Vol. 190 [Genre]
Sometimes in interviews we get asked what genre our music belongs to, and I always have trouble answering. I think classifying music by genre makes things easier only from a sales standpoint, but to the artist who makes the music, it just doesn't really seem to matter. In BLOOD we make music that suits our own purposes, so it is possible to classify each song individually in terms of genre, but trying to make our band fit into a single genre just doesn't work.
We've received our new costumes. It was our first time working with the people who made these, but they were really interested in our songs and world view, so I think the new costumes will set a perfect mood for us. I want to introduce them along with our new videos, CD, designs, site updates, and advertisements all at the same time, so it will probably be a little while before the change is made. We'll be doing a photoshoot and stuff at our next overseas tour, and there a lot of things I want to do in a studio setting as usual too, so I have to start getting everything together now. I have ideas for a video I want to make too, and some things I want to try for our new image. Even if there are a few problems, I'm pretty sure I'll have the opportunity to announce all of my ideas to everyone soon.
I always wanted to finish our current concept with a song that was named after the theme. I wanted the new song to be violent and melodious, and bring together all the elements of BLOOD. Somehow the image was there, but it just wouldn't come together into the right form. But then one day a melody finally came to my mind, and the song came to be. It looks like I'll be able to make the next CD into the image I had in mind after all.
Vol. 187 [More than 10,000 copies]
BLOOD's CDs have accumulated more than 10,000 copies sold. I think there are some who would think that's not many, and others who think it's a lot. In our recent scene it had been written that about 3000 or 5000 copies of each album would be made, but actually I think making 500 to 1000 more of each would be a good idea, since all our CDs really have been selling out. After 3 years, BLOOD doesn't need to make bluffs about things like that. It took some time but we have sold all our CDs, and there are some people who only listen to CDs that our songs are on. It's not exactly a satisfying number, but I did find it strangely interesting.
I've decided to decrease the number of domestic lives we will play. That way we can make each one stand out and play its own important role in our concept. Right now I'm thinking of limiting the schedule to just one per month. I don't want us to be the kind of band that people feel they can miss once or twice because they can see us anytime they want, and someday a time may come when no one will be able to see us at all. We are a band, after all, and in this business you never know what might happen. How will we make the highest quality songs possible? How much higher can we raise the quality of our CDs? Questions like these are BLOOD's main focus, and the ones I'm more interested in thinking about.
Recently, someone has created their own BLOOD fan club and lied to others that it was an official fan club in Mexico, causing a lot of annoyance among many fans. It appears this person is just some scum who only wants to look like they have a connection with the band members, and is causing nothing but trouble, so please don't be deceived by their lies. When I heard about this, it made me want to kill the person and enjoy every minute of it. I have had people ask me to make an official fan club before, so let me make this clear. An official BLOOD fan club does not exist in any country. There is no need for one yet, and there are no plans to make one. If anything of the sort did exist, it would probably just be something like the official mailing list that Agent Andres maintains. But even that is just an information system, and its content is different from anything that could be called a fan club. If, that is IF, a time were to come when I would make a fan club, I would still absolutely never make one based in an overseas country. I would make it here in Japan where I can handle it myself.
The sponsor event was interesting. I got to think about various projects, and being the producer was really fun. I really got to indulge completely in my own interests. Trying it once gave me the chance to come up with a lot of new ideas, so the next sponsor event we do should be even better. I think I'd like to make the setting darker next time, with more black and red everywhere.
I've decided to take 4 video cameras to the live on on November 5 and do a live shooting. Rather than just film the live in small parts like we usually do, this time I want to shoot footage that could be released as a live DVD. The venue, Circo Volador, is one where bands like Lacrimosa and STRATOVARIUS often play. Since there were a lot of things I wanted to do to come up with something worth making a proper release out of, I think I'd like to make a compilation of the VENGEANCE for BLOOD concept. In the past, if there were problems with things like lighting or sound during a live, I would throw chairs, break down walls, or walk off in the middle of the show, so this time I hope everything will go well and those things won't happen.
There is no question of whose sake I carry out my musical activities for. I'm doing it for my own sake. I make my own songs in my own way using my own money and time. I'm tired of wasting my time on meaningless conversations. If you're only going to ramble on and on with no point, then leave me be. I live my own life for my own sake.
We really felt a lot of warmth from so many people on this tour, so it was a really great week. Thanks so much, everyone!
Recently I've been filling my room with rose scent, making it pitch black, and thinking of new songs by only candlelight. I turn the images in my head into music. Images and music always form together in my mind, so I can slowly bring shape to them. The thing I always think is such a mystery when I'm finished is, where are all these songs coming from? Since they always just all of a sudden pop into my head.
At our last live in Germany, we were victims of theft. Part of a costume that had fallen on the stage was stolen. The thief came right up to the stage and took it. In Poland, part of another member's costume that had been left backstage was also stolen. If I catch anyone stealing things next time, I want to chop off each of his fingers one by one. No point in having hands like those anyway.
BLOOD has reached No. 1 on the weekly charts at Daiki Sound, a music shop that sells our CDs. I think recently Daiki Sound is the only place that uses this genre, so to me this is a very meaningful No. 1. I think this was possible only through the blessing of the many people who support our activities.
I've decided to hold a sponsored event in September, and it was really fun deciding on which bands to invite and doing all the planning. It's been called my own gothic event, so I've been gathering my own preferred bands to play there, and I want to use a DJ too, so I'm commissioning one. And I could be the VJ myself. Juya agreed to appear there with his own band, and he also introduced me to another band, so he and I have been really excited and calling it "not just a BLOOD sponsored event, but more like a Kiwamu & Juya sponsored event." I'd like to present something new and fresh to everyone who comes to see it as well as everyone who participates.
Another domestic oneman live has been confirmed. The organizer listened to our music and really liked it, so they asked us to come, and we were thrilled that they liked us, so we agreed to play there. It will be in sort of an unexpected place, but still it's exciting.
Before the Rokumeikan oneman we had a photoshoot at a location on the outskirts of the area. I think it's great that I can work with a photographer that I really like. I can leave everything to him, and even if I don't say a thing, he still arrives at the same point I was thinking of. I think the way he naturally brings out the best points of his subjects is what really makes him a pro at his work. This is what I look for in the people I work with. I've had the same experience with people who do work that would be pretty tedious to me.
We've booked an appearance in Germany for our European tour this summer. I had received many emails asking for us to come back, so we will. Also, I was told that all the tickets for our Finland live sold out in 3 days. Thank you, everyone.
It turns out I'll be helping TNT, the convention that has done so much for me and the band. Andres said he plans to invite Japanese bands to TNT from now on, and he wants to have a Japanese agent, so I'll help him by looking in Japan for bands to play at TNT. Basically, I'll act as his window in Japan. We've talked about things like the possibility of looking for bands that aren't visual kei instead, so from here I'll start selecting some good bands of other genres. I'm really happy that I can do something to return the favors he did for me.
It was really a great convention. I had been in contact with Agent Andres for about half a year working on the negotiations and preparations, and at last it all came together in the live shows. All of the staffers we met with there worked with a specific purpose, and they were all very reliable people, so I think the live shows turned out great in the end. It made me think that I shouldn't choose conventions to perform at based on the scope of the event, but on the people behind them. Thank you, everyone.
The song I wrote for that person is finally finished. When the image first came to my mind, I wasn't able to put shape to it, but I finally got it to comply with the song. Fu-ki always pays a lot of attention to detail right up to the end, so the lyrics he wrote for it are great too. I don't know if we'll play it at lives first or release it on a CD, but I'm looking forward to revealing it to everyone.
Vol. 164 [No. 1]
Our latest album reached No. 1 on the Visunavi CD Sales Chart. Thanks, everyone.