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EXCITE MUSIC: 『ARROW』 interview - Part 2

GACKT For me as a man, as an adult, what's important is "Am I able to grow?" ／ Interview

■New Single 『ARROW』 Interview （2/3）

―― Back to Interview 1

Because the me that's slightly ahead is always saying 「Are you just going to end there?」, I don't want to lose

―― Even so, for the current song, its amazing that the expressionism in the song keeps increasing. There are parts that makes you feel the determination, with feelings of requiem diffusing, it is provocative. What has to be done to be able to sing like this?

GACKT： …… What's with that question?　（while pointing at himself） Singer, singer! （laughs）

―― My apologies （laughs）. That being said, as expected, your range of expression is growing wider isn't it?

GACKT： Of course, because I'm challenging myself. I'm challenging myself for the sake of raising my singing technique as well. The refinement too, comes out from my own daily life. For me as a man, as an adult, what's important is "Am I able to grow?". That is definitely tied to refinement. With regards to the youthful part, even if I were to normally compete with the youngsters on that point alone, I can't win. But, for example, because I can make up for it with body strength and stamina, I can compete with that. Looking at the area of technique when you compare the current 20 year olds with me... ... Because I've started singing since I was 3, haven't I already been doing this for about 40 years? I can't lose at that right. Since it's only natural that you have to work hard to get a skill that no one can beat you at. Stuff like this is embarrassing for me to say but, if you ask me what is characteristic of my songs, the first thing is an impressive singing ability that won't lose to anyone's. Including things that cannot be reproduced by an effector, everything is made up of only skills of my technique. To be able to say that about myself so shamelessly, is because I'm aware that I have "it". I'm able to sing exactly like how it's been recorded. Because I think about "At where and what technique should I use to express the song" and do it myself. It's not that 「It's fine as longs as I can sing this comfortably」, I feel "what is needed at which point" and approach it from that direction. Putting all those actions together will accumulate and turn into a "song". In addition, after creating it, I'll have to practice and make sure that the next time I sing it I can sing the same way stably.

―― The path of this quest, it is endless isn't it.

GACKT： But isn't that normal for a professional? Because in the first place, I'm not the type who is overflowing with talent, I can only make up for that with hard work. But, I don't think that just I'm completely hopeless just because I don't have it. I do what I can with hard work, it's good if I can learn things that are predominantly different that what those who have been doing it by intuition have. If I do that, it creates the composition of "you can do it if you try", because what I've done enters my body and can be realised. Everyone gives up halfway. They stop practicing, they stop singing, and they will stop at a certain level but, I won't stop.

―― To the GACKT-san now, what is the number one driving force behind continuously challenging yourself?

GACKT： Another one of me, I guess. A me who's running slightly ahead of myself. Because he's always saying 「Are you just going to end there?」. I don't want to lose, to my own weakness. It's not that I want to win a specific someone, I just never want to lose to another one of my within myself. That's all. I'm the king of hating to lose （laughs）.

―― Is that why there is no destination at all?

GACKT： None. That's why it's tough, and painful. For the next 『VISUALIVE』 too, I've drawn a line （that it will be the last）for myself, that's why it's like I've decided 「In any case, I'll run all out until this point」. After crossing that line, then I'll think about what happens after that point. Because as expected, running without a goal is tough. I'm not the type to pace myself too, so in any case I'll run at full speed to the line I've drawn. Because I've decided on that.

―― The world of the 『LAST VISUALIVE』 that opens after 「ARROW」, how will it unfold?　At this stage, how far has it gone?

GACKT： Secret （laughs）. Though it is still in an incomplete state, at times I go 「Ah, this song has come together in a good form」 and such, it's fun to make. For example, right now a song that I've started on has yet to be recorded but, it has an interesting approach with the lyrics in a mix of Japanese poetry and modern speech. Recently, I've been studying Japanese poetry a lot and, Japanese poetry is amazing. Even if you don't understand when you hear it, when you see the words, you gain understanding and feel 「Ah, so that's the meaning of it?」, as expected the Japanese language is beautiful. Modern speech is suited to the 4/4 beat but, Japanese poetry feels better when it is put on an irregular beat. Singing Japanese poetry on an irregular beat, then having modern speech （on a 4/4 beat） singing the same thing, I realised it was heard in a wondrous way, and thought that this is interesting. In the gap when the beat can't be caught, there's a breath too. Japan has lots of interesting cultures. I believe that such an approach would not have been used if not for the story of this time's 『VISUALIVE』. If I can insert the harmonics into rock music well, it will become a cool song with punch and edginess. Following that, it will depend on my singing ability to make sure that I hold it well and not make the song bad. Because I can think of it it as 「This is something only I can do」, there is a level of challenge there.

-Release info
46th Single
『ARROW』
Released 2015.10.07

【CD＋DVD】
GLCD-00010 / ￥1,800（excluded tax）
【CD】
GLCD-00011 / ￥1,200（excluded tax）

［Songs］
1. ARROW
2. ARROW（Orchestra Ver）
3. ARROW（-Instrumental-）
4. ARROW（Orchestra Ver -Instrumental-）
＜DVD＞ ※CD＋DVD edition only
ARROW（MUSIC CLIP）

March 19 (Sat) [Saitama] Misato City Culture Hall Main Hall
March 21 (Mon•Hol) [Yamanashi] Korany Culture Hall (Yamanashi Prefecture Culture Hall)
March 26 (Sat) [Osaka] Orix Theatre
March 27 (Sun) [Osaka] Orix Theatre
March 30 (Wed) [Kanagawa] Pacifico Yokohama National Convention Hall
April 1 (Fri)【Niigata】Niigata Prefecture Civic Centre Great Hall
April 6 (Wed)【Hyogo】Kobe International Hall Kokusai Hall
April 7 (Thu)【Hyogo】Kobe International Hall Kokusai Hall
April 9 (Sat)【Aomori】Hachinohe City Auditorium Large Hall
April 10 (Sun)【Miyagi】Sendai Sun Plaza Hall
April 12 (Tue)【Kanagawa】Kamakura Museum of Art Great Hall
April 16 (Sat)【Nagano】Hokuyo Cultural Hall Large Hall
April 17 (Sun)【Ishikawa】Honda Forest Hall
April 21 (Thu)【Hiroshima】Ueno Gakuen Hall
April 23 (Sat)【Okayama】Okayama CIvic Centre
April 25 (Mon)【Fukuoka】Fukuoka Sun Palace Hotel & Hall
April 29 (Fri•Hol)【Hokkaido】Nitori Cultural Hall
April 30 (Sat)【Hokkaido】Nitori Cultural Hall
May 10 (Tue)【Chiba】Mori no Hall 21 Great Hall
May 14 (Sat)【Aichj】Nagoya Congress Centre Century Hall
May 21 (Sat)【Ehime】Matsuyama CIvic Centre Great Hall
May 27 (Fri)【Tokyo】Tokyo International Forum Hall A
June 15 (Wed)【Kumamoto】Civic Auditorium Sojo University Hall (Kumamoto Civic Centre)
June 17 (Fri)【Miyazaki】Miyazaki Civic Cultural Hall Great Hall
July 2 (Sat)【Saitama】Saitama Super Arena

Details：https://www.gackt.com/page/LVL/

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Source: excite.co.jp

Translation: GACKT ITALIA Team

Translation © GACKT ITALIA

by SaiKaiAngel