An Interview with Velvet Eden

Velvet Eden was a visual kei legend for years, and influenced many artists. Earlier this year, they revived, the band now consisting of Dada with three new band members. In this interview, the band talks about why they kept the same name and what Shinya of DIR EN GREY had to do with that. They also discuss Kalm and a lot other interesting things!


Why did you decide to keep the name Velvet Eden? Does it mean that you want to continue the history and legacy of Velvet Eden instead of creating a totally new and different band?

Dada: I decided that I wanted to return to existence as Dada again, but I worried a bit about what to name the new band. Shinya of DIR EN GREY said it was impossible at that time to change the identity of Velvet Eden. He thought the change of style and the change of the concept by a lot of bands was a sad thing. I decided to keep the band name in support of his opinion.

Dada’s return to the music scene has been a long-anticipated event for many fans of Velvet Eden. Dada, when did you decide to come back? Has something special happened that made you want to continue making music?

Dada: When I had forgotten all about Dada, I met a person who had been looking for Dada. The person was pleased to meet the transfigured me. However, I did a cruel thing. I said I was not the Dada he wanted and felt like apologizing. I went home, and after several days, around midnight, I sat down and put on make-up. I saw the person that I had killed eight years ago in the mirror. I had feared his revival the most. However, my heart throbbed. The voice of Dada in the mirror was heard, and he told me "You're me, I'm you, don't say you forgot me." After having heard the voice of Dada, I smiled. Dada smiled in the mirror.

Can you tell us what happened in 2002 that resulted in Velvet Eden disbanding? Many rumours concerning the reasons for disbanding have circulated over the years, one of them saying that you disliked the change in music style, the change toward a more rock sound.

Dada: My right eardrum was injured by the sound at the rehearsal which was too loud. I couldn’t hear my singing voice, and singing became scary, but my ear is better now. A rock style band was not suitable for my voice, though there were a lot of options as a singer… but Dada was still in me and I was full of self-destruction, which scared me also.

Aci, you compose music for Velvet Eden and you're making a new version of LA FIN. Will you dissociate yourself from the previous Velvet Eden music style? Does the tag line "The new legend was started..." on your MySpace mean that will you create a new sound for Velvet Eden?

Aci: Of course, I can't change my style to be like Kalm. But I think that the new songs will sound different performed with Dada by a new Velvet Eden. The new version of LA FIN in particular is becoming a good song in which Kalm's merit and my merit are combined.

Dance is also a form of art, but it's rare to have dancers as band members. Can you tell us something more about your roles, how are you going to visualize dance with Dada's lyrics and Aci's music?

Lilly & Yurikago: Everybody will be able to discover something new and get a new impression when making a comparison between listening to our music and watching our performance. Also, we try to complement the visual representation of each member, including clothes.

Yurikago, you sing backing vocals in demo tracks (which are available on Velvet Eden’s MySpace). Your voice wonderfully fits Dada's unique voice. Have you sung before in any other band?

Yurikago: It's a secret. Please look forward to it!

Dada, please explain to us how you write your lyrics? Are you still influenced by your dreams?

Velvet Eden: I don’t have as many dreams as I used to. However, when I’m writing lyrics, it’s usually necessary for me to think about dreams. These days, though, the music usually comes first and I try to write lyrics that match the melodies.

Can you tell us something more about Alice and Madame Tarantula (characters from Dada's lyrics)? What do they mean to you all?

Dada: The model in Alice and Madam is my friend. The love of the two people was a tragedy.

Dada, being a drag queen seems like an important part of your life, but many people see you as a visual kei musician. Can you tell us about the similarities and differences between a visual kei artist and a drag queen?

Dada: I do not think that I’m acting as a woman or a man. I don’t want to belong to any category. visual kei artist or gay or pierrot, anything is good. I don’t want you to keep seeing me through eyes of prejudice. I want to become an artist whom I respect.

Dada, how did you become interested in the gothic and drag queen scene? When did you decide that you wanted to dress up and perform? Did it feel like something you always wanted to do?

Dada: When I was not Dada, I didn’t really care about those scenes I was liberated from a narrator's responsibility as the tale of Dada hasn’t started yet. It was tedious, though it was very peaceful every day.

Where do you get your ideas for costumes? Do you design your costumes alone or do you use someone's help?

Velvet Eden: All the image sketches are drawn from how we interpret lyrics, and then we cooperate with the person who can make the ideas into clothes. Ready-made goods are used if the image is suitable.
Dada: I don't like excessive clothing. There are clothes that should not be put on any longer, along with the clothes from my past.

Dada, what did your collaboration with Arachnophobia look like? Did you design the clothes or were you only a model?

Dada: I didn’t know what the brand Arachnophobia was about. Because I am not Gothic Lolita, it embarrassed me, but the clothes were made for me and I had already agreed to wear them. There were two other models besides me.

Many Velvet Eden fans are very anxious to know about Kalm's possible return to Velvet Eden. Will he ever come back to Velvet Eden? Do you plan to collaborate with him at some point?

Dada: I think that it is difficult. Being in a band and love are similar things. It is assumed that two people who ended their relationship ten years ago can reconcile again, but for a band it is much more difficult and will only give birth to new despair. This revival is my idea. Therefore, I don't think that it is good to have him return.

Do you plan to release a CD? When can we expect it?

Velvet Eden: We are mainly thinking about live shows right now, and we don’t have any plans to release a CD. However, the situation could change any time.

Aci has toured in many European countries: will Velvet Eden come to Europe as well?

Velvet Eden: Of course, we will perform all around the world. If some promoter or organizer is interested in us, please contact Aci. Maybe we will appear live in Russia this year.

Do you have a message for your foreign fans?

Dada: I separated and killed the provoking Dada eight years ago. Dada was still alive because some overseas fans kept thinking of Velvet Eden. The people who love ugly, clumsy Dada are very weak. They think I must be the old Dada or I would not succeed, and they tried to wound me with words. If their hearts are broken, it’s because they’re weak. I want to apologize and the thank all the people who have supported me and still support me now.

Unfortunately, we have to finish the interview here, but we hope we'll have more occasion to talk with Velvet Eden in the future! JaME would like to wish Velvet Eden all the best on their new path, and we eagerly await Velvet Eden's first release because all the new songs sound very promising!

Velvet Eden: Thank you very much. We wish to express our gratitude to you for giving us this chance.