INTERVIEW ~ Suicide Ali: November 10, 2008
Los Angeles, CA
Suicide Ali made their US debut at Pacific Media Expo in Los Angeles, CA. We got a chance to chat with the guys during their first appearance in America.
This is your first time in the USA. Can you introduce yourselves and what part you play?
Yuu: This is Yuu on guitar.
Goshi: I'm Goshi on vocals.
Hiroshi: I'm Hiroshi on bass.
Hisashi: Hisashi on drums.
Some people may not be familiar with your music; can you explain what the sound is like?
Goshi: As for the guitar, the guitar is set to go along with the atmosphere of the song and there tends to be a lot of aggressive playing involved.
Your three most recent releases were under the Darkest Labyrinth label. Before these releases, you released several singles without the help of this label. Why did you decide to start using the Darkest Labyrinth label?
Goshi: Just us finding the way to get our music heard by as many people as possible.
And how has being under the Darkest Labyrinth label helped you as a band?
Goshi: Well our music hasn't changed according to our label. But we're hoping that our music gets heard by a wider audience now and we get faster fan response because of this.
What sort of challenges have you faced being an indies band as opposed to a major label band?
Goshi: Our activity would be about getting people who are already into the scene and to get them to listen to a genre that they are already like. And the challenge would be to get people who aren't familiar with the underground scene initiated into that and enticed.
What are your goals as a band and also do you feel that you've met them yet?
Goshi: I think we don't have a goal, and because we don't have a goal, we'll just keep on going.
How was the live last night? What did you think of the audience reaction?
Hiroshi: The reaction was more than expected and we felt that the reaction was really energetic.
This is your first time in America, so what is your impression of America so far?
Hiroshi: A lot of smiles and even if you've met someone for the first time you get greeted with a smile and we feel that there's a lot of warmth here.
This particular event is a convention and it's really kind of a different atmosphere so I'm also wondering what's been your impression of PMX so far?
Hiroshi: Well this is a space that's providing an aspect of Japanese culture to the attendees and it looks like everyone's having fun. I see people enjoying karaoke and feel that it's a very good place to be.
The mini-album Sarau Fue to Yakusoku features mostly rock sounds, but the closing track on the album, Mujin no Tokai, is a much more mellow track. What made you decide to put this track on the album? What's its significance?
Goshi: Well the concept behind the mini-album was the taking away of sorrow from people. And everyone, the world is full of sorrow and everyone has some aspects of sorrow in them. So what happens when you take away sorrow from everyone? People just disappear from the world so you have nothing left there and it's just silence. And that's the theme of the last song.
Uketsugareta Yubiwa has a more melodic sound to it, as well. Is this album a continuation from Sarau Fue to Yakusoku, picking up where Mujin no Tokaileft off?
Goshi: The answer is no. We're often asked if there is a continuation of sound but I hope that the fans would see that. And in the big picture eventually there will be a connection but nothing that's immediate.
You just released Tadashii Mahou no Tsukurikata. What can you tell us about this single?
Goshi: The concept is about the incomprehensible and contradictions. The next single is made under the concept that there's a lot of things that are incomprehensible and we explain it with magic. Human kind has a lot of mysteries and incomprehensibilities and if magic is all behind that, then that might be an explanation.
How long have you been musicians?
(Discussing amongst themselves) Its been two years since our first live performance and as for our individual music history, perhaps five or six years?
And your favorite part of being musicians?
Composing songs and doing live performances.
So you've already played here in Los Angeles, what other places do you want to play in?
We don't have any specific place in mind. We just want as many more people to listen to our music, so any place would be good, any venues.
What visual kei bands, if any, do you like?
Yuu: Fortunately I don't listen to bands in the same genre as ours.
Oh? So what genre do you listen to?
Yuu: Heavy metal and hard rock.
Goshi: MUCC. X. Umm... Dir en grey.
Hiroshi: L'Arc~en~Ciel.
Hisashi: I'm not sure I include it in the same genre, but hide.
Is there anything you're hoping to do here in America?
Goshi: Shopping... and (thinks) shopping. (laugh)
Hiroshi: I'd be happy to see some American scenery and do some sightseeing.
Yuu: ...I can't mention what I want to do here...
(Pause) Why?
(laughter)
Yuu: It's something of a nature I can't mention.
There was a shop next door. Did you go to that shop?
(laughter)
Yuu: I can't mention...
NOTE: There was a sex shop next door to the Hilton where PMX was held.
Do you have a last comment for the fans?
We'd be happy if you got to know more about Japanese culture. We'd also like to get to know American culture more ourselves. So if we all get to be culturally fluent with each other we'd be very happy. We hope to get to perform more, in Japan as well as in the USA. So we're hoping we'll get to see a lot of you at our next performances! It was our first time in the states and it was great to see a lot of fans and see them having a great time. Thank you very much!
interview by Sarah; photos by Antonia
Thanks to Suicide Ali for taking the time to answer our questions; thanks to Tainted Reality and PMX for making this possible.
links
Suicide Ali Official Website
Suicide Ali Official MySpace
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