Motto Shiritai...Jousama!! Part 2
Interview with LAREINE in VICIOUS (April 1999).
Interview by:Mami Akagi, Photography by: Kenji Tsukagoshi
________________________________________________________

This time I'd like to have KAMIJO introduce each of the three members. Are there things that you've come to know about the members that are different from your initial impressions of them? Things about them that have changed since when you first met them?

KAMIJO: Well, first of all there's MAYU, who I met while we were working together as roadies for the same band. When I first met him, we were really busy and there wasn't much time. That evening was the first chance I had to talk with him. I told him, "I wanna make this kind of band," and he just listened. But then I realized, everything I said was going in one ear and out the other.

--So he looked like he was listening, but really he wasn't listening? (laughs)

KAMIJO: Exactly (laughs). That's something about him that hasn't changed a bit (laughs). And so, I'm still not sure if his character is reserved, or dark, or whatever(laughs). Also, he's not easy to be friends with... if I ask him to go out, he'll never come. But if I say "I'll treat you" he'll come right away (laughs).

MAYU: Well, it's just that sometimes I think it's good to keep in touch, but just sometimes. Those times just happen to fall on the times that KAMIJO treats me (laughs).

--hahaha

KAMIJO: And then there's EMIRU. After I met EMIRU I had this strange dream about him which left a stronger impression on me than my very initial impression of him. In the dream he was really a different kind of creature, and the real-life he is too.

--hahaha. The real-life EMIRU has surpassed being human too?

KAMIJO: Yes (laughs). Anyway, his scale is large. He's the type that if he's going to do something, he'll do it to the maximum. If he's cutting bangs, he'll go straight to cutting his them short, if he's going to wear a skirt, he'll wear a mini-skirt. When he starts saying "Next I'm thinking of doing this", just hearing the beginning of that sentence, I'm like "oh no.." (laughs). He always used to talk about doing crazy things so calmly, and at first I didn't like that about him. I'd be like "why am I in a band with such a weird guy?" (laughs). At that time, I think the only thing that kept us together was that his bass playing was so good (laughs). But gradually, I didn't just get used to him, I also became quite charmed by him after awhile (laughs). I slowly became a lot more open-minded. In the end, I can see that he was unfortunately essential to my personal growth.

--unfortunately (laughs).

EMIRU: But in the beginning, we did argue an awful lot, didn't we?

KAMIJO: Yeah. I was aiming to create a band that didn't include such a strange person as EMIRU in it (laughs). Of course, I thought that I myself wasn't such a strange guy (laughs) and that EMIRU is EMIRU. After I began to think that having a person like EMIRU around was a good thing, we worked together on how we do our band activity, though sometimes we disagreed. But right now, I can see that it's evident that EMIRU's way of thinking certainly wasn't a mistake, and now I think that "I'm not gonna lose to him."

--You two are like rivals, egging each other on?

EMIRU: Hm..., Well, sometimes KAMIJO comes to me and says, "This time I'm going to beat you in terms of impact. I've thought of something really great!" and I'll say, "Ok, that's fine." It's not like he's my enemy or anything (laughs).

--oh! (laughs)

KAMIJO: Yeah, but even though he may say "ok, that's fine," he's already thinking ahead of what he'll should do next. That's why he's such a strong opponent (laughs).

--What about MACHI?

KAMIJO: Since I met MACHI, I've noticed that he has really good taste. Because of that, I really wanted to work with him and so I invited him to join. He's a really easy to talk to type of person. Also, between the members we have different nicknames for each other, but we always attach -kun* to MACHI's nickname. The reason we do that is because MACHI himself attaches -kun* to all of our names. I think that has something to do with his upbringing.

--MACHI-kun, you must have been brought up in a good neighborhood?

MACHI: I think it's better said that my family and the teacher at the school that I went to were really strict. During elementary school and middle school, you had to respect everyone by adding -san to girls names, and -kun to boys names. Looking back, II think that was a good habit though. These days, I always address everyone with -san or -kun without even thinking about it.

--By the way, how are the roles in the band shared?

KAMIJO: MAYU creates songs that I could never make, and as a guitarist he's maybe too established (laughs). I really have a lot of respect for his skills, which are important and define his role in the band. As for EMIRU, whenever we're all stuck and can't decide on something, he clearly states his opinion and things get decided. So, he's kind of like a president's wife kind of person (laughs). And MACHI, he's really a mood maker. Also, the things that are born in LAREINE are often taken by him and made inifinitely big by his ideals/philosophy.

As for myself, from MAYU I've received a lot of musical influence. From MACHI and EMIRU, I've received a lot of lifestyle influences. Next, I'd like to take the things that I've received from these three, make them bigger and return it to them. I think that kind of multiplication effect will make the band greater, and create a good relationship between us.

--I see. Ok, next month we'll be doing the opposite of this month. I plan to hear what KAMIJO is like from the point of view of the other three members.

KAMIJO: Ok, To be continued! (laughs). I'm kind of scared of what they'll say (laughs).

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
*the suffix -kun is a familiar form of the title -san that is added to the end of peoples names for respect. -kun is usually used for men's names.

[BACK]