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BAND-MAID 2019.12.13 NHK FM Music Line ( English Translation )
(Introduction)-------------------------
Shiho Nanba: Shiho Nanba is sending the music-line. Tonight we had two musicians from the band-Maid. Please introduce yourself.
Miku: Wellcome home, master and princess. Kru-Po. Guitar vocal of Band-Maid, Miku Kobato, and...
Saiki: I'm vocal, Saiki.
Miku: Nice to meet you Po.
Saiki: Nice to meet you.
Shiho: It's been a long time since you appeared on this program since February last year. I think that time has passed so fast.
Miku: That's how much time has passed Po.
Shiho: How have you been?
Miku: I've been fine Po. It seemed like a moment from the last time Po.
Saiki: That's right. Hahaha.
Miku: There were a lot of things, but it seems like a moment in terms of speed Po. It passed so fast Po.
Shiho: That's why it was fulfilling. As usual, Kobato is a pigeon.
Miku: I am a pigeon as usual Po.
Shiho: I am healed already. Nice to meet you. Then let's listen to one song from the new album 'Conqueror'. Please introduce the song to listeners.
Miku: Please listen to 'Reincarnation' of Band-Maid.
(New York and Los Angeles) ---------------
Shiho: It's Music-line. The song I sent was from the new album, 'Conqueror' of tonight's guests from Band-Maid. I was drawn to the development of sprinting emotionally while wearing the sparkle and painfulness of the moment. It was super cool and cool.
Miku, Saiki: Thank you very much (Po).
Shiho: Tonight, we're welcoming Miku Kobato and Saiki from the Band-Maid. At first, I would like to ask you about your current situation. I think you have busy days. Since September, you have been on a world tour in the U.S.A.
Miku: I've been there Po.
Shiho: You had experienced live performances (okyuji) in America. How was the response this time?
Miku: It was the first time that we did a North American tour, and I was quite worried Po. We had live-performances (okyuji) in New York or Los Angeles, but masters and princesses of New York seemed to be harsh, and I heard in advance that it wasn't that easy, so "Oh, are you sure? Po." I was quite anxious, but before we opened the live-performance, tickets were all sold out, and we could greet the audience Po. I was happy with that alone, but when I actually started serving (okyuji), many masters and princesses said, "We've been waiting for you." They greeted us with great enthusiasm, so I was really happy Po. So, I feel like I'm confident that I get closer to the goal of conquering the world Po.
Shiho: Is New York said to be a harsh place?
Miku: I heard that New York was tough Po. The New Yorkers' eyes are not that easy Po.
Shiho: Some people threaten like that.
Saiki: Because we were also quite anxious, I thought it was a word including encouragement. Anything will be all right like that.
Shiho: The reaction may be completely different from country to country.
Miku: Even the same song will catch them with a different feeling at all. And American people will be riding in an easy-to-understand manner. Or the body language is quite intense, so when I said, "Wow," I was so happy to hear that voices were returned stronger many times Po.
Shiho: It looks like a lot of heat.
(overseas, a pigeon navigator)------------
Miku: Many overseas masters are bigger than Japanese masters, so the heat is naturally getting hotter Po.
Shiho: Did you have time to enjoy America?
Miku: The members went sightseeing a bit, and everyone took photos in front of Times Square Po.
Shiho: Do you spend a lot of time together while you are overseas?
Miku: When we go out, some of us get together Po. About the meal, we are usually together Po.
Saiki: Our band's navigation is Kobato. Kobato is quick to check, and even where we've never been, but she can find it right on the map.
Miku: I look like a pigeon Po. I am a pigeon navigator Po.
Saiki: Kobato, you have the blood of birds, haven't you? Ahaha!
Miku: So, recently, Sai-chan (Saiki) uses me and asks me where and where Po.
Shiho: It is very reliable, isn't it?
Saiki: Thank Kobato very much. Ahaha!
Shiho: You are good friends.
Miku: That's right Po. It seems to be so much better than other bands around here Po.
Saiki: I'm getting along so much that we are recently saying, "Too strange, isn't it?"
Miku: I didn't have a day without meeting with all the members these days, and if we didn't meet for two days Po. I would say, "Long time no see." And the conversation doesn't stop Po. "No, this is still the first time in two days.", and it seems like we haven't met for months Po.
Saiki: It's really like a family, maybe deeper than a family.
(refreshment, drinking)------------------
Shiho: I always think you are mysterious. You are lovely and happy, and I can't see a feeling of life. How do you refresh while you are busy?
Miku: What is it? Sai-chan, do you have anything Po?
Saiki: I wonder what. Well, we drink a lot of alcohol.
Miku: Kobato thought the same thing Po. However, we go to eat a delicious meal together Po. And when Sai-chan and Kobato go around in regions for promotion, even we don't have much time recently, but we like to eat delicious food in various places using the spare time Po. It seems to be the most refreshing Po.
Saiki: Drinking delicious sake. Kobato really likes Japanese sake.
Miku: Kobato likes Japanese sake, Sai-chan likes beer, and enjoys beer of various places Po.
Saiki: I drink beer.
Miku: Not all the members, but Sai-chan and me and the base mass love liquor and drink a lot Po.
Saiki: All members like Japanese sake.
Shiho: It's nice to drink with everyone.
Saiki: That's right.
Miku: It's said that if we do a closing party, we're like pirates Po. We drink well and eat well Po.
Shiho: That's how it closes.
Miku: With a lively feeling Po.
Saiki: It's a good closing. Hahaha.
Shiho: How do you get drunk?
Miku: It depends on personality Po. The bassist Misa-chan seems to laugh all the time while drinking slowly Po.
Saiki: I become gradually not to be able to understand what she is talking about.
Miku: When Sai-chan gets drunk, she smiles a lot Po.
Shiho: Your smile must be Kyun-Kyun.
Saiki: Guitarist Kanami often tells me that a lucky time has come.
Miku: Kanami loves Sai-chan very much. She says, "She's cute and too cute. If she gets drunk, Sai-chan will stick me."
Saiki: That's seemed so. I remembered it properly. Hahaha. She seems to be moonstruck with me.
Miku: Sai-chan would look like the opposite of this now. That gap makes me Kyun-Kyun Po.
Shiho: A lucky time.
Saiki: Please participate in our closing party. Hahaha.
Shiho: Surrounded by pirates?
Miku: It's OK because Kobato protects you Po.
Shiho: What will happen to Kobato?
Saiki: Kobato is just like a handsome guy.
Miku: I will be a caregiver for all members, finally Po.
Saiki: Kobato really drinks and keeps drinking until the end. When Kanami says that she can't drink anymore because she is weak for alcohol, Kobato says, "It's OK. I will drink it for you."
Shiho: You are navigating and drinking, and Kobato, you are strong‐minded.
Saiki: Kobato is strong‐minded. That's it. Hahaha.
Miku: Band-Maid is also with gaps, and members individually have gaps Po.
(festivals)---------------------------
Shiho: From summer to autumn, you participated in various festivals in Japan. Are you challenging festivals with a different consciousness than your usual live-performances (okyuji)?
Miku: I think that there are many masters and princesses who come to the festival and see us for the first time, and I am conscious that we would make them want to come back to our live performances (okyuji), so we make the setlist quite intense without much Kobato's MC (master of ceremony) Po. We hope to let the audience fell our energy and to make them enjoy the gaps of our band Po.
Saiki: There is almost no MC at the festival. And it's just like performance only.
Miku: It starts suddenly, and it's over like running away Po.
Shiho: Do you think it will be better?
Miku: That's right Po. Many people haven't listened to it so far. Or many people say, "It is said to be rock, but just idol nothing more." And many people didn't listen to us because we are in maid-outfit. So we are working hard to let those people beaten. It's our goal, Po.
(Band-Maid is shy.)-----------------
Shiho: Good luck with being a handsome guy. By the way, do you interact with other bands at festivals?
Miku: Band-Maid is a quite shy Po.
Saiki: Even at the catering service, we are gathering together only with our five members. But drummer Akane has a lot of friends, so I let her go alone. Hahaha.
Miku: Or, often, Akane introduces us to her friends, and we talk with them together Po. We are not misanthropes., but we are all shy Po. So we cast side-glances at other musicians, then we hesitate, "Let's go, oh don't go." like that Po.
Shiho: You are pretty modest.
Saiki: I want to acquire social skills and try to talk to many people.
Miku, Saiki: If we don't get sake, we will stay modest (Po). Hahaha.
Shiho: I also get nervous when I am in that circumstance.
Miku: In the case with live-performances (okyuji), we are OK. But otherwise, we become Kyun-Kyun, nervous Po.
(the manager washes their costumes by hand)--
Shiho: I think you are nice as you are. In a recent topic, she appeared on NHK Educational Broadcasting 'Shibuya no oto'. At that time, on SNS of the program announcement, there was information. It said that your manager washes your costumes by hand. Is that so? Your costumes are protected by your manager.
Saiki: Not only he washes by hands, but he also does the ironing. Pleats are quite fine, so it's a delicate and difficult task.
Miku: At this time, his ironing seems to be very fast. He said he wasn't sure at the beginning, but now surprisingly, he does it very fast. It ends in a moment.
Shiho: It is a man.
Miku, Saiki: That's right (Po).
Shiho: It is a tear-jerking story.
Miku, Saiki: We really appreciate it (Po).
Shiho: That's a good story. I feel relaxed.
Saiki: Band-Maid is a One-team. I just appreciate it. Hahaha.
(the year 2019, the secret of beauty)-----
Shiho: It's December, so this year is about to end. What year was this year for the band?
Miku: It seems like it was a very fast year Po. We set a goal and a theme at the beginning of this year Po. It's "turbulent (Gekido)" Po. We also went around the tour with this subtitle "turbulent (Gekido)" Po. It was a perfect year for us to say that it was really turbulent Po. We have been moving all the time, and we traveled around regardless of overseas or domestic places Po. We have done many live-performances (okyuji) in various places, festivals. And so many memories that I couldn't talk about, so I thought it was a turbulent year Po. So now it seems December Po.
Shiho: The remaining half a month, have you left anything?
Saiki: I like muscle training, but it wasn't enough to build a body as such that I had set the goal. I want to raise my hips.
Miku: When changing clothes, Sai-chan often asks me, "Did my hips raise up?", Po.
Saiki: Hahaha. Without others' opinions, it's hard for me to check it. So ask her to confirm it.
Shiho: So, to raise your hips was the focus of this year.
Saiki: Well, I trained my hips and legs to make my legs straighter. I have been doing my best, but half a month is not enough. Hahaha.
Shiho: You are already beautiful.
Miku: Sai-chan has a very high sense of beauty.
Saiki: There are times when I get into a slump. Hahaha!
Shiho: Please tell me the secret of beauty.
Saiki: The secret of beauty? The secret? Well, what is it? It may be my stiffness, or I want to complete something once I started it. I am very thankful for the video site on the Internet about the training. I have decided to do this training and stretching. Because I decide to do it first, I can do it. Hahaha. The secret is to make it a habit, isn't it?
Shiho: Are you strict with yourself?
Saiki: That's right. Yes. I don't think there's any regret. Hahaha.
(winning horserace tickets)---------------
Shiho: Kobato, how about you?
Miku: It was that there weren't many winning horserace tickets Po. I couldn't go to the racetrack often. But I will do my best at the end of the year because there are big races. But maybe I can't go to racetracks and see horses these days. Ah, it has nothing to do with the topic of the maid's beauty, sorry Po.
Shiho: But you are like a handsome guy.
Miku: I look like a handsome guy Po.
(The Dragon Cries)-----------------
Shiho: One song from the new album. Please introduce the song.
Saiki: The Dragon Cries produced by Tony Visconti, a famous producer from 'Conqueror'.
(Song)
Shiho: The edge is effective. It's heavy, and it has a profound feeling. I was fascinated. This song is also like a superman.
Miku: This is a 'simple is the best' song Po. Band-Maid has never been so simple and cool like this so far, so it seems to be a new type of song Po.
Shiho: I would like to ask you about songs from here. In the previous album 'World Domination', it was an album that manifested again the "World Conquest". It has been the goal since the formation of the band. What was your thought on the new album this time?
Miku: At the previous 'World Domination', we made it in a very busy schedule, so it seemed like we were desperately making songs Po. Our members felt that we were cornered to make an album Po. So this time, we decided to make songs gradually and continuously. We were recording and singing songs in between, not aiming to make an album. We talked to each other that it would be good to have a song like this or that during the live-performance (okyuji) tour, and Sai-chan asked guitarist Kanami to make it Po. When the final days of the tour were scheduled, it would be the time when we would make an album Po. We gathered songs we had been recording and produced the missing parts, so this album took the longest time to be completed, and it contains very versatile tunes.
Shiho: So many songs are offensive and aggressive.
Miku: When making music, Band-Maid always thinks live performances the most important, so this time while we were on tour, we thought that we wanted to do that kind of music and we hoped that we could see such a landscape, and then there are a lot of such songs Po. So we'd like people to hear this album and imagine the live performance (okyuji), or we hope that people would get more motivated to go to the live.
Shiho: Offensive and aggressive.
Miku: That's right. Thank you Po.
Shiho: 'Conqueror' that became the title of this album has the meaning of 'the one who conquers', and I feel a strong will that the band is moving forward towards the goal.
Miku: 'World Domination' set our primary goal of 'conquering the world', so this time it was quite a matter of the title. I made a lot of proposals. I want to select a stronger title than 'World Domination'. In the meaning that 'Conqueror' is 'the one who conquers', so we manifested that we want to be the conqueror of the future. We put this meaning into this title Po.
Shiho: Are you gaining experience and increasing confidence?
Miku: The more we play in various places, and the more people say "we are waiting," the more confidence we can have.
(the way of making music)-----------------
Shiho: You mentioned that this is the first album in about two years and that you devoted much time to the production. Did you have many discussions among the members?
Miku: This time, there are songs that we did the first way to make songs, so we discussed much. Usually, Kanami of the guitar made all the rough demos and melodies. Then she gave them to us, but this time, in No.14; Blooming, Kanami assigned us, 'Please make melodies Po'. Ah, Kanami doesn't say, "Po." (laughing) Each member offered one or two favorite phrases to Kanami, and then Kamani picked up a little by little to make a melody Po. So it became a different kind of melody which we never had. But, Kanami-chan herself doesn't remember which part is who's, and we all forgot which was which Po.
Saiki: After completion, I was told that this was of Sai-chan, but I didn't find it was mine at all.
Shiho: Is there something strange like that?
Miku: Where is it Po? Like that.
Saiki: Hatena (let me see)? Like. However, I felt that it became really cool.
Miku: The only thing I remembered was the new method of putting another melody in the second half of the main melody, 'far away'. But it was said that I submitted it as a hook. So was it Po? It's good Po.
Shiho: Is there something you felt important in terms of arrangements?
Miku: There are songs made with the new sound-making method. For example, overlaying the sound by programming on the raw drum sound, or combining sounds that are not just raw sounds Po. We tried new things that we have not done yet in terms of sound-making Po.
'Glory' and 'Bubble' had been released as singles. We also remixed those two to fit into the atmosphere of this album Po.
Shiho: Some songs would shine in your live-performance.
Miku: For this album, I consciously asked Kanami-chan to compose songs that master and princess could sing along. And I asked Sai-chan to suggest for Kanami-chan. Such songs would get livened up Po. So such songs became many Po.
Shiho: Would you tell me what parts of you have grown up through accumulating works?
Saiki: The previous 'World Domination' was a declaration of the conquest of the world, so there were some one-way or thrashing parts. But in this 'Conqueror', we have a feeling that we want people to understand why Band-Maid intends to be the one who conquers, so we want to and can snuggle up to masters and princesses.
Miku: Not only by ourselves, but we wish to be all together with masters and princesses and make songs, which makes me think that we have grown up Po.
Saiki: There are a lot of middle tempo songs. And I make an emotional part in the second half of the live-performance (okyuji). Then I wanted selectively songs that would shine even better and better there. So the number of people who like middle tempo songs has gradually increased, which shows our growth.
Shiho: Do you mean that you have also opened yourself?
Miku: I became strong to think that we want wider and broader people to listen to our music, and I think Band-Maid is widened in that part Po.
Shiho: There is a part that your overseas experiences have influenced your work.
Miku: Many overseas masters and princesses sing-along, so I'm writing songs and choosing words with the conscious of being able to be sung-along overseas Po.
(Tony Visconti)-------------------------
Shiho: The topic of this time is that the 11th song 'The Dragon Cries' was produced after receiving an enthusiastic offer from Tony Visconti, the producer of David Bowie and T-Rex. It's amazing.
Miku: I wonder if it is real (laughs). But Mr. Thomas came to know the existence of Band-Maid and wrote the lyrics. And he really loved us, and then Mr. Thomas was originally and friendly close with Mr. Tony, so he told Mr. Tony that there was a band called Band-Maid. And from that time Mr. Tony seemed to love Band-Maid, so they came to talk to us Po. They said that they would like to do a song together with us, so they were very welcome. So please do it Po.
Shiho: What did you talk with Mr. Tony?
Miku: Sai-chan and I performed vocal recordings in Tony's studio in New York. I was nervous Po. At first, I was anxious about whether it was OK. But Tony was kind and friendly, trying to get along with our personal stories, and taking care of us to be able to do our best Po. He was anyway encouraging us with praise. He is very good at praising us Po.
Saiki: He made us feel at ease very much, and he inspired us as well. He asked me, "What was the music in your background?" "I will listen to it because I didn't know it." He was talking to me very favorably. Hahaha.
Miku: When we were recording, even if I made a mistake, he said, "That was good." He praised me and said, "Let's use it." He mad a melody instantaneously, changed the melody work, so it has changed considerably, Po. This recording was perfect and very pleasant for us because he pulled our various drawers open Po.
Saiki: Since the comPosition was done by Band-Maid, he praised it, and he was very careful with guitarist Kanami, like saying, "Is it OK to change here?" Hahaha.
Miku: He asked, "Would Kanami get angry?"
(laughing)
Saiki: I said, "I don't think she would get angry at all." Mr. Tony is really cute.
Miku: After recording, we did the live-performance (okyuji) in New York, he came to see our stage. When we said, "Goodbye!", I was already very much touched.
Saiki: My eyes got moist, and I cried too. Hahaha.
Shiho: Mr. Tony became your master.
Miku: He seemed to be an overseas family member Po. It was a short period, but it seemed like it was so dense Po. I felt happy Po. I have only thanks Po.
Shiho: That's a perfect finish.
Saiki: He added Tony's view of the world in a nice way. So I was convinced that there was such an American sound and that Band-Maid might be able to do it in the United States with confidence.
(the order of the songs)------------------
Shiho: There are 15 songs on the album. Were you worrying about the order of the songs?
Miku: I was pretty worried. There were many songs with strong colors, so Sai-chan decided the first song should be 'Page'.
Shiho: As I expected, you have no doubt.
Saiki: Hahaha! Since 'Page' is a song that we tried the new method for the first time in drumming sounds and production itself, and it is also a form of the future Band-Maid, so I want to bring it to the first song. Then I asked, "Hey, Kobato. What do you think about it?" Hahaha! After that, with Kobato, I decided on the order of songs and got confirmation of all other members.
Miku: I wasn't sure what to do with the first and last songs, and where to put Tony's 'Dragon Cries'. But once that places were decided, things went smoothly, Po.
(Song: Blooming)
Shiho: I will inform the listeners about your future plans. (Omitted). Please give a message to the listener.
Miku: This time, with this album, its title was 'turbulent', and it was a challenge that we had never been done before or all the members themselves challenged, and the setlist was changed every time, and at each time of the live-performance (okyuji) should be special Po. So I hope people can come back to the live-performance again and again. And the final of the live-performance (okyuji) will be 'from turbulence to evolution', so the title is going up to one higher level Po. Since it will be a live performance that can blossom with the things that we have grown and challenged so far Po. I would like to make a wonderful live-performance (okyuji) together with many masters and princesses Po.
I'm looking forward to their 'welcome home'.
Saiki: 'Conqueror' is the album that all the members have done the best to make. So I want all of you to listen over to it many times and tell me which is your favorite song. I would be glad if you had any comments like "I like such a thing." So please look forward to it.
Shiho: Thank you very much. Tonight's guests were Miku Kobato, Band-Maid guitar vocal, and Saiki, the vocalist.
Miku, Saiki: Thank you very much (Po).
END
(translated by Fujita Iori)
