Vijuttoke – KISAKI 30th anniversary specials

Vijuttoke23年4月号
「TAKA（defspiral）×KISAKI×苑（摩天楼オペラ）」インタビュー

INTERVIEW : 長澤智典
TRANSLATION: Team JROCK’N’ROLL
PHOTGRAPHY : 横山晶央
HAIR & MAKE-UP : A・DO 
KISAKI HAIR MAINTENANCE : hiko（UNDIVIDE）
TRANSLATION: Team JROCK’N’ROLL

日本語版・Japanese version

KISAKI BANDWORKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL 
TAKA（defspiral）×KISAKI×苑 (Sono) (摩天楼オペラ(MATENROU OPERA))

KISAKI has produced three albums to commemorate his 30th anniversary of his band activities. The first of these, “Providence,” will be released on April 26.
Among the various guest players in the production, 苑 (Sono) of 摩天楼オペラ(MATENROU OPERA), who sang “Irreplaceable World,” and TAKA of defspiral, who sang “Answer,” have now joined this conversation. With  both of them we discussed the appeal of this work, focusing on the songs they sang. 
 
■ First, please tell us how you approached TAKA and 苑 (Sono) to join you.

KISAKI: To commemorate my 30th anniversary of my band activities, I started with the idea of writing and creating 30 songs that I would like to preserve and record on three albums. As I was composing for the album, each time a song was created, I kept thinking of 「who should sing this song」 and I reached out to artists who I thought were the right people.  The three albums which will be released this time were born this way. The first album, 「Providence」 is a collection of songs that were created at the beginning of the creation process  and songs that were already in a process of being produced. The three albums have been created based on the theme of “the melody of the soul, born of tears and prayers“. This is true for every song on all three albums, though. As I listened to the songs I had created, I asked the people who came to my mind to sing or perform when I imagined the people singing the songs I had created. TAKA-kun and 苑くん(Sono-kun)  are both one of those people I imagined. 

■ Please tell us your connection with both of them.

KISAKI: It’s already been a long time. The first time I met 苑くん(Sono-kun) was when 摩天楼オペラ(MATENROU OPERA) had just started its activities.

苑 (Sono): We met in 2007. I still remember it, though. The first time I was able to talk to you was in the hallway of our dressing room when 摩天楼オペラ(MATENROU OPERA) performed at the “Shikkoku no Symphony” event at Saitama Kaikan in August 2007.

KISAKI: You remembered that well (lol). I was totally amazed when I saw 摩天楼オペラ(MATENROU OPERA) live at that time, and after that I often asked them to participate at the events sponsored by UNDER CODE PRODUCTION, which I was running at the time.

苑 (Sono): We once toured with NEGA, who belonged to UNDER CODE PRODUCTION, as a 2MAN tour.  Even until today I still go out for drinks with 儿 (JIN), the vocalist.

KISAKI: I always had a lot of contact with 摩天楼オペラ(MATENROU OPERA) , and I’ve always seen and loved their cool style, so I decided to invite 苑くん(Sono-kun).  This is also something that is common to all the artists who have participated, but we only approach those with whom we have a deep connection, a strong relationship of trust, and with whom I feel comfortable, saying, “This person can be trusted,” because otherwise I would not be able to trust them with the songs that will colour my important 30th anniversary album.
And of course we shouldn’t forget about TAKA from defspiral. I have known him for a very long time. We have known each other since we were both around 19 or 20 years old.

TAKA: That’s right. At that time, I was a member of TRANSTIC NERVE in Hyogo, which is my hometown.

KISAKI: At that time, I had just moved to Osaka. This was exactly how it was in Osaka, we went together to Himejji for live shows, we even often played at the same events. Back then we also participated in an omnibus album together.

TAKA:  Yes, it was. Back then, we often played at the same live events. 

KISAKI: If TRANSTIC NERVE made a guest appearance at events in Himeji, My band would make a guest appearance at TRANSTIC NERVE’s Osaka events. That way we supported each other.

TAKA: I still remember that we used to talk a lot in the dressing room and on the floor at Himeji Beta, discussing various developments and strategies. KISAKI-kun is truly a comrade who has continued to walk through the same era.

KISAKI: While we were together making the Kansai scene exciting, TRANSTIC NERVE was discovered by X JAPAN’s Hide and moved to Tokyo (laughs). Even though our musical styles were different. Back then, it didn’t matter, and when we got together, we had a great time together.

苑 (Sono): I envy your friendship. 

KISAKI: The same goes for TAKA-kun and 苑くん(Sono-kun). I’m really happy that even though everyone’s environment has changed, including mine, our friendship has continued without any changes. That’s why both are able to appear on my 30th anniversary album. I’m sure it will be a great memory to have created a song together with both of them.

■ The songs that the two of them are singing are based on the inspiration that you felt when you listened to the finished songs, right?

KISAKI: That’s right. “I can see 苑くん(Sono-kun) singing this” or “Taka-kun would turn this in a great shape”. With those feelings I called both of them. 

苑 (Sono): My song “Irreplaceable World” is a rather metal-vibe song.

KISAKI: It’s definitely a metal-vibe song. There’s beauty, there’s a sense of speed, and there’s also intensity. Also “Irreplaceable World” is the song that shows my own starting point, focused on the style of Visual Kei music that influenced me when I was a teenager. To make the this a lively metal-vibe song, I asked HIZAKI of Versailles to play guitar. By having people who can sing and play the song’s beautiful yet intense worldview dramatically, we were able to create “Irreplaceable World” in a form that exceeded my ideals.

■ The long intro of “Irreplaceable World” is also typical of KISAKI WORLD, isn’t it?

KISAKI: Nowadays, there seems to be a trend that songs with short intros are better received. But I don’t care about that at all. Since this work is the culmination of my 30th anniversary activities, I think it’s important that I pursue my individuality thoroughly, right? It’s true that the introduction and interlude are long, but how long is the duration actually?

苑 (Sono): The introductory music box sound alone lasted about a minute.

KISAKI:  This may be an unusual approach in this day and age, though. For people who like visual kei music, this is natural. The important thing is how much you can immerse yourself in the worldview of the song. Especially “Irreplaceable World” is a song with a deep worldview. So I asked 苑くん(Sono-kun) because he is vocalist who could sing the song with a strong sense of colour for sure, and as expected he did just that. He was able to colour the song perfectly and exactly the way I wanted it to be sung.  The same can be said for “Answer” which is sung by TAKA-kun.

TAKA: When I listened to the song, I knew immediately that the song was written with me as the singer in mind, which allowed me to sing the song in my own singing style. 『Answer』 is a medium-size song with a good melody and a song that easily touches your heart. The reason why this KISAKI WORLD song can easily resonate with my own feelings is because we have both lived through the waves of various music in the same era and because we have a mutual understanding at the root. The melodies are easy to understand and very convincing because they were written by someone who lived through the same period.

KISAKI: Because both of us are like this, I could tell right away when I heard the finished song that we were both serious about the song we created.
Anyway, for this recording session of  “Providence,”  I had several songs in the pipeline, and I travelled from Osaka to Tokyo to invite artists to participate in the project within a limited period of time, and for this album I also worked simultaneously in several studios. 
For the songs sung by 苑くん(Sono-kun) and TAKA in “Providence,” I completely left the vocal direction to them. Regarding these two, I made the decision because I thought the song would be more effective if they did that. However, because fellow member RYO-kun also visited the studio to watch TAKA-kun’s recording, I also asked him to provide a vocal direction for TAKA-kun, I also asked him to give 苑くん(Sono-kun)some direction.

TAKA: The second album, “Afterglow”, features my guitar player MASATO. Even though the songs and the way in which they were involved were different, I was happy that the three members of defspiral were able to participate in this way.

KISAKI:  Everyone expresses themselves in a way that exceeds my ideals and imagination, so from my point of view, I can only thank everyone deeply who participated.In the past, I’ve often written songs with the audience in mind, but all three albums to be released this time were completed with the pure intention of “making a wonderful CD“.. . It was my way of getting everyone to accept my 30th birthday ego.. Oh, and the reason I asked both of them to appear in the first part of Vijuttoke’s interview series was because although we have known each other for many years, we have never done an interview or photo session together. Also with conveying the appeal of the first album, Providence, I hope that by showing people that TAKA and 苑くん(Sono-kun) were involved in the album, people will be interested in the second and third albums as well.

■ 苑さん(Sono-san) Has working with KISAKI inspired you in many ways?

苑 (Sono): In so many ways, and it felt so refreshing. 
I never thought we would ever play a song together. Even though KISAKI-san left the singing aspect to me, I heard KISAKI-san requests beforehand. I incorporated them into the finest details of the song, and then pursued the emotional expression that KISAKI wanted from me in my own way, and finally finished the song in its current form.

KISAKI: We are on one line with that. I myself am a person who prefers to focus on songs that are filled with a person’s own emotions rather than having them only sung beautifully.

TAKA: I felt that as well. Even with “Answer,”  I feel like it’s my own song also because I sing it in my own trusted way. As for myself, I’m not that dexterous, But I’m the type of person who honestly expresses what I feel about a song in my singing voice. Of course, “Answer” fits my sensibilities. It’s a song that I was able to sing using my full own strengths.

■ TAKAさん and  苑さん (Sono-san) Could you please tell us again about the appeal of the songs you have sung?

TAKA: I thought the rather self-questioning yet masculine worldview described in the lyrics of “Answer” was perfect for me. I was able to empathise not only with the music but also with the lyrics, and I could feel KISAKI-kun thoughts through his various words. As friends who lived through the same era, we were able to resonate with each other. That is why I was able to convey my life into the song. Even though I didn’t write the words myself, “Answer” is a song that I was able to sing with so much soul.

苑 (Sono): I always have been singing the lyrics I’ve sung myself, so it was fun and refreshing to sing a song which lyrics were written by KISAKI-san. I mentioned earlier that “Irreplaceable World” is a metal-vibe song, but it is a metal song with a very Visual-kei taste. That’s what I love the most about the song. “Irreplaceable World” is a beautiful, fast, and intense song that I love very much, because it has the Visual-kei & Metal style. Moreover, it is easy to listen to, yet has depth.It is a magnificent and moving number that depicts a number of different developments within a single song. We hope you will immerse yourself in this worldview.

KISAKI:  The songs sung by both of them are also the unlocking key of the appeal of the “Providence” album. I have always been inspired by both of them, and I am truly grateful that they were willing to participate in this album, which was born out of my own imagination. As friends who have been working together in the Visual Kei scene, I would like to do something with them again if we have the chance.

TAKA: Although it’s not that we have a real close relationship with each other. But it’s because we’ve been good friends for a long time, even if we’ve been apart for a longer while, when we meet again for moments like this, we can quickly go back to our usual close friendship. This kind of friendship is not only for me, but KISAKI-kun feels this with everyone involved with the three albums he produced and will release. Moreover he has created 30 songs for those albums and that’s not something anyone can easily do. KISAKI-kun is a person who has pioneered a new path in the Visual Kei scene with things that lots of us thought would be impossible. Although KISAKI-kun used his various connections he met during his career, there is no doubt that the reason for everyone who participated in the albums is that they really trust KISAKI-kun. Which is really wonderful. Once again, I would like to congratulate KISAKI-kun on his 30th anniversary. 

苑 (Sono): Please let me say almost the same thing.
For me, KISAKI-san is the person who has created the Visual-kei music scene, which I loved and listened to when I was a teenager, shine much more brightly. KISAKI-san has always been an indispensable presence in the Visual Kei scene, and that hasn’t changed. If KISAKI-san wouldn’t have existed, the visual scene wouldn’t be what it is today. That’s why he’s such an important key person when we talk about the visual kei scene. I feel truly honoured to be able to participate in his work. I want KISAKI-san to continue to lead the Visual Kei scene, and I want to continue to work alongside him.
KISAKI-san, Congratulations on your 30th anniversary.

Vijuttoke2023/05
「団長（NoGoD）×KISAKI×ryo（HOLLOWGRAM他））」INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW ◎長澤智典 (Nagaswa Tomonori)
TRANSLATION  ◎ Team JROCK’N’ROLL
PHOTO ◎ 横山晶央
HAIR & MAKEUP ◎ A・DO（KISAKI） / 美夢（ryo・団長）
KISAKI HAIIR MAINTENANCE ◎hiko（UNDIVIDE）
日本語版・Japanese version

KISAKI BANDWORKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL INTERVIEW
団長(Danchou)（NoGoD）× KISAKI × ryo（HOLLOWGRAM & others）

KISAKI has produced three albums to commemorate his 30th anniversary as a bandman. Following the first release “Providence”, which was released on April 26th, the second release “Afterglow” will be released on May 24th. For this release, KISAKI chose vocalist Danchou of NoGoD to sing “Doppelganger” and ryo(GULLET・ 9GOATS BLACK OUT・HOLLOWGRAM・DALLE・H.U.G) to sing “Midnight Whisper” for having an interview together. We would like to show you the stories which these three told us.

■ KISAKI you have produced three albums for your anniversary. Providence was released on April 26th, “Afterglow” on May 24th and “Preuve d’etre” on June 21st. All released for three consecutive months. First of all please tell us more about the second release “Afterglow” which we will cover this time.

KISAKI: All three albums released in three consecutive months also have the same concept. The second release “Afterglow” became the release with most guest vocalists. In terms of melody, the song ranges from heavy metal to ballands and all have a deep worldview.

■ This time ryo who sang “Midnight Whisper” and  Danchou who sang “Doppelganger” are joining this interview. Please tell us how you met each other. Haven’t KISAKI-san and ryo-san been friends for a long time already?

ryo: We’ve known each other since we were teenagers.

KISAKI: At that time I was in MIRAGE. And ryo-kun and I used to tour together all over the country together with “D’elsquel“.

ryo: The vocalist was TOMO-kun, so MIRAGE had just formed.

KISAKI: Yes, actually we were supposed to play together at a Taiban before that.

■  Please tell me more about it.

KISAKI: At the time I was in La:Sadie’s, when we decided to go on tour in Niigata, I wanted to perform next to D’elsquel, who was famous and everyone was talking about them, so I asked the event host to book us together. We had originally planned to play in an event as La:Sadie’s against D’elsquel, but the timing didn’t work out and we ended up with different opponents, so we missed that opportunity. Soon after that La:Sadie disbanded. Then when MIRAGE was formed I called D’elsquel directly and from that point we often toured together and later we became label mates as well. 

ryo: We were both teenagers, and we’ve been in a band which formed at the same time, so we are really from the same generation.

KISAKI: Back then, we were inspired by each other, helped each other and grew together. However, at that time, MIRAGE had just started its activities and was still exploring. D’elsquel has been creating a world view since then. Moreover, ryo is still evolving, despite the fact that almost 30 years have passed since then. I myself have always loved ryo’s voice, and because he is a vocalist I trust, I asked him to sing for me.

■ Next up is Danchou.

Danchou: Ever since I started working in the visual scene as NoGoD, KISAKI-san has been like the big name in the West(Kansai). Moreover, when I learned KISAKI-san was called “GOD“, And because I named my band “NoGoD=There is no God” I felt worried that the name of my band would be rude towards him.  At the same time, we just started our activities and we were soon introduced to KISAKI-san as well. I even thought it would take a long time before we even had a chance to play against Phantasmagoria, but…

KISAKI: That’s right, I really was called “God” back then. We first played together with NoGoD at the “漆黒のシンフォニー(Shikkoku no Symphony)” event.

Danchou: That’s right. I’ll never forget the moment when I appeared on the 漆黒のシンフォニー(Shikkoku no Symphony) event in 2006. NoGoD was just a band that just started its activities in 2005. We never thought we would be able to have the chance to perform with a famous band like Phantasmagoria, but that event made it happen. However, I was relieved that our dressing rooms were separate. When I went to the make-up room, KISAKI-san was sitting next to me doing his make-up. Moreover, KISAKI-san was checking a magazine in which he was published. Actually in the same magazine NoGoD had placed our advertisement from our first mini-album. Our page was published next after the end of phantasmagoria’s interview. I still remember on KISAKI’s page KISAKI-san said in bold letters “God is here“. and on the next page there was our advertisement for NoGOD. At the time, I thought, “This is editorial malice. Please, KISAKI-san, skip that ad!“. Before I even knew it I sat next to him to get my make-up done and KISAKI-san opened the magazine on the ad page and asked me “Isn’t this your band?“. I never felt as “It’s over” so heavily in my life.  

KISAKI: But even back then Danchou had a very friendly personality, so I didn’t have a bad impression of him at all. Actually from then on, our friendship became even closer.

Danchou: From our point of view, KISAKI-san is a great senior. Moreover because he has such a strong presence everyone felt too scared to approach him. However, I don’t care for such barriers, and because KISAKI-san approached me first before I even could greet him, it was even easier for me to jump into his bosom. I remember also saying “We’re going to change our band-name, immediately”.

KISAKI: In the end you didn’t change it at all(laugh)

Danchou: KISAKI-san is a really gentle and friendly person. When NoGoD had just started performing regionally, when we went to Osaka, Kisakisan came to visit us with Takoyaki as a souvenir.  But for some reason, I was the only one who was told to eat a lot of green onions, and I remember receiving only green onions (laughs).

KISAKI: I wanted you to eat green onions, because they are nutritious (laugh)

Danchou: For the people of my generation “Kisaki-san” has a “scary” feeling. However when you actually meet him, you realise that he is a senior band member who’s heart is still pure. Besides this, he still cares about me and keeps in touch with me on a regular basis, and I’m really grateful for that.

KISAKI: I’ve always thought that Dancho is a multi-talented artist who can sing, has a cool image at live shows and is good at talking. Even though he’s my junior, I really respect him for that. 

■ Now let’s talk about the songs each of you sang. Ryo sings “Midnight Whisper”, which is a ballad with a deep worldview.

KISAKI: I think this song really captures ryo’s charm. To put in one word the “sex appeal” of the song is amazing. Even just with his whispery voice, which would definitely make a woman swoon if she heard it. 

ryo: Actually, since I received the demo track, I thought that the sound was already perfect which made me think “maybe I should just keep it as it is?”, because it had already taken shape when we came up with the demo that served as the guideline. When I asked KISAKI-kun how he wished me to sing it he told me “Do as you wish”.

KISAKI: Because I do trust him, so I was sure he’ll make a good song. 

ryo: When it came to the songwriting, the demo already had its own worldview, so I did not want to destroy it. I kept the melody as the axis of the song, and then I tried to find ways to add my own colour to it. How could I take a character that had already been created and make it more expressive with my own singing style? I sang the song with that in my mind.

KISAKI: You turned it into absolute perfection.

ryo: My expression of KISAKI-kun is that he is the forerunner of Tanbi-kei and Kotebi-kei. So, I tried to sing in such a way as to bring out the essence of the lyrics and expand the world of the abstractly written lyrics that encompass the entire song as imaginatively as possible. 

KISAKI: “Midnight Whisper” is a song with a worldview that is more imaginative than message-oriented, and ryo-kun has done a beautiful and aesthetic job of portraying that. In contrast, Danchou gave a solid shout during “Doppelganger.”

Danchou: It’s a bit of a backstory, but this is the very request I received ever to sing a middle-ballad song. To be honest, it’s totally different from the worldview I usually express, so I was planning to come up with some kind of plan and just to sing it, but once again KISAKI-san told me “I want Danchou to sing this song” and the song was “Doppelganger”. This song is a heavy metal number. Moverver, since SYO from GALNERYUS plays the guitar, I thought “This is very very much my song to sing”. And sang it to the fullest.  

KISAKI: The only person I would feel comfortable entrusting this high-tune-song to is Danchou. “Doppelganger” is a song inspired by “XJAPAN” during the “BLUE BLOOD” period. When I asked SYU to play the guitar for me, I asked him “image the guitar solo of XJAPAN’s ART OF LIFE“, and he created exactly the world I wanted.

Danchou: The worldview of this song is definitely my speciality. However the melodies and lyrics that KISAKI-san creates are something I can’t do. KISAKI-san is good at stylistic beauty.But  personally, I’ve always left the stylistic aesthetics to people who are good at it, and I’ve been playing metal in the niche industry, so being able to take on the challenge of stylistic heavy metal head-on this time was a great way to improve my skills. Also, SYU’s guitar sounds extremely Japanese Metal. I also think that SYU and I were able to create a new worldview of heavy metal by expanding on KISAKI’s beautiful and melodious songs.

■ ryo and Danchou express their own worldviews in slightly different ways from your usual fields.

ryo: Of course, KISAKI-kun  himself selects songs with the focus on the colour of my singing voice, so it’s not that I’m out of sync. Singing a song like this opened a world in which I could present a song with a texture that I haven’t expressed before and what allowed me to bring out new colours.

Danchou: I agree with you on that. It’s interesting as well to discover how much we can expand KISAKI-san worldview by mixing various different elements together. That’s how our songs are born.

■ Will the songs sung by ryo and Danchou be the face of the “Afterglow” album?

KISAKI: All the songs which are recorded for the album are all “faces” for the album. However, regarding this album “Afterglow” has the most guests including vocalists. So I’m sure everyone is able to enjoy listening to this work as if they were listening to an omnibus album.

■  Could you please tell us again the appeal of the songs you recorded? 

ryo: For “Midnight Whisper,” I sang it in a way that was specifically for recording, without any consideration of singing the live live as well. I hope everyone who listens to the song will enjoy the detailed expression of my singing voice, because of the focus on having it created specially for “recording”, such as the expression of the volume of my voice, which cannot be picked up by a live microphone.

Danchou: In my case, I guess I was able to boost KISAKI-san rock-kid charm through “Doppelganger“. If KISAKI-san would form a heavy metal band, I’m sure they would play songs similar to “Doppelganger“.

KISAKI: Both songs are created to express themselves musicality in a way which focus isn’t on “live shows” but rather in a way that is specific to be heard on a CD. I lined up 30 such kinds of songs packed and separated inside of those three albums. In “Preuve d’être“. which will be released on June 21st (Postponed to July 5th), Miku-kun from アンティック-珈琲店-(AnCafe) will song a song that includes a shout that would never be inside a AnCafe song. It also includes a re-recorded KISAKI PROJECT song with 樹威(Jui)(ヴィドール(VIDOL)) for the first time in a while.  And the last song on the album was created with the image of XJAPAN’s “LAST SONG” in my mind. There are many such kind of songs lined-up, so please look forward hearing them as well.

Danchou: KISAKI-san I have one request for you. If we would have a chance to perform live, why would we not play “Doppelganger” together? It’s a great song and I think it would be fun to invite SYU and show everyone KISAKI-san own METAL spirit live as well.

KISAKI: Right now, I want to go beyond all my boundaries and do all kinds of things. So I don’t know when it will happen, but there is surely a possibility. To be honest, I don’t know what my future holds and I’m not really thinking of live shows at the moment. Not only with my 30th anniversary, but I’m planning to continue making music while expressing myself flexibility in various ways, so be sure to keep an eye on my future and keep on following my movements. 

Vijuttoke2023/06
「DAISHI（Psycho le Cému）×KISAKI×樹威(Jui)（GOTCHAROCKA）」INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW ◎ TOMONORI NAGASAWA
PHOTO ◎ AKIO YOKOYAMA
HAIR MAKEUP ◎ A・DO（KISAKI＆樹威）/ MASAE WATANABE（DAISHI）
HAIR MAINTENANCE ◎ hiko[UNDIVIDE]（KISAKI）
STYLIST ◎ RIIKO NISHIKAWA（DAISHI）​
TRANSLATION: Team JROCK’N’ROLL
日本語版・Japanese version

KISAKI BANDWORKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL INTERVIEW
DAISHI（Psycho le Cému）× KISAKI × 樹威(Jui)（GOTCHAROCKA）

On June 21st (Postponed to; July 5th), the full-length album 『Preuve d’etre』 will be released. Finally, in celebration of KISAKI’s 30th anniversary, three full-length albums 『Providence』, 『Afterglow』 and 『Preuve d’etre』 have been released for three consecutive months.This is the third album-based interview series. This time with  樹威(Jui) from GOTCHAROCKA, who sang 『Garasu no ALBUM〜New Recording〜』 and DAISHI from Psycho le Cému who sang 『Vertigo』.This time as well, I would like to listen to the words of these three artists who know each other well.

■ Finally, all the three albums have been released.

KISAKI: It’s taken me more than three years to make this happen, so I feel a sense of relief that I’ve done it. It’s all thanks to the participation of a truly diverse group of guests, together we were able to create these albums that are perfect to celebrate my 30th anniversary.

■ 樹威さん(Jui-san) and DAISHI-san, joined this time for this interview to talk about the appeal of this album. First of all, I would like to ask each of you why you joined to participate in the album. Anyway, KISAKI-san and 樹威さん(Jui-san) have been close friends for a long time, right?

樹威(Jui): We’ve known each other since I was 19, which is a really long time. It was at the beginning of last year when I received the request to participate in the project. At that time, I received a message that said, “I am making an album for my 30th anniversary, I would like you to be a part of it”. Of course I wanted to celebrate his 30th anniversary together, but I was also interested in how it would feel to sing songs from the past in today’s age, so I decided to participate. The song I sang is 『Garasu no ALBUM』, which I continued to sing during my time in KISAKI PROJECT. This time we re-recorded the song I sang for the first time as KISAKI PROJECT. Even though the song had its original unique form, which exist more than a decade, the song itself was re-arranged in the form of 『Garasu no ALBUM』 that KISAKI-san is seeking for today, so I successfully was able to sing the song with a very fresh feeling. What was pleasantly surprising to me, and probably because the lyrics were so ingrained in me, singing them came naturally when we were recording. Singing this song really feels natural. On top of that, I was happy to be able to sing with new inspiration.

KISAKI: 樹威(Jui) and DAISHI-kun have been my friends for a really long time. Their presence was really important to me in making this third album. As 樹威(Jui) mentioned earlier, 『Garasu no ALBUM』 was the song that marked the beginning of KISAKI PROJECT. Since then, I’ve continued to record new songs every chance I get, so I really have a deep feeling for this song. Still, I thought it would be nice to have 樹威(Jui) sing a new song for this album, but when I decided that 樹威(Jui) would also participate, the first thing that crossed my mind was to record a new version of 『Garasu no ALBUM』. Also because this song has gone through different forms and has been re-recorded several times in the past. It made me wonder if I could rearrange 『Garasu no ALBUM』 in a form that I currently idealise with 樹威(Jui) singing. I really wanted to see how this idea would blossom, so I decided to have 樹威(Jui) sing this song.

樹威(Jui): For me, 『Garasu no ALBUM』 is a song that I have a strong attachment to. The very first time I sang as part of KISAKI PROJECT was shortly after I started my activities as a member of ヴィドール(VIDOL). At that time, KISAKI-san had just started KISAKI PROJECT and asked me to participate in the Omnibus Edition, so I have been involved ever since. I never thought then that I would still be able to sing the same songs I sang then.

KISAKI: I agree with you. At the time that KISAKI PROJECT was born, I was only planning that it would be a project for omnibus releases. But since I started the KISAKI PROJECT, which was highly regarded and appreciated at that time, there were many requests for its activities, and as a result it became a long-lasting project, even though it was irregular in nature. First of all, ヴィドール(VIDOL) is an essential band in my life. UNDER CODE PRODUCTION itself was originally created to manage ヴィドール(VIDOL), and as ヴィドール(VIDOL) played a role in the growth of the label, I have an inseparable friendship with 樹威(Jui). Even to this day, it feels like we are good friends. In terms of being a close friend, my friendship with DAISHI-kun is the same.

DAISHI: Oh, you suddenly switched to me (laughs). We’ve known each other for a long time. Personally, I think our friendship goes back even before my activities as Psycho le Cému. 

KISAKI: I have known DAISHI-kun for about 27-28 years. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that we are almost synchronised.

DAISHI: Actually, we’re the same age. But when I started my band activities, KISAKI-kun was already the head of the KANSAI visual kei scene. So we were lucky to be in a position where KISAKI-kun taught us a lot and supported our activities from the beginning.

KISAKI: In fact, the band that DAISHI-kun was in before Psycho le Cému participated in the omnibus album that was released during my Matina era. At that time, his band often performed at the events we sponsored, and because of that friendship, we were also able to work with Psycho le Cému and perform together. 

DAISHI: For us as a band from Himeji, Osaka is a big city. So we were really grateful to be invited to such events. I still remember being backstage at an event at a live house called ギルド(GUILD) in Osaka. There was no real dressing room, so everyone did their makeup on the fire escape stairs. KISAKI-kun, who organised the event of course, always does his makeup at the highest point, so newcomer bands like us wouldn’t go to greet him. But even to meet KISAKI-kun, climbing the stairs required skillfully dodging other seniors who were also putting on their makeup. I just suddenly remembered that.(lol)

KISAKI: I know why you say that, but since we were also classmates and liked the same kind of music, we quickly shed that “Superior” relationship and became friends on a normal level. I also went on tour to Himeji were I was indebted to the members of Psycho le Cému and defspiral (TRANSTIC NERVE)

DAISHI: But the members of Psycho le Cému were younger than both of us. So at that time they were a little nervous just because we were going to perform at the same event as GOD KISAKI-kun. (lol)

KISAKI: In those days, if I invited someone to an event in Osaka, when we went to Himeji, we were indebted to everyone in Himeji, So it didn’t matter how powerful I was in Osaka, because I still needed everyone’s help.

DAISHI: In the past such kind of connection was really important.

KISAKI: But Psycho le Cému started getting a lot of attention with their appearances on various TV shows, and they easily overtook me in terms of participation and popularity (laughs). It was frustrating at the time, but I was also encouraged by the fact that my friends were taking off in a big way, and after all this time I’m really happy that we were able to work together to create songs for my 30th anniversary album…

DAISHI: I can’t help but fall into the old habit of saying, “I’ll do whatever KISAKI-kun says” (lol). Actually, I was very happy that he invited me.However, the atmosphere and worldview of the song 『Vertigo』 was different from my usual style, so I practised it more than when I learned new songs at Psycho le Cému, and I made sure it was ingrained in my body (laughs).

■ Certainly, the colour of the music is different from the music sung by Psycho le Cému.

DAISHI: Since I had listened to the songs of the bands KISAKI-kun was in, I predicted that it would be like this. Not only did the music arrive 45 degrees more oblate than predicted, it arrived far beyond that. So the bar level was set pretty high(lol) Actually, I recorded 『Vertigo』 on the same day as defspiral’s TAKA-kun. When I listened to TAKA-kun song first, I found that even though it was KISAKI-kun song, he sang it in a very TAKA-like way, so I sang 『Vertigo』 with the feeling that I should “just dye it my own colour”. As a result, I think I was able to colour KISAKI WORLD while expressing my own colour. 

■ The response after the song was perfect.

DAISHI: I’m pretty happy with how that turned out. Moreover, I was happy that KISAKI-kun asked me to include a story at the end. In the indie era, Psycho le Cému often included stories in their songs. I was happy to be able to do that for the first time in a long time, and it also made me realise how important it is to include storytelling in Psycho le Cému.

■ Can you please talk about the appeal of 『Garasu no ALBUM』 and 『Vertigo』 one more time?

樹威(Jui): Even though the arrangement had been changed for some reason, I also remembered how I felt when I used to sing it before. I am happy to be able to express “how I would sing 『Garasu no ALBUM』 if I were to sing it right now“. The 『Garasu no ALBUM』 was a song that had been newly recorded several times since it was first recorded over a decade ago, and had even been made into an orchestral version. In addition, I have always sung at every live performance. I am truly grateful that I was able to express the songs that I developed in a way that was unique to me. In fact, the music can only be experienced on this album and is unlike any other version of the 『Garasu no ALBUM』 ever created. If anyone is able to listen to the previous songs, I hope they will be able to compare them with the current 『Garasu no ALBUM』 and get a taste of what it looks like now.

KISAKI: 樹威(Jui) and DAISHI. Both of them are vocalists who have been singing for a long time. I hope you can feel the depth of their songs. 

DAISHI: As for  『Vertigo』, as I said earlier, I think the best part of listening to it is how my singing fits in with KISAKI-kun’s musicality. Also, it’s been a while since we talked together. Also, I grew up listening to D’ELRANGER’s music, so I’ve always had a tendency to like dark songs. The fact that I was able to bring that part so vividly through 『Vertigo』 is a highlight of the album for me.

■ DAISHI and 樹威(Jui) deepened their friendship with KISAKI through their participation in Omnibus releases in the 90s.

KISAKI: In the past, omnibus albums were important because many of them were created with a clear theme, and the bands that participated in them often deepened their friendship with each other.

DAISHI:  An omnibus disc contains only one song from each band, so it was important at the time to “put everything about the band into that one song so people would understand what we were all about.

KISAKI: There are bands that are serious about competing, and there are bands that come up with songs that were forgotten easily, that’s how I noticed how to approach the bands for future matters.

DAISHI: Including how to positively subvert expectations. Psycho le Cému is an intense band, so sometimes we bring out that intensity, and sometimes we attack with songs because we want to get a lot of people’s attention, and we bring out a freshness by bringing out ballads that you don’t normally get to hear. The sense of the band is also evident in the song selection. That’s the fun of an omnibus CD.

KISAKI: My encounter with 樹威(Jui) is the same. When I was in Syndrome, I released an omnibus CD together with SHOXX and got curious about the band 樹威(Jui) was active in. And so I went for a live to Sendai to meet them.

樹威(Jui): I visited him at the launch and greeted him there, which was my first encounter with KISAKI-san. After that, I moved to Tokyo and formed  ヴィドール(VIDOL). KISAKI-san has been a great help to us and me since that time.

■ Lastly, could 樹威さん(Jui-san) and DAISHI-san say some words to KISAKI-san?

樹威(Jui): When I was 19 years old, I met KISAKI-san, and from there I was assigned to Matina and moved to Tokyo. When I started  ヴィドール(VIDOL) and even after its disbandment, I continued as a participating member for UNDER CODE PRODUCTION. After my graduation from UNDER CODE PRODUCTION,  ヴィドール(VIDOL) also disbanded however since then I continued my activities as GOTCHAROCKA. I’m really grateful and happy that KISAKI-san gave me this opportunity to work with him again. Above all, I hope that my participation in this project will be a turning point in my own musical life, and I am deeply moved by the fact that I have been able to return to that memorable『Garasu no ALBUM』 in this form.

KISAKI: 樹威(Jui) is still my label mate and friend. I wish to continue our friendship forever. 

DAICHI: As far as I’m concerned, I think that because it’s your 30th anniversary, we’ve been able to do this together, feeling deep for each other. I am sure that if we had done the same thing on your 10th anniversary, we would not have gotten the feeling we have now. As we both pursued our dreams and continued banding, we have come to where we are now, having gone through various experiences with each other. As I look around me, I see many bands breaking up, forming and breaking up again and again, reviving and then breaking up again. Furthermore, I have continued to see many situations, including retirements. We have gone through similar experiences and are still active today. That’s why we had the opportunity to create songs together like this. Moreover, I am really happy to have been able to participate in the KISAKI-kun milestone release after a long time. I still remember the days when it was hard to be active as a band for us both. By being able to take part in this release while remembering how I felt at the time, I feel like I’ve taken a huge step forward, and I hope we can continue to work hard together.

KISAKI: As for you both and I am truly grateful to all the other artists who were involved in making these albums together. By the time you read this interview, I wonder if any next developments have been announced? I hope that everyone will enjoy the continuation of my dream, so please look forward to it.

Vijuttoke2023/09「KISAKI」INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW ◎TOMONORI NAGASAWA
PHOTO ◎YOSHINOBU BITO
HAIR MAKEUP ◎A・DO
HAIR MAINTENANCE ◎HIKO（UNDIVIDE)）
TRANSLATION: Team JROCK’N’ROLL
日本語版・Japanese version

By having released the album trilogy 『Providence』『Afterglow』&『Preuve d’etre』 to commemorate KISAKI’s 30th anniversary as a bandman, KISAKI announced that he will perform at 「BEYOND THE KINGDOM -OSAKA-」at BIG CAT in Osaka on November 5th(Sunday). Currently he is preparing for the performance. The final development is expected for this December to know more about this we like you to read this interview.

■ Your album trilogy  『Providence』『Afterglow』&『Preuve d’etre』 has been very well received by everyone.

KISAKI: It’s all thanks to the cooperation of all the guests who took part in it. I also have received many happy comments about the albums from people who aren’t my fans. The fact that I was able to expand my support base once again at such a major milestone as my 30th anniversary made me very happy and confident.

■ In line with the album releases, a live event to celebrate your 30th anniversary “BEYOND THE KINGDOM-OSAKA-” at Osaka BIG CAT on November 5th(Sunday) will be held.  And a month before that on October 8th(Sunday) You will appear as “KISAKI PROJECT feat. 樹威(Jui)” at the even “THE GRAND PARADOX” held at Umeda TRAD in Osaka. It’s been a while since there was a performance as “KISAKI PROJECT feat. 樹威(Jui)”.

KISAKI: 「KISAKI PROJECT feat 樹威(Jui)」 appears for the first time in 16 years. The basic members are myself and 樹威(Jui), but the guitarist who will join us are also the same members as 16 years ago. The members are TOSHIHIRO (ex-Tinker Bell) and 宮路ヤスアキ(Yasuaki Miyaji) (ex-RONDE). Both are friends who are from the same music era as me. 
I’m really happy to be able to stand on the stage with these members again.
The event is called 「THE GRAND PARADOX」 because it’s hosted by  Katchin-san who runs a bar called PARADOX. Since I’ve often been indebted to him, I’m happy to have agreed to participate in this event in the hope that I can also add some flair to PARADOX’s 20th anniversary and  Katchin-san own 60th birthday celebration. So this event will be and feel different from my own 30th anniversary.　However, this be my last time as 「KISAKI PROJECT feat 樹威(Jui)」, so those who have many memories etched in their hearts should definitely take a look at our heroic side. 

■ So there is a possibility that this even appearance will be really the last appearance as  「KISAKI PROJECT feat 樹威(Jui)」??

KISAKI: I don’t think there will be a next possibility, it’s just happening now, so I don’t think we will do it again. For those who have watched over us as「KISAKI PROJECT feat 樹威(Jui)」, I really hope everyone will watch our performance deeply in their mind.

■ The other bands appearing at the 「THE GRAND PARADOX」are gorgeous aren’t they?

KISAKI: Katchin-san himself is a person with a wide range of connections in this world. On this day my senior MORRIE will do a session called 「The Dead of Night CitY」.  Katchin-san will play together on that day with 福井祥史(Yoshifumi Fukui)(ex.VINYL/STRAWBERRY FIELDS/DERLANGER)  in a band called まふかっちゃん松田(Mafukat-chan Matsuda). And talking bands which were essential to the scene even FLOW who are still on the MAJOR frontline will appear as well. But of course the big winner of all time is Katchin-san with his band THE FLYING PANTS. I don’t know how 「KISAKI PROJECT feat 樹威(Jui)」 will face THE FLYING PANTS, because they have  established a creative worldview that is very unique to anyone. Of course I want to celebrate the Katchin-san event in a way that will clearly depicts their worldview. 

■ Talking of your 30th anniversary movement “BEYOND THE KINGDOM-OSAKA- at Osaka BIG CAT on November 5th(Sunday), will be a live performance that follows that trend. 

KISAKI: That’s right. In January I held a performance of 「BEYOND THE KINGDOM-TOKYO-」 in Tokyo. Personally, I felt good about the activities of THE LOCUS, which was only formed on that day as a 30th anniversary band to end with just the Tokyo performance. Because of this, I was able to give a live performance that was convincing and satisfying.　I was very happy that when so many people told me they wanted to see us live again, even the members, including vocalists 幸樹(Kouki) and 真緒くんMao-kun, said, “Let’s do it in Osaka“.　Since I am from Kansai and have always been based in Osaka, I decided that we should conclude the 30th anniversary celebrations with this concert in Osaka. So I made this decision.

■ The members of THE LOCUS are all from Kansai.

KISAKI: correct. All the members are from the Kansai region.　At the time of the Tokyo performance, all members were from Kansai.　After all, if Kansai people have a better mood, it’s easier to be around them.　I invited a lot of Kansai bands as the guest bands, including Psycho le Cému, 摩天楼オペラ(Matenrou Opera), NEGA, FEST VAINQUEUR, Leetspeak monsters, and JILUKA. As for the guests, we’re talking about bands that include musicians who have participated in my three albums.　NEGA was originally a band affiliated with UNDERCODE PRODUCTION, which disbanded exactly 10 years ago in 2013 with a live show to dismantle UNDERCODE PRODUCTION. The venue at that time was Osaka BIG CAT, so I’m happy that NEGA is coming back to my event for the first time in 10 years.

■ So, this year marks the 10th anniversary of the dissolution of UNDER CODE PRODUCTION.

KISAKI: Yes, it has been 10 years already. At that time it was the 20th anniversary of my own activities and in many ways it was a turning point for me. One of these events was the dismantling of UNDER CODE PRODUCTION, which I had been running. While I was talking about various things with the members of NEGA, who shared the same era with us and members of UNDER CODE PRODUCTION, I was happy that they themselves said “they would love to add colour to my 30th anniversary celebration”.

■ The big highlight of this day’s event is the big session of 『神歌(Shinka)』 at the end.

KISAKI: It’s something I can only show off. There are a lot of bands performing, so it’s difficult to stay excited. However, you won’t feel bored until the end. Rather, I really want to show a spectacular stage performance at the end. That’s why I’m planning to have all the band members who performed that day to go on stage together and play a big session as『神歌(Shinka)』. It’s definitely going to be chaotic on stage. However, I want everyone to experience that chaotic fun. I think the most ideal way to end the event is to close it with such excitement for everyone. 

■ As the 30th anniversary year unfolds, this day will be your live show for the rest of the year…

KISAKI: Yes, this will be my last one. Regarding live shows, I have received my invitations for next year, but I have declined all of them and I’m not planning to do any live shows myself as well. First and foremost, I have to make sure that the performance that is scheduled for November 5th is going to happen. In addition to that, this December, which will be the last month of my 30th anniversary year, I will release a mini-CD and something else I want to do, so for the rest of this year I will concentrate on getting that done first.

■ This means that if you miss the live performances in October and November, you won’t know when you’ll be able to see KISAKI-san on stage again?

KISAKI: I won’t be taking the initiative to go on stage next year unless I have a real good reason to do so. I’m not retiring at all, so if there’s a reason or a need for me to be on stage, I’ll do it. Personally, I want to try something different from what I’m doing now, so I don’t think I’ll be doing a live show next year, and I won’t be on stage unless something really happens.
That’s why I’ve cherished each and every movement of this year’s 30th anniversary, and how much I’ve cherished this past year. I think you’ll understand if you keep following my steps leading to my final plan which will take place this December. Btw, that’s why I’m still working on new songs.

■ KISAKI-san, you have really been spending your days focusing on creating music for the past few years.

KISAKI: The trilogy of albums released this year is definitely one of the top three albums I’ve ever created. Looking back on my 30 years of work, I’m very satisfied and convinced. Based on this, I decided to create a release for December that would culminate KISAKI’s musicality in the scene of Visual Kei. I’m currently working on it with various people.

■ I look forward to hearing more about it. By the way, I know there are a lot of people who would like to see the November concert but will not be able to. Do you have any plans to preserve that performance in some way?

KISAKI: At the moment I haven’t thought about it yet. After all, I want those who will visit the shows experience the music directly with their own eyes and ears and taste the atmosphere. However, it seems that someone from a TV station will be filming footage, which also will include a record. It’s not yet decided if it also will be broadcasted but there is a possibility. That doesn’t mean it will be highly on TV, currently I think I will enjoy it as a personal thing and just enjoy having it on film, because at the moment I don’t have any intention of turning it into real footage. That is why I want to ask everyone to come to the live show and watch my show in person. Those are the last moves for my 30th anniversary and I will talk about it more in the near future. Please look forward to it.

KISAKI BANDWORKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY LIVE
「BEYOND THE KINGDOM -OSAKA-」
2023.11.05(SUN) OSAKA BIG CAT
【CAST】
■THE LOCUS -当日限定バンド-
■Psycho le Cému
■摩天楼オペラ
■defspiral
■NEGA
■FEST VAINQUEUR
■Leetspeak monsters
■JILUKA
※At the end an amazing session with everyone as 神歌(Shinka)
ADV: 7800yen / Door 8000yen + Drink
Tickets: E-plus
Full Details in Japanese

KISAKI BAND WORKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY

TRANSLATION: Team JROCK’N’ROLL
日本語版・Japanese version

-FINAL PART- 
This year, KISAKI has embarked on various developments to commemorate his 30th anniversary as a band member. The culmination of these efforts will be packaged as KISAKI BANDWORKS 3OTH ANNIVERSARY LAST ALBUM “Eternally” which will be released on December 27th, and also KISAKI BANDWORKS 3OTH ANNIVERSARY LAST SINGLE “破 戒 (Hakai)”, which will be released as a limited edition on the WEB SHOP, and “Re_REQUIEM〜FINAL MIX〜”, which will be released as a final music video from December 31st, 3:00p.m (JST). We talked to KISAKI about his thoughts behind these three releases.

──First of all, I would like to ask you about your impressions after the “KISAKI BANDWORKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY LIVE ~BEYOND THE KINGDOM -OSAKA-” performance held at Osaka BIG CAT on November 5th.

KISAKI: As a closing event for my 30th anniversary, I gathered my friends for the day to play together and/or against each other in friendly competition. We spent the whole time backstage in a friendly and enjoyable atmosphere, and each band gave their best on stage. In addition, everyone stayed until the end to participate in the “神歌(Shinka)” session.  Thanks to everyone’s passion and support, that day’s live performance was truly a blast.

── Everyone who performed a live show that day has lots of respect for KISAKI-san and they all follow KISAKI ISM closely, isn’t it?.

KISAKI: I was very happy that everyone’s thoughts were conveyed to me. This event brought together all the people I have had connections with through my 30 years of activities.Because they all know me so well, I was very happy to see them show me that they have inherited the will that I have carved into the visual scene. Because of that I It’s truly a blessing for me to be an artist.
With the members of THE LOCUS, a Project band that was born to commemorate my 30th anniversary, we were able to put on a memorable live show, even though there were only a few rehearsals, which showed me once again a group of friends that I really can trust. I am really grateful for that.

──The last part, a big session of “神歌(Shinka)” sung and performed by all the performers, was also a highlight of the event’s typical fun and goofiness.

KISAKI: I was really happy to be able to fully experience that chaotic feeling of the last session of EXTASY SUMMIT, which I had always admired, at my own event. On stage at that time, I followed in my own way the effects I received from YOSHIKI, such as blowing CO2 until the bottles were empty. I was able to do everything I wanted to do in that session.

──With that live show you ended your live activities together with celebrating your 30th anniversary. Also your 30th anniversary will be ended with three last releases: KISAKI BANDWORKS 3OTH ANNIVERSARY LAST ALBUM “Eternally”, KISAKI BANDWORKS 3OTH ANNIVERSARY LAST SINGLE “Hakai” and ENDING MV “Re_REQUIEM~FINAL MIX~”.

KISAKI: Continuing from the album trilogy, this time as well, I have invited various artists as guests. The 30th anniversary movement will be completed with these three releases. Among them, the three people who participated in the last album “Eternally” as guest are vocalists, 苑(Sono) (摩天楼オペラ(Matenrou Opera)), Ai (DEATHGAZE・DARREL), and AKIRA (MIRAGE・RENAME), they also participated in writing the lyrics. Please check out the album booklet to see how they perceived my 30th anniversary and what kind of thoughts they wrote about it.

──Of course, KISAKI-san wrote a lot of lyrics, but if you boil it down to a rough summary, don’t most of the lyrics have the content of “heading towards destruction”?

KISAKI This is the word that symbolizes these three releases, and it’s also my own feeling. However, I don’t mean it in a negative way, but I hope people will take it as a kind of feeling or lingering feeling that remains in their hearts after watching a moving movie that resonates with their hearts.

At first, I thought of consolidating all three titles into the LAST ALBUM “Eternally,” but there was a risk that the sense that the unity as a story would be lost if I would combine them all into one album. Because the theme is so “Eternally” the name “Eternally”  was chosen as the name of the album. “Hakai” has the theme of “destruction” as the title also suggests. “Re_REQUIEM~FINAL MIX~” has the meaning of requiem.
However, the underlying thoughts are common in all of my works.
Among them, “Hakai” has the meaning of destroying the experience and accumulation accumulated of 30 years of my band activities and returning to zero.
If you listen to the lyrics of “Re_REQUIEM~FINAL MIX~” based on the feelings expressed in “Hakai”, I think you’ll be able to reflect on all kinds of thoughts.

──It’s typical of KISAKI that you don’t end the story on a hopeful note, but rather destroy everything once and for all.

KISAKI “Hakai” is a song that I carefully created based on the feelings I had when I was exposed to visual kei music and the scene and was shocked and inspired. I wanted to play an intense song at the end of the 30th anniversary journey, and I think I ended up with a song that will get you excited when you listen to it.

──In the ENDING MV “Re_REQUIEM ~FINAL MIX~”, which was released after the release of “Hakai”, KISAKI wrote, “When the world ends, your beautiful heart and precious future will all be destroyed. These words are shocking to me as well.

KISAKI This is a new sublimation of the song “REQUIEM” that I released in the past. I asked RAMI (Aldious, Raglaia, RAMI THE REQUIEM) to provide the voice for the story, and myself and LILLY (Little Lilith) participated as image models in the image video. It’s a very beautiful image. However, I created a song and video that would be suitable to conclude the sad journey of my 30th anniversary.

──It’s also nice to be able to enjoy different expressions in all three titles.

KISAKI LAST ALBUM “Eternally” is a work that perfectly incorporates my musical roots. LAST SINGLE “Hakai” also incorporates musical roots and is filled with the thorny musical impulses of the early 90s. By touching on the ENDING MV “Re_REQUIEM~FINAL MIX~” based on this, the project that is the culmination of my 30th anniversary of musical activities will be firmly completed.
Actually, I’m making a video of the Osaka BIG CAT event that took place on November 5th. At the moment, we are promoting the idea of broadcasting it as a special program on national television, so there is a high possibility that it will be broadcast in that form. However, it will not be aired before 2024. For those who were unable to attend this live performance, please look forward to the broadcast. The video team recorded all the footage from the three live shows we did this year, and they also filmed us during the recording, so I’m looking forward to seeing how the footage we shot this year will be used.

──What KISAKI’s fans are surely interested in is how he destroyed his past progress once and for all through the movements of the three works that are the culmination of his 30th anniversary. Since KISAKI has pursued the “aesthetics of destruction and regeneration” in the past, I think you’re going to start a new path of regeneration from here, aren’t you? I think there are a lot of people looking at it with high expectations.

KISAKI: If you look at my own past, you’ll see that both bands and labels have been destroyed and reborn many times.
That doesn’t mean that I’m already thinking about my next step.
First I want to finish all the activities for the 30th anniversary and then take a little break.  After that I will probably think about what to do next.
To be honest, I don’t know if I will be on stage again.
But I will continue to be involved in the music business. I don’t know if it will be in the form of songwriting or producing bands or what form it will take, until the time comes I won’t be able to answer that question, so for now, until December 31st, I’m fully focused on continuing to push forward towards my destruction.
After that, after next year, if I feel that it really makes sense for me to move, I may take some action…

──There are many band members who are now carrying on the KISAKI ISM. Personally, I wish you would do more to increase the number of such people.

KISAKI: I’ve received a lot of feedback like that, and I’m honestly happy to hear from people like that. I really love the visual kei scene, so I’m glad that I was able to leave my mark in this way. However, I would like to reiterate that I want to devote myself to the work of completing the 30th anniversary, so please let me concentrate on that first. 
I would like to emphasize this, my LAST ALBUM “Eternally” is filled with 100% of the elements that influenced me from the Visual Kei world. I believe that I have created a work that is not influenced by any trends, I say this for all my works that I have released this year. Every release that has been completed is worthy of being preserved as permanent works that are indispensable to the history of the visual scene.

──Once again, I would like KISAKI-san to talk about the feelings he would like to express in his final words.
KISAKI: I’ve been able to keep going for 30 years thanks to all the fans who have supported me at various times, everyone involved and the many friends who can be called comrades. Thank you very much.
Artists of my generation still work hard.
However, I don’t think I will sell myself cheaply to do something, so I hope everyone will take a long term view and wait for my future projects even after this destruction.
Before that, my 30th anniversary project that has been going on behind the scenes and above for about three years will finally come to an end.
For now, I want you to watch the movement carefully until the end.