NEXT STAGE Interview

Originally uploaded June 27, 2004, this old interview was taken from fripSide's Official site "special section" page before they revamped it. While the page is unaccessible from any link on their site now, this interview is still on the web and found here.

*All pictures are from the original interview page at fripSide's Official site. This interview is presented in its original format

fripSide takes another step forward with the addition of new member masa (from azure).
Where is fripSide headed? What kind of things will fripSide's NEXT STAGE give us?
The three members tell us in this first-time public Special Interview!!

Interviewer: satoru (satori visual state)

Today I want to ask you 3 members of fripSide many things. Thank you for your consideration.

Satoshi Yaginuma (here on 'sat'): Hello, thank you
masa (here on 'masa'): Hello, thank you
nao (here on 'nao'): Hello, nice to meet you

First of all, masa from azure is a new member, correct?

masa: Yes
sat: Yes

Under what circumstances did this happen?

sat: I think we should hear the story from masa?
masa: For some reason or another
sat: (laughs)
masa: That is to say it's unbelievable
sat: Unbelievable?! (laughs)
masa: Almost like, did it really happen?
everyone: (roar of laughter)
masa: Since I have been helping fripSide up till now, you could say although I wasn't an [official] member then, I did help as a staff member. So you could say the it was just the natural course of events.

Masa, assuming that you did arrangement for "message", "your ocian", and etc, already you had been participating, right? Was it easy to arrange the music Sat had composed?

sat: I think it's hard to do (smile)
masa: Although "message" was relatively easy to put together...I suffered some troubles at the time with "your ocian"
sat: 52 right
masa: 3 spots (laughs)
sat: (roar of laughter)
masa: You must develop a ballad greatly but sat's music, it's the complete opposite [of a usual ballad], and if it's time is uptempo, what is the comfort?
sat: Complete opposite, you say!? Isn't that a nice thing? (laughs)
masa: I think it's a good thing (smiles)
sat: I don't understand you sometimes (laughs)

As for masa's role in fripSide, how would you say what it will change to?

masa: How it will change?
sat: Me? Well, first of all, I think that arrangements will become collaboration. I will write the music, once in awhile masa will write it...
masa: Once in a while, huh? (laughs)
sat: Basically, up until now if my music plus masa's quality could be united, it was good, that said feeling.
masa: Is that so?
sat: I feel I can entrust masa completely with the management of audio data among other things, since masa is worker completely concerned about a mix.

Speaking of masa's latest music, nevertheless reset's "fake kiss", will you be bringing more of that kind of taste to fripSide's music?

masa: That's so. I'm thinking of ideas for fripSide's colors, if I can do them.
sat: It is, isn't it-

As for you nao, you want to sing such music?

nao: Though I don't have much self-confidence, you could I say I'd like to sing that.
sat: (laughs)

sat and masa, since activities are separated by 1500km, isn't there an inconvenience for such things?
(Notes: 1500km is about 932 miles)

sat: Because of these times, we can now exchange data via internet, there are no work problems. It's fun to use internet chat and webcams for business meetings (laughs)
masa: Yes. nao also bought a PC for that kind of thing. Do you remember how to use it?
nao: I'm able to start it up!!
everyone: ......

Would masa be able to participate in radio performances, events, etc?

masa: Not usual everyday ones. I think though if it were something special, I would run out there.
sat: In this generation, planes are expensive.
masa: Right. If you say so, do schedules for lives and such exist?
sat: Yeah, sooner or later. (laughs)...althought I'm not interested too much.
masa: What if some of the fans say they would like to see a live performance?
sat: Althought I do consider their requests, if we could implement live drums and a live guitar, doing one might be possible but, we may still perform "satly" even if we put our hearts into something like that. As for a live guitar, I could ask a2c...but there is no one to ask for drums (laughs)

Is that so? Although I personally am someone who would like to see a live.

sat: We'll try our best. So, we'll perform a live before mankind goes to the moon for a second time.
nao: How soon will that be? (laughs)
sat: 2015?
everyone: That's late!!
sat: (roar of laughter)

By the way, it seems that the 2nd album is really popular.

sat: Have you bought it rather than the 1st?

The 3rd album will become a work of 3 people. Please go about it with enthusiasm.

sat: For the time being, I want to make songs better than previous ones. The quality of the music, the take of the song. I'm thinking again in this area I'll continue to give masa the work.
masa: I think that I want to do the work in a manner that it cannot lose to a major CD.
nao: I will keep on singing wholeheartedly.

We see from Masa, that Sat is the composer?

masa: That's right, his work is that of a writer, is that the said impression?
sat: I'm not the arranger! (laughs)
masa: Yeah, he's the writer

Are programs or making sound not your speciality?

sat: Well, although it is not an area I am not necessarily weak in, because it falls difficultly.
everyone: (laughs)
sat: I am honestly glad for masa's participation. Since he can spread out just a tiny width. Please, brother!
masa: The pressure! (laughs)

By the way, will you continue your activities in azure, masa?

masa: I think I will keep them going at the same time. You could also say that, from the start azure did things at its own pace, and up until now it's not that different, I think. (laughs)

As for fripSide activity, do you think that will increase?

masa: I think so. The rest is that time because the amount of participation as a support member will probably vary from time to time.

But now for a change in conversation, please tell us which artists you members each respect.

masa: Tatsurou Yamashita. This is the foundation (smiles)
sat: Really, Tatsurou (laugh)
masa: That stubbornness is good. It is said that he redoes mastering everytime for music broadcasted on FM, and that spirit is great (laughs)

In addition to him?

masa: There are various others I think.
sat: The various escaped him (laughs)
masa: There really aren't examples to give, but recently, the writers of recent J-R&B.

I see. How about you, sat?

sat: Tetsuya Komuro. That is my inspiration. However, because masa is anti-Komuro (laughs)
masa: Such a thing is not true these days. I think he has very large acheivements.
sat: Also, I find Daisuke Asakura to be great. His quality, I like the best. Because masa is anti-Asakura (laughs)
everyone: (roar of laughter)
masa: Such a thing is not true! Since his acheivements are really big too, aren't they? (laughs)

When working as one, the musical styles of sat and masa are similar, are they not?

sat: Yes it is, to agree like that is a miracle (laughs)
masa: Isn't it fitting!?
sat: Yeah (smiles). There seems to be no explanation. It's by feeling that the music and nature is done.
masa: There you have it.
sat: I think what we have is similar, probably.

And nao?

nao: As for my performer, TMR's (T.M. Revolution) Nishikawa.
masa: Ee, is that so!? I didn't know that (laughs)
nao: The whole group is wonderful.
sat: You say that merely because you are a fan (laughs)
everyone: (roar of laughter)
nao: As for music, I like HAL's airy feeling.
sat: Right now, we are making that. That is to say, we are trying to make it (laughs) (Notes: he was talking about "colors of summer dream")

Although it becomes the last thing, each of you, please say one thing of enthusiasm.

sat: I think if music with the sense of the season can be created, it is like fripSide.
masa: I think I want to take control of fripSide with this opportunity. ...Really.
sat: Whether you say you'll take control or not, you are just a member!!
masa: Oh really!! (laughs)
sat: Fine, then I retire (laughs)
masa: Ah, then nao retires too? What to do!! (laughs)
nao: All jokes aside, we will try our best!!
sat: Yes
masa: Let's go for it!

Thank you very much for today

sat: Thank you very much.
masa: Many thanks
nao: Thank you very much