Interview with Takeru Vocalist of SuG & Designer of million dollar orchestrA

Recently A-To-J Connections was lucky enough to interview Takeru, vocalist for visual kei band SuG and designer for the brand million dollar orchestrA. This interview took place in Los Angeles during his pop-up event that brought together both his brand and the unique mold jewelry pieces created by Taro Hanabusa and his brand fangophilia. This event allowed fans to pre-order pieces from both brands and to meet Takeru himself. An edited video of the interview can be found at the conclusion of this article.

Takeru is the vocalist for the band SuG who were prominent in both the visual kei and oshare kei scenes in the mid 2000s. Over the course of their ten year career they have released five albums and eighteen singles. They recently released their third mini album "VIRGIN" in March and will release their nineteenth single "SICK'S" later this year.

million dollar orchestrA is a "street gothic style" brand created and designed by Takeru. The designs are closely linked to the music of SuG with the current line being named "VIRGIN" after their most recent release.


A-To-J: How did you come up with the name “million dollar orchestrA”?
Takeru: It's a funny reason actually. I wanted to start my fashion brand six years ago and my staff said to me "You need to name your brand tomorrow". So I  went home and I thought "What's the name? What's the name?" Well, when I was younger I was in band, and the conductor was the "orchestra leader".  For me, both as an artist and a designer, I saw myself as that kind of leader so that's how the name came about. Also, I want to make a million dollars! (Laughs)

A-To-J: What is the inspiration behind your designs for million dollar orchestrA?
Takeru: SuG's music inspires the designs. We have a shirt that has a "SICK'S" design on it and there is a SuG song that is also titled "SICK'S". Every time I do a song with SuG I make a design to go with it. Our new collection is "VIRGIN", named after our new mini album.

A-To-J: In particular, what is the concept behind your newest line, “VIRGIN”? It has a great cool punk feel to it.
Takeru:  I love the concept of the word "virgin". It's a hard concept to explain. Do you know "shoki shoudou" (first impulsive action)? It's sort of like the spirit of when I was a junior high student, you know that sort of "teen spirit". "VIRGIN" as a line is meant to capture that same idea of teenage spirit. For the songs, in the mini album it's like I'm singing them for the first time.
A-To-J: You mentioned that “VIRGIN” is also the name of the most recent SuG album, but is there any other reason for this name?
Takeru: One of the reasons I named both the album and fashion line "VIRGIN" is because of "Virgin Suicides". It's a famous movie that Sophia Copolla directed. It inspired me along with the idea of "teen spirit". "Virgin" is also my favorite word.

A-To-J: Among all of the fashion pieces you’ve designed, do you have a favorite?
Takeru: All of them are my favorites, but this leather jacket is the best. My favorite style is "rock" style. Rider jackets with boots or rock-style t-shirts. Inside this jacket, it is all original patchwork. I cut out the paper by hand and made it all by myself. I made other designs in this line with this patchwork style. Whenever you see patchwork I have done it all myself.
A-To-J: Is it hard to do all that by hand?
Takeru: It takes me about one hour. One hour while listening to rock music! (Laughs)

The leather rider jacket mentioned along with other patchwork designed pieces.

Patchwork bags.

A-To-J: You’ve been singing with SuG for over 10 years now and in bands before SuG - did you always want to be a fashion designer or did it come up as an interest later in life?
Takeru: At first I wanted to wear original clothes for SuG in our releases. Back then that was the only reason. I didn't want to be a designer, I just wanted to wear original clothes.

A-To-J: Also, SuG as a band transitioned in recent years from the look and style they had at debut. What brought about this change?
Takeru: I'm not really sure why.... Every time we do something new, we change. It's emotion; it's my heart saying to me to do what I want to do.

A-To-J: Does your music with SuG ever influence your fashion designs?
Takeru: Yes, all the time.
A-To-J: Do the designs of million dollar orchestrA ever influence SuG's music?
Takeru: Kind of. Sometimes I come up with a design for million dollar orchestrA and then I come up with a song afterwards. Sometimes.

A-To-J: What are the difficulties you find trying to balance your both your career as a musician and as a fashion designer?
Takeru: It is the same I think. Music, design, writing lyrics, all these things, they're all creation. Creating these things is my whole life. I can take one creation and use it to help another. My mind and body are like a factory, for me everything is creation.

A-To-J: You're also coming out in a movie called "Shoujo Tsubaki"
Takeru: You know! (Laughs)
A-To-J: It's based on a popular horror manga. What are your thoughts about this project?
Takeru: I was really surprised by the offer. My favorite character from the manga is Kanabun and that's the role they offered me. When they told me I was like: "Eh? Kanabun?!"
A-To-J: So you were a fan of it before?
Takeru: Yes I was! Unfortunately there are no plans to bring it to the USA. I'm really sad about that.

A-To-J: Is this your first time working with fashion in the United States?
Takeru: Yeah, it is my first time. I hope to work here more in the future. I traveled to New York before for three weeks. It's my favorite place, New York, but I wanted to see other parts of the US. Now that I'm in L.A. it's like my little dream came true. (Laughs)

A-To-J: What sort of reaction do you anticipate for your clothing line here in the US?
Takeru: From the few people I've met here so far I don't know... I hope it will be accepted though!

A-To-J: Can you tell us about some of the pieces you chose for this pop-up event?
Takeru: This patchwork shirt is a favorite of mine. I made much of this piece myself. My style of music is in it. There's a lot of artists here.

The rider jacket with patchwork inlay mentioned.

The "SICK'S" shirt mentioned.

A-To-J: Can you tell us about your outfit today?
Takeru: The chief point of my outfit today is actually this jacket I mentioned earlier. It's my first time making a rider jacket. The rider jacket is the most important clothes for me since it represents my fashion brand.

A-To-J: Are you a fan of any US fashion brands?
Takeru: America brands? One of my favorite brands is Supreme. Do you know of it?
A-To-J: No, I hadn't actually heard of it before. [Note: We had misheard his answer.]
Takeru: Really?! It's a hip-hop style; street culture. Supreme is actually very famous in Tokyo!
A-To-J: What are some of your favorite Japanese fashion brands besides your own?
Takeru: Japanese brands? Junya Watanabe and UNDERCOVER. UNDERCOVER is my favorite Japanese brand.

A-To-J: We noticed on your Instagram you posted a photo of a "VIRGIN" metal ring that was made in collaboration with fangophilia. Do you mind explaining what the thought was behind the design?
Takeru: Yes. When we first talked about the collaboration I drew the design out by pencil. It's almost the exact design that I drew that day.

Takeru with Taro Hanabusa, designer of fangophilia.

million dollar orchestrA & fangophilia collaboration piece.

A-To-J: So million dollar orchestrA was launched in 2010, correct?
Takeru: Correct!
A-To-J: What are the biggest differences between the fashion line when it started over 6 years ago as compared  to today?
Takeru: High level up! (Laughs) Now my fashion concept is "street gothic style"; the street style and the gothic style and look mixed together. It's an original concept I think.

A-To-J: Is there anything you want to do while you're in the U.S.?
Takeru: I want to shoot a gun! (Laughs) Yeah, I think it'll be a good experience for me. Maybe it'll be an inspiration for the next album!

A-To-J: What are some of your future plans for Million $ Orchestra?
Takeru; I try to make all the items available to everyone in the world. Now my fans can buy million dollar orchestrA items via Paypal, but my website is only in Japanese. So I'm trying to translate the website into English and other languages. Hopefully sometime in the future, they can buy it easier than now.

A-To-J: What are some of the future plans for SuG?
Takeru: We are trying to make a world tour. It's what we hope for. Also, in the summer we're going to be doing our first oneman show in Mexico. We're going to try to do one in the USA too.

A-To-J: Do you have a special message for your American fans?
Takeru: Thank you for supporting us in SuG! We will try to do a USA tour soon! It's something we really want to do! So if you're support is big then I think we'll be able to make it! Thank you!

We at A-To-J Connections thank Takeru for his time and encourage everyone to check out both million dollar orchestrA and SuG! Links will be provided below.

For More Information:
million dollar orchestrA: http://million-d-orchestra.com/
SuG: https://sug-web.jp/top.asp

The above interview was conducted by Manuel Figueroa with translation and assistance by Christina Aoun. All photography by Manuel Figueroa.

Interview with Takeru Vocalist of SuG & Designer of million dollar orchestrA