Interview: Cinema Bizarre
We had a chance to chat with the German Glam Rock band, Cinema Bizarre. Here’s what they had to say!
How did you guys get started as a band?
The internet has been a very important tool for us. We met on a manga convention and lived in different cities, so the internet was the best way for us to stay in close contact and grow together. After two or three years we moved to Berlin.
Do you feel you have grown musically since you started?
Yes, definitely. The only way to survive as a band is to take challenges and to learn.
If there were three words to describe your latest album, TOYZ, what would they be?
Playful, powerful, melancholic.
But TOYZ will only be available in Europe, American will get an own album which is different from TOYZ. It’s called BANG!.
You guys have a very unique style with your clothing. Can you talk a bit about that and what inspires that style?
When we started we were all a lot into Visual Kei, a youth culture coming from Japan. But we never wanted to copy something and our style has developed. I guess Yu still names Visual Kei as his biggest influence. I always felt attracted towards androginity and I admire people like Grace Jones, Adam Ant and David Bowie. But I just trust my sense for fashion.
Which song is the most meaningful or most personal to you? Why?
Music is so manifold, I could never decide and just pick one song or one style of music. I think you would miss something.
Can you tell us about Visual Kei and how you got into it?
I’ve been always quite androgynous, even at a time when I didn’t know what that is. As I found out about Visual Kei it was a whole new world to discover for me. The Japanese beauty idol is very different from the one you find in Europe. For me it was not only about Visual Kei but as well about the Japanese street fashion. They are very modern but still want too keep traditions from the old times, you can see that also in their fashion. Visual Kei was born in the 80s in Japan when a band called X Japan decided to go new ways and brought hard rock and androgynous and glamorous punk styles mixed with Kabuki to Japan.
I saw that you met at an anime convention; do you all still attend them?
No, very rarely.
Have you ever cosplayed?
I did it once. It was the day I met Kiro and Yu. Friends wanted to go as a group so I joined them. I went as Ryoga from Ranma.
When you’re not working on music, what are you favorite things to do? Any must see television or anime series?
A lot of things that everybody loves, clubbing, shopping, going out. And I like to enjoy Berlin.
What’s next for you guys?
We are playing a tour in Europe, releasing our first US album BANG! on August 25th an are planning to come back to the US very soon and play a lot of concerts.
Interview By: Jessica Mahn
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