VAMPS interview

JPA: VAMPS is one of the few Japanese acts that regularly tours on an international scale. Do you feel any pressure to represent Japanese rock to international audiences, or do you just focus on representing yourselves?
 HYDE: I felt the pressure to represent Japan when I performed at Madison Square Garden with L’Arc-en-Ciel. But I don’t have feel pressure as VAMPS.
K.A.Z: I’ve never had pressure. I just wanted to enjoy myself and deliver our songs and our passion.
 
- JPA: Can you describe how you feel when you’re up on stage performing in front of your fans?
HYDE: That’s the place where I feel the most alive.
K.A.Z: The stage is a fun place, and I’m always thinking about how to do the best performance that our audience can enjoy.
 
- JPA: VAMPS is going on tour outside of Japan and releasing “Bloodsuckers” internationally as well. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced to become a more international band?
HYDE: The latest challenge is that we’ve released this album and started the tour at the same time. That’s a new challenge that we’ve never done this way before.
K.A.Z: Our main challenge is to deliver our music to the people who don’t know about VAMPS.
 
- JPA: In Japan, you’re a well-recognized celebrity, but abroad, you don’t have that same recognition among the general public. How does that affect your time overseas? Do you enjoy the anonymity, or do you feel like you need to increase your profile?
HYDE: I’m almost ashamed to say that I feel free. (laughs)
K.A.Z: I really don’t care about fame anywhere. (smiles) I’m relaxed and free all the time.
 
- JPA: What was your goal while putting together your latest album “Bloodsuckers”?
HYDE: To climb all the way to the top of Mount Everest.
K.A.Z: To create each song carefully and with passion. And then to release the album internationally.
 
- JPA: When describing your latest album, you’ve stated “this is the best work we’ve done so far”. Can you expand on why you consider “Bloodsuckers” your best work?
HYDE: We weren’t only thinking about the individual songs, whether they’re just good songs to put on an album. We thought about how these songs would show the best of what VAMPS is now.
K.A.Z: We’ve learned from our experiences how to get even better at recording and composing our songs. This album is the result of those experiences.
 
- JPA: Your latest album utilizes English for most of the lyrics, especially compared to your earlier work. Was the shift in language intentional, and if so, can you explain what prompted it?
HYDE: I write many songs in English. But yes, these were special for international release.
 
- JPA: Which song off your latest album do you relate with most?
HYDE: All of them, of course.
K.A.Z: ZERO.
 
- JPA: As a member of two popular bands, VAMPS and L`Arc~en~Ciel, how do you balance the demands of being in both simultaneously?
K.A.Z: I still do live shows as OBLIVION DUST regularly, so it’s in balance, I think.
HYDE: When I do things with L’Arc-en-Ciel, there’s a tight schedule, but once I get going, I don’t like to stop. With VAMPS, I get to keep on going.
 
- JPA: Please give all your fans one last message!
K.A.Z: We’ll keep rocking to spread VAMPS’ sound. I welcome everybody’s support and power and we’ll continue to challenge ourselves.
HYDE: Finally, we will release BLOODSUCKERS and perform in the U.S. again. I feel like I’m still dreaming, it’s very exciting. Please come and see the excitement of VAMPS.