Rides In ReVellion isn’t exactly a brand new name in the ヴィジュアル系 (Visual Kei) scene, since they already started sharing their music with us fans in 2015. Since then the lineup has changed a little, but currently the group exists out of four members: vocalist 黎 (Kuro), guitarists TaJI and 椿 (Tsubaki) and bassist 渚 (Nagisa).
Together the group is currently starting on their 8th year as Rides In ReVellion, but they have also kicked off this year with a short message on their international Twitter account, stating they wish to update that account more often to bring more information to foreign fans of the group in English.
This message was more than enough reason for us to ask the guys for a chat, but also to introduce their work to an international audience, and refresh the memory of the ones that came across the band before, but fell out of touch.
So, what are Rides In ReVellion planning for the future?
Let’s find out!
黎 (KuRo): I’m the vocalist, 黎 (KuRo)! Nice to meet you!
TaJI: I’m the guitarist, TaJI. Hello everyone in Europe!
椿 (Tsubaki): I’m 椿 (Tsubaki), and I play the guitar.
渚 (Nagisa): And I’m the bassist, 渚 (Nagisa)! I want to drink German beer!
I’m feeling a theme here, since the previous interview (with Zeke Deux) already had us in stitches after the first question, but just like that time I am going to ask you to please describe your band’s concept in your own words so we can get an idea of your music already?
黎 (KuRo): We are a band that performs passionate live shows with modern and solid beats, along with beautiful melodies that touch the heartstrings!
Back to the beginning
Next to a passionate concept you’ve also chosen a rather passionate name, haven’t you? Can you tell us the story behind “Rides In ReVellion”?
TaJI: We changed the phrase “Rise in Rebellion”, which means “to bring about a revolution”. The B in “rebellion” was changed to a V to represent the ヴィジュアル系 (Visual Kei) scene, and “rise” has been changed to “Rides” with the hope that people will ride that wave. It was also me who named the band!
Speaking of “riding a wave”, let’s dive right into your most recent release “FALLING STAR”, since you are definitely riding a wave with this new work. Can you tell us what this song is about?
黎 (KuRo): Now that we’re in our 8th year as a band we’re going back to the point we started at, and tried to write a song with about the feelings we had when we started this band. The lyrics include the history of Rides In ReVellion, starting with the encounter I had with TaJI, following with the meetings with 渚 (Nagisa) and 椿 (Tsubaki).
Another new feature of this song is that it’s a twin-vocal. So it’s not just 黎 (KuRo) providing vocals, but also TaJI. This is not the first time we heard TaJI sing, because last year you already released a cover of Ado’s “うっせえわ (Usseewa)” with the twin-vocal style, but the singles following that song didn’t include a second vocalist. Was “FALLING STAR” always intended to be a twin-vocal song, or was this decided at a later time?
TaJI: It was planned to be a twin-vocal from the beginning! When we did the cover of Ado’s “うっせえわ (Usseewa)”, which you mentioned in this question already, the reactions we received from fans and related parties was good. I thought it was meant to be, and that’s how it’s made it’s return with this new song.
Now you have revealed your lineup can successfully handle a twin-vocal, do you think this will be a reoccurring thing? Will we see more of the 黎 (KuRo) and TaJI dynamic in your future works?
黎 (KuRo): I think this song has a different personality than our previous works, for sure. There might be another song with twin-vocals in the future.
渚 (Nagisa): Someday I want to sing too!
Everyone: LOL
It sounds like you’re on to something here… But let’s move back to the subject of cover songs for a moment. These got very popular when the world was in lockdown because of the pandemic, but now most musicians have returned to their own works. You however still upload new cover songs to your YouTube channel regularly. What is it like for you to do cover songs next to your regular works, and what about the future plans for these? Can we expect more?
椿 (Tsubaki): It’s very difficult to continue doing covers, but there are new discoveries every time we make a cover of a song originally made by a different artist. I also think they create a good opportunity for us to draw in new listeners to our original works through these covers, so we will continue to do them. I however have never covered any Western songs, so I would like to try this if I get the opportunity in the future.
Strengthening the connection
TaJI: In 2016 we went to the United States to play a live show there, and while we were there we were deeply moved when we saw how many people were excited to see us and our music, transcending nationality and race. I really want to perform overseas again too!
One of the ways you are showing foreign fans that you have not only seen, but also heard them is by using the international Twitter account again. But what exactly are you planning to update this account with?
黎 (KuRo): From now on, we will continue to update this English account with our live performances and other works in English, and thus allowing overseas fans to easily understand our Tweets and thus keep updated on our works more easily!
You’ve already mentioned the overseas performance in the US in 2016, and there was a bit of a (gigantic) hiccup in terms of freedom of movement and travel restrictions due to the pandemic, but now the world is opening up again, you could potentially go overseas again. Is there anywhere you’d like to go for a live show in particular?
渚 (Nagisa): I don’t have anywhere I’d like to go in particular. But if there is a country where many people want to see us live, I’d like to do a passionate live performance there!
That’s actually a very interesting topic for the next question, because this is something I personally hear buzzing around often: how can people show you there are a lot of them waiting for a live show in their country?
TaJI: Europe has an image of thriving punk and metal music here in Japan, so I really wonder how people like that know about Japanese ヴィジュアル系 (Visual Kei)! But I think it would be best if you could send us information about your country and region directly, through social media like YouTube comments, Twitter replies, and so on. And if you want to show us that there are a lot of fans who can come out to see a live performance, it might be a good idea to collect signatures and present these to the artist with the message that this is how many people are waiting for them in that area.
渚 (Nagisa): Our online shop used to support overseas shipping, but due to the pandemic some areas have become impossible to ship to. This is why we had to suspend our overseas shipping for the time being, but I want to start it up again once the situation worldwide has calmed down.
TaJI: If the demand for it increases overseas.. We are also considering to create a fanclub especially for our overseas fans.
We’re about to start on the last few questions of our interview today, so here is the point where the questions become more predictable again too. So lets start off this last leg with the very predictable “can you tell us anything about your plans for the future already”?
黎 (KuRo): There will be a one-man live show in March, and we will make the most important announcement in the history of Rides In ReVellion there. But I’m also thinking about doing a one-man tour, so it would be nice if we could meet somewhere in Japan.
Parting words
Normally I would follow up this question with the final one of the interview, but this is where I am going to trick you by requesting to turn the roles around just once. Do you have any questions that YOU would like to ask your fans, international or not?
TaJI: Oh yes… How do YOU think Rides In ReVellion will become more popular overseas?
黎 (KuRo): Thank you everyone, for reading the interview. I will continue to deliver wonderful music to everyone, so I would be happy if you could support me.
TaJI: Let’s continue to send love to each other, even if it’s a relationship that crosses many borders.
椿 (Tsubaki): While traveling, I want to tour Europe. So please wait for me.
渚 (Nagisa): I want to sing one day too.
Everyone: HA HA HA
As you can see, 黎 (KuRo), TaJI, 椿 (Tsubaki) and 渚 (Nagisa) really want to open up their works to an international audience, and one of the ways of doing so is through reviving their international Twitter account. And, if the demand is high enough, they’ll consider an international fanclub as well.
Until then you can support their works by listening through streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify, or via CDJapan if you’d like a physical copy of their works. Unfortunately the Rides in ReVellion webshop currently is not able to process overseas orders, like 渚 (Nagisa) already stated in the interview, but they do want to open up this feature again in the future.
But we have a question for you as well: What do you think of Rides In ReVellion? Were you familiar with their works already, or are they a completely new artist to you?
We’re always curious to hear from you. 😉
Follow Rides In ReVellion
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 (KuRo) |  |  (Tsubaki) |  (Nagisa) |
雪 (Yuki) is the owner and driving force behind Arlequin.
She originally started the project in 2009 as a photographer under the name of Arlequin Photography, but developed an interest in journalism and translation ever since. Because of these interests interviews and reviews were added to the project, until it eventually hit the limits as a "photographer" in 2021, and Arlequin Magazine was added to the mix.
雪 (Yuki) is a native Dutch speaker with a graphic design degree, which means she is also the main person behind Arlequin Creations.
After all these years she is still the main person who does interviews the interviews and live photos that you see on Arlequin, but also a large chunk of the reviews and behind-the-scenes work and communication goes through her.
She speaks Dutch and English on a native level, but also understands Japanese and German.