【Click here for English translation】

前回のTatsuyaの記事を読んでもらった方、もしくは勘の良い方はもうお気付きでしょう…。そうです、ここからツアー編が始まります!　ついでに書いている人も変わってます!　カリフォルニアでの2ヶ月に渡るレコーディングを終えたCrossfaith一行に待ち受ける試練、困難、パーティー諸々を僕、Hirokiが完全主観かつ独断と偏見たっぷりにレポートしていきます!

さて、アメリカにてアルバム『XENO』を完成させた我々が帰りますはホームタウン大阪。久しぶりに再会するONE OK ROCKに迎えられての大阪城ホールでのライブでした。

そのまた昔、Rage Against The Machineを観た憧れのこの舞台に少し緊張しつつも、会場入りすればいつもの面々を見て安心しました。ONE OK ROCKのタカ君、りょーちゃん、トール君、ともげ。両バンドのメンバーそれぞれが楽屋を行き来しつつ、会えなかった間にお互いが海外で、日本でどんなものを見て感じたのか、そして成したことを報告し合う。彼らは間違いなくそういう関係でいられる数少ない友達で、ライバルとも言える存在なのだと思います。かと思えば「何してん?」とトール君がヤンキーの兄ちゃんのように絡んできてくれるのが嬉しい（笑）。

帰国2日後で時差ぼけのなか再会を祝ったのも束の間、待つのは１万人を超える大観衆。一緒にアメリカから帰って来たKazukiもワンオクのみんなもステージ袖に来てくれて、後は瞬きの度にそのとてつもない光景にシャッターが切られるような、そんな瞬間の連続でした。緊張はもちろんしたけれど、この日ここで観た景色とそれに呼応するようにして出会えた自分はまだまだ、もっともっと遠くを見ていたし、何よりもこの舞台を用意してくれたワンオクロックのみんなに感謝し、また歩む道でその気持ちを贈りたいと思う。

 

 

そして、彼らとの2日間での大阪城ホール公演を経て、またもや僕たちはアメリカに戻ります。自由の国、アメ～リカにです。

かつての僕にとってアメリカは、特に西海岸に位置するカリフォルニアは憧れの場所でした。サーフボードを脇に抱えて友達の家までスケートボードでひとっ走り、ガレージでお構いなしに楽器を掻き鳴らして、キャデラックを洗うお姉さんに目を丸くしては夕陽落ちる海へサーフィンに向かう。思春期真っ只中、14歳の僕は何度も何度もそんなイメトレを重ねました。もちろん西海岸パンクという音楽に触れたという事もあるけれど、西海岸のファッション、スケートカルチャーやサウスパークに始まる悪ガキ達、色んな西海岸の要素が一つの波になって、あっさりと僕をそちら側へ引きずり込んで行くのでした。

そして、その当時の西海岸パンク・シーンの、スケボーしてて馬鹿そうなやつのど真ん中にいたバンド、それがBlink-182です。まるでアニメから飛び出してきたような悪ガキ3人組。そんな彼らのある曲に〈Warped Tour〉が舞台の物語がありました。

 

Hanging out behind the club on the weekend
acting stupid, getting drunk with my best friends.
I couldn't wait for the summer and the Warped Tour
I remember it's the first time that i saw her there

その週末はクラブの裏手でたむろして
親友たちと一緒に酔っ払ってバカやってた
夏と、そしてワープト・ツアーが待ち切れなかった
思いだすよ 最初に彼女に出会ったのはそこでだった

其処はまさにアメリカのキッズにとって、はたまた遠く離れた日本で育った僕にとっても〈聖地〉と言える場所なのでした。

 

日本の皆様からすれば、そもそも〈Warped Tour〉って何ですのん?という方もいるでしょうから、ざっくりと説明します。

〈Warped Tour（ワープト・ツアー）〉とはアメリカ西海岸を発祥とする音楽とスケート・カルチャーのお祭りです。過去に参加したアーティストはNOFX、Rancid、Blink-182等のパンクに始まり、Beck、Weezer、Eminem、Jurassic5らIndieからHip-Hopまで――近年はメタルやラウドなバンドも増えてきており、各時代の流れを反映した様々なバンドがその歴史に名を連ねています。

 

Crossfaithとして今までに色んな土地で、色んなフェスティバルに参加してきましたが圧倒的に他のフェスと違うのがその行程。西はカリフォルニア、東はニューヨーク、北はカナダ・トロント――40を超える場所へ、100近いバンドとそのクルー、さらに毎日立つステージまでも、サーカスのように一緒に移動するわけです。そして、シャワーもご飯も基本的に共有で、有名なバンドから若手まで一緒になって並びます。それぞれ1時間ぐらい。

正直、最初は長っ!とボヤいてましたが、並んでいると「お前達のライブ観たけどマジ半端ないぜ、ブロォ（ブラザー）」で拳をボン。こちらもすかさず「お前のライブも見に行くぜ、とりあえず今夜のBBQで飲もうぜ、ブロォ」で拳をボン。もうそれが7週間続く訳で、おのずとたくさん友達は出来るし、逆に昨日呑んでて知り合ったブロォが次の日にライブ中袖でウイスキーを片手に見てたりする訳です。

こうして、これだけの時間をこれだけの人間と共にするので、終演後にほぼ毎晩行われるBBQパーティー以外にも、スケートボード、カード・ゲーム、ロール・プレイ（演技）、筋トレ、プロレス、野外シアターなど部活の様にグループが出来上がり、活動頻度は違えど終演後のだだっ広い会場で各々が楽しむ様になるのです。

ちなみに僕はというと、基本的なパーティーとしてはうちのこいちゃん（Ken）とBeartoothのCalebというクマさん2人。彼らと共にフラフラと一箇所にとどまることなく色んなクラブやツアーバスに顔を出し、色んなタイプの人と知り合う事が出来ました。そこで人の振る舞いやキャラクターを肌で感じ、同じ事柄を伝える時にも違う言葉選びがあり、異なる表情がある事を学びます。より表情豊かに伝えるアメリカでは、何度も訪れたイギリスでは感じられなかった表現が――例えば西海岸では、陽気な表現や昔憧れていた悪ガキの様なパーソナリティーがあり、ツアーの中で僕はたくさんの人と話をし、たくさんの人を見ました。自分というパーソナリティーをその世界の中で他者と触れ合う中で再確認し、取捨選択し、そしてそれらを取り入れてゆく。それは英語の世界に放り出された骨格だけの自分に肉付けしていく様なものでした。ツアーを経る事、英語を学ぶ事、というのはそういう事なのだと僕は学びます。

今回のツアーで多くの時間を共にしたCalebと初めて会ったのは、レコーディングが終わって渡英した際の〈SlamDunk Festival〉初日、While She Sleepsを観ている時でした。ステージ脇に彼がいるのを見つけ、彼のことは前身バンド（Attack Attack!）の頃から知っていたので話かけたらすぐに意気投合。一緒にJager（イエーガー）を煽りはじめて気付けば2日目、3日目と隙あらば呑まし合いました。またWarpedで遊ぼうなーてな具合でそのイギリスツアーは幕を閉じました。そして、アルバムのミックスチェックのためにアメリカへ帰る空港でゲストボーカルの相談をしている時に、Calebに打診してみないかという話になりました。僕らが彼にオファーした時、Warpedの出発まであと2日やそこらだったのですが、二つ返事でOKしてくれて、今回のアルバムに置いて最もザクザクヘビーなこの曲の最後のピースを埋めることになります。

 

この夏、何度もCalebは俺たちのステージに立って“‪Ghost In The Mirror” ‬を歌い、KenはBeartoothで“Body Bag”を歌い、Teruと俺も囃し立てにしばしば向かうことも……（笑）。先日、川崎Club Cittaで行われた〈Red Bull Live On The Road〉＠川崎Club Cittaに来ていた方は、日本で初めてステージに立つCalebの姿を見られたのではないでしょうか?

 

そして、〈Warped Tour〉も終盤に差し掛かった所で大きなイベントが僕たちを待っていました。アメリカ・ロック界において権威のある音楽誌、ALTERNATIVE PRESSが開催する〈Alternative Press Music Awards〉へ2度目のノミネートをされ、またプレゼンターとしても壇上でスピーチをすることが決まります。このアワードにノミネートされること自体にも大きな意味がありますが、SlipknotのCorey氏や、WeezerのRivers氏が参加し、Sum41、Taking Back Sundayらのライブもあり、皆がスーツに身を包んでドレスアップした姿でレッド・カーペットを歩き、憧れのMTVなどのインタビューに答えたり、美味しいお酒を酌み交わすなど、楽しくも過酷なひと夏を共に過ごしたWarped参加組にとってはねぎらいの場所でもありました。

 

この日のスピーチは雑誌側から用意されたテンプレートもあり、バンドはそれを読んでサラッと次のアワードに行く流れでしたが、それでは俺たちがやる意味がないと、Kenと前日から日本語を交えて会場にいる人に楽しんでもらえる内容を考えました。もちろん英語で成立させる事に変わりはないので、人生初の英語でのスピーチに緊張し、何度もリハーサルをしました。結果、本番は飛び入りでBeartoothのCalebを迎え、言葉は一緒でも全然リハーサルと違うテンションで読み上げることになりましたが、会場にいたバンドや関係者から大きな声援をもらい、アワードの受賞は逃したものの、このスピーチをきっかけにその後のツアーでまだ出会えていなかったたくさんの人が話し掛けてくれて、知り合う事が出来ました。こうして、長かった〈Warped Tour 2015〉の最後のビッグパーティーは幕を閉じたのでした……。

 

帰国後、9月には前回のコラムでも触れた『XENO』が発売され、まだまだツアーは続きますが、今回はここまで。来年の頭からこのアルバムをライブセットにギュッと詰め込み、さらに進化したCrossfaithのショーを届けに、世界各国のべ80都市前後を回ります。そして、そのツアーを世界で初めて体験できるのはここ日本。またそれまでの個々の歩みを経て、皆の中の何かを動かすものを届けたいと思います。

それでは、またライヴで会いましょう!
See you in the pit :)

Hiro

 

PROFILE：Crossfaith

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Kenta Koie（ヴォーカル）、Terufumi Tamano（プログラム／ヴィジョン）、Kazuki Takemura（ギター）、Hiroki Ikegawa（ベース）、Tatsuya Amano（ドラムス）から成る5人組。2006年に結成。2009年にファースト・アルバム『The Artificial theory for the Dramatic Beauty』を発表。翌2010年には初作がヨーロッパでリリースされ、海外デビューを果たす。2011年にヨーロッパに続きUSでも発表することになる2作目『The Dream, The Space』を完成。アジア圏をはじめヨーロッパやUSなどでのツアーやフェス出演も精力的に行うようになる。そして2012年にミニ・アルバム『ZION EP』を、2013年には世界デビュー盤となるフル・アルバム『APOCALYZE』をリリース。初の日本ツアーを含めた30か国以上を回るワールド・ツアーを敢行する。2014年には世界を股に掛けた活動の充実ぶりに拍車がかかり、メジャー・デビュー・シングル“MADNESS”を発表。2015年に入ると日本国内での初ワンマン・ツアーを開催したほか、メジャー・ファースト・アルバム『XENO』をリリース。そして先日、初のドキュメンタリーDVD「ACROSS THE FUTURE ～The Beginning～ すべての始まり」（LUSTFORLIVES）を発表した。

 2016年1月からは日本を皮切りとしたワールド・ツアーがスタート。さらに2016年2月14日（日）には東京・新木場STUDIO COASTにて自主企画〈ACROSS THE FUTURE〉を開催する。そのほか最新情報はこちらへ。
 

 

Reliving the behind-the-scenes and hard-to-replace memories from the mind-blowing [Warped Tour 2015]!
The globe-hopping members of Crossfaith pen their own reports on their tours and events!

Written by: Hiroki Ikegawa (bass, Crossfaith) 

 

For those who read what Tatsuya wrote in the previous article or those simply quick on the uptakes, you’ve got it by now… Yup, from here, we’re talking about our world tour AND so that you know, we’re taking turns in writing! So here I am, Hiroki telling you all about what awaited the band after pulling out of the 2-months recording in California, -all the challenges, hardships, oh and did I say parties?! Be prepared for the fully dogmatic editorial!

Hometown, Osaka, -that was place we all headed back to after proudly completing the album “XENO” in the US. We were to perform as guest acts for the Osaka Jo Hall gig of our good mates, ONE OK ROCK (alternative/post-hardcore/heavy metal band). 

The venue was the very stage where I once saw Rage Against the Machine play, and I can’t deny feeling a little ‘knot’ inside on arrival, but once seeing the faces of the good old friends, all that tension suddenly loosened up. The ONE OK ROCK members are Taka-kun (Taka, lead vocals), Ryo-chan (Ryota, bass), Toru-kun (Toru, guitar/backing vocals) and Tomoge (Tomoya, drums). Members of the two bands frequented each other’s dressing rooms, each asking and hearing about what they’ve learnt and seen, happily sharing their gains abroad while both parties were overseas. The members of ONE OK ROCK are definitely the few friends we have whom we can enjoy such a steady relation, as well as the kind we can truly call rivals. But then, we need to happily watch out for Toru-kun suddenly getting all mean, picking on us like a baddie, “What the hell you think you’re doing?” (lol). 

After a fugitive moment of rejoicing the reunion with them with our jet-lagged heads still spinning, lying ahead of us was a hall packed with a huge audience of over ten thousand. Kazuki who also came back together from the US was also there at the wings, of course with the members of ONE OK ROCK, and from thereon, it was simply a series of magnificent scenes as if every single blink was snapshotting the views in front of my eyes. I may have been on the tense side, yes, but I found myself acting perfectly in concert with the beautiful view I had in front of my eyes, and the distance I found myself looking into was so much farther than I could imagine. The stage prepared for us by ONE OK ROCK is something that I am grateful for full-heartedly, and what I hope to demonstrate my gratitude to through our dedication to the works in our future paths.

The takoyaki (octopus dumplings, a specialty dish of Osaka) stall that was set up in its entirety in the backstage. For us who were pining for Japanese food, we thought we were seeing things…

 

Enjoying the fantastic 2 days performance at Osaka Jo Hall with ONE OK ROCK, we set for the US again, - to the land of the free, Ameeeericaaaaa~~~.

For me in the old days, the US, especially the West Coast/California was a place I longed to be. Holding a surfboard under your arm, you hop on your skateboard headed to your friend’s house, knocking yourself out with your favorite instrument in his garage, really getting knocked out with your friend’s sister washing the home Cadillac, and finally making your way to the sun-setting beach to catch a wave or two. The 14-year-old me in the midst of puberty would very often image-train myself with those fantasies. Though much of it had to do with being exposed to West Coast punk music, elements such as the fashion of the West Coast, the skateboard culture and badass attitudes represented in “South Park” would all come together forming a surging wave that so easily swept to me to ‘that’ side.

In the West Coast punk scene back in those days, Blink-182 was one of the bands who were at the center of those kids riding skateboards and whose agenda was to show off their badassery.  A team of three with attitude, who looked like they simply jumped out of a cartoon world. And in one of their songs, there is this reference to the [Warped Tour] we are about to talk about.

 

Hanging out behind the club on the weekend
acting stupid, getting drunk with my best friends.
I couldn't wait for the summer and the Warped Tour
I remember it's the first time that i saw her there

[Warped Tour] is place regarded as the sacred spot, not only for the American kids, but even for myself raised in Japan separated by so many borders.

But then again, for many people in Japan, the question is “So, what is this [Warped Tour] at the first place??” Let me quickly explain.

The [Warped Tour] is a music festival originating in the West Coast of the United States, showcasing the music and culture of the skate (punk) scene. Artists who have performed there in the past include punk bands such as NOFX, Rancid or Blink-182, which expands to indie or hip hop acts such as Beck, Weezer, Eminem, or Jurassic 5. The lineup in recent years shows an increased number of metal or loud rock bands too, and the history of the event is constantly updated with various bands that reflect the trend of the times.

 

Crossfaith has taken me to various music festivals in various continents, but what makes this particular festival so outright different from others is the way it is operated and done. From California in the west to New York in the east with Toronto (Canada) to the north, the entire event, -the over 100 bands and their crew, as well as the physical stage the performances take place on – make the trip together to the more-than-40 locations, just like one pack of a circus. From young upcoming bands to highly-acclaimed dons, each and every person uses communal showers and line up for the same meals, -which usually takes about an hour to get to the front of the line.

At first, to be honest, I was grumbling to myself “What the heck!? Such a long queue!!”, but it was here that other bands would come up saying, “Hey, your show was absolutely awesome, bro (fist bump here)!” And I’d reply, “Yeah, thanks, we’ll be coming to see you guys play too. But before that, see you at tonight’s BBQ, bro (fist bump again)!” And this goes on for a good long 7 weeks, which ends up with so many new friends, and the ‘bros’ we drank with the previous day would so often already be there at the wings of the stage of our performances the next day with a glass of whiskey in their hands.

Apart from the nightly BBQ parties held after the curtains are brought down each day, because so much time is shared with so many people, eventually some club-like groups are formed, enjoying skateboarding, playing cards, roleplaying, working out, wrestling or even outdoor movies. Though the frequency of each activity may differ, it was a pretty sight to see band members enjoying themselves in the vast, rambling venue.

In the case of myself, I used to hang out in the cozy format of myself and the two grizzly bears, Koi-chan (Ken) and Caleb from Beartooth. Rather than stapling ourselves to one place, we would roam around from one place to another, showing up in random ‘clubs’ or tour buses, and that’s where we got to know various types of people. Feeling and experiencing the different behaviours and personalities in person helped me learn the different selection of words and expressions among people, even when trying to convey the same message. The Americans who are more expressive in communication, would show ways of expression I had never seen in the UK that I had visited numerous times before. For instance, the people at the West Coast would have these sunshiny ways and personalities like the baddies I used to admire, which I got to witness in the many people I talked to and saw during the tour. To reaffirm my own personality through the interaction with others in the same world by taking what is good and leaving what is bad, and introducing the goods to my own, - that was a process just like putting flesh on the skeleton I was, being thrown out into the world of English. This is what it’s like, to go on tour, and acquire English there, -so I learnt.

We spent a large amount of time with Caleb during this tour, so let me explain how we first met. It was when we were watching the performance of While She Sleeps on the first day of the [Slam Dunk Festival] in UK which we flew in for right after finishing the recording, that we met him. We found him at the wing of the stage, and since we knew him even from when he was in his former band, Attack Attack!, we went up to have a chat with him, and we hit it off in an instance. We opened a bottle of Jägermeister together, and before we knew it, we were into our second day, then the third day devoting every spare moment drinking and making the other drink. The tour in the UK closed with us parting saying “See you at Warped.” On our way back to the US to check the mixing of the new album, there was a time we were discussing guest vocals, and that’s when we came up with the idea of having Caleb on the album. It was a mere two days until we had to hit the road for the Warped event, but he accepted our offer with absolutely no hesitation, and that’s how the last piece of the most ass-kicking heavy track in the album fell in place.

 

During the summer, Caleb showed up on our stage numerous times to sing for “‪Ghost In The Mirror”, and in the meantime, Ken was there on Beartooth’s stage singing “Body Bag”. There were times that Teru and I would be there to boost the mood… (laugh). Those who were there at the [Red Bull Live On The Road] held in Kawasaki the other day would have witnessed Caleb singing on a Japanese stage for the first time.

 

Now, as we approached the final phase of the [Warped Tour], a major event was waiting for us. We were nominated for the [Alternative Press Music Awards] for the second time, - an accolade by the highly-acclaimed authority magazine of the US rock music industry, ALTERNATIVE PRESS, and we were also appointed to make a speech on stage as one of the presenters. Being nominated for this award itself has a significant meaning to us of course. Although in the meantime, there were so many highlights for us throughout the event. We were thrilled to see Corey Taylor of Slipknot or Rivers Cuomo from Weezer right in front of our eyes, enjoyed live performances by Sum41 and Taking Back Sunday, crisply dressed up in suits to walk the red carpet, talking in an interview with the one and only MTV and savoured the wonderful drinks with great company. For the bands who spent the fun yet pretty relentless summer at the [Warped Tour], it was a sheer moment for a good back-patting of each other. 

 

The flow of the event for us was to read out the template speech prepared by the publisher, and matter-of-factly let the event roll on to the next award, but hey, what would that mean to us then?! So, Ken and I put our heads together the previous day to come up with something that would properly entertain the audience, that too, mixing in some Japanese. Of course we made sure that the whole thing would make sense in English in the end, and with it being the very first speech in English for us, we ran rehearsals over and over again. We ended up with unofficially having Beartooth’s Caleb on the stage too, and though we found ourselves doing the same speech in an amped up mode completely different from when were rehearsed, we were glad to receive great and loud responses from the audience and other bands who were at present. We didn’t win the award we were nominated for, but the speech seemed to have served as a trigger for many bands to come and chat to us in later tours, leading to us getting to know more bands and people than ever.

And this is how the final big-party closed the curtain for the long [Warped Tour 2015] of our summer.

 

Our album “XENO” came out in September after we came back to Japan, and although we still have a long road ahead, for now, I shall rest my pen. From the beginning of the new year, we shall be on the road headed to shows to be held in about 80 cities across the globe, and rest assured, the latest album will be duly loaded up in the set list of the shows, and we look forward to showing you how Crossfaith’s performances have evolved. The lucky ones to be the first in the world to experience the tour are those here in Japan, and from there starts another road for us to keep moving, learning and gaining. So, stay tuned for more thrills-and-chills we all hope to deliver in the very near future.

See you in the pit :)

Hiro