HYDERoom Staff Diary – 06.01.18

 

HYDERoom Staff Diary – 06.01.2018

Malaysia ~ Taiwan
from JIN

*Original Japanese to Spanish translation by Danyciel Takarai.

May 12th

And Malaysia is the first site where most of the staff was removed. There were many people who went to Singapore, but that is a different country from Malaysia (although it was originally the same country, but became independent).

And I was not very aware that we were close to the Equator line. In short it is hot. More than “warm,” this place is “hot.” And this type of feeling must activate all kinds of strategies. That is, people begin to prepare their coats. That’s right, even if you can not believe it, the interiors of this warm country are quite cold. If only one shirt is worn, one freezes. And there were many Japanese people who were having whose nerves were stressed because of that temperature difference.

 

 

Today’s venue is the MCA HALL.
It is the smallest of the venues of the Asia Tour, but in terms of its status, this is a splendid place with a structure that has two stories. And I was the one who noticed that, on these two occasions, the performances of the members had improved moderately, after we left the past places, however it seems that HYDE is still pursuing something else.

On this tour, Hyde gave a somewhat nervous speech in the last Hong Kong live.

“This was the only day in which I think the acoustic performance has progressed”

I do not know what was the exact intention with those words, but I think it was a proactive mechanism on the HYDE’s part so that this tour continues to improve.

Classical music is universal and in no way would it improve if one thinks in a common way. Since it’s a genre in which the melody is expected to go in perfect harmony with the lyrics.

And I can perceive in the air the “answer” to that expectation, although perhaps that expression is not the correct one.

However, HYDE’s music has gone through a wide variety of experiences, and has constantly changed without those answers, I suppose what he does is improve is pointing to “the answer that is expected.”

However, it is difficult for a musician to express the connotation of the letters he carries in his heart.

HYDE continued to change his way of singing in each moment and situation, and has continued in his attempt that this occasionally emotionally moves people and makes their hearts beat.

And I can always feel that, somehow, he has been fighting alone.
However, members of the acoustic band seem to have become sensitive to HYDE’s changes. And on each occasion after the shows we talk with the members so that our conviction deepens.

The scores of chamber music are absolute. However, the margin of interpretation remains. They are maintaining the same interpretation as they go in the direction of the evolution line with HYDE.

And I wonder if HYDE feels that flexible attitude in them.
Then we went out to meet the live in Malaysia.
I am sure that today’s concert will be something different!
HYDE made his faltering appearance in the food catering room an hour before the live, while hiding his expectation and mental stress, and began to eat and eat saying, “I do not know what it is, but it looks delicious.”

Eh? Somehow it seems to be exceeding expectations…

 

 

And the live in Malaysia was the most powerful in terms of the emotion of the audience, as well as the greatness of the songs on this tour.

——————————

May 14th

The venue is the Plenary Hall. This is the largest of this Asia Tour, it is huge and even more beautiful than the Japan International Forum and Orchard Hall.
Looking at the steps from the stage, you can get a wonderful view, but at the same time it conveys a sense of mystery and oppression.

 

 

And on the final day, at last a spirit of emotion took part of him, of the members, and the staff, personally and that is when the good times were finally fun.

By the way, at the Beijing live, Hyde planned a kind of trick to surprise us (he put sushi on the string equipment chairs when they went on stage) and has since continued to do so.

In Hong Kong, they were barbecued pork loaves that had been offered to us and we had eaten together, in Malaysia we put something called petit boom “that was a kind of popcorn that looked more like bird food” inside the dressing room as a joke. On that occasion the girls did not stop laughing and smiling, that’s why here in our last destination called Taiwan we hope he tries something again in that same prankster nature.

But this time what was on the chairs on the stage were… bouquets of flowers!
What an ostentatious thing!

And although we expected it to be an extreme joke with the “Xiaolongbao*” (*A kind of steamed dumpling stuffed with a dough similar to bread) and the “Chòu dòufu*” (*“Stinky tofu” is a Chinese form of fermented tofu that has a strong odor), wasn’t this a very nice surprise?

 

 

More than that, was something as intriguing as these bouquets necessary? Wow!

Even for people around the world who could not come to this venue today, I tried to set up a small part of the live from a different angle.

And to fulfill the requirement that HYDE has to obtain and transmit a beautiful angle of the stage, the staff ran in the middle of the night to a night market to buy a smartphone tripod. However, would it arrive on time? 30 minutes of the live have already been lost!

But it arrived on time.

 

 

The last concert would start solemnly.

And I tried to interview him just before the live. Finally, I wanted to investigate what had been worrying me for a long time, so I used it as a topic, and since he was kind enough to hear me, our conversation will be in a formal style.

J (Jin): This Asian Tour is done without using the Iyamoni*, and instead using the Air, what is the reason for that?
(*Note: “Iyamoni” is the abbreviation for the intraauricular monitors that combines hearing aids and ear plugs, it is basically a hearing aid used in concerts and that has a high sound quality, the “Air” refers to the atmosphere, but in this context refers to hearing the step marking on the monitor of the speakers without using the Iyamoni and only using one’s ear)

H (HYDE): As I had thought, it feels very good for the one who sings with such only heard in the Air. I know that for those who sing using the iyamoni it is easier to sing and it has its advantages, but this is different from a rock concert since the stage is not an explosion of sounds where there are many limitations, so in that situation one sings freely. And I think it’s okay to give priority to the ways of singing that are simpler by making them yourself.

J: How do you explain that although the Iamoni method makes singing easier, the Air feels better?

H: To some degree, with the iyamoni, I hear my own sound, and thanks to that it is possible to do something delicate. And I think it’s feasible for the first time since Iyamoni’s invention that the correct way to express myself is: “I can sing in a whisper within an explosive sound,” that’s how I can interpret freely within VAMPS and L’Arc~en~Ciel. There is an advantage in leaving out all the noise, but it’s like a double-edged sword because it also blocks the response of the audience and the feeling that you have in the Air, and the best thing is that the range of the sound is completely different. Since the Iamoni is a hearing aid itself, and if you think about it, it is easy to understand that in a certain way it feels good to listen to music with headphones or listen to it on a big speaker.

J: I see, the explanation is very easy to understand, but is it not surprising that you return to the Air after a long time of not doing it?

H: Surely it will change the way I hear the sound just by moving from the position I’m standing in. To be honest, when you move around the back of the stage there are a lot of sounds that can barely be heard, so I prefer to believe, “Well, it’s a concert, right?” and that includes that kind of thing, and if I think about it, that was natural 15 years ago. Tokyo Dome or another large stage without the Iyamoni, surely it would have been impossible.

J: If you look at the images of that time, surely now you will devote all your energy to concentrate on the speakers (XD)

H: It’s like I want to breathe and there’s no air. With the repercussion of the exterior sound of the places where there is no monitor, the sound diminishes completely. Because the sound of my singing voice is delayed by 1 second.

J: Doing that was a sublime experience, wasn’t it?

H: Yes, but I realized that my skills have improved compared to those days. As I sang well, I did not feel that any problem was taking place, since I endured them and with the presence of the Air, I had a lot of fun and had a genuine feeling of wellness.

J: And when in the future you return to Rock, do you plan to return to Air?

H: Of course not. Because you can not make a delicate musical expression with the Air in an explosive atmosphere, besides that I must always sing with a strong voice, because of that I have not been able to interpret the songs from before.

J: Sure, thanks for the easy to understand explanations, and I really am very grateful to the responses to the concerns I had since the end of last year.

 

….Yes, yes, I know it was a specialized subject, but I think knowing that I was able to have an exchange of words with him that way was very good.

HYDE’s ideas are always clear and simple.

Adjusting to his style, for him it is easy to change by himself, regardless of the type of clothes, they way he dresses immediately and for him, that is so natural.

And finally, something that everyone will be able to enjoy.
Since we heard a beautiful story before the concert, we will surely be able to enjoy this last live with very deep feelings, right? Since among you, some are amateurs.

Having heard a talk like that, you absolutely can not make a mistake in today’s live. For those of us who always work from behind the scenes, there could not be a better “motivation switch” than that.

The final concert of this Asian Tour of six lives was a complete success.
And again looking like Jekyll and Hyde, we also saw a Dark HYDE again.

So I want to finish the International Staff Diary by sending an image that will not be seen again for a long time.

 

 

From JIN

 

HYDERoom Staff Diary – 05.16.18

 

HYDERoom Staff Diary – 05.16.2018

Hong Kong
from JIN

*Original Japanese to Spanish translation by Danyciel Takarai.

May 16th

Today’s venue in Hong Kong is the STAR HALL in the Kowloon District.
It is a large enclosure that is located inside a modern shopping mall, which is different to the precincts of Shanghai and Beijing which had a strong sense of history.

And we are venturing into the second part of this Tour in Asia, in which the events have passed as well as the days.
And seeing his schedule, there will not be a day off for HYDE-san.
The promotions and interviews are packed, so there will be no space for walks.
What a problem.

I’m in charge of planning the fun we’ll have together, but we’re full of situations where I can not interfere, but I still had to write this diary!

It was critical! But, here is the HYDERoom Staff diary!

For that reason I have decided to transmit those things that pressed us and focus on the issues that happened during and after Hong Kong.
So far I have been analyzing the responses to diarys and other things, and until now there have been unexpected sections with great reactions, and I thought “This is not different from approval” so I emitted great self-confidence, but in the things that are supposed to be the most valuable, “The answers are weak!”

That’s why there will be parts that show the wonderful behavior, actions, and the discussions of HYDE, and even the absurd moments, that’s why basically they will not be ficitious information (sometimes I’ll speak very little) so I’ll do it in simple, easy to understand, sentences.

And something that for me is difficult to do is… shall I say, “Take pictures.”
There are times when I run into a common rule that says: “It is forbidden to take photos of artists in such a carefree way,” and it is just in those instances that they abruptly tell me: “Please take lots of pictures” that’s why I almost can’t photograph anything, of course I ask myself, “Hey, is that okay?”

And HYDE had an expression of discomfort on his face from the beginning after expressing an “Eh?,” then pose for the photo, but lately and as expected of him, he has become able to be photographed very naturally and experienced, however in essence, I have not stopped feeling a slight feeling of nervousness, so I have not been able to erase the thoughts of: “I’m behaving like a snoop” or “Excuse me.”

It is not necessary to say that since the theme of the photographs is the same, it has become as if it were a kind of painting. So should I walk with the camera hanging on my arm like a photographer? And although it may seem like an illusion, he has a natural expression and one that he uses when posing for the photo and that is how I have a number of photos that look professional quality. For example?

 

 

In addition, the presence that was established by taking the photos from a later perspective made him look like an out-of-the-ordinary rockstar.

 

 

However, I think that these photographs would have been even more of a wonderful quality if you had added the skills of a professional cameraman in addition to the techniques that are required.

And doesn’t the staff have a large-caliber weapon? That feeling of: “Anyway, you are close to him.”

And if I approached him in a range of 10 cm, it would be possible to take a series of macro shots in a very close range, and if you do not have those special zoom lenses that the professional cameramen have, then I have no another option but to get too close, which is quite rude and even daring, however that is practical now.

 

 

And I took a picture behind him while he was checking something on his iPhone during his makeup session. (XD)

With the previous photo in the dressing room, there was a great response, and they murmured, “I thought he was a prince of some country,” because by only “taking a photo very close,” I think I can convey how the material that he is using feels.

We are in “Portrait Mode” of the iPhoneX, with which even amateurs can take photos easily as with a simple camera reflex.

 

 

And this messy table with all kinds of things like gifts, coffee, water and his contact lenses case brings us completely to the real world.

I wonder if choosing the necessary information, the genre of the documentation and the sense of reality in the photographs will make this diary completely different.

 

 

Finding an interval of free time, he began to design something?

After finishing his makeup and hairstyle, it’s time to choose his wardrobe.

HYDE was deciding what to wear today, however how will he feel now?

It seems that the choice of clothes will change depending on the atmosphere of the venue and in addition to his own mental tension, but he has changed clothes so many times because it is difficult for him to choose.

Naturally, the fact that the change of clothes in the dressing room is repeated again and again, for us is a “familiar scene”… But as something that pressures me, I took a photograph of that moment so it seems to be a scandalaous behavioural act, click.

 

 

No, no, no, I do not intend to provoke a fight, or boast of anything… (XD).

 

From JIN

 

HYDERoom Staff Diary – 05.05.18

 

HYDERoom Staff Diary – 05.05.2018

Beijing
from JIN

*Original Japanese to Spanish translation by Danyciel Takarai.

May 5th

And we travelled from Shanghai to Beijing on the Chinese bullet train! This is perhaps the most intense movement with “On the road feeling” that we will have on our Asia Tour.

And it was enjoyed by the members, as well as by the Staff.
Of course I took a picture from this angle of HYDE, as promised.
Since when it comes to guys, the photo of the “Bullet Train and one with the couple” is essential.

 

 

The station of this bullet train is very similar to ours, but the services offered by the train are similar to those of an airplane.

The passport must be confirmed at the door, where the tickets are verified, as well as the name of each one must be written on the ticket.
Also, inside we had the service of the food cart that we rented with sweets and water.

And we toast with the stage director, who by the way is my namesake, with some beers and some snacks that we bought at the station.
This is how the bullet train essentially became a pub, but then, this is the correct way in which one must travel within the world of music.

On the other hand, HYDE… had a “Special Seat” even more special than ours in first class!

And he said “Waaaaaaa, it’s a totally reclined seat!,” And being very happy, he laid down completely horizontal.

Then, in complete silence… he went to sleep. How fast!

 

 

 

In the end, Hyde did not get up once from there until we got to Beijing.

In a way it seems to be a waste of space, but it also has a very modern meaning of luxury…

And he said “I would have liked to see the landscape,” But you were asleep so you would not have seen it anyway, right? (XD)

On the other hand, I had a drink, so I did not take any naps & I could contemplate the landscape from the window, and that is how I saw everything was rural, however when we got closer to Beijing everything began to cloud and the visibility became almost impossible.

And although there were various rumors about Beijing, the first thing that came to my mind was: “Air pollution.” And when I saw the the weather app on my iPhone, the “Air Quality Index” appears and this information is between the name of the city where you are and the temperature, which indicated: “Serious Pollution.” Hey! It can’t be!

 

 

And suddenly a lot of foreign people appeared wearing masks because of the concern for pollution, and the first thing that we Japanese do is put on a mask, so it is weird to see others wearing them, but this is not our country so we were surprised seeing other people wear masks.

We also care about the quality of the air during our way to the hotel once we arrive at the station.

The scene was so unusual, that it looked as if the white fluff of dandelions floated in the air throughout the city.

And it was on the second day that these took the form of a large white cloud of cotton.

——————————

May 6th

But the next day, that is, the day of the live, the weather was good. And in the venue: “BJ-EXPO Theater,” which is a large amphitheater, the air quality improved and changed to: “Light level of Pollution”. And the place has a sublime appearance, the ceiling design of the auditorium is impressive and beautiful. It does not look like it’s going to be a live, but rather a [orchestral] concert, so the atmosphere became tense.

For lunch, the catering was a Japanese menu that always fills us with inspiration.

“Sushi!”

A week after leaving Japan, our desire for Japanese food was increasing… Ummm? Now that I see it well, it seems that sushi is different every so often.
What is this? Takowasa?* (*Raw octopus seasoned with wasabi), corn? And * Chanja?* (*Korean spicy, marinated cod innards seasoned with soy sauce and sesame) and also several unknown ingredients, in addition there is a kind of orange paste that is not part the rest [of the food], but was on top of the gunkanmaki* (*Gunkanmaki is sushi shaped as an oval shape, wrapped with a narrow piece of Nori sheet (seaweed) and toppings are added on top, usually Ikura (salmon roe).), but what made us tremble was the color of the wasabi!

It looked like a sticky toothpaste, and it has an incredibly green color, which even looks chemical.

And we were warned, saying “Even the taste seems different,” when our guitarist YUKI took that fluorescent wasabi and ate it all at once, it was when a tragedy occurred.

And with an expression of pain he began to cough, showing great agony, apparently this wasabi was 10 times more spicy than usual. And Hyde likes wasabi, which means that among all the Japanese people who were there, he was the one who sacrificed himself. Your sacrifice will not be in vain! Yuki-kun!

 

 

Although we were in the room where the catering served that awful food, HYDE was working in the dressing room right then and there.
He did not even know what happened, however the ropes team was worried and said, “Will HYDE-san not have lunch?” And then Mane-san said “Please, if you want, give me this sushi.” He said it like a feeling of kindness? So we entrusted him with that weird sushi and wasabi.

And when HYDE saw the sushi, for a moment he put on a happy expression like “Oh!” however, he would soon realize that it was a strange sushi.
Surely this can be strange in many ways. But he realized something and then he smiled mockingly and whispered something secretly in Mane’s ear.
…And the live began. As soon as the stage lights went out, “UNEXPECTED,” the instrumental version began to flow.

It was a sacred beginning, full of majesty.
And the strings section was on the stage from the left when they noticed an incident. There was something about one of the chairs. And there was one of the transparent containers where that strange sushi was served, and on the cover HYDE wrote something with a marker.

“I’m not hungry”
And inside that sacred beginning and full of majesty, at the back of the stage was the violnist Higashiyama-san, who did not stop laughing.

 

Caption: “I’m not hungry – HYDE”

 

 

———————————–

May 7th

And how do we spend our day off here in Beijing, the capital of China full of stories? If one drives for about 2 hours, one arrives at the world landmark known as “The Great Wall of China,” and as expected, it was a bit far. Today there are a lot of local audiovisual promotions, also, tomorrow we had to make the contract with the catering again and we had a tight schedule, so we are going to enjoy tourism at all costs in the city.

Today, the city of Beijing also has that air that seems to have cotton fluff. And as I was worried, so I started to investigate and apparently in April and May, the Willow trees are wrapped in this material, it is something characteristic of this time of year in Beijing. Although I was relieved that it was not the chemical component that I imagined, does that not bring secondary health problems with pollen, like in Japan? I’m going to get more into the matter.

And, here we have good news! It is possible to look at the Forbidden City, which is supposed to be closed today, but they will give us a private access!
By the way, the Forbidden City is registered as a landmark. The last time special arrangements were made was for us to have VIP passes at Disneyland in Shanghai! Since of course, being next to a great rock star, I can have many valuable experiences, and I humbly think that this is more like an “extra bonus.”
The first thing we did was to walk along a very long corridor surrounded by walls.

 

 

And although it seems strange, I wanted to take pictures of this curious place, what would be interpreted as taking a picture no matter what you do… and the same scenery continued for a long moment without changes.

And HYDE murmured: “It does not matter how much we walk… this is long,” but it was not impossible either. And we could see the end in the distance, but we could not get close to the corners, so mentally it was as if by walking, we were sightseeing in one way or another, right?

 

 

Finally we stopped walking and arrived at a desired corner, and we turned around and then… oooh! The scenery changed!
However, the left side of the wall is the same landscape, although the width between the walls seemed wider, in reality the “peripheral view” did not change.

 

 

“Well, maybe we’re walking in circles?” We said, getting anxious, and then we started to feel disappointed. And then I found out that the part that was rented was only the peripheral circumference area, so “We can not go beyond here.” What a disgrace!
And then HYDE got annoyed and said, “Ehhhhh!” as he laid back.

 

 

And although I tried to forcibly change the route, we returned at the beginning walking the same distance but everywhere it was the same scenery.

After, HYDE drank the specialty of a coffee shop as we went on our break, this coffee was called “carbonated coffee” and he drank it saying, “Maybe there won’t be a second chance, right?” Oh oh, why is it that the weather on our rest day looks gloomy?

On the other hand, we went to the famous “Tiananmen Square,” and because the surroundings were full of cars and for the safety of the citizens, I wanted to take a picture but I was immediately stopped by some very strict officers. So I could not take the commemorative photo since it could only be seen from inside the car, so we had to eat something fast inside it. Oops.

After lunch we explored a night market without really knowing anything about it, so we could take a look at the beautiful side of Beijing, which made our day of rest really come to an end, full of fun.

Tomorrow we will go to Hong Kong!

 

 

From JIN

 

How to Order from the VAMPROSE Store (For Overseas Fans)

Ordering from the VAMPROSE store should be easy – and it is, if you’re living in Japan. However, for those living overseas it can be quite a challenge. SO! This tutorial is designed to help guide you through the process. But first! Here is what you need before you get started:

1. A credit card (typically, debit cards don’t work, so you may need to use an actual credit card, i.e. AMEX, MasterCard, etc.)
2. An address in Japan. Read here how to get one: How to Obtain a Japanese Address
3. A VAMPROSE Store account. Read here how to get a VAMPROSE store account.

 

Please note that the overseas shipping service, Tenso, is used in this tutorial. To learn more about Tenso, please visit: https://www.tenso.com/en. Also, please view #2 on how to obtain a Japanese address using Tenso.

 

Step #1: Log into your VAMPROSE account. If you do not have a VAMPROSE account, you MUST create one in order to proceed. Go here to learn how to create a VAMPROSE account with a Japanese address from Tenso.

 

Step #2: Locate the item(s) you want to buy. If the item is available for purchase, you will see this button on the page:

*It reads “Add to Cart.” If the button is not there, it means the item is not available for purchase, either because it is “SOLD OUT” or it is restricted to “HYDEROOM Members.” NOTE: Items limited to HYDEROOM members-only are designated by “HYDEROOM限定”

And by “※HYDERoom会員限定商品です。” when you click on the product’s image.

 

 

Step #3: After you click on the “Add to Cart” button: , you are prompted to this page:

Step #4: If you wish to continue shopping, click the “VAMPROSE STORE” heading to go back to the shop. Repeat steps 2-3 until you are done adding items to your shopping cart.

If you don’t wish to continue shopping, click on the blue button shown in the image above to proceed to the checkout page.

 

Step #5: After clicking on the blue button, you are routed to this page. Make sure your Tenso address is selected, as shown below. Then click on the blue button to proceed.

 

Step #6: Enter your credit card information. Remember, debit cards may not be accepted (for security issues), so it is best to use a regular credit card that is not linked to a bank account. Follow the diagram below to enter your information:

Box #1: Enter your full credit card number.

Box #2: Select the credit card expiration month.

Box #3: Select the credit card expiration year.

Box #4: Enter your credit card’s security code.

 

Step #7: Click on the blue button to proceed.

 

Step #8: Verify to make sure the information on the screen is correct (example shown below). If so, click on the large blue button to proceed and process your order.

 

Step #9: Verify to make sure all the information, including product and quantity is correct. If so, click on the blue button in the bottom right-hand corner to complete your order.

 

Step #10: Once you click the blue button, your order will be processed and you will be re-directed to a confirmation page. You will also receive a confirmation email at the address you used to create your VAMPROSE account. This completes the tutorial.

 

How to Obtain a Japanese Address

Having an address in Japan is key when it comes to ordering goods online, especially when it comes to ordering VAMPS merchandise not available in the VAMPROSE Global store.

There are many services one can use for such purposes, however, I have found from my own personal experience that the overseas shipping service, Tenso, is most reliable and reasonable (cost-wise). Things to note for those residing in the United States (and elsewhere for that matter): some goods from the VAMPROSE store contain materials that are prohibited by U.S. customs from being imported. This means that Tenso will not forward any items that are prohibited by U.S. customs, nor will Tenso forward any items that are prohibited by customs laws of the destination country. That is to say, please be sure to check with your country’s customs laws regarding prohibited items BEFORE you order. Tenso will not forward any prohibited items to you and you will not be refunded the money you spent on the item(s). Please view this page before creating your account: https://www.tenso.com/en/static/guide_attention_index

With that said, creating an account with Tenso is easy and free! Here is how to proceed with creating your account:

1. Visit: https://www.tenso.com/en
2. Click the green “sign up” button at the top of the page (right-hand side).
3. Enter your information when prompted to do so and follow the instructions.
4. Once you have created and verified your account, you may enter your payment information, which will make it easier to purchase stuff quickly in the future. NOTE: it is not necessary to enter your payment information at this time if you don’t wish to do so.
5. To enter your payment information, log into your Tenso account. Once logged in, click “Payment Method” under the “Account Information” heading on the left-hand side.
6. Enter your credit card payment information. You may also use PayPal if you prefer.
7. Once completed, your account is now ready for use.

HYDERoom Staff Diary – 05.07.18

 

HYDERoom Staff Diary – 05.07.2018

Shanghai
from JIN

*Original Japanese to Spanish translation by Danyciel Takarai.

May 2nd

And finally the 「HYDE ACOUSTIC CONCERT TOUR 2018 – BLACK MASS ASIA -」 has started, and with a load of foreign energy JIN, who hasn’t written to you since October of last year, writes to you this time for the HYDERoom STAFF DAIRY.

And because I am participating in the same position in which I participated in during the International VAMPS Tour, I took some time and I want to send you a report that closely follows HYDE’s activities. And since it is for HYDERoom, I wanted to send you a special report. I hope you like it.

On the first day of the Asia Tour, it was decided that preparations were to be made in advance when leaving the country, in addition to the rehearsal there.

There were many things that had to be changed after arriving at the venue, and being the first day, it was very busy, so the changes had to wait until later. I, who passed the hours, had not had so much tension since the beginning of the year, so then I infiltrated HYDEs’ dressing room. We entered the area after 10 of the 19 hours that had already passed, and now it was barely an hour before production.

And since it was during the makeup session, I furtively entered the room and after exchanging two or three things with Mane-san, I slowly approached HYDE, in a very casual manner.

Umm? I guess it’s because of the feeling of nervousness that he was beginning to feel, he had something around his shoulders. And as if it were the moment before the examination of the matter in which we are weakest, it seemed that he wanted to separate that kind of reluctance with that thing on his shoulders thinking: “Even if it was not a serious situation, like those that are presented as a different situation in life, I want to do this if I can evade it… ”

 

 

(Could it be that you’re trying to tell us you’re tense by showing that thing on your shoulders?)

If we assume that of HYDE, why is it that he feels that way?

And it was when he finished the makeup and went to sit on the sofa, that he established the reason for it.

He opened his personal computer and the voice that flowed from the iPhone application… It sounded like Chinese (Mandarin).

He was practicing the MC in the local language!

And he began to practice saying: “The pronunciation of Chinese is difficult ~!”.

 

 

(Isn’t that what you mean when your expression looks so complicated?)

But even if it looks so complicated, he does not stop being a handsome man.

And will the presentation in which we meet this time be the fruit of your practice?

One way or another is a path, but in short, one part has a different pattern.

…When you ask everyone in the room if it’s “Wuu? Woo?” all will answer at the same time, but if hundreds of people start talking at the same time, obviously it will be impossible to hear the subtle pronunciation of the word.

「Wii? Wee?」「Woo！」「U?」(*HYDE’s pronounciation)

Give it your best!

Although, we will change the expressions of the MC’s script tomorrow!

 

———————————

May 3rd

Last night there were a lot of comments with bloody characters (*He’s referring to the Twitter function in which you can write letters that look like they’re made with blood) from a lot of HYDEIST, but then I went to eat delicious Chinese food and drink Shaoxing wine with total happiness, so I only knew that much, but the next day when I got to the area, I started to follow up on the events on Twitter.

And apparently HYDE came back to the hotel and said he drank vodka with soda that he had ordered, in order to absorb the Chinese language.

A few days ago, at the end of the rehearsal in Tokyo, I had drunk with HYDE until we couldn’t anymore, as we hadn’t done in a long time, and he said: “Lately, I’ve only been drinking vodka”, and apparently that taste hasn’t changed, not even here in China. The vodka… of this place is a drink still unknown to me.

And today is the second day, which will be calmer compared to yesterday, but we are still attacked by all the things that we must adjust in each accumulated area, while we are being chased by the time at which the concert should start. And today too, it was an hour before the concert began, when I infiltrated the dressing room.

And as expected, he was practicing Chinese, while the scattered papers of MC scripts were more organized and proportionate than yesterday.

Suddenly, looking at the corner where the wardrobe is, you can see the traditional rocker-style clothes, contrasted with formal clothes.

And he said: “You can make hundreds of combinations with these clothes”, but he himself looked insecure when he had to consider the hats, gloves, T-shirts and besides, all those things that aren’t even seen, and I think it isn’t necessary to do it. Ok, I’m just kidding (XD).

Well, there may not be so many combinations, but there are three huge suitcases only with HYDE’s wardrobe, which came after the luggage and as part of his outfits.

 

 

(Well, the contents of today have to do with the clothing set-up!)

Inquiring into the fashion that HYDE has in mind.

 

 

(If all is well, then my work of voyeur begins!)

However, he suddenly discovered me and said “Hey, wait!” And he let me in.

“I’m not happy with this row of clothes, if I show this to the fans as it is… maybe so…” And then HYDE began to change the arrangement of the suits. I failed in my mission as a voyeur, but here are some photos of the clothing line that he ordered and that convinced him that looked good.

 

 

And taking advantage of the situation, I also included a photo of the hat and gloves.

So we decided to go to the stage of the second day of the concert!

 

 

—————————-

May 4th

And how about we go sightseeing in Shanghai on our day off? …Even though none of them had anything particular in mind, the staff that liked Mickey said: “It seems that the Pirates of the Caribbean part of Shanghai is wonderful…” and with that, HYDE simply got excited.

We know that he passed himself off as Captain Jack Sparrow when he disguised himself, but we were going to go only for reasons of attraction… we had that clear, at least to some degree, but the persuasive power of the word “wonderful” was not trivial.

And quickly we set up the “Shanghai Disneyland coverage team”.

So I will also write the details of the total coverage, since I would like to make a special emphasis on the “Pirates of the Caribbean” in HYDERoom because of its charm.

 

 

(Rock star celebrating before getting on).

Although many already know it, the traditional “Pirates of the Caribbean” ride is a relatively calm attraction.

At Tokyo Disneyland, in the beginning, there is a rock and then a drop where the boat moves slowly towards a waterfall, while you can have fun watching a group of animated dolls (Animatronics).

The beginning of “Pirates of the Caribbean” in Shanghai had the same sensation as that of Tokyo. But at first, we felt the incompatibility in the moment that Jack Sparrow came out. And due to the channel the boat turned and the back part was ahead. Waaaaaa! When I thought: There is not a big difference with the “*It’s A Small World”, but the vehicles and the movement are different! We started moving from top to bottom! It was like the unfolding of the film as well as if we were sailing in the ocean on a pirate ship in the middle of a battle, and in that we ran into a surprise, we moved from left to right! (*”It’s A Small World,” is a boat ride attraction at Disneyland with the theme of “world peace”)

The 3D mapping was combined with the CG (Computer Graphics) and a gigantic set, and even with the animatronics, the CG was projected only on the side of the faces as holograms, which tells me that the progress of the technology is considerable. And all the adjustments were beautifully synchronized. The visual effects were truly wonderful, since it did not interfere at all with the feeling of “I am here” and “I am having a personal experience”. (*He means that the effects were so real, that he felt like they were actually in the movie)

And HYDE’s and my reactions at the time of the production of the waves was absolutely “Wonderful!” each time.

We felt a thousand endorphins, and we got goosebumps, and with a smile from ear to ear we shouted: “Wonderful!” “Supeeer!” “Iiinnncredibleeeee!”…

And if I remember correctly, I think it was the same sensation I had during my first experience at Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” in Tokyo.

However, if one repeats and repeats the ride, without realizing this, it is like “confirmation” of the following thought: “Since I like it so much and it is my favorite attraction, I want to see it too.”

And it’s just fun, but when you’re faced with an unfamiliar situation, you’re deeply moved because that moment is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, something that can not be replaced anywhere else.

But we had to return to the real world of peace and tranquility, and we took a break in a restaurant, and again it was a moment to share our emotion commenting: “It really was wonderful!”

 

 

(The Rock star that can’t contain his emotions)

And then the topic became the trilogy of the movies, and we never tire of talking about the costume he used for the Halloween Party.

And after a little over an hour talking with enthusiasm, HYDE suddenly said a few simple words…

“Let’s go one more time”

And in the second boat today we had to go to the front, in the first seats!

I saw that familiar expression on our faces the moment the photograph was taken!

 

 

From JIN

FIN (The End)

VAMPS 10th Anniversary Project

This year, 2018, marks VAMPS’ official 10th Anniversary. That means it has been 1 DECADE since VAMPS first got together and began creating extraordinary music. This also means that it has been 1 DECADE of triumphs and many struggles along the way. So, to celebrate this momentous occasion, the VAMPS + American Street Team + is putting together a project that consists of two parts. Read on below for more information:

PART 1 – The Polls

A series of online polls have been created for users to respond to. The theme of each poll is focused on the number 10, which represents the number of years VAMPS have been together.

For example, the first poll is called “VAMPS 10 Best SONGS,” where users will select their 10 favorite VAMPS songs. These polls will not have an expiration date (in order to generate the highest number of responses). You are not required to answer ALL of the polls, but please do at least answer the “VAMPS Superlatives” poll (last link).

You can find the polls here:

VAMPS’ 10 Best SONGS

VAMPS’ 10 Best TOURS

VAMPS’ 10 Best SINGLES

VAMPS’ 10 Best MUSIC VIDEOS

Top 10 Reasons You Love VAMPS

Rate VAMPS’ Albums

**VAMPS Superlatives (Must Click!)**

PART 2 – “VAMPS Yearbook”

Part 2 of this project is a mock yearbook – VAMPS style. For those that don’t know, a yearbook is a type of a book that’s published annually to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school. In the U.S., high schools, colleges, middle schools, and even some elementary schools publish such books and it is quite common for students to own at least 1 of them. A yearbook generally looks like this:

Images of students

“Yearbook Superlatives”

Handwritten messages

The VAMPS yearbook, however, will contain images of the band members throughout the years 2008-2018, places they’ve toured, congratulatory messages from fans, and the results from the polls mentioned in the first part of this project.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Simply click on the links to respond to the polls. Then, if you want to send VAMPS a congratulatory message, go here. Be sure to include the name you’d like to be credited as. You do not have to use your real name.

If you would rather send artwork and/or photos with a message, simply email your work here: i.heart.vamps@gmail.com

Be sure to include the name you’d like to be given credit as!

DEADLINE

To be determined. No deadline has been set yet.

HYDERoom Staff Diary – 03.18.18

VAMPS fan club event usually known as “VAMPADDICT -WINTER-” each year, but this year, for the first time, it is held as a HYDE solo fan club event in Naeba!

Entitled, “HYDERoom presents SNOW MONSTER HOTEL 2018!”

What’s that! As HYDE wrote the blog about the result of various problems, he thought about trying the theme of a horror hotel! So we steadily prepared for HYDE’s idea.

Arriving at Naeba a little early, [HYDE] immediately left for the slopes~!

During a break, [he] decides on what to eat at the food court..

 

 

The fans wouldn’t expect him to come to a common place such as a food court,
And no one recognized him (*LOL*)

Eventually, he lost to the temptation of miso ramen.

And rehearsals for the performance were planned around the evening at the venue, so YUKI and ASH were called by saying, “Okay in the room” and they started practicing in the room [to be used] for the waiting room.

This time YUKI played the guitar and ASH participated in the chorus, and HYDE sang as the trio formed together.

They were practicing as three people with perfect, raw sounds with no microphone.

 

 

After that, we all headed for dinner!

Speaking of Niigata sake!

While delightfully enjoying sake,

TERU of GLAY joined us!!!!

How luxurious of a feast it is

[There was] so much excitement that TERU [and HYDE] drew portraits of each other with an app!

 

TERU

HYDE

 

“In the event we have a picture-drawing corner…”

TERU: “Oh, it’s fun! I want to go too!”

So, it was a rushed decision for TERU to join the event!!! (*LOL*)

The next morning, everyone gathered and headed for the slopes!

 

 

Well, here’s a problem!
Who is in this photo?

From the left:
DJ レフティ (Lefy – aka “@LeftyMonsterP” on Twitter), ASH, HYDE, TERU, Yutaka Kyan, YUKI, Pele Kusuda (friendship appearance)

Was ~

Or perhaps I should say, they could just not stay, playing

[They had to] finish the rehersal, change clothes, and the event starts!

But then an emergency situation hit!

I was asked by Mr. Kuro-chan, who had a beard as a prop, but the adhesion was weak, so an announcement was made

[The beard] is ruined, so it must be removed…

“Ok, I’ll draw it~” said HYDE who drew the beard.

 

As one would expect HYDE,

[Used] permanent marker! (*LOL*)

That’s how the event started!

[The event] started like the horror movie “The Shining.”

 

 

This is the image of the members, but it’s actually an altered image,

Actually, various parts [of the photo] are altered and collaged together.

Kuro-chan’s swept back hair is taken from DiCaprio’s head (*LOL*)

 

The performers are set as characters that are employees of the SNOW MONSTER HOTEL.

Manager: Kuro-chan
Bellboy: YUKI
Chef: ASH DA HERO
Maid: Yutaka Kyan
Owner: HYDE

Everyone’s [role] is well suited!

 

 

By the way, special surpise guest TERU also appears!!

 

 

I thought he was joking at the table when they were drinking,
I did not think he’d truly come out….!!

TERU is a “guest” who came to stay at the hotel,

It’s supposed to be hospitable, but he became involved in a punishment game for some reason…. (*LOL*)

In the drawing event, YUKI demonstrated a wonderful talent.

For the punishment game, YUKI impersonated Chumimi Blouson* (comedic actress)….

 

 

with B, TERU, and HYDE, is it not risky!?

TERU participated in two games – “Picture drawing word game*” (*word game in which the players must give a word starting with the last syllable of the word given by the previous player) and “Musician rating check!”

After the evented ended, they toasted while watching the fireworks from atop the slopes ♪

 

 

Day 1 of the Naeba event is not finished yet!

At the night’s DJ event, everyone at SNOW MONSTER HOTEL is drunk and excitment runs through an exciting place!!

TERU and Pele Kusuda who came as guests also came together to the event!

 

 

The party continued until late even after the DJ event ended….

Well, our hotel employees had been drinking until late,
Said “I’m hungover” while heading down the slopes in the morning.

 

 

Moreover, they all wore matching SNOW MONSTERS parkas!!

Everyone is well-suited

T-shirts and parkas of the event
“If everyone at the hotel is wearing them, then I can identify the SNOW MONSTERS team”
HYDE thought as he designed the items.

HYDE is also watching the slopes.

TERU who appeared on the first day was scheduled to return the second day too!

The SNOW MONSTERS team was united on the second day,
Before the event, they formed a circle of hands (*LOL*)

 

 

 

At the rating corner on the first day, everyone who is supposed to be a leading musician made a lot of mistakes,

On the second day, the results were also disasterous with challenges such as sake tasting and bass sound listening….

By the way, on the second day, HYDE held onto the third-class musician spot,
On the first day, he got the result of “fake musician.” (*LOL*)

 

 

After much laughter in the game, everyone is ready for a live!

This time,
Since it’s winter, the song “winterfall”
[Then] HYDE sang for the first time live “KISS OF DEATH”
“BLESS” he wanted to sing while watching the Pyeonchang Olympics.
The three songs were delivered.

 

 

The event of three hours with laughter and tears for two days was successfully completed.

Then, on the second day, the DJ event burst into
GLAY’s “Yuuwaku” and L’Arc’s “HONEY” as people sang enthusiastically!!

 

 

The two-day DJ event also ended successfully,
The next morning, HYDE watched the finale of this year’s Naeba event as well!

Although, it rained the next morning unfornately,
Many people still gathered on the slopes.

This year’s slopes event was had a limited time and place, so if you were at the right place at the right time, you would be able to encounter HYDE, 100%!

But, your cooperation is also necessary!

Although, the place was designated in order for everything to be carried out safely for HYDE (and others), so thanks to everyone for following the rules and awaiting for HYDE’s handshake.

 

 

We also received tremendous cooperation from the staff at Naeba Ski Resport.
Thank you very much!

With this, SNOW MONSTER HOTEL 2018 has successfully ended!

Thank you very much to everyone who stayed at our hotel!

Every year, we like to spend the end of winter with you,
We’ll do our best to be able to operate again next year.

We look forward to seeing you come again!

 

HYBLOG – 03.07.2018

This year’s annual solo event was held in Naeba.

Anyway, I turned over a new leaf!

I wanted to not only feel interesting, but artistic too.

 

For fans, it’s nice to have a live,
It is fundamental that everyone can easily enjoy it without hesitation

While maintaining the variety of the direction like past lives,
It’s good to put forth a theme and make it a cute project…

Since the event is at the hotel, the production will be more real…

 

Since the [hotel] is on a snowy mountain,
It’s like staying in the Overlook Hotel from the movie “The Shining,”
I like a little horror feeling.

 

But it’s not good to say that Overlook Hotel is a name,
[Because] there is a feeling of horror with the name itself, so the image of a snowy mountain on a t-shirt as a cute logo, will be good.

When I think about things like this, everything gets chaotic.

 

 

 

I don’t care if there’s a snow monster character~…

Snowman?

It seems like “where are the strange beasts”

I’d like a cute little character.

 

It can become a parka or
I wonder if it could be like a cute snowboarding team or something.

I also want there to be goods like hotel amenities.

 

Well then, I wonder if the performers could come out as employees of the hotel~?

MC Kuro is a manager as well.
The double suit he wore when he came to see Black Mass the other day was good.

YUKI seems to look good as a bellboy

ASH seems to be suited as a chef

Kiyoutake is a maid afterall~?

 

Although the [positions] seem filled,

What shall I do?

Is there anything that comes to mind?

It was unexpectedly difficult…

HYDE is an owner.

And I tried to make it a rich, flashy image.

I created a style like “Miwa Akihiro” *LOL*

The problem was then when TERU suddenly decided to come and play!

Although it’s a nice surprise, he doesn’t have a costume, *LOL*

Anyway, I got through the hurdles…. what shall I do next year?

 

The Naeba event is 6 years old now and is becoming more smooth,

More fun! Happy! As I thought this was a new beginning and staff trial and error.

 

ASH’s good reflexes and plenty of talking!

During the live, he worked hard on his harmony.

 

YUKI’s heartwarming talk and poor picture!

I was nervous about the live with one guitar.

 

Yutaka Kyan’s keen retort and variety experience response!

He’s an indispensible person at such times.

 

Kuro-chan’s moderation and character matched the setting.

 

And since TERU’s appearance was a surprise, his character naturally surprised me too.
The next day he also came as a surprise.
I’m happy to say that I want to go out next year, but there’s a also a band schedule and can’t overdo it *LOL*
I’m happy to wait anytime…

 

Many aspects of each artist that I can not usually see on the day, were seen

After a long absence, laughing and interaction with fans left a warm feeling in my stomach,

 

I myself also participated in this year’s snowboarding,
I enjoyed it very much as an extension of play.
I definitely want to open it at the end of winter.

 

If you like it

 

To our hotel

 

We’ll wait for you to come again.

SNOW MONSTER HOTEL OWNER

HYDE

 

HYBLOG – 12.07.2017

About the break
12.07.2017

I’m sorry for the big shock.

The new album response, and the increased quality of the lives [was a bit much],
I decided to take a break.

The members and the staff were [working together] enthusiastically,

But then there were some issues in the relationship, and I realized the best thing to do was take a “break.”

It was possible to take a break without announcing it,
But since I don’t know when we’ll resume, we thought it best to make a statement.

I did not plan to take the break until the arena [tour] was finished.

Although, it seems the solo calendar release comes at a “convenient” time and is a bit unusual,
I actually decided to do this back in September, since there is no L’Arc calendar. We began manufacturing the solo calendar.

At that time, VAMPS’ calendar was in production, but due to some difficulties, the calendar was suspended and production halted.

Thank you for supporting VAMPS so far. I am grateful.

I am sorry about this, but I was glad to have been able to create VAMPS.

I’m proud of the memories I made with everyone.

Next year, I will return to solo work and get a fresh start, continuing to move forward.

Please support me.