Interview with Sugar at Oni-con 2008

After a long day of Q&As, autographs and photo sessions, Sugar sat down with JaME to talk a little bit about their time in America. During the interview JaME also got Sugar to tell us a little about their pasts and their musical approach.


Would you please introduce yourselves to our readers at JaME?

Loki: I'm Loki, the vocalist.
SIZNA: I'm SIZNA, the guitarist.
Shingo: I'm Shingo, the bassist.
atsuto: I'm atsuto, the drummer.

This is your first time playing in the United States, how do you feel about it?

Loki: Simply, we are happy that we were able to have a live in America and also, I have heard from my friends that the audience's response power is amazing and we were able to have a good live.

Could you tell us your thoughts about the live last night?

Loki: Well just as I said, I think we were given a lot of power, so I think we were able to have a good live in the end.

How do you feel about playing with a band with such a different approach to their music style?

SIZNA: In Japan, playing with bands that are different from each other becomes a nice stimulus, or it leads to knowing that those kinds of sounds exist also so it was very enjoyable.

You seem very open about bringing new aspects to your music. Could you tell us how you came about the "antlion" style of unplugged music like your event at Duo Music Exchange?

atsuto: We are all very open about bringing new things into our music. We keep on wanting to bring new things into our music but that doesn't mean that we don't care about what used to be produced by Sugar. If we don't have what was done in the past with us, even if we do something new, if someone says, "hey someone did that already in the past" then it will just end there. So because of that, while we are doing things from that past, we are still looking for new things to do in the future. As part of that, for example we do unplugged, or have a keyboard player and saxophone player come in for the unplugged show and create a challenge with that. As you know, music from back in the day was unplugged, you know? So as we are studying that aspect of it and being able to bring that forward to being something new it's a cycle of sorts.

For those people that have never heard of Sugar, how do you explain your own music?

atsuto: Hey Shingo! (in English)
Shingo: I'm saying it?!
(everyone laughs)
Shingo: How do I say this... At first glance, what we are doing is visual kei, but the music isn't visual kei at all. In the aspect of having our foot in the door as a breach, it's definitely an advantage. Also, with the point of being visual kei: at a first glance, we have it set to a point so as it was mentioned before, we are very open to many places, by searching, we are making all different kinds of music. We are making music by bringing out the enjoyment of its real thrill for each and every song, so if they understand that, that would make us happy.

Do you feel your appearance is essential to expressing your sound?

SIZNA: It's essential.
Loki: Um, well, if I say I just like it, that's it but... with the lyrics, on the aspect of the world it creates, and when you think about it, it's an essential thing that is needed for formulating the stage I think.

This is a question for SIZNA: you are known for your crazy antics on stage. Could you explain why you do them?

SIZNA: Personally for me, it's the sound of the guitar, its one type of expression of guitar playing. Well, it's obvious that when you play there is going to be sound but, by putting an action with the body and things, which would make it more effectively conveyed, is part of my thought. Also, my teacher said to me once, "If your face doesn't warp, your guitar isn't going to distort!" That stuck inside me for so long, I guess the base was from that teaching.

Could each member tell us about their musical influences?

Loki: Well, for me it's very broad, but I didn't originally grow up with rock or anything. I grew up listening to Japan's popular hit music so the influences from there are pretty strong. It's not certain people or anything. It's not like I originally wanted to become a rock singer or anything, but I did have a wish to become a singer in general, so I think it's around that area.
SIZNA: For me it was Western music. I really like J-pop too, but as if it's a spice I like to listen to jazz, blues and fusion also, with thinking of what elements it holds.
Shingo: I, myself, listen to J-pop, as well as heavy rock. In addition to that are jazz and fusion.
atsuto: For learning purposes, I think I listened to all kinds of genres. Then I pulled from that, the ones that I like the most, which I listen to the most.

How do you feel about your first performance in the United States being at an anime convention?

SIZNA: On that point, we aren't really concerned about it, because it's more important that we have a stage to be able to do a show, that was the most important thing.

How did you feel about the fans' reactions from the concert last night?

SIZNA: First off, their voices were loud.
Loki: Their reaction is very honest. Their response to our staging or to an action is very fast and natural.

Do you see your sound changing more in the near future? Also, do you have any special events like your past acoustic sessions planned?

SIZNA: We would like to, if we do get a chance to.

How are you enjoying Texas?

SIZNA: We haven't gotten outside of the hotel much so...

Oh no! If you were able to go anywhere, where would you go?

Loki: I would like to go meet Terryman.

Who?

Loki: He's a character in "Ultimate Muscle" ["Kinnikuman II Sei" in Japanese].
(everyone laughs)
Loki: But putting the joke aside, the person that was sitting next to me on the plane ride here was from Texas. That person told me, "There is really nothing in Texas but, steak and the Mexican food is really good." So yesterday, we had tacos, so I am really looking forward to the steak today.
atsuto: Basically, I think it's the time of the year too, but when we landed, it wasn't hot or cold. If you ask me if it's a suitable temperature, it's not really. It feels like a lurking warmth... the humidity is so high. That's the feeling I got. But if I can go anywhere, I would like to go somewhere warm but dry.
SIZNA: I would like to go to Sugarland. Is that a city, town or county?

I think it's a city.

Shingo: More than wanting to go somewhere, I want to do a live one more time.

You are right, that would be the best.

Shingo: Definitely. (laughs)

Loki, your birthday is coming up, do you have any special plans?

Loki: I am planning to spend it at the airport in New Jersey.

Loki, before during the Q&A, you mentioned that you wanted to do silver designing. Is that something you are working on right now, or something you want to try in the future?

Loki: The silver designing, I haven't done it yet, but I would like to do it in the future if I get a chance to.

Could we get a message from each of you for the fans?

Loki: Well, it's been about four years since Sugar started out, and finally it was our first time overseas. At the same time that we are very happy to be able to perform here in Texas, we are hoping we can make our activity become world wide, so please look forward to it.
SIZNA: We've had JaME put our live reports up on their site often, and I'm sure there were people that read that and came to our live last night too. I'm sure there are people that have read those reports and haven't been able to see us live yet, so my wish is to go to those countries and be able to perform there also. So please look after us here and so forth.
Shingo: So we did have our first overseas live yesterday, but the difference in the actions of the fans over here and how fast the response came back to us was very interesting. At the same time of it being interesting, there were many things that we took in and learned from. If there is a environment that we are able to fly around the world and play lives, we would like to be active in that field, and I thought it would be great if people would know more about Sugar through that environment.
atsuto: From what I experienced at the show last night, I had a lot of fun, and I feel that I would like to play in many more places too. At the end, it might be too much if I say people all over the world, but I would like to let those people that listened to Sugar's music be satisfied and enjoy our music and lives, that is what I wish for.

Later on JaME was informed by Cure that Sugar plans to return during the year 2009 to conduct another American live.


Special thanks to Sugar, Oni-con staff, Cure, and Cure's translator Midori Maejima for all of their help.