The FLARE is, without being confused by what is around them, forging their own path. Their second single, "Uetiko," which was released on December 1st, was without parallel in its direct, forceful message. These two believe that now is not the time to speak indirectly about the world. Interestingly, this interview was done the day before the American presidential election.

Sugizo: We really wanted to put out this single before the election. There's a graphic novel called "Addicted to War" which really lit a fire under me and Yuna.

Yuna: It came out a while ago so we both read it about a year or two ago.

Sugizo: The song "Uetiko" was sort of created to be publicity for the book. We referenced quite a bit of what was written in that book.

Yuna: If you read it please tell us what you think. (laughs)

- Can you summarize what the book is about?
Sugizo: It is a book that was written without hiding anything about America's history from the founding. If you're talking about modern America, it's like they don't show anything on television that might be inconvenient for the government, and the politicians don't to anything to inconvenience the people who give them money. I think that Japan's mass media is similar as well.

By the way, what television do you usually watch?
Yuna: I don't like it. If I do go to watch it, it is generally NHK. I'll also watch other channels if they have a documentary on environmental problems, or on nature that looks interesting.

- Like the Discovery Channel?
Yuna: Exactly!

What about you, Sugi-chan?
Sugizo: When I was a teenager I watched stuff like MTV a lot but I don't really watch anything now. Oh, but since the earthquake in Niigata I've started watching the news. But even when I watch that I think, "Even this is probably manipulated."

Yuna: Yeah, there really are strange things. Recently, there was a show that ran on a commercial broadcast station that made it seem like these historical figures who has done strange things had made great accomplishments. In the end there was a moving finale. (laughs) It was like, "That's all wrong!" But if you just zone out and watch them you don't know if those kind of things are really wrong or not.

Sugizo: It's important to be able to think, "This is wrong, isn't it?" I think that’s the first step. That's why we put out this kind of song.

I understand that "uetiko" is an Indian word meaning cannibalism and conflict.

Yuna: We think that the Native American's spirituality is important. The better one understands their thoughts the more one feels that we have degenerated spiritually. If it were true, then a Native American could hear the voices of plants and the voice of the wind, even without having special sensitivity. (laughs)

Sugizo: We did the photo shoot for this issue and little while ago in Yoyogi Park and even in the city, when you enter a place with trees, it's complete different. I think a park in Tokyo must seem like a cramped environment to plants but just by being surround by the trees living in there, I felt wonderful. Returning back to the conversation on Native Americans, America's history is also a history of exterminating these people who have a wonderful culture based on nature.

- If you look back on history I think any country has something like that.
Sugizo: If you're talking about Japan, it's the history of the Ainu and the native Okinawans. The second half of the lyrics asks for forgiveness for that tragedy. We quoted what Jesus called out when he was nailed to the cross. I think that people who are lead by desire to fight wars are victims of desires. I think that with those thoughts a song that began with a feeling of "This is wrong! Are you okay with this?" ends with glimpse of light.

- How was it for you, as vocalist, to sing lyrics that evolve like this?
Yuna: To be blunt, it was difficult. Because I have read the book "Addicted to War" that we were discussing earlier, I really understand Sugizo's lyrics. And so I thought that, in order to properly express things in a way that matched the lyrics, I had to feel it in my heart and because it has such a strong message I had a responsibility. But because I wanted to maintain The FLARE's idea that once one has stared the negative parts of reality in the face one should purify that darkness and create a world of light I had to be firm. I wanted to be able to send out that kind of message in the current time.

- How was it when you were standing in front of the mike in the studio?
Yuna: It was a very mysterious recording process. The lyrics are demanding but verses are rap and have a strong groove.

Sugizo: Because there is no melody in that part the words are transmitted more directly.

Yuna: But the second half of the song changes to a holy feeling like the sun coming up over a dark land. Also when I was singing it, we were very concerned that the song wouldn't become a sermon.

Sugizo: Yeah because we don't want it to be like we looking down like a god and saying this.

Yuna: Exactly. We aren't proclaiming this from above. We just want to create a feeling of sharing that there are a lot of things going on in the world and there are lives and land being hurt by those things and in that we too are hurt.

Sugizo: It's a feeling that we all have the same question.

Yuna: We wanted it to have the same kind of feeling as when Sugizo-san and I talk together like we are now.

Sugizo: Yeah. We don't know the solution either. It's necessary to start with "What should we do?" "How do you all feel about this?" Yuna: I think that taking it to the individual level is very important.

- The b-side "Don't forget you ~ I'll never and ever" was written and composed by Yuna, wasn't it?
Yuna: This is a love song. Spiritual songs like our previous release, "Inner Child," and songs with a strong message about reality like "Uetiko" are necessary but I think one can't neglect songs that have romantic love. There are already enough to make you sick but I think they're still necessary. (laughs) For this song I tried writing a story with the idea that love is the most important thing in life.

Currently we can only buy two singles of The FLARE, but in reality do you have a much larger repertoire?
Sugizo: We have a ton. We are continuing to create them in large quantities.

Yuna: Well, since we have live shows we need to have at least a certain amount.

- That's right, about the time that this issue will come out you will have a Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka tour.
Sugizo: We want to do as many shows as we can. We want to make it easy for a live band to become our normal type of band organization.

- Why do you want to do a lot of shows?
Sugizo: Because when we aren't doing shows we start to forget what this band really is. That kind of thing is something you can only begin to see on the stage. That's why we are going around to live houses to gain skill in combat. (laughs)

Yuna: In shows you can give shape the things you've imagined, so we have to do a lot of shows as The FLARE.

Sugizo: If don't it will be like a false pregnancy. (laughs)