Interview with Gertena

GERTENA is a visual rock band who wishes to wipe away past traumas and fetters, by pushing people’s backs to not give up! That being said, it also goes for the members, they are serious bandman who have been on stage for a long period already and know how to keep touching everyone’s heart. You might fall in love with the power of Agato’s voice. Musically wise Gt. Satsuki and Gt. Youth.K.End are doing an amazing job to create songs which are in harmony with Agato’s. Whenever you like pop, rock or metal…there is maybe a song you will like! Well, I hope you will enjoy this interview. 

We thank GERTENA for this second interview!
Our first interview was at the beginning of your activity and a lot has happened during this time, so let’s talk about various things which happened during this year.

■ First of all, how is everyone doing? How is life going?

Agato: Lately, I’ve been busy with touring, recordings and live shows, but it gives a very fulfilling feeling.

Satsuki: I’m so busy with creating music, touring with the band and other productions.

Youth･K･End: The current schedule is a bit or hard to handle so I’m physically tired, but we have been able to do various of very fulfilling band activity.

Nao: I’m practising my drums skills, from basic play to how to play the songs the best live.

Reno: I’m reviewing recent live shows and reviewing songs.

■ Since this year is already almost at his end. How do you look back on it? Was it a hard activity year? Were there any happenings which made you proud or gave you other emotions? Please tell us a little bit about it. 

Agato: This year was full of ups and downs, I cried, laughed, got angry and was happy. I think the best thing about this year was that Nao decided to join us as he supported us a lot. 

Satsuki: This year felt so far the busiest year of my musical life. But this year I also was able to learn a lot of new things and could improve my skills a lot too.

Youth･K･End: Touring, recording, and other kind of productions are normal for band activities, but looking back it really feels we have done a lot. The best thing is that we are still around and continue with GERTENA.

Nao: After I joined GERTENA, we performed in various cities and so I’ve encountered lots of (new) people as well.

Reno: Anyway, it was a year in which many things happened and it was also the most frustrating year ever. The best thing about this year was that I had the opportunity to create music together everyone of GERTENA.

■ Have you accomplished some of your goals? If so, which goals?

Agato: Firstly, with our hands we created GERTENA, we experienced various things with our own strength, we were able to build a base from stuff we learned that we can use in the future as well. Also we managed to hold a oneman. 

Satsuki: Anyway, we have been working with the sole intention of making GERTENA known to as many people as possible.
We have performed various lives and we have gone on tours. 
Personally I also play as a support guitarist and have played overseas.
I continually try to get people to know GERTENA, by getting them to know about me. Even though I don’t think I achieved that goal enough yet, I still was able to focus on that goal. 

When JRNR published the first interview, drummer Nao didn’t join the band yet.
■ To Nao: Please introduce yourself to our readers by telling something interesting about yourself. Why did you decide to join GERTENA? Also was there a reason why you didn’t join the demo lives?

Nao: I fell in love with GERTENA’s music, and I was anxious about joining an original band for the first time, but it dissolved as I spent time with the members.

One of the most recent happenings is that RENKA sadly had to leave due to his sickness. 
We are all hoping he is doing well and can come back to the stage someday! However a new support member joined which is a familiar face to JRNR. Reno is back! (smile) 
■ Could you please tell our readers why you all decided to ask Reno to play the bass as a support member?

Reno: Agato-san contacted me and asked me if I could play bass as support until RENKA-san would be back and so I decided to support. Unfortunately, RENKA decided to withdraw from the band, and until otherwise decided I continue to participate as a support bassist.

■To Reno: You also played in Tokami together with Agato. How does it feel to play in the same band together again? 

Reno: I am genuinely happy to be on stage with Agato again, no matter the reason. Compared to when we were both in Tokami, our playstyles have changed a lot, but our stage habits haven’t changed and a big plus is that we’re able to perform without thinking difficult. Without any doubts, Agato is still the best and greatest vocalist ever!

■To Agato: How does it feel to have Reno back in your band? 

Agato: I’ve been working with Reno for a long time already and we went through hard and difficult times, good and bad times, so I felt really happy when he agreed to support GERTENA.

■ I’m sure some of your fans are worried about RENKA. So how is RENKA doing? Is he recovering well?

Agato: Recently, it seems that RENKA has been discharged from the hospital and is leading a regular life at his home. But he seems fine after we called for the last time. 

■ You released your 1st mini-album [VANITAS] earlier this year.
I feel a bit surprised that “ALIVE” isn’t on this mini-album. Is there a reason for this?

Satsuki: We only wanted to include something new for people to listen to.

Youth･K･End: The most simple reason for ALIVE not to be included is that it’s a limited single and can be only obtained at live venues. Personally I also wish that people who saw our live and really enjoyed GERTENA to get it. Yet, I can’t promise it, but who knows we might included it in another album in the future. (laugh)

Anyway, [VANITAS] Is a wonderful mini-album which has great deepness in each song. It really touches your heart even if you haven’t paid attention to the lyrics yet, it just lets your body move around.
■ Could you please explain each song lyric wise and musically wise?

MINI ALBUM [VANITAS] (By Agato)
Lyrics:
2.VISOR… Two people who don’t know each other and never saw each other’s faces, have a forbidden one-night stand and fall in love.
3.UNCHAIN… When you feel lost in life, release yourself not for someone’s else’s sake, but only for yourself.
4.BITES… Everyone has an animalistic or wild part hidden inside, right? This song is abstractly written about that part.
5.PRISM…There is nobody who will reach out to you when you feel depressed. In the end, you have no choice but to get back up on your feet by yourself. 
6.PEEPING HOLE… Freakshow. vitrine doll.

Song writing/composition:
1.ELEMENT (SE)
Youth･K･End: I was struggling through a lot of trial and error with the premise of creating the SE. And then one day while riding my bicycle, the prototype composition for ELEMENT popped into my mind.

2.VISOR 3.UNCHAIN 4.BITES 5.PRISM 6.PEEPING HOLE
Satsuki: I wrote the original music for the following songs, but it is not a matter of how to write each song, but rather, each time I thought something cool at the time, or a cool phrase came to my mind during my daily life, and then the songs naturally spread out. The rest was up to the power of members who added the arrangements.

■Please tell us the reason why someone should buy [VANITAS]  for those who haven’t bought the mini-album yet.

Agato: VANITAS is a collection of GERTENA’s most popular live performances, so it’s recommended for people who are listening to GERTENA for the first time.

[DAZZLE] is a two track single, with two beautiful tracks, DAZZLE is the heavy track, while PLEDGE is a beautiful slow rock ballad. Which shows off that Agato is a very great vocalist.
■ Please also explain the tracks for [DAZZLE].

Nao: By listening to songs other than those released as music videos, etc., it is possible to know various aspects of GERTENA, such as the intensity and fragility, and it is a work that can be enjoyed purely.

Lyrics: (By Agato)
DAZZLE…There are times in your life that you are troubled, feel hurt, feel sad and that you just don’t understand the meaning of your existence.
PLEDGE…Happiness can be felt naturally when someone important to you is by your side, but there is also a kind of happiness that is not realized until we lose it. And sometimes you have to be able to walk alone without someone’s help. It’s a song that warmly watches over the back of such a precious person.

Lyrics: (By Satsuki)
DAZZLE is a song that sticks to me.
The lyrics say that you wanna live with someone’s smile, and that’s exactly what I wanna convey. I want you to remember the smile of the person who is most dear to you, when you feel weak.
I’d still want to live! I still have to keep living on! That’s how it feels to me.
I want to live my life through music with the smiles of my precious fans.
PLEDGE is actually a song which was naturally created at the time I was very emotionally weak myself.
While I listened to this song while we were creating it, It made me naturally feel calmer, beautiful and warm from the inside. 
So when I feel weak, I listen to this song. Also I hope this will be a song that gives people a push in their backs when they’re trying to start to walk their own path. Just like Agato’s lyrics tell you.  

Song writing/composition: (By Agato)
DAZZLE…When I was faced with the death of a dear person, I was inspired by the fragility of a life that we take for granted. “The sudden loss of life” and “the reality that people die easily”. This reality gave me the inspiration to create the song.
PLEDGE…I always want to be the one who will always be by the side of my dear friends when they feel heartbroken. It’s a song that inspired me at the time I wished for it myself. 

Song writing/composition: (By Satsuki)
As I mentioned earlier about PLEDGE, it’s the same for DAZZLE, for both songs my inspiration  came naturally to me and I also think it caused a wonderful chemical reaction with Agato’s lyrics and became the best match and to make both the best songs.

■ Please tell us the reason why someone should buy [DAZZLE]for those who haven’t bought the single yet.

Satsuki: Everyone has things that go wrong in their lives and make it difficult to live. That even happens to me!
But both songs will definitely save everyone who feels depressed, so if you haven’t bought it yet, please buy it and listen to both songs!

Your new single IDENTITY was released on December 1st.
This song contains lot’s of variation in melody and way of singing and contains English as well, which flows wonderfully in harmony. 
■ Please also explain the tracks for IDENTITY.

Satsuki: This song was created when we wanted to cherish and deepen the bond with our fans and thank them for all their support.
So we decided to write a song that would unite people’s feelings at our live shows.
because of that we dared to make the chorus melody easy for anyone to remember, and since we are singing it and everyone else is singing it, we asked everyone to sing it as well. It’s a song that expresses the feeling that we’re not the only ones performing the show, but also that everyone in the venue is part of it.

Lyrics: (By Agato)
IDENTITY… Comparing yourself to someone else, or being demeaned by someone else because you can’t fulfil your need for self-approval. Even at such times I want you to live your life with all your pride. That’s what it means.
ADVENT… Has no lyrics.

Song writing/composition:  (by Youth·K·End)
IDENTITY… The intro phrase plopped into my mind at first, which I totally loved so I definitely wanted to use it for this song, so I created the melody around this phrase. I had the image of a “meteor/falling star” in my mind. The beautiful scene you can see if you watch the sky from the earth, viewing how the stars collide and burn out. With that kind of wild imagination I could create and complete the song relatively smoothly. 

■ Please also tell an episode about the MV shooting of IDENTITY.

Agato: Because the video was shot in a totally white studio, everyone had to clean up the shoe marks on the floor which were left with a sponge at the end of the shoot.

Satsuki: I just watched everyone scrubbing the floor, I only talked and did nothing. I’m sorry everyone. 

Youth･K･End: There was a little time left after the shooting, so we took a video with Nao’s phone and had fun joking around. It was fun. lol

Nao: I took a lot of pictures of my drum set, because it was surrounded all in beautiful pure white, it totally stood out.

Reno: The white floor was dazzling. 

■ If there are other new songs, which already are played live. Please explain them to us as well. 

INHUMAN
Agato: With the spread of SNS, anonymity is accelerating. We live in an era in which you can kill someone “faceless” just with your finger tips. In times like these, the only person you can trust is yourself. Such a story is the background of the lyrics. 

I think your Japanese fans already know this but..
■ What was everyones inspiration for wanting to become a bandman? Who or what inspired you?

Agato: For me ist started after I was shocked by MALICE MIZER with GACKT as vocalist, which made me wanna to start a band as well.

Satsuki: Back then I was recording a TV program I wanted to watch, but I accidentally recorded the wrong TV program…When I watched what I recorded, it happened to be a special feature about various death anniversaries from HIDE of Xjapan. At first I was like, “What the heck is this?” But then I became more and more interested in his eccentricity and charisma, and that’s when it all started. I guess I wouldn’t be playing guitar if I hadn’t accidentally recorded it by mistake.

Youth･K･End:  When I was in junior high school, a friend invited me to join a band, and I have enjoyed playing the guitar and playing live shows ever since. The band that has influenced me the most is DIR EN GREY.

Nao: I formed a copy band of LUNA SEA back when I was a student and I somehow enjoyed it a lot and wanted to continue to play in bands and be active in the music world forever.

Reno: The first band that inspired me to play bass was BUMP OF CHICKEN.
I found out about visual kei after I listened to the opening theme of DeathNote “The world” by Nightmare. I remember it left a kind of shock.

■ What’s the reason why you don’t use streaming websites such as “TuneCore” yet? 
GERTENA: We’re actually subscribing now.
https://linkco.re/up6ab2Hz

You just finished your 1st anniversary tour! 
■ Please tell us your best memories of your 1st anniversary tour!

Agato: Thank you. The best memory is to come this far with all our Elementor’s(nickname to fans) Thank you always.

Satsuki: It was a one-man show where I could feel that the members have become much more as a unit throughout the year, and that our bond with our fans has become stronger.

Youth･K･End: It was our first ONEMAN tour, so I felt lots of anxiety, but we were able to enjoy yourself with all our fans at each venue!

Nao: Our new song “IDENTITY” grew stronger together with our fans.

Reno: The realisation that GERTENA definitely getting much cooler and amazing through each performance.

■ What was most exhausting about your 1st anniversary tour? And please tell us your reason.

Satsuki: I do not only music, but also production, design, and various other arrangements, and I had more work to do than ever before, so much so that even I was panicking about where to start. I almost cried.

■ What’s your favourite GERTENA song to play on stage? And please tell us your reason.

Satsuki: DAZZLE. But it’s the same for every song, but DAZZLE includes what I want to convey the most.

Youth･K･End: VISOR. It’s a song that makes you shake your head violently at our shows. It also gives the feeling of being able to forget everything and to enjoy the live show freely.

Nao: UNCHAIN, I really like it because it has many unison phrases. Which gives me the strong feeling of being fused together. 

Reno: PEEPING HOLE. There are a lot of different grooves packed into three and a half minutes. It’s a fun song and easy to flow on and to get into it. 

■ When you stand on the stage, what’s actually going through your mind and body?

Agato: Always when I get off the stage it feels as if I was in a dream.

Satsuki: Obsession feelings. Because I convey my hot and warm feeling to everyone!

■ What’s actually so exciting about visual kei? What’s the “real thing” you can only express with visual kei? 

Satsuki: A world where you can be who you want to be.

Youth･K･End: Speaking of live shows. You can express yourself by changing your make-up according to the emotions you feel on the and any concept you have in your mind. It’s not only the appearance, but also the new emotions that come out of it, which are expressed in the staging and make it fascinating.

■ What are the hobbies of each member besides music? Is there any other hobby you like to do? Such as fishing, playing games, watching the stars, etc.  Please tell us some episodes about it. 

Agato: Watching movies, travelling around, playing with cats, making accessories.

Satsuki: Going on a night tour while fishing. 

Youth･K･End: I like to watch anime. Recently, I’ve been rewatching Dragon Ball from the beginning. It’s funny no matter how many times I’ve seen it. I always listened to the  ending song “Romantic Ageru yo” without realising that it’s actually a difficult song to understand. Also I like to ride my bicycle. Someday I would like to participate in a road race.

Nao: Martial Arts, watching anime, youtube and comedy.

Reno: Walking around and playing games.

■ To Agato: Are there things you would still like to improve?

Agato: I want to build up GERTENA as an organisation and turn it into a COMPANY.

■ To Youth・K・End: Since you like the universe, which planet which excites you the most? And please tell us the reason.

Youth・K・End: I can’t choose between Jupiter or Saturn. But I can’t throw away Earth either.
Jupiter’s stripes are beautiful even though it’s such a big planet. Jupiter’s whirlpool, called the “Great Red Spot” , is mysterious and fascinating.
Saturn has rings, but it’s unbelievable why the rings can orbit so regularly with such flimsy structure. 
Not to mention the earth, There is no other planet with such a rich expression.
Well let’s say, “Jupiter” is the best.

■ To Satsuki: I really like your visual appearance. Where or from whom do you get your inspiration for your amazing looks?

Satsuki: Thank you. I get my inspiration from HIDE from XJAPAN.

■ To Reno: What’s your favourite nail colour to wear? And if you could design your own nail design, what would it be?

Reno: My favourite nail colour is overwhelming green!
I can’t modify my nails because it’s not comfortable to play bass, but I actually want longer nails and put stones on it to make it flashier. (lol)

■ To Nao: Who was your biggest inspiration for wanting to be a drummer?

Nao: There are a lot of drummers I like. But ever since I saw Hibiki-san from Matenrou Opera playing the drums for the first time, I’ve been constantly influenced by him.
Overseas, I respect Matt Greiner of August Burns Red.

■ Are there things you don’t like about being a musician?

Agato: I’m not good at keeping my visual kei character and I’m not good at keeping the person I love secret. 

Satsuki: I love soundchecks, tours, twitcastings and just being a musician, it’s nothing that I don’t like. But isn’t it natural that you like it?
In private, if you fall in love, you fall in love as anyone, and if you wanna be friends, you become friends, so there is nothing difficult about it. 

Youth･K･End: I don’t like to have to tune my guitar, I just want to play it.

Nao: When we go on long tours and long distance tours my back always hurts a lot. But after all I don’t mind it though, because we will have a fun time once we arrive at the location. 

Reno: Transporting music equipment when it rains…

■ Do you speak any other language besides Japanese? If so, which one and how did you learn it?

Agato: English. I learned it through self-study and communication.

Satsuki: When I went to Switzerland with the band I support, people of various nationalities, including Swiss and German, thanked us and conveyed their feelings to us.
I felt also happy that they knew about GERTENA because they knew me. 
A lot of people said; “Satsuki , thank you for coming to Switzerland!”  I felt so happy about those words!
We had an interpreter next to us, but right now I’m studying English and German, because I want to express my thoughts and feelings through my own mouth and words!

■ How do you see the future of GERTENA? 

Agato: From today on, GERTENA will surely win over fans in Japan and abroad with its exciting live shows that will be also accepted abroad in the future.

Satsuki: We’re actively trying to be proactive in Japan and abroad.

■ The most wonderful thing about GERTENA is….?

Agato: We are a band where all members can seriously clash with each other in order to make a good work and a good band.

Satsuki: We are all really serious about music, and we all have a great desire to improve our skills as individuals and as a band!
When we joke around, we all joke around and have a lot of fun.
We are really a great band.
GERTENA is my treasure. 

■ Are there any points you wish your fans would pay attention to?

Youth･K･End: You only can see it at our shows. but during our performance everyone is smiling to each other.  Please check it out.

Nao: We have a lot of songs to get crazy and violent on, but I also wish that you pay attention to the world view of the lyrics.

■ Could you please give some advice to bandman who want to start a new band seriously. What kind of trouble do they need to keep in mind to succeed? 

Agato: Age doesn’t matter to do what you really love to do. Just go for it and be what you wanna be!

Satsuki: No one knows beforehand if you will succeed or not, so rather than to think and worry about it, it’s more about how seriously you can put everything from yourself into your own beloved band. 
I guess success comes next.
You start a band because you want to be successful in the first place, right? You want to be in a band because you love music. 
First of all, enjoy the band and playing music earnestly. 

Youth･K･End: Anyway, it’s important to have fun! Enjoy it seriously! Enjoy it seriously!

Nao: I know we only have a limited amount of time, so it feels as if you need to succeed in a very short period, but please don’t forget to enjoy playing music as well. 

Reno: Of course getting a result is important, but the most important thing is to enjoy playing music!

■ Please share a message to all your readers!
Agato: Thank you for reading until the end. I’m glad that GERTENA is loved by Japanese and overseas fans. Someday, we will become a famous band overseas as well!