Calmando Qual was the first band I’ve ever have interviewed. They didn’t care that I was a fan, they were happy to answer some questions.

Please enjoy reading this interview!

Interview by: Ryu
Created: End 2012
Returned: February 4th, 2013
Published: 2013.02.09
Japanese Asked Questions Translated by: Satoru
Interview Translation: Ryu Nagashiwa
Translation Check: SECRET

And a Special Thanks to Hibiki and Maya
Hibiki for making this possible and Maya who returned the interview back to me ❤

and now let’s start it!

Hello Calmando Qual mina-san!
Thank you very much for making this possible! Thank you!!

Well many things did happen in the past 3 years isn’t?
Joining STARWAVE RECORDS. And you guys did release 4 CD and the 5th is coming up! (I can’t wait!)
Well let’s start with some random questions~
【Hibiki】
Yes, please.

【kenka】
Please do it tenderly m(_ _)m

01) Do you guys watch anime? and reading manga? If yes, which series?
【Hibiki】
My favorite manga are: JOJO, Berserk, 20th Century Boys, Monster & Vagabond.
And my favorite anime is Ushijima-kun.
I don’t read many manga, I just read what’s someone recommended.

【Tak】
I really like Matarou ga kuru!!, Lupin the 3rd and Dragon Ball and etc etc…

【MAYA】
Till High school I bought the weekly “Shonen Magazine” and “Shonen Jump” every time.
I really love Mecha Anime. I have a lot of favorite titles. For example,  Mobile Suit Gundam series, Ghost in the Shell and  AKIRA.
And Manga which I like is Dragonball, Hajime no ippo, Fist of the north Star (Hokuto no Ken), Grappler Baki,  Death Note, Rookies, etc.
Especially I have a lot of memories about Grave of the Fireflies and from the manga BLACK JACK.

【kenka】
Add me to this story!
This is one of my hobbies I love Anime!
Toradora, CLANNAD, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, Mahou Shoujou Madoka ☆ Magic, true tears, Ben-tou, ore no imouto ga konna ni kawaii wake ga nai,  Durarara!!, Ano hi mita hana no namae o bokutachi wa mada shiranai and hanasaku iroha.
For now I mention this, there are many other recommendations.

02) I know that Hibiki has a younger brother. But what about the others?
【Tak】
I have one older brother.

【MAYA】
I don’t have any.


【kenka】
I have one older sister.

03) Tak-san you really live for your guitar isn’t? Could you maybe list-up in which bands you did play in the past. and in which one you are currently playing?
【Tak】
Well it’s really countless to tell them all, but this are the ones where I’m in now, Calmando Qual, dieS, Psycho Lizard and Rose Madder.

04) Hibiki-san & Kenka-san, you both also play in THE HIGH GRIP. In what way is that band different from Calmando Qual? Or are there also many similar things?
【Hibiki】
It’s not that different the basic is the same.
But the different between them are the use of the language, for example Calmando Qual is a word game.
THE HIGH GRIP is straight forward.
And also the feeling.

【kenka】
There are similar parts and also non similar parts of oneself and that’s what it makes interesting.

05) Maya why did you leave the band in 2006? And why did you decide to return to Calmando Qual in 2009?
【MAYA】
I did leave because I wanted to stop the music activity.
And I did came back because I was invited (laugh)
I don’t think “OK, I do start again!” but it was very natural feeling. It’s maybe the charm of this band or something personally as that.

06) You guys are already 11+ years together, It’s a really long time. What where the most memorial and hardest things in those years?
【Hibiki】
The biggest thing what did happen was the European tour and it also gave me a great influence.
It’s a real reverses view of life.
It showed us that there are no words needed in music, I really thank ASTAN for that who did gave us that opportunity, Thank you!
And sometimes you had heated discussion about various things, but of course that are now pleasant memories. (laugh)

【Tak】
The impression of the overseas tours and the releases of the CDs and giving lives one by one are really great memories.

【MAYA】
The hardest thing was that I was ill last year and I had to ask someone (Be…S-San) to play as support drummer for our live show.

【kenka】
There are many memories in various ways because we are already such long together. But the overseas activities are the biggest memory of them.

07) Christmas is coming up but it’s not a Japanese holiday. But do you spent those days? Do you go eat chicken at KFC?
【Hibiki】
Yes I want to eat KFC
But I don’t think that I will be able to eat it at the 24th or 25th because of the long waiting rows.
It would be better to go to KFC at 26th (lol)

【Tak】
I want to spent it with everyone with giving a LIVE gig.

【MAYA】
I don’t really particularly Christmas (lol) Just eat what you want to eat.

【kenka】
I feel lonely  at Christmas because of so many couples, so I lock myself up at home to spent those day alone and watching some anime…

【MAYA】
（lol）

08) Soon it’s New Year. Are you satisfied with this year and what you expect from new year?
【Hibiki】
This year was the year of that Calmando Quall changed greatly.
This year I was able to make new awareness among the members on stage.
next year I’m aiming to be a more an entertainer band, because of the experience of 2012.
The plan is to release something new next year but the idea is not yet formed.
But I want to release something new in May.

【Tak】
This year was also the re-examine the origin, it was also a year with many new challenges. I really made great works this year.

【MAYA】
2012 was a really good year and we were able to release an Album
I think because of this album we are able to make good music in 2013
And I really have confidence in the new single!

【kenka 】
This was also the year that Calmando Qual has changed significantly.
I really think that we changed into a good way and we should proceed further to evolution into a new direction.

Alright let’s talk a bit about the new release~ (^_^)/

09) The new single has been finished in a short period of time. What is the secret behind that?
【Hibiki】
The title of the new single is:
【Yami o Tsuranuku Gekijou no Kagayaki】 【闇を貫く激情の輝き】
It was a real challenge for Calmando Qual to make a song like this.
Because the music opens with a Hook* in a catchy way, we didn’t do such thing until now,  so It’s was really difficult.
We made the hook who was completed over and over again it was challenged by the changing the structure of the song many times.
But the song is finished and all members have confidence into it.
Also I had a cold while singing this song, I had a terrible cough, it was very painful!
I wonder if the song would sound better if I didn’t catch a cold back then? I really think so (lol)

* meaning of Hook

【Tak】
Since the character of each song (3 songs in total) is different it might won’t be getting boring to listen to. I supervise all members during recording and I really feel everyone’s growth. (laugh)

【MAYA】
The recording went really smooth.
At day of the PV shooting it was really hot to play over again and again!
That’s a point where you have to change the rhythm of the song to match the intonation.

*note (at that day of the shoot the temperature was extremely hot)

【kenka】
I really love catchy pop songs, so this song is one of my favorites.
Because of such structure in the song there where some trial and errors, But the bass part came out smoothly.

10) The price of this CD+DVD is 1890yen. Which is pretty cheap for a VK release. Why did you guys decide that price?
【Hibiki】
Because this is my opinion I don’t know if my answer is a good one.
But I think that a CD is not for profit, I think what’s more important it’s the intent to though someone’s heart with the music.
I don’t understand the price setting for Visual Kei, so I won’t raise the selling price in the future.

【Tak】
As I’m a composer I don’t want to decide the price of the music, so please let the adults set the price (laugh)

【MAYA】
I try to give my best to hold the price down as much as possible (laugh)

【kenka】
I do not think “cheap price is always good”, and I want to choose something good even if it is a bit expensive.
But I would be really happy if people will choose it because of the cheap price.

11) The PV has just been released. So now we know the sound of the song 闇を貫く激情の輝き. 闇を貫く激情の輝き has a very Visual Kei feeling. What are the influences?
【Hibiki】
It wasn’t effected by something else at all (lol)
This sound is the result of the solidify what we created in the studio.

【Tak】
To let guitar riff be main part of the music is very simple and normal way in rock music. So I cannot understand what is “Visual-kei like” sound at all (laugh)

【MAYA】
I got affected from so many things everyday, but I did play drums in my own way. Also I did train to go from 8 beats to 16 beats.

【kenka】
I tried to make it with strong emotion just like straight Rock music. But I also like Visual Kei, too. So it may be natural thing for me to put taste of Visual key.

12) What is the thought behind the PV?
【Hibiki】
This song is meant for the people who want to crush something or are at the point of giving up everything.
The message behind this is that you have to fight and to not give up.
The PV isn’t associated with the story of the song, it has no relation at all.
It was shoot as a cool music scene, I hope that many people know this wonderful music piece who was made.
It’s just like what I am speaking as MC on the stage.
However the person who shoot the PV might wanted to tell something, but I don’t know, since it’s not told.

【kenka】
[Kimi wa hitori kiri janai] “You are not alone” that’s the message.

13) CRUSH! is a pretty heavy sounded song. I like it. it shows again how variate Tak-san and Kenka-san are! Why did you guys decide to put an heavy sound at the single?
【Hibiki】
This song has been composed by MAYA, and there is no “Why” in the reason.
We should play cool music as our song (laugh)

【Tak】
I wanted to put a song who is exciting for LIVE gigs.

【MAYA】
Thank you my dear. (lol)
I just composed it and then let members listen to this song. And they accepted it.
I didn’t think of to make this song so heavy.
But I really think this song really fits Calmando Qual.

【kenka】
It was created that way. I think that it could be a great intention of Maya.

14) モノクローム is again a very emotional song isn’t? A beautiful softly melody. Who did compose this song? Tak-san?
【Tak】
Yes it is. I am good at create this type of music so I am so glad because I can play this song with Qual.

【MAYA】
Tak desu, Tak desu, Tak desu*

*means: It’s Tak’s

15) Deep Sea is a short instrumental song. with a beautiful guitar solo. Why is this song only 1:45 long? I wouldn’t mind to have a longer version. Does this song also loop to the 1st song?
【MAYA】
Of course I could make it more longer and it would be also good but I made it simple.
There was no consciousness to make a loop.
Did you want a loop?
I’m I wrong?!
What about you?
You think so too isn’t?(laugh)

【Tak】
It was recorded a few hours before the deadline so I also put in some improvisation. I think I did good guitar playing but I was so sleepy to death (lol)

【MAYA】
I’m sorry for the last minute request.

16) After all I really think this will be a great single! A really good mix between old and new! or isn’t?
【Hibiki】
You’re right.
We tried to make our dark world of Calmando Qual more greater.
So the change will continue in the future.

【Tak】
That’s right, Because I want to be a band who evolve over time.

【MAYA】
Correct! (laugh)
the New and old is a very important happening.
But we have tried many new things.
It’s also boring to do the same thing all the time.

【kenka】
That’s right, However I think you also can see it as a starting point for a new evolution, rather than a finished system.

17) I’m not able to go into the lyrics yet. But please tell us something about the lyrics.
【kenka】
The lyrics are made to interpret on your own, Those who listen to the story can make their own world with their own interpretation. The answer is within you.

18) Well, let’s go back to the BLACK SHEEP album. The tune is really different of your last works. But what’s the secret at all songs sound so perfect?
【Hibiki】
Because we did it with compose style of BLACK SHEEP with every member.
In fact, I don’t think it would be strange if the new songs were put on that album.
The difference is we thought to create music for a “single”.
We didn’t think about singles at all in the past.

【Tak】
I think there is no similar band like us, that’s why the splendor goes to the people.

【MAYA】
I think it because a very good composing because of the ability experience and the variety of arrangement from everyone.
BLACK SHEEP is the result that we did everything so free.
And this time we also did it free in basic!

【kenka】
An Human can grow, So they can be influenced deeply by things over the years.

19) The 1st song and 10th song are looping. I never actually did notice that. It’s really interesting. Why did you guys decide that?
【Tak】
Because I wanted to put in this work reincarnation feelings… and also, I wish that they listen to the album over and over again.

20) This time the lyrics of BLACK SHEEP are really into a new jacket. Every song can have a different meaning to someone. There is not only 1 way. Hibiki why did you gave this time the opportunity to the listener to feel and to understand the songs in their own way?
【Hibiki】
Because I think there is not only one answer, so that may be reason.
Well everyone is born at a different time, birthplace and even country, so I think that “FREEDOM” should be a feeling.
If there is a certain meaning that “FREEDOM” will be lost if the meaning is there strongly, and then the view of the listener will be crushed.

No.
[destruction! bu-kowase!] Some people feel such words.
Things, People, Society, Status, Values, Evil, Justice, each of those words fit into  [destruction!] isn’t? That’s the right answer, because you feel the word  [Destruction] at your own way.

21) Are there more things we should know about BLACK SHEEP?
【Hibiki】
Please listen to it many times. (lol)

【Tak】
Please recommend it to many people!

【MAYA】
I recorded this album when I had influenza (laugh)
It was very considerable. I did drunk quite a lot’s of energy drinks.
Thank you!

【kenka】
I think if you listen to it that you discover a lot of things (laugh)

Let’s talk about Downloads~

22) Why can’t we buy “Negative Mustard” as download?? Is there are special reason for that?
【Hibiki】
The CD has been released.

【MAYA】
We also sell the CD as hard copy, so please buy the CD (laugh)

【kenka】
We sell it.

23) People love to download Illegal. What do you think of that?
【Hibiki】
You’re right…
Maybe it feels as breaking the dam?

【Tak】
I’m a person who want to have the music on CD, so I really don’t understand it.

【MAYA】
It’s not a good thing
But I hope that they like it.

*note from translator: He hopes that people who download it illegal like the music. And I also think he truly hope that you also buy it legal…

【kenka】
I think you cannot help it. It’s the trend from now days.

24) Do you guys think that there is a way to beat illegal downloads?
【Hibiki】
I don’t download illegal so I don’t know how to beat it (lol)

【Tak】
Also not even how to download legal (lol)

【MAYA】
To stop the access of site where the full thing has been uploaded…
Well, Shit (laugh)

【kenka】
Even if someone would download illegal and like it, I hope to buy it.
I think it is the best way to create [WIN-WIN] situation for both [Creator] and [User]

Let’s talk about Europe and the world a little bit~

25) Since you guys played many times in Europe years ago. Are there memories who you would like to share?
【Hibiki】
Hard bread and sparkling water (laugh)
And the great catering!
I was always very excited when I saw lot’s of beer in the fridge!
Lots of beer is desired, for good LIVES from Calmando Qual. (laugh)

【Tak】
I would love to sightseeing. I cannot drink alcohol so except of sightseeing I enjoy to play in live!(laugh)

【kenka】
The warmth of the people of Europe, Thank you for being kind.
And the beer….

26) what is your favorite European food? and what didn’t taste good at all?
【Hibiki】
While Touring with ASTAN at that time Steff’s sister did cook regional food at their home, and that was really delicious!
And of Spain there was cooked potatoes and omelet as regional dish???
beside that my favorite was eating Chili because when you eat, it really raise the tension. (laugh)

【Tak】
It was delicious, right guys. beside the alcohol…

 【kenka】
I eat everything so I don’t have dislikes I love everything.
But Beer is of course a favorite too.

27) To Maya: What do you expect from Europe and other countries? are there things you would love to see?
【MAYA】
The most thing I’m looking forward to is to stand in front of everyone and to face all who support us.
I hope that I can go out for sightseeing a little bit. Because I want to see historic buildings and the nature.
And because the music from Europe has a big influences to me.
I hope to be able to play in every country.
It would really impress me. I really think so.

28) And please write down a message to all your fans around the world!
【Hibiki】
We are connected by the magic of music
Please when you feel sad or if you are in sorrow please listen to my songs!
I’m always beside your side to cherish you at any time!
Let’s ROCK!!!!

【Tak】
As for me and everyone, every time in this life, we enjoy and play our music live at many places. And everyone will encounter a lot of experience.

【MAYA】
Thank you always for your support.
Calmando Qual music is the best to feel energetic again!
We are looking forward to meet you!

【kenka】
Even if you are from an different country, I’m happy that I’m born at the same world, so that we can share things together.
Because there are people who support us, I will give my best.
I will return it by giving my support to everyone.
Let’s do our best together!

Everyone, thank you very much for this interview!!!