Shinji / Aki Interview

A: We first met at a session event, and we didn't exchange a single word then. I've mentioned this before, we didn't have rehearsals for such events, and Shinji was really late that time, we were about to go onstage when he arrived. At that time I wondered, what the hell's with this guy? But he turned out to be really cool.

S: At that time [I'm assuming in another interview in which they've discussed this before] Aki wrote it as if I'm the king of latecoming, so I'm going to use this chance to clarify. Actually "Aki is the king of latecoming".

A: Yes. (shy laugh)

S: I was just coincidentally late that time.

A: But that's not a good reason, I've never been late for lives before.

That's expected.

A: Sorry. Late is late, but we had a live!? Being late on a day when there's a live only gives people the feeling that you're a big shot. (laughs)

What's your first impression of each other?

S: Aki's really a bandman... that kinda feeling. I've seen Aki perform onstage before when I was still with my old band. He sparkled like a diamond. That's why I'm left with a deep impression. I even thought it'd be great to form a band with Aki... I guess he's very open.

Aki: Really? That makes me happy. I didn't get to properly watch Shinji perform live at session events, but I did when we rehearsed together later and Shinji's performance at rehearsals is as high tension as it is live. When I watched him like that, I thought he was really good.

S: I've always been this energetic at rehearsals. (laughs)

So what does Shinji-san think of Aki as a bassist?

S: A lot of people get too carried away when performing onstage, and then lose sense of rhythm, but Aki plays to the beat. In this way, he's not just another pretty face, so I think it's really cool.

What does Aki think of Shinji as a guitarist?

A: I'm very animated when playing live, and Shinji-san moves in a way different from my style, so there's a feeling of closeness. Shinji-san is a very sensitive person, I can tell that when he lets me listen to his compositions. He has skills good enough to make people go "eh?", and can express turmoil in serenity; of all the guitarists around me Shinji-san is the only one who can do this.

Please tell us how you got into music.

S: That was back in middle school. They played "ZERO" by B'z at lunch break, and I suddenly felt really worked up, and then I gathered my friends to tell them we were forming a band! Let's decide on the parts by Janken! I was the one who rallied them. (laughs) At that time I loved X Japan, so I really wanted to play drums, to be honest I wanted to play drums and the piano...

A: This is the first time I'm hearing about this.

S: But I lost at Janken, so I became a guitarist.

No one wanted to play guitar?

S: Ah, because it has 6 strings, so we all thought it'd be hard to learn; but the position of vocalist was very popular. Everyone wanted to be vocals.

A: I started playing piano when I was little, that's why I feel music is so close to me. I was a rather despondent kid, so my mother wanted to do something about it, and coincidentally my father is a big fan of classical music, which I grew up with. I saw a band later, thought they were really cool, and wanted to form my own. However my mother thought bandmen were a bad influence and firmly refused; when I asked to play guitar in high school, my whole family objected.

Sounds like a strict family.

A: Yes. My friends started forming a band in middle school, I didn't have an instrument then, and a friend who knew I played accompaniment in school came to me with a keyboard, asking if I was interested in being their keyboardist, and that was my beginning.

And how did you go from keyboardist to bassist?

A: I started playing bass in high school 'cause I thought it'd be harder to play something with 6 strings. Also, I noticed the appeal of people playing parts other than vocals; I don't think the vocalist is the most eye-catching. And then I assumed that I couldn't be a drummer without muscles. The guitar has 6 strings, so... the only thing left was bassist? That's how I started playin bass. My love for the instrument has grown as I play.

S: My grade for music in school was a 2. (dry laugh) I hate being forced to learn. When I first started on guitar, I practised for 12 hours daily, until my fingers bled. I won't do that now, but I was really putting myself into it back then.

That's admirable. Please tell us your next goal.

A: I want everything we do to be distinctly SID. So everyone will think, 'Ah, SID's songs sound like this.' and 'I'm guessing this is SID too'. As for myself, I've finally started wishing that my skills as a bassist are better. I used to think it's all good as long as I look cool. I hope people think, 'ah, that's a cool guy' when they think of me, rather than 'this is a guy with skills'. Of course this hasn't changed, but I'm starting to want to become someone with superior skills.

What is SID to you?

A: It's a challenge to myself. I want to become such that I can create anything. As opposed to a bassist, I want to be an artist. I'd like to create something from nothing.

S: The songs I write for SID are a hidden side of me. It's painful if I don't express all I want to, but if I do that I'll spoil SID's feel, so I want to maintain that balance. And the main actor in a band is the vocalist. I used to think only about how to attract attention, now I'm thinking of ways to complement vocals with guitar.

While we're on this, what thoughts do you have regarding each other's compositions?

A: From my point of view, Shinji's songs are stuff I can't write; they're really good songs. This is a good incentive for me, it makes me want to do well too. It's an ideal relationship. If Shinji can do this I want to achieve it too... this kind of feeling.

A good competitor.

A: Yes. I also have times when I'm not in top form onstage and require encouragement. When I listen to Shinji-san's guitar solos, they're played with different expressions each time, he's really good. If we can collaborate when composing songs someday, that'd be great. Isn't this the only way for a new SID? To be able to meet people who acknowledge each other, or rather people who grow to acknowledge each other after forming a band, that's a wonderful feeling. Shinji-san is such a person, I feel really happy.

What about Shinji-san?

S: The songs Aki writes are completely different from mine, and because of that, we face some problems with arrangement, but it's these differences that make SID what we are now. That's what Aki feels too. Now we're at a stage where we're training ourselves. After this, like what Aki just said, I hope we can work together.

A: I'd like to try that.

I would like to listen to the result too.

A: Sometimes I don't understand stuff when I'm composing, and at these times Shinji-san will say, 'Isn't it like this?' I think it's got to be this way if that's what Shinji-san said, so I'll gladly accept his advice. Because I trust him.

You can only work calmly if there's trust. I'm looking forward to your full album. Now let's talk about your strong and weak points.

A: Once we each had our own roadies, and I spent the night at Shinji's after the tour, and when we're drinking he told me, "Don't stop doing what you're supposed to because we've got staff doing it now." Once he said that I remembered that he always packs up his own equipment whilst sweating buckets. He also told me, "I can't forget my attitude when we first formed this band." It was an unforgettable lesson.

Exactly what he said. You can't forget what it's like starting out. I aim to work for h'evn this way.

A: His strong points are, unexpected kindness and humour, and...

What does Shinji-san think of Aki's strong points?

S: He seems to have an overwhelming presence onstage, but it's much weaker off stage. When we chat about what SID will be like in the future, he's very considerate. His shortcoming is being a bad riser. He sleeps like the dead.

Don't you feel like getting up?

A: I do, but sleep won. There's no excuse for it. (laughs)

Let's talk about the absent members too. First, Mao.

S: His strong points are clever, mature, sensitive to others' feelings. Weak point is being a self-centered person. (laughs)

A: That's actually his strong point too. As for the following point, actually we're all the same. The van holding our equipment is always filthy. When we visit the convenience stores, I'm the only one who asks for plastic bags to hold trash with. It's really disturbing to see everyone mess up the car.

Indeed. (laughs)

S: How embarrassing.

What about Yuuya?

A: He's the moodmaker. When we're frustrated he can calm us down. His weak point is making excuses. Perhaps you'll all think I hold grudges, but I once lent him my contact lens solution. After it went missing I asked Yuuya, but he said stuff like, 'it wasn't me'... 'I left it here afterwards'... stuff like that, and in the end he said jokingly, 'maybe it's me~'. Isn't it alright to just come out with it from the start. (laughs)

S: I agree. Sometimes when he's late he'll say 'the train broke down'. Actually it's alright to just admit he's late. It's fatal to keep crying wolf. (laughs) Recently he's been using that excuse again, we could tell he's lying immediately.

A: Yeah, that's right. (laughs)

Now let us switch to talk about your music. With a full album due for release in winter and a one-man live in the beginning of next year, please tell us your thoughts.

A: I think we're letting everyone see and hear what we've achieved so far. Also recently, some fans have been saying they feel more distanced from us now, but I hope you all will understand, SID is who we are today because of the fans who supported us from the beginning when we didn't have much of a fanbase. I hope you'll be happy to think of us getting new fans. This includes people who only recently started liking SID. I hope you'll think, "SID is wonderful with our support". In the end, musicians still wish for getting as much approval and reviews as they can. I hope you understand how we feel. We're still small right now, and hope to get bigger in the scene. Therefore your support is essential.

Because of the old fans, you're getting new ones. In this sense we're all the same. Your live at Liquid Room on 14th Jan next year is a full day like the one at ???[too lazy to romanise] this year.

S: Yes, so I'm really happy.

A: Simply happy.

S: Recently we've been focusing on new songs. We want to produce the best album. This is also preparation or our next tour, for the fans, and for ourselves

Please imagine yourself 5 years down the road.

A: I still want to work with our current members. I hope we've became a great band by then.

S: I hope I'll always be a cool guitarist.

Please leave a message for the fans.

A: Fans are the closest presence to us members. I hope you'll support us. We won't let you down. We promise!

S: The fans wrote us many letters, which encouraged us a lot, but we're sorry we don't have time to write replies at the moment. Because of this, we're working hard on the new songs now. I hope everyone will hear them soon, please look forward to it.

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EXTRA
What you think of with words formed from 'shi', 'n', 'ji', 'a' and 'ki'.



--SHINJI'S ANSWERS--

Shi... Shiri (butt)
No interest.

N... Nn?
Something that makes me go 'nn?' Recently I always see those adult, who keep complaining about youths nowadays, using their handphones on trains.

Ji... Jikan (Time)
Before I go out I'll make sure I have at last 2 hours to get ready. If I can't have enough time, I'll be cranky all day. I like having extra time.

A... Ame (Rain)
I'm very sensitive to humidity.



---AKI'S ANSWERS---

Shi... Shiri (butt)
......

N... Nn?
Something that makes me go 'nn?' The phone at my place has bad reception, so when I pick it up I always go 'nn?' like that.

Ji... Jikan (Time)
24 hours a day just isn't enough, I want 48.

A... Ame (Rain)
I hate rain.



Ki... Kibun (Mood)
Shinji and Aki: Mood is h'evn (heaven?)!