Exclusive Interview with J

JaME was recently given the chance to speak with solo artist J in Japan about his latest album, URGE, LUNA SEA's legacy, and religion.

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Would you please introduce yourself to any readers who may not be familiar with you yet?

J: I’m J. I play bass and also do vocal work. I was in the band LUNA SEA before, then LUNA SEA broke up, and I have been a solo artist ever since.

This year is the 10th year of your solo activities, isn’t it?

J: Yes. The other members and I went solo in 1997 for the first time, when LUNA SEA still existed as a band, for a limited one year period, so including that time, it's been 10 years.

Your album URGE is very good. The first song is a short instrumental song; why did you decide to create such a track?

J: When I made this album, the title was determined first. As URGE means ‘impulse’ or ‘drive’, I wanted to express a feeling of uneasiness before we started and things to come.

The beginning is very soft and quiet.

J: When we face something new, we have both hope and anxiety. I think that this is reflected in the song as there are many major keys and minor keys. When I had spare time during recording, I worked on it on my guitar.

Did you work on it together with your support guitarist, masa?

J: I thought of the idea, and then while playing the guitar, I said to masa, “Please try this.” The result was really good.

You also made REBEL tonight with masa. How was that?

J: When I hadn't really started work on this album, masa wrote the song for me. Before I started recording, when I was thinking about which songs I should put into the album, I listened to it for the first time. He is a new member, so I could listen to it with a fresh new feeling. The rock music which I have been creating has been combined with masa’s style of rock to make a new kind of sound. I think it’s a song which opens new doors for me.

What are your thoughts on Go Charge and Endlessly, goes on forever?

J: I wanted those two songs to be energetic, during which listeners could naturally respond with their bodies instead of just listening with their ears. Originally, rock music gave people energy, made them dance and forget everything, I think. This concept, this energy, links back to the album title, URGE.

While recording, do you think about how the song will be on stage?

J: No, not really. I do it as it comes to me.

The intro of in the rain is psychedelic and erotic; how was writing it?

J: As Scott and I often say, this song was created with a sexy beat in mind. Basically, I love psychedelic music. I originally liked music with a rhythm section that kept weaving and grooving. I think 70’s music has that kind of feeling. Although I listen to new music too, when I listen to older music, I think it’s sexy and wild. Even now, I love The Doors and listen to them at home. I also listen to a live CD of Janis Joplin. My first love in music is rock; it makes me feel as though I was just born and full of energy as if “anything is possible”. It really makes you feel free. That’s why I create music even today.

good night is a very beautiful song. In the lyrics, you say ‘a star is shining’. Who or what is that star?

J: The star is not limited to one person. It simply means ‘the person who is the most important to you’. For example, it could be a member of your family, a friend, or a lover. When you listen to my words, I hope you can imagine that person. Though in addition to people who you think are important, it could also be your dreams or hopes.

Why is Mirage #9 ‘number nine’?

J: (laughs) I’m often asked about that. I have never said before but I’ll tell you the truth! Before the title was determined, songs titles were just numbers. (laughs) That song was number nine! (laughs)

(laughs) I see. It has been 10 years after PYROMANIA which is your musical base, I think. What's changed for you since then?

J: I've come to love music even more since then. Since I fell in love with rock, I made this album ten years ago, but I still love it even now. I made it with my favorite musicians: Scott Garret who used to be in THE CULT, guitarist Billy Duffy, Slash of GUNS N’ ROSES, and engineer Joe Barreci who is working with Tool on their new album. I enjoyed working with all of them, so that album is really something special for me.

When it comes to your lyrics, which theme is your favorite?

J: Um... I can’t say any theme in particular, really, but I like songs which make me excited when I create them.

Do you have anything that you can’t say in Japan? Have you ever been censored?

J: Well, not really. However, if I really want to say something, I don't care if someone thinks my words are alright or not, because those're my true feelings. With that said, one thing that I really care about is not hurting others with my words, either those that I say or those that I write.

J, you really move people in your lives. I’m always surprised at the close bond you and your fans seem to share during your lives.

J: I think that it wouldn’t be interesting if only the guys on stage like us get heated up and excited. So we have to do a show where the audience can forget everything too. It's something that can only happen naturally, though, so I play that kind of music and do those kinds of lives.

Have you ever had a live in which you had difficulty or couldn't perform well?

J: I'm not sure.... It's hard to remember.

Wasn't there a live in Toyama from a couple of years ago where you lost your voice, but continued on?

J: Ah, yes. It was so scary when I realized that I couldn't sing. At that moment in the middle of the live, I didn't know what to do. But then the audience realized that I'd lost my voice and sang together for me, which was really awesome.

During your shows, you always play the song PYROMANIA. Would you ever do a live where you didn't play it?

J: Well, there are times that I don’t play it; I can think of maybe two or three. Those times, the audience didn't seem to notice (laughs). For me, that song is my masterpiece and at first, I didn't know what the reaction would be when I didn't play it. But those times I didn't play it, I just couldn't fit PYROMANIA into the set list at all.

How do you decide your set list in your lives? Do you often change the song order from show to show?

J: I imagine it in my mind and place the songs that way. I sometimes change the order, but during this tour, I thought the set list was good so I didn't change it very much.

LUNA SEA is very famous and has had a big influence on other Japanese bands. What do you think about that?

J: I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I’m very happy because people say what LUNA SEA did is great, and we influenced them and gave them strength. So I’m very happy that new bands are born and they talk about us. However, sometimes I'm also unhappy about it because of those unevolved types who do the exact same music, style, and fashion that LUNA SEA already did over a decade ago. Maybe they were influenced by us too much? LUNA SEA was a band in which we searched for our own world; it's not interesting to simply try to duplicate it. If young bands or musicians are influenced by LUNA SEA, I want it to be in their soul, in the way that they also search for something and make something new. I think that most people really get that.

Since you are so popular overseas, have you ever thought of letting foreign fans join your fan club?

J: I myself searched for a way to let overseas fans in when my fan club started. Even now through my site, I’m surprised to get so much fan mail from all over the world. From Europe, from America; everywhere! I've been looking for what I can do for the non-Japanese fans, but it's a difficult system because of the differences in exchange rates, time zones, etc. However, since I do get e-mails from all over the world, I would like to create a system in which everyone may join.

Manager: It's difficult to give foreign fans the same perks the Japanese fans get and deal with them in the same way. There shouldn't be any differences, everyone should be equal, but it's very difficult to set up a system in which that would be the case.

When I listened to Scott's drum solo, I thought it was wonderful. Are you going to put Scott’s drum solo into your album in future?

J: Scott does a lot of things such as sessions with various bands, lives with BECK members, and lives overseas, so I think it would be interesting.

Does Scott create his drum solo by himself?

J: Pretty much. He's really obsessed with music; he knows a lot of various styles, genres, and listens to new music as soon as he can. Because of this, he gets a lot of varied flavors worked into his own style, which then becomes something new, I think. By the way, quite a number of Japanese bands have gone to Europe lately. What do you think about that? Do you feel Japanese bands have changed?

Not very much, but Japanese music is different from European music. Most of the popular bands are visual-kei. The bands' clothes and styles are quite different from those we have overseas, so it's felt to be very new and fresh. As they gain more fans, more bands come.

J: I think it’s wonderful that kids overseas favor Japanese music and listen to it.

I’ll ask about religion. You often use imagery involving the Virgin Mary and the Cross. Why?

J: As you know, in Japan there are many Buddhists. I often use the Virgin Mary not because of my religion, but because I'm interested in the culture surrounding it. We can't believe in anything without using both our mind and our heart, I think. For example, to talk about things aside God, I can believe in people, my friends, and even myself. With this meaning, it might present the furthest reach of human feelings. I think God doesn't need to be like that figure... is what I'm saying too serious? (laughs) I don't mean in regards to a certain religion, but I think belief itself is wonderful because I wasn't a very good guy and hadn't believed in anything but music.

What can you tell us about your future projects?

J: This tour will finished with lives as the C.C.Lemon Hall on May 29th and 30th. After that, BUCK-TICK will do a big event (BUCK-TICK FEST2007 [ON PARADE] on September 8th 2007), and I’ll appear there. I’ll be doing lives in August and a '10th Anniversary SPECIAL LIVE' in October. So please come and enjoy the shows!

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For more information on J's upcoming live shows, please check either his official website or here at JaME!

JaME would like to thank Avex Entertainment Inc., the management FOURTEEN Co. Ltd., and J himself.