Interview with glamscure

Our follow up interview with glamscure! This time we focus on drummer madoka who joined after being support for a long while. Also we talk about the upcoming hosted events! Once again a very enjoying interview to read! Even if you aren’t a glamscure fan, it’s a recommended read!

■ First of all, let’s look back on your 10th anniversary live! Please tell us your favorite episode from the live!

Chaos: I kept talking, so we finished 30 minutes later than planned (laughs) Maybe it was the adrenaline, but I really didn’t want it to end.  I also managed to lose most of my nail tips within the first two songs…

Harui: I can stay calm at concerts, but this time there were more people than usual, and it got me so excited that I didn’t play too well (laughs). I was also happy that old friends from other bands came to see us, and even friends from my hobbies.

Inori: During the show, memories from the ten years we’ve spent as glamscure came flooding back, each song bringing its own moments to life. Being able to hold a one-man show with the four of us was a moving experience. Thanks to everyone who came to the venue, it became an unforgettable time. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much. As a pre-show episode: a little while after we arrived at the venue that day we received flower arrangements from Xaa-Xaa and Video Glamour. That was the very first moment that deeply moved that day.

madoka: I spoke about it at the live, but I felt a great sense of accomplishment at being able to hold a one-man show. All the members spent a long time preparing for it, and it felt like all of that finally bore fruit. The last song’s title was “fruitless”, though (laughs).

Chaos: I have one more. When we were rehearsing, I spoke about Inori playing the little bass solo in “last scene” at the center of the stage. It didn’t feel like we had an agreement about that, so during the actual gig, I dragged him to the center. He was so cute and seemed to enjoy it quite a lot (laughs)

■ Please tell us how you decided the setlist for this live. What made you decide to choose each song for this live?

Chaos: the gig opened with the “Hito no Gomi” music video as a surprise. We then took the stage in our new costumes and performed the song. This was Harui’s idea, and it was decided at a quite early stage.

Harui: We had these new outfits in mind, and it felt interesting to have everyone see the music video first, listen to the song, and get into the mood before seeing us in person. In a way, the same sensation of seeing in real life someone you have only seen on screen up to that point. The rest came from Chaos, but it was very close to what I had in mind.

Chaos: I suggested it before we started rehearsing. The structure reflects what has been working at live events and our overall experiences with the fans up to this point, so I think that’s why we could agree quickly on it.

madoka: We have decided to include two old songs that I didn’t get the chance to play during my time as a support member. If you could tell which songs they were, you have passed Level 2 of the glamscure proficiency test.

Inori:  There were other songs we considered including as well, but in the end, the final, detailed track selection was decided collectively by everyone. Starting from the new song “Hito no Gomi”, I feel the overall flow came together nicely.

■ Your new visual really looks amazing! Please tell us more background story of creating and the choice of this stunning costume?

Chaos: Each member designed their own costume and make-up freely after discussing the theme of the song, and I was surprised to see that we had so many ideas in common. Personally, I really wanted to play with expectations as I had just recreated my look from ten years ago for the “fruitless” music video. I think this new look is still consistent with my usual stage persona and character, but I really wanted it to feel fresher and more adventurous than usual. I think my usual image is silver hair + black clothes and makeup, so this time I really wanted to play with color, particularly gold and purple. More than a plain, beautiful, and glamorous makeup, I like it when there are smudged edges and a twisted undertone. I thought about something in between a doll and a court jester, if you get the idea. I also tried to show more skin this time, delivering a classic vkei look (laughs)

Harui: The shooting for “fruitless” in August was to recreate the mood from ten years ago, which was based on simple costumes. For “Hito no Gomi”, we had madoka join, and we wanted to try something as impactful as possible. So I thought about something on the opposite side. My idea of “Hito no Gomi” was of a “fool”, so I thought a clown would be a very close way to express it.

Inori: I first thought of ideas based on the title’s meaning (“Human Trash”), but also wanted to include something that reminded of both our 10th anniversary and madoka officially joining us, two major turning points for the band. With all the thoughts and feelings I wanted to share with everyone packed into it, I chose “A Gift from the Darkness” as the theme.

madoka: Honestly, I felt terribly anxious as we didn’t get to discuss much about it. Even though I kept checking the direction with the other members, it was hard for me to come up with my own image. In the end, I came up with that outfit based on my own interpretation of glamscure’s look as something kind of wizard-like. That’s how that costume was born.

■ Drummer madoka joined as an official member, please tell me some kind words about him.

Chaos: madoka used to be one of our support members for a while, and when he was around, it already felt like he was basically part of the band. His approach was far more dedicated than you’d normally expect from a session musician. And most importantly, he always made things more fun for us and could handle three weirdos like us (laughs). He’s only recorded two songs with us so far, but I think fans can already feel how much thicker and richer the arrangements are becoming.

Harui: madoka is a very thoughtful and considerate person. You can see his character not only in drumming but in everything he does for the band. There was something that felt different from the other support members we had. And he is handsome too (laughs)

Inori: When I first learnt about madoka, I personally felt something similar to what I had felt when I first encountered Harui and Chaos. Even though we hadn’t met yet at that point, there was something that caught my attention, maybe it was love at first sight again (laughs). Later on, as time passed, we had the opportunity for madoka to join us as a support drummer. I came to feel that madoka is a truly charming person, not only as a drummer but also in many other ways, with a very warm and human touch. I’d always had the feeling that I’d love to be in a band together someday, so I’m very happy that he has joined us as an official member.

■ For madoka

―Please introduce yourself. 

madoka: I am madoka, and I have joined glamscure on drums. My birthday is December 25th. I am really short. I don’t drink much alcohol. There’s not a kind of food I dislike in particular. I smoke ploomX MEVIUS mild. Here is a fun story about me: last year I played support for glamscure in Osaka. The following day, we all rode the Tsutenkaku Tower slide and let out some seriously embarrassing screams.

Harui: I’ve got videos of every single member going down that slide on my phone (evil laugh)

―Why did you decide to join glamscure?

madoka: It all started because of the very passionate encouragement from all the members (laugh). After my previous band broke up, there was a period when I didn’t really want to be in a band anymore, but at the same time, I didn’t want to quit drumming. Around then, through mutual connections, I got an offer from Inori to join as a support member. That’s basically how it began.
After working together as a support member for nearly two years, I felt like our chemistry was good and that we were on the same wavelength. In the end, what really made me decide to join officially was being invited right after the “fruitless” MV shoot. That was the moment I decided to commit and take the leap.

Chaos: Actually, the three of us had been testing the waters for some time, but I also wanted things to develop naturally, without rushing or putting anyone in a difficult situation. During the “fruitless” shoot, it really felt like we were a team of four, and I saw in madoka the same level of dedication as the others. After the shoot, he offered me a ride home since I had a lot of filming equipment with me, and I took that opportunity to share how I felt and to ask what he thought as well.

―Why did you choose your current part and which artists did influence you to become a musician?

madoka: I had a friend who played drums, and he let me play his drum set. That’s when I first got hooked. Around the same time, another friend who played guitar introduced me to visual kei. My first influence was probably YOSHIKI from X JAPAN.

―What makes you smile the most?

madoka: the moment when I notice that what I have done has helped other people. A simple example can be feeling the fans’ enthusiasm during a live performance.

―Do you have a motto or a phrase you hold dear?

madoka: “giri” (the Japanese sense of social responsibility to act considerately and repay kindness, even when there is no obligation)

―What is the origin behind your stage name?

madoka: Originally, I wrote it in kanji as 摩砥枷. I chose it with the meaning of making the act of constantly refining oneself a kind of “shackle”, because it’s something you bind yourself to as you move through each day.

―What would you like to try outside of music?

madoka: I have already tried many things so I would like to do music now (laughs)

―Please introduce your favorite glamscure song(s), which everyone should definitely listen to too.

madoka: first is “Hito no Gomi”. If I had to pick an aggressive song, I would say “Setsunai wa Isetsu”, while “Haru ga Owaru Koro” is a favorite emotional number of mine.

―Besides Japanese, which other languages do you speak?

madoka: Why are you asking me? Actually I can’t speak any English, but I am trying to learn… I remember Chaos said he could speak multiple languages in another interview.

―Have you been overseas? If so, what was the purpose, and what were your impressions? If not, which countries would you like to visit?

madoka: I have not been outside of Japan yet. I would like to go to Europe and the United States, but I am really interested in Asian countries too. And obviously, South America.

■ Please tell us more about your new single Hito no Gomi(人のゴミ), how was the single composed and please tell us about the lyrics. 

About the composition of the song:
Harui: Amongst the songs that we had ready for the new single, “Hito no Gomi” only had the verses ready, but it felt like the catchy melody and tempo felt just right for a lead track. “Hito no Gomi” was a temporary title. When composing the rest of the song, I thought about a high-pitched melody to complete it to match Chaos’ singing style, a driving and energetic intro, some ideas to go along madoka’s drumming style, and some bass lines that would be hard for Inori to play (laughs). It took a long time to come up with a good chorus, though. I thought the key would be too high and hard to sing, so I tried a bunch of different approaches. But once I gave up and decided to keep the same key, a really good melody finally came together (laughs)

About the Lyric:
Chaos: We decided the theme and title at the composition stage, so I built the lyrics around that atmosphere. The song is about those people who only think about their own gain and do nothing but take from others. I really hate people who look down on others and constantly complain about what people do for them, despite not being able to do much themselves. I believe that, sooner or later, karma will get to everyone. Even if that kind of way of living seems to pay off for now, people will eventually drift away. On the other hand, those who keep working hard and treat others with kindness will be rewarded in time. My lyrics tend to be gothy and vague, but this time I wanted to express things in a more modern, direct way.

Harui: I hope you’re not talking about me (laughs)

Chaos: If we had to pick a complainer in the band, it’s probably me (laughs).

About the MV shooting:
Chaos: As usual, I did both the photoshoot and filming myself. Obviously, there’s no way I can be behind the camera and perform at the same time, so a couple of very close and talented friends came to help us out. The teamwork within the band was also remarkable! In the end, I barely had time to breathe, and we rushed out of the studio without even changing clothes. Looking back, though, it was a really fun day.

Harui: Chaos directed it and we all cooperated with the staff. I recall us being constantly chased by the time (laughs). It always ends up like this, I hope we can fix that (laughs).

Inori: I have nothing but admiration for the taste and ideas of our members. It would be hard to produce something good with such a small team and such a short time without a clear direction. That said, I’m aware that this places a heavy burden, and I want to make a conscious effort to distribute and ease that workload as much as possible moving forward.

madoka: As the other members went into the details, we got through it with a small team made up of just the band members and a handful of staff, and I think that’s one of glamscure’s real strengths. That said, we’d like to gradually expand our circle and keep raising the overall quality even further.

■ About your announced schedule.

・ glamscure presents ハルイ生誕祭「変身」 2026-02-19(THU) Zirco Tokyo
Ticket: https://eplus.jp/sf/detail/4449160001-P0030001

―Please tell us your enthusiasm for this event.

Harui: I had birthday concerts many times already, so I thought about using a bigger venue this time. All bands performing are great, and I’ll have to show my own level of perversion not to lose to them (laughs). The title of the concert is “Henshin”, which means something like, “perverted/freak body”.

―Please tell us something about each performing band.

Vice gloria:
Chaos: I worked on Vice gloria’s first music video and photos, so it felt natural to invite them. Actually, I have been friends with Jaki since my very first time on stage, as he was on guitar in my first session band! Our bands have always been close, and it’s stimulating to see each other still doing our best in vkei after all these years.

NEiN:
Harui: We have played with NEiN at an event before, and I wanted to invite them to have opportunities to interact with our senpais.

Chaos: I could really feel the passion in both the audience and the members on stage. After that, I exchanged business cards with Shun and kept in touch. When we asked about this event, they immediately accepted.

M:
Chaos: Same as Jaki, Kikyo has been a very close friend from the very beginning. We went through a lot of rough times together, and our bands sharing the stage every year has been a staple in my career. There were times I could also collaborate behind the scenes for photos and such. I am glad we could find a way to make this happen this year as well.

DAMILA:
Harui: DAMILA kept showing in my X timeline, and I thought about inviting them. I have known the drummer for an incredibly long time. He also played at my birthday before with his previous band, so I am happy to have him join us again.

HUMAN ERROR:
Harui: HUMAN ERROR also shows up a lot in my X timeline, and I thought they were cool. So I tried to invite them for this show. 

・Mission Mode9 & glamscure present 「colorless bouquet」 2026-02-22(SUN) Ikebukuro RED-Zone ANERIS
A-Ticket: https://glamscure.myshopify.com/
B-Ticket: https://tiget.net/events/452927

―Please tell us your enthusiasm for this event.

Chaos: We became friends with Mission Mode9 last year, and we have been in talks about doing something together. 

Harui: They are madoka’s acquaintances, and they showed an interest in performing with us. It’s very rare that a band invites us to do something together, and I am glad we could have arranged this. 

madoka: Before I officially joined glamscure, I had played support for Mission Mode9 once. They asked me to invite glamscure to an event with them…and that’s how this twoman live has been organized.

Inori: I went to see their concert on the day madoka played as a support member, and that was when I had a chance to briefly talk with the members. Since then, I’ve ended up sharing drinks now and then with vocalist Chise and guitarist Jun, and we’ve even become the kind of friends who go out for pancakes together (laughs). By bringing together bands with different colors, musical styles, and atmospheres, I hope this event can be an opportunity for people to feel a kind of new chemical reaction. Sometimes, by taking a step into the unknown, you discover entirely new worlds. Please come and experience the music and colors of each band for yourself.

・glamscure presents ケイオス生誕祭「NVDB -Ne Vedremo delle Belle-」2026-04-30(THU) 高田馬場CLUB PHASE
Ticket: https://eplus.jp/sf/detail/4453130001-P0030001P021001

―Please tell us your enthusiasm for this event.

Chaos: I would like to take off and see the event as a fan (laughs). When planning these events, I usually just start asking around the people I know that I would like to share the stage with. It’s the first time we have chosen this venue, and I thought these bands would be a great combination musically.

―Please tell us something about each performing band.

梟:
Chaos: I could get close with Fukuro since about a year ago when Lotto asked me to work on the English subtitles for a couple of songs. Fukuro was the first band to join, and I was surprised by how quickly they accepted! Like: “yeah, let’s do this!” I love their vibes and, of course, their music too. Their idea to create the same power and energy as rock using piano instead of guitar reminds me of early Tori Amos a little, and it’s a very courageous thing to do in visual kei.

逆しまな歯車を仮面が嗤う。:
Chaos: glamscure and Sakashima shared the stage a few times before, but I personally got closer to the members since we played together at EDGE Ikebukuro last year. Both bands started at the same time and just celebrated their respective 10th anniversaries, and I always wanted to invite them to play with us. I think their music is really authentic, and each member has a very strong stage persona.

HEROINE FROM The Nether:
Harui: I have known nigu for over 20 years now (we have also been together in some kind of band very briefly). We have not been in touch for a while, but as Chaos got a chance to talk to him recently, we decided to invite HEROINE to this event.

Chaos: same as the above-mentioned bands, I like it when vkei musicians step out of the boundaries. HEROINE’s arrangements have a lot of inserts that remind me of ambient music, blended in in a way that feels really refreshing and modern for the genre.

断頭台のメロディー:
Chaos: I have been close to Hakuya in so many bands. We just keep bumping into each other everywhere! Needless to say, he even played support for glamscure a couple of times in the past! I have yet to see him in action with Danmero, but I am looking forward to it!!

夜:
Chaos: I saw Yoru at an event a few months ago, and I thought their music would really work with this lineup. Their vibes are gothy but in a modern, urban kind of way, which I found really interesting. Inori kindly asked Wato if he would be interested in joining us.

・glamscure presents 祈〜いのり〜生誕祭【闇に影を架す。】2026-05-25(MON) EDGE Ikebukuro
Ticket: https://eplus.jp/sf/detail/4451870001-P0030001

―Please tell us your enthusiasm for this event.

Inori: Leaving a shadow in the darkness of this world.

―Please tell us something about each performing band.

OMEGA DRIPP:
Inori: I’ve had several opportunities to meet and share the stage with bassist Ryo-Ta on different occasions. We had a chance to perform with OMEGA DRIPP last year, and I was blown away by their powerful stage presence and the music. I remember thinking that if I ever had the chance to organize an event myself, I would definitely want to invite them to perform. I was genuinely happy when they immediately said yes. I’m also really fond of the members’ personality, really different from what you would guess from their appearance.

tzkwym:
Chaos: We only just went out for drinks together recently, and he said yes with surprising enthusiasm. I haven’t had the chance to see a live show by tzkwym yet, but I get the strong impression that he’s an artist who’s both strict and sincere about his vision. His way of thinking is genuinely inspiring.

Inori: Thanks to this opportunity, we’ll be sharing the stage together for the first time, and I’m truly looking forward to it.

L’eprica:
Inori: We first met back when I was in a band called Heisa Byoto years ago. I’m so happy that we are able to share a stage like this even now. I’m a fan not only of their unique music and atmosphere, but also of the members’ distinct personalities. Hehe♪

Chaos: Actually, I went to see L’eprica as a fan a few times in the past, before I started my own band. Personally, I like going to drink with Raya and talk about shady stuff after each live (laughs).

ハヂチ-HADICHI-: 
Inori: I’ve had the chance to work with guitarist MANAMIX when doing support work. This time, I’m truly happy that we’ll be sharing the stage with each other’s respective bands. I also attended their debut show, and I was really drawn to the strong, compelling stage presence and MC. It was a cool performance.

■ What did you eat for Christmas?

Chaos: I cooked my own lasagna, same as every year. It’s become quite a tradition in my family. I have to say I am pretty good at cooking!!

Harui: Yokohama-style ramen.

Inori: I went to the Christmas party of XAA-XAA and had ramen together with An-chan.

madoka:  I was so busy I couldn’t eat anything.

■I’ve spent my NEW YEAR EVE/NIGHT together with? 

Chaos: Alone.

Harui: Amongst a crowd!

Inori: Drowning myself in alcohol.

madoka: I was at home sorting out my gear and cleaning

■ My wish for 2026

Chaos: More than anything else, I would like to create many new things.

Harui: Play bigger venues, and have more people learn about glamscure. I want to play many events with musicians I like, and overall make it a very productive year for glamscure.

Inori: Get discovered by as many people as possible and reach listeners all over the world. I believe 2026 will be a year of challenge. I’d be grateful for your support.

madoka: This is glamscure’s eleventh year, but my first as a member. Of course, my goal is to make the new glamscure popular, but also to make the core of the band stronger than ever.