prettyprettyGANG
The greatest sense of living!
Translation by pretty pretty GANG
original: https://www.jungle.ne.jp/sp_post/247-gang-parade/
GANG PARADE
In the proportion of bursting out, a new continuation overflows. The 2nd chapter of the Idol Gang evolving outside the standards.
The group GANG PARADE also known as “GANPARE” that became a 9 members unit after 2 new members joined, just released their first single with the new formation “GANG 2”. Aya Eight Prince who joined in a rental trade since April 2017 had her last live on 2/23 at Akasaka BLITZ (“GANG PARADE BREAKING THE ROAD TOUR FINAL “MAKING THE ROAD”) and returned to BiS, Restarting again with Kamiya Saki who just came but… they were supposed to. But, right after this at the results of “WACK training camp audition 2018” held on March, with Tsukino Usagi and Haruna Ba Chiin they faced the Zepp DiverCity live (“GANG 2”) on 4/17 as a new 9 members lineup. The 9 who succeeded in the “debut live” after overcoming such rapid developments are achieving an accelerated evolution, trying to ascend to the next level stage. Having experienced a lot of twists the Idol Gang got an unconventional strength and flexibility becoming incredibly tough, the Special Long Interview and paper draws near GANPARE's new single and their recent mental state!
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SPECIAL LONG INTERVIEW #1
“As expected during activities doing only the same thing is boring so, upon passing everything so far we must build a new thing”
- Since the last live with previous lineup that took place in Akasaka BLITZ live on 2/23, until the debut live of new lineup on 4/17 at Zepp DiverCity there wasn't even 2 month, it feels like a great speed.
Coco: Compared to the intervals between lives so far, I thought it was fast.
Miki: But performing at Zepp DiverCity itself, it was something decided since Aya was here. We didn't knew which lineup it would be but, because “doing it” was decided, we were able to prepare ourselves.
Saki: Returning from the trade, it was a period that the 7 members GANG PARADE I was in had just started. Among not doing that many lives, it felt like we were advancing like a bullet. But there was excitement in building a new GANG PARADE with these 9, so we moved forward together while being restless.
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- There was a thrilling feeling as well?
Saki: That's so. From watching the training camp (“WACK Training Camp Audition 2018”) there was anticipation over the strong character Haruna Ba Chiin and the beauty who's also hard working Tsukino Usagi joining.
Miki: To us too the 7 members lineup with Aya had just ended, the 7 members lineup with Saki-chan was just starting, it was a period we would perform while wondering “What will we do from now?”. Then with 2 unseen types joining, while treasuring the GANG PARADE so far, I thought it was a chance show something completely different and new to the audience. I thought it could be a chance to get more fans, I was really excited the 2 of them were joining.
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- It has been a gather of strong personality members since before but, it was like once again different personalities joined?
Dockson: It was like the 2 of them brought the pieced that were missing. The 2 who brought the factors I really wished for joined, it felt like “With that we're complete!”.
- Factors you were wishing for were?
Dockson: Freshness and…, also strengthening the visual aspect. I think the all girls who were already members are cute but, if I had to say it was more of a “funny cute” than then regular cute.
- “Funny cute” (laughs).
Coco: But I think it's a good expression (laughs).
Dockson: Members so far were like “If you look well enough they are cute”, it felt like the fans would find a lot of cute aspects. But then a girl who you can tell is cute just by looking at her joined. I think that is really important.
- Easy to understand is also important.
Coco: It's important.
Dockson: It really felt like they brought wha I wanted.
- The 2 new members, what did you feel when you joined GANG PARADE?
Haruna: I was surprised. Even at the Training Camp (“WACK Training Camp Audition 2018) I wasn't good at dancing but, this me will be put into an intense (performance) group… Felt like that (laughs).
- It was unexpected.
Tsukino: I also thought at first that it was “unexpected”. GANG PARADE has an impression of cool dances. At the training camp when I got to dance “Plastic 2 Mercy” several times, there was emotion of being enjoyable. That's why being able to become a member, I was happy I could dance GANG PARADE dances.
Coco: Saying that makes me happy. Being said that “GANG PARADE Is a group with cool dances” itself, it didn't happen during last year's training camp. When asked “What kind of group is GANG PARADE?”, just by having that answer being said so quickly makes me think how much changed in this 1 year.
- The group's characteristics became clear to recognize.
Coco: During last year's training camp, there wasn't this level of recognition. Hearing Tsukino and Haruna's stories make me understand how the number of girls who know things you wouldn't know unless you really liked WACK have increased, that makes me happy.
- It was 1 year that made you feel this transformation.
Yua: I think it was the most speedy year so far.
- How was the debut live at Zepp DiverCity with the new lineup?
Tsukino: At the debut live, there was a moment I really felt the warmth from the audience. When me and Haruna held the microphone for the first time during the first song “Beyond the Mountain”, the audience raised their voices. I was really moved then.
Coco: We were also surprised (laughs). When they cheered there I thought “Woo, that's new~!”.
Saki: It wasn't just one person, because all the audience cheered loudly, it was to the point of thinking “Did they arranged that?”. During idol lives the place for the calls are pretty much decided but, in a place where it wasn't supposed to happen the call happened suddenly like Uwaaa, I was really surprised. Because it happened a second time when Haruna sang, I thought “Amazing!”.
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- It was the first live for the 2 new members but, were you nervous?
Tsukino: The moment before going into the stage, I was the most nervous. Because I didn't have the experience of being on stage, it was a situation I didn't know wether I would be nervous or not. But as usual, I was nervous all the time. Right before it my emotions became something I didn't quite understand, I ended up crying….
- You cried before it started.
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Tsukino: But the stage became dark, the audience cheered loudly lie “Waa!” and the overture played, that moment I thought “I have no way but do it” so I felt like I broke trough. After entering the stage, it passed in a blink of time.
Haruna: I cried since I entered the stage. Somehow I didn't understand it myself quite well, my emotions ended up overflowing. The nervousness was great, I spilled large tears for about one hour.
Dockson: Seems like she doesn't have memories from midway.
- Eh, is that so?
Haruna: I remember until the first 1 or 2 songs but, midway I don't remember anything at all… My mind went blank.
Dockson: She was if her mouth open all the time. Her eyes were too kind of empty….
- That's bad (laughs).
Coco: Sometimes she would enter in my field of vision on the stage, Haruna was standing still…. “Haruna, where are you going~?”.
Yuuka: (Originally) when Haruna was supposed to be beside me, I looked to the side and she wasn't there.
Tsukino: There were times I held Haruna and took her (to the original place) (laughs).
- In this sense, Tsukino-san held it together during the performance.
Saki: Since the costume rehearsal Tsukino would show not just Haruna, but would say “It's there” and teach us our positions too (laughs). She's reliable and remembered the formations this much. During the live when I glanced at her there were times her facial expressions too were perfect, I thought it was amazing she can do this much on her first day.
- Normally at the debut live, you don't function this well.
Tsukino: But to me I performed the one man, I deeply felt like “I can't perform better at the live than the rehearsals”. When the live ended, I really thought I couldn't do better than the practice. Because it felt like by being conscious about it I could show expressions, I want to show them more naturally from now on.
Saki: Amazing…! So serious.
Haruna: On the other hand, I'm not a serious person at all….
Everyone: Hahaha (laughs).
- Haruna-san and Tsukino-san are completely different types?
Tsukino: Haruna is also serious but, the vector is slightly different. Our basic personalities are completely different. Haruna has things I don't, I have things Haruna doesn't have, so I think we can supplement each other. We are friends who can respect one another, I think it's nice I have a peer with exactly opposite personality.
- After the debut live, did you 2 could formally feel like a member for GANPARE?
Haruna: After it ended the feeling came.
Tsukino: Until then we were too busy, it felt I was passing everyday without the realization I was an idol myself. That's why to me this realization feeling, it came the next day the live ended.
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- What were the feelings of the other members after the debut live?
Yuuka: There were the feeling of “In ended~” but, above that I thought “there are things we have to do”. It was also a live we could see the issues.
Coco: For a moment I thought “The waves of 1 month finally ended” but, looking back seeing footage of that day there was a huge pile of issues…. It became a feeling of “It will be hard from now on but, we have to do it moving towards the next one”. Because there was the next live relatively soon, it turned into the feelings “We must do it properly thinking about the next live”.
Saki: Of course there was the thought of “It was good” after the live ended but, I think moving toward the next one the feeling of “We must do more like that!” was bigger to us.
- If was a live you could see the issues to the next one.
Dockson: It was the first time ever since I joined GANG PARADE that we did an “incomplete” live like Zepp DiverCity. Until then we worked with the feeling we had “succeed to the point of being able to say this was our best so far”, so that time I would taste the feeling of showing an “incomplete” live to the audience.
- You had the realization it was “incomplete”.
Dockson: Of course we have to move towards “completion” but, I thought that an “incomplete” live is not all that bad. It was the first time I felt that, I really had a whole different new feeling.
- Being “incomplete”, there's the other side that means you still can improve?
Dockson: That's it! Also, “incomplete” means that it's only up to us where we'll go from now on. From now regarding choosing each and every path towards completion, it makes me excited.
- There was also excitement from completing something new.
Dockson: Yes. Breaking one time, there was the aspect we could feel refreshed.
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- Is there the realization of “breaking one time”?
Dockson: There is. There are a lot of personal issues but, to an extent we are able to match the dance, have everyone working together smoothly, having the same 1 feeling. From there I wanted to make a live that would cause a bigger impact but, honestly it's frustrating that until now we only think about “what should we do”?. This worries too were broken once, now it's a state we are refreshed and thinking “from now we can rebuild it”.
- The next tour title is “REBUILD TOUR” but, is the feeling of “reconstructing” things once broken also inside the members?
Yua: Before we could rebuild the 7 members GANG PARADE after Saki-chan returned, it was decided that 2 new members would join. The GANG PARADE of 9 of us has to use the next tour, and connect it to the final at Zepp Tokyo. As expected during activities doing only the same thing is boring so, upon passing everything so far we must build a new thing.
- You and to become one step higher than GANG PARADE so far.
Dockson: Yes, I want to. If it's these 9 we can certainly do it, I want to become like that.
SPECIAL LONG INTERVIEW #2
“I want us to be satisfied ourselves, pile up things that'll make “we could see ahead” be said and make it explode at Zepp Tokyo”
- The new single's title “GANG 2”, I believe it has a meaning of GANG PARADE's 2nd chapter.
Saki: It's exactly that. The previous (single) tittle was “BREAKING THE ROAD” so it seizes the meaning that “from breaking it, 2 will start”. I came back, 2 new members joined, with such timing thanks to this title it became the feeling of “we'll build it from here!”.
- It also links to the current mentality.
Miki: Except, “GANG 2” title has been decided for a while now.
Yua: It has been decided since Akasaka BLITZ.
- Ah, is that so?
Miki: That time, it was only decided that it would be the first single after Saki-chan's return. Just, I thought this exchange, Aya returning to BiS and Saki-chan coming back, was really important. That's why that time I thought it was really nice that the work with “GANG 2” tittle would connect to a change in feeling.
- In addition, turned out 2 new members joined.
Miki: It's a number we didn't have so far, I thought the display would also completely change. At this meaning we could show by it's (“GANG 2”) impression that “it's the very first song of newly constructed GANG PARADE”, I thought we receiver a really good title.
- In the meaning of impressions, did Maika-san also felt a change of attitude with the name change to “Can GP Maika”?
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Maika: Changing name was kind of a punishment game by ending in last place at battle for points between WACK members at the training camp but, I received a change with love such as GP from Watanabe (Junnosuke/WACK representative)-san….
Watanabe: There's no love!
Maika: Eee!
Everyone: Hahahahaha (laughs).
- Suddenly, a correction from the representative (laughs).
Saki: It was a shocking speech… (laughs)
Coco: It was fast…!
Maika: Well, he says so but, I thought of it as positive…. I could participate on the training camp, new members joined, to me my feelings were refreshed.
- What do you mean by feelings being refreshed?
Maika: Honestly, if I was asked what changed during training camp, I couldn't quite understand it myself. But after returning from it and thinking about a lot of things including the name change, there was a change in feelings. Because the reason for the change was “Carrying GANG PARADE's name forever”, that made me think about a lot of things. Then I thought my only merit was dancing, so my feelings of wanting to become someone who will set up the performance part within the group solidified once again.
- It was a chance to think about the meaning of your own existence.
Maika: It was. As expected with 9 members, I think everyone worries about their characters. Us 9, we really magnificently don't repeat it, among that it was a good opportunity that made me think about how I should be.
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- Saki-san returned from the trade, did you feel any changes?
Saki: In a good meaning, I became able to depend on the members. When I'm troubled, members come to my rescues so it's really reliable. When someone else is troubled they also help, it's like we can follow each other's lead. I think the group work aspect became stronger.
- On the other hand from member's point of view, was there any change in Saki-san?
Dockson: She became more human. Before she was always strong, I thought with no doubt that she was an existence like an iron man. She would lead us at any time, she was someone who wouldn't definitely show weakness but, the Saki-chan who returned looks like a “more human” person who can show others her weak side. Warmth… I felt her temperature.
Saki: Temperature… (laughs).
Yuuka: Was she cold before… (laughs).
Dockson: It's not like she was cold…, before she definitely didn't show her weakness. Perhaps she didn't show it because we weren't reliable, I think that now. But, because she's able to show this side now, Saki-chan's feelings towards us too, our feelings towards Saki-chan, I think both changed.
Saki: When I was in BiS, be it about Pour Lui's graduations, I thought once again I was in a position I was supposed to lead. There were good aspects back then but, since I came here there was a moment I could suddenly release the weight of my shoulders, it made me think that was good too.
- That's why you were able to show weakness.
Saki: There's a part of this chance that was built by BiS. During hard times members would suddenly hug me, these signs were born there. From there I had the sensation that the feelings of “it's ok to rely on others~” completely melted, GANPARE made me feel that.
- “GANG 2” lyrics, it also reflects this current situation of the group.
Saki: Because the lyrics were handled to us about 1 week after the training camp, I thought they were lyrics that made me experience this background as well. But more than the training camp, it also made me feel a deeper nuance.
Dockson: There were parts (in the lyrics) that would make me thing “I know~”. I thought like “This reminds me of Saki-chan”, or “I wonder if thoses were Maika's feelings in the training camp”. There are always moments “It reminds me of my own feelings~” but, from this song I was also able to think about other members.
- Is that why it's easy for members to put their feelings into it?
Yua: When we first sang it in Zepp DiverCity, I thought it was a song that I could put life-sized feelings into it the easiest without overdoing it. There were songs so far with positive lyrics like “Let's give our best!” but, this slightly weak self is the closest of real life. Because I'm not overdoing it, it's easy to put feelings into it.
Yuuka: I really like the part “No!! Aiming for the top No!! Let's go together without giving up”. Until then they were lyrics that would make you think were negative like “irritating memories, what should I do?” or “Not being able to see tomorrow's setting sun”, but it feels like it suddenly shakes it off by saying “No!!”. The choreography too, we stand up after falling down once. I really like this part.
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- It's a lyric that while looking at your own weakness, you shake it off and look forward.
Yuuka: When I'm singing “GANG 2” it's a really painful feeling, I can't say it's positive. But after we finish singing it, somewhere there's a bright feeling. It really feels like “life”.
Coco: Even cheerful people or people who don't show their weakness, in fact everyone has a dark side and doubts they don't show to others. Somehow it's a song you can show naturally this side. I think positive songs that cheer on like “Let's give our best!” are also good but, I think perhaps this one lets us have sympathy for everyone from a different perspective. It's a song that pierces your heart with “Ah~, I know”, and turns into the feeling of somewhat “Everyone is like that. Let's give your best!”.
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- To an extent, it's a song inexistent so far.
Maika: When I'm singing this song, the feelings from training camp really surface from deep in my heart. Even if I don't think that at the lives “I must show this here”, it's a song that for the first time made me notice there are expressions that come naturally.
Miki: The last chorus the number of people singing slowly increases but, at Zepp DiverCity I put too many feelings in there so I sang while almost crying. Like Maika said, even without thinking you enter the song, without thinking “I will do this” I sing like I want to sing that particular time, until now I didn't had the experience of my body moving in its own. I thought it's a song that draws you in, to the point I was surprised myself.
- The you who's singing also is drawn into it.
Miki: Until now I thought I would capture the song within myself and express it but, on the contrary it feels like the song is consuming me….
Saki: I know!
Dockson: Now, while listening to everyone's opinions, Saki-chan nodded a lot (laughs). Seems like she's happy that everyone can feel the same way that Saki-chan felt torwards “GANG 2”.
- What did Saki-san felt?
Saki: Before receiving this song I thought about the feelings I had at BiS and “how should I convey to everyone?”. Looking from outside during the trade, I thought if they had this GANPARE should be able to do an even more incredible live. Then “GANG 2” came so I thought “Oo!”, at subsequent interviews I was happy I heard everyone saying those things.
Yuuka: When Saki-chan returned from the trade, we listened to her about the BiS way of expression. But because it's something GANPARE doesn't have from start, there was a part of me that didn't understand. I feel I understood for the first time after performing “GANG 2” on stage.
- Trough “GANG 2” you could share feelings.
Coco: BiS and GANG PARADE, the melodies and way of performing are relatively different. Saki-chan's way of facing BiS songs and lives, I understood during the trade how different it was from our own. But GANPARE treasured “everyone's playground” so far, I thought perhaps it was a little different from that. But when we first performed “GANG 2” live, the things that Saki-chan said suddenly came down to me. There was the discovery of “Ah, so there's also this kind of expression in a live!”, coming across this song was really a great happening to us.
- It made you notice new expressions.
Saki: GANPARE has a lot of song that pull you in, I think that's really incredible. There a new way of drawing you in came with “GANG 2”.
Coco: Moreover I think it's a great way.
- I see. The coupling M-2 “Lai le” has lyrics by Miki-chan but, with what image did you wrote it?
Miki: It's a lyrics I wrote the feelings of a “negative but willing to work hard person”.
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- “Negative but willing to work hard person”?
Miki: I wrote during when the 2 of them joined and we were practicing with the new formation but, because we were practicing between lives our schedule was really tight. In a period it was hard both mentally and physically, I had the indescribable feeling of “but I want to give my best…”. There are a lot of cheerful songs to people who want to work hard but, I thought there weren't many songs with lyrics of the feelings of the person who wants to “work hard” itself. That's why I thought I wanted to completely show that, I composed it by just writing the feelings of someone slightly negative.
- The title “Lai le”, is it because of the Chinese influence in the melody?
Miki: It's exactly that. Since the demo, the temporary song said a lot of “China”. Because we were also told by the sound producer Matsukuma (Kenta)-san “I want you to sing in a Chinese way”, I thought I definitely wanted to add Chinese to it so I added the word “Lai le”. Then, at A melo and B melo's impression I wanted to show the Chinese feeling, so I used a lot on kanji.
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- The “Correct one step, repeat it countless times” part, the singing felt specially like Chinese.
Dockson: That's me! Me and Coco are good at singing like Chinese with originality. It became fun, I kept doing it.
Coco: “GANG 2” way of singing is serious but, “Lai le” is a song you can really play around. I recored thinking with myself “perhaps I played too much…?” but, after listening to the finished version I was surprised myself it was so heavy (laughs). But I think it really shows the Chinese feeling, I'm looking forward to everyone who listen to it to be surprised too.
- You were free that much.
Tsukino: During the recording I was told to “just shake it off, sing it like Chinese” but, I'm bad at being free…. Coco-san and Doku-san recordings were the same day as mine but, the 2 of them were too good at it… I thought it was amazing.
Coco: Because it was the first recording, it's inevitable for the 2 new members to be like that. Because it's a song I would probably be frozen if I were in the place of the 2 of them. Among that I think is shows the characteristics of the 2 of them.
- The 2 new members, could you experience freely the variety of GANPARE with these 2 songs?
Tsukino: Indeed it's like that. When I first hear “Lai le” after “GANG 2” it was like “Ooo!?” I was slightly perplexed but (laughs), the 2 songs were both really fun.
Haruna: I had fun too. Also, the choreograph by Saki-san and Maika-san is really cool, it's a favorite. I will work hard to be able to dance it live!
- After this release, you'll face the “REBUILD TOUR”.
Saki: Because we could find everyone's own issues at April's Zepp DiverCity, I want to connect this tour to the final say, making something only possible because it's the 9 of us.
- After April's Zepp DiverCity, this time the final will be at Zepp Tokyo.
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Tsukino: Zepp DiverCity was also our debut live, so I think we could show our “start”. Specially me and Haruna but, I want to show our growth at Zepp Tokyo. I think the battle is how much I can show there, because I'll be at Zepp Tokyo after having experienced many lives I want to challenge it with a different mentality of the debut.
Haruna: I also want to grow, and stand on stage like a “different person”. I could see EMPiRE's Akasaka BLITZ, I received a lot of motivation. The girls who went trough the same audition were debuting in EMPiRE and BiS, now I'm currently full of feelings of “I don't want to be passed by” or “I don't want to lose”. Among the peers of the training camp I'm the one who wants to change the most, I want to be someone amazing!
- What are Dockson-san's feelings towards the tour?
Dockson: Reconstruction… Then, to beyond Zepp.
Everyone: ClapClapClapClap (*everyone aplauses)
- Meaning?
Dockson: Before when Yuyu (*Yuuka) stoon on Ebisu LIQUIDROOM stage at the one man (*2017/11/20), she talked about how she could see beyond LIQUIDROOM. The feelings of “finding the path ahead”, I don't think I had it lately. I was leaned of doing all I could each and every live, I reflected on how I forgot to look for the next one. That's why I want to see ahead at Zepp Tokyo, I also want to make the audience be able to see it.
Yuuka: We also changed, I think the things that are expected also changed. That's why we must continue changing, we must show something more than what's expected. The audience is also watching, I think we must see ahead more and more.
- The end wont be at Zepp Tokyo.
Coco: Regarding that as “average”, I have the feeling I want to properly complete it. Until Zepp Tokyo there's also the tour, we'll reach the final after living strong moments incomparable to the time we had to prepare for Zepp DiverCity. I want us to be satisfied ourselves, pile up things that'll make “we could see ahead” be said and make it explode at Zepp Tokyo.
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Interview: IMAI