Interview with THE SOUND BEE HD

In an interview that comes just a few months after THE SOUND BEE HD recorded a New Year video message for JaME, the visual kei band talks about their ENDLESS DEAD single and various projects outside of the band.

You spoke a bit about the inspiration behind the title track of your latest single ENDLESS DEAD in the New Year message you recorded for JaME. What can you tell us about the coupling tracks, DaRK to DaRK and signal fire?

DaISUKE DARK SIDE: These two songs weren’t something we hadn’t done up until now and decided to try out. For twenty years, I’ve just played around making a synthesizer loop, looping it, just jamming out to it with guitar riffs, putting the song’s melody on top, and releasing it. This was no different. If you never change the way you look at things, you can always make songs that sound different.
YOU: I was in charge of the lyrics for both songs. DaRK to DaRK is an amalgamation of a groovy yet heavy song, and the lyrics express the theme of ‘darkness’. signal fire’s lyrics come from me imaging the scene in my favourite TV drama, "The Walking Dead", where everyone pulls together and fights back.
Yuu: We tried to think about a song that is lively with variety, and experimented in order to produce something like that.

What were some of the challenges you faced when working on the ENDLESS DEAD single?

DaISUKE DARK SIDE: I was going through a difficult time mentally when ENDLESS DEAD was made. I’d lost two people very dear to me, and my body was in pain, so I wanted to leave that in a song. As for the melody, I think it’s the highest melody we’ve had, so our songs are still evolving.
Yuu: The arrangement and editing took three months. That’s the longest time it’s ever taken us.

What does the deer skull that DaISUKE DARK SIDE holds in the music video for ENDLESS DEAD symbolise? Why the deer?

DaISUKE DARK SIDE: Even though each corpse has gone through its own drama in death, it’s almost comical to see someone holding a human skull, so when we got this deer skull we thought that it would have a strong visual impact. I felt that it’s more saddening when it’s an animal skull.



On your album LIVING DEAD, you have the songs birth-M1-100 and death-M1-65. On ENDLESS DEAD, you have the songs birth-M2-125 and death-M2-70. What do these code numbers mean? What's the link between these four songs?

DaISUKE DARK SIDE: These numbers hold a very special meaning to me, so I don’t want to say.

What other aspects of life and death do you wish to explore in future releases?

YOU: Our theme is that birth and death are essential in life, so we want to express that more, particularly the contrast between them and the hidden sides of both.
Yuu: It’s terrible if we can’t express ourselves through sound, so in order to change images into sound, I’m reading a lot of books and watching a lot of films.

YOU, you recently restarted activities with your old band MARY RUE, and Yuu had a revival concert for lix. on April 13th. Why did you decide to restart these projects now?

YOU: Because I can do the things that I want to do, but can’t in THE SOUND BEE HD with MARY RUE. Also I want to introduce new fans that I make with MARY RUE to THE SOUND BEE HD.
Yuu: lix.’s reason is a secret. Expect more from us in the future!

DaISUKE DARK SIDE, you also recently started up a solo project. How does its sound differ from THE SOUND BEE HD?

DaISUKE DARK SIDE: My solo project is entirely different from the band because it’s just singing and a piano. It’s similar to opera or chanson. It’s a place to practice delivering songs, techniques, and impactful lyrics.

YOU, you have mentioned that you live with eight cats, and you even recently held a special show with fellow cat-loving musicians like ex-Calmando Qual frontman, Hibiki. What is it about cats that draws you so strongly to them (as opposed to other animals)? Do you have plans for any more cat-themed events in the future?

YOU: Cats are fickle and free, which really resounds with me. Their whole bodies and faces are cute, and that’s why I love them. I really admire cat faces. Every year, the second of February is Cat Day, so I want to continue doing cat-themed events.

Are there any specific overseas events or festivals you’d like to perform at? If so, what are they?

HIRO: Last year, we had plans to perform in Mexico at Animex, so if that chance comes up again, I hope we get called to do it.
Yuu: I want to perform at events with THE SOUND BEE HD that lix. and SUICIDE ALI have performed at before.

Lastly, please leave a message for JaME readers.

DaISUKE DARK SIDE: I hope that one day we will be able to share the same space, time, music, and concert together.
YOU: Have you heard THE SOUND BEE HD’s songs? Try to get and listen to them from Starwave’s online shop, download, or on YouTube! I really want to meet everyone soon!
Yuu: Please expect a lot more to come!
HIRO: Thank you very much! I’m looking forward to the day we will be able to meet at a concert. Please continue supporting us!

JaME would like to thank THE SOUND BEE HD and Chaotic Harmony for this interview opportunity.