INTERVIEW ~ AN CAFE: MAY 26, 2008

The day after their US debut performance at Fanime, the members of oshare kei group An Cafe sat down with us for a one-on-one interview.





Congratulations! Your first live in the USA is over! Please tell us, being that this is your first live in the USA, do you think this might have a negative effect on your fanbase in Japan?

Miku: Ahh, yeah, yeah, yeah... If I'm reading messages from the fans in Japan, there's two ways they could take it. One is really from the heart, like "Oh, I'm so happy for you guys." And then other people are maybe kind of lonely because we're leaving. But if people are happy for us then we're glad to hear their messages. We want a lot of people to listen to our music, so I feel like as we expand, the Caffekos' bond gets closer.

Looking out into the audience's faces last night, what did you see?

Teruki: Kanon-san?

Kanon: They were shining.


And how did that make you feel?

Kanon: Moved.

Miku: (English) Fall in love!


Awww! Well, how was the flight here? What did you guys do?

Teruki: I was listening to music mostly, and reading a book. The other guys too.


What do you usually do on flights?

Miku: I read fan letters and books and play video games.


This stop at Fanime is really part of a world tour for you. As representatives of Japanese rock, what do you think of being part of its success in the US?

Miku: Mm, I think as more artists come to the US and perform, the fanbase of Jrock will expand more and that will inspire other artists to come.


Miku, Teruki, and Kanon you were fortunate enough to be invited to Akon in Texas. Looking back on it, what do you think of the time spent there?

Miku: When we went to Texas we felt that people liked us only for our visual look. But its been a year, and after one year, we feel that they actually liked us for our music too. So that makes us feel great!


Lets talk a bit about your music videos! In the Ryuusei Rocket video, there's a part where you're all wearing bunny suits. Whose idea was that?

Teruki: Director's!


Director's. Okay. That video looked really fun. Was it as fun to make as it seemed watching it?

Teruki: Really? Takuya and Yuki... (laughs)

Miku: (English) Yuki is a masochist.

Yuki: Not true!


Whoa, what did you say?

Miku: (laughs) (English) Yuki is a maso...

Yuki: No!

Teruki: (English) Masochist! (Laughter)

Yuki: No, no, no...

Miku: (laughs) Yuki is a mazaholic! Yeah!


What was that stuff you guys were making?

Miku: It was supposed to look like we were making a cake...

Teruki: It was like cosmetic product right?

Miku: Ah yeah! Actually it was made of cosmetic product! Like toner for skin. So if you throw it on someone's face it's better for their skin.


Really? So it made your face all nice?

Miku: Yeah and...

Teruki: Yuki had an acne problem that time.

Miku: Yeah, he had an acne problem before that, but after the music video making Yuki had like, clear skin. (Laughs)


Ohhhh...

(An Cafe repeats "Ohhhh" and claps)

Teruki: (English) Yeah! Great!

Miku: (English) Wow! That's great.


Another video, Cherry Saku Yuuki, that one came out recently, but in that video you're wearing white lab coats. Can you explain the concept of that?

Miku: Its because of the chemical composition in the lyrics so it's more like we were trying to portray chemistry teachers and it was a school atmosphere. So that's why we were wearing the white lab coats.


Going back to Jrock, you've had influences from bands you like such as Dir en grey, Kagerou, LUNA SEA, and so on. But now An Cafe is its own band. Do you now see yourself on the same level as those bands?

Miku: If I respect them first, I'll respect them forever. So it doesn't change the levels between us.


Are there any new Jrock bands you like?

Miku: Lolita23q.


How about Jpop artists?

Teruki: I have a lot... FLOW and Aqua Timez. But, I like all music!

Takuya: Porno Graffiti

Kanon: Hmmm... Southern All Stars.

Teruki: (surprised) Is that so?! EH? You don't listen to them?

Miku: (surprised) Eh?? Since when do you listen to them?!

Kanon: (Laughs) Yeah I listen to them sometimes!


Ohhhh awesome! I love Southern All Stars!

Miku: Ooooh!

Teruki: Ah Yuki!

Miku: Ah! Take and Yuki! AYU right?

Yuki: AYU.

Miku: Perfume too?

Yuki: Them too.


No way! You like Perfume too?

Miku: Oh ho! (English) Yuki loves Perfume.

Yuki: Yeah I like them!


Well, looking at your current success, Gokutama Rock Cafe seems to be very successful! But you owe part of your success to your previous albums. Looking back how do you view the previous albums?

Teruki: Each album has originality. When we first started we only had like a few hundred copies of our first album at the concert. But now as time's passed by, the styles composed in our music is way different. Like, when I was just starting I had more creativity. So you know, now I can look back on it and I respect what we did in our first era.


Ok, just curious here, but what were you all like as children?

Teruki: I have two older sisters. They were more mature so (laughs) I was pretty selfish.

Miku: I really liked playing outside. After school I always hung out with friends outside.

Kanon: I liked being alone.

Takuya: I liked sports and playing baseball.

Yuki: I was always a curious kid and when I saw something I would always want to examine it. I made a secret base once. (All the members laugh)


Oh how cute!

Miku: CUTE? Eh? Is it cute?

Yuki: Undoubtedly cute!


So let me ask you, if you could go back now and tell yourselves as children something, what would you tell yourselves?

Teruki: Mmmm, um... I would say you should think about what your parents think more. (Laughs) But I'm sure time will go by and you will learn.

Miku: I would tell myself in Junior High that visual kei is gonna be big. It's gonna be awesome.

Kanon: I'm sure I wouldn't listen. I know I wouldn't have listened to anybody sooo...I'm not gonna say anything. (Laughs)

Takuya: Play guitar.

Yuki: I would tell myself not to drop out from anything and to just continue with it.


Well, as a band, every now and then you must get annoyed with each other. Anything annoy you about the other members?

Teruki: Miku's loud in our hotel room! Like "YAAAahhh! YAAAaahh!" He's like, really loud.

Miku: Nothing annoys me.

Teruki: What about the alarm clock?

Miku: Oh! The alarm clock! Yuki doesn't get up but he always sets the alarm for two hours before, and then every five minutes different songs play as the alarm.

Teruki: And then he has to stop it!


That's annoying! By the way, I saw your english comment. Really nice. Are you currently studying in English?

Miku: Yes. When I was in high school I studied English Conversation.


We have time for one more question. This one's for Yuki. Yukiiii?

Yuki: (Nervously) Yeeesss? (Band laughs)


Are you a DJ OZMA fan?

(Whole band bursts out laughing)

Miku: (Shouting in English) YES! Yes! You respect!

Yuki: (English) Nooooo!!! No! Very no!!

Miku: Yuki?

Yuki: I'm not a fan!

Teruki: Then why do you look like him?

Yuki: It's just the look!


So you're not a fan?

Yuki: I'm not a fan.

Miku: (English) Ohhh? Oh really? (Doubtful) Really?

Yuki: (English) Really! (band laughs) REALLY.


Ohhhh, that's... I'm sad!

Teruki: Uh oh, you made her sad!

Miku: She's sad because you're lying about being a fan!

Yuki: I'm not! Give me a break! (Band laughs)