Members: Kamiya Saki, Yamamachi Miki, Yumeno Yua, Can GP Maika, Coco Partin Coco, Terashima Yuuka, Yui Ga Dockson, Tsukino Usagi, Haruna Bad Chiiiin

Interview: Arakane Ryosuke

 

The gang idol group of 9 members with the concept of “everyone's playground”, GANG PARADE, completed their new single “GANG 2”! Kamiya Saki returned to the group after the end of the rental trade, furthermore new members, Tsukino Usagi and Haruna Ba Chiin joined, their first record with new lineup reflects straightly their strong feeling of “From now on”. We heard from all members about the style that found both sides of a strong message and a relaxed playful soul.

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- After the previous release (the single BREAKING THE ROAD released on 2018/02), Saki-chan returned from the rental trade (At “BiS 2nd BEGiNNiNG TOUR FiNAL WHO KiLLED IDOL??” at Ryoukoku Kokugikan on 2018/03/04 the rental trade with BiS Aya Eight Prince ended), furthermore 2 new members (Tsukino Usagi, Haruna Ba Chiin) joined, and you became a lineup of 9.

 

Saki: Until 4/17 (The new members debut one man live “GANG 2” was held at Zepp DiverCity TOKYO) we didn't know how it would turn out but, it was good we stood on that stage as 9 members. From now on is the phase we start to build our foundations together again.

 

Maika: From now we'll improve the communication between the 9 of us, I want to establish GANG PARADE in this new format.

 

Dockson: I've just met with the new members but, I became able to understand them a little, I'm happy about it every day. Then we also have them know about us, I think it would be nice if we can become stronger together.

 

Coco: Because the singing lines in the songs will chance, it feels like we're starting from scratch. But each time, the feeling of aiming for the top won't change.

 

Yua: As everyone else said, I think it starts now.

 

Yuuka: Because what is expected will change, I want to make sure we'll achieve that. I also want to know more about the 2 new members.

 

Miki: I think there are foundations we built as 7 but, as the 2 of them joined, I think we must build something new again. Make the base for the 9 of us properly, I think it's necessary to fortify it tightly. From there it will be nice to overlap our own growth as group and individuals.

 

- What do the 2 new members think?

 

Tsukino: After the 4/17 live, I think I became aware of being a GANPARE (GANG PARADE) member little by little. Honestly, because I didn't feel that way before Zepp (Zepp DiveCity TOKYO), I want to give my best from now on.

 

Haruna: Each and every day is huge for me… Even now every day feels magnificent. One day is like 100%, BOON!. The calendar is square, right? It's like that place for today is filled with red.

 

Dokuson: Ah~, I understand!

 

- Haruna's expression is unique. It resembles Dokuson-san a little (laughs)?

 

Dockson: When we asked Haruna about her impression of each member, she turned to me and said “The same thing run in us”. Listening to the example before, I'm certain of that (laughs).

 

- Does Haruna-san feel something that communicates with Dokuson-san?

 

Haruna: Yes. Ever since I joined I understand the words Dokuson-san wants to emit.

 

Dockson: Amazing! I'm really bad at conveying things with words but, until now Coco somehow understood me. Now Haruna joined that (laughs).

 

Coco: But because Haruna is also bad at talking, it feels like with Haruna they understand each other magnetically.

 

- Hahahaha (laughs). So, when did the recording started?

 

Coco: By the end of March, beginning of April. It was around 1 week after the two of them passed the training camp auditions. Then we shoot the MV, there were really busy days.

 

- The current work gather melodies that seems will shine on even bigger stages.

 

Maika: The sound source came right after the WACK training camp ended, when I read the lyrics, I felt something close to myself from the training camp. The “Irritating feelings, what should I do?” of “GANG 2”, or “the tears that gushed forth started to overflow” revived the gloomy feelings of not being able to do anything alone from the training camp period, during lives too it's easy to put feelings into it.

 

Saki: I think it's incredible these 2 songs are in 1 CD (laughs). The first song (“GANG 2”) I was like “Waa!” and after that with the second song (“Lai le (reading Raira)”) it was “Ooo!”, the surprising amusing is very GANPARE like. I came back from the trade, I'm happy I can sing a song with such strong message as the 1st single. “GANG 2” has 2 parts I sing but, specially “From numerous dramas I narrowed down the options”, I was part of BiS for 1 year, and came back to GANPARE, it's like I'm singing my experiences so far that were summarized. Probably, it'll become an even more deep lyric every time we make new memories.

 

- What thoughts do you put into “From numerous dramas I narrowed down the options”?

 

Saki: Watanabe (Junnosuke/manager)-san also wrote the lyrics so, he too is in a position of narrowing down the options, isn't he? Because he's probably pressing option every day and also during the training camp, maybe this feeling too is also reflected here. Because it's a lyric you can perceive in a lot of ways you expand your imagination.

 

- What about Dokcson-san?

 

Dockson: “GANG 2” has a part with feelings you can't see clearly, when you take out this feelings you can see colors.

 

- Haruna-san, do you know which colors?

 

Haruna: To me it's orange and yellow. Because I like those colors.

 

Everyone: Hahahahaha (laughs).

 

Dockson: The colors are different for everyone but, it's a song that can be conveyed to the 5 senses of people who listen to it. Like a song you can see someone's color. For example, Yuyu's (Terashima Yuuka) singing part you can see Yuyu's color, when it's Saki-chan's part you can see Saki-chan's color.

 

- Indeed when you listen to the song, everyone's individuality and kindness is transmitted.

 

Dockson: I'm sorry… I made a point difficult to understand.

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- Not at all, I understand what you are trying to say!

 

Dockson: I, really like “Lai le”. It's a song that makes you want to practice Tai Chi Chuan (laughs). I really like Kung Fu, I saw Jackie Chan movies, and imitated him. That's why, I thought I like this kind of taste.

 

- How about Yua-san?

 

Yua: “GANG 2” has a color inexistent so far, I think it will become an important song for the 9 of us from now on. It's a group full of history but, I think it's a song it'll remain in this history, I want to succeed singing as 9 members. In “Lai le” everyone's voice is different so it's interesting.

 

- It's almost a comical singing, right?

 

Yua: The previous release was like that too but, because this current one has a cool song and a unique song, I think this playful characteristic is a good aspect of GANPARE.

 

Yuuka: Regarding “GANG 2” there's a spectacle inside me, it feels I can exploit feelings deep inside I didn't realize I had. When we first performed it in a live, I had a sensation I never experienced before. It's really painful but, also like a good feeling.

 

- The conflict and not wanting to give up, both are packed in this song.

 

Coco: Until now with great releases like “Beyond the Mountain” (lead song from the single released on 2017/7) and “FOUL” (lead song from the single released on 2017/4) we had positive songs but, I think with “GANG 2” a new aspect appears. When Saki-chan returned and we asked about the way of BiS lives, BiS has a lot of songs you run into your feelings straightly. Because GANPARE has a lot of genres, I didn't really understand the feeling of running all your energy in one song. But when we performed “GANG 2”, it's not just bright, I was able to show a human like sensation. Because it's the performance we do with 9 of us that firmly makes us feel, I think a great song was made.

 

Miki: “GANG 2” is a song in which feelings enter involuntarily. The moment we finished performing it in the live the fear was incredible. But because it feels good while singing, I was admired by the amazingness of this song. During the last part the number of people singing increases but, at the last “Woo Oo Oo!” the strong feelings overflow, so the audience too perhaps becomes “Woo Oo Oo!”.

 

Saki: Every time I sing my feelings of that day, so I think I'm definitely showing a live of only that day. I noticed that during the trade period. Until then I only did lives with a sense of stability, we could take an average mark but, not going above that. When I was singing in BiS, because I can share with the audience feelings I would usually hide, I felt I was receiving energy and courage. I wanted to do that properly in GANPARE as well. It's fortunate I realized that.

 

- I see.

 

Tsukino: Because I still don't have much experiences, I didn't understand how to put my feelings into it when I saw the lyrics. There are times I perform thinking about the training camp thought. Because there are few feelings I can naturally fill, I have to build those feelings myself. It's a splendid song but, I think it would be nice if I could convey by feelings straightly.

 

Haruna: “GANG 2” is also my debut song so, there's a strong sentiment. I like the part “I can't ever give up”… Running at 7h~8h in the morning during the training camp, being troubled after passing… I'm the type that will give up on things easily but, it's the first time I become so serious about something so far. I too think I'm working really hard, so I put those feelings in the lyrics.

 

- The coupling song “Lai le” lyrics were written by Yamamachi-san but, the lyric's world view is unique.

 

Miki: It is. Because the melody has a Chinese feeling, I wanted to mix that into the lyrics too. That's why I made the song title Chinese, I wrote also thinking about using difficult words with a lot of Kanji. The theme for this song is “Someone who wants to give their best”. I wanted to write the feelings of someone who wants to work hard. When I was writing the lyrics it was the same time the 2 new members started to practice so, I composed the feelings of having to give their best from now on, with hard days waiting ahead. I too have to work hard, as a group is also a period we have to work hard so, I included those emotions. But, it became quite a negative will.

 

- Hahaha (laughs).

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Miki: I intended it to be more positive.

 

Dockson: Because the meaning of the words are difficult, it doesn't have a negative impression. There are too many difficult words, Maika was angry.

 

Miki: During the recording she said “I can't read the Kanji, Miki-chan!”.

 

Can: I searched everything (laughs).

 

- You searched since the “Donten” in the first line?

 

Maika: Yes. Even writing Furigana over the Kanji, during the recording when I looked I would see the Kanji, so I blocked there. From looking at the Kanji and understanding in my head, until I could say it the song was already over.

 

Coco: Hahahahaha (laughs).

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NOT STOPPING IN JAPAN, A SONG THAT CAN ADVANCE TO THE WORLD

 

- Regarding the content of the lyrics as “GANG 2” it feels a communicative part.

 

Coco: The deep feeling of the lyrics might be so.

 

Miki: The previous release “toro ikura uni tabetai” (coupling song of “BREAKING THE ROAD) has a cool melody too but, the lyrics have a weird world view. This song on the other hand, the lyrics are serious, but the melody is fun, so I think that too is GANPARE like. I'm excited for the audience to listen to it.

 

Saki: Seems like it'll be exciting in lives too.

 

Coco: I thought about singing in a Chinese way, so I sang trying to add “n”.

 

Dockson: I tried to sing “tobari” as “tomubadi~”. Matsukuma (Kenta/sound producer)-san always says how to sing and I do it but, this time I was able to think by myself too.

 

Coco: I think even in lives it'll be a dominant song, a missile, I think it'll be a cool song.

 

Dockson: Ah, can I say one one part to especially listen to? In “Lai le” I don't think Tsuki (no Usagi) is doing on purpose but her singing way, the end of the words is really erotic!

 

Tsukino: (*head desk)

 

Dockson: She's embarrassed but, I think that's really good! There's a habit of mixing a sigh with the end of the word.

 

Tsukino: I got to sing the first part of the second chorus but… Because I'm not used with recording, when I pressured myself, it became like that. Everyone ended up saying “It was sexy!” (laughs).

 

Maika: Ero end.

 

Dockson: San Fransisco ero end*.

 

- Eh (laughs)?

 

Coco: Probably, I think she tried to mix “Fransico Xavier” and “Gobi Ero” but, it became a new word “San Fransisco Gobi Ero” (laughs). This song has more of Tsuki and Haruna so it's a point to listen to. I think to the fans it'll sound fresh.

 

Haruna: I got to sing the part before last chorus but, I didn't sing like Chinese at all. But I enjoyed singing. Not stopping in Japan, I think it's a song that can advance to the whole world.

 

Coco: Oo, that's good! If it spreads to 13 million Chinese, it's basically the same of advancing to the world.

 

- The current tour (The national “GANG PARADE “REBUILD TOUR”” that will happen from July to September 2018) which feelings do you want to go with?

 

Maika: Including our first Okinawa, it's the tour with the most lives so far. Slowly fortifying the form of the 9 of us, I want to make a hot live. Then, it will be nice if everything connects to the final on Zepp Tokyo. The previous Zepp DiverCity TOKYO we were frustrated it didn't sold out, so I want to treasure the path so this time we can sold out.

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*translator note: Dockson makes a word play with “gobi ero” and “Fransico Xavier” with similar pronounces by mixing them and saying “San Fransisco gobi ero”.