This is an interview of Reita. Each time I get on I'm gonna post a new interview (that may be awhile obviously but with christmas break comin up i may have more time)
Compare the you before and after this long tour. What do you think
has changed most? Hmm… I am not sure. I may have changed bit by
bit everyday, so I don’t really notice. But as we did 71 live
concerts, playing the same songs from 『STACKED RUBBISH』every time, I
think now I can play them in my sleep. (laugh)
Ahaha.(laugh)
I know that sounds funny but, I did do that once. Of course I it was
not in one of our actual lives. We played concerts everyday and had
many rehearsals so there were moments where I was kind of sleeping
and playing bass at the same time. (smile)
As you played the same songs so often, did anything change, such as
phrases etc., to when you recorded them? Yes, they did. I think
that my playing started to match the mood of lives more. When we
compare it to our CD, I think our live sound has really shaped up.
By the way, Reita, you have lost weight. Is it because of the tour?
Ah… Yes I have lost weight, in comparison to before we started the
tour. But before [03] tour, I actually put on weight, because of the
New Years Holidays. (smile)
I see.
Then I realized it and dieted a little before the tour. I reduced
rice and increased vegetables in my diet. And natto(=fermented
soybeans) was good too. I used to hate it, but I first started to
like it at around that time.
How did you take a food that you used to hate, and turn it into
something you like a lot? Well, at first I couldn’t eat it at all.
It was smelly, awful taste, sticky, and really there was nothing
good to say about it. (laugh) But I heard that it’s good for your
body. So I tried to eat it before [03].
Wow. (laugh)
At first it tasted bad. But as I was patient and continued to eat it
for one week, then I got used to it, and my awareness changed like
“I have to eat it everyday.”.
So it was kind of like a supplement?
Hang on, but my way of thinking changed from ‘I have to eat natto’
to ‘I want to eat natto’. Now I eat it everyday, because I like it.
And I think it’s delicious.(laugh)
That is great. I think that the moral to that story is not just
limited to natto, but that people can change when they work at
something. Yes, we can change as much as we want. Actually as I
kept eating natto, I lost a little weight. Then the tour started and
I sweated a lot everyday. Then I lost more weight.
So the tour was pretty hard. Yeah, I put my everything in to it
everyday.
What did you learn most through this tour, Reita?
I think I learnt to lead the band.
As a bassist, you have an awareness to lead the band’s sound? Yes.
As we did tour, I reduced the kick sounds of drums more and more.
Before that, it seemed like I played fitting to the drums, but my
thinking changed so I started to play together rather than just fit
in. If something ever happened and drums sounds couldn’t be heard, I
thought I would be able to keep the rhythm, and I kept playing like
that from around [03].
That is why I have the impression that your recent playing is more
dependable and powerful.
Of course, holding the base of the rhythm is the drums, I think. But
a drummer can’t stand on the front stage as he uses a drum set. So
from that perspective I can do anything, I can cut the rhythm, play
melodies like a guitar, and go to the front stage and perform.
That is a very attractive position but the responsibility is also
big.
Yes. I felt that while I was doing the tour, and I think that my
awareness changed gradually. I felt a little bit of pressure about
my responsibility, but because of that it increased my sense of
responsibility, I think.
What impressions did you have when you stood on the stage of Yoyogi?
It was mush easier to playing there than I thought. I thought that
the sound would whirl more, but I didn’t feel that when I was
playing.
It was a strange phenomenon. In the MC, we could hear the sound
whirling or echoing, but once your performance started we didn’t
feel it then. You beat that.(laugh)
Well, our specialty is making loud sound.(laugh)
It was really a good live.
But honestly speaking, my amp cabinet blew out in the 1st day of
Yoyogi.
Really? I didn’t notice that at all.
Well, In the「Filth in the beauty」(the 14th song in the live), it had
already blown out.
How did you manage?
I just played as it was. At first one of the two cabinets blew out,
and then the second one blew out. It was too bad.(smile) But
fortunately people didn’t notice it, so I thought it was okay. If
they had noticed it, that would have been the end.
Your professional mind would not forgive something like that
happening?
Not really. But staff helped out a lot, so that was really good. If
I couldn’t make any sound, it would have been even worse, but as
long as I could make sound, I had to do with what I had. I’m okay as
long as I can make sound, no matter what happens.
I am sure the other band members appreciate that. You know, during
this tour, there were times where I had to play without a monitor.
When we used to play in small live houses I never had a monitor, but
it was in a small area. This time we played in big venues too, so
that was a good learning experience I think, good training.
By the way, you threw your bass in 「関東土下座組合」([Kantoudogezakumiai])
in both concerts this time. When did you introduce such a stage
performance?
I think at around Takamatsu. I’m told often from people around me
that they are afraid of what may happen.
They are worried about you dropping the bass. I think that tension
is good. (laugh) I myself am afraid a little bit too.(laugh)
Do you enjoy the thrill, Reita?
Before, I didn’t want anything to happen in our lives. But now I
feel that I expect something to happen.”. There is no ‘serious’
trouble happening, and I don’t want members and fans get injured,
but I don’t want lives in which we play lazily and safely anymore. I
personally feel like “I don’t mind if I’ll get a little bit
injured!”. Actually in Yamagata, I got into things a little too much
and fell and cut myself. Can you see my wound here?
On your forehead. Even though the wound is small, it bleeds quite a
lot.
And I was excited in the live and my blood pressure was high. At
first I didn’t notice that, but I was bleeding a lot. When I head
banged, the blood splashed, so I got more excited and thought “This
is interesting! I can be Sid Vicious finally!”.(laugh)
I am not sure whether I should laugh or not.(smile) Well, it’s not
good if I do too much. When we finished the live and I returned to
normal, I could feel the pain and I was surprised. But I want to do
such a powerful lives from now on too.
I’m looking forward the summer [GAZEROCK FESTIVAL IN SUMMER 08[BURST
INTO A BLAZE]]too.
Well, I want to do it crazily. I want to do a live where all the
people the world will pay attention to it.
(sorry for all the numbers and stuff but i'm too lazy to take them off. its not too hard to read. but if it is tell me and i'll fix it when i can.)