Interview ~ GaGaalinG: July 4, 2008
Anime Expo 2008
Last year at PMX, we got to interview MYM, the vocalist of GaGaalinG. This time, the whole band attended Anime Expo, and we got a chance to sit down with all four members.
Lets introduce ourselves!
Mym: I am Mym. I do vocals.
Jun: I am Jun on bass.
Moto: I am Moto on guitar.
Cherry: Cherry on drums!
First of all, good work during the live yesterday. It was your first performance in America and the crowd seemed really into it and very enthusastic!
GaGaalinG: Thank you very much!
How did you feel the live went yesterday?
Mym: It was the first time all four of us came to the US and were able to perform live. I was excited but also glad that this was able to happen.
Also how did you feel this live compared to lives you've performed in Japan?
Mym: The audience was way more hyped up here. I could feel the energy.
What are live performances GaGaalinG presents generally like in Japan?
Jun: Even in Japan, depending on the region it can be different.
Do the audiences react differently? Comparing US to Japan.
Jun: Yeah, I feel like the rhythm the audiences capture is a little bit different.
Last night everyone followed everything that you did. Did the behavior like that surprise you?
Mym: Of course in Japan they do the same thing but there's some people who only want to follow what others around them do. I felt the US audience were excited as a whole and were trying to enjoy the moment for themselves.
This particular live was at an anime convention not a regular venue.
Mym: I feel that anime, fashion, and music are all linked together. I mean, I want a lot of people to listen to our music so I'm just happy that the opportunity came up. (Laughs) Looking out in the audience I could see... all these cosplayers, like, all these different characters. It made me really happy!
Did you recognize the characters they were cosplaying?
Cherry: Oh there were so many!
Mym: Too many! (Laughter)
(Laughs) So, going back to the live, did you feel as a whole that it was successful?
Mym: Big success!! (Laughs)
Jun: Great first time live!
Lets talk a bit about your music. Recently you released Royal Stranger. How would you describe the album?
Cherry: Same as always. (Laughs)
Mym: We're trying to express to the world a new genre. Gothic loud rock. I really feel like Royal Stranger expresses that sound we were looking for to showcase to the world.
Going off of that, what is your ultimate goal with this album?
Moto: The goal we're aiming for is rock, fashion and Mym's energy to be sent out to the world!
Mym: Mm, we want to intermix all our style, our music and our visual aspects and try to form the genre that GaGaalinG can present to the world.
Maybe some people would classify GaGaalinG as visual kei. What would you say separates GaGaalinG from the rest of the visual kei artists?
Moto: Our sound is heavy but the melody is catchy pop. We're intermixing pop and heavy.
Mym: Compared to anyone else.
Cherry: Another thing that makes us stand out is we have a female vocalist.
Yes, yes, that is true. GaGaalinG is one of few bands that carries a female vocalist.
Mym: I want to be a pioneer and I'm not going to lose. I want to use that same energy and beat Janne da arc. (Laughs)
Visual kei has recently become more popular in the US. Do you see any setbacks associated with that?
Mym: Visual kei is Japanese culture. I think it's valuable that this aspect of Japanese culture is popular in the US. I think it's really good...
But visual kei isn't as popular in Japan as Jpop, which here in the US isn't as well known about as visual kei.
Moto: In Japan, well, all the popular music that comes from the US to Japan is like two or three years old. So it doesn't seem too far fetched.
Who are your favorite artists?
Cherry: Linkin Park? And as for Japanese artist, I really like abingdon boys school.
Jun: For me it'd be Korn. And Japanese? Japanese band.... band... Southern All-Stars! (Laughter)
Well, Mym, we interviewed you solo before. Please describe your bandmates for us!
Jun: Mym describe us? (Looks to Cherry)
Cherry: Be kind to us! (Laughter)
Mym: I don't know if I can do that. (Laughs) I really feel like they're my real, big brothers. I feel that Moto is a brilliant, smart person. Cherry's heart and drum skills are his strength. His heart is completely into drumming and he's very talented. Jun always leads! He's such a great leader!
Thank you very much!
GaGaalinG: Thank you!! Please watch for us! We'll do our best!
Interview by Sarah; photos by Kei
Thank you to GaGaalinG for taking time to answer our questions; thank you to J-PANICK! for making this possible.
links
GaGaalinG Official Website
GaGaalinG Official MySpace
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