Aggy’s new band!? YEAH.

Vo.カミヤリョウ (KAMIYA ryo – ex Aggy)
Gt.Ryoji
Ba.Shogo
Dr.Shu-ji

http://visulog.jp/news/article/114395

Appearing on:

◆HYSTERIC CIRCUS オフィシャルサイト
http://visulog.jp/page/hysteric/201205/index

◆ViSULOG.TV
http://visualand.tv/schedule/1450/                
show start = 21:00 (JST) – 13:00 (GST)

Well there’s been a lot of talking about a few tweets lately, not counting the mysterious tweets about being a vocalist that Aggy tweeted, haha.

Turns out, Leda is starting on a solo project! He didn’t give out too many details yet, but an album may be released in the fall. (correct me if I’m wrong)

And, Braveman Records is working on getting an official site going, so we will be able to check  news on their projects! (which may definitely make us kinda inactive – U-’)

More details coming soon

Yay for Aggy

DELUHI Apart.

R: Speaking from the position of one who followed Deluhi ever since your very first live, it was greatly disappointing to hear new of the disbandment. I know you’ve already released a comment on your official webpage regarding this, but please shed more light on the circumstances that led to this outcome.

Leda: To put it really roughly, a short while after we went on hiatus, Aggy made the decision to quit……Then, as we discussed if there was any more purpose in continuing , we figured that Deluhi could only work with the 4 of us, and hence reached that compromise that disbandment was the best path to take.

R: Ok in the first place, you guys said that the reason for hiatus was the need to take time to discern a direction in carrying on, at that point in time. What, really, were the implications of such a reason?

Leda: Each of us had different motivations, and artistic side wise, there were clashes.  On the topic of motivation, we questioned the kind of stage we wanted to create, the kind of artists we wanted to be, what our stance towards music was, then we realized that it was not so much that all 4 of us held different principles, but the fact that we could not reconcile them. So, in order to preserve the integrity of the music, it was best to put a stop to our activities. Deluhi is very important to me, so it was an imperative for each and every one of us to possess the right attitudes towards the music before we could proceed.

R: And that happened right after your tour final in Shibuya O-East, 1st December 2010. Looks like you guys had a short time to think things over.

Leda: Well,…when the 4 of us met face to face again, it was not a meeting where we were revving to get things going. I had the intention to restart the band and put the hiatus to an end, but it turned out that that was an idea only I had. I was just about to bring it up with the other members and discuss it with the staff when Aggy announced his intention to quit the band. I think all these happened some time last year.

R: So that happened almost immediately after the tour ended.

Leda: Yes. The whole of last December was just crazy……and so we had an unexpectedly trying new year too.

R: Well, so after Aggy informed you guys of his intention to quit, when did you arrive at the decision that Deluhi could only compromise of none other than the 4 of you?

 Leda: When Aggy came clean about his decision to quit, what else could I say but “Ok, I understand”? Thereupon, I seriously deliberated about Deluhi as a band, what kind of band we were, if the remaining 3 of us could continue without him. It’s not like I didn’t tell Aggy, “Please reconsider your decision, for us.” But, when we met again during the New Year, his decision did not change. Then, we finally had to accept that Aggy was going to quit…and then…I don’t have a clear recollection of things, but we came to a final decision mid-March, I think. We reached that conclusion after a hell lot of discussion…before we finally dragged the talk towards disbandment. “Disband or not, what else could we do, disband yes, but that’s just undesirable”, those phrases were thrown around. We started talking about Aggy’s quitting, and then we talked about the disbandment. It was so frustrating being in such a position. Honestly, even before we arrived at the decision to disband, we decided, around May or so, to hold another live. So, that live effectively became one that marked our disbandment, and also marked Aggy’s departure, but either way his heart wasn’t in it anymore and that was just unfortunate. It was as if we hit another roadblock again. That period time was also an inevitable revelation of out limits. We were steadily pushed towards it, and since disbandment was decided upon already……

R: But between the end of February to Mid-march, you performed with Galneryus as a guest guitarist. Then during the performance at Akasaka Blitz didn’t you utter on stage that you would be “giving it all” for Deluhi?

Leda: Well yes I did. But I wasn’t referring to new releases whatsoever; I was talking about working on the best album.

R:  How then should one best interpret what you said?

Leda: I always wanted to keep working. Even with the disbandment I still wanted to and so I planned to release a best album. Actually, even before that, there was talk of consolidating our older releases and publishing a “European” edition of them, in the hope that it would be the first step in securing an overseas tour. Either way, I thought it’d be great to re-record the old song. It was clear that I wanted to move in a good direction, and in order for that to actualize I had to get down to physically recording stuff. So, despite the crossroads I think I encountered during February to March, I still had a couple of things going on and further stuff planned for Deluhi.

R: Well then, your announcement of disbandment happened on 1st April. I guess there were people then who thought it was an awful joke, but then it proved to be a statement of fact. Yet, despite the announcement, from what is happening now, it sure doesn’t look like you guys actually disbanded. I think it is difficult to broach the subject of disbandment, what more the fact that Deluhi has only been around for at most 3-4 years. It was too short a time, to put it bluntly. There must have been plenty of people eagerly waiting for Deluhi to progress towards greater heights, and in all honesty, you guys responded by showing us a very steady and promising advancement, then disbandment. So really, Leda, what is going on with Deluhi?

Leda: I would say that from henceforth our life work has changed. Sure enough we got to a point where things were favourable for us, but there were also parts of Deluhi which were far from desirable. So, we had the hiatus, and I convicted myself to see this band grow not just to have a bigger fan base, but also to be a band that could last in this industry……Hence I always pause to reflect at those mega livehouses in Tokyo which seat thousands of people…I have no doubt that this is what I was born to do. My time in Deluhi was one without an ounce of regret. In my entire life as a musician, Deluhi was the first time I assumed the role of band leader and so……it was the band I gave more serious though to.

R: While this so far has shed more light, please share too the kind of frustrations and that problem-solving process you underwent before deciding on disbandment.

Leda: Well, we could have simply carried on as a 3 man band, or else recruit another member and carry on, but either way it was unconceivable to think of “Deluhi” if one of the 4 of us wasn’t there. I still think it would have worked otherwise. For example, if one were to listen to our earliest songs and compare them with the latest releases, I bet I’m not the only one to note a vast difference. There has been a drastic change in the musical sense and direction we held back then and hold right now.  I want for Deluhi to regain its footing after all that has happened, to start again and grow to be a band that succeeds.

R: What do the other members think?

Leda:  All of them support my sentiment that “Deluhi” is not Deluhi without the 4 of us together. It was so great that everyone pretty much thought the same, so there was a good resolution to the decision making after all. I had the final say on how things ended, but at the same time it was not a monopoly on Deluhi. Aggy, for one, threw the line, “How is this 4 of us equals Deluhi” thing not a sign for disbandment?

R: Even though Aggy was the one who left, it’s not like he did not want Deluhi to continue as a band?

Leda: Hm. Well…as one who has had countless experience leaving bands, I empathized with him. A band is somebody’s life, and it is thus a huge responsibility to undertake when one joins one. Yet, while that may be true, it is also pointless to continue being in a band if one’s musical does not fit. For argument’s sake, let’s say we recruited another member to replace Aggy. Then there would be the possibility of this new Deluhi not meeting up to the fan’s expectations, moreover, we might get the whole “oh, with Aggy it was better” response and that would have been plain awful. Then, as much as I thought it’d be great to hang on to my principle about Deluhi, I also meant it when I said “I would be back”. See how much tension abounded?  But now, speaking, with the benefit of hindsight, I do think that disbandment was still the best move after all.

R:…and why do you say that?

Leda: Because there was finally resolution to all that tension. A total of 3 years as a band……an experience in which my life has changed the most compared to my time in other bands, so of course, there are many things left unfinished with Deluhi. But, now that I need to look at Deluhi knowing that it is no more, I am focusing on bringing it to a satisfying closure…yes that is my intention, and I will just take it positively and give it my all to see this through.

R: Ok. But in all honesty, did you even get a sense of the disappointment and pain your fans went through?

Leda: Yeah! Well, that wasn’t unexpected. Personally, I kept wondering if there was more I could say to them, but thankfully there were so many who were understanding and sympathetic with what I felt after reading the official notice, and the personal message I left on my blog. Deluhi was a period of doing things honestly. We believed that being sincere about our activities was the key to building a relationship of trust with the fans. And as a result of that, what we received in turn was so much support we felt unworthy of having. A blessing indeed.

R: During your hiatus last year, you said somewhere that “given our standard, we maybe are a band that can command an audience of CC Lemon’s size. However, I still think this is a difficult feat and hence the need to take time to reconsider our progress”, basically something to that effect. After hearing you say that at that point in time, I personally felt that you were just being paranoid about the future.

Leda: I was speaking from a very delicate and serendipitous position then, and furthermore, whatever I had up till then was really a series of miracles that happened by chance. To talk about the manner in which Deluhi progressed, it was put together between me and the manager. We discussed stuff and fixed a 1 year schedule. It was a very rough sketch, what kind of activities we could try to carry out in summer, what releases we could publish in winter, when we could conduct a tour, whether we could finish the final live at a venue around the city etc. But these rough sketches eventually materialized. Many of my ideas were reflected as such. To see my dreams become reality and my plans to success was enjoyable. But well, for each and every bit of success……there were moments of failure too. For example, the (1st Jan 2010) live at Shibuya O-East wasn’t sold-out. Yet whenever I faced such setbacks my strategy was to revise my plan of action and pick myself up again. I reflect a lot on all these, and during the hiatus, all I could feel was that I received unmerited grace.

R:  To look at it as a whole, then ye, you surely left the impression of sheer, serious hard work. But on the other hand, even up till now you never released a full album. Perhaps it’d be right to say that there weren’t a need to push things that far?

Leda: Hey, It’s not because I wasn’t pushing it. I didn’t, because it just wasn’t possible to produce a full album. Our state of affairs then didn’t permit us the length of time required to produce a full album. Also, Juri did not have the condition of voice to record one.

R: In other words, you wanted to release one, and would have if only the timing and circumstances were favourable.

Leda: And that timing never came by……If the hiatus has not been, we would have released a full album around this summer, and then embark on a tour with the finale at CC Lemon Hall…or at least that was what I had prepared. But who would have known, after going through the whole process where we eventually decided to disband, I was plunged into agony. Yes, it was cowardly of me but had I pressed on with the full album it would have been of an inferior quality. The hurdles were set up high, and furthermore I needed some skill-up before I could actually record a good full album. Also, I needed to uplift my spirits and feelings towards the band. See, it was quite a difficult feat.

R: I’m sure there are many parts of Deluhi’s activities which left a lasting impression on you. Could you share the details of such?

Leda: Hm, what kind of activities left lasting impressions? There were all sorts of activities but…The one that pops to mind now would be the summer tour, while we were moving from one live house to another, we played badminton in the parking area (laughs). Also, after the live concluded and the curtains were drawn, whenever I was changing, and that moment where my shirt was covering my eyes, I would always get attacked by the other members (laughs).

R: Ok, from the way you say it, it sure does sound like pretty serious stuff (laughs). Were there events of equal severity that happened with regards to lives?

Leda: Oh yes there were (laughs). The making of “Yggdalive” was a torturous period. It was only a mini album but we put in a lot of effort on it. However the vocal recording ended up taking so much time, such that the guitar solo recording kept being postponed. Our studio time ran out but the deadline remained, so I ended up recording the guitar solo in my house. I pulled an all-nighter to finish it in time. I didn’t have a choice, and I ended up falling ill.

R: Exactly like what you said during your interview then. Well, but if you’d ask the production staff who tidied up the whole recording, they thought you were a genius to have produced work of such high quality under such stressful circumstances.

Leda: Oh well that I don’t know. Ah, now that we’re on the topic of our early days there’s something else I recall. It’s about the outfits. I didn’t know how to wash mine, or whether it could even be washed for the matter. So, this is going to sound gross, I did not wash it at all. I just air dried it each time. Honestly, it did not stink at all. But, when it did occur to me that I should try to wash it and I finally immersed it in water, this thick green sludge oozed out of it. That was memorable.

R: It got that filthy (laughs)?!

Leda: Yes it did (laughs). Oh, another thing. I was using Navigator’s V-shape guitar for the “fast one man” in 2008. It was a small-scale event by industry standards, one in which ESP personnel would not bother attending. However, they did grace the one man at O-Crest, 1st August, with their presence! They came backstage and asked to see my guitar, and all I could present them with was a completely battle-won instrument with a broken neck and splintered front pick-up. They took one look and immediately offered to fix it. Even till today they still talk about the incident and tell me “you must have been completely possessed by all your activities. That’s why you could persevere even with a lousy guitar”.

R: That “fast one man” must have left a lasting impression.

Leda: Indeed. We managed a sell-out, but honestly I had no idea how we managed to do it given that it was really rainy and windy that day, and besides, we had only distributed a handful of flyers here and there. Furthermore, like I said before, everything was very uncertain, right up to the day of the live itself. Additionally, there really wasn’t must talk or focus about the live, even among us. For example, during our first tour, while en route back from Osaka, we entered the wrong highway and ended up heading towards Gifu. By the time we detoured and all, it was not till the next morning that we finally reached Tokyo. Then the time we travelled to Nagoya coincided with the long holiday period. So not only were we stuck in a horrid jam for 14 hours, we had to pay an increased toll charge of 1000yen.

R: Hahaha. Anyway Leda, you are one who has built your band portfolio steadily over time. On that note, before Deluhi commences its final tour in July, you guys will be cramming in a coupling tour with Matenrou Opera in June.

Leda: Well if you talk about Matenrou Opera-Deluhi relations, they began all the way back in 2009. We had a 2-man tour in autumn then, in which we formed mutually meaningful relations. So we promised each other right back then, “someday we will go on tour together again!”, but that did not materialize anytime soon. Well, given that there’s not going to be anymore Deluhi once the last tour finishes, we figured that for a 2 man tour, it’s now or never.

R: Just one look at your plans ahead gives the sense that your schedule was put together hurriedly. By the time this interview is published the tour would have finished. How do you think Matenrou Opera’s existence would change without Deluhi around?

Leda: Well, we have sworn our friendship to each other. Actually the preceding band to Deluhi was one with Matenrou Opera’s Yo and Yu. So we began in the scene together, and spend a good 5-6 years or so chasing our dreams. It was splendid to be able to do it together. We shared the same wavelength on many things and our preferences in music were similar. I kept telling Sono during the 2 man tour, “Both bands are so made to tour together!”, and I really meant it. I also told them, “The Visual Kei metal scene can be entrusted in your hands” (laughs). We all felt that we were being thrown into what was called the “Visual Kei lifestyle”. Yet, there was also that nagging suspicion that this path was not for me to tread.

R: But, in terms of projecting a Visual Kei image, from a viewer’s perspective, it sure did not look like Deluhi was trying to project one. Rather, it looked like you guys were actively avoiding that image.

Leda: Yup. I don’t play music for the sake of playing. I make sure that whatever I perform is an expression of my personal taste in music. That being said, there were periods where we ended up writing songs with furitsuke. Oh by the way, for our best album, we figured we were much happier digging up past unreleased songs over writing new songs, and we ended up fishing out one of those furitsuke pieces. A long time ago, Juri choreographed and performed the furitsuke. We’re considering performing it for the upcoming tour.

R: A song with furitsuke? I have no such recollection though.

Leda: I don’t think you’ve seen it. We only performed it 2 to 3 times, and that was during the really early days, during the band-duel event which had no name.

R: Ok that episode surely indicates the beginning phase of Deluhi, where there must have been a lot of trial and error when you experimented with different styles (laughs). But to shed more light about your earlier musical experience only under the weight of the impending disbandment, at this point in time, well, what kind of contents are you envisioning for the album?

Leda: A mix of old and new, a synthesis of everything we’ve achieved till this point in time. I have about 6-7 months to pack in all the activities I want to accomplish, and since I only want this to end with the sense that I have nothing left unfinished, I will do all I can with it.

R: Well so many venues for Vandalism have already been sold out, such that an additional live would be held at C.C.Lemon Hall on 7th August.

Leda: Oh yes. We decided to hold an additional live because shortly after placing O-East’s live as the final for the tour, so many applications came in for the tickets. We really didn’t want to end in the situation where the (unsuccessful applicants) would be completely unable to attend the tour at all, so we decided on having another one. As for why we chose C.C.Lemon, I had an event there before and thereafter wrote on the blog that “I really want to hold a one-man in a hall”. Also, I told everybody that when Deluhi got back on its feet again, it would be at a stage much longer than we’ve been before. It was a promise I made by myself, and one which I was determined to fulfill. Hence, I wasn’t so much focusing on selling-out the lives; but rather, just to be thankful to see people who value Deluhi enough to come for our lives, even if it were just one person. And that day proved to me that Deluhi still lives on in many people’s hearts.

R: Now that you’ve given us a wrap-up of your thoughts for this tour, how about doing the same for the best album too? Advanced sales have already started.

Leda: This best album is going to contain a variety of things, re-recordings, retakes, remixes…a number of songs have revised drum parts, and of course the guitar bits were improved as well. We also added a more theatrical spin to the vocals of some songs, for example, “Vivid Place”, “Yuzen ni Yuzuri Ha” etc. We want to give all who enjoyed our previous musical styles a new wave of enjoyment. I interpreted the title “Vandalism” to mean themes of destruction, collapse etc. I then applied this interpretation to the songs by keeping their original atmospheres, yet stripping the initial contents and furnishing them with these re-workings.

R: Looking forward to it! By the way, what are your plans after disbandment? I guess we will still here from you wherever you are?

Leda: I hope to be heard a million times and more (laughs). Well, I still want to continue being in a band. But I want to take the time to slowly unravel my purpose for being in this industry. However, now that I’m up to my neck in Deluhi’s activities, I don’t have the time for that. I only have one body.

R: Certainly. Well what are you going to do with the name “Leda”? Since it was the name you used only when Deluhi began.

Leda: Ah yes. For one, I was always requesting, “Call me Deluhi’s Leda”, till the point where it became a name synonymous with my life work. But of course, the name is losing its meaning now. Well, either way, I don’t have the will to make a decision on that now.

R: Well, but as for where to proceed now you seem to be swarmed with options. For one, many offers have been extended to you for work as a project guitarist.

Leda:  And I am so grateful for that. On that note, I am releasing an instructional DVD. It’s an introduction to Deluhi’s materials and contains demonstrations too. In a way, it will be riding on the release of our best album. I recorded each and every solo again for this, and also included the techniques I used each time. I want it to be known that whatever Deluhi’s Leda plays, everybody can as well. Also……I’m reading through lots of mails and the message “please carry on with the remaining members” has appeared more than once. I can confirm that it is 100% impossible. Otherwise we really wouldn’t be disbanding. That being said, we wouldn’t leave until we accomplish every single activity we have left to do as Deluhi.

R: Well, we’re sure looking forward to everything up till C.C. Lemon…but, there’s a certain inexpressible feeling about the whole issue.

Leda: But, do find joy in the fact that we will be holding a one-man live in a hall, not just a live house. We’ve reached the end point with Deluhi, but hasn’t it been a blast so far? This is going to be, literally, the ‘last’ live so I plan to do some special stuff…I’m not going to shed a tear as I work to make it happen. We have no intention of releasing a DVD with CC Lemon footage. Cause only then would this truly be a perfect ending.

Yay! It’s Aggy’s birthday I believe he is maybe 25 today?

Well, we wish many more birthdays to you Aggy, and a wonderful day Good luck in all that you do and know that we love you!

lots of Love, (lots and lots and LOTS)

-ALL Deluhists!

Check it out!

updated on the official Youtube Channel!

vocals : Kihiro (All the World is Waiting for the Sun)
guitars : Leda (ex. DELUHI)
bass : Leda
drums : Sujk

The song is “One’s weakness” and it is so amazing to be able to hear Juri sing again!

vocals : Juri (ex. DELUHI)
guitars : tatsuaki sakai (MI-RO-KU)
bass : 燿 (摩天楼オペラ）
drums : Sujk

Here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UToIoDgArIU&feature=player_embedded

Sujk looks pretty good! As always!
Tracks:
M1. The Arkhelist
M2. one’s weakness
M3. Arrival point
M4. Twisted dimension
M5. The left hook of Waccha
M6. till the end
M7. Doll
M8. Believer
M9. Paradoxxx
M10. Try too Hard
　
※M1・M4・M5・M9…インストゥルメンタル曲
※全編アグレッシヴなサウンドの連射です。

※ゲスト・アーティスト：
Juri（ex.DELUHI）…M2
Leda（ex.DELUHI）…M7
Aggy（ex.DELUHI）…M6
燿（摩天楼オペラ）…M2
Kihiro（All the World is Waiting for the Sun）…M7

Also, check the blog for details on their Last Live DVD to be out  on the 21st of December!

Its great to see activity on their official Youtube channel even if they are disbanded.
http://www.youtube.com/user/DELUHIofficial < Official Youtube Link for those who need it
( And a personal hello to everyone. I’ve decided to come back after a long hiatus from all things DELUHI. )