The "Exit" from such an unrealistic world
*** translator's notes are beside *** asterisks
Since their formation in 1998, Fatima -- who have swept through the Visual Scene and developed -- will hold a oneman live at Shibuya O-EAST on June 28th. It will be a point in history. In this article, they will discuss the details of how the kaisan came to be, and their LAST MINI ALBUM "Exit." What will they leave behind in this scene?
Cure : Honestly, when I first heard about the kaisan I was astonished.
Lay : Since our formation in '98, we've always had ourselves. With seven years of memories there's no way you could run out of things to talk about.
Kanoma : 4ge and Towa became members later on, but they went with us on the nation -wide tour and we released music together . . . The five of us put together was perfect.
Cure : I don't think there's another band that's had such a long period of activity as Fatima.
Kanoma : I think so too. The bands nowadays seem to stay together for a couple of years and then break up.
Lay : The visual scene has changed, hasn't it? I think it's changed.
Kanoma : The scene has changed quite a bit, yes.
Cure : I think so too.
Kanoma : But I think that our type of visual kei isn't that popular anymore.
Cure : People just generally accept whatever's popular then?
Kanoma : I think so. There aren't too many listeners who want to listen to something different, whereas there's more people who go for what's popular. That really restricts music.
Cure : Surely. One thing becomes popular and then the same thing keeps coming out . . . It's not like an "influence," it's just become a copy. It's like that with fashion and food as well.
Kanoma : That's right. So much that there is nothing original anymore.
Cure : There was a period when everyone wanted "personality." But now it seems that we've gone backwards. This is a problem. It seems that the media supports this as well.
Kanoma : You could say the same for music, couldn't you? To talk about ourselves, we don't really listen to visual kei that much. There is some that we like. But music is really up to the person. I think that that's something that's spontaneous. Even if you wear makeup, whatever sound you make. "We're this genre, so we can't do it that way!" -- Is it necessary to be caught in this type of frame?
Cure : "Break through the wall!" -- Kinda thing, right?
Kanoma : Yes, yes! But whether or not the listener will accept it is a different problem altogether.
Cure : That's the harsh reality, isn't it.
Kanoma : In this scene right now, it's really important that you have what is popular. . . . . No matter the music, no matter what you do on stage, -- the band that's popular and their fans are all facing the same direction and clinging to that one thing that's popular.
Cure : "Face right!" And everyone simultaneously turns right. This kind of thing has started in the music scene.
Kanoma : It's strange, huh. ( small smile ) Furthermore, it's difficult for bands who choose to go the original route.
Lay : Personally . . . As Fatima, we did the music that we wanted to do, without doing what was popular. But while we were active we would be asking, "Why are we doing music through visual kei?" And a gap between us developed.
Cure : So each member wanted to do something different?
Kanoma : That's right. And then the conclusion was that we were all going to do something different. When we were thinking about why we were doing visual kei, each member had different reasons. Even though, honestly, it's fun to do makeup, there are some people who do it for the music and then there are some who just like to be on stage for the visual kei aspect. From this, there were some members who wanted to remain in this scene, while there were others who wanted to leave it. When you're visual kei you're supposed to do it a certain way, but that's not how we thought about it. We had to question whether we were doing this to just make a living or whether we were doing it for the music. Still, we all love Fatima and that will never change.
Cure : So after the kaisan you'll each walk down a different road for yourselves.
Kanoma : Yes. You only live once, right? It's important to do the things that you want to do so that you don't have any regrets. I value this type of thinking. If we were to continue doing Fatima, I don't think any regrets would be born and there might be a music scene where our music would be more accepted. And I thought that we could have tried this. But from here on we're going to walk down different paths, and I will support this.
Cure : So you decided for your last tour before the kaisan to be nation-wide.
Towa : We went to Hokkaido for the North and Kyuushuu for the South. We had a nation-wide tour last year as well. This was the schedule we'd decided on before our kaisan decision. So, it's Nagoya, Osaka and lastly Tokyo onemans. The final is June 28th at Shibuya O-East.
Kanoma : Up until now, this is one of the biggest places we've played at. We were concerned about where we should play at, should we play at Nippon Seinenkan??
Lay : We also talked about playing at Shibuya-AX.
Kanoma : But of course the most important thing became whether or not the members and the fans would have fun at the place. So we thought that a place where it was all standing would be best. So we chose Shibuya O-East.
Cure : What's the meaning of this tour title?
Kanoma : The nation-wide tour is "brilliant colors" and the Grand Final oneman tour for Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya is called "Exit."
Cure : From richly colored to exit . . . It echos with pain.
Kanoma : To face the end from brilliant colors is unrealistic . . . But I think that's what kind of world a live is.
Cure : I understand. Detaching yourself from the ordinary and going to a de-stressing place . . . ?
Kanoma : It's not just a place for the fans but also for us as well. Fatima's last tour will make brilliant memories. And that's where the Exit will be.
Cure : Kanoma-san, at the last live do you think you will cry?
Kanoma : Probably. But there is still work left to be done and really, on that day it will not be the end. I will always meet the members in some way.
Towa : I think so too.
Lay : On a different stage we'll meet.
Kanoma : And then, in two or three years we'll probably form again.
Cure : That would seem likely. "Fatima formed again!" ( laughs )
Kanoma : So I need to say to the members, 'So don't throw away your costumes!' ( laughs )
Everyone : ( laughs )
Cure : After the live, be sure that when you're cleaning up you keep your costumes in a safe place. ( laughs ) There's one month until the Grand Finale, so how are you feeling? What do you imagine that stage to be like?
Lay : Occasionally I've seen other bands breakup, and it seems that for each band, on their setlists they always have a standard last song.
Cure : "This is really the last song. The last is always this song!" Right? At that time, there will probably be a lot of emotion. You might cry quietly and hide it.
Lay : Within the five of us, when we're playing the last song, that's when it will really hit us the most, I'm thinking. In regards to Fatima, .. it will be the very last moment that we play a sound, ... at that time. We met in order to do music, and so when it's time to play the last song . . .
Cure : You wouldn't have met if it wasn't for the music. I feel really, at this point, that it's some type of miracle.
Mizuha : It's not a reason to die, and there we won't really lose something . . . because we're all strong. There's nothing to scare us. But no legends have been made about us yet. As for Fatima. Maybe on this last tour?
Kanoma : That would be good, huh? ( laughs )
Mizuha : Until the very last I want to do the best that I possibly can!
4ge : That's right. Lately, we've been hearing the past. From the very early days until now. We've changed throughout and now it's like, we're cool, I think. When this band is gone, I will miss it. What will become of this scene? I wonder . . .
Kanoma : Until then, I'll be worried about it. ( laughs )
4ge : It's just that you don't notice what you've got, as you think it's so usual. That is, until you've lost it. . . . I think.
Kanoma : We noticed. "What do we do?! We finally noticed, what will we become now?!" ( laughs )
All : ( laughs )
Cure : So, with all of these various thoughts you released "Exit" on March, 27th.
Kanoma : Yes. The title is an English word meaning "deguchi." The tour title is the same. ( laughs )
Cure : Well then, let's have a short introduction on each song. The first song is "Sakura Meiro."
Kanoma : Everytime I hear this song, I understand what the true meaning to the lyrics is inside of me. It's a very deep song.
Lay : I've been listening to this song a lot lately as well. I finally understand the place that the lyrics are meant to go to. I wonder if Fatima fans are able to do this as well!!
Kanoma : As for ourselves, around the time of "Shizumu Taiyou"*** is when we really put forth a lot of energy into a medium ballad.
*** [ The kanji reads this way, however, we
think that they're speaking of "Shizumu Taion." ]
Cure : Right now there isn't really another band that's so good together. And so your music feels fresh.
Kanoma : Even so, we still haven't pushed the boundaries as far as they could go.
Cure : There are many places where the song rises and intensity
is pursued. . . . But it is a medium ballad. The words in
the song are filled with power. That's what's always left in my heart.
Kanoma : As for me, I also really like the mood that the lyrics give me. Even though I'm the singer, I think it sounds perfect. And so when we were thinking about what we should do for the first song on "Exit", I thought of this song.
Cure : I see. The second song, "Kesenai Ame" is from a previous release.
Kanoma : These lyrics are also very deep, so I'm glad that we put it on there. I don't really like lyrics that are too straightforward.
Cure : You mean lyrics where they almost have an equation like, "Here's A, then there's B and so next will be C."
Kanoma : "Listen to it this way!" If that's requested out of the listener, wouldn't the listener's persepective widen? As for being a singer, it's like, I want to synchronize with the listener what they're going to feel when they hear my lyrics.
Cure : There is a wide number of possible interpretations that a person can come up with for themselves.
Lay : Wow~~. ( Feeling a new admiration! ) In my case, I have to wonder what thoughts the person was having when they wrote such lyrics. I imagine this type of thing while I listen.
Cure : Is the listener wanting to imagine or is the listener wanting simple emotion? I think it's just in the way of how you listen to a song.
Kanoma : That's true. As for my thinking, there aren't too many people who are able to reflect what I want in lyrics. When I listen to Western music I often think 'what good lyrics.' But I don't usually think that for too much Japanese music. Is it bad to wonder at what our appeal is? Gripping the mic and having such an attitude as, "I'll take the world!!" is almost a deception, I feel.
>> go to part two >> back to magazines 2005
