Fish Tank 46
Interview with Hoshino Hidehiko
Translation: Lola
How has the tour been going so far?
If I say it's been a little arduous it's not because it's been difficult, the tour has actually been flowing rather smoothly from the start.
But you still feel like you can make it more enjoyable?
Well, yes. I've felt that since the beginning.
Did anything happen that made you a little nervous on stage?
What makes me nervous....is that I keep messing up my guitar parts more and more *smiles*.
Your schedule's jammed packed with all the running around between shows, do you find that hard?
I think it's hard sure, but.......if you compare it to the old days, it's not like we haven't done stuff like this before.
When I asked the other members if it was hard, they seemed to think it was worse now...I guess things don't look so bad in retrospect.
Yeah so, when you compare it, it makes me feel pathetic now *smiles*.
During a long tour, you have to watch your health, you can fall apart if you don't eat supper when you go to the hotel or ever take time to rest.
Yeah. But I haven't caught a cold yet.
Yet? *smiles*
Because it's still possible from now........*smiles* you know since it's the season for it.
You're doing additional performances at the end of the tour but you've chosen not to do a 'Day in Question' show, how did you come to this decision?
Well, with the flow of the tour, we thought wouldn't it be good to have the finale in Budoukan? But I think we'll change the set list. Ah, we even changed the set list a little for the show in Omiya. Like the opening......Our repertoire of encores has been gradually increasing as well.
Since this is the last report of 2007, I'd like for you to look back on the year. 2007 marked the celebration of the 20th anniversary since B-T's debut, you've been busy with various things but how did you find the year personally Hide-san?
Since I also did dropz.......I feel as though I've been quite busy.
And in the middle of all that, you also had the B-T fest 'ON PARADE' that you guys tried out for the first time. How did you find that went?
Yes that's right. I thought that was really great. Just the fact that so many artists came together for us.....it made me realize how glad I was to be doing this for 20 years.
There was a bit of trouble to get the fest to be a success but did you enjoy it?
I think it was a huge thing for us and all our staff but on the actual day the weather was fine and sunny. I think what made planning the event so hard was that we had to make preparations in case of a typhoon. I think we all worried about that but really, everything went well because of our staff.
I don't see why you wouldn't want to try to do another fest like that. Because I'm sure that if you did it'd be a great success.
Mm. That's what everyone's been saying, how good it was. Since all the artists we performed with all enjoyed themselves and thought it was amazing and fun I think it'd be ok. And since I've heard similar things from the fans who were there, I'm glad that it was good on both sides.
Did it exceed your expectations?
Completely.
There wasn't much time though even though there were a lot of numbers to be performed, so the event took a really long time. I think the staff really put a lot of effort into making sure things went along smoothly.
Oh I know, they really did a good job, they were really professional about everything.
And how did you find collaborating on stage with Ken Ishii-san and MCU-san?
Mm, that was fun. Because those two aren't used to band behaviour they were a little lost at times during the fest and were worried if they were doing ok. But when we played together you couldn't see that, it was all fun in the end.
Would you want to have another B-T fest?
Even if we did it again, I don't think it could be as fun as this time you know. We did it once and the staff really did their part to make it good and I know they would again so I think it'd be fun to have a similar event again only make it different next time.
Did you get to know the various performers a little more?
Yeah, when it was all finished we got to talk a lot, it was fun.
A little before the B-T fest you went to Hokkaido for the Rising Sun Rock Fest for the first time, how did you find that?
Mm, I found the atmosphere was completely different from Summer Sonic, it felt unique to Hokkaido *smiles*.
Could you please be a little more specific? *smiles*
At first I was surprised at the mass amount of tents. There were tents spread all around the grounds of the show because people had been camping out there to enjoy the fest......
Was it like being in the great outdoors?
Yes, yes. It felt so nice to be away from that city feeling.
Then right after the B-T fest the new album came out, 'Tenshi no Revolver'. Even though I asked you in our last interview, how do you find the songs are working out live?
Mm, as I expected there's this amazing feeling of unity and that means the lives are fun.
Have you gotten used to the new staging? With Sakurai-san being more elevated?
Of course it was a little strange at the beginning because suddenly he was higher and every time I wanted to cross the stage I'd have to climb over the elevated part. But I mean how many times have we used different stages and different parts of the stage right? When I saw it like that it became fun.
Has any live left a deep impression up till now?
When everyone is having fun from the very first song I'll be impressed, but that hasn't happened yet.
This year has been very full so I imagine you're thinking about what to do next year, do you know what you'll do?
Right now no, but that's because I'm thinking about taking a short break first.
I ask this every year but what are your plans for the new year?
Hmm, I don't know.
It seems like I'm showering you with questions about the fest in the summer and the tour but what do you honestly think you'll do after Budoukan?
But you know we'll do something after in January *smiles*, you can't forget something like that you know.
I know. The fest is finished but there's more *smiles*. There's the live in Okinawa on January 20th with Age of Punk.
So that's why I'll just rest a bit for New Years. And when it's all finished, I'll have a real vacation *smiles*.
How do you feel about doing the 'PARADE' tour again?
It'll be hard *smiles*.
But for all the fans who will go, it's like a new year's gift to them you know. It's one good thing that will come in the new year.
Yeah, I know, I know. That's why I think it's good we're doing it.
Finally, what are your aspirations for 2008?
For now I'd just like things to end well and get home safe and sound *smiles* .......but after that? ......well, I feel there's still a lot of new things we can do in our 21st year together.