Anyone interested:
Dir en grey Interview – Orkus Magazine May (June?) 2005
Please note that this translation is translated from German to English, even though the original interview was done in Japanese. Things get lost/modified unintentionally along the way. Some things are hard to translate.
I personally hope they didn’t get too sick of the German interviewer. I did.
~~
Especially due to companies like Neotokyo, we Europeans get to know more and more fascinating bands from Japan. Germany’s most beloved band most certainly is Die en grey. The band was founded at the end of the 90s and first found its home in Visual Kei. In time, their outfits and images changed, but that didn't affect the size of their continuously growing fanbase in the least. That alone is impressive. Because how often have we seen it happen with bands that, as soon as their familiar looks were gone, their career went straight downhill? But of course Diru, as they are affectionately called, have a charisma that very few bands have. And in the end it is, or at least should be, the music that persuades the listener over everything In that sense, Dr en grey overcome all doubts. In their home country they are counted among the biggest of the big in the jrock-genre. With their album Vulgar, released in 2003, the five of them created a musical work that was celebrated by many as unbeatable. These days they are releasing their fifth album, Withering to death. Whether the Japanese can outdo themselves again will be awaited. There are first indices for that…
Orkus: How would you describe your new album Withering to death. yourselves?
Dir en grey: A feeling of despair.
O: What’s the meaning of the title of your new album?
Dir en grey: The title was created from the word ‚wither’ which has different meanings, like: tortured humans, pain, conflict/opposite.
O: What does the ‘.’ at the end symbolize? Defenitiveness, something concluded?
Dir en grey: That’s left to your fantasy.
O: Where does the idea for the artwork come from and who designed it?
Dir en grey: We wanted to use that kind of paper and designed several patterns with this material. The final design was made through trial and error; we did it together with a designer who has been working for us for a long time.
O: How long did you work on the new album, the music and the artwork?
Dir en grey: Composing the music took about a year, the planning of the design about three or four months.
O: Did you have the impression that you needed to fulfil certain expectations for the new album?
Dir en grey: I get that feeling more and more, every time we perform live.
O: How was your studio work advancing?
Dir en grey: We spent about half a year in the studio and composed the music. The actual recording work was finished after about a month.
O: What is a normal day in the studio like for Dir en grey?
Dir en grey: We try to relax and speak about the ideas of every member. Almost every time we were in a bad constitution.
O: Who of you prefers working in the studio, who prefers being on stage?
Dir en grey: In the studio it works like that: All five members say their opinion, Kaoru puts them together and brings things to an end. Everyone is using their entire nerve force [the word is just as senseless in German! ~Mistoline], in the studio and live.
O: Is it difficult sometimes, to unite the opinions of five individuals?
Dir en grey: It’s fun and it is really exciting.
O: What does it mean to you when you’re facing thousands of fans who are cheering and singing along with your songs?
Dir en grey: My heart beats faster.
O: Dir en grey’s career went straight up. Even though you changed your style, your success remained. Don’t you think that changing your style is always risky?
Dir en grey: We don’t think so. We’re just going our way.
O: You’ve done concerts in China and Korea. In your opinion, what are the differences of those countries compared to Japan.
Dir en grey: They felt us fort he first time, I think. That purity gave us new power.
O: What was the best experience you’ve ever had on stage?
Kyo: Nothing.
Kaoru To play rock.
Die: It’s great every time.
Toshiya: It’s great every day.
Shinya: It’s great every time.
O: How many people come with you when you’re on tour (including technicians, the manager, etc.)
Dir en grey: About 30 people accompany the tour in Japan (including band members, manager, stage director, sound team, light team, an instrument technician, film team, hair stylists, stylists, tour producers, etc.)
O: You can find everything on your beautiful and interesting webpage – everything, except for photos! Why did you make that decision?
Dir en grey: Because we keep the picture of every moment as a treasure.
O: You’re partly using English lyrics. Is that supposed to open up your way to Europe and America more easily, or is it just a stylistic element?
Kyo: I use it when I see it fit.
O: You’re the most beloved Japanese band in Germany and Europe. How do you explain that phenomenon?
Dir en grey: I don’t really have a definite feeling yet; I will come and confirm that. [Makes no sense in German, either. ~Mistoline]
O: What aim does Dir en grey want to reach?
Dir en grey: There is no aim.
O: Which day in the past do you especially like remembering?
Kyo: There is nothing spezial.
Kaoru: I can’t remember every time because everything is always so exciting.
Die: I can’t remember every time because everything is always so exciting. [???]
Toshiya: I will never forget the times we’ve spent together, in good and bad times.
Shinya: I can’t forget any day.
O: If it wasn’t for Dir en grey, what would you do now (except for being musicians)?
Kyo: I never thought about that.
Kaoru: I can’t think.
Die:: I don’t really know…
Toshiya: I think I’d be doing something completely different.
Shinya: I haven’t ever thought about that.
O: What are your plans for the future?
Dir en grey: We hope it won’t go as we have planned (meaning, we don’t know what will happen).
O: Because Japan as a country is rather exotic for Germans (in a positive sense!) I’d like to ask the question what exactly is “typically Japanese” in your opinion?
Dir en grey: An ant.
O: And what do you think is “typically German”?
Dir en grey: We get the feeling they’re tough.
O: Now a few questions for the members: Kyo, what do you like about being a singer and what don’t you like about it?
Kyo: I can’t say it that easily, what is good and what is bad.
O: Kaoru, you’re known as a workaholic. Whenever there is a problem with the label or an organizer, you’re trying to find a solution. In the studio you also seem to be the one who switches off the lights as the last person there. What kind of energy makes you go on and fight instead of giving up?
Kaoru: I think that’s a challenge of life. And I don’t want to loose something good because of something bad.
O: How do Dir en grey songs develop and in which situations is creativity at it’s best?
Kaoru: When we make music, starting with the guitar, my idea is first. When I put the music together to one music with a feeling of balance. [Yupp. The sentence is just as incomplete and awkward in German.]
O: Is it sometimes hard for you to feel responsible for everything? How do you manage to push things further on?
Kaoru: That’s not hard. I have a strong believe that I can manage difficult situations.
O: Die, what was the nicest compliment you’ve ever gotten?
Die: None.
O: You have changed your style and your outfit a lot and extremely in the last few years. Are you feeling, fitting to the outfit, different inside as well?
Die: I don’t know.
O: An easy question at the end: What does your guitar mean for you?
Die: Red.
O: Toshiya, an almost philosophical question: What do you think is the sense of life?
Toshiya: I wanted to know that sense, that’s why I am in a band.
O: You are a rather creative person. Is there a lot to expect?
Toshiya: At the moment I have no time to think of different things.
O: Shinya, you’re supposed to be the steady one. Is there something that can make you loose composure?
Shinya: When I go insane.
O: What is your “training” to be such a talented and energetic drummer?
Shinya: To be in good health every day.
O: I heard you like dogs a lot. What are the three things or attributes of dogs that fascinate you the most?
Shinya: Face, voice and character.
Interview by Claus Müller; Secondary translation (German-English): Mistoline
Discography (album)
Gauze (1999)
Macabre (2000)
Kisou (2002)
Vulgar (2003)
Withering to death. (2005)
Line-Up
Kyo – Vocals
Kaoru – Guitar
Die – Guitar
Toshiya – Bass
Shinya – Drums
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(Kivételesen tényleg.) Csakhát ki az, aki például Toshinak öltözne. Vagy Patának. 
Szerintem senki. Nem is annyira jellegzetesek, hogy nagyon be lehetne öltözni. Hide még hagyján. 
Mindegy, én mindenképpen hermafrodita-korszakbeli Yoshiki leszek, fekete harisnyával meg olyan szép bondori szőkésbarna hosszú hajjal. Nincs is annál szexibb. 
csináljatok sok-sok képet!!! /me otthon fog tanulni 
8) bEEEE:P XD
(és szigorúan aluszka és nem videózás, meg egyéb heje-huja! 
)
).