Glare 10 (Dec. 2008) Reita & Kai

I: When you first met, what impression did you have of each other?
K: The first time we played together was at a session live, wasn’t it?
Re: Yeah. For the session we had a vocalist and a guitarist from another band and went together to the studio. At that time the GazettE were just searching for a drummer!
K: Exactly. The topic turned to me joining the GazettE somehow…
Re: But you didn’t say that you’d join, right? (lol)
K: Well, I was also talking with another band about joining them, so I first had to talk with them properly and then I wanted to come to the GazettE.
Re: Hmmm (lol)
K: It’s the truth! (Lol) from the first time I combined my sound with reita, his bass made me feel safe.
Re: At that session, Kai suddenly told me to look at him while playing! (lol)
K: Well, I used to adjust the rhythm according to the play of the bassist. Now I’m releasing ny own rhythm and want the others to act according to it, but in the past it was the other way around. I felt safe when I adjusted my play according to the bass!
Re: it was the first time I met a drummer like that, so I got some chills (lol). While I thought: “Why? What a strange guy”, I turned to Kai during the rehearsal and ignored him during the real live (lol)
I: What impression did you have of him as a drummer?
Re: Kai had another session band he joined. I first saw him hit the drums for that session band! He had a pretty good tom turning, but I remember that he faced one of our members and said: “I want to have a session band together, that’s why I approached you”

I: What did you strive for when you got used to playing together in the GazettE?
K: Nothing really (lol). We didn’t even talk about it, right? Because both of us naturally have the mindset that we have to build the foundation. Also, both of us enjoy to devote ourselves. Reita devotes himself to the rhythm group and also has an instrument which allows him to go to the front with the other three. That’s why I felt safe hitting the drums since I joined the GazettE, right?
Re: We never really talked about any details. We kinda… went with the flow (lol)
I: While recording, you probably noticed many of each others habits, too?
Re: when Kai joined the GazettE, we also joined our current company and were able to release music. Until then we had 2 or 3 recordings, but for example the tangle with the kicks, we didn’t bother with that at all (lol). We also didn’t bother with the function of every instrument. We had many recordings like that before we noticed that it won’t do just creating loud music! That’s when we thought that it needs be groovy. For the first time we thought about the placements of the kicks. After that when we worked on the mini album MADARA, we used prepro (preproduction) for the first time. From then on we started to notice smaller details too.
K: We had a big failure of a recording once! We recorded analogue even though we didn’t have any experience nor ability (wry laugh) Also just at that time we also used synchronization for the first time (lol) in the end it turned out unacceptable, right?
Re: We didn’t know either analogue nor digital. We actually got to know that analogue isn’t used by professionals at that very day! (lol) We thought it “would somehow work out with punch in” (lol). But with that even more troubles occurred. We were finally able to end the recording around 9 in the morning and had a live on the same day (lol)
K: Because of that we decided to work properly on MADARA.

I: With proper recordings, your performances in lives also changed, didn’t they?
Re: They did. If you have proper recordings, the phrases are also settled. That means that when Kai is doing something different on a live, I notice it immediately. That’s to say, recently Kai also hit the drums with his bare hands, and did it for every song where it matched! I think I noticed that immediately?
K: That was amazing (lol). Even if I start drumming a song in the middle, he recognizes it! Uruha and Ruki were also there, but they didn’t at all. I was surprised why he recognized it just with this (lol)
Re: Even if just the kick changes, I notice it immediately, right?
K: Also the tempo, right? If I mistake that during a live, he’ll notice it at once! (lol) even if I think that he definitely didn’t notice it this time, if I look at him, he’s grinning (lol)
Re: But it’s not as if I’m blaming you! I just look at you because I noticed something different (lol)
I: Well Reita is really amazing, isn’t he? Did your play also change with having proper recordings, Kai?
K: Yeah that’s right. There was a time where our level of the songs went up suddenly. However I increased my practices, right? Until then I thought that would naturally turn out great if I just matched my play with the flow, but I noticed that that wasn’t the case. It wasn’t good and felt as if I had a big wall in front of my eyes. I also remember that I wanted to overcome that wall with all my might.

I: While playing together around what time did you two get the feeling that you were the rhythm group?
Re: I think around the time we got used to having long tours. Because we worked hard on becoming a team.
K: Both, in body and mind, right? And without noticing it, I got confident in saying that I’m part of the rhythm group. During the tour we were already focusing hard on our play.
I: As the rhythm group you probably have the set of mind of not losing to others, am I right?
K: For me, I have the confidence that we won’t lose to anyone as long as Reita is the bassist.
Re: What’s that? Do you want money from me? (lol) Well, for the GazettE, I think, our way of having the drummer as our leader is a good thing. During the live he’s the one in the back who gets a grasp of everything happening in front of him, and sees the flow of the live. Our leader Kai, who’s in charge of that role makes me feel safe.
K: Wah! Somehow that’s embarrassing…(lol)
I: It’s important that the drummer is conscious of being the „heart of one’s band“, I think.
K: That’s right. For the drums it shows when you don’t have confidence. When you’re nervous, you just make mistakes and the audience with notice that immediately. Drummer should hit the drums with the feeling in mind that they’re the center of the band, right? With the mindset ‘so what?’ even if you do make mistakes (lol).
Re: However skillful the two persons are, it takes time to become a rhythm group, right? Without thinking about anything we started playing together, but in playing together, we got used to the feeling of speed and habits of the other. Furthermore, taking that into account, there was also a necessity to adjust your own play. If I say that, it might sounds annoying, but it was interesting!

I: Even if you thought “we’re incompatible!” in the beginning, you want the other to give their best without giving up, right? I’ll continue with the next topic. Let’s talk about your new maxi single LEECH which was released on the 12th of December. Did you have a concept for creating LEECH?
Re: In general, we concentrated on releasing a live feeling, right? It was a recording after we went on tour, so things that were missing during the tour were included in the new songs. In that meaning too, we thought about lives.
I: Was there something you were picky about for the approach out the rhythm?
Re: First of all we thought about making the guitar riffs shine for this song. When we decided that I thought “Yes!!” (lol). Because if we do that, the greatness of the rhythm group could be utilized. In such songs it’s okay not to tell me how good the bass lines are! Because I think hard play is cool. When the guitars are playing riffs, the bass has to play the roots, right? I like to play the roots. The drums also lose their variety in doing so, the placements of the kicks or things like that too, are easy to understand, right? We enjoyed working on LEECH, didn’t we?
K: For this song, it’s alright to just push some points, after that we just need to concentrate on our rhythm. I like such songs! Our two guitarist seem to enjoy those too. For guitarist I guess it’s natural to liked riffs, right? (lol). In that matter, it has a nice balance, I think. Rather than for ballads or songs with many singing parts, everyone makes some funny faces in those songs, right? (lol)
Re: Yeah (lol). Also we were careful to not go ahead, I guess. Especially for the B melody, I thought about making the sound a little delayed, right? Such a song is easy to get into, but to utilize the speed of the guitars, the bass needs to be a little delayed, I thought. If I have the same speed and the sound stops, you’d be able to hear that.
K: I on the contrary was careful to not be late. You probably already know this, right? Reita tends to go ahead and I tend to be delayed. We have countless of those habits! The difference between knowing those habits and not knowing is huge, I think. That’s why I didn’t listen to the click (something like a metronome) during the recording, but hit the drums by feeling. If I hit the drums by the click, it’s a little delayed, but if I hit the drums as if I listened to the click in my head, it turned out just right!

I: You want the reader to refer to this as well, right? The second song DISTORTED DAYTIME has a heavy tuning which makes it dynamic.
K: This song is originally from Uruha, but my first impression was, that it’s an unexpected song for him, right? Also recently Uruha stopped to request a lot from the drums. In the past he did it a lot! (lol) However, I’ve the impression that he asks the most of me. He had many demands which were pretty detailed, but recently I think he leaves those for me to decide.
I: Were you assigned for fills or such in the past? (a fill is a short passage or rhythmic sound which helps to sustain the listener’s attention during a break between the phrases of a melody)
K: Not sure if you can call it assignments, but in regards to the fills I played, they often told me that I should change the extra thing I did for them into a certain direction. Also things like the expressive power. They push hard things on me, right? But when they told me, I came to understand what I have to do.
Re: For DISTORTED DAYTIME the A melody for example has a different approach. The other parts are in unison, that’s why I also thought „Yes!!!“ (lol). When played in unison, LEECH sounds different. The bass becomes more difficult too when we play in unison and I can’t act like the guitars, right?

I: For unison, that is the point, isn’t it? HOLE, which was written by Aoi gives of the impression of blues as a 16 beat song.
Re: For this one we really considered the atmosphere, right? Also I think we never talked about the drums and the bass for this song, did we?
K: We didn’t. It’s really easy to understand.
Re: The sound of the drums in this songs is jammed, isn’t it? Whether it’s for the kicks or the snares, the accent of the bass definitely fits everywhere, so we weren’t worried about that. If we have some vacancy we do think about whether we should put some accents in those places, but for this songs, we needed the drums to fill those, right?

I: That’s interesting. For the rhythm group, it kind of has the impression of being plain, but when I listen to you, I think it really is satisfying.
K: It happens! (lol) Indeed in this world it might have the image of not standing out too much, but for me that isn’t the case at all. I’m rather thinking that it is the most outstanding (lol). I’m not saying this because we’re the rhythm group, I also feel like that when I look at other bands! That’s why I don’t think the rhythm group is plain- not at all. And also, the drums are feeling really pleasant! We had lives in Budoukan or Yokohama Arena, but the audience and the member, everyone who’s there jumps and bounces according to the rhythm I create! That is at any rate, pleasant, isn’t it? (lol) Especially in songs where I don’t use a click. Doesn’t that mean that it’s my own pace everyone tags along? It gives me goosebumps that everyone is following my pace!
Re: We probably already said that before, but the bassist is something like a libero (position in soccer. Basically they belong to defense, but depending on the situation they support the offense). There are times they decide to shoot, and times they support the defense. It’s really the most independent instrument in my opinion! That’s really interesting and worthwhile about the bass, right? It also means that there are times where you just look at the drums and play. There are many cool bassist and drummer out there right now. I don’t think that the rhythm group is plain either. On the contrary, doesn’t it even have something cool when you step back? A little reticent, or how should I say it.. Well, both of us are talking a lot, though (lol). I think the rhythm group has a coolness that attacks from the back, right?
I: Well, the rhythm group is cool. People who emit a presence that can’t be outdone by vocalists and guitarist are definitely cool and it’s also cool that both of you create a silent and strong groove.
Re: Yeah. The rhythm group has many ways to appeal. Usually we’re in the back, but for the first song of the encore (For lives of the GazettE they have the routine to have a rhythm session, which features the solo ride with the rockers) we’re having the leading part. Both are fun, right?

I: We already said that the bassist has a high degree of freedom, but there are also many artist who say that the rhythm group has a lot of freedom in regards to the play too.
Re: That’s right. For the bass, if it’s too troublesome playing phrases, it’s also okay to just change it to playing the roots (lol). That’s absolute no problem, right? Sometimes that’s even better (lol). For this tour too, for the last two lives, I ended up playing the roots for FILTH IN THE BEAUTY (lol). Did you notice?
K: I didn’t (lol)
Re: If you play the roots with enthusiasm, I think it’s even better. For songs we hadn’t played in a while too, when I think that a simpler bass would be better, I’ll change the play to root playing! There are also times where I do that because I can’t remember the phrases, though… (lol) However it’s because we grew, that we can do that now. For the drums too, even if the worst case happens and you forget how to play the song, if you just hit the beat for now, it works out somehow, right? (lol)
K: It does (lol). For example when it’s suddenly decided that we would perform an old song, I sometimes think „huh? How was it again?!“ But when you don’t worry about it and just continue, it works out somehow (lol). First of all I include a sextuplet, or something similar (lol). At those times Reita notices it too (that Kai plays something different) (lol).

I: For guitarists they definitely can’t forget the guitar riffs, right? By the way, we already talked about RIDE WITH THE ROCKERS and there too, the degree of freedom seemed to increase in the recent lives.
Re: I guess that’s because the decision on how we’re going to do it, is done later and later recently (lol). For this tour we had 6 rehearsals, but we just decided on the flow of the song in the last 2! (lol) But for that songs we have a lot of freedom, so that’s no problem at all.
I: People who just started with the drums or the bass need to make an effort to get a feeling of the correct beat, but it’s great when you can enjoy playing freely when you improve to the next level, right?
Re: That’s right. Groove means that even if you think you’re going to release it, there are times you can’t. When you enjoy yourself freely, you’ll be able to release a great groove. I think it’s better to not think about it too much. Also because I don’t really like to think too hard about something. You’ll have to have the appropriate spirit (lol). But I guess that’s interesting thing in music.
K: That’s the same for the performance, right? I think there are many cases where the audience starts to rock with how cool something was you just came up with in that moment! With coming up with something on the spur of the moment, I think that it was really cool and become very high spirited (lol). For the tour final of our last tour too, at COCKROACH Uruha and Reita both gave off the feeling of „Come!“. They got close to each other and head-banged together for example. That was really cool! And that’s also fun to watch. It’s also better to acquire such a softness, right?

I: I absolutely feel the same. What is your ideal for the rhythm session?
Re: The improvisation ends up pretty vigorous for example. Even though we do improvisations at the end of the songs again and again, it is extremely cool to create such a strong groove, I think. However laughing is the most important. Even if I say laughing, I don’t mean it in a foolish way (lol). I really want to be straightforward. I really want to have the capacity of throwing down everyone with my palm.
K: My ideal is the same as Reitas. It is pretty unreasonable, but to support the band properly. When troubles occur, to be able to cover with mutual understanding. For example, even if the sound of the guitars vanish, that the bass and the drums will be able to cover without anything being said. In that sense my ideal is to have a drum session that won’t get agitated no matter what happens, right?
Re: I have quite a lot of troubles! But well it gives me some space (lol). When we have troubles and the rhythm group shows they’re shaking, I have the impression that we’ll make the audience feel restless. Well, personally I don’t shake (lol)
I: Now that you said it, didn’t the cabinet of your bass amp flew over in the Yoyogi live and you had to play just with the monitor at your feed for the second half?
Re: Yeah. From the bottom of my feed I released the hard sound (lol). As expected it was really tough, but I’m glad the fans didn’t look like they noticed. Everything in myself was screaming: „die!!“ though (lol). If that would have shown on my face people probably tell me: „For what purpose where you even touring!“ In the beginning, even when the bass didn’t make a sound, it’s okay if you just act as if everything would be okay! Extremely said (lol). In the past, at a live in Hiroshima, there was a time the sound didn’t come out at all. I’ve played at that time too (lol). Even if the sound doesn’t come out, if the shoulder beats out the rhythm, this will become the bass then, right?