found this interview at https://sakurasenshi.wordpress.com/2009/09/20/cinema-bizzare-interviews-miyavi/
The date was 22.06.2008. The place was Berlin.
The five members of Cinema Bizarre are invited to enter Miyavi’s backstage area, who was in high spirits about the fact that he had just given a great concert, not really surprising. He was feeling good and deservedly so. Today, the members of Cinema Bizarre have the rare opportunity, to be the interviewer – and not only to be interviewed – and today the questions go to the Japanese master. It was sniffing a few photos, while the first introductions where made. Often laughing and giggling the tension now decreased slightly. Guitarist Yu pulled out his spiral-book packed with questions and everything when “on the record” …
Myv: How was my show?
CB: It was great, and everyone loved you!
CB: When did you start playing the guitar?
Myv: It all started when I was a child. At that time, I wanted to be a professional footballer. A violent injury made me one not fit for the bill. So I gave up my dream and got me the guitar. I quickly met a band and have learned what it’s like to perform, compose, create something visual, and put myself in songs so to teach others!
CB: Did you ever learn to play by notes, or you prefer the free way of playing?
Myv: Yes, I’ve practiced a lot and I therefore do it freestyle!
CB: What kind of guitar did you start playing?
Myv: It was an e-guitar.
CB: Which model?
Myv: The guitar was owned by a Japanese band, and I’ve only borrowed it, I have therefore taken not big on the model, but more that I do not pollute the guitar and carefully deal with it. So basically I can say only that there was an e-guitar.
CB: How many hours a day do you play guitar?
Myv: I do not know. I actually play the whole time, even when going to dinner. I put her off only when I’m in the bath room!
CB: So you shower without your guitar?
Myv (laughs): Yes!
CB: What was your band first? Was it Due le Quartz?
Myv: Yes, Due le Quartz was my first real band, I was previously in a school band back in middle school.
CB: In 2007, at AnimagiC in Bonn you play your first concert in Germany – did you find the time to look around?
Myv: we went to Cologne to see the cathedral. I was very impressed. It is very dark, or, more accurately: black. This should not now sound pejorative; it was a very special visual impression!
Yu: When I was eleven years old, I heard Due le Quartz …
Myv: AT ELEVEN???
Yu: Yes! … I’ve been watching your guitar-playing, but for financial reasons I could not afford guitar lessons. So I tried improving my play without reading notes. How do you feel when you find out that you can inspire people in this way?
Myv: It gives me great pleasure to listen to. Sometimes I see on youtube people who try, as I play, sometimes they are even better than I (laughter) – at least when I started. Yes, that already makes me very happy! More often I see something, the more I become aware of my responsibility to work more and more, even in improving myself.
Yu: I am practicing a lot and maybe, one day, I’ll be as good as you!
Myv (laughs): just play, don’t study!
CB: You are not only a solo artist, but also are the youngest member of the Japanese super band SKIN – in addition to the absolute Japanese superstar Gackt (solo artist), YOSHIKI (drummer of the Japanese bands for X JAPAN and mastermind behind other Japanese bands) and SUGIZO (member of LUNA SEA from 1989 to 2000 and also a guitarist and violinist) – which again speak for your incredible abilities. How did you enter the band? Were you asked to join?
Myv: Yes, YOSHIKI has asked me to join the band as a guitarist.
CB: What do you do besides play guitar in the band? Do you write too?
Myv: We compose together!
CB: On your new album you have found many new approaches, such as hip hop and tap dance. Where do you find your inspiration?
Myv: That’s hard. I might just discover something new and tear down a wall as a Japanese artist. When I was in Los Angeles, I realized that as the Japanese invade, we have certain responsibilities to our tradition and it should not exceed limits. I think it depends on the time. The important thing is: I think about music, about my life in my music.
CB: That explains a lot, live music is the most important thing in your opinion?
Myv: Yes, yes, yes … L.A. as a foreigner, has given me a way, and shown me a possibility to grab hip hop and so on and join it with a tradition Japanese thing, to create new sound. Fact is: to create new music is very important in my life!
CB: Why do you call this sound KABUKI Rock?
Myv: I call it KABUKI Rock because I have the Visual Kei-style feel and hang on Kabuki, the traditional Japanese theater with all his make-up, et cetera. I love to play and print in my lives what I feel. Which is about the same feeling as Kabuki and so I mixed the style. I also have a weakness for the Japanese tradition.
CB: What about the song Todokanai Hi no hikari sae kono basho de feat. SUGIZO?
Myv: All my songs are about myself, about my feelings. This track talks about me not fearing of being alone. Sometimes, however, a void opens inside, and I feel alone. I feel lonely.
CB: Are you afraid of loneliness?
Myv: No, I am not. As a musician one is rarely alone is, after all, I am always accompanied by my team, my technician, or even my traditional drummer and, and, and … With me on, the show is like at the carnival.
CB: Right, with you on stage it’s so much going on, you do not even know where to look at first!
Myv: YES. (Smiles)
CB: … and Sakihokoru hana no you ni – Neo-Visualizm speaks of what?
Myv: Never give up! There are so many people in the visual kei industry. It is a hard time to compete in it. Therefore, the saying: “Never give up, stay strong and live your life as you want!”
CB: IS three any truth in the rumor that you were with Due le Quartz in the TV show Takeshi’s Castle?
Myv: And what a rumor! (laughs) I know the show, but I was, I think, just three or four years, when it was broadcast. How do you know that?
Yu: It runs on German TV! It was already running when I was five years old, and now it runs again!
Myv: Ee …! (Laughter) Ee … REALLY? Do you like it?
Yu: The voice dubbing is bad, but the show itself, I like!
CB: How where you as a child?
Myv: All about football. That’s it. (laughs) There was no other topic, I also thought of nothing else until I picked up the guitar!
CB:When did you actually get your first tattoo and your first piercing?
Myv: The piercing when I was 15 or so and the tattoo when I was 19.
CB: And what was your first tattoo?
Myv(shows a sign on his right shoulder): This one.
CB: What significance does it have?
Myv: That remains a mystery!
CB: Do you have the copyright on it?
Myv(laughs): Yes, yes, yes!
CB: We want to thank you!
Myv: Thank you! I’ll listen to your CD again!
Interview@Cinema Bizarre, especially Yu and Strify
Rock Now! Magazine, issue 6 – August/September/October 2009
@Zoomia Medien Grupe, Glashütten, Germany
Translation and mistakes@Okabe’s Dear
Editing @lilith
