Interview with the studs

the studs were full of surprises from the very beginning of their career. For a start, the line-up was quite interesting, with former members of the disbanded groups Kagerou and deadman. Shortly after they started, they began their first tour and amongst the tour dates was a concert in Paris, France, to the delight of many people that had already discovered the quartet's music.

On the day after the concert, we met up with the studs for an interview. The four members of the band entered the room where the interview was to take place, their eyes fixed on their PSP. They seemed very relaxed, and it was regretful that we had to drag them away from their games.


What made you decide to do a concert in France so soon after you started the band?
aie: Well, we didn't leave with the idea of mainly coming to have fun, it was essentially because it was possible to put it on our schedule.
Daisuke: For me, I feel as if France is now closer; it doesn't seem so far away.

What have you gained from this concert?
aie: What pleased us the most is that the "air," the atmosphere, that we breathed here is different from Japan. We found it very stimulating and motivating to see the French audience so enthusiastic and spontaneous, because in Japan moving around is so regulated. Here, they do what they want without caring about what they look like. Really, it makes for an enormous atmosphere that we completely loved.

..Despite the outburst of the fans at the beginning of the concert?
Hibiki: Personally, I was surprised.
Daisuke: Hmm...in Japan, almost the exact same thing happens, so it doesn't change anything and it doesn't prevent us from doing the concert. Our hearts are unshakable. And at the end of the concert we asked: are the girls actually doing alright? (everyone laughs)

This tour is your very first, so it’s an important event. What were you expecting from it? And why did you choose the title spread from warm rain?
aie: We hadn't really thought about what the audience expected; from the moment they come and appreciate, it makes us happy. Concerning the dates of the concerts, it seemed the best for our tour. For the name of the tour, it must seem a bizarre title to you because our English is quite limited. The image we wanted to convey is that of the rainy season, which is right now in Japan, and of the band releasing wild elements and arriving to rip everything up.

Why are all the song titles from the album in English?
Daisuke: It's a coincidence that they're in English, it’s not done on purpose.

What's the concept of the studs?
aie: The sound of 'the studs' is a sound that fits us, rather than the etymological meaning of the word.
Daisuke: We wanted to be able to express all sorts of emotions in the most human way possible. We don't really want to give out the message "hold on, don't give up" but more that we have to be humans, we have to have fun, to do what we believe. In short, be ourselves!

The band's look is very casual, very "human". Was this a choice you made, or is it a coincidence?
aie: It is a coincidence, when it turned out that the four of us would be playing music together, it just became like this. But just look at the face of our drummer, I guess one cannot pay a lot of attention to our look with his head (laughter from the band).
Hibiki: That’s actually true! (laughs)

How did everybody meet?
aie: I’ve known Daisuke for about 10 years, but I lived in Nagoya and he in Tokyo, each of us was busy with our own visual kei band. Then time passed and I returned to Tokyo, and at that time everybody’s band had split. I met with Daisuke and Yukino and we talked about creating a new band, but we were missing a drummer. Then, I thought of Hibiki, who was in Nagoya and not doing anything at the moment. So I called him and he was very happy that I thought of him, so he joined (laughs). We thought that the four of us would be able to make something cool.

How do you feel about playing together again?
Hibiki: We already did concerts together and it was something that I had done before, so I was confident. It felt completely normal to me.
aie: We often also did coupling tours together and usually they finished with everyone on stage. We met various times per year, so that wasn’t particularly special for us. The only concern we had is that Hibiki wouldn’t lower the level of the band (bursts out laughing).

..Is it a game to joke about Hibiki all the time?
aie: Even though his level has improved from when he was in his former band, he still says that he’s not good… (laughs)

Concerning the cover of your mini-album, is it an inside joke towards punk bands or is it a coincidence?
aie: It is not a joke, per se, it’s simply our look. Well, we didn’t want a special buzz about how the band would be dressed, rather than what the music sounded like. It was because we wanted the people to be interested in us for our music and not because of our looks. So by showing our feet we are sure that the people will buy our CD for the music and not for anything else.

How do you compose your songs?
aie: Yukino and I write the instrumental part and once we find a good sound, the four of us meet and mix things that connect together. In the end, it’s Daisuke who works on the vocals and the lyrics.

Are you considering returning to Europe or going the USA, or will you mostly concentrate on Japan?
aie: If there is a possibility to come to France to play here or anywhere else, we will return of course.

What did you like in France that makes you want to return here?
Daisuke: I thought that the city is truly beautiful, and the people are very kind and natural, they aren’t afraid of the opinion of others like people are in Japan. This genuineness of people and in particular the audience – since it’s mostly all of them that I see – is really great and that made me want to come here again.
aie: As for me, compared to last year when I was here there is less dog shit on the pavements. It was a disaster to walk, I thought it was dangerous and paid a lot of attention to it while I was walking. But this year I can play my PSP while walking, I don’t have to pay attention to where I step anymore! It’s a real pleasure to see a cleaner France (laughs).

So what game do you play on the streets? (laughs)
aie: Monster Hunter.

Are you planning to release anything new any time soon?
Daisuke: Perhaps we’ll release something new this summer.
Hibiki: Ah yeah, and in Autumn, right?
Daisuke: Yes, it’s possible.
(the band prefers not to answer officially at the moment)

Will they contain the unreleased songs that you’ve played yesterday at the concert?
aie: Yes, and we will make some more! (laughs)

What are you expecting from the autograph session?
Hibiki: I am really looking forward to it (laughs).

Yesterday during the concert, a fan had an epileptic fit. Are you afraid that it will happen again at the autograph session?
Daisuke: No, if that happens I will give the fan a big kiss! (laughs)

How would you define the band in one word?
(a big silence comes over the band as Aie takes a moment to think about it, because it seems rather complicated. They joke a little and then each of them responds:
aie: A broken toy.
Yukino (also after a long moment of silence): A -not- broken toy! (laughs)
Daisuke: Like… a wet firecracker! (editor’s note: something that can create a lot of noise, but fails to do so) (more laugher)
aie (answers for Hibiki): A butter knife (laughs).

Do you have a message for your fans?
aie: Yesterday, the concert was absolutely brilliant, I would like to do it again before the fever of the audience dies down.
Yukino: When I saw the hysteria of the audience I had a small moment of retreat - it was my first concert abroad. That said, nonetheless I would like to return again without being surprised and apprehend the concert in a more serene way. Yes, why not to come back and do so?
Daisuke: In the near future I will return to bring you our performance.
Hibiki: I thought it was really great, I want to come back really badly and I had a lot of fun during the concert.


JaME would like to thank the studs and their management, JVStore and Jon for the translation of the interview.