Exclusive Interview with Hideki

HIDEKI Interview (9.23.2005)

At the J-ROCK office in Setagaya, we conducted an interview with HIDEKI. (ex. SIAM SHADE) HIDEKI, a tall, handsome guy, entered the room with his manager. Soon after arriving he sat on the sofa and the interview began. He talked passionately about his music and how he felt after SIAM SHADE’s break up. He also talked about embarking on a solo career, the eventual formation of ACID and re-starting his solo career again. He also talked about unique episodes of SIAM SHADE. In present-day life, people keep distant from other people because they feel afraid about offending each other, but HIDEKI is honest and reveals what he thinks to everyone. His purity seems rather fragile and dangerous. Hopefully more people will know about the passionate life embodying his rock spirit and self-expression.

First of all, congratulations on releasing the Toki ga owaru made tada… album. Could you please introduce yourself to foreign fans?
HIDEKI: I feel rather strange introducing myself. Anyway, nice to see you!

When did you start planning your solo career this time around?
HIDEKI: It was just before starting ACID’s tour, around March 2005.

I was surprised when you drew back from the lead position to play keyboard in ACID.
HIDEKI: Of course you were surprised when I played keyboard, weren’t you!? I think it was good. I don’t stand out if I sing songs as the lead singer of ACID, but if someone asks “What is HIDEKI doing now?” and they then listen to my songs and find the vocalist isn’t me, they will ask “Who is singing songs?” They would say “I don’t know the vocalist’s name.” and find all the members are unknown musicians. Someone will say “HIDEKI plays keyboards.” and I’m sure everyone will be surprised and say “What!” Don’t you think so? I think it’s good to be paid attention to by so many people. I’m trying to make a stronger band so it’s better to do it this way than be in the centre.

Many people preferred you as lead singer performing centre stage, so they were confused.
HIDEKI: I think that things aren’t so easy in the real world. My youth had finished with SIAM SHADE. In Japan, many people know about me so wherever I sing they think whatever band I play with is SIAM SHADE. I drew a line when I finished SIAM SHADE. I’m always warning myself “I’ll never do it again! It’s not so easy being the lead singer of the band!”

ACID is totally different from SIAM SHADE.
HIDEKI: In the case of SIAM SHADE, musicians know about the band’s members. However, most people don’t know much about my new band’s members. I started ACID playing with different members but people compare us with my former band. So I thought I would change my position which couldn’t be compared as easily.

But HIDEKI, you have strong presence and people look at you even when you play at the back of the stage.
HIDEKI: Well, I know that ACID members haven’t expressed themselves enough yet, so if I play my best enthusiastically, everyone looks at me. That’s why I’m acting independently. Now ACID is growing quite popular and the band have the conscious impression that “This audience came to see us!” It will make a good impression on them whenever they perform at any big concerts. So it’s better they act by themselves and then I can do my best. Soon things will be going well. I think we need a little more time, about one year!

The reason why you started your solo career again was because you wanted ACID to grow independently as you told me?
HIDEKI: To be honest, I’m a man who won’t change my mind once I decide on something, but by chance there was an offer from a record company when ACID wasn’t developing well. Just before that, they played a one-man live concert in Club LOOK in Chiba. Soon after the live finished, they came to me and said “Hey! It was so exciting,” their faces full of achievement. At that time I thought “This is what I lacked.” Actually, there are both advantages and disadvantages of having me in the band. I thought “They learned enough about the advantages of having me in the band, now they have to learn about the disadvantages.”

We recently had an interview with ACID’s members. They mentioned that they will try various things to express their personalities from now on.
HIDEKI: Yes! They will! In this music scene, a band that grows should always have something as a weapon. ACID needs this little something more and I’m expecting it from them.

So HIDEKI, do you think you can rampage without reserve now?
HIDEKI: Yes. I’ll do this task as thoroughly as Ga-tsun, ga-tsun! (laugh)

Why did you choose Mr. Masahide Sakuma as producer for this album?
HIDEKI: I said once: “I want to work with Mr. Sakuma!” That was seven years ago while I was still with SIAM SHADE. Before, we had been self-produced but we talked with the record company staff and reached the conclusion that “It’s better to have a producer”, just before releasing our hit song 1/3 no Junjo na Kanjo. Actually, sales weren’t so good at that time so we agreed with our assumption and when we were asked “Who do you want?”, I said “I want to work with Mr. Sakuma!”

Why did you want to work with Mr. Sakuma?
HIDEKI: I listened to BOOWY and L’Arc-en-Ciel and found their recorded vocals stand out beautifully. I thought that this important aspect was missing in SIAM SHADE, so I wanted to play with Mr. Sakuma. However, we couldn’t make it happen so I was frustrated. Now that I have re-started my solo career I asked him and he said OK. I could finally do what I couldn’t for seven years, which is the most important thing for me at this time.

On this album, Makoto Takahashi (ex-member of BOOWY) and Toshimitsu Nagai (support member for GLAY) also joined you.
HIDEKI: They are all part of Mr. Sakuma’s “family”.

How was the recording?
HIDEKI: Well, at first I was scared because everyone was so quiet! (laugh) Nobody said anything, so I thought “Oh no-! Did I do something wrong!?” (bursts out laughing) At first I was just completely overcome by their atmosphere.

Did everyone remember the score perfectly, coming into the studio and working quickly?
HIDEKI: Yes. We recorded two songs a day and all played together like “3, 2, 1, go!” It was indeed different. What can I say…they were living as professional musicians for a long time so they had a great groove, which was completely unique. Honestly speaking, if I could work with Mr. Sakuma again, I could make much better music because I can open up to him. (laugh) Actually, you could say that they were as quiet as they were artistic and creative.

HIDEKI, Do you talk a lot during your recording?
HIDEKI: I talk a lot! (laugh) I’m always like this, being full of tension. I strip myself and sing songs shouting as “Dowaaaahhh------!!!”!(laugh) So during this recording, I was lonely holding my knees in the corner of the room. (bursts out laughing)

Does the theme of “STRAT” on this album express your present mindset?
HIDEKI: Yes.

This album includes the title ballad Toki ga owaru made tada… and the song Koe ni… from the 1st solo album, Punk Drunker, which is mixture of different styles of songs. Was it difficult to choose songs and compose them?
HIDEKI: I have written many songs and when I started working with Mr. Sakuma, I let him listen to all my songs and asked him to choose. I’m a musician and I have songs that I want to sing but once we work together I want to let him work in a good mood. Honestly speaking I like all the songs I wrote, so any of them are OK for me. My biggest concern for this project was working with Mr. Sakuma: if I were to make music by myself without his opinion, there would be no meaning to working with him.

You realized one of your dreams, didn’t you?
HIDEKI: I always want to do what I can’t. For example, if you couldn’t eat ice cream because you didn’t have enough money, you would eat as much ice cream as you could after you get your paycheck! (bursts out laughing) I guess everyone will do that kind of thing, won’t they? First time you’d get money, you would eat cakes and fried potatoes until you filled your stomach! (laugh)

So did Mr. Sakuma choose the song Koe ni…?
HIDEKI: To be honest, when I made my 1st album Punk Drunker, I felt regret as my demo tape is better! (laugh) So I tried again this time…but my demo tape is still better!” (laugh) There are times when I never make a better take than the demo tape. Koe ni… is a very important song for me and I want to make it cool like my demo tape, but it’s difficult to re-create. Playing in a band is best, because I can say anything to the members such as “It’s not like that! Do it like this!” (laugh) If many people work together in the recording, it is more difficult to work like that. For example, I say a lot sometimes and then I may be silent on another occasion. It means that I have to collaborate. I recorded Koe ni… twice, because now I know how it would be changed by Mr. Sakuma.

The arrangement of Koe ni… changed to have a feeling of a real live recording.
HIDEKI: Well, it was Mr. Sakuma’s arrangement.

The first song from the album, Outsider, is a loud and hard song with shouting vocals just like Flight Adviser from your album Punk Drunker II, isn’t it?
HIDEKI: Yes. I rather like the core music where I don’t have to care about anything else other than singing and it best suits my nature. I want to raise my limits every time, to see how hard I can sing. I guess only a few people can sing this song, shouting continuously then singing the main melody. Most people probably wouldn’t keep singing, even foreigners who have strong throats. That’s my limit, but I want to keep pushing my limits.

Do you sing the song in your lives?
HIDEKI: Of course! ………but I’m not sure I can sing! (bursts out laughing) In lives, the atmosphere and various things help me, so it could go well. But I don’t want to sing that strongly in practice (laugh), because I’m afraid I would hurt my throat.

The second song Mujun no Panorama has an impressive melody like many other popular songs. The third song, DNA, is a dramatic song which your voice adapts to very well. Are you going to release these songs as singles?
HIDEKI: I don’t think so. I’ll soon start Gekkan HIDEKI (Monthly HIDEKI) and will release a single every month.

Will you do totally new songs?
HIDEKI: My sales point will be “hard sounds and catchy melodies”, so I think I’ll be going back there.

I think the fourth song, Sensou Hantai, gives new and different impressions from the songs which you have made before. Your vocals seem just a little bit different.
HIDEKI: Actually I used to be a punk-rock loving boy, enjoying bands such as LAUGHIN’ NOSE, so I like this kind of music. For example, punk music songs such as Fine Weather Day and Jumping Junkie from SIAM SHADE fit my character. When I said I wanted to play Sensou Hantai in ACID, it was rejected because that song didn’t match ACID’s style. (laugh) When the Gulf war began, I thought it was a bad thing but I could not go and stop the tanks. So I wrote this song with a small dream, hoping that we would shout this song together in live houses and that things could be changed. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make the world understand; I couldn’t even make ACID’s members understand. (bursts out laughing)

The members of ACID joined the chorus in this song.
HIDEKI: Yes, of course. However, the music was different from ACID’s style, so we couldn’t pull it off.

Really? I thought this song was made because you were influenced by ACID.
HIDEKI: Well, in ACID, there is a punk man who has the same tastes as me and understands this kind of music. His name is Masa(=Masamitsu). (laugh)

The fifth song, Maria, is a love song, isn’t it?
HIDEKI: Yes. Junpei (vocalist for ACID) was worrying about it at that time. (laugh) I don’t know why, but there are many sick people around me. (laugh)

Do you mean mental sickness? (laugh)
HIDEKI: Yes. People who suffer from mental sickness come around me. (laugh) Perhaps it’s because I’m suffering from the same sickness and we naturally flock together. (laugh)

By the way, the single Toki ga owaru made tada… that was released on August 3rd, 2005, is a ballad different from your basic music style. Did you need this change?
HIDEKI: At that time, I was worrying about so much that I couldn’t see my way at all, whichever was it good or not that I had been doing in ACID. I’m always going straightforward and when I come up against barriers that I have to worry about, I just want to act on impulse and do the opposite things. So I thought I should leave ACID once. But when I saw ACID’s live, I found their live was so cool and what I had done previously was not wrong at all. Another reason is that I’m one of the persons who started the J-ROCK Company, so I thought I should contribute to the company, and various things except music made me do so. The result is that I think it wasn’t my planned way! But I don’t mean it was a failure, because whatever I did I did seriously, even if I found it wasn’t my style of working and that things wouldn’t succeed. I think that the experience would show me right way in future. I would rather say I should do make a failure before it would become a big success.

It wasn’t a failure at all.
HIDEKI: Yes. That single reached the top of the Indies chart. I know I should listen to the opinions around me, but if it would work as the same as before, I would rather want to do it in my rock style. Anyway I’m satisfied with working with Mr. Sakuma. I couldn’t get more than second place in the Indies chart and I couldn’t win the top spot of both the Yu-sen and Major charts during SIAM SHADE period. In SIAM SHADE, we often thought “Why can’t we get to number one?” and “Do we need to get to number one in Indies chart, or even top the major charts?” (laugh) When we broke up and I started in the Indies field, my first goal was get a number one! Now I think I want to top the charts in Major and Yu-sen.

Your coupling song Tokyo Souchi is a heavy and hard song which is close to your original music, isn’t it?
HIDEKI: Basically I like heavy and hard rock, so I usually write these kind of songs. I wrote the ballad Toki ga owaru made tada… because I was told by the president of J-ROCK “Hey, HIDEKI. I can’t understand what you sing in your songs. Why don’t you write a song where I can understand the words that you are singing?” (bursts out laughing) So I wrote this song for him. A staff member of the record company liked it and recommended that I release it. This story began with my demo tape, and then it became bigger. (laugh)

In your maxi single Toki ga owaru made tada…, there is an English version of the title track. Is this so foreign people can understand the lyrics?
HIDEKI: In Japanese it would be “a frog in a well”, so we needed the English to be “a frog in the world”. Since I released my 1st solo album Punk Drunker overseas, I was thinking “I could do it overseas.” Now Japanese people, such as Hoobastank, are quite active overseas and I know that we Japanese would be good at writing catchy melodies that would appeal abroad.

I think so. There are many people who like Japanese melodies.
HIDEKI: To be honest, I thought foreign people wouldn’t like Japanese melodies so much. But when I asked Richie Kotzen to play the guitar part of Marmalade, he admired the song very much saying “I love this song!!!” again and again! Finally he went home singing this song! (laugh) At that time I thought foreign people would also like this kind of song, as long as the language barrier was overcome.

Of course, English would be better, but I think if foreign people really like the songs, they would listen to them even written in Japanese.
HIDEKI: I agree with you. For example, “Sukiyaki song” (the Japanese title of the song is Ue o muite arukou., written and sung by Kyu Sakamoto) is popular overseas.

By the way, you released two solo albums previously. For your first album, you played with American musicians, but for your second solo album, you played with Japanese guitarist Katsuya. These two albums are different styles but both excellent. I feel your music is beyond the genre of Japanese music, and has infinite possibility.
HIDEKI: Well, I’m a genius after all, aren’t I? …But I can’t go beyond borders too much, because I can’t speak English! (laugh)

Are you sure-------!? You sing songs in English, don’t you!? (laugh)
HIDEKI: Oh, not really. I’m just being spontaneous. I learned pronunciation from Tim. (American who helps him to write English lyrics)

Really!? Foreign people think you are good at English.
HIDEKI: (laugh) Hahahaha… I shouldn’t go overseas! (bursts out laughing) As for language, Kim who is a Korean member of ACID, has been in Japan for only two years, but he speaks Japanese very well.

It takes about two months getting used to different languages.
HIDEKI: I always came back before I became used to it. (laugh) Once I had been in the U.S.A. for about two months for the recording, I came back when I could understand what they said. (laugh)

Is it because you like Japan?
HIDEKI: Basically I like staying at my home, more than I like Japan.

When you go out for your live tour, are you missing your home?
HIDEKI: Yes, I return home. In SIAM SHADE, whenever I had one day off, I returned back to my home. I had cats, so I had to take care of them. Once I went back to the tour but the Shinkansen stopped because of an earthquake or something, and when I arrived at the concert, the live show had already started, so I went up on the stage as soon as I arrived through the door. (laugh)

I know that story. Until your arrival, members of SIAM SHADE played a jam session gaining time and waiting for you.
HIDEKI: Yes! I had awful pressure on me, because when I arrived there, there was music coming from the livehouse already! I said “Oh, noooooh-----!?” (bursts out laughing)

You wore a track suit and stood on the stage.
HIDEKI: I was in casual wear! And went up on the stage with my rucksack on my back! (bursts out laughing)

Well, it’s kind of fun.
HIDEKI: At first, I thought “If it would work well, it would be fun.”, but it wasn’t going well at all. I realized that we needed rehearsals.

By the way, are you interested in releasing your two solo albums [Punk Drunker] and [Punk Drunker II] overseas?
HIDEKI: Of course, I’m thinking about that. I want to make music for foreign people. That way, when they listen to our music, they will think “This artist is really good!” English is better because it’s the world’s common language and we don’t feel discomforted.

I asked ACID’s members: “You have a Korean member, Kim. Why don’t you sing a song in Korean?”.
HIDEKI: I think the Japanese language doesn’t match the lyrics of rock music, which is the worst among Asian languages. Korean is better for rock music lyrics. Previously, SIAM SHADE released an album in Korea, which was in English. At that time in Korea, the Japanese language was completely prohibited, so we couldn’t release the album except in English.

That was the album [SIAM SHADE VII].
HIDEKI: It was terribly hard! (laugh)

What was so hard!?
HIDEKI: Can you believe this!? I was told that just two weeks before the album was to be released!! (laugh) I didn’t want to, because when I appeared on DJ Asai’s radio program who had been overseas and was good at English, he said “I like SIAM SHADE’s sound, but your English is awful!”, and I said “OK! Next time I’ll do a better job! I will never allow you to complain about it on the next album!” And after two weeks, I was asked to release the album. As in “Please finish it in two weeks!”, and I thought “Oh, my god! I said that!?” (bursts out laughing) If my English pronunciations didn’t get better, I was afraid people would say to me “Hey, HIDEKI, your pronunciation is still bad.”, and I was sure to be frustrated. (laugh) But I thought Tim would say “I won’t do it because two weeks is too short.”, then Tim said “OK”! (bursts out laughing) Since then we started special training for living together!

I read about that story in a magazine interview. You had big fight with Tim, didn’t you?
HIDEKI: Yes, I had very big fight with him! Imagine, when I was writing English lyrics with all my might, and he said “Hey, HIDEKI! What do you think of this girl? She has big… don’t you think so?” and I thought “Hey! Wait a minute! I’m too busy to care about her, please----!” (bursts out laughing)

I think Tim was living in Nagano, and when you visited his house for the first time, he recommended you to take an open-air bath, and you said “I don’t have time. This is not the time for that!”.
HIDEKI: Yes. I understood I wasn’t good at English, so I wanted to finish my work first but after I wanted to accompany him wherever there were boobs or a bath, but Tim would always put play before work. (laugh) Once in the recording of the song of GET A LIFE, I had a big fight with him and stopped the recording. The reason was because we were not doing enough work and I couldn’t meet the deadline. I wasted one day fee for the recording actually. So I learned from that failure and I work hard first then I do other things after I finish the work, but he hasn’t learned that yet at all. (laugh)

I remember you said a very good thing at that time. “I shouldn’t make any person around me unhappy during the creation of my work.”
HIDEKI: That was what Tim said. I used to do sports, and my way of thinking is just like an athlete “There is no pressure without hardship.” I always think whenever I create my work, I should suffer from pains, then I could be satisfied after I complete it. But I was told by Tim “It’s not right. If you make a person unhappy during that creative process then the album won’t be the one making every one happy.” At that time, I thought “There are some blind spots in my way of thinking.” And I cared about that for a while. I want to concentrate on working, so I understand how Tim feels and accept it, then work hard. “Is anything OK for fun?” I don’t think so. Whenever my minimum tension and passion don’t match the other musicians who work with me, I want to bring them to a better understanding in any way as I can. Sometimes I scold them, sometimes I praise them. I think we professional musicians should work respectably.

I didn’t know [SIAM SHADE VII] was made during such a short time.
HIDEKI: It was the result from my efforts. I didn’t sleep at all.

Was the album made by your ambition for going overseas?
HIDEKI: Well, maybe yes. Once, I did a live on the stage of Yoyogi 1st Gymnasium, where many VIPs of TV were invited. I talked at my discretion. “I won’t appear on TV anymore!” The members and the audience all were surprised “Oh! Noooooooo----------!!! It’s a lieeee--------!!!” (bursts out laughing) As for SIAM SHADE, that was good, I think. If we would continue to appear on TV, then we would have to make songs that would appeal to the general public, but our fans would not follow us.

It was the final live of Monkey Science Tour, wasn’t it?
HIDEKI: Yes. Just before that, there was the rush release on the major record label, and the last single [Kumori nochi Hare] was the tie-up song of the TV drama [Oni no Sumika]. (the main actress was Kyoko Fukada) We were excited and thought “The title is [Oni no Sumika] (The house where a demon lives), so we can make a very hard song! We finally get a big break like this!” and made a very hard heavy song and brought it. Then we were told “I’m sorry but this song doesn’t match to the drama.”, and it was rejected. (bursts out laughing) We were disappointed “Why was it rejected!? What’s the matter!?”, and made the next song, for which I wrote lyrics, thinking that some other member had chosen the song. When we met and I asked “Who chose the song?”, each member denied it and said “No, I didn’t!” (laugh) Then we discussed “This is strange. We are losing a very important thing.”, and decided “We will stop appearing on TV for a while.” Then we were concentrating on recording for one year, and growing much better as musicians.

That was [SIAM SHADE VI], wasn’t it?
HIDEKI: Yes. Then we started the domestic tour, but halls were half-empty even though the audience numbers were growing. This was because we were renting bigger halls as our image got bigger, even though we hadn’t appeared on TV. At that time I thought we couldn’t attract audiences without appearing on TV especially in localities, because people think like “This band is already finished.” I thought “That’s stupid.” During the live tour, that feeling was growing on me. But when I finally arrived at the Yoyogi 1st Gymnasium I saw 11,000 people filling the hall! I thought “I have to treasure these fans! Not the general public!” and said “I won’t appear on TV anymore!” (bursts out laughing)

At that time, were your managers surprised!?
HIDEKI: I was badly scolded by the president, and he said “What were you saying! You, silly boy!” (bursts out laughing）But people understood me. Then the record company became confused and rushed their decisions about what they should do, and we were going to make music which would appeal to Western fans. So we did the opening act for Motley Crue, and performed on the stage in Korea as the first Japanese rock band for the (=PUSAN INTERNATIONAL Rock Festival 2000). I think we made a good choice because audience numbers increased.

Now it seems easier for Japanese bands to go overseas. I think if SIAM SHADE were still active, that they would be able to go overseas.
HIDEKI: Someone told me that I should start SIAM SHADE again, but I refused since I really like SIAM SHADE. I’m probably the one who wants to restart SIAM SHADE the most. But, I don’t think it would work if I did. After I do a live at the Budou-kan again I might want to start the band again, but for right now, I don’t know. Now I am able to play with various musicians and think “They were really professional.” Their goal is to do the best in their performances, and actually they were said to be the “best performers among Japanese bands.” They were very strict, but definitely a good band.

SIAM SHADE is still popular now.
HIDEKI: When I go to ACID’s lives, junior bands know about me because many of them were influenced by SIAM SHADE. SIAM SHADE was a band whose goal was to play at the Budou-kan. We achieved our goal and had the largest number of attendees at that performance. So, I think, we were all satisfied in the end.

People, including myself, who usually only listen to Western music, started to listen to SIAM SHADE and began taking notice of the band’s instruments.
HIDEKI: Usually the record company never allows us to play like that. Even during recording we played very hard until Mr. Akashi (who was a producer of [SIAM SHADE IV]) was finally overpowered by us (laugh) because no one listened to the other’s opinions. Imagine how awesome we were during out mixing. Every member said “Turn up the volume of MY playing!” (bursts out laughing) I was just quiet. Usually DAITA said something like, “I think the guitar on the right side (Kazuma’s guitar) is louder. Please raise my sound up so it’s equal to the right.” Then followed, “Well, now the left side should be raised up.”, then “No, could you raise the right side so it’s the same level as left side?”, so afterwards the total sounds were raised up more and more. (laugh) Only NATCHIN would say nothing (laugh); all the members were assertive like that. But now, I think artists should have that kind of attitude. I think it’s a rock attitude, which DAITA most definitely had. I still like his guitar playing and I think he is a great guitarist.

All the members of SIAM SHADE were so cool during their live performances.
HIDEKI: Simply speaking, they are good musicians! Recently members of ACID have been getting better because of the advice I gave them. Now ACID is becoming almost as cool as SIAM SHADE because they are growing so quickly; the members are still only 20 years old. Recently they played a live with heath (ex. X-JAPAN) and I felt envious watching them. I remembered what I was doing when I was 19 years old, which was anything and everything that was bad! (bursts out laughing) At around that age, I was a “roadie” and didn’t play on the stage at all. As for ACID, they are playing with such great musicians at such a young age! When I saw their live, I imagined what they would be like when they’re 23-24 years old. I think the fans will be surprised when they hear their ages.

Did you put ACID together because you wanted to be in a band again? ACID’s music is so different from SIAM SHADE, did you want to change your music style?
HIDEKI: Yes. I like new things such as modern rock. I would hate to not change as time passes by, so I made songs such as [Jumping Junkies] and [Adrenaline] bringing new things into the band. I want to be a flexible musician who can adapt to the times. Kind of like a boxer, I will sometimes jab, uppercut, straight punch, and sometimes do nothing but just stick out my tongue. I don’t want to make any mistakes about such approaches. In ACID, I want to develop a different style compared to SIAM SHADE.

Are you conscious of SIAM SHADE even now?
HIDEKI: Everyday, I compare ACID with SIAM SHADE, thinking about what we did and how our performances were around that time (laugh); now we are like this, so how will we go on from here? Now, ACID doesn’t get behind SIAM SHADE because I’m constantly working on things in advance.

I think you have a beautiful voice. Did you have experience singing before getting in a band with NATCHIN in high school?
HIDEKI: I like singing. I had been playing electronic piano for a long time, listening to Billy Joel and then I started copying by playing on the piano. Also my father likes karaoke and there was a karaoke machine in my home.

What songs did you sing?
HIDEKI: Songs like [Pusan-kou e kaere] and [Kita-Sakaba]. Before, old style karaoke only had songs like that and also songs by The Checkers and [Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun]. (laugh)

I want to listen to you singing Karaoke.
HIDEKI: I can’t sing popular songs now. I can only sing Luna Sea, and main melodies of popular songs. (laugh)

Why don’t you sing Karaoke at Fan Club events, for example [Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun]?
HIDEKI: I’m ashamed because ACID’s fans are mostly young people. ACID’s members don’t know the character Maetel from the [Ginga Tetsudou 999] anime (English title is [Galaxy Express 999])! I set up my answering machine just as if Maetel herself recorded it. (HIDEKI mimics the voice of Maetel) “I’m Maetel. HIDEKI is now going on a trip to the Milky Way Railroad…” (laugh) When a member called me for the first time, he asked me “HIDEKI, what was that? It was odd.”, and I said “That was Maetel!” Then he asked “What’s Maetel? It was not good at all, so strange.” (bursts out laughing) They don’t know about the [Taimu Bokan series] either, so we can only talk about [Gundam] together.

We are expecting that you will be more active overseas. Could you tell me about future activities you have planned? Do you have ambitions to be a producer?
HIDEKI: I’m short-tempered. What Mr. Sakuma and Mr. Akashi have in common is that they are calm and patient. I’m more of a guy who likes to move, so whenever I watch ACID’s lives I become excited! Like I’m running to the wing of the stage yelling “Let’s go----! More!” (laugh) And then they said “I’m sorry, next song is [GO] (a ballad) and then it’s the end of the show.” (bursts out laughing) Now, I’ve grown up and so I’m a little calmer, but I was so severe to ACID’s members before.

HIDEKI, you like making music, are you addicted to it?
HIDEKI: I don’t have any other hobbies except music. I write songs at home all the time.

But you feel happy doing so, don’t you?
HIDEKI: Of course, I’m very happy being a musician! I can do what I like all the time and I am able to eat too!

Yes. It’s very hard to live and make music for a living.
HIDEKI: One day I told ACID’s members, “Hey! You should do your work better! Why can’t you?” And they replied saying “HIDEKI, you can make money just with music, but we have to have part-time jobs and can’t do music so much.” I thought “Oh, I see!” Then I thought about what I could do for them so they could live on just their music. Then I decided to leave the office for once, so the members, except the young ones, could get a salary to live on each month. I really do understand how they felt. I’m a man who has a menacing look, so I couldn’t pass interviews for part-time jobs. NATCHIN would be able to pass, but I couldn’t. I told him “Let’s do a part-time job together!”, so I troubled NATCHIN too. We washed dead bodies, carried chickens, and did all kinds of really hard jobs, as well as continuing our band. It was very hard.

HIDEKI, you look far from Japanese and are handsome, so I think you would be popular among foreign people. By simply looking at you, your nationality seems unknown.
HIDEKI: (laugh) I’m not popular among Japanese, but popular among foreigners. I have been to Germany. Once I went to Romania, to volunteer, and went through Germany. It was the day after Christmas and all the stores were closed! (laugh) Anyway, I had a cola and a hamburger at McDonald’s, and it was delicious! (laugh) Though, I thought there was something put in the cola. (laugh)

In Germany, Japanese music is popular.
HIDEKI: My old Karaoke friends are playing hardcore music and they are active in Germany. Whenever I tried to do hardcore music, they would tell me, “Don’t do it, Ima-chan! (his friends call him Ima-chan as his nickname) You have to do popular music!” (laugh) Don’t you think it’s strange that they play music that doesn’t sell such as slash metal, yet they still seem to be popular?

That music would be more popular overseas. So I think it would be better for you to go overseas and do what you want.
HIDEKI: In SIAM SHADE, we talked about having lives overseas and wearing masks during the performances, and I would only sing single words while the other members would play instrumental music.

In your blog, there are ideas such as [Gekkan HIDEKI]. (monthly releases of singles with the magazine) Do you like thinking about these ideas?
HIDEKI: I wouldn’t be successful if I wasn’t thinking constantly; revolution, in the music industry, won’t happen with common sense. For example, when everyone turns to the right, I dare to turn left. And most people who turned right would think that I shouldn’t have turned left, but for that kind of decision you need to be cool. I always do things which are never part of the music scene as long as they are cool and it can lead to a revolution, to change. You know, it’s like most people tend to go south to warm areas, when I go north. This is not a matter of taste, but being left out of the group is more important for me, so I’m thinking about how I drift away from others.

You have been doing charity for children suffering from AIDS since your SIAM SHADE period. Is it working well?
HIDEKI: I have been thinking about visiting Romania since last year, but I’m told to wait for now by Mr. Moriwaki of NGO, who did charity work with me. He doesn’t think it’s good to continuously give since it might make them not work to improve their lives, but begin to rely on someone else to improve it for them. For example, he thinks that it’s better to make self-sufficient systems such as grape fields where they can produce an income by themselves. Anyway I have the charity money from fans, so I want to do something good with it.

Thank you very much for your time. Finally, can you please give your message to your foreign fans?
HIDEKI: I’m really happy that many people are interested in my music. If people want me to, I'll still do lives, of course. So please come and see my live performances when you visit Japan. We would go anywhere in the world to perform; the relationship between the band and the audience never changes. And because of the audience, we keep performing. Also please buy our genuine CDs, not the fake ones! (laugh) And I’m looking for women who will bear my children! (bursts out laughing)


Interviewer: KimKim and Non-Non

Special thanks to J-ROCK for arranging the interview and offering HIDEKI’s photograph.