Interview - ROCK ONE Jrock special (2009)

Issue: Vol. 9, 2009

Translation by: Bu - CoMYVz Crew

The tour you’re about to complete was the most consequential to your career. You’re playing in Argentina, Rusia and Italy for the first time.

My ambition is not to go to as many countries as possible but to go to where people are waiting for me.That’s the reason for which I’ve decided to come to Paris, Lyon and Toulouse. I was fortunate enough to have a promoter that really wanted to bring me here.

For this tour you present yourself without the Kavki Boiz. What was your goal wgeb you decided that?

With the last tour I mixed traditional Japanese culture with street culture. With this one my intention is different. I want to focus mainly on myself. Who is Miyavi? What can he do with his own powers? The composition of the group is more traditional too with guitar,bass drums and keyboard. I learn step by step and thanks to this tour, to some extent I have found myself again. I am aware of myself as a solo artist. I present myself as Miyavi, a guitarist who knows how to be an equally good showman.

Why didn’t you allow mobile phones at your shows?

We already started interdicting mobile phones ever since the last tour. We have a different culture, we have a different perception of things like this. Of course, as president of a company, we don’t want people to take videos or pictures because there’s magazines, like yours, that consider this kind of content a product, and also because we have decided to put it all on a DVD. As an artist, I don’t agree with it because I want fans to feel my music, to hear and see and be completly emerged. There are different ways of viewing entertainment. For us, in Japan, it’s just natural to do things this way.

Your attitude on stage is atypical and resembles an american show more.You communicate a lot with the fans and don’t hesitate to go down in the crowd.

In fact I feel a bit different from the other Japanese artists.For me,communicating with fans is really important.I don’t want to compare myself with other Japanese artists because I am reaching to a larger audiance. I don’t consider myself as a typical artist of the visual kei scene. I want to surpass that and reach a higher level.At the same time I don’t feel like an american musician. I want to be myself, an original artist.

What are you trying to prove by taking the decision to quit your old record label and produce yourself?

I always wanted to discover artists of the underground scene but at the same time I wanted to go back to something simpler.I didn’t want to do the same things as before.It was a good decision and the fact I took it by myself made me stronger.I held more concerts in different countries.For this tour I did it all by myself since I have my own company now. Now I have proof of what I’m capable of doing.

What events helped you become stronger from an artistical point of view?

Each concert makes me stronger. But from a personal point of view, the creation of my company, my marriage and the birth of my daughter have largely contributed to my evolution.A lot of things happened since my last vist in France.

While on stage you talk freely about your family.Why do you share this events of your private life with your fans?

I think my music has changed a bit and this is directly linked with the events in my life.I don’t want to hide the essential parts of my life from my fans, the ones that touch me profoundly and affect my music. Most of the japanese artists have to hide their romantic life. They are not alowed to make any kind of comments, this is how the Japanese musical industry works. Even if they are personal there’s nothing bad about this kind of things.

I am Miyavi and I intend to be making music for the rest of my life. It’s important to share this with my fans. While I was aware it was risky, taking this decision came naturally.

Before quitting my old label I didn’t have the right to reveal my real age. I grow old and that’s a process I can’t stop! I find it stupid to try and hide this kind of things.

How do you manage to organize your life between Miyavi, the Japanese artist and the head of a family?

From this point onward there will be more difficulties to face.Everything became more complicated after the birth of my daughter.I wanted to concentrate more on my music but I couldn’t.My wife was really tired and needed me there.I had to reorganize spend more time than expected at home taking care of my family. That was a really difficult period but I had to do it.

What are the advantages and inconvinients of being signed with your own label?

It’s both easier and more complicated.Decisions don’t just depend on me since I work in a team but I always have the last word.It’s easier to take important decisions now. But my company is young and we don’t have much experience. Sometimes it’s really difficult.I have more freedom but there’s a price. I can be who I want to be. I fly with my own wings now.

On the same ocassion you started an international fanclub, the C.W.I.F. What’s its purpouse?

When I first debuted the audiance I addressed was entirely Japanese. But with time I started getting a bigger and bigger audiance overseas. If there is one thing I can do as a musician that is make my fans feel connect to eachother through my music. Comming to a concert like the one I am about to hold is a way to make this happen. Making a fanclub is another.

I want to create a place where people from the entire world can communicate and become part of one big family.

Your last release, a compilation consisting of old songs entitled ” From Victory Road to the King of Neo Visual Rock” came out last April. When can we expect something new?

Next year. Might be before the DVD. I already have enough demos recorded for two albums but I will only release one that will be distributed at the same time in all countries.That’s because I already started performing a new song “THE WAY A WOLF SURVIVES WITH LOVE”[1] and “SUPER HERO” which I posted on Myspace. This two songs are a preview of what to expect from the new album. The previous album explored the notion of Kabuki, this one will be more modern, simple and more compact.It will be ” NEO MIYAVI”.

[1] SURVIVE's original title

[2] I appologize for any grammar mistakes in the translation as my french grammar knowledge is pretty basic