Kaoru & The Zombie Apocalypse

 

Tattoos are my favourite thing ever, so bear with me while I dig up and translate old interviews. Here's Tattoo Tribal vol. 43, from back in 2011. I believe this was Kaoru's first interview with this mag.

I can't find the HD scans, so the pictures don't actually come from this spread, they're just there to illustrate the designs he's talking about.

TT: Kaoru is the guitarist of indescribable rock band Dir En Grey. An act that transcends genres, including metal, hardcore and pop, Dir En Grey is bliss for hard rock fans. Thirteen years after their inception, the band won't cease to evolve, enrapturing audiences both in Japan and overseas. And there's also a lot of talk about the band's obsession with tattoos...

薫: My first tattoo was lettering, and it reads Japanese Zombie Heroez. It's on my right arm, above my elbow, in a spot you can easily see. I chose to get it done there because I wanted to be able to see it easily. Most people go easy on their first tattoo, they usually get something small, or somewhere they can easily conceal it with clothing. I was quite the opposite. If I couldn't see it, then it wouldn't mean the same to me. These words (Japanese Zombie Heroez, TN) are an important reminder from me to myself - I am Japanese*, to my core. It reminds me that I should persist even when I get knocked out of combat, and that good things come to those who persevere. If I'd gotten this inked somewhere where I couldn't see it so well, its meaning would be lesser.

*Translator's note: when he says "Japanese", he's referring to the entire country's history and the values associated with Japanese culture, not just his citizenship. What he attemps to say is that Japanese values, Japanese history and the archetypal Japanese virtues are important to him.

TT: When the band blew up, Kaoru still didn't seem to feel hindered or indecisive about his appearance. So he chose to get a second tattoo, also lettering.

薫: The second one I got was a bit more grim. The idea that I wanted to convey was "temptation is all around."*

* Translator's note: it's unclear, but I believe he's talking about his "Despair of the fault" hand piece.

TT: In America, there is a tradition that says you should get a tattoo of the number 13 if you wish to steer away bad luck, or even a word like "bomb" if you're in the military and you want to avoid being killed in combat. The idea behind these paradoxical tattoos is to challenge fate. Kaoru's tattoos grew in number over time. He got his third one done at an exhibition while on tour in France.

薫: It was the first time I got something graphic. I saw that artist's drawings and loved them, so I asked him to draw something for me. The problem was that the tour dates allowed for very little downtime. He drew it directly on me, and I would be like "I like this bit" or "get rid of that bit" to help him speed up the process. We finished it in eight hours, in a single day.

TT: Some time later, Kaoru decided to add new designs. By chance, he met and hit off with a tattoo artist, and from that moment on, his ink acquired a new meaning.

薫: At that point in my life, I had come to learn a lot about myself. But when I met him, I realised that I was not the only one. I would choose the designs myself, but since we got close, he wasn't shy to let me know when he thought they sucked.

TT: The duo (Kaoru and his tattooist, TN) really bonded, and together they didn't only create tattoos, but also band t-shirts and guitar designs. Their friendship radiates from each piece. From the moment Dir En Grey started, thirteen years ago, they never stayed the same. Time and again the band's fans are surprised with musical and visual metamorphosis that don't cease to exceed their wildest expectations.

薫: Not fitting the cookie-cutter mould is a good thing, I think. I create music and I play it live, the tattooist draws and creates tattoos. We're not always on the same page, but I always thought that whatever lacks the ability to change is something lacking. These days, you can take anything you want off the internet, make money off of it, ask questions and use somebody else's answers... yet there's this concept of creating something with your bare hands, from scratch, of doing the best you can by yourself. That's the feeling I get from my tattooist. I think it's a form of empathy. When Dir En Grey started out, we had a producer*. Now, we do everything ourselves, we do what we want. That's why we've been able to create new things consistently for thirteen years. Sometimes there's conflict between us, but in the end it's actually for the best. I think my tattooist and I have the same dynamic.

*Translator's note: He's most likely referring to Yoshiki of X Japan.

TT: Initially, Kaoru wanted only black ink, but his tattoo artist recommended that he try colour. One of his friends ended up getting the same design as one of his colour tattoos.

薫: I got blue flames around my right thumb. My tattooist designed them for me. A friend of mine got a very similar design, also on his right thumb. He said "It's not that I want some nice ink, I just want the same as you!" Oh well, I told him that that's okay, but to be careful with it. If you're rough with a new tattoo, you risk an infection.

TT: Kaoru has a friend with the same tattoo as him, and some of his fans also copied his lettering pieces. This doesn't seem to bother him, since he thinks that they're not the same tattoos.

薫: Even if they get the same tattoos as me, the reason why they get them will be different from the reason I got mine. I sure don't regret my tattoos, the circumstances that led me to get them are very specific to myself, so it doesn't bother me if others do the same.

Zdroj:https://deprofundisaddir.tumblr.com/post/669588341762768896/kaoru-the-zombie-apocalypse