[Interview] 2018/09/21 - Hiro (Crowley)

[Painkiller]

Finally coming back with another great article, and this time, it's with Crowley drummer Hiro! Special thanks to TadakatsuH0nda for some help with the questions.

Enjoy!

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1. Hello, and welcome! Before Crowley, were you a part of any other bands? If so, could you please go into details on that and what role they might've played in your eventual involvement in Crowley? What did you learn from these bands, and how did they improve you as a musician?

Before Crowley, I was in bands including TILT and Trouble Maker (pre-Sniper). These bands were early in my career, and I believe the most valuable learning I achieved during this time was working and performing as part of a group. My technical skills as a drummer were influenced by mainly my instructor and mentor, Hideo Kanda, a very accomplished jazz drummer. It was the non-technical aspect of working within a group that contributed the most to my development.

2. Crowley appeared to potentially be on the cusp of a breakthrough outside of Japan in the mid-1980s, seeing as you were receiving magazine features and tour offers, although things unfortunately didn't work out quite as planned. What events unfolded that slowed down what looked like a promising, successful run for Crowley around that time?

It’s true that there were offers and proposals to tour in places like Europe and South America. I was involved in trying to get Crowley exposure outside Japan. The reason why this didn’t work out? The answer is simple. Because I left the band.

3. You and your band's influence on Japanese metal over the years is easy to see, both musically and visually speaking, but in terms of visuals, what led Crowley to adopt a shocking, occult image? It wasn't a very common theme in Japanese metal at the time, but it certainly became a unique part of your band's legacy.

I think the visuals of Crowley evolved over time. First tried by a band member and expanding to the rest of the band and over time became more extreme. The vocalist of a punk rock band called Stalin may have been an early inspiration but I think the real influence on Crowley’s visuals as Alice Cooper and W.A.S.P.???

4. Were there any professionally filmed concerts from the 1980s, and is there any chance of them being released on DVD? We know of many old TV performances that are available on YouTube, as well.

Unfortunately, there are no professionally edited footage of the performances from the 80’s.

5. You used a lot of fire in your stage acts. Were there ever any accidents or issues playing in smaller clubs when you would light huge signs on fire?

Breathing fire was the most risky. Fire spread to my sleeve on one occasion (leaving a cross-shaped scar temporarily on my forearm). Also almost burned down a curtain.

6. Regarding the band's reunion since three years ago in 2014, you and two other members who played on Whisper of the Evil are a part of the new incarnation of the band. Please tell me about Shunji Miyoshi, who is the new bassist in the band. What happened to former members Noriyuki Kuroyanagi and Tadashi Nakamura? Will Crowley be announcing any upcoming shows in the near future? What about plans to come play in the United States?

When we were considering the reunion of Crowley, it was clear that a couple members would not be re-grouping. And, I think they have since retired from the music business. Shunji was a bassist I actually had my eye on for 10 years and wanted to have in the band when we re-grouped. The decision to add a new member to the band is based not only on musical skills but also fit in the culture of the band. In both respects, Shunji was a great choice.

7. Also, regarding the United States, you told me not long ago that you were raised here! Could you tell me more about that, if possible?

I spent just a couple years in the states when I was really young. It was just a short time but it had a lasting impact on me. It led to my enrollment in an English curriculum school (American School) in Japan.

8. As a drummer, who are your biggest influences, be it metal, rock, punk, or any other genre, and how did they impact your drumming style? I would be curious to know what your current setup is like, by the way, since I usually pay attention to drummers in bands. Do you prefer two separate bass drums over a single bass drum with two pedals attached together?

No influences. But, I have an image of what I can become, and although I may not be there yet, it’s what I aspire to become, and it motivates me. My current set up is Yamaha Recording custom, two 26" double bass drums, rack toms (8", 10", 12", 13", 14", and 15"), floor toms (16" and 18"), 5"x14" snare, and Timbales (13" and 14"). I use a single bass drum with double pedals sometimes for rehearsals, but prefer double bass for live performances.

9. Please tell me about what it was like writing, recording, and producing songs for Whisper of the Evil. There are only six songs on the album, with one half consisting of speedy numbers and the other half being more progressive. What was Crowley's intention at the time? How did the song "Woman in a Black Cape" come about? I find it to be a very interestingly arranged song that honestly sounds like few before it.

Our approach was to create songs with the live performance in mind. Whisper of the Evil was just a collection of songs that we created for the type of live performance we wanted to achieve.

10. By 1986 or so, Loudness and Seikima II were already established as two of the biggest rock acts in Japan. What was it like surviving the underground scene at the time, especially when more bands were going with the visual shock image?

The genre is very different. Loudness has its roots as a pop band called Lazy while Seikima II was a comedy band. The difference is with bands pursuing music and bands that are part of the entertainment scene.

11. As I understand, there are unofficial reissues of Whisper of the Evil. I know that a couple of years ago, an underground label in the West released a limited run of cassettes. There are also shirts of the album cover that were distributed among fans. What I'm curious about is if and when the album itself, hopefully along with the EP and the demo, will finally be reissued officially by the band. Buried by Time and Dust Records did do vinyl reissues of some of Crowley's releases, but they are quite obscure to find. Will Whisper of the Evil ever see a CD reissue?

The underground labels are unauthorized tracks, as well as the shirts. An official release of Whisper of the Evil - Premium Edition was done in May 2018, but limited to distribution at the show only. On December 12, 2018, a second release will be made which includes one different bonus track.

12. Will there be plans to re-record more Crowley songs from the past with the current incarnation of the band?

Could be. Could not be. Time will tell....

13. What do you think of the following that the band had attracted over the years? I believe that Crowley would be able to get shows here in North America, since I've been seeing lots of Western metalheads wearing Whisper of the Evil shirts, and some of them proudly own the vinyl in their collections.

That’s what we want. Had to cancel once. Want to make it a reality.

14. During Crowley's inactivity, what were you doing in your life at the time? Have you always been in contact with other Crowley members over the years? What were the 1990s like for you in regards to the state of the industry itself, when visual kei bands were coming out in great numbers? Do you feel that the metal spirit itself was lost? Even Anthem and Terra Rosa had to say their goodbyes in 1992, because of how difficult it was for a metal band to be included as part of huge tours and signed to major labels. I'm sure that you and the rest at Crowley were not happy with the then-current direction of things. Please tell me more about that era, if you will.

Too many stories to tell…..

15. Is the message of Crowley intended to be nothing more than shock value? Was the band ever accused of being Satanists?

I will leave it to your imagination.

16. Thank you so much for accepting this interview request. What an honor to finally get to ask you these questions. Information on Crowley is quite scarce, so I'm feeling good about getting my sources directly from one of the original members themselves, and that should help let everyone else know what Crowley is currently planning soon with their upcoming album and possible tours. It would be great to get to see you guys play here in the West. Before this interview is over with, is there anything else that you would like to say? Once again, thank you so much.

Thanks!