Anime Gen was able to get an interview with HYDE and K.A.Z.’s new band VAMPS who are currently touring the US. HYDE is best know for being the vocalist of L’Arc~en~Ciel and K.A.Z. is best know for being the lead guitarist of Oblivion Dust. Anime Gen was able to ask them a couple questions about the band, their musical influences and styles, and what they are looking forward to on the US tour.

Anime Gen: How did you come to choose the name VAMPS?

HYDE: It’s from vampire. I like mysterious women, too [laugh]. I love vampires. I’m intrigued by its never-ending life. I like horror.

Anime Gen: Do you think that VAMPS differs musically from anything else you have done before?

HYDE: I think I am making the music that I used to dream of making in my teens. When I started the band, I liked hard-core bands with some horror taste. I feel like I am expressing the stuff I felt back then—maybe not really hard core.

Anime Gen: Who are some of your musical influences?

HYDE: Probably, Mötley Crüe.

K.A.Z.: I used to watch and got inspired by King Crimson, Cheap Trick, and TOTO.

Anime Gen: What message do you want people to take away from your music?

HYDE: We made the album that includes songs used effectively in our lives—many songs that create excitement in lives and a couple of songs that the audience can listen to rest a little bit.

Anime Gen: Do you compose the music first or do you write the lyrics first or a little of both when you write songs?

HYDE: K.A.Z. plays the guitar and I do the singing.

Anime Gen: Hyde, I read an interview with you awhile back when you released your solo album Faith, that you were trying to do spiritual rock. Will there be elements of this in any VAMPS music?

HYDE: There is not much difference from my solo album “FAITH,” in terms of musical pieces, but we created music especially for cool lives as VAMPS, so we have a lineup of good live songs.

Anime Gen: What is your biggest inspiration for writing songs?

HYDE: We consider how to involve the audience into our songs.

K.A.Z.: We both went through the golden age of Rock n’ Roll in the 80s and 90s, so we have absorbed various tastes. I think we created our own mixture by going though that era.

Anime Gen: What are you looking forward to the most during the American tour?

HYDE: I’m excited to visit cites for the first time and try new things. First of all, I look forward to lives in front of the American audience. Our objective is to show that we have such a cool band in Japan, even more amazing band than American ones. There is no point of doing the same things that American bands are doing. I believe our band will be appreciated—judging from my own sensibility.

Anime Gen: Do you have anything you would like to say to the American fans?

HYDE: Can’t wait to see you. Wait for a little bit more; I will bite your neck!

K.A.Z.: Let’s have a fun party!

Check out the offical website for VAMPS here for more info on the US tour and where you can see them live!