interview jrnr An interview with DAMMITLAND

[BrenGun 2261]

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DAMMITLAND (ダミットランド) is a visual rock band based in Tokyo, formed in 2019. In June 2020 they released their limited edition mini-album 乱世(Ranse). Currently they cannot hold lives because of corona, however they regularly update fun youtube videos! 

 

Nice to meet you DAMMITLAND. How did you all actually meet?

 

KAZUKI: A mutual acquaintance told me about Kyuusuke and for the first half year we were looking for other members however we always ended up drinking in a izakaya. “If we will continue like this, we won’t ever be able to form a band!”  So we started searching seriously and then we found P, and P invited his acquaintance MAa to join us too, and so our current line-up was formed. 

 

DAMMITLAND is active as a visual kei band, however what’s the reason that did you form DAMMITLAND as a visual kei band?

 

KAZUKI: The other members’ past bands were Visual Kei bands, and we just wanted to challenge the visual system in terms of the music scene.

 

I’m glad to read that you guys want to rebel against the world with a taste of irony. What kind of things going on the world have influenced your lyrics the most?

 

Kyuusuke: Actually, I’m just writing about what’s happening around me and what I’m thinking and feel about it, so I’m not really influenced by anything.

 

Why did you become a musician? Could you name some artist that inspired you to become a musician?

 

Kyuusuke: I just wanted to be in a band, no other reason. I guess I am inspired by many various people.

 

KAZUKI: I just wanted to stand out and express myself. THE YELLOW MONKEY and LA★69 inspired me the most.

 

P: I started playing guitar in my free time, because I wasn’t in any high school club, also I found the joy of playing live.  BUMP OF CHICKEN and HIGH and MIGHTY Color inspired me the most.

 

MAa: When I saw Tomoyasu Hotei performing a show, he was surrounded by women, that made me think that I also wanted to be popular. Tomoyasu Hotei and Dir en Grey inspired me the most. 

 

We all get our inspiration from someone or something so what’s your biggest inspiration for making music?

 

Kyuusuke: Sleeping well

 

KAZYUKI: A crowded train and other frustrating and negative emotions in everyday life.

 

P: Drinking or taking a walk with a camera

 

MAa: Coffee Time

 

KAZUKI, your band history isn’t visual kei, why did you decide to follow the visual path? 

 

KAZUKI: Originally I was doing hard-rock and metal, I always played the music I wanted to play with my hard-rock band-mates. We have done one-man shows, various tours, support stuff and we even went overseas.  However this time I wanted to write my own music. Visual Kei is a genre made up of many different kinds of music and I thought it was a scene where I wanted to create my own songs and videos to present them. I’m not hiding who I am, whether it’s hard-rock or visual kei, I’m just me, so I’ll do whatever I want.

 

Recently some people say “Today’s visual kei is fake, just host-kei imitators etc”. How do you feel about those words?

 

KAZUKI: There are times when songs have similar chord progressions and riffs, but I think the band’s power is being tested by how to make it a song full of originality.

 

Kyuusuke, why did you switch from guitar to vocals?

 

Kyuusuke: Well, I like singing. Also if I loved to dance, I would be a dancer. 

 

I saw the cover of LUNA SEA ROSIER, Why did you record a cover this song? Do you all like LUNA SEA? Or did  you just choose this “one song”?

 

KAZUKI: We are going to release a cover song every month as one of our YouTube projects. ROSIER by LUNA SEA is a famous song and we like LUNA SEA, so we thought it would be a good first song for this project.

 

You said that you have recorded your last single at home. Because corona makes it more difficult to record stuff at a studio, but will you continue to record your releases at home? 

 

KAZUKI: If possible, we would like to share all our songs on YouTube and streaming media. Recording at home is a good way to keep the costs low, so we probably will continue to do it in the future.

 

What other struggles do you face because of Corona?

 

KAZUKI: It’s difficult to perform a live show, however instead we think of doing other fun things which we couldn’t do before, like shooting videos for YouTube.

Anyway you said that you did choose not to use electronic sounds? However Such sounds are very popular these days isn’t, so why do you omit them?

 

KAZUKI: It’s not that we are omitting them, but I don’t use it in our existing songs because it’s not necessary. I might like to use synthesizers and other electronic sounds in the future, if we feel that they are necessary to improve the quality of the song, but we don’t need them for our existing songs.

 

Your YouTube channel is filled with variety of videos channel. Such as rate this beer, without know which beer you are actually drinking. Will you continue to create these fun videos?

 

KAZUKI: We surely will continue to share more of these kinds of videos in the future. It would be good if people would discover DAMMITLAND through live shows and YouTube.

 

What about digital music distribution? Will you continue to distribute your music digitally?

 

KAZUKI: If we are going to release more songs in the future, I guess we will mainly distribute them to YouTube and streaming sites, because I think it’s a good way to introduce DAMMITLAND to people who might enjoy listening to us.

 

If you write brand new songs… where is your favorite place to write them?

 

Kyuusuke: I guess in my bed

 

KAZUKI: In my room, in front of my computer.

 

P: On my sofa.

 

Is it difficult to be an artist? if so what’s difficult about it?

 

Kyuusuke: As long as you enjoy it, nothing is difficult.

 

KAZUKI: To find the right izakayas after the shows to share your thoughts together afterwards.

 

P: To be on time for meetings, studio and live shows.

 

MAa: Human relations.

 

Is there any valuable moment in your music career so far?

 

Kyuusuke: Receiving fan letters.

 

KAZUKI: Being in the band DAMMITLAND with members who share the same way of thinking.  

 

P: The very first live show I played in my life, it was the day that I found the joy in performing live.

 

MAa: Being cheered by the high-pitched voices of our fans

 

We all know age is secret, but still we would like to know who is the youngest and who is the oldest in the band?

 

KAZUKI: I’ll leave that to your imagination!

 

If someone would ask you, “why should I listen to your band” what would you tell this person?

 

KAZUKI: I would tell this person: I think that all the songs which Kyuuske created and wrote are amazing, so please check them out and listen to them often.

 

Do you have any Ultimate goal for the future?

 

Kyuusuke: To stay healthy and enjoy life for a long time.

 

KAZUKI: To be able to enjoy music activities for a long time.

 

P: To play a one-man show at OSAKA-JO-HALL.

 

MAa: To play at Fuji Rock.

 

Beliefs and Mottoes, please share yours.

 

Kyuusuke: If there is something you want to do, you should do it right away!

 

KAZUKI: I want to be the bassist that the 20-year old me would adore and think “he is cool!”. 

 

P: Always keep the strongest image of yourself in your mind.

 

MAa: Forever Young

 

We came to the end, so please give a message to your fans and readers.

 

Kyuusuke: Please don’t forget to subscribe to our youtube channel and to follow me and us on Twitter.

 

KAZUKI: Thank you very much for reading this interview. I like to continue to share various interesting things on youtube,  I also would like to try TwitCasting, so please keep up following me and us!

 

P: Thank you for reading until the end. I will continue to do whatever I want, however I’ll avoid the inconvenience.

 

MAa: Everyone, Let’s keep on living!

 

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DAMMITLAND, thank you for this great and fun and interesting interview!

 

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DAMMITLAND (ダミットランド) BAND SEARCH

https://jrocknroll.com/band-search-dammitland/3/

 

Questions discussed together with  @Katt

Edited October 10, 2020 by BrenGun