Post-AGE Press Conference

Warning: Marilyn Manson.

Nobody expected the gathering of YOSHIKI, Marilyn Manson, Kaori Momoi, DJ Nervo, Katie Fitzgerald, and a troupe of Hollywood showgirls to be orderly but ROKKYUU did our best to relate the chaos and hilarity. However, for the sake of context, we must inform you that Marilyn Manson kept up a running commentary of opinions and dirty jokes throughout the entire fifteen minutes of photos and discussion, often overlapping with the other speakers and making a full disclosure utterly impossible.

YOSHIKI, let’s hear your thoughts on the show.

YOSHIKI: Usually something like this would be planned half a year in advance. It’s a shame that we only had a matter of weeks.

Marilyn Manson: A big congratulations to him.

Kaori Momoi: (Japanese) Congratulations! Hey, why am I translating?

YOSHIKI: Thank you so much. It’s just such an honour to have you all here.

Marilyn Manson: I’ve never seen in one day so many big girls… except at my raves.

(Manson mutters to YOSHIKI who exclaims “You’re funny!” as all are directed to look towards one camera or another.)

We’re going to take photos from this direction so could you all please look to your right?

Marilyn Manson: Don’t tell me what to do. I don’t wanna squeeze in. (To YOSHIKI) I’d rather hug you cause you’re more handsome than those girls… It’s a bit gay.

(YOSHIKI continues laughing at Manson’s muttered, dirty jokes and slights about the reporter using an iPhone 4.)

How did the collaboration with Mr. Manson come about?

Marilyn Manson: Um… I’m a big fan of his work and he invited me. It was a great honour. Also because he asked me to wear a John Galliano coat. Well, John Galliano, you know everyone’s giving him shit right now but he did dress me for my wedding – which did fail, so I would give him shit for that… If I criticize him, I would criticise him for making my marriage fail but not for his fashion… I think that fashion in Tokyo is very strong, very powerful and also, his (YOSHIKI’s) music that he makes is very strong, is very important and for an American it’s a big inspiration. It’s one of the most unique differences as something you could get from being an American and being here and he’s one of the most important people involved in that, so I tell you I’m glad to be here for that. You’re a beautiful man, really. A beautiful man.

Are you considering holding this event again overseas?

YOSHIKI: Well yes, I think we would like to. Yes.

How did it feel?

YOSHIKI: Honestly, I’m not sure yet. We accomplished a lot. We had no idea what was coming from one moment to the next and we don’t know where it will go from here.

Where did this event come from?

YOSHIKI: Enthusiasm? I thought it might be interesting to do a fashion show… (YOSHIKI translates for Manson.) They are talking about “Why did you decide to do a fashion show?”

Marilyn Manson: Well, I’ve always been very inspired by fashion and I’ve always been really excited about Japanese fashion. You know, obviously everyone… you know after Gwenn Steffani did the song mentioning the uh…

“Harajuku Girls”

Marilyn Manson: Yeah, of course. You know it became more of a cliché but at the beginning I always thought that young girls that dress up like dolls is very exciting for me. But, you know, in America if you say that you’ll go to jail. No, I really do like the artistic Gothic Lolita. And I did like all the styling. All of the fashion directors of the show. Everyone did an amazing job. I thought that all of the fashions were… I’ve never seen anything like it in New York or Paris or London or the Greater Los Angeles area where I live.

What did you think of the kimono?

Marilyn Manson: I think it’s too complicated. I wanna make a crotchless kimono. Crotchless kimono. There’s a trademark there.

YOSHIKI, do you plan to continue the YOSHIKIMONO line?

YOSHIKI: Yes, yes I do.

Where did the idea for YOSHIKIMONO come from?

YOSHIKI: Originally I was the oldest son of a kimono maker. I ended up in rock, so I thought I should go back to my roots at last.

(Translates back to Manson.)

Mz Momoi, how did you find YOSHIKI in a kimono?

Kaori Momoi: It makes you want to rape him, don’t you think? Although there’s something off about myself in a kimono.

Marilyn Manson: Without being sarcastic, the kimono is very beautiful. It’s very traditional. They don’t have anything traditional in America… except just bein’ a bitch and havin’ a lot of character. That’s signature America.

Any last words?

(The Hollywood girls profusely thanked YOSHIKI for bringing them all the way out for the wonderful show.)

YOSHIKI: How did you like the helicopter?

Marilyn Manson: I didn’t get a helicopter! I don’t wanna fly in a helicopter! If you’re a rockstar, you die! Anyway, I’ve never walked in a fashion show before but I wanna make this my life. There’s just beautiful girls, fashion, glitter, pianos, you (YOSHIKI)… Uh, and I smacked all their butts on the way down. I don’t know if that was in the script. Not in a sexist way but in a sexy way. Actually it wasn’t in the script to smack their butts, but he said it so I did.

(YOSHIKI looks shocked and tries to deny it.)

Marilyn Manson: No, but it was amazing. I really think that it was. I’ve been to a lot of fashion shows; Paris, London, New York and other dominant places in the world. This was the most amazing one I’ve ever been to and I was really impressed. And he played the piano and it was like Elton John and Billy Joel all died at once and David Bowie came alive and they flooded inside of his balls and made like a whole new superstar.

(The Nervo twins praised YOSHIKI as a multi-instrumentalist and declared that they’d love to see him play the harmonica.)

Kaori Momoi: It’s amazing how well YOSHIKI speaks English.

Marilyn Manson: I have to bow down to your pimpness.

YOSHIKI: No, no, no, no. I live in Los Angeles so it’s inevitable.

Lastly, what was it like holding a fashion show in front of the fans who are always in cosplay?

YOSHIKI: Hmmm, well I’m sure you already know but we’re originally visual kei so we’ve always combined music and fashion. Though I never would have thought twenty years ago that I’d do something like this.

Did today’s performance feel longer compared to your usual concerts?

YOSHIKI: Of course. Although on another note, drummers always wear flat shoes but today I had to walk so I had on tall shoes and it felt like my feet would cramp. As for feelings, I worried about whether it would be okay to get worked up or if I should play it cool.

Thank you very much for your time and congratulations on a job well done.