Over three nights from November 21, supergroup THE LAST ROCKSTARS held a series of concerts entitled THE LAST ROCKSTARS The 2nd Tour 2023 “PSYCHO LOVE” at Tokyo Ariake Arena. Here, an interview with drummer YOSHIKI is reprinted from Rolling Stone Japan vol.22 (issued in March 2023) which featured THE LAST ROCKSTARS on the cover.【Photo Gallery】THE LAST ROCKSTARS on Rolling Stone JapanTHE LAST ROCKSTARS is a supergroup of four massive rock stars, at the core of which is band leader and drummer, YOSHIKI. As a musician who is known for breaking the rules of the rock and music world, what is YOSHIKI trying to break and accomplish with this project?
ーYou have successfully completed the debut concert tours of THE LAST ROCKSTARS in Tokyo, New York, and Los Angeles. First of all, please tell me your thoughts on the tour.YOSHIKI Well, um... it just ended, so everything is still a bit hazy. I'm not quite sure what happened, to be honest (laughs). Just before that, I was involved in producing my audition program and a bunch of other things, so I joined rehearsals around mid-January. From there, I shared my ideas and concepts with the members and created everything in one go. We even created some songs from that point, like the song "Shine."
ーThat was the song that the band played as the first song of an encore at Ariake Arena. It was really a beautiful ballad song. The entire audience sang along with the band.YOSHIKI Yes. We had several meetings before and after rehearsals, and we managed to piece everything together based on everyone's advice and opinions. It's not something to boast about, but I was working on the opening and ending sound effects until the morning of the event. I've been through quite a few challenges, but this was one of the busiest and most intense periods of my life, easily ranking in the top 10.
ーYour hard work paid off and it turned out to be a great live performance. The audience was also very excited. I think it was a great start and big success for a band conceived with the name "Rockstars."YOSHIKI Thank you very much. I'm relieved that you say so. Well, even before joining the rehearsals, I had this feeling of “there's no turning back now” after giving the band a name like that and gathering this talented group of members. So, every single moment, even before joining the rehearsals, if I had a minute or even a second, I couldn't help but think, “How can I make this concert even better?” During meals, and even in my dreams, it was constantly on my mind. The moment I woke up, I wanted to head straight to the studio to share ideas, sending texts to everyone. It wasn't just me; all the members were like that. In a way, I think the band truly became a cohesive unit.
ーI understand that you were in charge of producing the entire live concert this time. What was the biggest concept of the show and what did you focus on?YOSHIKI First of all, each member, including myself, has a strong personality, so it's about bringing out those individual traits while simultaneously toning them down. In reality, there are parts that we've achieved and parts that we haven't, and finding that delicate balance of how much to bring out or suppress was challenging. Regarding the music, just because these four people came together, I didn't think it should result in a fusion of X JAPAN, L'Arc～en～Ciel, LUNA SEA, and MIYAVI, regardless of the individual techniques each person brings. For example, there's a song called “THE LAST ROCKSTARS (Paris Mix).” The “Paris Mix” comes from when I was in Paris and did the mix there. The engineer was a well-known American, Mark Needham. In the pre-mix stage, there were various technical elements like guitar loops, and Mark wanted to strip all of that away. I thought, “Ah, I see where you’re coming from,” and we created a straightforward version of the song that people can dance to.
ーI see. Even though the band has two super guitarists, you removed the guitar loops.YOSHIKI Yes. It might sound strange coming from me, but I genuinely believe this song is amazing. In essence, it's not about showcasing technical prowess or anything like that. When the phrase “Bigidin Bigidin Ban Ban Ban” came to mind, and I turned it into a melody, I thought, “This is a masterpiece.” I rarely think that about my own work. At that time, I declared to the staff and engineers around me, 'I don't think people understand how great this song is yet.” Maybe people within the band don't understand it, and I don't know how many of our fans understand it. Still, I'm convinced that this song is a masterpiece (laughs).
ーIt's certainly a very simple but powerful song that makes you want to hum it. After working with HYDE, SUGIZO, and MIYAVI again this time, what kind of artists do you think they are?YOSHIKI Definitely artists who have been at the forefront for a long time. Even about ten years ago when SUGIZO and I teamed up (when SUGIZO joined X JAPAN), I felt it was revolutionary, a sense that the times were shifting. I truly felt honored and I’m glad to be able to work with such a good friend again. Also, with HYDE, through songs like “Red Swan” and “ZIPANG,” I sensed the times were changing once again during that collaboration. With MIYAVI, we had previously formed a band called S.K.I.N., and when the idea of working together again came up this time, I thought, “Once again, the times are moving.” I approach each of them with that level of enthusiasm, so bringing together these four individuals to work together is truly amazing. Japan’s leading rockstars are sharing their time with me. I don’t want them to think they’re wasting their time, I want them to have fun and enjoy being in this band.
ーOther members seem to feel the same way as you do. MIYAVI said that he felt lonely now that the tour had come to an end.YOSHIKI It was too much stimulation for all of us (laughs). I think everyone was probably swayed by me in many ways. We ran like a typhoon every day.
「Rolling Stone Japan vol.22」表紙 
