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	<channel>
		<title><![CDATA[CafeL'Arc - All Forums]]></title>
		<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[CafeL'Arc - http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs]]></description>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:14:45 -0700</pubDate>
		<generator>MyBB</generator>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Hajimemashite!]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=403</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 05 Aug 2008 04:06:43 -0700</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=403</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[minna-san! neko-chan desu hajimemashite..!:larcD:]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[minna-san! neko-chan desu hajimemashite..!:larcD:]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Hello]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=402</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 06 May 2008 06:14:18 -0700</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=402</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[Hello I'm new here! My name is Jenny, and I love L'Arc~en~Ciel and VAMPS!! I've had the honor of actually talking to the manager of VAMPS just recently and  he is really nice!! Well then aside from that, I just wanted to say hello and that I hope we'll all get along great!!!^^ Oh VAMPS's single is scheduled to come out on July 2. It's calledd "Love Addict" oh and their other new song is going to be called "Time Passes By" well then see ya!!]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Hello I'm new here! My name is Jenny, and I love L'Arc~en~Ciel and VAMPS!! I've had the honor of actually talking to the manager of VAMPS just recently and  he is really nice!! Well then aside from that, I just wanted to say hello and that I hope we'll all get along great!!!^^ Oh VAMPS's single is scheduled to come out on July 2. It's calledd "Love Addict" oh and their other new song is going to be called "Time Passes By" well then see ya!!]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[VAMPS]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=400</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:31:09 -0700</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=400</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[Hyde has named his solo band with Kaz "VAMPS"

Hyde's name will still be Hyde but his solo band will now be called VAMPS (kind of like how yuki has Acid Android).

From Eleonora at Ark BBS:

Apparently (because i haven't read the messages yet) Hyde's band name will be VAMPS and the tour name VAMPS LIVE. 

She also mentioned:

HYDE - MAGAZINE

04/01 MUSIC PIA
HYDE and K.A.Z. NEW PROJECT "VAMPS", a detailed interview about VAMPS as well as photos.

From now on VAMPS infos will be given on http://www.vamprose.com/vamps site.

For those who don't know it, Vamprose is the other Hyde's label that debuted last year in occasion of Monoral releasing their album Turbulence (Hyde is their producer). I wonder if Haunted Record will keep existing after all...

Site: http://www.vamprose.com/ (at the moment there is no /vamps subsite. Just says Not Found)

Official myspace: http://www.myspace.com/vampsofficial]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Hyde has named his solo band with Kaz "VAMPS"

Hyde's name will still be Hyde but his solo band will now be called VAMPS (kind of like how yuki has Acid Android).

From Eleonora at Ark BBS:

Apparently (because i haven't read the messages yet) Hyde's band name will be VAMPS and the tour name VAMPS LIVE. 

She also mentioned:

HYDE - MAGAZINE

04/01 MUSIC PIA
HYDE and K.A.Z. NEW PROJECT "VAMPS", a detailed interview about VAMPS as well as photos.

From now on VAMPS infos will be given on http://www.vamprose.com/vamps site.

For those who don't know it, Vamprose is the other Hyde's label that debuted last year in occasion of Monoral releasing their album Turbulence (Hyde is their producer). I wonder if Haunted Record will keep existing after all...

Site: http://www.vamprose.com/ (at the moment there is no /vamps subsite. Just says Not Found)

Official myspace: http://www.myspace.com/vampsofficial]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[they're back!]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=399</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 29 Mar 2008 01:33:30 -0700</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=399</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[L'Arc~en~Ciel vocalist Hyde was awarded Shojo Beat's Best Rock Artist award as a soloist, and now he's back with the band to contend for the same award. This year they supplied music for two anime openings: "Shine" for Guardian of the Sacred Spirit and "Daybreak's Bell" for Mobile Suit Gundam 00.

:trans16:]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[L'Arc~en~Ciel vocalist Hyde was awarded Shojo Beat's Best Rock Artist award as a soloist, and now he's back with the band to contend for the same award. This year they supplied music for two anime openings: "Shine" for Guardian of the Sacred Spirit and "Daybreak's Bell" for Mobile Suit Gundam 00.

:trans16:]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[1 on 1 with hyde...well it's 2 years ago,,,july 11 2006..does it matter?]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=398</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 29 Mar 2008 01:28:35 -0700</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=398</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[You may know him from Fullmetal Alchemist or Blood+ or NANA or Otakon's spectacular L'Arc~en~Ciel concert, but you definitely know him. HYDE is one of the biggest rock names in all of Asia, an accomplished solo artist and the front man for a band that has moved over 34 million recordings in the last decade. The accolades go on and on: a multiyear streak of top-ranked releases in Japan, a Baltimore concert that attracted more J-Rock fans than any previous event in America, and an ongoing tour that sold out within minutes in both countries.

HYDE rarely holds private interviews; when L'Arc~en~Ciel performed at Otakon in 2004, not a single request was granted. But this time, he made an exception. Below is a transcript of my exclusive 20-minute chat with Japan's biggest rock star.

Thank you for taking the time. I understand you recorded the FAITH album an hour away in Los Angeles. Why?
I've been a part of L'Arc~en~Ciel for 15 years, as you know, and we have never recorded overseas; it's always been in Japan. I listen to British and American music a lot, and it's always been very hard to get that exact sound while in Japan. So I wanted to come here to do the recording so I could be closer to the sound that I like. Since I am working solo, it's more flexible to do whatever I want.

Who in particular do you listen to in the US and UK?
Depeche Mode, Mission UK, and things like Korn.

Okay. Let's talk about the big differences between FAITH and your 666 album.
666 is something I made while I was envisioning doing live performances. I was in charge of doing the guitar and the vocals, so it was more punkish and rough. FAITH was made with guitars and helped to be produced by Kaz. There's more of a guitar sound because he got involved.

Kaz also wrote some of the songs this time, right? What impact did that have?
Kaz and I have similar tastes; all the tracks he makes are very likable. Everything he's made, there's nothing wrong with his songs. For L'Arc~en~ciel, for anything we recorded there were a lot of people giving opinions. It was hard to like the songs from the very beginning. Whereas with Kaz I liked everything right from the beginning he made for Faith. It's a lot smoother, then, because I'm a solo artist and I can do whatever I want. With Kaz I have a goal and working with Kaz I can reach that goal.

One of your songs, Jesus Christ, is about contradictions of faith. How do you find those contradictions, and how do you reconcile them?
Let's see...In Japan while I'm on tour, there's usually a Jesus Christ banner in the back of the set. While writing the Jesus Christ song, I had imagined this banner before this whole tour even started. So while writing this song, I brought up a lot of the questions I had in my mind. Obviously, I don't know the right answer or anything, but that's how I arrived at those contradictions. These are questions that I had. So many bad things are happening in the world right now that I wanted to point them out and write it down on paper.

Can you be more specific? Which question of faith do you struggle with the most?
Hmm...[long pause]...In Japan on New Year's there's a ritual called Hatsunode, where people visit the shrine and make their wish for the year. I always wish for world peace. One of the big questions is why it doesn't come true.

You've said writing lyrics opens you to things you hadn't seen before. I think the Jesus Christ song reflects that insight. What other things did you see for the first time while writing?
In everyday life, I don't think deeply about things. But when I'm writing songs, I write songs about the questions that I have. While I write those songs, I get deeper and deeper. Actually, what I noticed was that in everyday life there are a lot of little things that are happy, but while writing, I realized I've passed the peak where I was happiest. Every day, I didn't realize it, but I looked back at my lyrics I had written and realized I had passed that peak.

Why is that?
The reason is that I thought I could die at that moment. If you can think that, it means you've already reached that level of happiness.

You've also said you want to use concert venues in different or unusual ways. Can you elaborate?
Usually, for example, you would use a venue horizontally. But maybe you can use it diagonally. There are a lot of different things you can do with it, but I can't really talk about it because the performances aren't done yet and the tour doesn't start until September. But I want to make sure that everyone at the venue can see me as closely as possible. If you use the stage differently, every person will be able to see me closer. But I don't want to talk about it too much. Not yet.

On FAITH you have a deep sound, heavier than you've done before. Countdown is probably the best example. Are you moving in that direction?
I actually wanted it to be heavier. When I noticed I had a lot of slow songs and not heavy ones, I wanted to include more. I wanted to make an album that was even heavier.

What is the biggest thing you've learned since your solo debut?
When I was working with L'Arc~en~Ciel, there were four different people all with their own specialties and goal in the band. Whereas when I'm solo, I have to do everything on my own. By doing this solo, for example, when I'm recording the sound for the guitars, I would not normally do that for L'Arc~en~Ciel. While I'm doing this solo project, I started to realize how each person in L'Arc~en~Ciel feel about what they're doing. So I'm getting the aspects of the other people. By doing this solo project, I feel that I've grown musically.

Would you like to share a funny moment from recording or performing on stage?
You said recording or a concert, but the thing about recording is that it's very stoic and very tough and there aren't many episodes I can think of. But live performances are so much fun. Every day there's a memory that will last forever, but there's so many of those that it's not that special anymore. If I were to name one...once I went to a venue in Nara on a jinuksha [rickshaw], one of those Japanense carts where someone pulls you along.

Before you go, would you mind recording a quick message for your fans?
Sure. I've grown up listening to American music and I'm very happy to have a CD release here and actually be able to do concerts. That's one of the big memories that I'll think about forever. I hope to be able to come back for more and more. Thank you for your support.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[You may know him from Fullmetal Alchemist or Blood+ or NANA or Otakon's spectacular L'Arc~en~Ciel concert, but you definitely know him. HYDE is one of the biggest rock names in all of Asia, an accomplished solo artist and the front man for a band that has moved over 34 million recordings in the last decade. The accolades go on and on: a multiyear streak of top-ranked releases in Japan, a Baltimore concert that attracted more J-Rock fans than any previous event in America, and an ongoing tour that sold out within minutes in both countries.

HYDE rarely holds private interviews; when L'Arc~en~Ciel performed at Otakon in 2004, not a single request was granted. But this time, he made an exception. Below is a transcript of my exclusive 20-minute chat with Japan's biggest rock star.

Thank you for taking the time. I understand you recorded the FAITH album an hour away in Los Angeles. Why?
I've been a part of L'Arc~en~Ciel for 15 years, as you know, and we have never recorded overseas; it's always been in Japan. I listen to British and American music a lot, and it's always been very hard to get that exact sound while in Japan. So I wanted to come here to do the recording so I could be closer to the sound that I like. Since I am working solo, it's more flexible to do whatever I want.

Who in particular do you listen to in the US and UK?
Depeche Mode, Mission UK, and things like Korn.

Okay. Let's talk about the big differences between FAITH and your 666 album.
666 is something I made while I was envisioning doing live performances. I was in charge of doing the guitar and the vocals, so it was more punkish and rough. FAITH was made with guitars and helped to be produced by Kaz. There's more of a guitar sound because he got involved.

Kaz also wrote some of the songs this time, right? What impact did that have?
Kaz and I have similar tastes; all the tracks he makes are very likable. Everything he's made, there's nothing wrong with his songs. For L'Arc~en~ciel, for anything we recorded there were a lot of people giving opinions. It was hard to like the songs from the very beginning. Whereas with Kaz I liked everything right from the beginning he made for Faith. It's a lot smoother, then, because I'm a solo artist and I can do whatever I want. With Kaz I have a goal and working with Kaz I can reach that goal.

One of your songs, Jesus Christ, is about contradictions of faith. How do you find those contradictions, and how do you reconcile them?
Let's see...In Japan while I'm on tour, there's usually a Jesus Christ banner in the back of the set. While writing the Jesus Christ song, I had imagined this banner before this whole tour even started. So while writing this song, I brought up a lot of the questions I had in my mind. Obviously, I don't know the right answer or anything, but that's how I arrived at those contradictions. These are questions that I had. So many bad things are happening in the world right now that I wanted to point them out and write it down on paper.

Can you be more specific? Which question of faith do you struggle with the most?
Hmm...[long pause]...In Japan on New Year's there's a ritual called Hatsunode, where people visit the shrine and make their wish for the year. I always wish for world peace. One of the big questions is why it doesn't come true.

You've said writing lyrics opens you to things you hadn't seen before. I think the Jesus Christ song reflects that insight. What other things did you see for the first time while writing?
In everyday life, I don't think deeply about things. But when I'm writing songs, I write songs about the questions that I have. While I write those songs, I get deeper and deeper. Actually, what I noticed was that in everyday life there are a lot of little things that are happy, but while writing, I realized I've passed the peak where I was happiest. Every day, I didn't realize it, but I looked back at my lyrics I had written and realized I had passed that peak.

Why is that?
The reason is that I thought I could die at that moment. If you can think that, it means you've already reached that level of happiness.

You've also said you want to use concert venues in different or unusual ways. Can you elaborate?
Usually, for example, you would use a venue horizontally. But maybe you can use it diagonally. There are a lot of different things you can do with it, but I can't really talk about it because the performances aren't done yet and the tour doesn't start until September. But I want to make sure that everyone at the venue can see me as closely as possible. If you use the stage differently, every person will be able to see me closer. But I don't want to talk about it too much. Not yet.

On FAITH you have a deep sound, heavier than you've done before. Countdown is probably the best example. Are you moving in that direction?
I actually wanted it to be heavier. When I noticed I had a lot of slow songs and not heavy ones, I wanted to include more. I wanted to make an album that was even heavier.

What is the biggest thing you've learned since your solo debut?
When I was working with L'Arc~en~Ciel, there were four different people all with their own specialties and goal in the band. Whereas when I'm solo, I have to do everything on my own. By doing this solo, for example, when I'm recording the sound for the guitars, I would not normally do that for L'Arc~en~Ciel. While I'm doing this solo project, I started to realize how each person in L'Arc~en~Ciel feel about what they're doing. So I'm getting the aspects of the other people. By doing this solo project, I feel that I've grown musically.

Would you like to share a funny moment from recording or performing on stage?
You said recording or a concert, but the thing about recording is that it's very stoic and very tough and there aren't many episodes I can think of. But live performances are so much fun. Every day there's a memory that will last forever, but there's so many of those that it's not that special anymore. If I were to name one...once I went to a venue in Nara on a jinuksha [rickshaw], one of those Japanense carts where someone pulls you along.

Before you go, would you mind recording a quick message for your fans?
Sure. I've grown up listening to American music and I'm very happy to have a CD release here and actually be able to do concerts. That's one of the big memories that I'll think about forever. I hope to be able to come back for more and more. Thank you for your support.]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[1 on 1 with hyde...]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=397</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 29 Mar 2008 01:25:35 -0700</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=397</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[You may know him from Fullmetal Alchemist or Blood+ or NANA or Otakon's spectacular L'Arc~en~Ciel concert, but you definitely know him. HYDE is one of the biggest rock names in all of Asia, an accomplished solo artist and the front man for a band that has moved over 34 million recordings in the last decade. The accolades go on and on: a multiyear streak of top-ranked releases in Japan, a Baltimore concert that attracted more J-Rock fans than any previous event in America, and an ongoing tour that sold out within minutes in both countries.

HYDE rarely holds private interviews; when L'Arc~en~Ciel performed at Otakon in 2004, not a single request was granted. But this time, he made an exception. Below is a transcript of my exclusive 20-minute chat with Japan's biggest rock star.

Thank you for taking the time. I understand you recorded the FAITH album an hour away in Los Angeles. Why?
I've been a part of L'Arc~en~Ciel for 15 years, as you know, and we have never recorded overseas; it's always been in Japan. I listen to British and American music a lot, and it's always been very hard to get that exact sound while in Japan. So I wanted to come here to do the recording so I could be closer to the sound that I like. Since I am working solo, it's more flexible to do whatever I want.

Who in particular do you listen to in the US and UK?
Depeche Mode, Mission UK, and things like Korn.

Okay. Let's talk about the big differences between FAITH and your 666 album.
666 is something I made while I was envisioning doing live performances. I was in charge of doing the guitar and the vocals, so it was more punkish and rough. FAITH was made with guitars and helped to be produced by Kaz. There's more of a guitar sound because he got involved.

Kaz also wrote some of the songs this time, right? What impact did that have?
Kaz and I have similar tastes; all the tracks he makes are very likable. Everything he's made, there's nothing wrong with his songs. For L'Arc~en~ciel, for anything we recorded there were a lot of people giving opinions. It was hard to like the songs from the very beginning. Whereas with Kaz I liked everything right from the beginning he made for Faith. It's a lot smoother, then, because I'm a solo artist and I can do whatever I want. With Kaz I have a goal and working with Kaz I can reach that goal.

One of your songs, Jesus Christ, is about contradictions of faith. How do you find those contradictions, and how do you reconcile them?
Let's see...In Japan while I'm on tour, there's usually a Jesus Christ banner in the back of the set. While writing the Jesus Christ song, I had imagined this banner before this whole tour even started. So while writing this song, I brought up a lot of the questions I had in my mind. Obviously, I don't know the right answer or anything, but that's how I arrived at those contradictions. These are questions that I had. So many bad things are happening in the world right now that I wanted to point them out and write it down on paper.

Can you be more specific? Which question of faith do you struggle with the most?
Hmm...[long pause]...In Japan on New Year's there's a ritual called Hatsunode, where people visit the shrine and make their wish for the year. I always wish for world peace. One of the big questions is why it doesn't come true.

You've said writing lyrics opens you to things you hadn't seen before. I think the Jesus Christ song reflects that insight. What other things did you see for the first time while writing?
In everyday life, I don't think deeply about things. But when I'm writing songs, I write songs about the questions that I have. While I write those songs, I get deeper and deeper. Actually, what I noticed was that in everyday life there are a lot of little things that are happy, but while writing, I realized I've passed the peak where I was happiest. Every day, I didn't realize it, but I looked back at my lyrics I had written and realized I had passed that peak.

Why is that?
The reason is that I thought I could die at that moment. If you can think that, it means you've already reached that level of happiness.

You've also said you want to use concert venues in different or unusual ways. Can you elaborate?
Usually, for example, you would use a venue horizontally. But maybe you can use it diagonally. There are a lot of different things you can do with it, but I can't really talk about it because the performances aren't done yet and the tour doesn't start until September. But I want to make sure that everyone at the venue can see me as closely as possible. If you use the stage differently, every person will be able to see me closer. But I don't want to talk about it too much. Not yet.

On FAITH you have a deep sound, heavier than you've done before. Countdown is probably the best example. Are you moving in that direction?
I actually wanted it to be heavier. When I noticed I had a lot of slow songs and not heavy ones, I wanted to include more. I wanted to make an album that was even heavier.

What is the biggest thing you've learned since your solo debut?
When I was working with L'Arc~en~Ciel, there were four different people all with their own specialties and goal in the band. Whereas when I'm solo, I have to do everything on my own. By doing this solo, for example, when I'm recording the sound for the guitars, I would not normally do that for L'Arc~en~Ciel. While I'm doing this solo project, I started to realize how each person in L'Arc~en~Ciel feel about what they're doing. So I'm getting the aspects of the other people. By doing this solo project, I feel that I've grown musically.

Would you like to share a funny moment from recording or performing on stage?
You said recording or a concert, but the thing about recording is that it's very stoic and very tough and there aren't many episodes I can think of. But live performances are so much fun. Every day there's a memory that will last forever, but there's so many of those that it's not that special anymore. If I were to name one...once I went to a venue in Nara on a jinuksha [rickshaw], one of those Japanense carts where someone pulls you along.

Before you go, would you mind recording a quick message for your fans?
Sure. I've grown up listening to American music and I'm very happy to have a CD release here and actually be able to do concerts. That's one of the big memories that I'll think about forever. I hope to be able to come back for more and more. Thank you for your support.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[You may know him from Fullmetal Alchemist or Blood+ or NANA or Otakon's spectacular L'Arc~en~Ciel concert, but you definitely know him. HYDE is one of the biggest rock names in all of Asia, an accomplished solo artist and the front man for a band that has moved over 34 million recordings in the last decade. The accolades go on and on: a multiyear streak of top-ranked releases in Japan, a Baltimore concert that attracted more J-Rock fans than any previous event in America, and an ongoing tour that sold out within minutes in both countries.

HYDE rarely holds private interviews; when L'Arc~en~Ciel performed at Otakon in 2004, not a single request was granted. But this time, he made an exception. Below is a transcript of my exclusive 20-minute chat with Japan's biggest rock star.

Thank you for taking the time. I understand you recorded the FAITH album an hour away in Los Angeles. Why?
I've been a part of L'Arc~en~Ciel for 15 years, as you know, and we have never recorded overseas; it's always been in Japan. I listen to British and American music a lot, and it's always been very hard to get that exact sound while in Japan. So I wanted to come here to do the recording so I could be closer to the sound that I like. Since I am working solo, it's more flexible to do whatever I want.

Who in particular do you listen to in the US and UK?
Depeche Mode, Mission UK, and things like Korn.

Okay. Let's talk about the big differences between FAITH and your 666 album.
666 is something I made while I was envisioning doing live performances. I was in charge of doing the guitar and the vocals, so it was more punkish and rough. FAITH was made with guitars and helped to be produced by Kaz. There's more of a guitar sound because he got involved.

Kaz also wrote some of the songs this time, right? What impact did that have?
Kaz and I have similar tastes; all the tracks he makes are very likable. Everything he's made, there's nothing wrong with his songs. For L'Arc~en~ciel, for anything we recorded there were a lot of people giving opinions. It was hard to like the songs from the very beginning. Whereas with Kaz I liked everything right from the beginning he made for Faith. It's a lot smoother, then, because I'm a solo artist and I can do whatever I want. With Kaz I have a goal and working with Kaz I can reach that goal.

One of your songs, Jesus Christ, is about contradictions of faith. How do you find those contradictions, and how do you reconcile them?
Let's see...In Japan while I'm on tour, there's usually a Jesus Christ banner in the back of the set. While writing the Jesus Christ song, I had imagined this banner before this whole tour even started. So while writing this song, I brought up a lot of the questions I had in my mind. Obviously, I don't know the right answer or anything, but that's how I arrived at those contradictions. These are questions that I had. So many bad things are happening in the world right now that I wanted to point them out and write it down on paper.

Can you be more specific? Which question of faith do you struggle with the most?
Hmm...[long pause]...In Japan on New Year's there's a ritual called Hatsunode, where people visit the shrine and make their wish for the year. I always wish for world peace. One of the big questions is why it doesn't come true.

You've said writing lyrics opens you to things you hadn't seen before. I think the Jesus Christ song reflects that insight. What other things did you see for the first time while writing?
In everyday life, I don't think deeply about things. But when I'm writing songs, I write songs about the questions that I have. While I write those songs, I get deeper and deeper. Actually, what I noticed was that in everyday life there are a lot of little things that are happy, but while writing, I realized I've passed the peak where I was happiest. Every day, I didn't realize it, but I looked back at my lyrics I had written and realized I had passed that peak.

Why is that?
The reason is that I thought I could die at that moment. If you can think that, it means you've already reached that level of happiness.

You've also said you want to use concert venues in different or unusual ways. Can you elaborate?
Usually, for example, you would use a venue horizontally. But maybe you can use it diagonally. There are a lot of different things you can do with it, but I can't really talk about it because the performances aren't done yet and the tour doesn't start until September. But I want to make sure that everyone at the venue can see me as closely as possible. If you use the stage differently, every person will be able to see me closer. But I don't want to talk about it too much. Not yet.

On FAITH you have a deep sound, heavier than you've done before. Countdown is probably the best example. Are you moving in that direction?
I actually wanted it to be heavier. When I noticed I had a lot of slow songs and not heavy ones, I wanted to include more. I wanted to make an album that was even heavier.

What is the biggest thing you've learned since your solo debut?
When I was working with L'Arc~en~Ciel, there were four different people all with their own specialties and goal in the band. Whereas when I'm solo, I have to do everything on my own. By doing this solo, for example, when I'm recording the sound for the guitars, I would not normally do that for L'Arc~en~Ciel. While I'm doing this solo project, I started to realize how each person in L'Arc~en~Ciel feel about what they're doing. So I'm getting the aspects of the other people. By doing this solo project, I feel that I've grown musically.

Would you like to share a funny moment from recording or performing on stage?
You said recording or a concert, but the thing about recording is that it's very stoic and very tough and there aren't many episodes I can think of. But live performances are so much fun. Every day there's a memory that will last forever, but there's so many of those that it's not that special anymore. If I were to name one...once I went to a venue in Nara on a jinuksha [rickshaw], one of those Japanense carts where someone pulls you along.

Before you go, would you mind recording a quick message for your fans?
Sure. I've grown up listening to American music and I'm very happy to have a CD release here and actually be able to do concerts. That's one of the big memories that I'll think about forever. I hope to be able to come back for more and more. Thank you for your support.]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[hello]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=396</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:11:30 -0700</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=396</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[hello everyone..
i'm newbie here.yoroshiku onegaishimasu..]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[hello everyone..
i'm newbie here.yoroshiku onegaishimasu..]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[hello people of the forum!]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=395</link>
			<pubDate>Sun, 09 Mar 2008 17:05:18 -0700</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=395</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[I'm Edel!
And I love L'Arc~en~Ciel! (why would I be here if I didn't?)
But I also love Green Day, and My Chemical Romance (just saying, don't hurt me!)
The only other L'Arc forums i belong to is mine and Dive To Blue.
So, I'm happy I found another L'Arc forum! (Google doesn't like me nowadays...)
ANyway, hello!]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[I'm Edel!
And I love L'Arc~en~Ciel! (why would I be here if I didn't?)
But I also love Green Day, and My Chemical Romance (just saying, don't hurt me!)
The only other L'Arc forums i belong to is mine and Dive To Blue.
So, I'm happy I found another L'Arc forum! (Google doesn't like me nowadays...)
ANyway, hello!]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[what you hate? what you like?]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=394</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 12 Feb 2008 04:00:31 -0800</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=394</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[when you like a person it's human nature that there's something about him or her that you hate...don't like is much better...

now, what is that something that you don't like about hyde?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[when you like a person it's human nature that there's something about him or her that you hate...don't like is much better...

now, what is that something that you don't like about hyde?]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[is it true??]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=393</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:39:22 -0800</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=393</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[that hyde never said i love you to a girl before? ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[that hyde never said i love you to a girl before? ]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Happy Birthday Kyon!!!!]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=392</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:32:42 -0800</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=392</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[We know you've had some internet troubles lately but you still keep up with us here at the forum.
We're forever grateful for your contributions and podcasts!
Here's to many more happy years of L'arc fandom!

]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[We know you've had some internet troubles lately but you still keep up with us here at the forum.
We're forever grateful for your contributions and podcasts!
Here's to many more happy years of L'arc fandom!

]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Holaa xD]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=391</link>
			<pubDate>Sun, 03 Feb 2008 20:01:15 -0800</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=391</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[hi...i'm misai and i love L'Aruku since 2004
i'm from Chilee and my english isn't very good xD
well, this is all
bye :)]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[hi...i'm misai and i love L'Aruku since 2004
i'm from Chilee and my english isn't very good xD
well, this is all
bye :)]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[his video's are out of nowhere!!]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=390</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 02 Feb 2008 03:27:28 -0800</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=390</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[everytime i watch the video of hello, i'm melting...
wahaha!
that was too exaggerated.
but the videos of his songs are really jaw-dropping
specially countdown's...
and the one in the desert (season's call) 
where did they shoot that? 'twas refreshing.
haha...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[everytime i watch the video of hello, i'm melting...
wahaha!
that was too exaggerated.
but the videos of his songs are really jaw-dropping
specially countdown's...
and the one in the desert (season's call) 
where did they shoot that? 'twas refreshing.
haha...]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[minnasan konnichiwa!]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=389</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 02 Feb 2008 00:02:40 -0800</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=389</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[(for japanese out there)
bie desu...yoroshiku...
kyoutoni sundeiru.
19sai desuyo.
kokode tanoshii deshou.

(for non japanese)
i'm bie, nice to meet you!
i'm from kyouto.
19 years of age.
i'm enjoying here!

hope we can be friends!:larcD:]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[(for japanese out there)
bie desu...yoroshiku...
kyoutoni sundeiru.
19sai desuyo.
kokode tanoshii deshou.

(for non japanese)
i'm bie, nice to meet you!
i'm from kyouto.
19 years of age.
i'm enjoying here!

hope we can be friends!:larcD:]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[a poem i made for hyde...]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=388</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Feb 2008 23:41:44 -0800</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=388</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[His eyes are like the morning breeze,
Full of laughter and sunny bliss.
Thy voice with such grandiosity,
Swims the deep of the open sea.

this is the best description I can give when I see him...
and when I hear his voice...

I'll try to make a longer one next time...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[His eyes are like the morning breeze,
Full of laughter and sunny bliss.
Thy voice with such grandiosity,
Swims the deep of the open sea.

this is the best description I can give when I see him...
and when I hear his voice...

I'll try to make a longer one next time...]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[HYDE X KAZ LIVE TOUR]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=387</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:00:20 -0800</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=387</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[Well, as many know HYDE planned a solo tour at the end of this year. Looks like Hyde managed to drag Kaz back with him again. XD

HYDE X K.A.Z
NEW PROJECT
LIVE TOUR 2008

http://www.hyde.com/tour2008/

The website contains tour dates and prices for anyone who hasn't seen it yet - as well as reservation information.

thanks to Eleonora @ Ark BBS for the heads up.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, as many know HYDE planned a solo tour at the end of this year. Looks like Hyde managed to drag Kaz back with him again. XD

HYDE X K.A.Z
NEW PROJECT
LIVE TOUR 2008

http://www.hyde.com/tour2008/

The website contains tour dates and prices for anyone who hasn't seen it yet - as well as reservation information.

thanks to Eleonora @ Ark BBS for the heads up.]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[[Official] General Hyde chitchat]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=386</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:42:59 -0800</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=386</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[This thread is the official Hyde general chitchat thread. It's for all general Hyde chatting that doesn't fall under a particular category. 

For example, use this thread if you just want to talk about how much you love Hyde or how much you love/hate his hairstyles. Do not use this thread to post big news (releases, tours, etc).

This thread gives you a place to get all that Hyde chat out of your system without creating tons of different threads. Please don't post downloads here, put them in the download section (so non-registered users don't leech them). Posting pictures is fine but please don't quote tons of pics.

No arguing and respect other's opinions. No elistism - you're not better than anyone else. Stay on topic (Hyde). All rules still apply.

So have at it~

And please post Hyde news in a new thread - that way everyone can see it.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[This thread is the official Hyde general chitchat thread. It's for all general Hyde chatting that doesn't fall under a particular category. 

For example, use this thread if you just want to talk about how much you love Hyde or how much you love/hate his hairstyles. Do not use this thread to post big news (releases, tours, etc).

This thread gives you a place to get all that Hyde chat out of your system without creating tons of different threads. Please don't post downloads here, put them in the download section (so non-registered users don't leech them). Posting pictures is fine but please don't quote tons of pics.

No arguing and respect other's opinions. No elistism - you're not better than anyone else. Stay on topic (Hyde). All rules still apply.

So have at it~

And please post Hyde news in a new thread - that way everyone can see it.]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[hyde, do you have a girlfriend?]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=385</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:53:01 -0800</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=385</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[or you're something like...no,no,no...joke....:trans16:
he's quite mysterious...
and i like him because he's mysterious...
what a weirdo me...
haha!]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[or you're something like...no,no,no...joke....:trans16:
he's quite mysterious...
and i like him because he's mysterious...
what a weirdo me...
haha!]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[season's call and countdown...totemo kakkoii!!!]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=384</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:03:47 -0800</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=384</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[his voice reminds me of the calling's alex, especially when he sang glamorous  sky...but he's really unique in many ways...waah! he's hot! hot like a vampire... well he's 39 already and it doesn't show! he looks like he's only in his twenties...what a babyface...:trans11:]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[his voice reminds me of the calling's alex, especially when he sang glamorous  sky...but he's really unique in many ways...waah! he's hot! hot like a vampire... well he's 39 already and it doesn't show! he looks like he's only in his twenties...what a babyface...:trans11:]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[hai....]]></title>
			<link>http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=383</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 26 Jan 2008 06:00:49 -0800</pubDate>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cafe.baka-koneko.com/bbs/showthread.php?tid=383</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[sugoiiii.......
 
hyde is no.1......


her voice so amazing >_<
watashi wa daisuki........'']]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[sugoiiii.......
 
hyde is no.1......


her voice so amazing >_<
watashi wa daisuki........'']]></content:encoded>
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