[Exclusive] JPopAsia Interviews DIV

Visual Kei band DIV formed exactly three years ago and consists of vocalist Chisa, guitarist Shogo, bassist Chobi and drummer Satoshi. All members have already made experiences in the music scene and came together in April 2012 to start making music together. After releasing one mini album and four singles DIV's first full album "ZERO ONE" hit the stores in October 2013. Now, 1 1/2 years later, it's 2nd full album titled "SECRET" has been released on February 25th. The members of DIV met JPopAsia to answer a couple of questions regarding the new album as well as their own thoughts on it - and also revealed some secrets about themselves! Find all that out below:




- This is the first time we have an interview with you, so please introduce yourselves first! Your name and position and the first thing that comes to your mind when you look at the member to the right of you.
Chobi: I’m bassist Chobi. So, Satoshi-kun… He’s an amazing drummer! A great person.
Satoshi: I’m drummer Satoshi. Chisa-kun has charisma.
Chisa: I’m vocalist Chisa. Shogo-san has good hearing.
Shogo: I’m guitarist Shogo. Chobi is DIV’s symbol.
Everyone chuckles.

- DIV was formed in April 2012 but you've waited and went on your first one man tour 2 ½ years later. I’ve got the impression that the band has many fans right from the beginning and also the first tour was almost completely sold out. Why did you still wait so long until going on your first one man tour?
Chisa: We wanted to go on a long tour. Not just in Tokyo. At the time when we wanted to go on country-wide tour of course there were big live houses we wanted to play at. There were many fans in Tokyo but when we went to Nagoya and Osaka for a one man we didn’t know how many people would come. After holding our 2nd one man at Shinjuku BLAZE we had that “thank you”-live which wasn’t really a formal live and tried to find out how many people would come. Shortly after that we went on one man tour.

- In February you've released your 2nd album "SECRET". Why did you decide for this title?
Chisa: We've released this as our 2nd album. The songs that the members brought... They're including our hidden thoughts and feelings. That's what the songs featured on "SECRET" are about. Every member has different feelings and thoughts, so we included our secrets into this work. Having this in mind we've created this title.

- If this album was a color, which color is it?
Shogo: That's different for each member, isn't it?
- So, how is it for each member?
Chobi: For me it's black. Thinking of black, you can't see anything.
- Like a secret that's hidden!
Chobi: Yes!
Shogo: Yes, like that.
Chisa: For me it's black as well but for a different reason. Rather than because you can't see anything, it's because black is the color you get when you mix different colors. For me it’s that kind of black. Like putting together many different songs. That's how I think of it.
Satoshi: For me black means "night". I think it's like "neon".
Chisa: Neon-color...
Satoshi: Yeah, there are lots of different types of light in the night.

- Who brought the demo for the songs?
Chisa: Everyone. Depending on the song, everyone brought something in and then we decided which one we will include.

- And how do you decide?
Chisa: This time... well, usually we decide all together. We talk about which one is good and decide for it. This time we thought about what songs we would like to play at the next live. Songs that increase the variety of songs we play at lives. That's how we decided for our new songs.

- Were there differences in the production of this album if you compare it to the past releases?
Satoshi: Hm... I don't think there are. The production as well as the arrangement… We do what the band wants to do, so there isn't anything different.

- Were there any funny stories regarding the production of the album? Or anything special you want to share?
Chisa: We've recorded the songs in a very short period of time. So we thought about doing the arrangements ourselves. But we finished everything without any problems. Because it was so short I don’t think there are really funny or interesting things to tell.
Satoshi: It was really quick...
- How long did it take?
Satoshi: Artists like Red Hot Chilli Peppers take 2 or 3 years to create an album. Usually it takes about 2 or 3 years. All in all. But this time we did it in one week. We were working about six hours a day. It's an album completed in about 40 hours.
- That's so quick!!

- In April you start your one man tour. Will there be any secrets revealed at the tour final?
Satoshi: I wonder if we will…
Chisa: (laughs) That's a point... Well, people want us to reveal something, don't they?
- Of course!
Chisa: Of course! (laughs) But I actually want the secrets to get even deeper during this tour. I think new secrets will be revealed while playing new songs at our lives. I think rather than coming to get to know secrets fans should come to hear about them.

- Talking about secrets... what did you do when there was someone revealing your secrets when you were a child?
Shogo: Hitting them!
Everyone starts to laugh when Shogo makes gestures as if hitting someone.
Shogo: During elementary school I did that, as of middle school I just got angry.
Chobi: I wouldn't talk to them anymore.
Chisa: Me neither. If something like that happens they’re not my friends anymore.
Satoshi: Shutting them out.
Chobi: Yes.
Chisa: I don’t really tell any secrets. No secrets that would bring me into trouble when they leak. But... there aren’t any like that!!
Everyone laughs.

- People can sing "Secret Night" at Karaoke now. Which other new songs do you want to enter Karaoke? Which ones do you want fans to sing?
Chisa: Ah! But... I want them all entering Karaoke! (laughs) I think when you try to sing them you find out many new things. Of course I want everyone to read the lyrics and listen to it but of course there are many different ways to listen to a song. I guess there are many people who pay attention to the lyrics for the first time at Karaoke. Reading it then and giving your best at singing it... I think if all songs entered Karaoke in the whole country the meaning of our lyrics would reach people even better. And of course I want them to sing it!

- Among the songs included on the new album, which one do you like the most playing live?
Shogo: There are songs we haven't played yet! So it's difficult...
Chobi: Yeah, we don't know yet.
Chisa: It's different for everyone. We have played the songs often that are already on our singles. But talking about new songs I like "Dearest" quite a lot at lives.
- Why that one?
Chisa: It's bright but the rhythm is quick. When we decide at what time to play it live then it's easy for the next song to find. It's easy to continue with another song after that.
- I see! What about the other members?
Shogo: Hm.... "Secret Night". Maybe? It's uncomplicated.
Chobi: For me it's "Stars". We haven't played it live yet but I want people to listen to it at lives. It feels good listening to this song.
Chisa: Individually.
Chobi: Yes. I think that as individual person.
Satoshi: For me it's “Secret Night”. It's very difficult. Technical arrangements are necessary, apart from the instruments. It would make me pride to be able to master that and I'd be happy to be able to show that.

- You can watch "Secret Night" with official English Subs on youtube now. Do you plan to upload more songs with English subs?
Satoshi: Ah, but there is also "point of view"!
Chisa: Yes, there is! But when it comes to plans like this, we don't really know about it.
Satoshi: Yeah, it's actually the fans who decide. If there are many fans who want us to upload more videos like that. If there is no response we don't do it.
- So, do you get many messages or letters from oversea fans?
Satoshi: Yes, there are a lot!
Chisa: On Twitter for example. Or Youtube.
Satoshi: From all over the world. Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan...
- A lot from Asia.
Satoshi: And also from Brazil and Germany and France.
- Yes, I've heard that there are a lot of French fans. And your facebook is also completely in English, too!
Members nod.

- Speaking of countries abroad, where do you want to go? Either as tourist or as artist.
Shogo: I've never been to America, so I want to go there.
Chobi: For me it's America, too, I guess...
Shogo: Why?
Chobi: To learn more about instruments.
Chisa: I can understand that!!
Chobi: I want to do that.
Chisa: I want to go to Africa.
- Where in Africa do you want to go to?
Chisa: I want to see a zoo.
- Like doing Safari?
Chisa: Yes! Somehow... the Japanese zoos are so small...
- That's also what I thought. So you want to see the animals in wildlife?
Chisa: Yes, I want to see them at a wide place and free.
Chobi: That's good.
Satoshi: I want to go to the Swiss.
- Why the Swiss?
Satoshi: There's something famous among Japanese people: the Alps. They are in the Swiss. In Japan when you are a child you get told that you should go and see the Alps at least once in your lifetime.
Other member nod and agree.
Satoshi: That's why. [in English] And I want to see Peter. (laughs)

- And if you could decide for a place for your next PV shooting. Where would that be? Any place in the world is fine.
Shogo: I have one! That huge- Where was that again... What was it? Which country was it??
Chisa: What?
Shogo: That from [the TV series] “Sekai no chuushin de”…
Chisa: Grand Canyon?
Shogo: The Grand Canyon!
Chisa: There will be a lot of dust....
Everyone laughs.
Shogo: Where is the Grand Canyon actually?
Satoshi: America. Near Las Vegas.
Shogo: ... Oh, I want to have a PV-Shooting in Las Vegas!
Chisa: Me too!! In a Casino would be awesome!
Everyone: Casino! I want to take it in Las Vegas!
Shogo: Alright, I want to have a shooting in Las Vegas AND at the Grand Canyon!
Everyone looks at Chobi.
Chobi: Wait... Wait.. I'm still thinking about it.....
Chisa: But Las Vegas is really good... in a Casino.
Chobi: That's also what I thought but...
Satoshi: This is quite different but how about Angkor Wat?
Chisa: It will be dusty!
Satoshi: And at the Statue of Liberty. It's about freedom.
Other members: Aaah.. Yes..
- Ah, that's a good thought!
Satoshi: Everyone knows it.
Chisa: A place everyone knows is good. By the way, this time when we had the shooting in Shibuya I thought that this was really nice. I think especially foreigners like that. Foreigners were standing there taking pictures.
- Especially foreigners?
Chisa: Yes, the foreigners there were like: "Ah, an artist!" and were gathering and after we've finished the shooting they walked away (laughs)
Satoshi: Shibuya is the most "underground town", so it has the feeling of a "Secret Night".
- Ah, that's why! Okay, so... Chobi-san, did you think of a place for a PV shooting?
Chobi: Well... Somewhere I want to go is to the Niagara-falls...
Chisa laughing: What, you... this is about PV-shootings!
Chobi: It would feel good!
Chisa: Yeah that's really good! Somehow... I want to go skydiving.
Other members: Ah!! That's good!!
Chisa: I want to try taking a PV while doing skydiving...
Chobi: I will watch you doing so.
Chisa: I will make you jump!
Chobi: Don't wanna...
Everyone laughs.
Satoshi: But really... how would be Nasca?
Chisa: Ah! I've heard about it!
Satoshi: You probably can’t go there as private person.
Chisa: Somewhere you can't really go to would be good.
Shogo: Like Egypt!
- How about a PV shooting in front of the pyramids?
Shogo: Yes!
Satoshi: Nice!
Shogo: Everyone will be like: "Oh god, it's so hot..."
Everyone laughs.

- Let's talk about another topic: It's difficult to buy Visual Kei CDs abroad. Of course you can order online but even that is difficult when it comes to Indie Bands. But in Europe DIV's songs are available for digital download. Do you buy the CDs of your favorite artists or do you download them?
Satoshi, Chobi & Shogo: CD!
Chisa: I download them.
Shogo: The sound quality is better if you buy the song on CD than download it. If you download it you only get the mp3-data.
- Even if you use the proper legal download the data is that bad?
Chisa: Just a bit worse. The data on CDs is bigger, so actually... the quality is better.
Shogo: On CD you can really listen to the sound the artist wants to convey. So, listen to it properly once and yes, if you have it on your phone then the sound will get worse but at least you can listen to it in good quality when you want to.
Chobi: It's also good because I listen to unknown artists a lot.
Chisa: You just look at the CD and buy it.
Chobi: Yes. I go to the shop and listen to it and buy it when I think that it sounds good.
Chisa: As for me, of course I want to listen to songs with good sound quality but it's easier that way [downloading it]. And when it comes to albums, there are times when I don't want to listen to every single song. I can just open the data of the song I want to listen to. And also when I'm outside and walking it's annoying to carry the CD around. And of course when you have all these CDs at home... and your room is small... (laughs) That's why the digital data is better for me.
Satoshi: I buy CDs. If you ask why, well, CDs are discs, aren't it? Like the Japanese Shuriken.
Everyone laughs when Satoshi makes movements as if he's throwing Shuriken/CDs.
Satoshi: No, really I think the artwork and things like that is part of the work as a whole. I want to see the design of the disc as well. You look at it once and you don't need it all the time but I want to know the artwork and texts.

- Speaking of artists you like... You've performed at festivals/taiban events often. Is there a Visual Kei band you like standing on stage together with? Someone you have a lot of fun with?
Satoshi: Our personal opinion? This is not a question about who we respect the most?
- Yes, just about who's the most fun person or band for you to spend time together with on stage or backstage.
Satoshi [in English]: My friend, D.I.D.. My friend. Asshole.
- Which member?
Satoshi [in English]: The drummer, Issei. He's an asshole.
- What? Why?
Everyone starts laughing.
Satoshi [in English]: He's my best friend.
Chisa & Chobi laughing: Definitely.
Satoshi: [in English] He's the best drummer.
Shogo: For me it's R-Shitei. We're from the same city.
Chisa: At days we give lives I'm rather by myself. I don't really talk a lot to other people.
- And after the lives?
Chisa: Aaah... after lives... But I return home right after the live! When others ask me to go out having dinner I'm rather like: "aaah..... I'm fine...."
Other members laugh and nod.
Chobi: He’s always like: “No, thank you!”
Chisa: I return home.
Chobi: For me it's girugamesh.
Other members: They're fun!
Chobi: They are fun and their lives are fun, too.

- Changing the topic, recently Chisa-san does a lot of design. For brands and also for the band goods. How about the other members? Are you interested in designing things?
Satoshi: I am but while being in a band I don't want to do that. While being part of DIV I don't want to do that. When you ask why, it's a business. For me design and fashion is just a hobby. For DIV I'm only doing artwork, drums and music.
Shogo: I'm not that interested in designing. Well, when it comes to designing my own guitar it's cool! Of course I'm doing that but...
Chobi: I'm just not good at it! (laughs)
- But is there anything else you want to do, as members of DIV?
All: There's a lot!
Chisa: This is not as member of DIV but I would like to produce games.
Satoshi: Sounds good!
- What kind of games?
Chisa: Online games!
- RPG?
Chisa: Yes! And I want to try out being a DJ. A radio DJ for example. You need personality for that…
- And you have to talk a lot.
Chisa: I want to try that.
Shogo: Radio DJ... I want to try that, too.
Chisa: Yes, me too! Really!
Shogo: But not as guests.
Chisa: No, not as guests. I think it improves your skills in talking.
Chobi: I wonder what I shall do...
Satoshi: Something with Gundam!
Chobi: Hm... Modeling?
Satoshi: Modeling?? That's cool!
- For by Chisa designed clothes?
Chobi: Ah, that sounds good! Somehow, I'm a person that wants to try out many different types of clothing, so it might be cool to do that.
Satoshi: I want to be a French Chocolatier. Or something with Ferrari in Italy. I wonder which one I should do...
Shogo: Ah, I think races are cool...


- Your PVs are very different to the PVs you've shot before. They vary a lot. For example, "Taste of life" was a very happy one! Is there still anything you want to do which you haven't done yet? When it comes to PVs.
Chisa: There is so much! For example, Secret Night was the first one we shot outside. I want to shoot more PVs outside. But well... it's so hard... The time of the PV-release and the time when we shoot it is wide apart. When we're shooting a PV for the summer, it's still cold outside when we shoot it. We wanted to shoot “Point of View” outside, too, but in Japan there are days when it's raining the whole day and that day it was like that. We really wanted to shoot it outside but we couldn't, so we did it in a studio.
Satoshi: DIV is a Super-Rockband. [In English:] So it's explosion. BAM!
- You want to shoot a PV like that?
Satoshi: Yes!
Shogo: I want to have a PV shooting abroad. For that we should go to Grand Canyon!
- Or Las Vegas?
Shogo: Yeah, I want to do that in Las Vegas!
- And at that time please give a live abroad!
Everyone agrees.
Chisa: It would be good to go abroad for work.

- During the past three years, since your formation, what was the biggest influence or had the biggest impact on you?
Chisa: For me it was our first one man tour. I thought: "How shall we give lives the best way?" Of course I wanted to give lives but I was also a bit worried. That was during our first one man tour. But so many people have waited for us, so I was really happy. I've got the feeling that we have to do that more often. So when it comes to impacts, it was our first one man tour.
Satoshi: In this company there are a lot of Super-Artists. L'Arc~en~Ciel, SID, MUCC. Meeting amazing people like them had the biggest impact on me.
Chobi: For me it was our live in Taiwan.
Satoshi: Yes, going abroad.
Chobi: It was the first time to do something like this abroad. It made me think that I want to do that more often.
- Shogo-san, how about you?
Chobi: Maybe Nippon Budokan?
Shogo: Yes! Budokan. When we were invited to perform at the Budokan-event of our Sempai SID. It's not like it changed my way of seeing things but the way I thought of performing there and really performing there was different. I really want to do it again as a one man live.

- The title of your album is "SECRET". Please lift a secret about yourself!
Everyone thinks about it for a long time.
- How about a secret of another member?
Everyone laughs.
Satoshi: Soo... DIV-fans are calling me "Prince". Like a character. But from what place am I the prince? I’m the prince of Nishiasa. Nishiasa is "most danger zone" in Japan! I'm the prince of that place.
Everyone laughs.
Chisa about Chobi: He has a bootylicious butt.
Satoshi: Yes yes! It is! His hips. It's really nice!
Chisa: It is!!
- I won't ask you to show it now!
(Everyone laughs.)
Chobi laughing: I won't show! I'm sorry we went that far!
Satoshi: Seriously. [In English:] He has pretty hips.
Chobi: I think that even myself.
Other members: Now I have a bad feeling....
- Thanks for revealing that!
Satoshi: Even the male fans think that way.
Chobi: WOW! Even them??
Satoshi: People from New York.
Chisa: When we're walking on the street and there are people they will definitely point at Chobi! They don't recognize us but they look at Chobi all the time! He's really popular.
Chobi: And when it comes to foreigners having lost their way they also always ask me. For example: "Where are we now?" Or something like that.
Chisa: Definitely.
Chobi: And then I tell them. I do that a lot!
Chisa: Especially Asian people, they definitely ask him for the way.
Chobi: And I’m like: “We’re here!” in Japanese.
Chisa: These days I can’t really communicate a lot with foreign fans yet, so I don’t really know but when it comes to Japanese fans it’s easy to say whom they are a fan of. When it comes to looks. It’s probably Chobi-san.
Chisa to Shogo: Do you have a secret?
Shogo: A secret?? About me?
Chisa: We don’t really have secrets among the members. We can tell each other everything.
Shogo: A secret… When you have to come up with one it’s so difficult!
Satoshi: We don’t really have any.
Chobi: We don’t.
Chisa: Nothing we could tell foreign fans (laughs). It’s better to not tell!
Everyone laughs and nods.
Chisa: I don’t know if you call this a secret but there was this song titled “Milky Latte” featured on “Natsu no Yukue”. The rhythm is fast on the CD but it’s not at lives. Hm… it’s not a secret, is it?
- It’s completely fine!
Satoshi: Maybe something from our childhood?
Chisa: I did Judo!
Satoshi: Hm… something from that time…
Chisa: Ah, something I haven’t said until now: In my family there are many artists!

- Thank you for telling us your secrets! In the end, Jpopasia is a non-Japanese site and mainly foreign people are using our site. Please give a message for your foreign fans!
Chobi: I want to go abroad soon and give lives in many different foreign countries. Until that day comes, please listen to our CDs and if you keep on supporting us we will also be able to come to your countries. So please remember us from now on as well!
Shogo: Our lyrics are mainly in Japanese but when composing songs they aren’t meant for only Japan. We’re planning on creating them for the world. If you haven’t listened to it yet I’d definitely like you to listen to it.
Chisa: When it comes to foreign fans, reading comments at Twitter and Youtube I’ve got the feeling that they listen to music in a more “pure” way. It makes me really happy that there are foreign people who listen to DIV’s music. I always think that I want to show you all that at lives right in front of you. I hope you will support us from now on as well.
Satoshi: I want to go abroad to give lives. Until that day, please use itunes and youtube and look forward to it!

- Thank you for this interview!


DIV is currently on Zeal Link Tour with many other popular bands like BORN, D=OUT, Screw or UNiTE. On June 27th the band will hold its tour final of the tour they went on to commemorate "SECRET". And in the beginning of May they held two lives together with Visual Kei band GUILD. We've attended one of these two-man shows for you, so stay tuned for the live report!