prettyprettyGANG
The greatest sense of living!
Translation by pretty pretty GANG
original: https://ototoy.jp/feature/20180219004
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[Series compilation]GANG PARADE Vol.5 Yamamachi Miki “I want to go to a place that surpasses everything the audience has ever imagined”
GANG PARADE, 7 members group from from WACK, same agency as BiS and BiSH. On 2017/5 an indefinite trade between Kamiya Saki and Aya Eight Prince happened; they released their first album with the new formation with Aya and had an overcrowded huge success live at Ebisu LIQUIDROOM. Since 2018/2 they are on a tour of 8 cities; on 2/20 the last single with these 7, including Aya, will be released; on 2/23 the tour final at Mynavi BLITZ will take place. Then on 3/3 the rental trade will end and a closing ceremony will take place at BiS one man live <BiS 2nd BEGiNNiNG TOUR FiNAL WHO KiLLED IDOL??>, on ¾ at Ryoukoku Kokugikan. In the midst of this shocking situation we’ll publish GANG PARADE individual interviews. Fifth one, Yamamachi Miki appears.
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INTERVIEW: Yamamachi Miki
Yamamchi Miki, who kept being active with strong feelings since POP era, GANG PARADE’s predecessor. Being in the unit SAiNT SEX formed by BiS, BiSH and GANPARE senbatsu members, as her characteristic voice reaches as many listeners possible she’s getting repercussion. In this interview, she’ll talk about episodes like loosing the sensation of “the moment we become one during the live”, and about her current true feelings. Being honest to her feelings, to keep moving forward to make a better GANPARE, we talked to Yamamachi Miki.
Interview: Nishizawa Hiroo
Photos: Jumpei Yamada
Edition assistance: Okamoto Takayuki
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I FELT LIKE IT WOULD BE NICE IF I COULD INCREASE THE PLACES I CAN EXPRESS TROUGH THE WEAPON IS MY SONG
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- 2018’s GANPARE started their year with Miki-chan’s MC at Idol Koushien on 1/3. “One year ago today, we GANG PARADE were the first group to perform among the ones at the same office. That time I screamed that we would definitely change that order. Today we are the 3rd among 4 groups. One before the closure act. We did change it! The next one will change order with is BiSH!!”. You declared that but, how were your feelings?
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Yamamachi Miki (under, Miki): There was happiness of changing the perform order but, I thought we couldn’t be satisfied at that. Because the ones closer to us are WACK groups, if we don’t become first there first we won’t be able to go higher. We changed the performance order within WACK but, I want to keep going without losing my spirirt.
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- Even so, it is amazing that you managed to realize something you declared 1 year ago.
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Miki: It is incredible, isn’t it?
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- It’s about yourselves (laughs).
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Miki: (laughs). I was happy that more people are recognizing that.
- The subject will go back a while but, during WACK sousenkyo, how was Miki-chan feeling?
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Miki: I think I was aiming at the solo debut more than anyone (laughs). I obviously like to sing, there’s also the fact that even within GANPARE my way of singing is characteristic, there were people who got to know about be because of the songs, I realized once more how important to me it is. That’s why I was feeling like I definitely had to take the chance to get a solo debut.
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- Among the unit formed by BiS, BiSH, GANPARE senbatsu members, SAiNT SEX, too Miki-chan’s voice stands out, I think singing became a great weapon.
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Miki: I can stand out on that aspect only. In live houses, I’m often told “I couldn’t see Miki-chan” because I’m short. Because of that I make the dance movements really big but, it’s something that I can’t compensate no matter what. I felt like it would be nice to increase the places I can express trough the weapon that is my song.
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- Including middle results, you were always at the top.
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Miki: On the middle results days, I was always uneasy. I didn’t know when my placement would go lower, there was the possibility to drop from 12th at the final result. If I thought about that the anxious parts would increase, it was scary.
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- In the final results, you got 5th place. How did you feel?
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Miki: I was happy that I got the first among GANPARE members, and also the 5th among WACK members. There’s the fact that number of people who wanted to hear my solo was large, by placing in 5th there were people who listened to GANPARE songs, liked GANPARE, and thought “What kind of song will she sing?”, so I think it was a really great thing.
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- This time you didn’t get a solo debut but, I would like to listen to a song by Miki-chan only.
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Miki: It would definitely be something strong and heavy (laughs). But I would like to do it one day if I have the chance.
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I WANT TO MAKE IT “A TOUR I UNDERSTAND BECOMING ONE”
- You are currently on the national one man “BREAKING THE ROAD TOUR” but, how are you facing the tour?
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Miki: 2 or 3 days before the tour started there was a chance to talk to all members. Before that there was a part of me that was uneasy. All members said “There’s a moment during the live we become one” but, I never got this sensation. There was a time I had it but, at some point I started to not understand at all. But if I said that unity of the group might be broken, right? I thought there was the possibility of the group becoming disconnected because of one person so I didn’t say it but, I ended up saying it (laughs). When I did it, everyone thought about it a lot and gave me advices like “How about that? If you try this?”. When I thought “Those people can really think about others” the image of “This might be the feelings of becoming one” was born. But, even so I didn’t understand. This tour I personally want to make it a “tour I understand what is to become one”.
- So you did know how it felt to become one before.
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Miki: I understood it about until the summer. There was a moment we talked and the feelings of the 7 of us came together, we performed at several events but, I started to not understand this emotion.
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- I wonder when Miki-chan feels that a live was good.
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Miki: When without thinking about anything the emotions flow. On this tour, personally the second part in Nagoya was really good. When I heard the harmony with Aya during the chorus of “UNIT” I was like “Buwaa–”. To be able to sing with Aya in the 7 members formation, when I thought it was just a few more chances the emotions flowed. In the end there’s a part I say with Aya “Sing!” but, when we looked at each other the timing was perfect even without saying “ready, set”. That moment I thought “Ah, today might be really good”.
- Miki-chan is active since POP era, trough members leaving and joining, passing by a group name change, but how do you perceive the current 7 members lineup?
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Miki: Now it feels like myself the most. Also simply it’s fun. During POP there was a lot of hard things, like I would suffer because there were a lot of things I couldn’t get used to. Now I think I can enjoy every single thing. Of course there are hard things but, there are more fun times to the point of surpassing the hard ones.
- When Saki-chan went to BiS on a trade and Aya joined GANPARE, I believe there was also a confusion but, when did the 7 of you started to fit nicely?
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Miki: Hmm, when was it? Because it has been 10 months with the current 7 lineup I can’t remember (laughs). During summer there were big events like “TIF”, “Natsu no Mamono” and “OTODAMA”, I think there was a moment everyone’s feelings came together at once.
- Miki-chan joined the group because you admired Saki-chan but, aren’t you worried how will the atmosphere become once Saki-chan returns again?
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Miki: When Saki-chan returns, we just have to establish 7 of us including Saki-chan so I’m not worried. So far it’s not like it turned really bad because the members changed, because we rearrange from there.
I WANT TO ENJOY WITH THE AUDIENCE WITH MY WHOLE POWER
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- The last single with Aya “BREAKING THE ROAD” will be released. “BREAKING THE ROAD” is a melody hardcore song with great impact but, when Miki-chan heard this song, what did you think?
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Miki: When I heard just the song at first, I thought that a really cool song came. Like it was a melody that BiS or BiSH could sing. Because part of me always admired this type of songs I was happy. Also, when I think that’s the last single with Aya, it’s the lyric we didn’t had so far will stick. When we perform at lives, we’ll likely cry. We might cry (laughs).
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- On the other side, the coupling song “toro ikura uni tabetai” (laughs).
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Miki: It’s amazing, right? (laughs).
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- What did you think when you heard this song?
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Miki: I thought that even though the melody is cool, what’s up with the lyrics? (laughs). But it’s a unique world view, it’s definitely a song the members wouldn’t write so, I thought it had fun it it. It’s an enigmatic song, isn’t it (laughs)?
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- From an extreme direct song, to a nonsense song, I think that 2 axis have been established but, it’s unusual to not understand something to this point. I wonder with which feelings do you sing “toro ikura uni tabetai” (laughs).
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Miki: Exactly. It was hard to think “what kind of feelings should I convey here” but, I think it’s ok to sing feeling like I want to eat sushi (laughs).
- Speaking about nonsense, with which feelings do you sing “imi nai uta” from the album?
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Miki: That is without any feeling. When I dance there are no feelings, so I sing thinking that I should be a robot. “toro ikura uni tabetai” too, when we perform it live I think it will become something good. Probably (laughs).
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- Now, how is the feedback from the tour?
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Miki: I think other members are saying it too but, we are making lives we get point over the average mark but, we can’t quite get 100 points. We have to learn with the mistakes and connect with the next live, otherwise the “next” one wont exist. If give importance to do it carefully, or think “let’s arrange it here” but, lately there hasn’t been the reckless thing that we had until now. The good thing about GANPARE, we have always been reckless since older days, so maybe there’ll be some transformation if we make that a plus.
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- There’s also Coco’s 100km marathon (ended), seems like a lot will explode.
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Miki: It’s a short time but I think we can progress as a group, so at Mynavi BLITZ Akasawa it won’t be 100 points, I want to change more and more in order to get 120 or 150 points.
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- What like do you want Mynavi BLITZ Akasaka to be?
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Miki: Normally I don’t know what we’ll do but, I want to perform with all my power, and to enjoy with the audience with all my power. Also, because this will be the last one man with Aya, I think we can make a really good live if we add the emotional as a plus. I want to go to a place that surpasses everything the audience has ever imagined. It’s sad it will be the last one man with Aya but I’m looking forward to it. I want to make a live that will show the completed form of the current 7, and will let us go to the next one. We’ll make everyone’s feelings into one and give our best.
