Newsmaker, February 2006, Chapter 3

Translated by: Sweiled

1. Please DO NOT take my translations and use them for whatever reason, without my permission.
2. Please DO NOT publish my translations elsewhere without my permission. Please kindly link back if you want, but DO NOT copy and paste them.

[number] = more explanation of the sentence below
xxx = more detailed explanations
[xxx] = what I felt a certain part of the sentence meant
(xxx) = other meanings of the word or literal translations or missing word/words not specifically mentioned. For e.g. The fans screamed when (Gackt and his band members) entered the stadium! Read it like you will a normal sentence.
=xxx= = real brackets used in the interview


Gackt CHAPTER.3
Keyword Questions 50 & Making Photo
RNM Special Edition

It has been a while since Gackt last appeared on RNM’s cover article. The theme of the photo shoot this time focuses on “life and death” and is linked deeply with Gackt’s world of music. We were going for an aristocratic (lit. noble) feel (for the photoshoot) and requested a complete change from the usual outfit to a formal suit. Gackt cut a dashing figure as he walked into the photo studio after he has tidied up his hair and (changed) clothes. As usual, he looked at us one by one and shook hands with us while saying, “Yoroshiku ne.” [1] And the photo shoot began.
[1] Hmm, something like a form of greeting when you start work or when you have a favour to ask of someone…

In order to create the background (lit. atmosphere) needed for this photo shoot, we decided to add (computer) effects. You can see from looking at the off shots that there aren’t any mansion-like houses or even smoke (to create the effect). [Do note that the sofa and silverware are real items] Gackt only had difficult instructions from Mr.K, the editing staff and cameraman, to work with such as, “There is an entrance hall behind you though it’s not there,” or “We are now in the room of a Western-style house," but he captured the look (well). For the photo shoot on the sofa, he personally (suggested), “Isn’t it better if (I’m holding a) cigarette?” And got ready the cigarette as a small prop! (The image of) Gackt smoking under a slightly gloomy atmosphere is just too striking!!

And the focus of this cover article, the keyword interview which looks at the "current Gackt", was held at the same time as the photo shoot. During the interval between changes of settings and checking of lightings, Gackt easily answered the questions that writer, Ms.T, mercilessly shot at him. One memorable part was when Gackt drank Joa (!?) during a break.
I asked a friend what Joa is and she replied, “Joa is a calcium drink for kids. Maybe it’s not only for kids but can you imagine Gackt drinking it in his short break? It’s this REALLY tiny little juice box thing.”

The photo shoot ended earlier than expected, probably because everybody was concentrating hard on it. And of course, at the end Gackt shook hands with the staff one by one again and said, "Arigatou ne." [1] Looking forward to the next time again!
[1] Thank you

QUESTIONNAIRE

Q.1 If you were to express in colour your feelings upon waking up this morning?
Ans: Probably blue

Q.2 What do you first do after you wake up?
Ans: Go back to sleep, I think (laughs) “Let me sleep today.” (laughs)

Q.3 How many hours did you sleep?
Ans: I think I managed to get three hours of sleep.

Q.4 Breakfast?
Ans: Vegetable juice

Q.5 The main point of today’s coordination.
Ans: My normal clothes? I’ve been wearing loose clothes during the tour, so I chose tight leather blouson and pants in order to get my act together again.

Q.6 What did you spend the most on recently?
Ans: I bought a blouson during the tour, partly to relieve stress. It’s one of the pleasures of the tour. Because I haven’t bought even one clothes this year, so I got a leather blouson in the middle of the tour. I think I spend five, six million yen. (both shocked)

Q.7 Your favourite outfit for the winter season?
Ans: The leather blouson I bought in Kagoshima. It’s horsehide but both the price and the feel of the material are good, so I bought it. It’s expensive. (smiles)

Q.8 What were you obsessed with in year 2005?
Ans: Darts, I think. I have never done it before and (only) started at the beginning of the tour. Right now… around rank B. I think I’m on the same level as a professional B rank player.

Q.9 Name me a book that you like in year 2005! (lit. a book that was a hit)
Ans: “五分後の世界” by 村上龍. Someone recommended it to me, saying it was good.

Q.10 Name me a MOVIE that you like in year 2005!
Ans: “今、会いにゆきます” (Be with you) It was great. I cried. And then I recalled that these two married (in the end) [1] (laughs) After watching that, I thought that ORANGE RANGE will surely become popular. [2] (laughs together).
[1] The two actors of the movie married eventually.
[2] ORANGE RANGE did the theme song, 花 [hana], for the movie.

Q.11 Name me a SONG (lit. music) that you like in year 2005!
Ans: There isn’t any.

Q.12 Name me a FOOD that you like in year 2005!
Ans: Aah, the sukiyaki I ate in Fukuoka! It was delicious~

Q.13 Name me a MANGA that you like in year 2005!
Ans: “太陽の黙示録” by かわぐちかいじ (Kawaguchi Kaiji) I like their thoughts on China’s capitalism and communism, and the way they view Asia. It’s very similar to the world view I have in mind. There are many things in the book that I agree with as I read it.

Q.14 Name me an anime that you like in year 2005!
Ans: Probably “ハウルの動く城” (Howl’s Moving Castle)

Q.15 Name me an internet site that you like in year 2005!
Ans: There isn’t any.

Q.16 Are there any despairingly shocking BAD news recently?
Ans: I don’t know, too many to count.

Q.17 Any news that made you happy recently?
Ans: My friend had a baby, born this month. I was asked to be godfather.

Q.18 The winter season has arrived. Any plans to go snowboarding?
Ans: Of course!

Q.19 Any ski slope which you would like to try?
Ans: Gassan if it’s Japan. Or Gunma. If it’s overseas, I would like to go to Switzerland.

Q.20 By the way, any plans to go snowboarding together with HYDE?
Ans: I’m not too sure. I would like to go if our schedules allow. But my snowboarding skills have improved a lot. I wonder if he can keep up~ (laughs together)

Q.21 Tell me what to look out for in a board!
Ans: Easy movement, feeling of existence. And one with a good balance. As for colour, I like white basically.

Q.22 What gives you warmth during winter?
Ans: Human skin

Q.23 A wonderful way to spend Christmas that you would like to try at least once.
Ans: The drinking party from Hell. (laughs) I don’t have the luxury of spending time with girls on Christmas.

Q.24 What do you think your New Year will be like?
Ans: Drinking party from Hell. (laughs)

Q.25 How do you like zouni cooked?
Ans: I don’t eat it

Q.26 The language you intend to master currently?
Ans: I’ve been revising my Chinese and Korean lately. I read grammar books alternately every day.

Q.27 An advice for someone who wants to learn a new language!
Ans: Probably making friends (with a native speaker)? A faster way would be to find a girlfriend or boyfriend. (You can learn it) fast if you find a girl/boyfriend.

Q.28 What is piano to you?
Ans: I wonder what it is… even now there is still a hesitation before I start playing. It’s an instrument filled with memories and traumas, I think. It is filled with my traumas. So there is a (certain) resistance to (playing) it.

Q.29 Any favourite pianist? Please tell me!
Ans: None who still lives. I like Rachmaninoff, and also Debussy.

Q.30 Which classical CD did you listen to most frequently?
Ans: I wonder which that would be. I do listen to a lot of piano suites. I don’t listen to so-called trios or suite. [1] It would be between orchestra and piano. Chopin has suites, right? I listen to those mostly. I think “悲愴” and “革命” [2] are great, because I like Chopin’s sad melodies very much. I do want to play it, but my skills are no longer good enough to play for others.
[1] He said 小組曲 here and it’s rather different from the suite in that it contains a few different kinds of dance music.
[2] The first one is “hisou” and the second one is “kakumei”, and after checking, and michiyo_fr suggested that it might be "Etude Tristesse" and "Revolutionary Etude". As I have no knowledge of any classical music, do let me know if you have any other suggestions.

Q.31 Any piano piece you sing along to which is definitely effective in wooing girls?
Ans: There isn’t any! None, definitely none. Because it’s spontaneous, and you play what you feel at that time. But because I rarely play it (for others), it has a special meaning to it (when I do). I don’t play it to seduce everybody, you see, only to someone special will I play the piano.

Q.32 The period of time you make music.
Ans: There isn’t either. It’s not fixed at all.

Q.33 The work you like to do most and hate to do most in recording?
Ans: I hate pre-production. I like recording drums; it’s comforting watching it. Indeed, the tune won’t be good if we don’t do the drum well, since it's the foundation. I think recording the drum is important. The drum and bass are important.

Q.34 Do you write the lyrics on the computer? Or is it handwritten?
Ans: Handwritten. It is written by hand and after that, I type it into the PC.

Q.35 (Any kind of) notebook you are particular about for writing lyrics?
Ans: None for notebooks; but I’m particular about pens. That is why I prepare many different kinds of pen. I choose the pen to use according to my mood. I use a variety of colours too. Red, green, etc. Mainly I write using ballpoints. I collect a lot of ballpoints and fountain pens and use them according to my mood.

Q.36 Your most attractive feature?
Ans: Collarbone……?

Q.37 Complex?
Ans: My short legs

Q.38 Dream car?
Ans: Birdcage

Q.39 Which driving route would you recommend for couples?
Ans: Hmm, Rokkou (六甲) is good.[1] I think the best would be the back of Rokkou. What I meant by the back of Rokkou is the (part) not facing the front. The back of Rokko is not as popular (lit. minor) but the scenery is beautiful.
[1] Rokkou usually refers to Mount Rokkou (rokkousan), a mountain area found in Hyogo prefecture, Kobe city.

Q.40 Please tell me a dream you had recently.
Ans: (Dreamt that) my friend’s company went bankrupt. (laughs)

Q.41 What did you dream of becoming when you were ten years old?
Ans: I wonder what it was. I was extremely pessimistic (lit. negative) when I was ten years old, so I had planned to destroy the earth. Really. I was very against human beings. I thought that the existence of human is the one thing that this world had no need of. I’ve changed a lot since then though.

Q.42 The way to realize your dream.
Ans: A strong will, I think. And then action.

Q.43 Ideal way of dying
Ans: It will be great if I can pass away smiling.

Q.44 What do you aim to do as an entertainer?
Ans: That would be the extent to which I can push people’s back. Anyone can darken a person (‘s life). Even in sad movies, if we can’t let the other person have the will to move one step towards the future ahead, then there is no meaning to our existence. If it’s just to say that oh, it’s great; or oh, that’s sad or painful, anyone can do it. I think what I can do is to make the other person take one step forward into the future. That is why I create as much place where fans can communicate with me as possible. They can send messages to me through my official homepage and everybody’s voice can reach my PC. I receive around two thousand mails in one day. Of course I read all of them every day. I can’t reply to all, but I will when I see an interesting mail. There are also times when I was encouraged by those mails. They give me the strength to live. Not all of the things we do will be rewarded, but even so, if there are such moments that can make me think “I’m really glad I’m doing this,” then those are truly happy moments.

Q.45 What do you imagine yourself to be in your previous life?
Ans: Maybe the devil. Probably something that isn’t human.

Q.46 Frankly, (which type do you think) will become your bride?
Ans: The one who will become my bride…… is probably someone with a beautiful smile.

Q.47 The keyword of year 2005?
Ans: “If I can’t clear this, I’ll retire.”

Q.48 A word to your own self for finishing year 2005.
Ans: You’ve worked hard.

Q.49 Keyword for year 2006?
Ans: One step from here on. One large step. In order to find my place in Asia as “one who is committed to uniting all Asians”.

Q.50 What do you wish for the world for year 2006?
Ans: Hmm, to be able to create a bright future for children. For that I will do all that I can.

Original text by: Sachie Tojo

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