Sara

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG: 【Respect】

GACKT Official Blog update. Translation below:

Without being able to wake up properly
I rushed through training
and headed to the studio.

It's my last job in Japan.

After this concludes, I'll return overseas
and then I'll have to once again
continue recording.

I entered the changing room
and finished up the reminder of my morning push ups.

My body is pumped and screaming...
but, it's not bad.

My make-up artist murmured.

『Amazing day in and out...』

It's nothing great.
The things that I've decided to do on my own as a daily routine
is the same as the act of brushing your teeth.

If you do it everyday
you'll feel weird if you don't do it but
if you only do it occasionally it might even become troublesome to do.

Immediately, I changed my clothes and went for the program meeting.
I said this the last time as well but, I'm bad at going on TV shows.

I thought I've grasped the content but
it still doesn't change the fact that
I'll end up getting nervous from the meeting onward.

Even if I've appeared on the same program numerous times
the nervousness doesn't get reduced.

The program starts
and I look at the Downtown duo from the corner of my eyes.

Despite that I've worked together with them numerous times before
every time I meet them, I get this feeling.
I'll be moved by them and think,
their genre is different from mine but they're top-class pros...

Even if the two of them talk to each other
the way they looked after the guest stars is impressive.
This impression was left on me since the first time I met them
and nothing about it has changed.

And more than anything,
having someone as your partner
and continuing to work with the same person all this while
is a very difficult thing to do.

That has gone on for decades.

The same can be said for bands too.

Sticking with the same band members for 10 years
is really difficult to do,
each may have their own thing that they want to do,
there may be complaints or things that you don't like about the other party
and reasons why it becomes difficult to continue together
will pop up all over.

I think to be able to continue working with each other for decades,
unless you recognise that the other party as your best partner,
or in other words, without the existence of 【respect】
that would be utterly impossible.

Respect is an interesting thing.

In the past,
I gathered with the members of a certain band
and had a discussion with the young musicians.

Those kids said this.

「That new member is useless!
He's irresponsible, and isn't punctual,
I can't get along with him!」

I answered him with this.

『To start, musicians are a breed of people
who can't conform with the society at large.
Despite that
wanting such people to be punctual
or follow the rules...
If they were able to do that in the first place
I suppose they would be working in some company with the general public
and in the first place, something like that,
assuming that I could do it,
even if I could put up a show of it
there's no reason to keep it up.

No matter how annoying they are,
even if they're the lowest of the low,
even if they're bastards that can't keep promises,
the most important thing of all
is that they can make people think "This guy is seriously cool!"
when they get up on stage.
People as shitty as that
and the guys that you can't figure out how to handle
are the ones that abnormally shine the most on stage
and unleash a unique atmosphere and aura.

When you get your priorities wrong,
even if you create a band with people that are easy to handle
and gather a bunch of normal people
do you think the audience who come to watch you will feel excited
when they a stage that doesn't thrill them?

If you keep thinking like that,
you'll never be able to create a good band.

The question is,
isn't the way you handle
such shitty guys
a question of your leadership qualities?

If you can't deal with that, as a leader that's out of the question.
Just quit bands』

I said.
It'll be troubling if this was misunderstood but
I don't mean to say that
it's fine to let musicians be irresponsible.

What I want to say is
don't get your priorities wrong.
And if there is respect,
the role of a leader
is to be able to get along with someone no matter what kind of person they are.

In that,
if there is respect between the members for each other
that band or unit will probably
be able to stick together forever...
That's what I meant.

I suppose the same can be said for married couples or lovers.
There are too many people breaking up over liking and disliking.
They stick together because they like each other.
They break up because they don't like each other.

There is no way it can go well
if you always decide if you want to stick together or break up
based on your feelings of like or dislike for the other person.

There will be times when you like them.
There will be times when you're pissed off.
There will be times when you hate them.
Nevertheless if respect exists in the relationship
you'll be able to get over those smaller emotions and what not.

Respect,
the respect you have for the other party,
more than anything else, it is the main reason for a continuing relationship.

Haa, I'm tired from writing.
Alright, I'll head for dinner.

Source: GACKT Blog

Translation: GACKT ITALIA Team

Translation © GACKT ITALIA

by Sara