succeed, they have to make 10 times the effort and 10 times the mistake and hardship. I hope that I will attain success as many times as I have made mistakes.
MR: Yes. You're talking based on your experience, always... That's nice.
T: I don't think we will ever have such a nice feeling. [Laughs]
MR: Nevermind. You have a radio personality.
T: Yes.
MR: How is it?
T: It's great. I'm not cool and the talk show makes me crazy.
MR: Radio is not visual [i.e. you can't see the audience].
T: Yes. We never see the audience's faces nor the personality's or guest's faces.
MR: I want to see that.
T: [Laughs loudly]
MR: You already talk on the radio freely.
T: Freely? I'm very dirty-minded.
MR: Oh yeah? Is that true?
T: I wonder why I'm such a dirty-minded man. People tell me, "It's difficult to listen because of his dirty mind."
MR: [Laughs loudly]
T: There is a segment in the radio [show]. I went to the bar with a girl.
MR: How did you feel?
T: "I want to be with you all night long. Let's spend the night together... I will leave you the hotel room key." [Laughs] After such a conversation, my hair stood on end. I couldn't believe myself. [Laughs]
MR: Very interesting. You have a good imagination.
T: Yes, I become a totally different person.
MR: It's okay. On the radio, people can't see your face. It's okay if you are cool onstage.
T: [Laughs loudly]. People said to me, "You exercise your authority." It seems like a tele-club.
MR: I envy you because you have such a great radio show.
T: Yes. I enjoy talking on the radio. It's a kind of challenging experience so it's fun. The radio show is one of my pleasures. The first enjoyable thing.
MR: That's right. I agree with you that such an enjoyable thing reflects in your music. Do you have a family member who plays music?
T: I don't. Nobody is interested in music...but most of my family likes karaoke.
MR: Oh yeah? Is that true?
T: Yes. There is a karaoke machine in my [family's] house. When I was a 5th grade elementary school student, I participated in a karaoke contest in my hometown. I like singing songs.
MR: All family members like songs. By the way, your mother's eyes are very big.
T: People have told me that I look like my mother.
MR: It's difficult to see your mother, right?
T: Yeah. I have a phonecall once a week from my mother. She says, "You appeared on newspapers and TV." At first I didn't like talking to her because she always mentioned GLAY. She said she wanted to go to our live! But I said, "Don't come to the live" because I was embarrassed. But in those days, I realized that she wanted to see her son make an effort on the stage.
MR: Oh yeah. That's right.
T: I can say, "You can come to the concert if you want."
MR: Your parents are happy.
T: Yes, my father tends to cry easily, like me. I heard he cried while he was watching TV.
MR: [Laughs] Hahaha... I'm sorry. I was laughing because I don't feel that you cry easily. Last September 9 at the Budokan stage, you almost cried but I didn't feel that you tend to cry so easily because I felt at that time, the only way to express your feelings is like that.
T: But it's true. I do tend to cry easily. When I watch a movie, I tend to cry easily.
MR: Oh yeah? It's true?
T: When I watched [Hitotsu yaneno shita] ("Under One Roof" TV dorama), and heard the word "an-chan" ("elder brother"), I suddenly cried almost simultaneously.
MR: I take it your father always cries whenever you sing a song?
T: Exactly! My father was crying very hard.
MR: I feel sad. I imagine you wanted your parents to see your live.
T: My parents were very happy to see my live.
MR: What did your father think about your live?
T: He seemed shy. [Laughs]
MR: I understand his sentiment. There are many people who leave their hometowns to try to become an artist. But most of them had a hard time. It's difficult to debut. I mean, you did a good thing to show your parents the live.
T: That's right.
MR: Could you tell me your childhood? What kind of child were you?
T: In my childhood, I was a bad boy. [Laughs]
MR: Bad boy? [Laughs] That means you were mischievous?
T: That's right. I was mischievous. I had many mischievous experiences. I was always punished. My father threatened me, then he said, "I will bring you to a reformatory." Then my father brought me to the car.
MR: Oh yeah? Is that true?
T: Yeah, it's true. When I was a 3rd grade elementary school student, I took 100 Yen from my parents' bank box. I thought my parents never noticed but they did because I took almost half of the 100 coins. [Laughs] I bought junk food. Then my parents asked me, "How did you get this food?" I replied, "I received it from someone." I told a lie and my parents got angry. My parents asked me, "In the bank box, there were many 100 coins, but now there is only almost half of the 100 coins. Why?" I replied, "I don't know." Then my father said, "I will bring you to the reformatory." Then they tried to take me to the car.
MR: [Laughs]
T: At that time, I believed that I would go to the training school and I gave up my toy and book. I wrote the letter for my sisters: "This toy is for my elder sister" and "This book is for my younger sister." [Laughs]
MR: You believed in what your father said.
T: That's right. I prepared my underwear in my Adidas pack.
MR: Wow.
T: My parents were surprised. My parents thought I would say "I'm sorry" but...
MR: I understand. An ordinary child says "I'm sorry" and swears "I'll never do that [again]" or something.
T: I wasn't so serious at that time. My nature is still like that.
MR: I take it you accept your situation naturally, right?
T: That's right. I accept it. I tend to avoid thinking why.
MR: ... Oh yeah? You are a middle child? You have an older and a younger sister and you are a wheedling child.
T: That's right. I'm a wheedling child, second child, only boy.
MR: Your sisters also have big eyes?
T: That's right. Both of them have big eyes.
MR: You have beautiful eyes.
T: My younger sister looks like my father. She seems heavy-set. So she's physically tougher than me.
MR: So do your older and younger sisters play music such as rock?
T: Never. My younger sister is a kindergarten teacher. She likes children.
MR: Oh yeah?
T: My older sister has 2 children. She has a job in the hospital.
MR: Oh yeah? Your family has jobs about taking care of somebody...helping people. You are also like that. You are helping people through your music.
T: [Laughs] Right.
MR: Today I was late because of a traffic jam. I thought, "How can I explain my situation? I'm sorry to keep you waiting." Actually, I was worried about what you would think about my mistake but you were very welcoming to me. When I saw your face, I was relieved. You're laughing very gently.
T: Hahaha.