Relay Interviews [Squeeze Spirits] : Lay x Mizuha
Relay: Lay x Mizuha : Part 2 [translator's notes in brackets [] ]
'Inevitability =/= Happenstance.'
Mizuha: Yeah. We do things a bit differently nowadays.
Lay: Things have changed, huh.
SS: You have to first think that you're going to change things, right.
Lay: Right, that's what happens from the start.
SS: Uhm, do you remember anything about your first live?
Lay & Mizuha: First live .... (thinking)
Lay: I don't really have any clear memories of Fatima's first live (thinking) ... The set list was probably "Downer" "Blind" "Love me" afterwards probably "Candy Strippers" .... and perhaps "Fortune."
Mizuha: Yeah, I think we did that.
Lay: Yeah. I get the feeling that that was probably the set list.
SS: Is it possible that you still play all of the songs that you played way back then?
Lay: We still play them all.
SS: That's incredible!
Mizuha: I don't remember the first live.
Lay: Yeah, me neither.
SS: It might be because the period between the kaisan of your first band and the creation of Fatima wasn't very long.
Lay: I wrote songs during that period!
SS: So that's when such famous music was born.
Lay: Somehow I was writing songs really fast during that period! I was thinking even to myself, 'This is fast!' I can't write songs that fast nowadays (laughs).
SS: ........... (small laugh)
Mizuha: "Blind" is from that period, right?
Lay: Yeah, both "Blind" and "Love me." "Blind" was the first song I ever created. I made it when I was about 18 years old. After that it was "Love me."
SS: I think it's wonderful that you still play these songs from such early days. And so now with the present Fatima, how do you picture the path that you will take?
Lay & Mizuha: .......
Lay: Ah well, it's not like we'll keep smoldering where we are, we'll just keep going forward.
SS: .... Is that right?
Lay: Mm .... Fatima's performance has changed at times. We've had a term of change. When our first drummer left, I sort of had the feeling that we were going to break up. And this wasn't about the songs, but it was more over the band's image and atmosphere. Then with the next guitarist, and another new drummer, we started in this form. Soon after that drummer left, and the current drummer joined up, and it turned into the five of us. If I compare how we are now to how we started, probably most everything has changed. I don't know what would have happened if we'd continued with the very first members, but I don't know if we'd still be around ....
SS: I see. After that, you still performed the same songs with the same members, but the atmosphere surrounding the band and the songs probably changed a bit.
Lay: Yes, that's right.
SS: This is sort of a personal question, but are the both of you similar in your personalities?
Lay & Mizuha: We're completely different!
Lay: But isn't that a good thing? I don't think I'd get along well with someone who was exactly like me.
Mizuha: Isn't that how it is?
Lay: Probably. Somehow, that's how I feel.
SS: There must be something that the both of you share, hobbies or something like that.
Mizuha: Ah, that (laughs).
Lay: There is that, and we are the same age. But at the heart of everything, I think we're completely different from each other.
Mizuha: I don't really have good taste, or sense ...
SS: Well it's not a bad thing to be comfortable with each other, since you two have known each other for so long ....
Lay & Mizuha: That's right! (laughs)
Mizuha: From the very beginning, how long would we spend together after recording? (laughs)
Lay: Aaa, a long time, huh (laughs).
Mizuha: There was no reason for it really, but we'd stay in that studio forever (laughs).
Lay: Right right right! We'd just talk about completely useless bullshit.
SS: And was that fun?
Lay & Mizuha: It was fun! (huge smile)
Lay: But I think that's extremely important. I mean, you can meet just to talk about music and stuff like that but .... aren't all of us comrades? We talk and talk and talk (laughs).
Mizuha: (laughs)
Lay: There really is a feeling of comaraderie. It's almost like a family.
SS: Would you want to give a clearer explanation on that?
Lay: Hmm, either way is fine but ... There's good parts and bad parts, but it's not a problem. It's just .... I don't think we have a member who has a bad personality or anything. We're all human, and there are times that we get pissed at each other, but we always forgive each other. And the times when we're separated from that band part of ourselves, and not doing anything with music, it feels like a family. We've spent a lot of time together since the very start. We have to be together to do a lot of stuff for the band, but even when we don't need to be doing things for the band we're usually together.
Mizuha: We usually go somewhere after being in the studio (laughs).
Lay: That's right, after recording we usually all go out together to do something (laughs).
Mizuha: We've done that a lot!
Lay: We also had a time where everyone in the band was really into giving each other dares. Everyone says I'm scary, but I make them follow along (laughs).
Mizuha: aahhahahahah (laughs)
Lay: It's all in fun so it's all good though (laughs).
SS: You guys really are great friends even outside of the band, huh?
Lay: Yes. But I think it's probably better that way.
SS: Because you'll probably keep this band going for a long time.
Lay: Aah, there is that possibility. The people that I associate myself with are usually deep, and it's not a large number of people. And so I want that part of the members. I don't really need that many friends. I'm only friends with those that I get along with really well.
Mizuha: Yeah. At the worst, it's like, it's fine as long as I'm still friends with the members. Afterwards, there's just enemies (laughs).
Lay: Right, right, right. We're not rivals with each other. Of course we're friends, but the feelings among us are slightly different.
Mizuha: Different, yeah. Regarding other bands, we can get along and be friends, but there's an abundance, and it's regrettable that it's usually fake.
SS: I see. Well then, what do you think is the biggest change that you've made from when you very first met up till now?
Lay: Our hair!!!
Mizuha: (laughs)
SS: Ooh, appearances (laughs).
Lay: Nothing on the inside has changed.
Mizuha: That's true.
Lay: Probably, I really haven't changed. Only in appearance (laughs).
Mizuha: Our hair ....
Lay: In any case, you had long hair! It was really really long.
Mizuha: Mm ... But... I cut it pretty quickly after that (laughs).
Lay: Cut it .... Did you cut it while you were in the band before Fatima?
Mizuha: Yes, I cut it at Meguro MayKan! (laughs).
Lay: My hair was also a little lengthy....
Mizuha: Didn't everyone have long hair! (laughs)
Lay: Everyone did have long hair in that band, basically (laughs). Me and the drummer had our hair to our shoulders, and the other three had their hair to their waists. In the band before Fatima, I cut my hair at the very last, and I'll never grow it long again. I feel like I always want it to be like this.
SS: It takes a lot of courage to cut waist-length hair though.
Mizuha: Yeah, but at the same time it was like, I'm done with this (laughs).
Lay: I thought it was that you liked metal, and so you had to grow it long.
Mizuha: ahahahahhahahah (huge laugh).
SS: I don't know what the truth is here (small laugh).
Lay: No, really. You like metal right?
Mizuha: Metal's the best!!!! (laughs)
Lay: For me, metal is the only thing I just can't listen to. I can listen to anything else, heavy metal and me just do not mix.
SS: Heavy metal?
Lay: Aah, it's no good!!! (small laugh)
Mizuha: (in a quiet voice) Heavy metal is the best!!!!! (laughs)
Lay: ahahahhaha....
SS: That's surprising about heavy metal (laughs). So the both of you, with the exception of appearances, haven't changed.
Lay: ... Have I changed?
Mizuha: Hmm ... Probably, if an outsider saw you, they'd say you hadn't changed. (once more in a quiet voice) But you've gotten a lot calmer (laughs).
Lay: Aa ... really.
Mizuha: But basically, you haven't changed. I feel like you're just you, as usual (laughs). As usual, you always flip off anyone you feel like (laughs).
SS: He probably is rather offensive, huh? (laughs)
Mizuha: As usual, he's the person that other bands don't like (laughs).
Lay: That hasn't changed from so long ago (laughs).
SS: .... I'm not sure what I should mention ... (small laugh).
Lay & Mizuha: It's okay to write down everything (laughs).
SS: Okay then (laughs). Then lastly, what's something that the both of you wish for?
Lay: What should I say .... (thinks). I don't want Mizuha to become strangely sophisticated. If you look at Fatima, he's the pure, genuine one. He's sort of a kid at heart. He judges things like, 'This is good because it's good, and this is bad because it's bad.' And he's always questioning whether or not something is funny. .... I don't want him to turn into accepting something just because it seems like there's nothing that can be done about it. That's very adultish. As for myself, I don't like Disney, and I have no interest in fairy tales...
SS: But, liking fairy tales doesn't automatically make you childish.
Lay: True, but that's not what I mean. What is sort of childish is always wanting to be doing something fun, and always wanting to be excited. That's inside of Mizuha, and I don't want it to disappear from him. I think that's the biggest part of me that's changed.
SS: What?
Lay: Well ... When I was in my old band(s) the images that I carried with me have changed significantly since I started my own. The things that I've done with the band have risen, for example, how I think about fans .... It was all pretty much a dream (small laugh).
Mizuha: fuhahahahaha...
Lay: I know reality, and have had moments of despair, disappointment and have been shocked by it.
SS: Is it okay to write this as well? (small laugh).
Mizuha: Keep writing please! (laughs)
