As many of you know, Black:List toured Europe with exist†trace last month. After their live in Finland the band sat down with us at the backstage of Gloria and took some time to give us an interview. The mood was quite relaxed and the members laughed a lot and were talkative despite having just had a very energetic, almost aggressive live on the stage of Gloria!
Thank you so much for this interview! Let’s start with introductions, but instead of introducing yourself, please introduce the person sitting next to you!
TOMOZO: Kyoutarou is the vocalist of Black:List. He’s very cool.
AIKA: Tomozo is the guitarist of Black:List. He’s an impressive man.
REI: Aika is a unique guitarist, but… (whispers) He’s a pervert!!
(everyone laughs)
KYOUTAROU: Rei is Black:List’s drummer. He is.. I love beer. I love metal. [in English] He loves food! (laughing)Was there a specific reason as to why you moved away from TOMOZO’s label, Sequence Records?
TOMOZO: Well… There are several bands on Sequence Records and all of them have a specific kind of a style, and we thought that Black:List doesn’t fit on the label with the other bands because of our different style.
Can you tell us anything about your new label, DUAL CORE SOUND ENTRERPRISE?
TOMOZO: The label was created together with Pepe-san, Meguro Rockmaykan’s owner. The label doesn’t have any other bands than Black:List, it’s just for us.
(some talk about Pepe-san)
TOMOZO: By the way, is there a meaning to the word “pepe” in Finnish?Actually, Pepe is a certain kind of a liquorice candy bar in Finland!
(everyone laughs)
TOMOZO: Candy bar!
AIKA: Pepe-san is kind of like a candy bar himself too!
(more laughing)TOMOZO, how does it feel like being in a band yourself and running your own record company at the same time?
TOMOZO: It’s hard.
KYOUTAROU, AIKA & REI: (laughing) But why is it hard?
TOMOZO: Oh, why is it hard? Well… On my record label I have to take care of many things with many different bands, such as their bookings and all that kind of things. In addition, I have a lot of activities with Black:List. I’m really busy. However… I can do it because I enjoy it!What are you expecting from this European tour?
REI: Food! Beer!
(everyone laughs)
KYOUTAROU & TOMOZO: We’re looking forward to audiences that are different from Japan, as well as new experiences and new places.What do you know about Finland?
Everyone: Sonata Arctica!
REI: Alexi Laiho!! [guitarist of the band Children of Bodom]By the way, the kebab restaurant you went to earlier today is a place where Alexi Laiho always goes.
Everyone: SERIOUSLY!?!
(everyone laughs and cheers exitedly)
TOMOZO: I want to meet him!!! And if I would meet him… (bows and holds out an invisible piece of paper) “SIGN!!”It’s a place where some famous icehockey players go to as well.
Everyone: That’s so cool!! (more laughing)
What were the reasons behind going on a coupling tour with exist†trace?
TOMOZO: exist†trace has been on Sequence Records for a very long time. We wanted to get to know each other better and gain experiences together.
You haven’t had an official bassist since your old bassist left. How did you meet your current support bassist? Do you plan on taking a new official bassist at some point?
TOMOZO: Pepe-san introduced us to our current support bassist Jin-kun at Meguro Rockmaykan. We don’t plan on adding an official bassist to our ranks until we find someone whose taste in music and play style fit with ours perfectly.
What goals do you have as Black:List?
TOMOZO: We want to do more lives and perform in front of different kind of audiences. We want more experiences, and it would be nice if we could continue like this forever.
What is the weirdest or funniest present you have received from a fan?
(everyone thinks for a long time, mumbling to each other)
AIKA: We don’t get many presents.
(everyone laughs)
TOMOZO: There hasn’t been anything that would have surprised any of us that much. And… we don’t get many presents.
(more laughing)Please give a message to your fans!
KYOUTAROU: I was really touched by today’s live. We’ve come from afar and I don’t know where they have heard about us, but even though people didn’t even know our names very well, everyone was really in the mood. We got energy from the audience.
(other members nod in agreement)Thank you for the interview!
Everyone: Thank you! Kiitos! ['thank you' in Finnish]
In addition, the band also gave a video message to their fans. The video was recorded before their live and it’s subtitled in English.
Shattered Tranquility thanks Black:List and all their staff for making this interview and video message possible.
Thank you so much! ^^ I just really love them~ haha~ great interview~ I really want to see them again…hopefully they got a good impression from Europe!
I adore Blacklist, but there’s really few information about them in the internet!
So THANK YOU VERY MUCH for posting this, I love it.
Thanks :–33
oh now I really miss the concert…. It was really awesome :’D
why then…after THIS
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What were the reasons behind going on a coupling tour with exist†trace?
TOMOZO: exist†trace has been on Sequence Records for a very long time. We wanted to get to know each other better and gain experiences together.
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did E:T leave the label ???
yes, ET left…or graduated from SR. I know I felt the same way too ;—-; they have been under Tomozo’s guidance for a long time. He really polished them ;———;