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| L - R: VKH's 蘭-Ran-, Vo. Satsuki, support Ba. Poel, support Ds/ViSULOG's Takaya, Gt. Tomo |
Usually, we would have you introduce yourselves, but since you have been together for over 2 years now, can you please introduce each other?
Tomo: -points to Satsuki- He is vocalist Satsuki!
Poel: -points to Tomo- He is the drummer Takaya
Tomo: 違う! (Wrong!) -Everyone laughs-
Poel: He is guitarist Tomo!
Takaya: -refers to Poel- He is bassist Tomo -laughs- Poel!
Satsuki: -refers to Takaya- He is drummer Satsuki. -laughing-
Tomo: -refers to Takaya- Takayaね. -laughs-
How did each of you meet?
Satsuki: Destiny.
蘭-Ran-: Destiny?
Satsuki: Destiny. It leads us!
Tomo: It was, actually, AnimeNEXT!
蘭-Ran-: Oh, today? Kidding.
Poel: Haha, today.
Tomo: No, not today -laughs- a few years ago in...2009 or something like that? No... 2008?
Satsuki: 2008.
Tomo: 2008... He was a guest as Rentrer en Soi. And we had a same friend and we kind of got introduced to each other and we talked and got drunk.
Satsuki: Back then I was searching Japanese food, so I wanted to hear where Japanese restaurant is, so Tomo teach- tea- tau-
Tomo: Taught.
Satsuki: -taught me, so we become friends. “Oh, you know Japanese restaurant? Oh, nice person! Come on, let’s get together and let’s become friends."
Tomo: "I will save you!"
Who's idea was it to form Moon Stream?
-Poel raises his hand just as quickly as he puts it down and laughs-
Satsuki: My name is “Moon”. Tomo’s band name is “Echostream”. So we mixed it and became Moon Stream... And Poel... and Takaya. -laughs-
Tomo: That was going back to 2009 at Onicon. Actually, Satsuki as a guest, and also, my band, Echostream, as a guest too. But he came by himself, so he’s like, kind of, like, lonely? So I said “Ok! Let’s jam together on this one song.” And we did a concert together on one song and the audience got, like, really excited, so we are, like... we have a kind of same feeling, you know? Like... It’s gonna be really... I felt really good, you know, and he felt really good, and it’s like, you know, I don’t need any words. We don’t need any words, like, just forwarding our feelings. Then we became a band.
蘭-Ran-: So what I said before, when Satsuki described the name of Moon Stream, would that also be how you feel? Would that be the definition of Moon Stream for you?
Tomo: Yeah, Mhmm!
So Tomo, we notice a correlation between the name Moon Stream and Echostream, what is your connection to the word “stream”?
Tomo: Stream? Stream? -leans back in chair- 難しいね... (Difficult...)
Satsuki: He has a life stream! Because he is Sephiroth! Ban, ban, ban, ban! Life stream!
Tomo: Ahh... I don’t know. You mean, like, why stream?
蘭-Ran-: Yes!
Tomo: Stream can be, like... It’s like a wind. It’s like, blowing, you know? We can involve everybody. -makes hand gestures- I don’t know how else to explain -laughs- but ah... I feel like...he (Satsuki) makes songs, right? Like Echostream, you know an echo, right? Like AH-ah-ah. That’s “echo” and that “stream” involves everybody! -hand motions- Move, and then everybody. I like the sound of stream, you know?
蘭-Ran-: So the point is to involve everybody? -hand motions-
Tomo: Yes! Like, we can deliver our heart as the wind. Like, more natural, right? Like, no force to listen to it.
Poel: Like something coming.
Tomo: And something just blowing... And, you know, if we can touch your heart, that’s our goal.
Satsuki: 格好いい…格好いいですね… Very Interesting. This is the first time I hear him think about “stream”.
It must be difficult to work together on music and practice when you live so far away from each other; Satsuki and Takaya are in Japan, Tomo is in New York and Poel is in California. How do you manage to work?
Tomo: Skype!
Everyone: Yes, Skype!
Tomo: We all Skype each other.
Do you use more electronic instruments or physical instruments for recording and sending each other samples?
Satsuki: Like -imitates electronic beat-
Tomo: -laughs- Hey, that’s really good!
Poel: Yeah!
Tomo: いいね! -laughs- Like! -thumbs up-
Poel: We send each other recordings through Skype.
Tomo: Yes, and we work from there.
蘭-Ran-: The wonders of technology!
Do your previous or current projects/groups affect how you work in Moon Stream visually or acoustically?
Satsuki: -nods- Yes...both.
蘭-Ran-: Both?
Satsuki: Yes, both.
Tomo: Well, I have three other bands. There's Moon Stream, here, right? And I also have Echostream, and Shahidah from New York and Alias from Japan. You know Alias, right? Well, Alias has female vocalist, Echostream has female vocalist and Shahidah is female vocalist. They sing beautifully and everything and we all created a kind of rock music, but I wanted male vocals, actually, to be more of a sort of “Grah”, you know? And Satsuki was it. I wanted a male voice to be able to shout and make music heavier and Satsuki is able to shout to bring a sort of power and make the music heavier and sing beautifully from the bottom of the core, from the bottom of the heart.
How does this project fit along with your other current projects?
Tomo: Well, it's sort of about the whole artist experience. I have my bands, Satsuki has his solo, Poel and Takaya have their projects and we brought it all together -- we bring everybody together -arm motions- to make Moon Stream.
Poel: Satsuki?
Satsuki: If people listen to our songs they will understand. We are trying to do something different. Bring together different essence from Tomo and Satsuki.
Is Moon Stream a temporary band or do you plan on being together for a while?
Tomo: Forever.
蘭-Ran-: Forever?
Tomo: -nods- Forever.
What do you want people to think when they hear “Moon Stream”? Or what do you believe they think?
Tomo: 難しいね... (Difficult, huh...) It’s like...from the heart... yeah. Different people will think of Moon Stream, in diffrerent ways. you know? It’s hard to explain... We don’t want to force them to think “Oh, Moon Stream is this” because music is so different on it’s own and people see or hear music differently -- they all interpret things differently. Like, the moon has many different shapes, right? So the moon can be seen with different phases. And then, ah, stream can be interpreted differently, like water from a stream or river or something. Like, you can’t force the wind, you know? You can't force nature to be a certain way. You can't force people to think a certain way because everyone is different -- unique. And the way people see Moon Stream needs to come to them naturally, too. It can be different for every person.
(Talking among themselves)
Satsuki: Oh! あのう... -turns to 蘭-Ran-- Were you at the concert earlier, tonight?
蘭-Ran-: Ahh...no, I didn’t make it unfortunately! We couldn’t get there in time.
All: へえー? -motions for thumbs down-
Poel: Boo~!
Tomo: 嫌いです！Dislike! -laughs-
蘭-Ran-: I know, I’m very sorry! But that brings us to my next question! -Everyone laughs-
How did you feel about the show?
Satsuki: Uh.... How did you feel about the show? -grins-
蘭-Ran-: I... How am I supposed to say how I felt when I wasn’t there?! -Everyone laughs-
Satsuki: I loved it... I loved it. There was so much positive energy -- it was really great. I love AnimeNEXT crowd and I am always happy to come back here year after year. There were a lot of people there to see us tonight. That made me very happy!
Tomo: Yes, I liked it, I liked it a lot
How do you psyche yourself up for concerts?
Satsuki: Psyche? Psycho?
-Poel translates-
Satsuki: Ah! I'm tired before, usually.
蘭-Ran-: Really?
Satsuki: Yes, but Goddess comes down and talks to me. -Everyone laughs- Goddess says to me, “Satsuki...” I say, “Yes, Goddess” “Sing! You must sing!” And I say “But...I’m tired! I’m sleepy~!” -Everyone laughs-
Poel: I’m always energized, so I don’t need to prepare myself! Takaya-San?
Takaya: I have energy drinks! -imitates drinking and being suddenly hyper-
Tomo: I'm always energized. It probably annoys the other band members but whatever. -Everyone laughs- Well, when you go on stage, it’s about being yourself and you must have strong... brave...courage... What's the word?
Satsuki: Belief?
Poel: Belief.
Tomo: -belief in your heart that you can do it.
Satsuki and Tomo, you two are participating in the BABY THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT fashion show tomorrow. Is the way you prepare for modeling in shows similar to how you prepare for concerts?
Satsuki: Yes! Same!... This time, Goddess say to me... “Satsuki...Wear!” And I go, “But... I’m so tired...! I’m so sleepy...!” Goddess says “Satsuki, you must wear! You must get dressed!”
Tomo: Dude, it sounds like you sleep naked! -Everyone laughs- No, no, it sounds like your dad trying to get you up for school! “Get up!” “No, I’m sleepy!” -Continued laughter- There is this show, but I'm not sure that I can say it here... can I? Or would that be blocked out?
蘭-Ran-: You can!
Tomo: Oh, I can't?
蘭-Ran-: No, go ahead, you can!
Tomo: -laughs- I don't know if I want to, now, but... Well... it's RuPaul’s Drag Street Race or something. Do you know it?
蘭-Ran-: RuPaul's Drag Race? -laughs-
*Note: RuPaul's Drag Race is a reality show about drag queens. It airs in the US and is fairly popular among the community. RuPaul is host, mentor, and inspiration through out the show, being on the search to find "America's Next Top Drag Superstar".
Tomo: Yeah! I like that show a lot! They are always wearing unexpected things and outrageous makeup and clothing and it's kind of inspiring for me because when I watch, I think, "If they can do it, why can't I?"
Since you do not have any songs as Moon Stream, do you have any plans in the future for a release?
Tomo: Well-
Satsuki: If you were at the concert earlier, you would know! **growls D/E under breath several times**
Tomo: Yes, tonight we played a new song in the concert!
蘭-Ran-: I told you I was sorry! -laughs- Would you give us the name of the song?
Tomo: “D/E” -- that is the Moon Stream song!
蘭-Ran-: D/E? Ah! That’s funny, that is one of the few songs we didn’t recognize on the setlist!
Tomo: You got the set list? Cool!
Lastly, would you please send a message to your fans?
Satsuki: Thank you for reading Visual Kei Heaven! I will see you soon!
Poel: See you soon!
Takaya: See you soon!
Tomo: Check out our Facebook, and, does everyone have Facebook? no...everyone has Twitter...? Poel, you have Twitter, right?
Poel: -laughs- I have one, but I never post on it.
Tomo: Ok, everyone has Twitter! Check us out and check out Visual Kei Heaven!
Thanks to Rubab Rizvi (Moon Stream's promoter) for making this interview possible!
RELATED LINKS:
Satsuki:
Tomo:
Poel:
Takaya:
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