Gorgeous play and stage presence
A close-up interview with the guitar girls!
SAKI X Hana
(Gacharic Spin)
SAKI has begun her full-fledged solo career. In February she released the single "GERMINANS", and on June 21st she will release the EP "GERMINANS EP", and on the same day she will hold a solo live at Yokohama Bay Hall. Hana (Gacharic Spin) will be participating as a supporting guitarist at the live show. The two have performed together many times before. We had a wide-ranging discussion about their interactions so far and their thoughts as guitarists!
―――Do you remember the first time you met?
SAKI: When was it?
Hana: Mary (Mary's Blood) or the band before that?
SAKI: Was it during Mary's time?
Hana: Did the band you were in before Mary perform at "Electric Lady Loud" (an event featuring female bands and bands with female vocals held at multiple venues, mainly at Nagoya E.L.L., held once a year in the summer from 2012 to 2016)?
SAKI: I don't think it was Re:MAKER (SAKI, Fin/b, Anri/ds, a Vocaloid trio, which went on hiatus in June 2013).
Hana: I see. I think we only became aware of each other's existence after SAKI joined Mary.
I want to present how amazing the guitarist Hana-chan is
SAKI: Mr. Tsunoda (Takanori), who arranges the music for Gachapin (Gacharic Spin), is a senior of mine at university, although we are from a completely different generation. So I remember talking about that at some point... but I think the first time we had a proper conversation was around the time of "Electric Lady Loud".
Hana: By the time we started talking about Mr. Tsunoda, I felt like we had already become good friends.
SAKI: Indeed. We became good friends and talked about Mr. Tsunoda. We met at the Yaon concerts too.
Hana: We also performed together on "NAON no YAON", and in the dressing room I'd call her "SAKI-chan".
―――Did you know about each other before you met?
SAKI: I'd been seeing Gachapin even before we met. I went to see them during "Gacha Pinch!!" (a nationwide tour with support vocalists from February to May 2012, when original vocalist Armmy suddenly fell ill) and also before that. And I had already exchanged contact information with Armmy and she invited me to her live show.
Hana: I see.
SAKI: This was before I joined Mary, when I was in Destrose and mixx.
―――You still weren't talking properly at that time?
Hana: I was really shy around then, and after a live show people would say things like, "It was great to see you today," but I was like, "Oh, yes..." (laughs). Armmy and KOGA took the lead in getting to know the musicians around us, and I was putting up walls, so I don't think I was talking to SAKI properly at that time.
SAKI: Yeah. I started talking to Hana-chan much later (laughs). After I joined Mary.
―――What's the topic of conversation when you two talk?
SAKI: What do we talk about?
Hana: We talk about the latest happenings with the band, and lately, I've been thinking about how it's tough getting older (laughs). Like, you have to keep a smile on your face. So, we probably won't talk about music in detail. We've never gone out for drinks, but we do go for tea and have a nice warm and cozy moment (laughs).
SAKI: Of all the people I have met in the music world, there are very few people besides Hana-chan with whom I'd have a leisurely cup of tea with.
Hana: I'm glad.
SAKI: Because I'm shy too.
Hana: Huh? I have an image of SAKI-chan as being very sociable.
SAKI: Even if we become friendly on the spot, if someone invites me to have tea with just the two of us, I become reluctant to go out (laughs). I think Hana-chan is one of the few people I can have tea with.
SAKI-chan has such a strong presence that she is captivating
―――How do you see each other as musicians?
Hana: SAKI is a guitarist who catches your eye. Sometimes I see her as a guitarist who makes you feel happy with the groove of her backing, but more than that, when I see her live, I think she is a cool guitarist and her live performances are fun. And SAKI has a great presence. That's why I immediately thought I wanted to become friends with her, and even now when I see her live, I think "Wow".
SAKI: When I met Hana-chan, she was the best at drumming, but now she's a guitarist... so she can do anything. She's so multifaceted, I've always thought she's a very talented person. Did you start out as a vocalist in the first place?
Hana: Yes, initially it was a dance and singing group.
SAKI: Yeah, what an incredible career.
Hana: What a strange career (laughs).
SAKI: No no. There are male musicians who have a long career, but there aren't many female musicians who have a long career, and I respect her for that. Also, Gachapin has overcome many things, but I don't think they could have done it without Hana-chan, including her conversion to a guitarist, and I really respect her as an amazing person.
Hana: Thank you.
―――I don't know if I can call it a commonality between the two, but Hana-chan is the musical leader of Gacharic Spin. And SAKI-chan is currently creating her own music as a solo artist. Is there anything about that aspect of music production that inspires you?
Hana: I've had the opportunity to listen to and play some of the songs that SAKI will be performing at her solo live show in June, but this time they're instrumentals. In the case of Gachapin, when arranging the music, I first prioritize the melody, then consider the balance of each part, thinking things like bringing the keyboard to the forefront in one place and letting the guitar rest. I think it would be a different feeling if I tried to do that with an instrumental, and in SAKI-chan's case, the guitar has to be the main focus, so I think that's also different from bands with vocals. But I just received another new song and was listening to it earlier, and it's so much fun!
SAKI: Thank you.
Hana: When I write a song, I want to create something that paints a picture. For example, I'm walking and a forest appears and this kind of sound is playing, and then when I get to a new road, this kind of sound is playing... I find it most fun to write songs like that, and SAKI-chan's songs also tell a story. That's why I like it a lot. It's fun to listen to and fun to play. When I'm learning songs for work, it can be difficult, like, "The intro is eight bars, and the A melody is like this..." But SAKI's songs are fun, easy to get into, and make you want to play them over and over again. But with the new songs that will come out soon, I might be like, "Wow, that's difficult" (laughs). So, I'm curious if there's a difference in the feel of writing songs for Mary or Nemophila and writing songs for a solo project.
SAKI: The first thing that bothered me when I was making the instrumental piece was that it felt like I was making a song melody.
Hana: Mm-hmm.
SAKI: When writing songs with a band, you think about the vocalist, right? You think a lot about the range of the vocals.
Hana: Yeah.
SAKI: But with an instrumental, you don't have to worry about that (laughs). At first, I didn't realize this and had the habit of deciding the range of my voice on my own.
Hana: Is this your first time making an instrumental?
SAKI: I released one song before ("BRIGHTNESS"/2021), but when I tried to make a new one this time, I realized that I had gotten into the habit of thinking about the range. Also, what I find difficult about instrumentals is that if you have lyrics, you can add expression to them.
Hana: Because it has lyrics.
SAKI: That's right. However, there are no lyrics in instrumental music, and when it became necessary to add expression through development, I had a hard time deciding what approach would be best.
Hana: Mm-hmm.
SAKI: For example, even if I play the same melody with a slight change, it's like "Hmm...", but that's what I found fun. Even with the same melody, I think I can create different expressions by changing it, like bending it here and smoothing it here. If I play something too different it sounds too far apart, so I guess it was difficult to get the balance right. I realized I had to think about things that I didn't worry about when composing with a band.
Hana: In the case of Gacha, the melody is the most important thing to consider when arranging. Sometimes I arrange the non-guitar parts of songs written by TOMO-ZO, and sometimes the composer even comes up with the guitar riffs. Sometimes TOMO-ZO and I arrange the songs together in the studio, and sometimes yuri and I arrange the songs while recording. Sometimes I even turn KOGA's humming into a melody! She's a little tone deaf though (laughs).
―――When will the new song you mentioned be released?
SAKI: It will be released on CD on June 21st along with "BRIGHTNESS" and "GERMINANS."
―――Also, Hana-chan will be participating as a support guitarist at SAKI-chan's solo live in June, but was the first time they stood on stage together at Hana-chan's solo live (in 2019)?
SAKI: If it feels chaotic, has it happened before? There was also a two-man concert with Nemophila (November 2020), but Hana-chan's solo concert came before that, right?
Hana: I know that the drummer from Metallic Spin, Nose, who I know well, performed on stage with SAKI at NAON no YAON (laughs). So, I think my solo live performance was the first time we stood on stage together properly. At that time, SAKI was the first guitarist I thought of wanting to work with, so I contacted her.
―――Why did you invite Hana-chan to be the support guitarist for your solo live show in June?
Hana: Really (laughs).
SAKI: We had (Kawaguchi) Chisato-chan participate in the recording, so we asked her to do a live performance as well. So, when I was thinking about what to do about guitar and bass, I thought it wouldn't be right to ask a regular guitarist.
Hana: I am not an ordinary guitarist (laughs). A bit of a strange guitarist (laughs).
SAKI: (laughs). I've participated in Hana-chan's solo live shows before, and I've been hoping that she would play at my solo live shows too.I've seen Hana-chan perform live as a guitarist many times, and she's a good guitarist, her pitch is accurate, and her harmonizing phrases with TOMO-chan (TOMO-ZO) are also precise. If I were to ask someone to play my harmony phrases on an instrumental piece, I would like someone with a good sense of pitch like Hana-chan. However, this time the request was different from your usual Hana-chan, so I was thinking, "I'm sorry" (laughs).
Hana: I'll make sure to practice my harmonies properly (laughs). But when it comes to being a guitarist, SAKI has everything that I don't have and has only good points.
―――In that context, what do you think is your unique trait as a guitarist?
Hana: Maybe it's because I've spent my career as a multi-instrumentalist, but people sometimes tell me that my guitar solo phrases sound like keyboards. I wonder if it's because I've played a variety of instruments that my phrases are different from those of ordinary guitarists? My history with guitar is still short.
―――That being said, the fifth era started in March 2019...
Hana: I'm a fifth-year guitarist (laughs). Even though so much time has passed, I'm still really bad at it (laughs), but I can play better than I could back then (laughs).
―――What does SAKI think is her own individuality?
SAKI: I like how Seikima-II, and Luke (Commander Takamura) often says, "I have nothing but charisma," and I think to myself that I might be that kind of guitarist.
Hana: No, that is important.
SAKI: Yeah. Of course, it is important to be good, but it is also important to be fun to watch.
Hana: Mm-hmm.
―――Hana-chan also has that same floral quality.
Hana: That's right. Like making it look like you can play something even though you can't (laughs). That technique is second to none (laughs).
SAKI: No, Hana-chan is good. After Hana-chan's solo live performance (in 2019), I remember talking with my fellow musicians in the dressing room and saying, "Hana-chan is also good at guitar."
Hana: That's because there are a lot of people around me who are easy on me (laughs).
SAKI: No no, Hana-chan comes from a different background than your average guitarist, and she has a good sense of rhythm too. I can play the piano a little, but I can only play the guitar.
―――Hana-chan, is there anyone who has influenced you as a guitarist?
Hana: I don't think there's anyone in particular. When I was in high school, I liked metal and 50's music and enjoyed playing only the three chords with the 7th. But then, I'm not so sure I'm good at rock and roll... However, the way I create pitch may have been influenced by rock and roll. My introduction to metal was through Pantera. I loved their hard guitars and drums and enjoyed playing the guitar by imitating them, so that may have been an influence for me.
―――And your solo live at Yokohama Bay Hall on June 21st - what do you think it will be like?
SAKI: I've been recording new songs until today (the interview was conducted in early May), so I'll be sending the new songs to Hana-chan within this week... At first, we thought about inviting a vocalist, but we decided to start with a completely instrumental show. When I talked with ISAO-san, he told me that he had high expectations for me because there are not many guitarists who play completely instrumental music, and I thought I would give it a try. As for the content, I'll mainly be playing my own songs, but I'm also thinking of covering songs that I think the audience will enjoy.
―――At the live show, Yunika Impact (b/Kakumei Meloic) will be participating. Who is this person?
SAKI: I saw a video of her on X and thought, "She's good," so I asked her to join. She's still young, but there are videos of her performing solo routines with IKUO and MASAKI.
Hana: Wow.
SAKI: So, she's from Osaka, and although I'd never spoken to or met her before, so I decided to ask her to send me a video of her doing the one-take recording.
Hana: I don't think I've ever met her either... I've met Chisato a few times though.
―――I thought that one thing you two have in common is that you're both cool on stage but have a laid-back vibe off stage.
Hana: That's right. Maybe that's why it's easy to talk to SAKI-chan.
―――Is there some kind of on/off switch?
Hana: If you ask me if there is such a switch, I'm not sure, but I don't want to turn that switch on during a live performance. I've noticed that putting too much effort into it makes me tense up unnecessarily, so I try not to flip that switch as much as possible. I can't really put it into words, but live performances are the most fun when you can bring your emotions to a level where you are not just trying to look cool or trying your best, and I think it would be great if you could find the switch that allows you to take that level.
SAKI: I kind of understand.
Hana: But watching from the sidelines, I wonder if SAKI can easily enter that level.
SAKI: Yeah, I might have a switch.
Hana: There are all kinds of tensions during live shows; sometimes we get really excited, and sometimes we stay calm while looking at the other band members' faces, but there are also times when we're just having fun. The tension is high and it's fun! But sometimes the performance is a mess (laughs). However, the best shows are those that are not affected by such tension.
SAKI: I think there might be times when I get a sudden shock backstage at the start of the show and a switch gets flipped on.
Hana: Wow, that's cool.。
SAKI: But I totally understand what Hana-chan is saying. I've also had times when I enjoyed a live show but the performance wasn't great, but the audience's reaction was good.I switch into "performer mode" even during sessions. When it comes to songwriting, once I get that "fun!" switch going, I feel like I'm working forever. On the other hand, if I can't get that switch going, I just keep worrying and saying "Hmmmm" (laughs).
―――What are each of your visions for the future?
Hana: I'm still not able to express exactly what I have in mind in sound, so I think I need to clear that hurdle first. I want to get better. However, being good at it doesn't mean showing off my skills, but rather I want to be able to play the guitar in a way that is enjoyable to watch and that can bring a scene to mind.
SAKI: This overlaps a little with what I was saying earlier, but when I started my solo career, I thought it might be a good idea to include vocals. But rather than releasing something half-baked, I want to try my best to see how far I can go with just the guitar. Also, I want to release a solo album, so I'll continue writing songs. I want to do instrumentals on top of K-POP tracks, so I've been introduced to some track makers, and I'd like to do a lot of new and interesting things like that.
Hana: I'm sure the audience is looking forward to it.
SAKI: My goal is to become someone who can entertain people with guitar.
Hana: SAKI is someone I can respect as a fellow guitarist. However, I still have the desire to make people think I'm cool when I'm on stage. When she supported me at my solo live show I was happy and excited and it was a lively atmosphere, but next time I'll be the one supporting her, so I'll do my best for SAKI senpai and I'll be more motivated in a different way.
SAKI: When I supported Hana-chan's solo live performance, there were a lot of phrases that I wasn't good at, and I felt sorry for KOGA-chan and TOMO-chan who had to help me practice. There are many things I admire about Hana-chan, such as her cutting rhythm and good pitch. So, in my solo live, I want to present to the world, "Hana-chan is amazing even as a guitarist."
Hana: I will do my best for SAKI-chan. It's fun to play SAKI's songs, and there are a lot of phrases I don't know, so I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn. So I'll do my best.
SAKI: I'll do my best not to hold everyone back (laughs). I want to have fun performing live.
Hana: I'm sure she'll play a variety of solo songs, and I'll get to see a different side of SAKI that I haven't seen yet. I'll be supporting her on guitar, and I'm looking forward to enjoying SAKI's live performance as a fan!
Source - WeROCK 101 [On sale June 14, 2024]: https://werock.stores.jp/items/665944f33626e40039c54297?_gl=1*jghmc7*_ga*NjE4MTY3MjcuMTc0MDYxODE3NQ..*_ga_8RLDMYVT90*MTc0MDY5NTM5OS4yLjEuMTc0MDY5NTQwMy41Ni4wLjA.
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