GOTHIKA at Amecon, UK

JaME caught up with two members of GOTHIKA after their energetic set at Amecon, an anime convention held at the University of Leicester. The band had just spent some time after the gig meeting fans and signing CDs, so we quickly grabbed a moment with them for an A to Z style word association quiz. Despite being tired both #449 and Andro were in high spirits.

Hi and Thank you for the interview

#449 Thank you very much

A - First of all. What do you think of when I say the word 'Androgyny'?
(they both start laughing)

andro: It is the symbol of me. I am hentai. (laughs) Do you know hentai?
But not hentai anime, just real hentai.

B - Bondage -

andro: Our roots come from fetish

C - Concert - How do you feel about tonight's concert?

andro: It was funny. Usually a crowd like tonight (At Amecon) don't come to our concerts. They are almost all usually JRock and goth fans. Having the audience at Amecon was very fresh.
#449: It was a little quiet and we expected more from the crowd. Also there were not enough otaku. I love otaku, I wanted to talk about Evangelion but I couldn't so I was sad.

I think they were all a bit shocked that you liked Evangelion. They were amazed thinking 'But you're cool and like Evangelion?
(they both laugh alot at this)

D - Dark Castle, Tokyo Dark Castle

andro: It is the place of Japanese underground culture.
#449: It is my home (laughs)

E - Experiment - What music styles would you like to experiment in?

#449: During Junior High School, I started listening to game music like Final Fantasy and it still influences me. Also, 80s JPop influences me, the classic old school stuff.
andro: Recently I like complete electro, especially German music like Das Ich, VNV Nation and Diorama.

F - Fashion - What does it mean to GOTHIKA?

andro: Our concept mixes up Japanese traditional clothes and cyber style. In every gig we change clothes halfway through the show from one style to another.

G - Gothic - How do you feel about the difference between Japanese and Western goth?

andro: Japanese gothic comes from an original environment and it is not really influenced by other things. Japan has its own style and visual kei is also a form of gothic although most people don't think it is. However sometimes more of a European style can be seen in Japan.

H - Holiday - Where in the world is your dream holiday destination?

#449: Iceland, Egypt, Athens
andro: I want to visit other European countries like Yugoslavia. We're playing there next month.

I - Inspiration - What inspires Gothika?

#449: We are inspired by wanting to be more original. After our previous tour the guitarist left and we changed our sound then to be more electro.

J - Japan - What do you most miss about Japan when touring?

#449: I don't miss Japan at all; I love Europe (laughs).
andro: I also like the European style but I like Japanese food and sake.

K - Kitchen - What can you cook best?

#449: Miso Nikomi. It is a traditional food from Nagoya.
andro: Pasta. I was working at an Italian restaurant when I first moved to Tokyo.

L - London - #449, you lived in London. What did you think about your time here?

#449: The only bad thing is the expense, but it is the most entertaining town. I found some things in common with Tokyo - people don't relax but it is good for music work. I love London.

M - Ok now a slightly stupid question, Morning Musume - what comes into your head first?

#449: I don't hate them, but... (lots of laughing)

N - Next album - Can you tell us a little something about your new album? what have GOTHIKA got in store for fans?

#449: It is a brand new sound, a brand new world. Fans can travel in this world.
andro: The title is '120 Days of Sodomy' because of the Italian director, Pasolini's film. It was very sensational for me and I have seen it many times. All the song concepts come from the movie, especially the song lyrics: fascism, God, evil, religion, pain, sex and sodom.

O - Oga Mori - Has his work influenced any other GOTHIKA works apart from the name, Euthanasie?

andro: Just that one work made an impression. I don't know the book well but the pronunciation is good. Most Japanese cannot pronounce Euthanasie and I wanted to use a German or French word.

P - Preparation - How do you prepare for concerts?

#449: We ready ourselves mentally; the feeling before a gig is important. We are always busy.
andro: This time, we were making our new album until the morning we left Tokyo.
#449: I missed the airplane. Please say 'Poor Yoshiki'. (laughs)

Q - Queer Chronicle - Your concept album from 2006, can you describe the concept to us?

andro: It is love, but strange love. The love between Man and woman is normal, between parents and child or a homosexual relationship. The lyrics are not happy but we want to be happy in the real world.

R - Relax - What do you do to relax

#449: Cigarettes, sleep, music and drink
andro: My favourite thing is sleep - it is important for a vocalist - and alcohol

S - Sex museum (449 had recently visited a sex museum in Amsterdam)

#449: (Laughs)
andro: I find them artistic and very inspiring for writing lyrics.

T - Travelling

#449: It is very hard, but I can do tours because the audience give us energy. So that we can give to the audience, we need cheering.

U - UK

#449: It is a rich man's world
andro: Leicester University is very beautiful and clean. When I was a student there it was not nice and had a bad smell. This (Leicester) University has old buildings.
#449: A place I like is not a safe area in London but I love the area. I most love the dirty parts of the UK because they are dangerous and mysterious.

V - Vision - What are your future plans and expectations for Gothika

#449: I want to visit as many places in the world as possible - almost all the world
andro: I want to play Infest next year. VNV played recently.
#449: I want to play many festivals
andro: I also want to play Slimelight

W - Wasabi

andro: Yes of course I like Wasabi. I only eat wasabi...and sake

Does your mouth not catch on fire?
(they both laugh)
andro: It is dangerous

X - x rated

#449: I like it a little

Y - Youth - Did you always want to be musicians? What did you want to be when you were younger?

#449: My childhood dreams were always strange. I wanted to drive a taxi which now would be a stupid and boring job. In Junior High School I wanted to programme games and then in High School I wanted to be a musician. Now I combine both of those dreams.
andro: If I was a woman I wanted to be a stripper
#449: A pole dancer (laughs)

Z - Zodiac

andro: My friend in a foreign country knows much about horoscopes.
#449: Saint Seiya!

Thank you very much for your time! It was great to meet you!

GOTHIKA: Thank you!

____

The band is currently touring Europe, so check their schedule to see if they play near you!

Thanks to GOTHIKA, Amecon and the University of Leicester