-
Translation & Subtitles: thoseguiltyeyes | scandal-heaven.com
-Thank you!
-What should we talk about?
-
-Today...
-Is it okay to leave it up to you?
-
Is it? But I'm really nervous and feel like I won't be able to talk well.
-
We just filmed a collaboration video for Igari's channel.
-
-Wait, we're filming already?!
-Yes.
-
We are?! You should tell me!
(I messed up)
-
-I start my videos in a casual way.
-We've really started?
-Yes.
-
For my video,
-
-I thought of some things I'd like to ask you, Igari,
-Okay.
-
-so I'd like to have a conversation with you.
-Ah, got it.
-
-We've really started filming?!
-We have!
-
Today's video will be a lavish one.
-
This is the first time I'm doing a proper collaboration on my channel.
-
-Thank you very much.
-One with someone with their own channel.
-
I'm very sorry that I'm the first one.
(He's awesome)
-
Thank you very much! I'm sure everyone will be happy.
-
-This is Igari from HEY-SMITH.
-Thanks for having me.
-
-This is so casual...
-Good job on your set!
-
-We often play [festivals] on the same day.
-Yeah, we do.
-
-Is it okay if we start things off?
-Yes.
-
-Is it okay to do a no-holds-barred discussion?
-That's sudden...but yes.
-
-The first questions will be regular ones.
-Then the last ones...
-
It's totally fine.
(I'm really scheming here)
-
These are things that I haven't had a chance to ask you.
-
What was your first impression of SCANDAL?
-
-Is it really okay to be honest?
-Yes, it is.
-
My actual first impression...
-
-was that you guys were a little risqué.
-Seriously?!
-
-Is that so?
-Yeah.
-
When did that impression change?
-
Let's see...
-
-When you appeared on M STATION...
-Ah, when we were still wearing school uniforms?
-
I think so.
-
At that time, I thought, "Ah, they're adorable."
-
Eh, really?
-
I first thought that you guys were really adorable ladies performing as a band,
-
so my first impression was that you guys were a little risqué. Sorry about that.
-
-That's honestly what I thought.
-Yeah, I did tell you to be honest.
-
Now that we know each other better, what image do you have of us now?
-
Rather than really cute ladies performing as a band,
-
I now see you as ladies who are in a band that are really cute.
-
Like...
-
We get to talk to each other backstage at festivals.
-
You come up to talk to us a lot,
-
and I really think there are very few musicians who are like that.
-
-Ah, really?
-Since the four of us [in SCANDAL] are often all together,
-
I think there are times when seems hard to talk to us.
-
Despite that, we've gotten very buddy-buddy with you.
-
It really makes me happy.
-
Originally I had met MAMI when [our friends] would go out to drink.
-
Ah, that's right.
-
-You've gone out to eat with MAMI many times.
-Yeah, a bunch of us do that and go out to drink.
-
MAMI doesn't drink that much.
-
She doesn't do that well with it.
-
Not sure how well she takes it.
(I've never seen her like that, but I totally imagine it)
-
She's always been resolute.
-
It was 3 am,
-
and when I asked her, "Will you be okay tomorrow?"
-
"Don't you have to get up early?"
-
She was like, "Well, I'm playing at Budokan tomorrow."
-
I was like, "What?! Budokan?!"
-
-Wow.
-"Tomorrow?!"
-
I was like, "You're drinking at this time when you're playing Budokan tomorrow?!"
-
I asked her that,
-
and she was like, "I've practiced to death, so I'll totally be fine no matter how much I drink."
-
-She really said that?!
-She did.
(This was a story from 10 years ago,)
-
That made me go, "Wow, that's so cool!"
(and she's since aged out of that phase)
-
I thought she was a really cool person.
-
That's when I started to see SCANDAL as a proper band,
-
and it made me go, "Wow, their performances are really intense."
-
Then I wanted to start talking to you guys, and so did.
-
Hearing from a musician that you're cool makes you happy in a special way.
-
There was a time when we weren't invited to festivals at all,
-
and for a long time we felt like the four of us were all alone.
-
-Really?
-Yeah, so [you talking to us] made us really happy,
-
and we felt like we were being included.
-
I think everyone thinks this,
-
but [the band scene] is said to be a male-dominated one with not many places for women.
-
They can't really get there.
-
Most people think that.
-
For me, when you guys were playing at DEAD POP FESTiVAL,
-
[Kenta] Koie from Crossfaith and I went to see your set.
-
Crossfaith and SCANDAL play completely opposite types of music.
-
So we walked over.
-
I had a drink in my hand,
-
and I got so hyped up by SCANDAL that I did this with my drink,
-
and it got all over me.
(So cute)
-
-Ah, that did happen.
-I was going "Ahh!" by myself.
-
You guys were really great.
-
That makes me happy!
-
-I don't think we've talked about stuff like that.
-That's definitely true.
-
-It's kind of hard to talk to you guys.
-That's true.
-
Particularly, I'm told by many people that it's hard to start a convo with me.
-
-Ah, really?
-Yes.
-
I don't really go out drinking.
-
I'm nervous to do things that I'm not used to.
-
You know, Kansai dialect [like yours] really makes me feel at ease.
-
-I'm happy to hear that.
-I have a really easy time talking with you.
-
That makes me really happy.
-
(Shy)
-
What?
-
This is kind of similar to what we're talking about.
-
What kind of person do you picture me as?
-
(Asking him mercilessly about impressions)
-
Let's see...
(Igari's in a fix)
-
Like...
-
-Is it okay if this stings?
-Yeah. Ah. I'm about to be hurt.
-
-You seem very prideful.
-Ah, I'm told that a lot!
-
Why is that?
-
Rather than prideful,
-
you have this presence to you.
-
-Do people tell you that?
-They do.
-
The four of you are close and are often together,
-
but RINA, you alone...
-
-Have an ambiance?
-Yeah.
-
-It's kind of different.
-People tell me that all the time.
-
-I really do think it's true, in a sense.
-Oh, really?
-
Like, for women,
-
it's kind of bad to say, but those in bands are kind of looked down on.
-
For times like those, it's best for them to definitely keep being a band.
-
That's kind of RINA-like.
-
Ah, I see.
-
I see.
-
There was a time like that for us.
-
More than being like "Let's appear at festivals so as not to lose out to the guys in bands,"
-
we really felt that we wanted to be a band that showed we were women.
-
-We really wanted to be like that.
-I see.
-
Now, we've kind of mellowed out a bit and have improved.
-
But yeah, there were many times when we were going towards an odd point.
-
But it wasn't odd at all.
-
Like, I think that rigidness was a positive.
-
Like, you guys had an aura to you.
(So nice)
-
That was a good direction.
-
That was more risqué.
-
-That's how it's connected?
-Sorry for saying that.
-
-I mean that as a compliment.
-Thanks so much.
-
I get the impression that you have a lot of friends in bands.
-
You're someone with a very sociable personality,
-
but was there ever a time when you felt like you didn't belong?
-
-Ah, at first, totally.
-Is that so?
-
No matter where we were.
-
For example, we had only come out with one or two CDs,
-
and when we appeared at a festival with a bunch of different artists,
-
we of course felt like we didn't belong.
-
I really felt that.
-
Then the feeling of wanting it to feel more homely grew stronger for me.
-
When I went try and go talk to people...
-
Like, there'd be Ken of Hi-STANDARD,
-
TOSHI-LOW of BRAHMAN,
-
and Hosomi of ELLEGARDEN.
-
The three of them were talking to each other.
-
-It was pretty hard to go up and talk to them.
-Totally true.
-
But I decided from the start to go talk to the people who look the hardest to talk to.
-
Ah, that's commendable.
-
So I'd be the first one to jump into things where it looked difficult to mix in to.
-
Then they would remember me.
-
-It was that kind of repetition.
-I see.
-
With bands, and also when we just go out to drink,
-
I sit next to the person who looks like they're feeling down.
-
I do my best to make sure things go well.
-
-You do it so that they don't feel alone.
-Yeah.
-
That's why you sat next to me.
-
Do you have a drummer group?
-
-Friends I can talk about the drums with?
-Yeah.
-
There's Yuna of CHAI,
-
and as for guys, there's KOUHEI of 04 Limited Sazabys.
-
-I'm really close with them.
-Ah, really?
-
I think KOUHEI would shoot his shot with you.
-
No, not at all!
-
We both can't drink alcohol.
-
We drink tea.
(Tea friends👶🍵)
-
-That's true.
-Yeah.
-
We've also played joint concerts together.
-
How do you write songs?
-
I write songs by myself.
-
-You accumulate songs as they come to you?
-That's right.
-
Also, when I'm not able to write, I go to one of the southern islands.
-
I play my guitar on the beach.
-
-Does that help solve your writer's block?
-It does help quite a bit.
-
-For us, we all write songs as well as do main vocals.
-That's amazing.
-
We're all able to write songs as we like,
-
but we're really bad when we "have to" write songs.
-
-That's kind of a problem for us.
-I see.
-
-Like... Is it okay to talk about this?
-Of course.
-
How do you write drum parts?
-
I do it little by little on my computer.
-
But I typically write lyrics for our songs.
-
I write a bunch of lyrics and the other members will add music.
-
-You write lyrics?
-I really do love writing lyrics.
-
-You do?
-I love it a lot.
-
When I listen to music, the first thing I want to do is read the lyrics.
-
I really like seeing what words the person used.
-
Ah, is that right? That's interesting!
-
That's what I do.
-
To be honest, I can't really hear the lyrics when I listen to Japanese songs.
-
I'm listening to the melody instead.
-
-So I don't really do [what you do].
-I totally understand that.
-
-I really do enjoy listening to words in music.
-Ah, that's so interesting.
-
When I'm watching concerts,
-
I of course look at the band members,
-
but the MCs are what I look forward to the most.
-
-Seriously?
-Yes.
-
I'm like, "What will this person talk about?"
-
-Are there people who do that?
-Maybe not.
-
I really look forward to the MCs.
-
-That's probably because you value words.
-That's true.
-
Also, you can really see what kind of person they are.
-
When it hits me like, "Ah, this person made it, so the song turned out like this,"
-
it makes me realize how much fun music is.
-
Is that so?
-
That's something I've never considered.
-
Aside from lyrics, when the rhythm or the tempo is nice
-
and it completes the song, I have a lot of respect for those kinds of musicians.
-
I'm not too good at that myself.
-
Things you can't do, huh. I see.
-
-This is kind of a sensitive topic.
-Sensitive?
-
Are there times when you think you're unable to continue being in a band?
-
-There totally are.
-There are, huh?
-
There will be those in the future, too.
-
You guys have been together for as long as us. 10...
-
-About 15 years [since 2006].
-Right.
-
-We're also in our 16th year--
-Our seniors!
-
-No, this year will be our 16th.
-Ah, I see.
-
We've been doing this for the same amount of time.
-
What makes you think that way during those times?
-
The biggest one was...
-
when our former bassist/vocalist and our trumpet player left the band.
-
So I think it was during that time.
-
The bassist/vocalist was our main vocalist.
-
I sang as well, but he sang more.
-
When they left, we thought maybe we should disband peacefully.
-
We didn't plan to continue on.
-
That was the hardest time for us,
-
but a lot of people told us to try holding out.
-
We were like, "We'll try it, but if it doesn't work out then let's break up."
-
We were careful then.
-
At first, our audience numbers dwindled due to the bassist/vocalist leaving.
-
That was tough.
-
Wow.
-
I think it's really amazing when a band continues on despite changing out members.
-
-I think that would be impossible for us.
-True.
-
It probably wouldn't be that we'd go on hiatus or someone leaves the band.
-
We'd be like, "Let's stop being a band."
-
That's also impressive.
-
But you know... This is also a sensitive topic,
-
but you guys are women, and there are some forms of happiness for women.
-
And like, you never know if a time will come when you'll all want to break up,
-
and then maybe all want to try being a band again, which is fine.
-
And maybe one by one you'll wonder what you'll do about your band activities.
-
-Wouldn't that difficult?
-I think it would be.
-
Is it okay to choose your own happiness as a woman,
-
or, like what you said before about how it's "The four of us or nothing,"
-
Will you have any disputes then?
-
-We really never have any disputes.
-You don't?
-
If someone wants to get married, or have kids, or finds a partner,
-
we're all totally on board with things like that.
-
We all think that getting married isn't the only peak of happiness.
-
Each of us all have relationships at times...
-
Ah, you guys have relationships like normal?
-
-Is it okay to say that?
-Yeah, it's fine.
-
-It is?
-Totally.
-
-I don't think it's good to ask too much about it.
-I think that too.
-
But we just want to be normal—or natural.
-
That's great.
-
That's wonderful. You guys are totally bandsmen.
-
We won't know unless it happens.
-
I think that if we were to stop once,
-
I don't know if I'll be at the same level as when we left off.
-
-So that's why I want to do as much as I can.
-I see.
-
-That's passionate.
-It is.
-
It's very passionate.
-
-I really love that kind of mindset.
-Ah, really? I'm glad.
-
When you first started your YouTube channel,
-
you talked about that it'd be nice to have the band side of things get more exciting with what you're putting out.
-
I thought that was awesome.
-
I've always thought that doing things ultimately all for the band was impressive.
-
How would you ultimately want things to be [for your band]?
-
We don't try to put out one popular album after another.
-
Our genre has the impression of everyone being strong-willed,
-
and crafting our own kind of scene or culture.
-
There's no real meaning in a band suddenly getting popular
-
and then playing a show at Tokyo Dome.
-
Elevating things like street culture all in one go...
-
Like skateboards, tattoos, fashion...
-
That street culture... it's like...
-
No, I shouldn't put it that way.
-
Like...
-
Well, let's go with it.
-
This set-up is what rock is. What pop is.
-
And street culture is the victor over that.
-
-That's what my ideal [band scene] is.
-I see.
-
I do like pop music, and I also have a lot of idols I support,
-
but I want street culture to be more awesome than any of those.
-
That's my ideal.
-
Do you have any?
-
I wonder...
-
But I do hope to leave behind this idea of
-
"This is one way that an all-girl band can continue on."
-
There are many guys in the band scene,
-
but women can totally enjoy it as well.
-
Wear clothes that get you pumped up,
-
do your hair and makeup,
-
use words that you like to use.
-
You can have a cool and flexible vibe while being in the spotlight.
-
-I hope to leave behind that kind of stance.
-I see.
-
I think more people of all kinds would join.
-
You're expressing that with all your strength.
-
Yes, I still want to do this with all of my strength.
-
-I think you're totally doing it.
-I'm happy to hear that.
-
I think there are many people who started bands after learning about SCANDAL.
-
That makes me really happy.
-
I have a lot of respect for what you're doing.
-
Thank you so much for a great conversation!
-
-Is this okay for your viewers?
-This was so awesome!
-
-I'm basically not cutting out anything.
-But we did talk a lot.
-
-I'm happy I got to ask you about a lot of things.
-Same here.
-
-Thank you so much for doing this after your set.
-Really, thank you so much.
-
-If we get another chance...
-Let's make another chance.
-
Yes, let's!
-
-Thank you so much!
-Thank you so much!
-
We filmed a really crazy video for Igari's channel,
-
so please check it out if you'd like!
-
My heart was pounding.
-
-Thank you so much!
-Thank you so much!