Very soon, hard rock band VAMPS will return to the US for several headline shows as well as perform as a guest on I Prevail's LIFELINES tour. Vocalist HYDE takes some time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions about VAMPS' latest album UNDERWORLD and their upcoming tour.
Hello VAMPS, thank you for accepting our interview request. Your new album UNDERWORLD was out in Japan on April 26th and the rest of the world on April 28th. How would you describe the sounds that can be found on this album? How is this album different from your past releases?
HYDE: When we wrote this album we specifically wanted to target the US audience more so we recorded it in the America and approached it more from an American mind frame. Hopefully all of this hard work will pay off and we will get nothing but positive reviews or we'll just have to go back home to Japan (laughs).
Now, let us explore the key tracks of this album in detail, starting with the title track UNDERWORLD. What message are you trying to convey to listeners with this song?
HYDE: "UNDERWORLD" is a society that exists quietly and usually goes unnoticed. That's where we came from, and wanted to show world what it looks like through our eyes.
You worked with award-winning director Nick Peterson for CALLING's music video. Please tell us about your experience working with him.
HYDE: I was worried that if I gave too much direction it might kill his motivation, so I tried not to interfere with his vision. Although I initially had some concerns, the atmosphere on set was fun and the final product is incredible. It's good thing that I kept quiet (laughs).
You collaborated with MAN WITH A MISSION's bassist KAMIKAZE BOY for BREAK FREE. How did this collaboration between vampires and a wolf come about? Why did you think KAMIKAZE BOY was a good fit for this song?
HYDE: He was in Vegas visiting just for fun, so we invited him to check out our studio under false pretenses, when in reality we really wanted him to record with us, and he did.
Chris Motionless of Motionless in White was a guest vocalist on INSIDE OF ME. What was the most memorable part of working with Chris Motionless?
HYDE: My first impression of him was that he was really good looking (laughs). Although initially he seemed a bit mischievous, he let us try out a lot of things in the studio and is a great guy overall.
B.Y.O.B. (BRING YOUR OWN BLOOD) seems like a song that's really in line with your band's vampire theme. Was the concept for this song something you've had in mind for a long time, or was it something you came up with recently?
HYDE: VAMPS has always had this sort of "party" side, but I guess this is the first time that we were really able to really show it off. We’re ready to rock this one live!
Out of all the different messages or themes conveyed by the tracks on UNDERWORLD, which message or theme do you feel most strongly about? Why?
HYDE: We created this album with taking on the US market in mind, so the strongest message that naturally reflects our state of mind is "we're here to fight and conquer".
What are some of the most valuable things you've learnt after working with various foreign artists and producers?
HYDE: I've learned to discern what's important when dealing with time limits and thinking ahead to figure out how much time each task will take. Also, I believe in not being married to a certain idea. Keeping an open mind is what creates unique results and makes for more functional rationality.
You'll be returning to the US in May as a guest on I Prevail's LIFELINES TOUR and you'll also be playing several headline dates. What do you hope to achieve with this US tour?
HYDE: We've learned a lot from all of our previous tours, so this time around I can confidently say that we've proven ourselves and are ready to take on the US by storm.
Which song from UNDERWORLD are you most excited to play live for this US tour?
HYDE: UNDERWORLD
Even though you have been to the USA many times, is there anything about the people, culture or environment that still surprises you every time you visit?
HYDE: I think it's easy to get a driver's license in the states, but the driving itself is a different story to say the least (laughs). For example, there are so many people who don't turn on their signals when they turn, or just people who just simply don't follow the rules.
You'll be performing at the Blackest of the Black festival in California on May 27th. What are your thoughts on being able to showcase your music at this festival?
HYDE: We’re excited because we've been listening to Danzig for so long and now we’re playing Blackest of the Black. There are so many heavy bands playing, so we're putting together a killer set list with our heavier songs.
Do you have any plans to tour Europe or South America later this year or sometime next year?
HYDE: We don't have anything set just yet but, we would absolutely love to go!
2018 will mark your 10th anniversary as a band. Do you already have any special activities planned for the occasion?
HYDE: I haven't thought about it, actually. But don't you think that the 13th anniversary would suit VAMPS more? (laughs) I'll come up with something really special.
To conclude our interview, please leave a message for JaME readers.
HYDE: Thank you all for reading! We're not planning to drag this on forever, but this year we’re challenging ourselves to conquer as many things as we can in a short period of time, so watch us make it or break it. We won't go down easily!
JaME would like to thank HYDE and Eleven Seven Music for this interview opportunity.
Watch the music video for CALLING below:
UNDERWORLD is now available for purchase in the USA on iTunes (here), Google Play (here) and Amazon (here). It is also available for streaming on Spotify (here).
