[TRANS] BIGBANG Interview on Frau Japan- On MADE, Touring, and Future (FEB2016)

Source: http://frau.tokyo/_ct/16940054

Trans. by @mmvvip. Please credit with the link if you are taking this out. thanks!

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Q: 2015 was the year BIGBANG finally came back after 3 years, and fans all over the world have been waiting for this moment to listen to your new tracks. Please tell us how you feel now.

GD: We were also waiting for so long for this moment. I am purely happy.

YB: We have prepared for this album for a really long time.  It took such a long time because we felt that it would be pointless if we just put anything out there and didn’t show how much we have grown.   We have worked hard for our fans who have been waiting.

SR: I appreciate producers GD and Teddy for making an effort to make great music, and I thought “this is finally the chance to respond to all of the support we get from our fans, let’s go!”

DS: At the same time each member carried on with our solo activities, we have talked about the album flow and concept. All of us didn’t have a lot of chance to actually meet and ended up working on it for 3 years. But I believe this album became something that means a lot to us.

Q: You have probably heard the fans saying, “We can’t wait to hear new songs!”. Was this a pressure? How did it feel?

DS: Of course there was pressure. But it was a good type of pressure which set off our strong feeling that we need to make great music and meet the fans asap.

TOP: I had no pressure (straightforwardly)

Q: What was the overall theme/something that you have kept in mind on production.

GD: Until our last piece ALIVE, the songs were mainly based on our personal experiences and we gradually built it up to the sound and lyrics.  For this MADE, I have kept in mind to write something sympathetic with easy-to-understand melody and lyrics, on top of sense of reality.

TOP: If past BIGBANG songs are known for power, this time, we have added sincerity to it. I am 28 years old, and I have kept in mind to add something that portrays the reality and feelings of this age.  This album is something that we release as BIGBANG after so long, so I think the listeners could feel that the members have grown into dignified men.

Q: Was anything troublesome/stressful during recording/production?

GD: (Instantly) Nothing.

TOP: Nothing for me either.

Q: But I believe recording while traveling around the world and doing solo activities was pretty troublesome?

GD: Honestly, taking flights back and forth was pretty tough (laugh).

TOP: Yet, this was our first production in a long time, so I was always thrilled and I had fun.

Q: Each of you are successful solo artists. I believe these three years you have spent as artist/performer were very meaningful.  Have you felt anything new about BIGBANG through your solo works?

DS: It felt like “home” (coming back to BIGBANG). After each of us work as solo for long and come back as 5, I felt that each of us have grown. The energy level of each of us is definitely different.

YB: I believe that the results of solo activities are giving good influences on BIGBANG.

TOP: While spending these three years, I was able to “face” the group BIGBANG and organize my thoughts. As a result, I am now capable of expressing things that I could never express before.

Q: Japan tour is currently going on - have anything impressive happened while touring Japan?

SR: This is our third year going around Japan for dome tour. I believe that BIGBANG and fans here have such close relation that fans could come to our concert saying, “Let’s go meet my friends from overseas!”  At first, I could tell our fans were not used to BIGBANG concert and kept their feelings inside. But now, all of the fans are like “Let’s give it all with BIGBANG! YEA!”. It is like a festival than just a concert.  I also get hyped up from that atmosphere.

Personally, I want people to know the different side of us. That’s why I like to work hard on MC time (talk segment in a concert) , but I sometimes forget what my real job is (laugh).

Q: How do you decide what to talk for MC?

DS: We don’t decide on anything beforehand. We talk about random things each time and nobody can predict how it will turn out.  I think this is what’s special about BIGBANG, and fans have more fun this way.  Turns out I got a new nickname “One night D-LITE” (laughs) I am so happy to make new, fun memories each concert.

Q: TOP’s talk (note reading) is getting better and more smooth.

TOP: If fans want, I would read it more monotone-ish.

All: (laughs)

TOP: There were so many things that I saw and felt during this tour.  While going to different cities, I could feel that each of us are growing, and I strongly feel the love we receive from the fans.  Each concert is only few hours long, but they are such valuable hours.


Q: What is the theme of the tour?

GD: This year’s dome tour is part of MADE world tour.  Our first intention was to make the concert enjoyable to all audiences around the world.  This time we not only perform the entire time, but inserting the videos in between gave a kind of variation to the atmosphere.

Q: The opening clip was Hollywood movie quality.

GD: Even when BIGBANG is not on stage, those clips became the bridges so that the audiences don’t end up losing any second of enjoyable time.  The clips also gave hints to the songs before and after.

YB: We filmed those clips in LA with successful producers/staffs from Hollywood.  These were made to introduce the songs from the new album; we were very particular about matching the atmosphere to our new songs and also quality of screening.

Q: There is so much speed, thrill, and heart pumping throughout.

YB: We were also hyped. It came out super awesome than I was expecting, and I get excited just by watching them.  

GD: BIGBANG in those clips is better looking than BIGBANG in reality (laugh).

Q: What is the story (of those clips)?

YB: The story is about BIGBANG getting the mysterious “brief case” and end up going through a lot of happenings because of it.  We will never know what that brief case means.  The very last clip shows the five waking up from a dream.  That portrays the concert atmosphere when the main show ends, wakes up from a dream, and go on to encore. Those clips are continuous from the very beginning of the concert to the very end of the concert.

Q: I believe there are fans who are looking forward to both BIGBANG and solo activities in the future. What are the upcoming plans in Japan?

YB: I think 2016 is basically an extension of 2015.  We will focus on BIGBANG activities for a while, then after completing those, we will move on to new projects.

DS: What SOL-san just said (laughs).  We will focus on BIGBANG now, and think about our solo later.

SR:  I just want to keep on doing anything that fans enjoy. I have a secret project, to make my own Seungri label within Avex (T/N: Avex is the Japanese ent. agency that BIGBANG is currently a part of.) How about AvexSeung? Nice huh?

YB: That is not funny.

All: (laugh)

GD: We were able to successfully release new music as BIGBANG last year, so we are hoping to continue focusing on it this year.  I am sorry for those people who are waiting for my solo tracks, but I do have a lot more to show as BIGBANG, so please wait for solos.  I’m hoping to make something new for BIGBANG this year as well.

DS: GD-san, please!

SR: Everything depends on GD-san!

GD: I will work hard (laugh)

TOP: Please look forward everyone! About my solo project…. It’s  a secret!

Q: What will be BIGBANG’s goal?

TOP: It’s a secret.

GD: Our main goal before was to stay as an awesome group. But now, our goal is to create music that we won’t be ashamed of when we look back at them in the future.  We want to become singers(group) that we could feel proud when we look back.

Q: YG’s new groups have successfully debuted. Do you have any advice/messages as a Sunbae to them?

TOP: They would have to go through what we have went through from now on. They can’t foresee the future now , and I understand in which position they are standing now. That’s why I try to give them advice so they would not make the same mistakes we have made in the past, or go on to a wrong direction.

Q: IKON members mentioned that they were happy to receive advice from you.

TOP: I’m glad that they take my advice positively. I m as my real younger brothers, and I want to help them somehow. I try to refer to my past experiences and give them kind advise.

Q: Message to fans?

YB: We work hard in order to show great songs and performances because all of you fans wait for us with expectations and give us so much support and love. We will keep working hard this year, so please keep expecting us and give us love and support.

DS: We made a debut in 2006 in Korea and this is our 10th year. I appreciate the fact that many people in Japan have been accepting our music. Looking back, these 10years went very quickly but we were able to experience so many ups and downs. These years were very meaningful. I want to value every moment that we spend together with the fans and after 20, 30years, I hope we get to look back to these years with a smile and say “these things happened~ it was so quick~”

SR: First of all, I want to apologize for making our fans wait for long. We finally created new music that we have been expected for, and we want to be successful with these new pieces! Please look forward!

GD: This is our 10th year so we would like to visit places that we have never been to, and it doesn’t have to be a big tour. I’m hoping to have more opportunities to meet the fans closely.

TOP: I love you. Hearts’ of BIGBANG fans are very beautiful, and I hope they get more and more beautiful!

Q: How about TOP’s heart?

TOP: Of course my heart is most beautiful… Just joking (laugh). I love you all, FOREVER.

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