#Live from Budokan

[earlycuntsets]

translation: "my chemical romance interview. "for us, the live stage is the only place where we can be ourselves."

The songs are like a collection of rock anthems from all over the world, past and present, and it sets the hearts of listeners ablaze.

Who is the emo band that rocked the Summer Sonic stage?

My Chemical Romance, from New Jersey, who just released their major debut album "THREE CHEERS FOR SWEET REVENGE" in July, came to Japan for the first time at Summer Sonic 04. MCR's music is called "screamo" because of their friendship with their friends, including THE USED, and their style, and it contains the street/garage sensibility unique to the generation that went through American punk in recent years… but if you listen to it with a calm ear, you can see that although the vocals are "screamo style," the songs have a beautiful structure and tearful melodies that are related to British heavy metal, and they also feature beautiful guitar solos. In other words, MCR is a band that plays heavy metal at the street level… That's why they must have been so welcomed right from the start in Japan, a country that has a strong tradition of heavy metal music (probably) - their first performance in Japan was a big success.

45 minutes after the end of the thunderous "Summer Sonic" stage

We caught up with the two excited guitarists!

I've never been to a show like that before! I'll never forget this experience.

--Now Frank Iero (FI): This isn't real.

How was the live show you just finished?

FI: Seriously! I've never done a show like that before. It was a memorable moment in my life. I'll never forget it!

--You seem very excited. What was so amazing about it?

Ray Toro: No, not "What". WTF! I mean, they were so welcoming! I wasn't expecting that kind of reaction at all. It felt like a hometown show. Oh, what can I say… ahhhh… anyway, it feels great!-- (Laughs)

Was the positive reaction because the new york was great? Especially the first single "I'm Not Okay" it's really exciting… It's a great song, and the song structure is well-crafted, building up from the intro, and the solo is uplifting too. Did you feel any magic when you made it?

FI: Well, let me tell you something. This song is something that you can't really call "written".

Really? Is that so?

FI: That's true. The song itself only has four chords, right? Except for the solo, it's all four. So at first, I thought it would be a boring song. But when we got together in the studio and Ray was playing those four chords over and over… Gerald (Way/vocals) started singing. The other members were silent. I closed my eyes and listened carefully. Then I realized it was an incredibly beautiful song. I felt it was worth completing. So I tried to change it up with the chorus. The root remained four.

---The guitar solo in this song creates a harmony with the guitar, creating a grandeur that is reminiscent of Queen. How did this come about?

FI: That solo was all Ray!

RT: Of course we were totally inspired by Queen! We were all saying, "Let's have a big guitar solo. Nobody does that anymore!" So I layered the guitars on it and made it as epic as possible. Also, when we were writing the song originally, we talked about making it as production-heavy as possible in the studio… Another thing I did consciously was to think of all the '80s pop and '70s bands I liked. I thought, "What would they do to make a song that's really epic…?" That's also where the two-second piano in the middle of the song came from. It doesn't really mean anything, but it's a bit like a soundtrack.

In terms of age, he was still very much alive.

FI: To tell you the truth, that second part is from the live album "CHEAP TRICK AT BUDOKAN" (1978) [laughs] I really wanted to include it. To begin with, even though some people have performed it live, I've never heard it performed in a studio album. I tried to include that as well and create the biggest anthem I could think of.

Q: Not just "I'm Not Okay," but all of MCR's songs…The composition is designed to make the listeners excited. They are all uplifting and dramatic. Is this something you do consciously?

FI: I'm totally aware of it.

RT: Yes. You can hear it in the song, but I change parts one after another. For example, We never repeat the same parts twice, and as the song progresses, new elements are added. We want it to feel like it's building from one thing to the next. Every member of the band contributes to that. The drums, the vocals, the melodies…everything helps the song to go higher and higher.

FI: Especially the new album, "It's Not A Fashion Statement, It's a Deathwish" crescendos all the way through. It just gets stronger and stronger. It all comes together in a spectacular finale. The whole band sings together for an anthemic ending. Because I like it! Our styles are completely different, maybe that mismatch is a good thing?

MCR's music tends to be dramatic. Is that due to the influence of the music you've listened to up until now?

RT: I grew up listening to heavy metal, like Ozzy Osbourne. I was obsessed with guitar heroes. I like bands that feature guitar players such as the late Randy Rhoads (g/Ozzy Osbourne) and Joe Satriani, Jimi Hendrix… In other words, Randy is the one who combined heavy metal with classical music, but his guitar playing I think he is the person who has had the biggest influence on my style. It's a bit old-fashioned, but it has a melody. And it's timeless. Melody.

FI: Richie Havens. My first woodstock. He was the opening act for the concert. He took me to an acoustic I just played it with one guitar, like a solo. There wasn't much, just sitting on the stool. He played very melodic and rhythmic guitar. But it's a completely unique style that can't be imitated. He had tiles… Such a great performer. I've never seen him before! I've seen Richie on stage about 10 times now, and I'm blown away every time. He's one of the reasons I don't stop playing guitar. I also love Greg Ginn (guitar/Black Flag) and Thurston Moore (vocals, guitar/Sonic Youth). In other words, I like dirty and emotional guitar more than intellectual style.

——————Hmm. You two have completely different tastes…

FI: Well, we are completely different types of guitarists, but maybe that mismatch is a good thing.

--You mentioned a lot of artists, but listening to your album I can sense a strong influence from heavy metal. But you also listen to a lot of different music from the '70s and '80s, right?

RT: Well, you can't just listen to one type of music, you know? There's so much good music out there. We can't just pretend not to notice it! All of us in the band try to listen to as much as we can and want to absorb as much as we can from all kinds of music.

FI: What we heard was an influence in some way.

FI: I like to use a Marshall JCM900 connected to a SUNN cabinet, and an Epiphone Zak Wylde model Les Paul as the only guitar. I turn up the bass all the way (laughs). Treble is about mid-range. I add gain here and there. But I like to keep it sounding like a real guitar. Not a "buzzing" sound with too much gain, but more of a solid sound.

RT: Yes! And we both try to only use effects when absolutely necessary, and usually plug them straight into the amp. Oh, but we do use wah pedals. Personally, I'd love to see the wah come back!

--I see. So with Frank on the bass and Ray raising the middle, it feels like you've managed to balance the band sound well?

FI&RT: Exactly!

FI: That's how I make it clear that there are two guitars. It's better to have a difference where you can hear each guitar part and it doesn't sound too cluttered.

――――So, let's talk about your playing, not just the guitar sound.

RT: I've been in the middle of it all. But the best thing to do is come to a show and see for yourself! I think there have been times when people thought it was Frank and it was me, and vice versa. We've influenced each other so we have some similarities.

---So you're influenced by each other's playing?

RT: Yeah. At least I got it from Frank.

I learned to play dirty. Not just clean, but more emotional. Instead of being super technical and perfect, I gave myself a little more leeway and tried to avoid feedback and pick-squeezing.

Frank is especially good at pick slides. He likes to make noise out of the guitar, rather than a pretty sound.

He's really good at bringing that out. Making noise, not just playing, is something I'm still learning.

FI: I'm the opposite, I'm learning to play clean, to keep things under control, but still let out emotion when necessary.

RT: A classic example of what you're talking about is "The Jetset Life Is Gonna Kill You." Frank has a really great part here. After the second chorus, it gets really quiet.

"THREE CHEERS FOR SWEET REVENGE" Warner Music Japan [CD] WPCR-11883 Sensual vocal melodies and emotional guitars, as heard on the 1st single.Their popularity is on the rise thanks to the explosive emotion of their vocals. This is the band's second album and their major label debut. Ray's strengths are in his guitar playing, which always lifts the listener up. While talking about the existing screamo sound, such as the "screamo" part, a new sense of flavoring with the essence of gothic and metal shines. And it's the same with everyday experiences! Everything that comes out of it naturally comes out in the work, and the more I shut out certain types of music or certain experiences, the less fertilizer I have. The goal is the stage. Keep playing to the limit. From what I saw on stage a while ago, the live equipment was, you both used similar things. How do you differentiate between the sounds?

RT: I'm more into distortion. I play a lot of riffs and generally like to emphasize the mid-range.

My model was the crunch guitar sound of Metallica's "Master of Puppets" (1986).

FI: On the other hand, I only use distortion to a natural degree.

Can you tell me the specific equipment names?

RT: The amps are Marshall "JCM2000" and "1960".

Cabinet. The guitar was bought by my brother for Christmas 10 years ago.

It's a very easy one to make, but the sound is great!

I also use an Epiphone Les Paul.

036 GuitarBreakers Vol.8

He said it was a good example of how the differences between the two of them are well expressed.

Can you name any?

FI: You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us

In Prison, I guess?

RT: You're right!

FI: You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us

"In Prison" is huge! The first two verses are

It's rhythmic and dirty, and then…

Ray's guitar hero-like, epic solo begins (laughs). And it has a light rhythm. And then there's "To The End" too.

RT: Yes. In some ways, I play more technically than Frank, but "To the End" has a great guitar solo, it's fast, and it's got some rhythmic, dirty parts. But I think you can hear the difference in our playing styles on every song to some extent.

---By the way, on the album, which is left and which is right?

Are you playing the channel?

RT: Well, in the verses, I mostly play on the left.

Ray is on the left. And Frank is on the right in the chorus.

Frank really blossoms in this scene. It's totally different from his previous style.

FI: Mmhmm!

---Finally, could you tell us about your future goals regarding guitar and songwriting?

FI: For now, I'd like to be able to turn the parts I've written for the next album into proper songs.

Also, we have a clear goal as a band.

But I'll keep it a secret until I achieve it (lol).

RT: For me personally, I just want to keep improving.

FI: Me too!

RT: We both love playing guitar.

That's what life is all about, so I want to keep improving both in technique and melody.

FI: For us, it was a live show that lasted less than two hours. I think that the only chance I have is to be myself, to experience a pure and spiritual moment. So my goal is to continue to play all the way to the end. There is a joy that cannot be expressed in words. I don't think you can understand it unless you have experienced it!

My Chemical Playing - A magnificent world created with guitar

The key to My Chemical Romance's songs is the twin guitars. When the two guitars intertwine, sometimes intensely and sometimes elegantly, it gives the listener a great sense of exhilaration.

Ray was crazy about guitar heroes like Randy Rhoads and Joe Satriani, while Frank loves Greg Ginn and Thurston Moore. They come from completely different backgrounds, but as Ray says, "When we get together, we don't know why, but a special atmosphere is born," which is the characteristic of the My Chemical Romance sound. In fact, Alba

If you check out his playing, you can hear many good examples of two-guitar ensemble. One of the best is the backing for "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)." As mentioned in the interview, the bass in this song is a repeat of four chords (D → Bm Em → A), but it is amazing how the performance is not at all simple. Due to space limitations, I will not post an example.

"I'm Not Okay" style guitar solo sheet music.

I'm sorry I can't introduce it, but I definitely want you to check out the ensemble in the A-melody. So, I'll introduce the solo below. This performance was inspired by Queen and was meant to be grand. The harmonies are great, but the chord progression is deliberately E/G#, even though E would have been fine in the flow. This is one of the reasons why it feels so grand.

In the harmonies from bars 1 to 8, you want to be aware of the speed at which you raise the pitch of the choking, and the speed and depth of the vibrato.

The first half of bar 12 means "play five notes in two beats."

2004 volume 8 guitar breakers from theydrewblood.blogspot.com

[miya-sugar-star]

REITA from the Live Tour 2022-2023 MASS “The Final” 07.15 at Nippon Budokan

[candypalace]

Translation: Heterodoxy Pamphlet. Music Writers Reflect on 20 Years of the GazettE, Part 1/6 (2002-2004)

Hello friends! As promised long long ago, I'm starting the Heterodoxy series where music writers reflect on their work with the band in the last 20 years. This might take some time since not all the texts are ready just yet, but I will do my best to finish them as quickly as I can. This is Part 1/6, hope you enjoy it!

scan credit: @rad-is-more

Text by Hiroko Yamamoto [1]

the GazettE was born in March 2002. The band was formed by Uruha and Reita, who were dear friends from elementary school, Ruki, who they crossed in the previous band (back when he was a drummer) and who later changed to vocals, and their first drummer, Yune, who also invited his buddy from a previous band, Aoi. Two months later, they played their first show at Meguro Rokumeikan, a live venue that can be described as a gateway to success for visual kei bands. Their first maxi single "Wakaremichi" has a melancholic, catchy melody and an impressive fast-paced sound. During the encore of their 20th anniversary live at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in March this year, Ruki looked back on the beginning of the band: "We are the GazettE, and 20 years ago we got together thinking this would be the last band of our lifetimes”. It was during those young days when the band was standing on the stage with recklessness and foolhardiness when such strong headbanging songs as “Kantou Dogeza Kumiai” and “Waifu” were created, yet they continue to stay popular to this day. The band's forward momentum is best represented by the time when they had to play “Kantou Dogeza Kumiai” over and over again because they didn’t have many original songs yet. While they were firing the audience up with their so-called "violent songs", they also had an amazing ability to write emotionally rich compositions with Showa-inspired melodies, such as "Juunanasai" (later included in the pamphlet with CD for their first Nippon Budokan concert). Everything in the GazettE of those early days, up to their make-up and costumes, was elusive and funny in a good way, as conveyed by "Sentimental na Onigokko", a song about bullying, which presents the listeners with a droll world view of a locked room.

The band’s first turning point came the following year. In 2003, when their first drummer left the band, Kai, with whom they had played together in session shows, quickly took his place. This made the current five members, and the band moved to a new office. It was Ruki who made a last-minute call to Kai, and the drummer had to join in right from the next day's show. From this point on the band’s rapid progress officially began. the GazettE of those times actively participated in organized taiban [2] events. They were even nicknamed “taiban killers”, as their heat-packed shows helped them steal away fans who had come to see other bands. In the next three months they released three consecutive four-track mini-albums, "COCKAYNE SOUP", "Akuyuukai" and "Spermargarita", which increased the number of their fans in geometrical progression. Incidentally, at the time they called themselves "Dai Nippon Itan Geisha Gazetto" [3]. The name derived from the thought of what the word “Visual Kei” would sound like if it was a Japanese word [4]. On their 15th anniversary in 2017, the band held a concept show at the Yoyogi National Stadium. On that stage today's the GazettE performed songs from the Dainippon Itan Geisha era, so hopefully fans who didn’t know their early days got to know them. The sense of unity between band and fans that rose steam from the live house, the "Jump to us!" screams, and the band's stage presence all developed during that exact period. Back in September of 2003, the band sold out a two-day one-man show at Takadanobaba AREA, and only four months later, in January 2004, their one-man show "JUDGMENT DAY" at SHIBUYA-AX was sold out. On the day of the show, the venue was overflowing with fans, and the venue’s doors were barely closing. The band was not informed that the tickets had been sold out until the day of the show, and how they were surprised by the scenery in front of them and the crowd’s enthusiasm almost seems funny today.

Particular about every aspect of their performances, videos, sets, playing their music live, even coming up with their own ideas for photoshoots and never stopping the work until they are satisfied – this is the GazettE. When I was covering them in a magazine for the first time, I felt that a band of an entirely new generation that took over from the royalty of Visual Kei (although there was no such term back in the day) had entered the scene. I remembered their down-to-earth attitude, in which the live show and the fans who attend it are the most important thing. I also remembered that young the GazettE had a simple goal of keeping the band going, rather than becoming a band that was listened to by a certain number of people. Come to think of it, that hasn’t changed a bit. Truly an ironclad band.

[1] Hiroko Yamamoto / Born in Tokyo. Impacted by glam and punk rock as well as blues in her college days, she started a band and spent her life immersed in music. After working for an entertainment editorial production, she became a freelance writer. She covered the GazettE for the free papers and visual-kei specific magazines like Neo Genesis. She was particularly impressed by the band’s stance with its emphasis on live performances and believing in their music and their fans without being influenced by trends or critical opinions. Currently writes columns on music, as well as films and doramas. (From the pamphlet’s credits)

[2] 対バン (taiban) - A live with several bands performing. Usually those are beginner bands that split the venue and equipment rent as well as other costs.

[3] 大日本異端芸者 (Dai Nippon Itan Geisha) can be translated as “Heretic people of art (professional performers) of the Great Japan”. We know Ruki never chooses names for anything without putting a lot of meaning into it, and I’d say there are many layers to this title as well. 

大日本 (Dai Nippon) initially referrs to the Japanese Empire (大日本帝國 Dai Nippon Teikoku, 1868–1947), which embraced the Meiji, Taishō and Shōwa eras in Japanese history, though nowadays it is considered a nationalistic way of referring to Japan. Dai Nippon expressed the overall aesthetics that the GazettE (then - Gazetto) was working with at the time: Japanese flags on the Wakaremichi cover, the silhouettes of children wearing Imperial Japan school uniforms on the COCKAYNE SOUP cover, lyrics (Oni no men) and the use of traditional melodies (Back Drop Junkie [Nancy]), their iconic indie photoshoots with lots of elements clearly inspired by Japanese culture and so on.

異端 (itan) means heresy. This word is also clearly important for the GazettE’s vision and positioning since we see it literally everywhere: in the fanclub name, 20th anniversary live name, merch etc. If we look up the meaning of the word “heresy”, we’ll see the following: “an opinion profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted”. Not only “being profoundly different” is a key principle of Visual Kei, it is also one of the grounds the GazettE exists and continues to work on.

Finally, 芸者 (geisha, “a person of art”) is a pretty well-known word internationally. While most people associate geisha with professional female performers, the Japanese word itself doesn’t have any gender markers, and the first geisha, which appeared around the first half of the 18th century, were actually male. At the same time, it might refer to the androgynous nature of Visual Kei.

[4] “Visual Kei”‎ is partially a gairaigo — a word that came from a foreign language. The question they asked themselves was “if the concept of v-kei had to be translated through the prism of Japanese culture and values, what would a Japanese word describing it sound like?” And the answer is, apparently, “heretic people of art”.

[atomomirahija]

Gigs 1996 | Chaos Tour

Translation of the first page:

Welcome to the fascinating world of B-T!!

[Budokan live performance as seen through their instruments]

The Budokan performance was a wonderful live performance that was fitting to sum up the 1996 "CHAOS" tour.

Anyway, the B-T live performance is never boring because it feels like all the actors are nicely assembled.

This excitement cannot be conveyed through a mere live report.

So this time, let's get closer to the charm of the B-T live performance through the powerful instruments used by the four members.

Reported by Akira Okamoto

Photographed by Shinya Yamada

[Esp] Traducción de la primer página:

Bienvenido al fascinante mundo de B-T!!

[Actuación en vivo del Budokan visto a través de sus instrumentos]

La actuación del Budokan fue una actuación en vivo maravillosa que encajaba bien para resumir la gira "CHAOS" de 1996.

De todos modos, la presentación en vivo de B-T nunca es aburrida porque se siente como si todos los actores estuvieran muy bien reunidos.

Este entusiasmo no se puede transmitir a través de un simple reportaje en vivo.

Así que esta vez, acerquémonos al encanto de la presentación en vivo de B-T a través de los poderosos instrumentos utilizados por los cuatro miembros.

Reportado por Akira Okamoto

Fotografiado por Shinya Yamada.

I'm unsure of the date of this magazine as I only received clippings and it wasn't specified. I assumed it is from November 1996 (Cover were with SIAM SHADE) but feel free to correct me.

[Esp] No tengo la fecha exacta de esta revista ya que solo recibí recortes y no estaba especificado. Supuse que es de noviembre de 1996 (la portada era con SIAM SHADE) pero no duden en corregirme.

[skeletoncrevvs]

crossbeat magazine, aug 2007

translation/transcription under cut

Crossbeat - AUG 2007 - TRANSLATION

PAGE 30-31 (excluding cover and contents page):

Special feature on rock legends coming to Japan

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE

AKIRA, Tekkonkinkreet, Lupin III  - "I'm attracted to works that are innovative and take on new challenges. I love them. I can't stop thinking about them."

Welcome to MCR Theatre @Budokan!! A drama of destruction and rebirth explodes in a spectacular live performance!! Japan and Manga

Interview by Takuro Ueno, interpreter: Tomoko Katsuta

We take a look at Gerard's true personality and the band's latest vision as a huge fan of the band.

Pics: Tetsuro Sato

PAGE 32:

The explosion of "Dead!", the confetti of "Welcome to the Black Parade", the flames of "Mama", the fireworks of "Disenchanted", the explosion of "Famous Last Words"! My Chemical Romance's Budokan live show was a spectacular entertainment show with plenty of gunpowder and pyro. The first half was a live performance of the album in which they dressed up as the band The Black Parade, the alter-ego of "The Black Parade", and the second half was a performance of other songs. The set was almost the same as the US tour in the spring, and the live started with "The End", in which frontman Gerard Way appeared as a patient in a white coat.

What impressed me was not only the dramatic songs that quickly became anthems, but also the presence of songs that could be called excellent supporting actors that supported the main characters. The combination of explosive guitar and beats in "This Is How I Disappear" created a sense of intense speed. In the second half, Frank Iero (G) and Ray Toro (G) strummed their guitars with complete concentration in the raging ensemble. The heavy melody gradually changed its expression, and I was also excited by "Sleep," which had a cathartic surge along with a heavyweight groove.

Bob Bryar's (Dr) powerful drumming also really came into play in this kind of song. And what was most impressive was the glimpse of Gerard's "madness" for a short time. 

There's a fine line between madness and sanity. In his sane mode, he's a geek who loves comics and games with all his heart, while in his dangerous mad mode, he explodes with emotion on stage. I think that the album "The Black Parade" is somewhere between the two, and for those wanderers whose egos tend to become unstable because of their wandering, Gerard's message is absolutely real. What I thought after seeing this live performance was that "The Black Parade" is a work that reflects the current era, and it has an immeasurable appeal to stubborn adults.

After performing the album that they had pushed themselves to the limit and creating in a lavish manner on the Budokan stage, Gerard and the other four members shed their heavy costumes and appeared in casual clothes. Behind them was a backdrop with the word "REVENGE" written in large letters, and when the life-sized My Chemical Romance performed "I'm Not Okay" and "Helena," the audience responded with a chorus of their own. Unlike the first half, there was only one flashy performance using gunpowder, and there was no confetti raining down on the audience or flames rising up. At the end, the people who stood on stage were not emo charisma, but young music-loving men who grew up in the New Jersey punk scene.

On this day, Frank joined the stage of the opening act, the melodic punk band Bouncing Souls from his hometown. Gerard asked the fans several times during his performance to give them loud cheers and applause. If you think about it objectively, you can see that Gerard's jumps and fist pumps are not cool, but I think that the attitude of "it's okay to be uncool!" is punk, and such objective opinions are not necessary for My Chemical Romance. Their performance, which was full volume and full force from start to finish, was unmistakably punk, and it is because of this blood that they are somehow hard to hate, even when viewed as a new-age rock band. My Chemical Romance, who graces the front page of this special feature on rock legends visiting Japan, have written another page in rock history with their live performance at the Budokan, but in this interview we also get a glimpse into the true face of Gerard, who loves Japan. He loves Japanese manga and anime, and when he came to Japan last time

Pic: Yuki Kuroyanagi

PAGE 33:

he even went to the cinema. When I explained the purpose of the photo on the front page, he cheerfully agreed to a two-shot with Mario, a character representing Japan.

----What kind of image did you have of Japan before?

"I was imagining the world of Ridley Scott's film, 'The Blade Runner.' I'm also a big fan of comics and Katsuhiro Otomo's work. I especially love 'AKIRA,' so I thought it would be something like the opening scene of that story, and I think that image was correct. But I ended up loving this country even more than I had imagined. I had no idea that Japanese people were people who respected others and their environment so much, and it was refreshing to be able to come into contact with such people and have such a variety of experiences before returning to America."

----You've toured to quite a few countries, but your first visit to Japan was in 2004. What were your impressions at the time?

"I feel like I've landed on Mars. And I mean that in a good way. It's completely different from any other place I've ever been to. The cityscape, the culture, everything I could see was different from any other country. I've had the chance to tour many countries, but when I went there, I was disappointed to see that there were many similarities to America, or even the same things. But Japan is original and amazing. I was fascinated by everything, from vending machines to key chains to TVs. I don't understand what they're saying when I watch TV, but there's a lot to absorb. I'm always looking for something to stimulate me, so this country is perfect for me."

----Your first live show was on the indoor stage at Summer Sonic. How did you feel about the audience's reaction? They were really excited about songs like "I'm Not Okay."

"It was amazing! I'm so glad to get such a reaction.

I never dreamed that we would get such a good response to "I'm Not Okay" in a country we visit for the first time. But it was especially special to have such a good response in Japan. The first time we played in the UK was on tour with The Used. We have a following in the UK now, but the kids who saw our show back then seemed confused about how to respond to our music. I think they liked it, but the reaction was surprisingly calm. After that, we played in a small club in Germany, and it was a big hit. Then we came to Japan and the crowd was so excited, right? It was amazing that we were able to play in front of such a large audience, but when we played "I'm Not Okay," it was even more amazing.

----After that, you did a solo tour in Japan. What is the most memorable episode from your live shows in Japan so far?

"Well... they're all great... let me think about it... there's just so much fun to be had in Japan. The last time I played at Summer Sonic (in 2006) was memorable, the day I was on the outdoor stage in front of Linkin Park. It was a big victory to be able to play at Summer Sonic again, because it was my second time playing at a stadium. At the first Summer Sonic, I was battling drugs and alcohol. So it was impressive to come back and play on that big stage and do a show in front of thousands of people. I remember being able to show a great performance."

----When you visited Japan in January this year, you apparently went to see the film "Tekkonkinkreet."

Pic: Tetsuro Sato

PAGE 34:

I love Japanese. I love the sound of it. I think it's a beautiful language. And it's especially beautiful when people are angry. Japanese is at its best when they're angry (laughs). [top quote]

"It was amazing, but unfortunately it hasn't been released in the US yet. I think it will be a hot topic because the drawing style and the content are very different from what people think of when they think of anime. It was my first time going to a Japanese movie theater. You choose your seat and sit there. And everyone was quiet. I don't know if the movie was boring or if people in Japan watch movies quietly, but everyone stayed seated until the end credits, so it seemed like they liked the movie. But the only one who was laughing was my friend who went with me. It was kind of awkward. I didn't understand the language, so maybe I was laughing at scenes I shouldn't have laughed at? No, I think I laughed at scenes I should have laughed at, but everyone was quiet, so after laughing a few times, I decided to watch quietly (laughs)."

----(laughs) What other Japanese manga and anime do you like?

"I like all the works of Matsumoto Taiyo, the writer of ‘Tekkonkinkreet,’ and I respect Otomo Katsuhiro, who I think is a genius. I also like Tezuka Osamu, the godfather of this world, who wrote ‘Astro Boy.’ I also like ‘Lupin III’ and ‘Science Ninja Team Gatchaman.’ I'm always discovering new things from Japanese creators, and they often surprise me. I'm attracted to works that are innovative and try new things. I'm not interested in anime where giant robots fight other robots. It's just a melodrama with big robots in it."

----After graduating from art school, you worked as an animator for a while.

"I was working on a cartoon called "Sheep in the Big City" (a TV series that aired on the American cable TV channel Cartoon Network). It was completely different from Japanese animation, and the creator, Mo Willems (a popular animation artist known for his picture books such as "Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale" and "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!"), was influenced by 50s limited animation (animation that simplifies the character's movements) such as "Gerald McBoing-Boing".  But I was too young to watch the works of that era in real time, so I didn't really understand them when I was working (laughs)."

----By the way, what kind of comics did you draw?

"I drew [a] really crazy black and white comic. It was about two brothers who work as piano movers. They're said to be the best piano movers in the world, but they’re really not that good. I was inspired by American directors like Terry Gilliam (the director of "Brazil" and "12 Monkeys") and [the] Fritz Lang's film "Metropolis." I drew a dark and eccentric world. It was so outlandish that I got a ton of rejection letters from publishers (laughs). People seemed to have trouble figuring out how to sell it.”

----So from your perspective, what did you think of this work, which was painted with a uniquely Japanese touch?

"First of all, I'm attracted to the art. Look at Otomo's work. Just a single character standing in ruins creates a certain kind of image. That image is burned into your brain. That's why I'm so attracted to Otomo's work. He sometimes puts a twist on it and depicts an unrealistic world. That's what I like about him."

----You've loved comics and video games since you were a child, and that hasn't changed at all.

"Yes. I like video games because they are simply fun and a great way to kill time. I think online games on the Internet are fun because you can play them with your friends. When you're on tour like this, it's hard to meet up with your friends back home. Being able to play with them is one of the attractions.

The appeal of comics is... I love classic science fiction. I'm a big fan of the original Star Trek and The Twilight Zone. Planet of the Apes is good too. The appeal of comics is that anything is possible. You can express anything." 

----You also said in a 2004 interview with this magazine you also check out Japanese bands on YouTube. You mentioned Guitar Wolf, Cornelius, and Michelle Gun Elephant. What attracted you to them? 

"Their intensity. And the way they take music from a certain era and make it new with their own interpretation. Guitar Wolf is especially crazy! Their interpretation of rock and roll is amazing, and that's what makes them great. Their recklessness, that off-tune sound, that craziness! It's like they're playing a cheap tape recorder.”

PAGE 35:

There is an album with a sound that makes you think they just recorded it in a live recording session. But when you get down to it, it's not the sound or the songs, but their unconventionality that gets to the essence of rock and roll. I don't understand the lyrics, but the language difference doesn't matter. The energy of the vocals conveys everything. I love Japanese. I love the sound of it, I think it's a beautiful language, and it's especially beautiful when it's angry. Yes, Japanese is at its best when it's angry (laughs). That's why I love Guitar Wolf."

----I see. That makes sense (laughs). This is your fifth visit to Japan. What does Japan mean to you?

"Japan is a place that continues to inspire me. The more I come to Japan, the more I learn.

You get to know more places, and you get to meet new friends. The record company staff are my friends. The more people I know, the more I get to know Japanese people. I get inspired by them. I think the respect Japanese people have for each other is amazing. I like how they take pride in everything they do. And it's human. Even in things that seem impersonal, like computer manufacturing, you can feel the handcrafted attention to detail and craftsmanship. Japanese people value tradition and history. People from other countries are always thinking about the future and forget that the past is just as important as the present and the future.

----You've probably been to a lot of different spots, but have you been to Akihabara in Tokyo? 

"Hmm? What's it like there?"

----Home electronics have always been popular. There are lots of computers and electronic parts.

"Well, I guess I haven't been there yet. I heard there's a place in Tokyo that sells a lot of comics and manga? I'd really like to go there this time. I've mainly only been to Harajuku and Shibuya."

----That place is probably Akihabara. Personally, I also recommend Broadway in Nakano, but Akihabara is not only a comic book town, but it's also a crazy town where you can see adult women dressed as maids these days, so I definitely recommend you go there at least once!

"Oh, I've heard of it! I read it in a book. Also, a book called "Love Hotel" was recently published, so I'm thinking of reading it. It's a book about love hotels in Japan. Usually, foreigners can't enter those kinds of places.

Pic: Yuki Kuroyanagi

PAGE 36:

It's only recently that I've felt like I'm growing steadily. Before that, it felt like everything was moving so fast, and I wasn't able to cope as a person with that. Now that I'm moving forward at a steady pace, I'm adapting to the changes. [top quote]

Apparently, they were not allowed to take photos, but the author's female photographer was allowed to do so. The maid cafe also looks interesting. What place was it called again?

----Akihabara.

"There are comics there too?"

----Yes. Now, please tell us about this memorable Budokan live. Will it be with the same set and production as the US tour that was just recently?

"Yeah, we brought as much of the same set as possible. The Budokan has strict rules about pyro, but we're using the same equipment that Kiss used in Japan. So it's different from what we use in the US, but if Kiss gave us the OK, we thought we could accept it. In fact, we found that some of the things we use in the US set were unnecessary. For example, we didn't bring the ruins of a big building that we had at the back of the stage this time. It would take too long to send it to Japan. But the costumes and backdrops are all the same... and we'll use confetti, too. It's pretty much the same. But the most important thing is that the band is in top condition. We've been doing the set we're doing now for almost six months, and the composition of "The Black Parade" is perfect. That's the most important thing."

----The set list is divided into two parts, the first half is The album "The Black Parade" by The Black Parade, which can be said to be the alter ego of My Chemical Romance,and the second half is a return to My Chemical Romance and performance of other songs.

"That's right. I wanted to play all the songs on the new album. I wanted to do it in a big way. I didn't want to do it in pieces, so it just naturally came out like this. I also wanted to do something that would change from the beginning to the end of the show. So in the first half, we played a big performance with a big production, and in the second half, we stripped everything away and played our original selves. We wanted to show the core of the band. It was natural that it would be structured like this. The album is about an hour long, so it's not something that you normally hear. That's the length of a standard set. And then we do an encore in the remaining 30 minutes. But we don't like encores. We think it's arrogant to wait for the audience to applaud before going on stage, so after the first part, we go back[stage] and come out again at our own pace to show our support. [our appreciation (?)]"

----For some musicians, the stage is a place where they feel alive and can become their true selves, but what do live performances mean to you right now?

"It's a place where you feel alive. At the same time, it's a place where you can have a control that you don't have in your everyday life, and you can lose yourself. In other words, anything is possible. You can be very honest and let everything out. You can't experience that in your everyday life. From what I've seen of Japanese culture and what I've heard from Japanese kids, it's hard to express yourself with words in this country, so Japanese people express themselves through the clothes they wear. That's the case in America too, so for me, the stage is a place where I can say anything. Even if I'm opening for someone, once I'm on stage I can do anything. As long as I respect the band that's coming up after me, I can do anything."

----This summer you'll be touring with Linkin Park. How did this tour come about?

"They asked me to be their opening act. I was honored and really surprised because I'd never thought about it like that. They said, 'We're releasing a new album. We're going on tour soon, do you want to join us?' Of course I accepted."

----They're bands that have been active in a different scene than you, but there are some similarities between you and them, like the enthusiastic support of your fans and your commitment to art outside of music.

"That's right. The commonality between the two bands is that they have passionate fans who love music. Their new work is also very challenging. I think their fans are very smart because they can understand that. That means their fans could become our fans too. We like to tour with intelligent bands. That's why we toured the US with Muse recently. To really understand their music, you have to love it from the bottom of your heart. Of course, their songs are often played on the radio and are hits all over the world, but to really understand their music, you have to be sensitive. We like to tour with intelligent bands, and that's why we decided to tour with Linkin Park. I think they're very smart people.

----They have had successful arena tours in the US and the UK, and have conquered the Budokan in Japan.  How do you feel about the band's current state as it continues to grow?

"I feel great. It was only recently that I felt like we were growing steadily. Up until then, it felt like everything was moving at an incredible speed, and as people, I wasn't able to cope with that situation. But now we're moving forward at a steady pace, so I'm adapting to the changes."

----What direction do you want to take the band in the future?

"Well, I'm not sure if we want to get bigger. There are already people who enjoy our music. I'm happy to be welcomed by a larger audience, but we're not struggling to survive in this world. Actually, I miss playing small venues these days. At the same time, I want to play shows at legendary places, and I want to think about where I'll play in the future. Maybe it's one way to stop playing shows like we do now, and make the days we do play very special. I don't know if the band needs to get any bigger. I'm very happy with the situation. But I think we need to explore more creatively. ■

Pic: Tetsuro Sato

------

OP NOTE: this translation is ROUGH from google - i tried my best to make sense of some more of the questionable parts. please feel free to message me if i made any mistakes!

[himeeiime]

【Freddie Mercury ❣】

My Favorite looks from Freddie Mercury 💌 He's such a fashion iconnnn ♡

╭┈──── (starting from the top right) ──────╮

Queen - Live At The Rainbow, London, 1974

Queen - Live in Houston, 1977

Queen - A Night at the Odeon Hammersmith, 1975

Queen - Sheer Heart Attack Tour '75 Nippon Budokan, Tokyo Japan

╰──────────────────────────────╯

[thegazette5]

reita wiping his tears with aoi's t-shirt sleeve 😂🤔🥲

screenshot from standing live tour 2006 (nameless liberty.six guns) tour final - budokan

[putschki1969]

Some Kalafina Updates

We got a new Kyoichi Sato blog post today and there was brief mention of Kalafina (he probably received a few inquiries and was asked about his opinion). While he kept it quite vague (probably to not step on anyone's toes during these tense circumstances), he still made his joy and support obvious by referring to one of his old blog posts where he shared a lot of his feelings regarding Kalafina.

2024/10/09 Random Diary "Autumn Rain 2024"

P.S. I can offer no information regarding the whole Kalafina incident. However, my feelings are still as stated in the P.S. I wrote in my blog post on July 16, 2022, "Return of the Rainy Season 2022."

I posted about it back in the day. Here's the relevant part:

PS: I would like to talk a little more about Kalafina. Kaji-chan and Mori-san were the ones to cultivate the soil and to sow the seeds but it was the tireless effort of the three members that made this wonderful flower of music bloom to its full potential (and maybe us musicians also contributed a little bit with our slender means). Their hard work is the vertical thread that is running through 10 years worth of music, starting from the theme songs of “Garden of Sinners” right up until their final live at Nippon Budokan. And then we have the fans who have been supporting Kalafina throughout the years, they make up the horizontal thread. Together they are woven into the most beautiful and amazing tapestry. This tapestry is still in my heart and will continue to shine brightly until the end of time. It would make me very happy knowing that for all the fans, Kalafina’s music also represents an ever-lasting beautiful tapestry.

The tapestry talk is a reference to a song called "Ito". Be sure to listen Wakana’s cover of “Ito”.

..••°°°°••….••°°°°••….••°°°°••….••°°°°••….••°°°°••….••°°°°••..

Other than that, it has been very quiet on the Kalafina front. No social media updates from the girls. Not even any of the regular posts and streams (such as Hi's Youtube updates or her Music Champ live streams). I guess they are still trying to lay low to avoid any more direct backlash. I wonder if we'll get at least a proper video message or something for tomorrow's ticket lottery launch. I mean, they can't remain quiet forever, right?? Let's hope for the best!! *fingers crossed* I'll probably die if I see all three of them interact on video again XD

[xinfinityl0ve17]

Kami

"On stage, I enter an unrealistic world, so sometimes when I see the audience, my excitement can drop, but I don't mean anything by it. By playing catch with the fans, we experience various things together to explore what it means to be human. Fans and Malice are like liquids, and in that, a formal relationship cannot be established.

From the 'transparent field' of 'Ville de Merveilles,' we are exploring one side of them but to be straightforward i try to ask Gackt about the meaning of the overall concept of the live performance. He often says that we get asked about the meaning of the concept but it would get confusing to talk about the answer if you don't understand the problems we are presenting. There's a time lag in our live performances and i think if you watch the performance you will understand what kind of problems we were presenting. Therefore, if you watch the next Budokan performance you will understand what it was last time. There, even if we don’t present the answer you may understand what the theme was. It might be something that you can’t grasp, because it depends on how a person feels. It's not just about watching the live performance having fun and that’s the end of it.

Mana also continues the conversation. 'There might be secrets on the top floor of Budokan. Malice is linked in various places...'

In fact, after this interview ended, Gackt asked me, 'Do we say too many things we can't say?' That might be true but conversely there may not be any other band that provides this much enjoyment in unraveling the mysteries. It could be said that they offer the joy of thinking together with them.

They have held the same unchanging theme of 'what it means to be human' since their formation, but i think they are trying to approach this grand theme from different angles in each part of their activities. If we compare it to a role playing game, if the mysteries scattered around the map were too easy to solve the game wouldn't work. The important thing is to think together with them, to send back the ripple as a mirror and the answer will come later.

In the album 'mer・veillea,' which will be released on March 18 various waves are included and the abundance of 80's electro pop style arrangements caught my attention. When i asked Mana who frequently mentioned the term '80s' this time , about it he responded, 'There is a bit of meaning in the number 80.'

This also allows the listener to imagine more. Finally, I will record a few more words from Gackt to stir even more imagination:

'Ville de Merveilles' is not just something futuristic. The beginning and the end are always back to back.'"

[buck-tick-stash]

BUCK-TICK 現象 2023, my experience

Nippon Budokan was absolutely packed.

As the start time drew near, for half a moment, I had a daymare that Atsushi Sakurai would, physically, appear on stage. That his death had been a stunt all a long. Ridiculous to think, but even that horrible, cruel scenario would be preferable to the reality that we continue in a world where he no longer exists.

And here, what was to happen on stage? The rhythm section's platform, the drums, the guitars, the chairs, all laid out as usual, but the center mic stand was missing. I gasped as I realized Sakurai's masks were laid out, as well as candles ready in a candelabra.

The lights dimmed and the boys came on, one at a time, as they always had.

Toll and Imai wore spectacular costumes. Toll was in all red accented in black with matching gloves, as if taking on the concert's newly adopted logo in total. Imai, ever wild and challenging, came with blazing red hair, matching red fur platform boots with glittering silver heels, screaming gold spandex tights, and a carpet-like top with a kimono-like right sleeve. Both of Imai's and Toll's tops sparkled.

Yuta and Hide were more subdued, with Yuta in dark, gemtone amethyst and Hide in loosely flowing silver.

Then spot lights shining straight down from the ceiling above struck stage front center. The ghost of Sakurai, in the form of this memory, in the space that had always been his, was being honored. Had the spot been blocked off by a border of shimenawa, the hemp fiber rope and white lightning paper that marks the holy ground of gods, it would not have been out of place.

Music was already playing, Shippuu no Blade Runner, but no hint of vocals came across. I listened to the crowd to see if they were going to—if they were even expected to—sing in Sakurai's stead. They readily raised their arms, bouncing to the beat, as if this were any other concert, but the vocals remained bare. The background screen split five ways with two each of the living members on either side, while the center section remained dark. Sakurai was missing. The song's end was followed by a standard applause, along with a few cries of "Acchan!"

By contrast, the second song, Dokudanjou Beauty immediately featured a track of Sakurai's voice, taken or blended from previous live events. A few tears broke among the audience, but the mood went up in general, and the crowd was readily engaged in the song's call and answer.

For much of the show, this pattern continued. Some wails, much cheering and waving, and no shortage of calling Acchan's name. From time to time, there were more notable reactions.

Gustave's distinct first meow from Imai's guitar received audible sobs, followed by enthusiastic dance, pawing at the air, and singing along.

I broke at Aishi no Rock Star, which featured dual vocals from Sakurai and the late Issay, along with their performance at Toll's "It's a NOW" 60th birthday gig projected on the back screen.

Sakura stung especially, but was equally poignant. All the sentiments that Sakurai had laid bare were now shared by the audience and band and redirected at him. Single arms rose (as their partners were busy clasping mouths and gripping tissues) toward the screens and light projections of sakura branches losing their petals in the song's final refrain.

A completely robed stage hand came to the dark stage to light the candelabra in sync with the projection of Sakurai as Romance began to play. They gently brought the stand to stage front center, and I think most of us in the audience watched those candles burn through the song.

Like Sakura, Taiyo to Icaros was recolored by the new context.

Had only such songs been played, the concert would have been maudlin, but Go-Go B-T Train, Future Song, and Boogie Woogie balanced the mourning with an upbeat, celebratory and playful tones.

And then there was Memento Mori. I could not have been more grateful to hear this song, not simply because it's one of my favorites, but because it's perhaps the most characteristic of Imai's approach and message during this entire trying period. Nor was it lost on the crowd, who seemed to be waving and dancing more furiously in defiance of grief at the chorus.

Muma, The Nightmare was a choice… I found myself crying at the first image of Sakurai against a brilliant white Christian cross behind him, singing of Hell in Heaven-like lighting. As the song progressed, the live stage before us was accented in red, very especially the grate beneath stage front center, which was now also spewing mist, and with the red light, appeared as fire.

I came to have a feeling of confidence as the song went on, as I was watching the crowd enthusiastically waving their hands along. Sakurai's voice could easily tell this story because he was acting out the part, not because he was living it. And even had there been such a moment on his journey in Bardo, one could easily infer such suffering as temporarily Christlike, the preamble to the joyous ascent to Heaven.

The remaining songs were playful and hopeful, though I found Na Mo Naki Watashi difficult not to cry through entirely.

Before the last song, the boys all sat, and the lights came up a bit as they addressed the audience directly.

Yuta spoke first and was quick to tears as he said that, while he was uncertain of the future, he knew that Buck-Tick will always be five members. As his voice cracked, the audience also broke. Sobs remained audible throughout.

Toll noted the rare show of Yuta's vulnerability, and admitted that, at first, he did not know whether Buck Tick would continue or not, but that the immense support of the fans gave him the drive to, and that Imai and Hide had no shortage of songs left to compose.

Hide connected the audience's nervousness with his own, but spoke softly and reassuringly. "The Parade will continue."

Imai floored me.

Imai's recent posts on Instagram show a man who's pushing forward. Granted, not in a brutish, shaming way, but he shows little sadness, if any. He just spend a day chatting up a god of contentedness along one of his shrine visits. Combine this with his reputation for suffering no fools, and he would seem the type to keep a stiff upper lip and expect others to do the same.

Instead he said, 
"It's okay to be sad. It's okay to cry. It's okay. But please don't suffer."

Such sentiments are exceedingly rare in Japan's gaman culture. To hear such kindness shook me, as did the rest of Imai's speech.

That he did not believe Sakurai was in Heaven, but rather, that he was here, now, remaining in the presence of the band.

That they would continue to make music. That they would have another album.

That "one day, there will only be three members." (And here, the audience wailed.) "And one day, two." (Again.) "And finally, one. I wonder if that will be me. But I'll continue the Parade, and I'll take everyone with me. And so, raise your glasses for a toast. To you, to your return. Share your stories of Buck-Tick and Acchan, please."

After New World as a finale, the credits, which featured music and tour videos from their past decades together, ended with the announcement that they would return to perform at Nippon Budokan in 2024.

[freddiemercurylegendabovelegends]

February 17th, 1981 - Queen Story!

Queen perform at the Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan, during 'Short Japanese 'Flash Gordon' tour' - ('The Game' tour)

📸 Source photo “Queen - Live Tour in Japan 1975-1985″ book

➡️ This photo could be from any of the five nights in Tokyo in February 1981

[yridenergyridenergy]

Hi hope you doing well I wanted you to help me if you can cause it is beyond my power,I'm so sorry for making trouble for you and thanks anyway

Hello everybody, wish great things for all of you

I don't know how many people will read this ,I think nobody care about what I think and what i want so I thought that this place is good to talk,I'm actually don't like to talk I always think I will take people time

I live in a small town in iran ,well I think having dreams for me was always sin japanese rock really changed my life, I had goal after that but it seems I'm always so weak for having dream ,I really liked buck-tick songs their songs was really life saver I really liked atsushi voice after that I listened to dir en grey songs it was very special and different also seeing people like me for the first time made me really happy cause toshiya's personality was really same as me ,after few weeks I watched Nippon budokan dir en grey 2014 at YouTube and I saw fans happiness at the live and from that day I think that I want to be a rock star at japan and wanted to see all of them ,I told my parents that I want to play electric guitar but they didn't allowed me at first and I was so sad after 6 months they told me that if you want to learn first you should learn classic guitar so I went for two years and now after two years I found that at the beginning they just wanted to play with me and they didn't wanted me to play guitar and didn't want to let me go to japan ,now the only think I have is my tears ,when I talk about rock that makes them angry I wrote this to ask you fans if you can tell the dir en grey that there was a girl that wanted to be a guitarist I really want to be a guitarist and I need help ,I am very limited, so I ask for your help

Hello! I sincerely apologize for the delay.

I've been pondering over this ever since you sent me this plea. It would be odd for someone else to send your message to Dir en grey, because then it's more like hearsay and it could seem like a story.

Your best option would be to communicate with Kaoru via TheTheDay, I think. Because he is a guitarist, but also because I think he's more likely to read fan messages and maybe respond. Shinya is guaranteed to read such communications too, but he might not reply seeing as it is a personal message rather than a question, and he's a drummer.

TheTheDay is run through the co-yomi platform, so I don't think overseas fans had as much difficulty registering on that than with the freewill-online sites.

Being a rock star is quite the dream to have! Few people make it into a band, and even fewer actually taste popularity and success. It's never too late - you can at least keep it as a hobby and explore your avenues. Good luck!

[miya-sugar-star]

葵 from the Live Tour 2022-2023 MASS “The Final” 07.15 at Nippon Budokan Documentary

[aois-amaterasu-painting]

Aoi Twitter 2023:

10 Jan: "I've been working on melodies with Ruki's voice in mind for the first time in a while, and my head is so filled with Ruki that it’s almost like I’m in love. …Maybe, just maybe, I’m actually Ruki, and he's Aoi… Ugh, my head!"

10 Jan: "By the way, I’m just playing around, trying to figure out what kind of approach would be interesting—like a sketch or something—so, sh-sh-sh-sh-sh, it's not hinting at a new release or anything!"

13 Jan (Taujan QT): "I’m sorry to bring up something personal, but I just want everyone to celebrate this with me. Hara-san turned one of the few genuinely straight feelings in my twisted heart into a new item. I’m heading to Hiroshima to get it stamped. 🫶"

19 Jan: "Happy birthday to me Happy birthday to me Happy birthday dear myself Happy birthday to me ふぅ🎂🤧"

21 Jan: (*ﾟωﾟ)っ The drawings you all made were beautiful and super cool, and I was really happy. Thank you!"

26 Jan: "Recently, I occasionally get the urge to live deep in the mountains. I wonder if it's some kind of sign? 🤔 Nah, it's probably because I’ve been watching videos of people building cabins in the mountains on YouTube before bed. The sounds of chopping wood or digging the earth in the quiet help me sleep well, that's all. But while the guy looks satisfied making a bed out of wood, I’m thinking, 'No, it’s way too hard…'"

1 Feb: "Man, I was just thinking, 'Oh, it's still only 11:30,' and now the next moment is already here—time flies. For real. HBD RUKI 🎂 I’ll send him a message in the morning. 💌"

17 Feb: "There are only a few left, though there’s a slight chance some remain. by Nietzsche"

25 Feb: "By the way, this time the bear is a rabbit because it's the Year of the Rabbit. There's no twist, but I think it turned out looking cool and kinda like me, don't you think? 🤔 Oh, and by the way, the hood can’t be taken off, so if you try to pull it off forcefully, the brain will jiggle."

10 Mar: "Everyone is really good at drawing. I’m super grateful, really grateful. ┏○))"

15 Mar: "It seems like there's a camera around here somewhere... nichaa (grinning mischievously)"

16 Mar: "I tried to look cool and show off a bit. There's this book called Daimyo Tōsan (The Daimyo's Bankruptcy) that seems interesting—it’s a two-volume set. Since I’ve already got it, I’ll read it on my way to Tokyo."

27 Mar: "It's cloudy today. But I believe there is light ahead."

27 Mar: "Right? This band is so cool. Walking this path with them and all of our fans, I’ve never had a day where I didn’t want that to continue. During the MASS tour, I was so happy to enjoy it to the fullest again today. I can shine because the members are here, and you’re all by my side. I’ll continue to grow and return before you even better! Thank you again for today 😘."

27 Mar: "I selfishly hope you’ll witness who we are now. Precisely because we’ve been through so much, I want to share this space with you all, as a kind of turning point, and take steps toward the next future together. So, let’s meet at Nippon Budokan on July 15th! I’ll be waiting for you <3."

31 Mar: "I’ll let you in on a little secret: my headbanging masters are you band girls. It’s beautiful, isn’t it? All of you headbanging."

3 Apr: "I’M WAITING FOR YOU."

4 Apr: "I generously gave water to quench everyone’s thirsty (probably about now, I’d say) hearts, yet there aren’t enough likes. And now my heart has dried up. Oh no, should I cry now? glances"

6 Apr "Seeing Kai’s tweet made me wonder, what was I called again? Was it Aoi-sama⤴︎ぁ🫶 or something like that?"

8 Apr Uruha: "I missed the timing to post this during the tour, so here's a shot with REITA from Sendai that's been maturing in my folder for a while‼︎"

Reita QT: "Call me the guardian deity of Wi-Fi 😎."

10 Apr: "That thing on Ruki’s Instagram, it’s totally premium content. On one hand, I feel like you should accept it as a special discount service item, but honestly, I took an even better pose just before that. I bet it was so divine that Ruki thought your hearts wouldn’t be able to handle it. But still, I kind of want to break your hearts before Budokan."

10 Apr: Ruki 🫴

Aoi QT: "Good evening. It's VISUAL GOD."

10 Apr: "Ahh, sorry about that. While everyone’s excited before the show, we were just messing around backstage 💦 But once the show starts, we’ll shine like stars. I mean, a light that can’t be contained is a crime, right? 💁 On a different note, anyone who calls me Professor Snape is getting Sectumsempra’d. I haven’t seen a single movie, but it must be amazing, right?"

12 Apr Reita: "The correct answer is 'DECADE.' You all are amazing. Since there are so many correct answers, the rhythm section will give you a present 🎁."

12 Apr: "While I’ve been secretly practicing, the deadline for the super fast pre-sale is approaching. Worship me."

15 Apr "Lately, my morning routine has been waking up and checking Twitter for the GazettE-related topics, but this morning I came across something unpleasant, and even a Buddha like me couldn’t help but turn into a hannya. I guess there really are people out there with rotten hearts—I thought it was just an urban legend."

15 Apr "Since I am a Visual God, I’d prefer to avoid making statements like this, but since the opportunity has presented itself, I thought I’d make things clear. Anyway, that’s how it is. I truly want everyone to enjoy themselves, and we’ll do our utmost to make sure that happens. See you later ✋"

18 Apr "Thanks so much for all the applications for the fastest fan club pre-sale! I'll be pouring love into you on the day, so look forward to it 🤤"

25 Apr "I've opened a new door. I am satisfied 🫶"

28 Apr ‹‹\(´ω` )/››‹‹\( ´)/›› ‹‹\( ´ω`)/›› m9っ`･ω･´)＜OHAYO!!

11 May "Did you know that I’m the type who wants to be left alone but also wants to feel wanted?"

14 May "Today is Mother's Day, a day to give thanks to Mother Earth and the great oceans. Dedicate yourself to me 🕴"

22 May "This is an ad 💁I watch. You watch. We are friends 👯‍♀️"

25 May "It seems I’ve been away from here for two days. The human heart is fleeting, so maybe no one remembers me anymore. How sad."

26 May "Ngogogogogo… (The sound of the gods stepping down on the earth as they now prepare to rise)."

27 May "I’m planning to celebrate the 20th anniversary with you all again in the digital realm starting at 9 PM today. (☝︎ ՞ਊ ՞)☝︎ Let’s get hyped!"

27 May "HBD MY BRO."

Uruha: "I’m really sorry for completely ignoring Aoi-san during the solo in REGRET! 🙇haha"

Aoi QT: "It’s okay. I’m used to it…"

27 May "I forgot, but I’m actually in the GazettE. Watching their videos, I realized again how cool they are, and now I’m feeling embarrassed about my previous tweets…"

9 Jun "HBD URUHA🎂"

14 Jun "I'm sure you're all lonely without me here, right?"

24 Jun "I don't really need it for live shows, but I ended up buying an amp♡"

5 July "Honestly, I can manage to do pretty much anything. The only thing I'm really bad at is probably love. July 5, 2023 - Cloudy the GazettE Aoi"

5 July: Uruha: "The first day of band rehearsal is over! I had a problem with the LCD display on my pedal not showing anything and I couldn't use the touch controls, but I guess it's just a scratch. 😭

Aoi QT: "A scratch can be a fatal wound, you know. ʅ（◞‿◟）ʃ Well, it’s quite sensitive."

12 July: "The string broke. That’s a bad omen. I thought a hannya was reflected in my phone as I typed this, but it was just me. Cursed."

16 July: "(It might seem random, but I want to leave here what I wanted to say on stage yesterday. Despite how I may seem, I’m actually the type to carefully draft my love letters to everyone multiple times.)"

"Everyone, thank you so much for coming today.

It’s been a little over two years since we released 'MASS.'

We've faced countless hardships, but thanks to being able to perform live so many times and receiving energy from all of you each time, we've safely made it to this stage today.

When what was 'normal' was no longer normal, we wanted to respond to the feelings of everyone who still came out to see us. So, we approached each performance with even more dedication and care than before. Through this process, I discovered my own potential and the band's possibilities, and I've come to realize that you all are more important to us than ever.

To carry forward the discoveries and the important connections that 'MASS' has brought to us, we want to keep moving forward, step by step, steadily.

I want to do more with all of you and see new sights together. That’s how I’m feeling right now.

Thank you so much for today. Please enjoy yourselves to the fullest until the very end!"

19 Sep "I left my youth at Nippon Budokan on July 15th, and now there’s a void in my heart. Back then, my hair only reached my shoulders, but now it’s grown long enough to use it as a jump rope. I’d love to do MASS tour again."

23 Nov "I’m guessing that by now, everyone’s starting to feel a bit starved of the GazettE."

24 Nov "Good morning. I'm glad I was able to go for a ride before things get really busy. The weather feels great ☀︎"

14 Dec Uruha: My AirPods Pro Max broke, so I came to get them repaired. It looks like it’s going to take a while to fix… When did they become the number one thing that would be a pain if it broke?

Aoi QT: For me number one thing is the bond with the fans and the members, but it's different for Uru-pon? 🥺

Uruha QT: "Our bond should be fine, if you are calling me Uru-pon. Lol"

[music-polls]

Choose Wisely...

Tumblr only allows 12 poll choices so I know some good albums have been left out. (Judas Priest, Aerosmith, Neil Young, Rainbow, etc.) If you don't see your favorite add it in a comment or a tag.