[Translation] D'espairsRay - Sonic Seducer 12/2006

D'espairsRay

Children of the night

The stylish dark boys from Japan called D'espairsRay were one of the high-flyers of the last season. With a great deal of darkness in their songs and in their look Hizumi, Karyu, Zero and Tsukasa captured the sympathies outside their own scene. Their vast tour with Limbogott was a success story and as a thank-you a new DVD will be released on 16.02. with the title „Liquidize“. Starfacts coverboy Tsukasa and colleague Karyu let us came even closer...

Who were the heroes of your youth?

Karyu: At that time there was this manga character, half mouse, half cat which had a magical bag in which was everything you wished for or rather what you needed to help people or to solve problems.

Tsukasa: Mangas are part of the japanese culture and influence many young people. And so my idol was a manga hero, just that he was an evil spooky demon...

Karyu: Okay, I would've tried what happens if one's doesn't conjure helpful things out of the bag...

Tsukasa: This mafia demon was really cool. He lived in the shadows and went other ways than the usuals. This really shaped me.

Do you have any hobbies or do sports?

Karyu: We play videogames at the weekend.

Tsukasa: Currently no sports anymore, but I paint from time to time.

Oh, how do your pictures look?

Tsukasa: I paint a variety of pictures, from fairytales to girls – everything. For me it's important that the inner mentality comes through, scenic if possible. That's very typical for my pictures.

Do you have a favourite painter?

Tsukasa: Clearly Dali!

Was it your childhood dream to be a musician or did you have other visions?

Karyu: Actually I wanted to open a sweets shop, but I think I would have a different shape and different teeth now...

Tsukasa: At first I wanted to be a singer when I was little. I wanted to sing Japanese, but not pop songs. [T/N: He said „Schlager music“] More likely folklore with pop elements.


Could you imagine to move out of Japan?

Both: Yes (enthusiastic)!

Karyu: We really liked Germany, we could nearly imagine to live here. The architecture in the cities have a very nice style and the attitude towards life is more relaxed. It's like as if the time runs slower. Everything's not as stressful as in Tokyo. Everytime you hear a ticking noise in your ear. There are no places to relax, you won't find peace.


What is true beauty in your eyes?

Tsukasa: Hard to tell. It is something what you can't see on the outside, but rather in character.

 
Karyu: Exactly! One says: beauty shows based on less cruelty. You can't see it because it's hidden and a fascinating phenomenon since then.

When did you put make-up on for the first time?

Tsukasa: (laughs) Me? In this band, pretty at the beginning.

Karyu: Before D'espairsRay I already had the chance on a traditional japanese summer festival, including parade. I was a human puppet and had to put on make-up. It looked a little bit like kabuki.


Why do you wear it and which effect do you hope for? Is it more like a mask or do you want to shock? Do you find yourselves more beautiful [with it]?

Tsukasa: The true identity of our songs conveys better with make-up. They belong together and you can't seperate them. That how you understand our art better. Visuality plays a main role in Japan.

Do you have certain fears or phobias?

Karyu: I hate insects.

Tsukasa: I noticed, when I was a child I was a fearless, brave boy. I climbed on everything, I dared to touch anything. But the older I got the more I started to get afraid of things. I don't know a extremly pronounced phobia, but I'm more thin-skinned nowadays.


Characterise each other.

Tsukasa: He is a deep, versatile personality, but it doesn't free him from quirks...

Karyu: He's a motivator and the „courage maker“ in the band, even though his speeches have always a strong dialect. In a certain sense Tsukasa is stubborn and doesn't listen to others.


Imagine your house would burn. Which things do you save first?

Karyu: Of course the money (laughs)! Surely my mobile phone either. Nah, I have a big aquarium which means much to me. But unfortunately it's too heavy to easily carry it outside.

Tsukasa: (very cool) I wouldn't save anything, really (Karyu looks horrified) I don't have anything I depend on. Ok, maybe my cats...


If you could travel with a time machine, where's your trip going?

Tsukasa: Oh, I would've witnessed the Edo era around 1600 in Japan very much when many foreigners and different cultures came into the country. This time fascinates me and influences me.

Would you say you are religious?

Both (shaking their heads): Actually not.

At the end any words to your German fans?

Karyu: Sadly we don't make it very often to Germany, but we are happy every time that the attendance is very strong! [T/N: He means many people come to their concerts]

Tsukasa: I know that Japanese music is currently very popular. But, just listen to whatever you like and don't get too influenced by trends.

Original Text: François Duchateau
Original Article: here 

Schreibblockade [Spoken Word]

Ich sollte einen Text verfassen
habe versucht, mir einen schreiben zu lassen
Der anfing mit
Für gewöhnlich hast du mich auf meinem Smartphone angerufen*
Aber das wollte mir nicht so passen.

Dann habe ich daran gedacht
Schreie deine Emotionen raus**
Doch das war mir zu profan
Das hat doch jeder schon getan.

Also schaute ich stattdessen
Meine Lieblingsserie
Mit einem Soziopathen und einem Militärarzt
Ihre Namen sind Sherlock und Watson.

Aber noch immer wollte mir nichts einfallen
Noch immer war mein Blatt leer
Das gefiel mir nicht so sehr
So etwas möchte ich schreiben nie mehr.

* Drake "Hotline Bling": You used to call me on my cellphone
** D'espairsRay "REDEEMER": Screaming out your emotions

#LoveIsNotDead

So today is finally the day of the Angelo Event at Zepp DiverCity Tokyo, meaning D'ESPAIRSRAY having their first live after nearly 4 years!
Even though it's a day I was looking for for a very long time, I'm not listening to Despa today at all. 
Did I get used to Angelo and Maifo? Because it's not like I listened to Despa a lot recently. 
And even though I start loving Angelo as well, I don't know how to get into Maifo's music properly. I somewhat lost interest in them and feel very bad about it.

I just hope any kind of webzine (maybe MJP or 69) will write a report of the show, I'm so curious how it's going!

Ah, and don't forget to tweet #LoveIsNotDead today!

-M

Karyu ♥

And all suddenly I'm having a huge Karyu fangirl moment because of this picture ♥

Source: https://twitter.com/Mmxx515/status/481064280599453698

 Isn't he just sexy? I can't... And then there's another one:

Where he's just being cute and looking like a homeless puppy. How can someone being cute on one side and sexy on the other?? I always thought it's a contrast? I'm disabused, thank you.
I think I'll have good dreams tonight ;D

-M
 

Ein Tag in der City

Heute war ich mit meiner Schwester in der City. Soweit so gut.
Erstmal bin ich dann mit ihr in den Saturn wo ich mir 3 (!!!) Sherlock Poster und für Rosi die 6. Staffel von Criminal Minds gekauft habe.

Die 3 Sherlock Poster in DIN A0

Ach was war mein Herz da wieder befriedigt. Benedict Cumberbatch geht immer <3
Als wir allerdings wieder rausgingen, war dann große Demo in der Mönckebergstraße... Wie wir da nur wieder reingeraten sind... Na ja sie demonstrierten jedenfalls gegen den Gaza-Krieg und dass die Waffenbelieferung nach Israel gestoppt werden soll. Haben uns das aber nicht lange angesehen, waren doch etwas zu viele Menschen.

Demonstration in der Mönckebergstraße

Danach sind wir dann jedenfalls noch zu Rossmann um was zu trinken zu holen und anschließend waren wir noch im NewYorker. Hab 2 Tops und eine Sommerjacke im Sale ergattert für unter 20€. Verhältnismäßig hat sich das gelohnt, aber Hosen habe ich nun immer noch nicht :(
Als letztes waren wir noch in der Buchhandlung. Da habe ich mir noch Girls Love Twist 4 &amp; 5 und Secret Service 1 gekauft, so als Entschädigung dafür das Sims 3-Erweiterungen im Saturn völligst überteuert sind. Jedesmal wenn ich da was kaufen will und das dann teuer ist, kommt von mir nur noch ganz trocken: "Das gibt's bei Amazon billiger!" und in den meisten Fällen stimmt das auch noch. Und wenn's nur ein paar Euro sind^^ 
_______________________________
So, genug vom Tag. Ich knall mal so'n bisschen Offtopic hinterher.
Zero hat ja einen neuen Blog-Eintrag gepostet mit einem Bild von den Proben... Da erkennt man ja auch wieder viel und doch wieder nichts x3

D'espa im Probenraum

Also ich nehme mal an, der lange Lulatsch hinter ihm ist Karyu... Rechts ist Tsukasa (wer sonst würde solche Hosen tragen?! xD) und in der Tür steht Hizumi (ich meine mich zu erinnern, dass er so eine Hose hatte). 
Ach Mensch, wie gerne würde ich dahin... Aber da gibts definitiv zu viele und es ist irgendwie schon schade, dass es kein richtiges Comeback ist und nur vergleichsmäßig eine handvoll Fans die Möglichkeit hat, sie zu sehen. Da ich persönlich aber sowieso an chronischem Geldmangel leide, würde mich auch schon ein Livebericht reichen, auch wenn es nicht das Gleiche ist. Aber was soll man machen... Ist halt nun mal so.

So, das war's auch schon von mir. Bis zum nächsten Mal

-M

They're back.... Not.

So... I wanted to make an entry just one week ago, but unfortunately I didn't. 
But that also means that you have to read all that stuff now, lol.

In the morning I checked the notifications on my phone and got two on LINE. Jacciez just send me a picture with "errr your Karyu" and I just thought "My Karyu? In which parallel universe am I?" *laughs*
She send me D'espairsRay's new Twitter icon...

Even though it looks like a comeback, it isn't. Well, at least it's for an event which I'm truly happy about. They would have loads of work if it would be (I just think about Tsukasa who would have to deal with three projects)

We will see what the time will bring to us, I mean, we've waited three years already, it's just a trifle to wait another three.

[Translation] D'espairsRay Interview Peach Vol. 31

D’espairsRay

After their successful concerts in Europe we had the chance to ask the four guys of D’espairsRay about their 11^th anniversary and to draw one or another personal secret.

Peach: It’s one year ago since your last time in Germany. There were three dates for Germany on your schedule this year too. Do you feel like at home?

ZERO: I feel like at home, somehow.
TSUKASA: I love it, when the atmosphere at concerts is raising and the beer tastes good!

Peach: What connects you with Europe, especially with Germany?

HIZUMI: Soccer, because it had the World Cup.
Karyu: Rammstein.
ZERO: German Pom Frites, Frankfurter sausages, beer – and the hot Rock soul!
TSUKASA: Beer, Frankfurter and Pom Frites.

Peach: The three concerts in Munich, Bochum and Berlin were sold out. How do you think about your German Fans who come so numerous to your concerts?

KARYU: I love them all!
ZERO: With every concert it’s getting more people who come to see us. I’m happy that they  receive us warmly every time, even if we come from such a far away country.
TSUKASA: I love you all so much. Thank you!

Peach: This year your schedule was very tight in Germany. Did you have any time for sightseeing?

HIZUMI: We couldn’t visit anything, but we explored the surroundings of our hotels.
Karyu: There are some things I wanted to see, but for my part I filmed our trips and I’m satisfied with it.
ZERO: It was the first time we were in Bochum. There we had a little bit more time. It was very calm and I felt really comfortable.
TSUKASA: Not really, but we ate many delicious things.

Peach: This time your world tour went through America, Europe and Japan too. What is the biggest difference, when you’re playing in so many countries?

HIZUMI: Depending in which country we are the atmosphere is different.
Karyu: The temperature. During the lives the atmosphere was hot from the love of our fans.

Peach: For your concerts in Europe you had a song voting. At your concerts, i.e. in Munich, you played very old songs like “Marry Of The Blood” and newer ones like “DEVIL’S PARADE”, “LOVE IS DEAD” or “abyss” a colored mixture. What was the idea behind it?

Karyu: The songs that they wanted to hear the most were different but we chose a few of them who fit our actual concept. It was fun to play older songs again.
ZERO: We played older songs of it we wanted to play. It makes no difference for me, if it’s older or newer songs of D’espairsRay. They are a part of ourselves.

Peach: How is it for you to create such a mixed playlist? Does it make your concert more difficult or varied?

Karyu: It was that, what we wanted to do. I for myself liked it. (laughs) And otherwise I’m happy to see that our fans had fun. There were so many votings.
ZERO: It was definitely more varied. The atmosphere on the concerts was really great!

Peach: What was the craziest that happened on this year’s tour?

HIZUMI: That the first time in my life I drove with a night train through Russia.
ZERO: I’m totally in a Soccer fever now, that’s why I visited a sport shop in every country.
TSUKASA: I was lost in France… (laughs)

Peach: You celebrated your 11^th anniversary this year. Do you think D’espairsRay changed since your establishment?

HIZUMI: Uhm, 11 years have passed…
Karyu: We grow up to a band who is loved by different people from different countries.

Peach: At your birthday gigs you like to change parts. TSUKASA sings, HIZUMI plays bass, ZERO plays guitar and Karyu tries to play the drums. How were the rehearsals for it?

HIZUMI: We had to look out that we are not too bad and don’t play too good as the original players. (laughs)
Karyu: After the band rehearsals we have ever practiced a few hours…
ZERO: I didn’t need to practice so much, because I’m playing a stringed instrument and I have an adavantage.
TSUKASA: We started practice after the rehearsals one week before [the live]. It went well, right?

Peach: What do you think when you see and hear the other in “your” position?

HIZUMI: I have to laugh… (laughs)
Karyu: I think it’s fun for everyone.
ZERO: For me it’s refreshing.
TSUKASA: I felt like I was at high-school.

Peach: D’espairsRay has a long discography yet, but just 4 albums. What do you think when you listen to your first full album “Coll:Set” now?

HIZUMI: It is the album that shows like the core of D’espairsRay.
Karyu: It still reminds me of our first Europe tour…

Peach: What comes spontaneously into your mind to “MIRROR”?

HIZUMI: It shows ourselves.
Karyu: Our lives.

Peach: To what extent is “REDEEMER” still a part of D’espairsRay?

HIZUMI: How can I describe it: It is our imagination of exemption.

Peach:  “IMMORTAL” is a Best-Of album that was released in Germany lately. How do you came to this track list?

HIZUMI: Here are the songs, that went well on our concerts.

Peach: “MONSTERS” is your so called youngest baby. What do you think about this album?

HIZUMI: This album is something like a summary of our past ten years. It is how D’espairsRay are nowadays.
Karyu: “MONSTERS” hides the soul of how D’espairsRay is now.
ZERO: Musically we went forward, but in this album we wanted to get back to our roots emotionally.

Peach: This album has got not only just really good, every song is unique. The styles of the songs vary much and the rhythms are so different as day and night, too. How do the preparations and recording went for “MONSTERS”?

HIZUMI: Even because of the thing with my throat the preparations were more exhausting this time…
Karyu: Oh yes, it was very exhausting, because we did so much by ourselves.
TSUKASA: We have always intensive preparations. This time we wanted to consider the wishes of every respective songwriter, too. There we had thought so much about us, our style and about the music, so that every of our songs has the best result it can have. We are really satisfied with it. It was laborious in some parts, but all in all we had fun. The next album has to be better than this. You always have to get a better self and we want too.

Peach: With which of your songs do you connect yourself the most and why?

HIZUMI: “DEVIL’S PARADE”. Because it’s something like D’espairsRay and then just different.
Karyu: “dope”. Because I wrote it myself. (laughs)

Peach: How do you see yourself the musical development from “Coll:Set” to “MONSTERS”?

Karyu: In comparions to our earlier days our music has been grown further. We grew up likely, I think.
ZERO: Looking back I think that it is a natural growing up, right?

Peach: HIZUMI, already on your last album “Lost in re:birth” was completely in English. This time you wrote the lyrics of “DEATH POINT” completely in English. Why? Isn’t it easier to express in your own language?

HIZUMI: It is easier to write Japanese for me, but I also wanted to express the Japanese way in English.

Peach: Karyu, if to follow your biography, then it was you who brought the band together. Do you remember your first impression as you played your first concert together?

Karyu: I was so restless and excited, because I looked so forward to it. But sadly I can’t remember anything… (laughs)

Peach: TSUKASA, you’ve been called the “party boy” .[in original it’s someone, who lifts up your mood, but I thought this would match more XD;;] How is it for you to tour with the others over such a long time? Do you argue often?

TSUKASA: I call myself “party boy”. Maybe because of that we didn’t argued that much lately… it can be. (laughs)

Peach: ZERO, for many fans you are a mystery, because you rarely say something on stage. But on the internet you are the most active of you guys. Why are you blogging and twittering so much? And what do you think about fans who follows your words?

ZERO: Yes, I say nothing or less. That’s why my character is a little bit misjudged, but for me it’s kind of amusing. (laughs) At blogs and so on I am more open as I am. I’m having fun.

Peach: One message has really shocked all of your fans: You are going on hiatus after the tour. Many are sad about it, but the more wish you, HIZUMI, that you will recover and get healthy soon.

HIZUMI: Thank you for all your best wishes!
Karyu: At first we want of course, that HIZUMI is healthy and until our comeback we want to try various things. Let’s see, what comes out. But we will come back for sure.

Peach: Does your fans could hope for the one or another release?

Karyu: We haven’t planned anything yet. But at the end of March a DVD from the “Human-clad Monsters”-Tour will be released.

Peach: We hope of course, that you fully recover soon. What is next on your to-do list?

HIZUMI: Of course concerts!
Karyu: Now we hope that D’espairsRay stays in your heart due to the last tour. Afterwards we like to give you new memories of us.
TSUKASA: I want to go on with D’espairsRay. All what we will create together will be good.

Peach: Please tell us some personal things: When did you really laugh the last time?

HIZUMI: When I watched the DVD “Suberanai Hanashi”.
Karyu: When TSUKASA sung on our anniversary live on September 9^th… (laughs)

Peach: Are there musicians you still see as idols?

HIZUMI: Takanori Nishikawa, Sakurai from BUCK-TICK and Arashi Moritomo from T-BOLAN.
Karyu: Ichirou Takigawa.
ZERO: I respect all musicians.
TSUKASA: Yoshiki and GACKT.

Peach: To what are you looking forward when you come home after a tour?

HIZUMI: To time for myself alone.
Karyu: Japanese cuisine and parties.
TSUKASA: Food!

Peach: What’s your favorite quote?

Karyu: Going my way.
ZERO: MANIAC!
TSUKASA: Follow the feelings.

Peach: What means D’espairsRay to you?

HIZUMI: It is like the top of the pyramid.
Karyu: It is my one and only.

Peach: What would you like to try out on tour?

HIZUMI: An Open Air concert would be great.
Karyu: Yes, definitely having a concert under the open sky one time.
ZERO: An extremely unusual collaboration like D’espairsRay with a circus. (laughs)
TSUKASA: A world tour through all continents.

Peach: Do you have a message for your German fans?

HIZUMI: This time it was a really great tour. Thank you and see you next time!
Karyu: LOVE YOU!
ZERO: When this tour ends, we will have a break at first, but we are looking forward to see you again soon!
TSUKASA: Thank you that you always support us. I don’t know when we will come back to Germany, but as long as we have fans here who wait for us we surely come back. Until that listen to our music if you miss D’espairsRay.


Note: This translation is a real mess. I can't improve my Englisch, so if someone has a better translation/ideas for words or whole parts, feel free to write them down in the comments!

D'Dorf

Ich bin heute nach Düsseldorf und hab Rosi abgeholt! Nun ja, wo wir gelandet sind, liegt ja klar auf der Hand. In Klein Japan in der Immermannstraße!

Rosi war so nett und hat mir auch was gekauft! *anherz*

Melon Cream Soda from UCC, eine Geldbörse, natchan! und Udon Suppenbasis

Ja, wenn man kein Japanisch kann, passiert es auch schon mal, dass man sich fälschlicherweise nur die Basis kauft, aber keine Nudeln hat. Verdammt. Naja.

Ich musste sie haben, da ist Daisuke drauf! *lach* Na ja und dann sah ich das:

D'espairsRay's Autogrammstunde in San Francisco!! Hach, da war das Mania-Herz doch wieder glücklich <3

Eindrücke vom D'espairsRay Konzert in Bochum, 25.09.2010

Um 15:52 Uhr hieß es endlich auf nach Bochum! Hab ja auch lange genug gewartet und ich war aufgekratzt und gut gelaunt... bis ich in der Bahn saß... Na  ja sitzen konnte man das nicht nennen. Ich saß auf den Stufen vor der Tür. Toll war was anderes. Aber es war ja quasi für einen "guten Zweck". Ja soweit war auch alles gut verlaufen, haben alles gefunden was wir gesucht haben (Schließfächer, den Bus in die richtige Richtung... Linie 353 - Der Visu-Shuttle... So sah es jedenfalls da drin aus).

Ja... und dann vor der Halle... Es war eine ziemlich lange Schlange vorm Eingang, aber selbst schuld wer freundlich ist und sich hinten anstellt XD Also rein in die gute Stube!!
Vom Merchandise will ich gar nicht anfangen, es war.... eng?? Ich und DiedRose haben bestimmt über eine Viertelstunde da verbracht! Aber dafür gab's ja auch ein T-Shirt und ein Fächer, den ich unbedingt kaufen musste xD Der ist toll und hat auch während des Konzerts einen guten Dienst erwiesen *lach*

Der Fächer! Der ist toll! Zero hatte den glaub ich mal bei Ameba gepostet und na ja... ich musste ihn haben XD

Das T-Shirt... Ich weiß, ich habs schäbig fotografiert!

Zum Konzert an sich... GEIL!! Das trifft es im Ungefähren. Ich könnte ein paar Songs aufzählen, die sie gespielt haben, aber das sind dann längst nicht alle... Es gab ein paar die ich weniger mag und dessen Namen ich dementsprechend nicht im Kopf :) Also.... "Human-clad monster", "13 -Thirteen", "LOVE IS DEAD", "DEATH POINT", "Hollow", "abyss", "MIRROR", "in vain", "Abel to Cain", "Infection", "Forbidden", "Reddish" (Gott, ich liebe sie dafür! Und meine Gebete wurden erhört!), "Trickster", "DEVIL'S PARADE", "dope", "Garnet" und mit Sicherheit noch mehr, aber mehr wollen mir jetzt einfach nicht einfallen XD Ich hab geschrien, gesungen, getanzt, gesprungen, gegrunzt... So ziemlich alles, was mein Körper hergab~ Und ich habe immer noch Stimme xD Man muss mein Maul echt extra totschlagen, wenn ich sterbe :D
Die Jungs waren gut drauf, ich war gut drauf und ich werde immer wieder kommen! Ihr werdet mich nicht mehr los! MUHARHARHAR!

Nach dem Konzert ist vor dem Konzert!

Ein bisschen den Tränen nahe war ich ja dann am Ende aber doch, ich mein... Das war ja schließlich das vorerst letzte Konzert! Kann aber auch sein, dass ich einfach so fertig und glücklich war, dass es mich fast überkam DX

Aber egal wie lange das dauern wird, ich werde warten!! Und bis dahin werd ich die Zeit schon irgendwie rumbekommen, hauptsache Hizumi wird wieder gesund!