1) Click on the link here: http://www.ebookjapan.jp/ebj/special/vamps/index.asp
August 23, 2013
[Report!] HYDE's Surprise Appearance in the Second Floor Guest Seating at 6th Day of VAMPS ZEPP OSAKA!
It was the eighteenth concert of VAMPS' siege-like tour, VAMPS LIVE 2013. After completing seven days of concerts at ZEPP DIVERCITY TOKYO and five days of concerts at ZEPP NAGOYA, VAMPS unleashed their power on ZEPP OSAKA. In a prior interview, HYDE said about the tour, "As VAMPS does lots of concerts, I think we'll start to reach a point of perfection," and just as he predicted, their sense of precision only increased with each concert. On July 26, their sixth performance at ZEPP OSAKA, VAMPS rushed into a frenzied party.
The earnest anticipation of this concert resembled both a faint premonition and a prayer. The moment those expectations were brought to fruition was a catharsis that is impossible to describe. This catharsis happened over and over throughout the concert, but the highlight of the concert was when VAMPS reached their seventeenth song, "HUNTING," during the final portion of the concert.
Ju-ken said, "I've talked a lot, so now I'm hungry! Let's go hunting!"
The reverberations from the end of "MEMORIES" suddenly came to an end. The one who had spoken the promise-like words informing the audience that the next song would be "HUNTING" had not been HYDE but Ju-ken. HYDE was nowhere to be seen. The gaze of the audience turned toward the second floor as it suddenly erupted in excited noise, a mixture of exclamations of, "No way!" "What?" and "Really?" The sound of K.A.Z's guitar fanned the flames of excitement as the carefree, dynamic tune began. What was only one minute felt like an eternity before the door on the right side of the second floor suddenly opened.
And what was revealed from behind the door was HYDE.
The air, which had been filled with impatience, was in one moment bathed in excitement. More than a pleasant surprise, it felt closer to a moment of bliss when one's prayers have been answered. HYDE triumphantly played guitar while bending over the barrier to appeal to the first floor as well. Making no pretense of remaining in their seats, guests stood up in a flood and surrounded HYDE in an instant. It is perhaps the result of the feelings of friendship between VAMPS fans that there were no injuries nor any noticeable chaos. Whatever the reason, it was a good thing. This moment when HYDE moved past the barriers of a "stage" to stand so close to the audience was undoubtedly an indescribably happy time for fans.
With their six-concert siege of ZEPP NAMBA, VAMPS had reached the turning point of their tour VAMPS LIVE 2013. To call the eighteenth concert the "turning point" is in itself amazing, but VAMPS will be holding ten more of these magnificent concerts. Their extraordinary stamina and power are worthy once more of admiration. VAMPS began the concert with the song "KYUKETSU-SATSUGAI VAMPS Ver.-" It is perhaps a simplistic explanation, but perhaps this is because "Kyuketsu" means "sucking blood," a concept relating to their band name, "VAMPS."
In a flash, they played "MADE IN HEAVEN" and "VAMP ADDICTION," shifting more to an assault-based attitude, but they would not continue to be aggressive from beginning to end. They daringly stirred the crowd into wild excitement with "RUMBLE," a song with a prominent rockabilly taste, continuing with "GET UP," a total change of pace which brightened the atmosphere of the venue. The daring groove with an ever-changing tempo was like the pleasant feeling that accompanies opening a locked room, like surrendering oneself to a roller coaster with a course course you cannot predict.
"What are you all doing? There are so many people wearing swimsuits. Are you trying to tempt me? I'm angry!"
HYDE stirred up the audience by speaking in "gal language," a sociolect spoken by some Tokyo female teens. Following HYDE's words, there was an immediate return chorus of "gal language" from the audience. The speed of the response from the audience was surprising every time, and perhaps it is something about Osaka specifically, but the response from the audience in Osaka seemed especially quick.
"It's fine if you're in swimsuits, but I want to see your true character. People say that Osaka is great. But don't you want to be the best? We can do a good concert, but shouldn't it be the best? Whether it will be the best is dependent on you."
The audience roared with cheers, undaunted by HYDE's provocation. VAMPS drove forward with "AHEAD" and "ANGEL TRIP," and directly after the audience burst into dance during "TROUBLE," the rushed into "COUNTDOWN," the song selection feeling like a roller coaster ride. Their unwillingness to do things in an ordinary way was an indication of their veteran status.
(Credit to en.barks.jp for the note and the photo. Click on the photo to see them bigger!♥)
August 3, 2013
[Interview] VAMPS on New Single, Zepp Tour, Oversea Shows, and Best Album vol.2
This is the second half of the interview. You can read the first part HERE.
- VAMPS Photo
■Hoping fans from overseas like it──HYDE
■They’ve reached ‘a quality’ as of today──K.A.Z
──Not to mention it doesn’t necessarily apply to these two songs alone. As we watched your live show, we thought your sound was so much better, like it was powerful and yet each sound was so clear and standing out.
K.A.Z:Almost all of the band instruments are new this time. We had some problems or tasks we wanted to clear last year, we took care of that by changing instruments.
──That acrylic board set up in front of ARIMATSU and JIN, that was pretty impressive. Is that to separate their sounds?
HYDE:To project sound better. It blocks noise going to the microphones with it, that helps good sound getting out. I couldn’t have done this before. I used to like sing with “loud and crazy sounds together, otherwise I won’t sing!” (laugh).
──Like it has to be loud for you to get hyper.
HYDE:Yup (laugh). Now that’s nothing.
──In that aspect, you were definitely aware of creating audio sound.
HYDE:I was trying from before, but this time I wanted to be serious about it. If it does’t work, I just won’t do it again. That’s how I did it.
──The stage setting was very stylish.
HYDE:Yes, like higher quality added to the previous stage setting. We did all the tricks with elaborate decorations and stuff already, so pursuing quality is much more refreshing. Maybe the use of acrylic board and things left a different impression.
──Does that affect your performance?
K.A.Z:I absolutely worry that members hitting the acrylic board (laugh). A person with the name spell starting J, for example, could hit the board anytime and that’s dangerous…
HYDE:Have you seen a bird slamming himself on a glassdoor because he couldn’t see it..(laugh)
K.A.Z:That is so not cool if he did that in a concert..(laugh). Like I worry more about the live becoming a comedy act than him getting injured!
──You finished four concerts so far. How do you feel about that?
K.A.Z:Only 4 concerts? I thought we’ve done more.
HYDE:We just started, so there is much to think about and I don’t feel it is all good to go yet. It’s all good, of course, but feels like there is so much we have to do and can’t catch up. Normally there are bands who would think, four concerts and we are done! but VAMPS needs more runs. Then we finally get to finish something. Four isn’t even close to that. But maybe ten shows would be too much to settle with.. (laugh).
HYDE:So we are nervous in a good way for now.
──You have 10DAYS at ZEPP TOKYO just announced. We look forward to VAMPS evolution.
──In the fall, you will release a best album, re-recorded in English for international audience, plus you have world tour coming up.
HYDE:We hope to bring with us, the best of what we will have accomplished through local concerts.
──Are you exporting VAMPS almost?
HYDE:Uh- Yeah. We are proud of the product (laugh). I hope fans from overseas like it. Previously when touring worldwide, we performed with works that were made for Japanese market. This time we are bringing songs we’ve customized for international market. Hopefully it will make a difference.
──Your official Facebook started. It looks like the world is coming close to you. Do you feel that way also?
HYDE:We were really hectic since moving to a new label so we had no time to feel how we were doing. I want to believe we’ve done the best we could so far. Fans may not give us the full approval yet (laugh). We’ve been working hard seriously, like no one else in Japan works that much, so I am excited about the outcome.
K.A.Z:We won’t know what it’s like unless we get there anyway. You know real world takes experience, not like the internet world where you can just see everything. We absolutely appreciate and get excited to receive comments and likes on Facebook, but we cannot always experience all of that. We are very excited about the concert in overseas in that aspect.
[Interview] VAMPS on New Single, Zepp Tour, Oversea Shows, and Best Album vol.1
■「ⒶHEAD」is just a result of mastership(laugh)──HYDE

This was just the first half of the interview! Keep an eye out for the second half right here on VAMPSOUND!!
October 31, 2012
[Single] HALLOWEEN JUNKY ORCHESTRA - HALLOWEEN PARTY [2012.10.17]
Halloween project by VAMPS (HYDE) "HALLOWEEN PARTY" comes out on CD. Includes a bonus DVD with a music video of the song and a booklet. Participating artists: HYDE (VAMPS), Acid Black Cherry, DAIGO (BREAKERZ), kyo (D'ERLANGER), Tommy february6, Tommy heavenly6, Tatsuro (MUCC), Anna Tsuchiya, Ryuji Aoki, K.A.Z (VAMPS), Hitsugi (Nightmare), Aki (SID), RINA (SCANDAL), Kanon Wakeshima.
August 22, 2012
2012.07.05 VAMPS TOKYO + eng. translation! [14°live]
[DAY 2 - 2012.07.05]
VAMPS TOKYO 2日目。HYDEは自ら運転して、愛車フェラーリで会場入りしました。
カッコいいですね~♪ブオンッ、ブオンッ……とエンジン音をふかすたび、待っていたファンのみなさんも「キャ~!」という歓声を上げていました。
VAMPS TOKYO - Day 2.
HYDE drove himself to the venue and [showed up] to the venue in a Ferrari.
So cool, huh.....Vroom, vroom....everytime the engine [was] revved, the waiting fans cheered and screamed "Kiyaa!"
(NOTE: "ブオンッ" literally reads "buon-tsu," which doesn't really make any sense. The narrator of this journal entry is mimicking the sound a car makes. In English, we typically use the word "Vroom" to mimick the sound a vehicle makes when it accelerates. Also, "Kiya" denotes the sound people make when they scream, kind of like how we say "Ahhhh!" in English.)
楽屋ではK.A.Zがシャボン玉で遊んでいます。ファンの方からいただいたプレゼントのようです。
K.A.Z is in the dressing room playing with bubbles.A gift [he] received from fans.
HYDEは今日もギターの練習。なぜか今日は廊下で弾いています。
HYDE [is] practicing guitar today.Today [he] is playing in the hallway for some reason.
リハーサルが始まると、ステージに「くまモン」が!?!?
ん?……よーく見ると、ARIMATSUさんです。
熊本でのライヴ以来、「くまモン」ブームが続いているのか、ファンのみなさんからのプレゼントにも、「くまモン」の姿をよく見かけます。
The rehearsal begins, "Mont-Bear" [is] onstage!?!?
N? ......Look, it's Arimatsu.
Since the live at Kumamoto, fans have continued to give "Mont-Bear" gifts.
(NOTE: "N" is the literal reading for the character "ん." It this case, it is used to denote a sound the narrator of the journal entry is making. Also, as stated in a previous diary entries, "Mont-Bear" is a character from the Kumamoto area)
今年のツアーでは、ソフトモヒカン&ミイラタトゥー男に変身しているJINさん。
ツアーがスタートして1ヶ月、そろそろ刈り上げ部分の髪も伸びてきてしまったので、本日はスタッフに散髪してもらいました。
During this year's tour, JIN has transformed into a tattoo, mohawk and mummy man.
[For] one month, [he had] been growing out his hair, [and now] today [his] hair is cut.
Ju-kenさんがバイクのヘルメットに貼ろうとしているのは、「VAMPS TOKYO」のロゴステッカーです。
7月の1ヵ月間、ZEPP TOKYOに篭城して展開しているVAMPS TOKYO。
会場のあらゆる所に、このロゴステッカーが貼られています。
ちなみに、会場の中のあらゆる張り紙や、ロッカーの注意書きまで、すべて会場名は、「VAMPS TOKYO」に書き換えられていたんですよ。
みなさん、気付いてました?
Ju-ken has a "VAMPS TOKYO" sticker on his motorcycle helmet.
ZEPP TOKYO has become "VAMPS TOKYO" for one month in July.
All parts of the venue has [the] logo affixed to [it].
By the way, every poster in the venue [also] has been rewritten to [have] "VAMPS TOKYO" [on it].
Everyone was aware of [this]?
まもなく本番。みんなで並んで本日の衣装選びです。
HYDEは完成したばかりの「CHUPACABRA」ラグランTシャツのサンプルを着ています。
いつも「自分の着たいもの、持ちたいものを作る!」というのが、グッズ作りのモットーであるHYDE。
こちらのラグランTシャツもかなりお気に入りの様子です。
Production [to begin] shortly.
Everyone is choosing today's costume.
HYDE is wearing [the] "CHUPACABRA" Raglan t-shirt that was just completed.
HYDE's motto of making goods is "Make your own thing [you] want to wear, what you want to have."
It is quite a favorite t-shirt.
この日のライヴももちろん盛り上がりました♪
LEDを使ったステージセットはこれからますます改良を重ねて、もっともっとカッコよくなっていくはず。
まだ今ツアーに参戦していないみなさんも、楽しみにしていてくださいね。
Climax, of course, was the live on this day
Stage is set using the LED [lights and] should be constantly evolving more and more, and will become more and more cool.
You [who] have yet [to] participate in the tour, please look forward to [it].
[Thanks for the English translation to @Heather Pedroza! ♥]
























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