Interview ~ BLOOD: December 28, 2007
Darkest Labyrinth vol.7
An email interview with BLOOD: Kiwamu and Fu~ki took some time to answer a few of our questions about their upcoming tour: Darkest Labyrinth vol.7. The tour will have stops in Los Angeles, CA on February 1, San Antonio, TX on February 2, Boston, MA on February 3, and Chicago, IL on February 4. Visit the BLOOD section of the Tainted Reality website to buy tickets.
Since we last interviewed you, BLOOD has done a few things, like the song D.T.M.H. which is the theme for the movie known as Blood in Japan. How did you get involved with that?
Kiwamu: In Japan, there is the magazine "Gothic & Lolita Bible." We always have interviews in this magazine, in every issue. The movie company contacted this magazine editor. She introduced BLOOD's activities to this movie company. After we talked with that movie company, they decided to use our song in their movie. We don't have any deals with any record companies, so I can decide all details with the movie company by myself. So it was very easy to talk with them about these. The movie spot broadcasted on TV and on the big screens in Tokyo streets. It was a very good experience for us.
BLOOD also released the new album, LES FLEURS DU MAL, and the best of album, best collection 2002-2007. What were your goals when you made these albums, and did you reach them?
Kiwamu: In April, we changed our music style from visual kei to gothic industrial. It was a big difference for us. So we wanted to put an end to our activities. So the best collection is the end of our visual kei activities. And LES FLEURS DU MAL album was the end of the LES FLEURS DU MAL concept. LES FLEURS DU MAL started from 2006. By this concept, we made the full album LES FLEURS DU MAL. During this recording, we found the new way to go to gothic industrial.
Fu-ki: Yes, recently we changed our sound style and LES FLEURS DU MAL is the last album from that former style. We want newer fans to know our history through best collection 2002-2007.
Recently in Japan, BLOOD added a new live member, Bloodmore Har, to dance during the show. Can you tell us a little more about this? For example, how did you meet her, and why did you decide to have her dance on the stage the first time?
Kiwamu: For five years, we were active in the Visual Kei scene. Most bands were stereotypical and very boring. We wanted to make a new style by ourself. So after changing our music style, I thought about many ideas to make the new style on stage. One of those ideas is the dancer on stage. At the event Alamode Night, we met her band "The Royal Dead." She looked like a good, talented artist, so I asked her about being a guest dancer in Japan. She accepted our offer quickly. After one stage performance in Japan, we got good reactions from fans. We will keep her as a guest dancer in Japan for a while. But bringing her to foreign countries will be impossible.
Fu-ki: During our live show I was very impressed by her dancing. My performance should have been better with her.
Symphony of Chaos is the new concept for BLOOD. What inspired this new concept?
Kiwamu: Before we made this concept, I already started writing some songs. After making some songs, Fu-ki started to write words for them. While he was writing words, we talked about the new concept. So he made this concept through words. In the darkest labyrinth, there is much chaos. So they make the symphony.
Fu-ki: I imagine it. In the darkness, I can see nothing, I only can hear the sounds of chaos, and they are harmonizing slowly like a symphony...
What do you hope to achieve with this concept?
Kiwamu: We will make our industrial, gothic and electro style. In Japan, there are not many artists that make this type of sound. So we need to find our style by ourself. So recently we don't need to think about the boring visual kei scene.
Fu-ki: The sound leads everyone to the other side of world--the dark side, of course.
How has the fan reaction been to Symphony of Chaos so far?
Kiwamu: We released two singles with this concept. The DEAD-HEARTED EP sold out already because of good reactions from fans. We're very sorry about that situation. There are only some sample CDs in stock. So we are making the new albums now, but on this US tour, we can't release that. So please wait for a while for our new concept album.
How do you think the American fans will react to it when you perform in February?
Kiwamu: I think they can dance during the live shows. Maybe our new music style is very good for dancing.
Fu-ki: Very good. Fans can dance with our music.
BLOOD's music has evolved a lot since you first started. Looking back, is there anything you did differently in the past?
Fu-ki: Certainly the sound style is different from the past, but we still have a good melancholic melody and dark feeling.
Kiwamu: I wrote all melodies first. After that, I always think about the back track. So my way of writing them is not different.
Now you have the USA tour in February, Darkest Labyrinth vol.7. What are your expectations for this?
Fu-ki: I wish more people will come to our liveshow and have a good time.
What should the audience expect at these lives?
Fu-ki: It must be the time to dance.
Kiwamu: Unlike the last tour, we will bring a DJ with us, so fans can dance between bands (during the set change), too.
This time BLOOD has tour stops in two new cities: Chicago, IL and San Antonio, TX. Why did you decide to make these new stops?
Kiwamu: In the new cities, there are many new listeners. This is very great for BLOOD. Some fans told us about the clubs in Texas. Many clubs are very very big for us, so we can't get the booking because of that reason. My agent did his best for that booking; thanks to his work, we can go there! As for Chicago, Animefood magazine helps us very much. Without their help, we can't go to there. I appreciate that help.
Do you have anything to say to those fans seeing BLOOD for the first time in Chicago or San Antonio?
Fu-ki: Hi everyone! I'm looking forward to seeing you all!!
Kiwamu: Thanks for the emails about clubs in Texas. But we can't use clubs with room for 2000 (laugh)
After the problem with the sound at the New York Knitting Factory, do you think you will return to New York on a future tour?
Fu-ki: I don't mind without fuckin' sound engineer.
Kiwamu: In fact, we talked with another club in NYC. But the conditions aren't good for us. So we decided to go to Chicago instead.
What plans do you have between now and the tour?
Fu-ki: Singing, dancing, and drinking.
Kiwamu: The live show, and the airplane, and the live show, and the airplane, and the live show, and the airplane, and the live show, and the airplane..... Oh, in Chicago, Animefood will arrange an autograph session in a Japanese store. We don't have the time to sleep. But we can introduce our music to many people that don't know us yet.
Is there anything else you would like to say about the tour in February?
Kiwamu: The sound engineer must be professional. On this tour, we will bring DJ SiSeN from Japan. It is a very special thing for US fans.
Fu-ki: I can't wait to see you!!
info on the autograph session in Chicago:
February 4, 1:00pm
Mitsuwa Marketplace
100 E Algonquin Rd
Arlington Heights, IL
telephone: 847.956.6699
http://mitsuwachicago.net
interview by Melony; all photos copyright (c) Cure
Thank you to the members of BLOOD for taking the time to answer our questions
links
BLOOD Official Website
BLOOD Official MySpace
Tainted Reality
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