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SHIVA has a dark and mysterious image, but what else do you need to know?
This interview is the perfect opportunity to get to know the band!
First of all we would like to ask what the band name SHIVA means and why you chose it?
TOKIYA: We chose the name, because it’s easy to remember and because we thought that SHIVA as the goddess of destruction and reproduction is cool. It is also suitable for music.
You decided to move the band as SHIVA from Osaka to Tokyo. What is the reason behind that?
TOKIYA: We started in Osaka, but when the members changed completely we used it as an opportunity and moved to Tokyo. Another reason was that if we couldn’t make it in Tokyo, we also wouldn’t be able to tour nationwide.
Why did you decide to start a band?
DAICHI: After listening to LITTLE LINDA of Asai Kenichi from BLANKEY JET CITY I became interested in bands and before I realised it, I owned a guitar.
YUKITO: When I was in high school I saw a courtyard concert of the popular music club. All I could look at were the drums. I’m a drum-fangirl (laughs).
NATSUKI: For me it was also a light music club.
TOKIYA: The moment I came across visual kei, I decided to follow this path.
How did the 4 of you meet?
NATSUKI: I gathered the most handsome guys I knew within the industry.
Why did you choose visual kei?
NATSUKI: Because of the darkness in my heart.
TOKIYA: I thought the rough, scary and dangerous image was cool.
YUKITO: Because of my parents I grew up with L’Arc〜en〜Ciel and from there I started to listen to visual kei bands like Janne Da Arc and the GazettE. And then one day an unexpected friend gave me no other choice but to join his visual kei band. And here we are.
DAICHI: When I got stuck with my former band, a friend introduced me to SHIVA. Because TOKIYA listened to the music of my former band and liked it, I thought we could do music together and joined the band.
Are there bands you got influenced by?
TOKIYA: DIR EN GREY.
DAICHI: BLANKEY JET CITY and Aerosmith to which I listen since my student days.
NATSUKI: GLAY, SOPHIA and SID.
YUKITO: L’Arc〜en〜Ciel, Janne Da Arc and UVERworld.
How do you proceed during song production?
DAICHI: I think about making songs that would be cool for SHIVA to perform during concerts. Regarding the concept of new works, I often do research and select a sound that can explain the concept. But after all, when I’m composing I keep in mind that TOKIYA has to sing the song. No matter how cool I think a song is, it’s a dead end if I can’t imagine TOKIYA singing it (laughs).
Which song would you recommend to get an impression of your music?
TOKIYA: For the current concept it’s KAMIKAZE (カミカゼ).
Your first album CATASTROPHE will be released in April. What kind of album can we expect?
TOKIYA: It’s our first album, but it will be connected to everything that will follow. So as a visual kei band we will present something that everyone will think is cool.
Since it was produced during the current pandemic, was it also influenced by it?
TOKIYA: It somewhat got influenced by it. But I was already writing songs about the end of the world and it’s destruction for a long time. I guess I was ahead of time.
DAICHI: I didn’t think that it turned out like this because of the whole world suffering under the coronavirus. But after all, every living person has feelings regarding the current situation and even if I wasn’t aware of it, the songs do contain those feelings of mine.
What are the characteristics of your concerts?
YUKITO: It’s intonation. I think SHIVA has a strong image of hard songs, but to be honest our ballads are enchanting. That’s why in order to make the best out of hard songs and ballads we make sure to combine both elements in our setlist. Also, the world view of SHIVA is something you don’t find twice.
Which song is the most fun at concerts?
NATSUKI: I like playing VEDA (ヴェーダ) the most.
TOKIYA: Lately it’s RETINA IN THE SNOW. Expressing that kind of worldview is what I like the most.
YUKITO: For me it’s RETINA IN THE SNOW, which we released last year in December. Playing with a dignified bearing and beating heavy during a concert causes a little bit of tension, but it’s fun like that.
DAICHI: I have the most fun the moment I feel the band and fans becoming one.
For your The code of Catastrophe Tour you have one-man concerts and shows with other bands planned. What are your impressions?
DAICHI: With corona it’s still a difficult situation, but I hope it will be a tour that can show our new songs,our intentions and current state as a band.
YUKITO: It’s the first album of the 4 of us, so if there is a chance for as many people as possible to listen to it, then I don’t care if it’s a one-man or an event. We are grateful to perform with local bands, so we are looking forward to it.
NATSUKI: We will destroy everything completely.
TOKIYA: We will thoroughly reproduce the world view of the album and create a unique SHIVA world.
Which do you prefer in general?
DAICHI: The form doesn’t matter, because that day isn’t like any other day, so every concert is the best.
TOKIYA: Oneman concerts.
NATSUKI: I think nothing beats a oneman.
YUKITO: Both have advantages, but I’m always concerned about how people perceive us when they see us for the first time.That will never change, I think. Therefore my passion are events.
Is there something you always have to do before a concert?
DAICHI: Because I don’t like it if my body is heavy during a concert, I stretch and only eat in the morning of the day.
NATSUKI: I’m only getting into the mood.
TOKIYA: Smoking and drinking Red Bull.
YUKITO: Because all of us are still heavy smokers, we are smoking until the SE and prepare ourselves mentally (laughs). Otherwise we won’t calm down.
What is the funniest thing that happened so far during a tour?
DAICHI: When the members are around it’s alway amusing and fun.
YUKITO: I can’t choose, because there aren’t any days that aren’t fun.
TOKIYA: When YUKITO was fined for speeding.
NATSUKI: During my MC there is alway an outburst of laughter (laughing hard).
Your music is internationally available on various music distribution services such as Spotify. Do you plan to go overseas one day?
NATSUKI: It’s a dream of mine to perform overseas.
TOKIYA: I want to visit Europe once before I die, so I want to do a tour in Europe.
DAICHI: I want to! In addition, I also want to see concerts of local bands.
YUKITO: I think SHIVA is probably quite popular overseas (laughs). I can totally imagine TOKIYA stirring up overseas venues! I want to go when the time comes.
And before we close this interview, we would like to ask you to leave a message to your overseas fans.
DAICHI: Thank you for supporting SHIVA even if you are far away. I’ll definitely go see you so please wait!
NATSUKI: I love you so much.
YUKITO: I’m grateful for this era where distributions can cross the ocean to wherever you are. There might be many difficult expressions in our songs, but just as we are listening to western music and think it’s cool, even if you don’t understand the lyrics, I think the melody and sound can convince you.
TOKIYA: It may be difficult to do concerts outside of Japan, but please get in contact with our music through online streaming services. We will meet overseas when we’re a bigger band.
It would be great if you could support us with a small donation.
It might not be much for you, but it would help us providing more and better interviews in the future.
With a little bit of your support we might be able to realize even more!
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