Interviews

The Underneath

On Sunday 21st of December we got the chance to meet ‘The Underneath’ for an interview after one of their recording session in their studio at Kanagawa prefecture. Just as we arriving we were meeting some of the band members, smiling and waving at us. Soon the manager lead us to a cosy nice couch assembly, giving us some water and the first members arrived with a smile, sitting next to us and soon the first laughters started when Taka arrived and greeting us in German language and the laughter never really stopped- especially not when we introduced our language helper Masato who where sitting opposite of Masato of ‘The Underneath’…

Nippon Rocks (NR):
‘Transtic Nerve’ had been te former band of ‘The Underneath’, what had been the reason to form ‘The Underneath’?

Taka & Tal:
At first we wanted to form a band for foreign listeners, but then we decided to make music for the Japanese rock audience too and made the decision to play music for both foreign metal audience and Japanese rock listeners. We changed the band because we wanted to make a change in everything, to be born anew, a rebirth of a new being in everything.

NR:
Out of a European point of view ‘The Underneath’ is a gothic metal band. As what kind of music would you describe ‘The Underneath’?

Taka:
Basically we would describe us as Japanese basic metal heavy rock music.

Tal:
We are an ensemble of heavy rock, we wanted to perform a unique melancholy in our music.

NR:
Which bands Japanese and foreign bands had an influence on ‘The Underneath’? What is your inspiration? Who are your idols in music?

Tal:
Rammstein….

NR:
Rammstein….
*laughter*

Taka:
Nine inch nails, Rammstein… X-Japan and Hide.

Tal:
Yes, Hide of course.

NR:
Your first album ‘Moon Flower’ has been first released in the USA in March and much later in Japan. What had been the reason for a Japanese band to be first produced in a foreign country?

Taka:
We performed the album ‘Moon Flower’ in the USA on the ‘Rockstar taste of chaos tour’, it had been the first time to perform live on stage for ‘The Underneath’ and we got the chance to make a CD for the foreign listeners first and took the oppurtunity to realize it in spring 2008.

NR:
This years spring you had been part of the ‘Rockstar taste of chaos tour’, please describe your impressions of touring through the USA out of a musicians point of view? Did this tour take an influence on you?

Tal:
American people are very friendly and judging only for just the music, they don’t mind the look. They are trying to go easy, to join the music and to have fun with every one.

Taka:
Rock started in the USA. It’s the first time we perform in front of just Rock fans, people who are interested in Rock. It has been an honor for us.

NR:
How had been the collaboration with ‘D’espairs Ray’ and ‘Mucc’? Would you go on tour with them again?

Taka:
We spent time with other Rock bands for one and a half month, everywhere and everytime we had been together. They are like family for us. *smile* We got influenced by those bands and would like to play with them again and of course to beat them. *laughter* We want to surprise them with our music. And we want to play with European bands here and in Europe as well.

NR:
That brings us to our next question: Are you interested to come to Europe, especially Germany?

Taka and Tal:
Yes of course,

Taka:
… but we aren’t in contact with any label yet.

NR:
Would you like to perform at European festivals like Wacken Open Air, Wave Gothik Treffen, M’era Luna, Ankkarock, Tuska or Ruisrock?

Tal:
Yes of course if we got the chance. It would be an honor for us.

NR:
You are recording at the moment. When can we expect a new release?

Taka:
The new album will be released in Spring 2009. Around March- April.

NR:
What kind of style do you think would be on your new album?

Tal:
The new album will have much more intense than the previous one.

Taka:
It is stormy, it will be like a storm. It is getting closer to Japanese melody than ‘Moon Flower’. The new album will include various types of music.

NR:
What had been your influences and inspirations for your new album?

Taka:
All members are making the music by their own emotions. All of us are feeling everything through music. It is like the music means the whole emotion hold by our lives. Inside the music are all of our expressions and emotions. We are making the music together, we are feeling the music together, our own emotions are our inspiration and influence.

NR:
What kind of process takes hold until a ‘The Underneath’ recording is finish?

Taka:
I am writing the lyrics and all the members are doing the music composion. Each one writes a melody and then we all discussing the melodies together. Each one writes a melody and we deciding together which one will be the right music for the lyrics.

NR:
Next question….
* all of them holding their breath… waiting again for a difficult one..*
It’s an easy question…

The Underneath:
*laughter*

NR:
Are you planning to release a DVD too?

Taka:
Yes of course, especially a live DVD but at the moment we aren’t working on a DVD release. But we are planning a future release- please wait.

NR:
Now we come to the drummer, Masaki…..

The Underneath:
Yes….. * Taka and Tal slipping away, Masaki’s leaning forward*

NR:
When and where have you started to play drums?

Masaki:
I started to play drums with 6 years old in my home because of my older brother who has a drum kit at home. My brother played drums and taught me as well. My brother used to listen to ‘The Beatles’ at home, that’s why I started to play drums because of my big brother and ‘The Beatles’.

NR:
What kind of equipment do you use?

Masaki:
I am playing Pearl drums and I am using Paist cymbals, but I think Sabian are good.

NR:
Who and what are your greatest influences for playing drums?

Masaki:
My big brother and my friends.

NR:
Do you play the drum breaks free during a concert?

Masaki:
I don’t perform the drum breaks free during a concert.

NR:
The guitars are very strong in your music. What kind of guitars and equipment do you use?

Tal:
I am playing Fernandez. It is an old model, it doesn’t exist any more I think. Maybe I will change to Respol.

Masato:
I am using an old model as well, a Barkass made. It isn’t popular in the world.

NR:
Now the bass…

Ryo:
YES!!!

NR:
What do you use?

Ryo:
I’m using a Thunderbird by Gibson, it is very popular and a good model.

NR:
What do you think about the Japanese music scene?

Taka:
We are very glad to be accepted by foreigners who like Japanese music. We want to try to be accepted for just our music by more people in the future. Japanese people are good at upsold, in taking everythig no matter the quality of music. We have good vocals and we should try to make new good stuff. That’s why we try to find good things, we search for them to make out a new creation and no copy.

NR:
What does music means to you?

Taka:
Music is everything in the world for me, my life. Music is a way to communicate with other people. Through the feelings inside us we can communicate through the music as a kind of medium over the borders of language. Music is beyond language, through music you can communicate with everyone, everywhere I the world. We go to different countries where they don’ speak our language and communicate with them, to be understood through music. We play and the people out there will understand.

NR:
Do you have any message…

Tal:
Yes, yes…..
*laughter*

NR:
… to your European fans?

Tal:
We want that European people share our music and our motivation to play for them.

Taka:
We really want to perform in Europe.

NR:
Thank you very much for your time.

The Underneath:
No thank you.

*laughter*
Yes, you can say ‘The Underneath’ not only perform great music but are very friendly, open guys as well, who likes to laugh as much as we do ^^.

Interview: Cornelia Buhk & Denise Schneider
Translation help: Masato
Transcription: Cornelia Buhk

20.12.2008/cb,ds