BAND IN: Luv PARADE(Jun 2022)

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Luv Parade is a join project of the ex. D’ESPAIRSRAY members Karyu, ZERO & TSUKASA with guest vocal TAKA (defspiral). It is really exciting to have them united again, and they shared some really interesting facts about why they created the band and what we can expect from them!

German

Thank you very much for the opportunity to interview you again! So far, we have had the pleasure to talk with you for your projects, THE MICRO HEAD 4N’S, OFIAM, and Karyu’s solo project. We are really excited to talk with you about your joint project Luv PARADE. First of all: How does it feel to once again work together on music after all these years?

Karyu: Because we have not gotten together as a band as of this moment, I’m looking forward to seeing how much we can express with our current skills, which are different from how they were before.

ZERO: Apart from the D’ESPAIRSRAY live concert in 2014, this is the first project in roughly 11 years. That is why I think it has some sense of nostalgia. But I am also looking forward to see how these fresh sensations, that stem from various changes after our last project, feel when we mix them.

TSUKASA: I am very happy. I am excited to see what kind of development you can perceive now that we have become older.

You started Luv PARADE in 2009 while you were still active as D’ESPAIRSRAY. Could you tell us why you chose the name Luv PARADE for your project and how it actually started?

TSUKASA: I think it was a phrase coming from a tour name from D’ESPAIRSRAY. At first we also thought of D’ESPAIRSRAY, but since our vocalist, HIZUMI, still has troubles with his throat, we deemed this difficult. Then we remembered our activities as Luv PARADE and we got HIZUMI to participate through his designs. That is the way it went.

And how did TAKA (defspiral) join Luv PARADE as a guest vocalist?

Karyu: He had already joined us as guest vocalist in the past. Needless to say, he is fabulously talented, so of course we wanted him to sing for us again.

ZERO: We were in a situation where we could not hold a final concert for the disbandment of D’ESPAIRSRAY. However, we wanted to return something to everyone who has supported us up until now, even if it was just a little, and therefore did everything we could at that time. We asked TAKA for a favor, because we were acquainted at that time and we had a connection from touring together in the US for a long time.

TSUKASA: We became good friends while touring around the US together. Therefore it was clear that it had to be TAKA, if we were to ask anybody.

It’s been a while since you last played together, but what do you enjoy most while playing together on stage?

Karyu: I do not know, since we have not produced any music in the current phase yet. We are currently in a phase of having meetings and everything is proceeding smoothly, so I think I have a good feeling about this.

ZERO: Maybe that we frolic around like idiots?

TSUKASA: One of our unique characteristics is that we are overflowing with emotions that aren’t always positive, which is pretty interesting.

Do you have a ritual or habbit you definitely need to do before a live show?

Karyu: I use autosuggestion as a final resort to bring out the best performance from me.

ZERO: Meditation.

TSUKASA: I hold my sticks backwards and move them around.

Luv PARADE will host an event called DEVIL’S PARTY on June 20th in the Spotify O-East venue. The show will also be broadcast online, which is great for fans in Japan who can’t attend the concert, as well as fans from overseas who currently don’t have the opportunity to travel to Japan. What do you think about live streams in general and compared to experiencing live shows in person?

Karyu: As one might expect, I do not think it can win against experiencing a live show in person. But through live streams you can feel the music and atmosphere of concerts.This event is especially important because of what kind of things will take place there; that’s why I think that there will be many things to enjoy even via the live stream.

ZERO: Due to the fact that you are actually viewing the concert on a screen, there isn’t much of a difference to how it feels to watch a LIVE DVD, I guess. But for people who can not come to the venue directly, this is probably a new modality of concerts where they can still see the show in real time. Although, I naturally would like everyone to see us directly at the venue.

TSUKASA: By now, streaming lives has kind of become a given and I have experience with them because of THE MICRO HEAD 4N’S. Therefore, I just accepted that this is the age for these things. It is an amazing technology for people who can not come to see us even though they want to. However, Luv PARADE is a band with a greatness that you can only feel live, where you can feel the acoustic pressure, the drive and the power coming off from the stage. In regards to this, I would recommend experiencing it live, but I think you can fully enjoy our concerts through streaming as well.

I think many of our readers don’t know what to expect from your live show, especially because it wasn’t possible to watch concerts online 10 years ago. Could you explain what kind of show or songs you will do?

Karyu: The current Luv PARADE will focus on cover songs and those will be songs from D’ESPAIRSRAY as well as songs from The Underneath, which is the band TAKA was part of when we met him. For now, we have rearranged 2 cover songs and we managed to arrange them in a style typical for ourselves, so I think you will be able to enjoy these.

ZERO: Luv PARADE from 11 years ago covered the songs we loved ourselves at that time. We wanted everyone to sing D’ESPAIRSRAY’s songs, that’s why we presented the songs only with our instruments. The concept of Luv PARADE was a cover band and this time again it feels like we contributed the songs each of us wants to play. Still, several songs turned into original versions made by Karyu, so please look forward to those!

TSUKASA: Our style is to arrange and perform well-known songs in the manner of Luv PARADE. I think you will be able to listen to something highly perfect.

Do you still remember how to play the songs from that time? Or do you need to re-learn them for the event?

Karyu: Our performance evolves constantly, so I am confident that we will improve our level even further.

ZERO: I think we will make some upgrades.

All of you are pretty busy with band activities, your solo projects, and session bands, but what do you do to relax?

Karyu: I have been playing eFootball recently.

ZERO: I think the different activities will become a short breather for me.

TSUKASA: I can relax while watching House Paradise (Watanabe Atsushi no Tatemono Tanbō / 渡辺篤史の建物探訪; a report-style architectural tv program with actor Atsushi Watanabe).

And before we end this interview, please let us know your expectations and hopes for the upcoming live, as well as a message for your fans overseas!

Karyu: Since I am not playing in a band right now, I feel thankful to be able to face music through Luv PARADE and my session band. At the same time, I am excited to have this happen in the form of such an event. If this turns out successful, it would be great to host this event overseas in the future, too. So the event this time is only the start. I hope that our fans in Japan, as well as our fans overseas, will without fail watch this beginning. With everyone who will be able to attend the concert at the venue, including myself, and also, since there is a live stream, together with the people who can not come to the venue, I wish to make this a good occasion that will evoke parts that become our memory or revive happy recollections of the past. So please support us!

ZERO: With Luv PARADE as a core this event branches into OFIAM, defspiral, and Karyu’s session band. Each band that appears at this event is deeply involved in it, making it a somewhat different event. I think you will be able to enjoy this from beginning to end. That is also the reason why we will stream it online, so please make sure to participate from abroad as well!

TSUKASA: I, myself, can not help but look forward to putting together our sounds for the first time in over 10 years. I think it is unique to Luv PARADE that I will be able to play heavy drums with an aggressive nuanced, strong sound. Therefore, I am sure that people who like D’ESPAIRSRAY will be able to enjoy this. Eventually, we are looking to go overseas again, so please support us!

(Interview execution date: 27th April)

Interview: Jenny
Translation: Katha
English Edit: Kaity