DAZZLE VISION
Interview
March 16, 2012
DAZZLE VISION is a four member band, who started activities in 2003, but who have been active with their current line-up since September of 2010. Also in 2010, they made their debut in America, performing at Sakura-Con in Seattle. In February of this year, the band opened for EVANESCENCE in Tokyo and Nagoya.
DAZZLE VISION has released a number of full albums, including their most recent one on June 3rd of last year, titled [キラリ] (Kirari). On May 4th, the band will be releasing their next album, [SHOCKING LOUD VOICE].
The members took some time out of their schedule to answer a few questions from Shattered-Tranquility.net.
Thank you for taking time to answer some questions for Shattered-Tranquility.net! To start, could each band member please introduce themselves?
Maiko (vocals): I’m Maiko, vocals. I’m the one with the shout. I like lots of anime. I’d rather watch anime than read manga.
John (guitar): I’m John, on guitar. Guitar is my life. Even right now, I’m thinking about some new effectors. I like anime and manga, too.
Takuro (bass): I’m Takuro. I play the 5-string bass. Maiko is my younger sister.
Haru (drums): I’m Haru, on drums. My favorite drummers are Cozy Powell and Will Hunt. I get inspiration from games like Monster Hunter.
Your most recent album, “KIRARI”, came out last June. Was there any particular concept behind the album?
Maiko: Since this is the first album we made with our new member, John, we named the album “KIRARI” with the meaning of “the new DAZZLE VISION” and the hope of “Our future is bright!”
The main concept is “∞” (the symbol for inifinity). It doesn’t only mean “to repeat”, but it also means “to grow and progress without limits.”
What is the most meaningful song from “KIRARI” for each of you, and why?
Maiko: Though all of the songs are meaningful, for me, it’s the title song “KIRARI.” It’s a song that everyone can enjoy, no matter what genre they like.
John: “Zero” which is the first song I made with DAZZLE VISION. It’s also a type of a song that DAZZLE VISION didn’t have before.
Haru: “KIRARI.” I think it shows the best parts of each member’s style.
Takuro: “Sakura.” In Japan, “sakura” can connect to life’s turning points, such as encounters, farewells, or the start and end of something.
Also, like Maiko said, it’s because the song expresses the album’s concept “∞.” I think this lyrics are really powerful.
On May 4th, you’ll be releasing a new album called “SHOCKING LOUD VOICE”, which contains mostly remixed and remastered songs.
What made you decide to create this kind of album?
Maiko: We wanted to make the year 2012 “a year of live shows,” and we decided to make an album with the concept of a live concert. We chose 2 new songs that would fit well into our live show, and then the popular songs from our previous albums that we often perform. We decided the order of the songs like a set list. The jacket style is different for us, too. It reproduces our “movement” at our live shows.
Takuro: We want fans to hear this and think, “I must see them perform live!”
What kinds of differences can fans expect in the remixed songs?
Maiko: We didn’t want to change the songs too much. The way we approached it was thinking, “How do we make this sound like our live show, not like it’s from the studio?” We’ll be happy if fans can notice that difference. We re-recorded “KUUHAKU” as a live version, so I think it sounds really fresh.
On February 9th and 10th you opened for EVANESCENSE! Could you tell us a little bit about that experience?
Takuro: Maiko has always really loved this band, since even before we started Dazzle Vision.
Maiko: I was thrilled to be on the same stage with them. Everything — our performance, motivation, backstage feeling, etc., — felt really new and exciting for DAZZLE VISION in those 2 days.
John: It was a wonderful experience because we realized that we still have a lot of growing left to do. We want to keep getting better!
Last month you also were busy judging a death voice contest in Shibuya! What was the most interesting or surprising part of the event?
If the DAZZLE VISION members were able to join the contest, could any of you beat Maiko’s death voice?
John: We were surprised that there were people who could do so many different kinds of shouts and death voice. Maiko has been trying a new shout now!
Maiko: If we were in the contest? (thinks) It’s difficult to decide who wins and loses in that kind of thing, because music has many different ways to express. But I wouldn’t want to lose!
In 2010, you performed your first American live show for 4,000 fans at Sakura-Con in Seattle. What was it like to go back to performing in Japan? Did you notice anything new about your Japanese audiences after experiencing the energy of America?
Maiko: Japanese fans saw the videos of the American crowd, and they started to support us even more passionately. We’re really inspired by the fans who get so intense and emotional at every show!
Do you have any plans to perform in other countries in 2012? What countries do you dream of performing in?
Haru: We don’t have any plans for now. But we want to perform in different countries.
Takuro: It would be wonderful if we could do a world tour. Please invite DAZZLE VISION to your country!
For the end, please give a message to their fans and Shattered-Tranquility.net readers!
Maiko: Thank you for your constant support. Please continue to support us! When we meet, please call me “MAIMAI”, okay?
Shattered-Tranquility.net would like to thank DAZZLE VISION, Dave and RESONANCE Media for this interview.
Links
- DAZZLE VISION OHP
- “KIRARI” on iTunes
- “KIRARI” at CDJapan
Originally published on Shattered Tranquility. Reprinted with permission.
