This is a translation of a reprint of an interview that originally appeared in WHAT’s IN?, January 1999 issue, alongside the release of the Light my Fire! tour video. It will not make sense to readers who have not seen that video. This was reprinted for the Box Set of The 15th anniversary in formation. The translation is based on the reprinted version.

BEGIN INTERVIEW

Having completed the longest tour of their history to date, L’Arc~en~Ciel is now releasing a video of their concerts. The release date is set exactly one year after the day they reincarnated at Tokyo Dome. This video puts on display the growth they have achieved over the past year.

—

L’Arc~en~Ciel. In 1998, this band attracted the attention of the entire country, and their Lives are an important side that cannot be overlooked. “We were on tour so long that I can’t remember what I did when I went home,” so spoke one of the members, his words proving that the lives were indeed their main activity. Despite all that, they found the time to release 10 titles (11 if one includes the GODZILLA soundtrack), which shows that their other focus has been on recording and releasing, which they have done simultaneously, and may very well be “The most impressive thing this band has done” over the course of the year.

The tenth title… Namely, the greatest work by L’Arc~en~Ciel this year: Light my Fire! will be released on December 23. This live video combines footage from the Osaka Dome live on October 17 with that of the final concert held at Yoyogi National Gymnasium on the 21st for its primary focus.

tetsu [I heard there were more cameras on us this time than ever before.]

ken [There was that R2D2 guy, he was pretty interesting. I know it was operated by remote control, but still, it looked like it had a face. Our eyes would meet, and it looked like it was having fun. And it went zoomzoomzoomzoom when it moved.]

hyde [Oh, and it looked embarrassed when I blew kisses at it (laughs).]

Beginning in May, “L’Arc~en~Ciel Tour ’98 Light my Fire!” lasted nearly six months and spanned 56 concerts in 47 venues, mobilizing some 230 000 people. At every venue, the tickets sold out almost the instant they were put on sale, suggesting that an untold number of fans were left unable to see the lives. During this long tour, many backstage clips were filmed in the style of artistic shorts, and are included on the video as “Member Approved (?)Highlights”.

hyde [Highlights… the Hokkaido Fox. It was so cute.]

tetsu [The backstage clips were put together out of stuff from the entire tour. I guess there’s more from the first half, right?]

yukihiro [I think the highlight is the one where hyde-kun goes to the bathroom and suddenly transforms (laughs).]

hyde [Oh that. I thought “Let’s film my hair standing up, frame by frame” so that’s what it is, only a little exaggerated (laughs). So that’s how it turned out.]

tetsu [I have that clip where I come out from behind Charlie’s head (Charlie being a cameraman who accompanied them on the tour) but now I wonder why I did that in the first place (laughs). I can’t remember what I was thinking, but I remember what it felt like (laughs).]

ken [The real mystery is that clip where yukkie goes “Dakkadakkadakka gwinn” (everyone laughs). I don’t know, do you want to explain or tell us what that was about?]

yukihiro [Oh that (laughs). I don’t remember what was going on. Not at all. Watching the video, I don’t understand it either. What does that mean, “Dakkadakkadakka gwinn”?]

Of course, the effective use of CGI special effects can also be considered one of the highlights.

ken [A highlight… how about the opening? The first time I watched the video, I didn’t know it was special effects. I thought “Wow, that’s some awesome lighting,” “We totally couldn’t see it from the stage.”]

yukihiro [That was the sun, right? It’s ‘a swell in the sun’, so you know, it was swelling.]

ken [So that’s why it got bigger? …I learned something new today.]

tetsu [And there’s something else that I didn’t notice during the live. During ‘Shout at the Devil’, there were fireworks going off, bang bang, right behind us but I didn’t even notice. Those fireworks, it was a special effect we only used at Osaka Dome. When got home and watched the video I was so surprised, “Oooh wow!” I had heard people talk about it but I didn’t know it had turned out so great.]

The final addition was the 150-piece string orchestra that performed in the encore, ‘anata’. This, too, was a special performance reserved only for the Osaka Dome show, and this highlight, too, was faithfully captured on video.

What follows is nothing more than my personal opinion, but it seems to me that every part of the lives of this tour, including the above-mentioned “Member Approved Highlights”, which was captured on film is a special characteristic of this video. As you are well aware, their music displays the contrast of light and darkness as a key part of its appeal, and the same has always been true of their live shows. Yet, after seeing so many lives during this tour, I now believe this trait to be of the greatest importance. In the midst of their aggressive activity this year, their bright songs have not solely been bright, and their dark songs have not solely been dark. That is the power of this band. I believe this strength may have fuelled the tour. Despite the various restrictions and unavoidable edits required by video, it is nonetheless clearly felt. Precisely because of the greatness of the lives, the true power of the band can be displayed.

In closing, I asked them “What did you do on the day after the final show of the tour?” and will now transcribe the most memorable answer. It may also be seen as a hint about things yet to come.

tetsu [I don’t remember what I did. But, with the tour being over, I didn’t have anything to do and I felt bad. I’m better off when I have things to do, obviously.]

Words – Itou Aki
Tranlated by Natalie Arnold