Rock band RHEDORIC embarked in a California tour this March to celebrate their fourth anniversary. Shortly before this tour, the band kindly took some time to answer JaME's questions regarding their latest release, their concept and much more.
Hello RHEDORIC! As this is your first interview with JaME, please introduce yourself and tell us about one of your habits.
TOMO: I’m TOMO (thinking about his habit) … and nothing (laughs). Shigure: I’m the bassist Shigure. I play a Fender that was made in California. I love Fender. Naruka: I’m Naruka on drums. Nothing (laughs). I love visual kei. Yusuke: I’m Yusuke Suga on guitar. Yuji: I’m the vocalist Yuji. Nice to meet you. And … nothing (laughs). I’m proud of my voice.
How did all of you come together to form RHEDORIC? Did you already know one another from before?
TOMO: I was speaking to Yusuke and I was talking about do something and the band started from there. Shigure and I know have known each other for more than 15 years, and I was drinking friend of Yusuke since five years ago. We are seniors and kind of little brothers.
Who came up with the band name? What does it mean?
TOMO: Yusuke came up with the name. Yusuke: It came from “rhetoric”. The message of that word is to direct clean tones. But for us, things may sound dirty and we may not be able to direct something cleanly, so we wanted to direct a message in "our" own form in a way. This includes making something exciting, and delivering something as beautiful as music. We made the meaning “rhedoric” instead of “rhetoric”.
You're celebrating your fourth anniversary this year. What are some of the best and worst memories of your journey so far? Any specific incidents you can share with us?
Yuji: The drummer left the band at first, and then a new drummer came and that was good (laughs). Naruka: Was that a good thing or a bad thing? TOMO: And that was a good thing, I think ... (laughs) One of the worst things is that Yuji got injured during our third anniversary. But when he recovered, all the band members helped one another out to pursue better things and work better as a band. It was a good thing and a bad thing at the same time.
Your band's concept is about making the "one and only" style of music that can't be categorized into specific genres. How do you go about creating such music? Do you actively try to avoid falling into specific genres when making music?
Yusuke: We are actually not trying to "just" do different stuff too much like “do something crazy!” or try to look different from people and sound different. We aren’t really focused on that part. It will probably look stupid if we jump into a pool in a music video. We won’t do that (laughs). But we want to stand out from what our seniors already did. That’s the meaning of pursuing something different and having our own style. What we have been careful about is not just trying to do something different other than trying to copy or sound like something, but whatever we do becomes different and sounds different.
That’s very good!
Yusuke: Thank you so much!
What usually inspires you to make music?
TOMO: I get influence by going out to different places, not only in Japan, but also to other places like Los Angeles this time. Shigure: I focus on listening to and imagining Yuji's voice and tones. So I try to think of what his voice would sound like for the songs and I try to do something from that. I’m inspired by his voice. Naruka: What does the English word "inspiration" mean in Japanese? (laughs) Yusuke: You’re very stupid (laughs). (Yusuke re-explains the question in Japanese to him once again). Naruka: Oh! Nothing (laughs). It’s something inside me, so I can’t explain it with words. Yusuke: I basically try to create an image in my mind first. It can be from clips, films, sounds, sceneries, but it’s more about creating an image first and then doing something from it. Yuji: Just enjoy. That’s the most important part: to enjoy.
Who are your musical influences?
TOMO: Too many to mention. Shigure: I also have many, but if I have to mention one, it would be my teacher Nara Toshihiro. Naruka: X JAPAN. Yusuke: Nothing. Yuji: I used to listen to R. Kelly. So I like him as a singer.
You released a mini-album titled Garyou tensei in November last year. What is the concept or theme behind this mini-album?
TOMO: Our very first concept was that we released an album called Jiggy, which is our first album and we kind of do anything for that. So, basically for this one, we wanted to make a step up. Not something different. Simply a step up, a better sound.
Which song from Garyou tensei did you enjoy working on the most? What did you like about it?
TOMO: Instead of having fun in all the songs, we had a difficult time making them! (laughs) Yusuke: When I was recording the song The Real of Garyou tensei, there was a phrase that popped up while I was recording and listening to the song. I was like “This is one of the best ones we have.” I have good memories recording it. TOMO: I was in Los Angeles when I was making the song With you. I thought something like “Oh, this is one of the best ones”, so that atmosphere and timing are one of the best because I never felt something like that.
Your upcoming shows in Los Angeles will be your first return to the US after performing at VK FEST 2014, this time with your full member line-up. How are you feeling about it right now?
Yuji: We didn’t have a drummer and a bassist the last time so I’m relieved this time, actually (laughs). I really enjoyed it last time, but this one is with all the members, so I’m looking forward to greater enjoyment. TOMO: I had been in the US many times before this show. I feel like we have many supporters here and we feel very welcome, and I want to do something for them. It is a good timing and a good chance to make that come true. Shigure: I’m very honored to be able to come to the US with the five members this time. I’m very thankful to the people who welcome us to come here. By coming I want to do the best show here and deliver that to the fans. Naruka: I’m looking forward to have fun. Yusuke: I want to be very stoic about this tour. For me I came to the US to play like four or five times before with my old bands, but it was at anime conventions, where there are people who like Japanese music and it’s welcoming. But, as a musician, if I wasn’t able to make the audience enjoy themselves there, I would be a loser. But this time I feel like this is my first ever live show in the US. It’s a live house, not a convention. I want to let it all out and I’m being very strict with myself to deliver the best to everyone.
Did you do any special preparations for this tour? For example, did you practice speaking in English to communicate with your American fans?
TOMO: As a rock musician, I learned how to use the word "fuck you" (laughs). Shigure: I have a dictionary application. Yusuke: You didn’t use it at all! (laughs) Shigure: I’ll try to use it from now on (laughs). Naruka: I was reading the manga “BECK”, because it’s about a Japanese musician getting famous in the US (laughs). Yusuke: This time I tried to prepare many things at once to make it smooth, but I realized that my passport expired six months ago and etc., and went through a lot of madness. Yuji: I didn’t do any preparation; I just feel like doing a good show. TOMO: We have prepared a lot of merchandise for the US fans. This time those are US-limited stuff. We prepared a lot of merchandise.
Why did you choose the US again instead of other countries for your tour? Is there something about the USA and LA that attracts you very much?
TOMO: I love the USA! (laughs) The first reason we came to LA again was because we weren't here with the full member line-up last time, and we wanted to come with the full band and fulfill that. As revenge, we wanted to come back to California to play again in order to show the real RHEDORIC, basically. The other reason is that there are a lot of fans who support us in California. That’s why we only have in mind California this time, but we will be branching out more in the future.
If you get more opportunities to perform overseas, which countries would you like to go to?
TOMO: I try not to think about it right now. I want to focus on conquering California first, in order to have strong roots in the US. Shigure: I want to play in New York. Naruka: Philippines, Cambodia … (laughs). Not really. I want to play anywhere. Any shows that we can have. Yusuke: Instead of where we want to go to, we want to go to a place where people want us to go to. Wherever we’re invited, we’d love to go there.
Now for some fun or trivia questions. What is the worst food you ever tasted?
Yuji: Gummies! Gummy candies in the US. We don’t like that. Yusuke: The black, liquor-ish ones. Yuji: We have never eaten something like that before! We didn’t like that. I don’t know if that’s really what people like to eat here in the US, but for us it was like chewing a rubber tire. The image on the ones we bought had a black tire. It was of a tire flavor. TOMO: I ate a dog before in Asia, but not in Japan. I’m not happy about that. It was very disgusting.
What is your favorite colour?
TOMO: (pointing at his shirt) Pink! Shigure: (pointing at his jeans) Blue! TOMO: That’s a little dark blue! (laughs) Naruka: (pointing at his shirt) Black! Yusuke: I think I don’t really have one …
(The members start discussing and tell him that maybe it's orange or green since he wears them too often.) Yuji: (pointing at his watch) White!
What was your favorite subject at school?
TOMO: Leaving early (laughs). Shigure: Japanese history. Naruka: Sports, workout or gym time. Yusuke: History as well. Yuji: Kokugo*
*A mix of reading, how to write the alphabet, learning kanji, etc.
What kind of qualities do you look for in an ideal partner?
TOMO: I don’t mind. Someone cute. Shigure: An aggressive but kind of girlish, quiet type. Naruka: Someone with whom I feel I can enjoy being next to. Yusuke: I love everyone. Yuji: If someone says “I like you” I would like her.
Going back to the topic of music, are you working on any new release right now?
TOMO: We are thinking about it right now. We are deciding on it among the members. There isn’t an exact date for a release yet, but once it comes, we will announce it for sure.
What is the next step for RHEDORIC?
TOMO: After these US shows, we have a fourth anniversary live in Tokyo. So we are focusing on that right now. We are focusing on things one by one. After that show, we are hoping to release or create something that will have a higher level than our previous releases. That’s the next step.
To wrap up our interview, would you please say a few words to our readers?
TOMO: As RHEDORIC we are going to continue working more and more and move forward as well, so we will be spreading out into the world. If there is someone in the world who supports us, watches us and keeps an eye on our next activities, that would be great. I will be very happy about that. Shigure: Our music actually is sold digitally worldwide right now, so if you can take a chance to hear it and give us a word regarding our music, and if we hear that you want us to come to your country, that gives us a chance to take a step to going to that place. Take that chance to check us out. Naruka: As long as there are many supporters for us, there’s a chance to make something bigger together. There aren't many people who know us yet, but take a little chance to listen to us. Please support us! Yusuke: Help us out! Yuji: There might be limits worldwide, but in music there are no boundaries at all, so we will make it wider for everyone and do the best. Take a chance to hear us and become supporters. We will be more than happy about that.
Good luck in LA!
RHEDORIC: Thank you! We will do our best!
JaME would like to thank RHEDORIC, Nameless, Japan Culture Creation Inc. and their interpreter for making this interview possible.
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