MIYAVI is a samurai guitarist, conquering the world for Japan with the only weapon he knows how to use: his guitar. But this visual kei idol turned CEO of a management company hasn’t always been his own feudal lord. Starting out in the short-lived band Due le Quartz, MIYAVI had to go through being just another struggling guitarist to a guitar ronin before he could set his sights on ruling Japan and lands overseas.
Before he launches his North American Circuit tour, MIYAVI made some time for an in-depth chat with purple SKY about the beginnings, music, business, and future of this fierce musical warrior.
pSKY: You just got back from Kyoto, right?
MIYAVI: Yeah yeah.
pSKY: You’re in the middle of your Japan tour. So how is that going so far?
MIYAVI: Everything’s going well. It’s been a while since I had a Japan tour like this. And actually, I’m feeling kind of different from the usual tour. I think in part because the environment and I have changed. You know, I just made my company and became independent. I have my family now. I have a daughter. So it feels kind of different from before when I had my usual tour. During this tour, I have a new style: only a drummer, keyboard player, and me on stage. So it feels brand new.
pSKY: Before you used to do all-out rock. The whole thing with rhythm guitar, lead guitar, bass, drums. A very traditional set. So why did you decide to take all of that away and do something new?
MIYAVI: It’s not that I just took it away. I’m just trying to be an original artist. This is one of the options. One of…
pSKY: One of many options?
MIYAVI: Not so many, but I tried to make an original style with beat boxers, Kavki Boiz. It was a good tour, but after that I realized that I should have made a more original style as a guitarist. So now there are only drums and keyboard. And mainly I only play with drums. Two players. Including me there are just two people on stage. So everything is going well. Even the audience in Japan. In my opinion Japanese fans are kind of quiet, quieter than fans overseas. But on this tour they’re so enthusiastic, because I’ve been playing some old songs with a new style.
pSKY: Do you think with your new style you’re gaining a different kind of fan? Maybe some artsy people or people who like that independent style? Maybe before you had those visual kei kinds of fans…