Fish Tank 53
Interview with Imai Hisashi
Translation: Lola
Now that the main tour is over, looking back on it, how did you find it?
Even though I've said it before I'll say it again, the more lives I do, the better they get.
It's been about one month since the tour ended so what have you done in that time?
Since the tour finished...I've been thinking about writing songs and things.
So you've begun working on a number of songs then?
Yes, yes. And on Hide's too.
Did you start working on songs without taking a break after the tour?
No, the break was a break. I rested a little.... Well, you know, they tell us we get a break...but then our overeager manager says, "You know it would be good if you wrote some songs now".
*smiles* Even though they say you have that time off the manager still hurries you along. So how do you react when you're told that?
At first I just ignore it *smiles*.
*smiles* And yet since he wouldn't leave you alone, you started composing right.
Because I'm a grown-up now.
You didn't do anything summer vacation-like? Recently there have been a lot of fireworks in the city.
Every summer...I get a lot of invitations to go camping but, I haven't been able to go. It's strange but I wonder how did I ever manage to go before? *smiles*
You haven't gone in some years now right.
I haven't been able to go at a~ll.
So you've already started recording.
Once my song was finished, we all got together....
You had a meeting about it the other day right.
Yeah. The day before I was almost finished working on the song but then, for some reason I was like huh? and I wanted to change it all of sudden. So I reworked the whole melody again.
The day before?
Yes *smiles*.
Did you get the idea for the song itself during the tour?
Yeah. Somehow it came to me then.
I've listened to the demo and I find the mood of the song very good but, do you think people will be able to hear it during the upcoming standing live tour?
Ah, I'm not sure you know? Well, depends on rehearsals. But I guess, since it's an easy song we might.
What? I can't write something like that in this magazine so please don't say such things *smiles*.
It's ok you can write it!
Really? If you say so *smiles*. And have you written lyrics for this new song as well?
Oh yeah, I wrote them yesterday.
Is that so. Because I thought...Sakurai-san told me the other day when I was interviewing him that you hadn't yet.
It's always last minute with me. That's why he told me during the meeting, "Stop doing that".
*smiles* Sakurai-san told you to stop writing lyrics last minute?
Yes. So that I don't end up saying things like, "Actually...I've written lyrics for this" the day before recording.
I guess you discussed the upcoming lives during the meeting among other things?
Lives? ......you mean the tour?
The standing tour, the FC only lives and Nishikawa-san's event....
Ah yes, we have a lot of stuff going on....
Yes *smiles*. This year is full.
It's busy isn't it.
It is busy, yes *smiles*. I know you've decided on a general stage plan but what about song choice and costumes?
Songs will be decided after this.... But I spoke with Yagi-san yesterday about my costume.
It's been quite awhile since you said you would start a blog Imai-san hasn't it. Now that you have, how have people been responding?
It seems like there's been good reactions all around from those who've looked at it. Like from Yoko-chan. And Kanemitsu-san who interviewed me about it for the magazine. So, because I wrote stuff about the main tour in my blog, when I met him for the interview afterwards he said something like, "Well now I don't really have anything to ask you about".
*smiles*
And I said, I know! But he also said during the interview, "The things you say in your blog are things you always talk about with me". So that's the kind of feel my blog has.
Up till now, you haven't had the means of being so direct have you Imai-san?
Uhn uhn.
While you could be direct in this magazine and in some interviews as well as on the web, both are time consuming aren't they?
Yes. But I still wanted to do it. I mean when I say I wanted to make a blog...I didn't really intend to treat it as a diary, or to even write in it everyday but I've been talking about doing it for a number of years now as a way to express myself because it's something I can do on my own. And you know how it is with me even now, if you ask me something about the tour I'm like 'huh?' and I have to think about it a bit right.
Yes.
But with a blog, I'm able to say what I want about the live after it's over so that's really handy. Just being able to do that. But honestly you know, I have interviews every few months right, and now I don't have to talk about those things in them. ...because I can babble to the fans in the moment through my blog.
But before you said you weren't going to do a drinking diary type blog.
Right.
But that's the feel your blog has a lot of the time, so were you conscious of that as you were writing it?
Yes yes yes. When I'm writing, even though it takes time I don't really care because when I'm doing it, I can get my thoughts out more and more and I think that's a good thing.
Speaking of your blog, what have the other members said about it?
Well...hm? Ah, Yuuta told me he bookmarked it *smiles*.
That's wonderful! I heard Hide-san did as well you know. He told me he reads your blog when I interviewed him the other day.
Huh? What was it that I wrote about Hide again? What? No really what was it???
....... Oh, you wrote that before going to see Hotei-san on stage you went to check the work schedule and Hide-san told you, "It's my birthday that day so I have the day off".
Ah, yes yes yes, that's it! *smiles*
At least I think that's what I read.
Hya-hya-hya-hya! *smiles*
Finally, would you please say a word for everyone who is awaiting the standing live tour?
I think it should be amazing, as long as we keep honing our skills more and more so, please wait in anticipation.