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On November 3rd, before the rehearsal for SIAM SHADE's concert in Ōsaka Warhall, I, who had not yet seen them live, tried an interview in the form of throwing honest questions at the five, with relying only on their videos, records and their profiles.
Every word in their answers, while mixed with some jokes, resounded their completely unruffled and firm will so straightforwardly that it felt comfortable.
In their performance, the five energetically revealed their immeasurable confidence and passion toward music to the fullest.
After seeing the enthusiasm of the gathered fans, I was confirmed of the fact that the charming singing voice, which stretches from gentle melodies to powerful numbers, mercilessly captivates the hearts of those who hear it.
It was a live show that perfectly backed their every word in the interview.
●During your indies time, even when your telephone and electricity were cut off because you couldn't pay the bills,
you maintained the time to do band rehearsals, what was the source of that durability?
CHACK (Vo, henceforth C): That's after all concerning our own dream.
It's not like we're being forced by someone, it's not durability or something like that, everyone is just doing it because they want to get closer to their ideals, even if just a little.
If there was even one who wasn't like that in the members, I think without a doubt that SIAM SHADE wouldn't be able to pull through.
In such aspect, there are a lot of people I've said good-bye to. No matter how good you are at playing the guitar, it wouldn't fun on this side, if we played with someone who doesn't have that ambition.
After all, everyone tends to just think "let's take it easy, let's take it easy", right?
But if all of the members are aiming for the top, thinking "let's give it our all", then, conversely, the guy who doesn't try gets urged on.
For SIAM SHADE, I think that that is still the case.
●So you are motivating each other?
NATIN (B, henceforth N): Well, everyone just understands that.
JUNJI (Ds, henceforth J): Everyone have their goals set pretty high.
C: It's like this: "Now that we've achieved this, let's head up even higher next time".
N: Can't get absolute satisfaction.
●I'd like to hear about your indies time. In the beginning SIAM SHADE was undeniably a band of the style called "visual-kei", but you stopped that on the way.
Lately there have been a lot of bands that are visual-kei in their indies time and change to ordinary bands the moment they go major. But to change your visual style during the indies time is pretty rare, right?
C: Actually we were originally an out-and-out hard rock band.
But after all, you want people to come see the shows...
And so at a live house that time, all the bands on Friday, Saturday and Sunday were visual bands. So we thought, "to get fans as fast as possible, maybe that would be the best thing to do" and we would dye our hairs similarly.
And then we got to perform in an event like that, which drew fans more and more.
We had kind of decided to return to our original style when we've gotten a certain amount of fans.
●You weren't embarrassed when you returned to your original selves?
C: Not at all.
Because when we were using make-up we got told that, "it'd be much much better not to use make-up".
We're very tall and look mannish no matter from where you look (laughs), that's why it doesn't suit us.
I think that the fans didn't oppose almost at all.
●So on the contrary, it naturally worked out.
C: We returned to our original forms (laughs).
Besides, I don't have that many friends that are in a band, but those friends I have were saying like: "I know ****'s songs but I don't know who's who".
Or it went like: "I'm in this magazine, look!" and I showed it, he'd be: "I can't tell which one is you".
But I think that that is pretty common.
Since we appeared in such a magazine, "I don't know who's who" is the general public's honest answer.
But in the meantime, since we are we, and always want to "Stand out!". So, at that time I thought that if we tanned ourselves so dark that we couldn't use make-up and appeared in a magazine, that we would stand out.
Though there was quite a lot of criticism at first.
●About the 1st album "SIAM SHADE", I think that it has such a strong sound that it makes one suspect that is this really an indies record.
Lately, among the many indies bands that can easily release a CD regardless of their real ability, for such a work to be born, is it after all because the band's ideals were set high?
C: When performing songs live, the arrangements and such will change.
Therefore, such recording can't be made unless it is in sight what precisely you are going to create.
You could say we're risking our lives for one album.
Well, we were really careful in releasing it; our first album.
Accordingly, this time it's "SIAM SHADE II".
Since the time we started performing live for money, the pride of being professional has been a strong.
Therefore, our rivals are not the bands around us, but the bands on a higher level.
But that's because we're always thinking "if we set our minds to going even higher, we might achieve it" and trying our best.
●And, now that you've set foot into the major label world, what are your current feelings?
C: Feelings: sandwich left at the dressing room, "lucky!" (laughs).
I get paid salary when payday comes, "lucky!", like that (laughs).
It is wonderful, for everybody to gather for 5 brats like us.
Couldn't be better.
●I was allowed to listen to your first major label album, "SIAM SHADE II". Compared with your previous record, it had a really refreshing feel.
When making this, with what kind of feelings did you tackle as a band?
C: Though there isn't a rule that "indies is like this", in my mind there were thoughts that "indies music must be like this" or "in live houses, you must play music like this or you won't be accepted", some heavy feelings.
When you make your major label debut, average people are going to listen to your music, right?
Therefore, when that time came, we were able release songs with the music we like and with the lyrics we like.
In that sense, I think that with "SIAM SHADE II", our feelings were refreshed.
●Both of the two albums have all music, lyrics and arrangements credited to SIAM SHADE. I thought, "that's rare", but also at the same time, "that's kinda nice".
Like, this is something you're particular about.
C: Well, it is the proof of cooperative strength.
I really think so.
SIAM SHADE's music, the compositions are brought by 3 people.
But a lot of JUNJI's personality is also packed in it too,
and there are times when we arrange according to drums or arrange according to bass.
I think the songs couldn't be made if one of us was missing.
Therefore, in that sense it's natural to credit SIAM SHADE, it's obvious.
●The lyrics merge well into the melody and it is easy to listen, were you conscious about that?
C: Rather than musical things, it is the lyrics that I changed the most consciously between the last album and this album.
The previous one has neutral lyrics which can be taken from both a man's and a woman's viewpoint. I sometimes deliberately made the chorus part more ambiguous,
so that it could be interpreted in many ways. Conversely, this time I consciously tried to make words that you can take back home with you.
Therefore, I think that they are lyrics that will bring quite a clear image to your mind.
"They come straight to you", that indeed was my aim.
●I have not seen you live yet, but I was shown your latest video, and I was impressed by its power, or should I say, I felt a chill (laughs).
What kind of place is the live performance for everybody?
DAITA (G, henceforth D): Sanctuary.
It is a sanctuary.
It is like an Utopia just for us.
●You are quite satisfied with your own live performances then?
D: Well, there are times when you can do it and times when you can't.
Since it's live, various problems will come up.
But during it, everyone is basically having fun playing.
When there is a day when us five will say "today was fun", that day, sake will taste good (laughs).
C: At lives, there are things you can't do with just enthusiasm, you've got to be serious.
After it's over we'll always think back that "that part was no good", "this part was no good".
Since it's live, I don't think that everything will always go smoothly, but I think that our customer-satisfaction rate is quite high.
D: Since it's us five doing it, it would be impossible if someone was missing.
Therefore, everyone must take responsibility.
●Also, I hear that you are skilled in comedy also,
so I'm looking forward to that too in today's show.
Are there any elements of a comedy in your sound?
N: There is. Although just a little in one song (laughs).
D: One that we only do live.
KAZUMA(G&Vo, henceforth K): But that's what people enjoy the most.
Songs where you don't have to think anything are the greatest.
But it's just that one song.
●Is there a possibility that you'll make a song in the future that contains comic elements?
Everybody: Absolutely not!!
D: For that song to be included on an album; it will probably not happen.
Or, supposing it would be included, that would be a live album.
●Let us say that comedy would be highlighted,
do you feel that there is a danger that you would be seen as variety entertainers rather than a rockband?
K: No.
Since we play music that seriously.
C: Though those who hear it will understand,
even if by any chance we'll appear in TV or such like that,
none of us want to become people like that.
For SIAM SHADE, music is the main thing!
●Still, is there some reason that you do comedy?
K: It's that we just want to do it, because we like it.
C: As a bandsman there is no "you must not do this" or "you must not do that". That's what I think.
I want to destroy that kind of concepts.
Though it is criticized in many places.
Also when we started doing it there were a lot of remarks.
However, eventually
it has become our selling point. "There is a band that does stuff like this", they say.
I think that it is OK like that.
Doing the major label debut announcement in Shibuya Public Hall [Shibuya Koukaidou] is ordinary for visual-kei bands these days,
but I think it was a good thing that we were able to impress, in a bit different sense, despite that kind of obviousness.
●Will you continue doing that in live performances in the future?
C: After all, we would like to create such things, that you won't know if you don't come to SIAM SHADE's lives, for fans.
If you just want to hear the music, I think that albums are enough.
I think that it's also a necessity for artists to think more about what are the essential, the real enjoyments in lives.
And besides, we want to do it.
●Lastly, what is the ultimate target SIAM SHADE is aiming at?
C: There is no such thing!
There is no point we're aiming at.
Ultimately, there's no such things as "what kind of music we want to do" or "what direction we want to go".
This album and the album before being this different,
we are a band that continues to change and doing things that we thing that are cool at that time.
I just want to stand out.
I want to become such popular person of the Heisei period, that
when I walk around the town, everyone from children to grannies will call me "Mr. CHACK".
Rather than just a band, everyone would have their own personality.
N: But, that we want to go to the top, both in name and reality, is a fact.
We want to dominate both the back and front sides of the music world.
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