Guitarist and leader of DragonForce, Herman Li stopped to talk with Loudwire about 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise, the logevity of the band and his collaboration with BABYMETAL on Road Of Resistance. Below a summary of the interview featuring his impression about BABYMETAL and his thoughts about the collaboration. Read below.
Herman Li from DrangForce interviewed on Loudwire about BABYMETAL
Excerpt of Loudwire's interview with DraongForce guitarist Herman Li.
You and Sam collaborated with Babymetal, what are your thoughts on the band as a whole?
"They have a really original mix they do, a mix of different styles of metal together with the whole J-Pop vibe. I know the guys that work on the Babymetal on the songs and stuff, and they are really big metal fans, they’re really good guys and really love the music. Obviously the girls are young and they just got into that but they were really great performers. They’ve been doing it for a long time, I feel like they haven’t had the same childhood as a lot of people doing that kind of performing but they are really professional.
When I was their age, there’s no way I could have done that stuff. They’re able, I think, to cross over and to bring people that never listened to metal into this genre to discover. So they’re really an important band right now. For example, we got a lot of fans into metal because of ‘Guitar Hero.’ I think they are a really important band to do this, we need more people like that who are able to do something different and they’re cool girls. I liked working with them."
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Read the full interview with Herman Li about other topics on Loudwire, click here.
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Farren (Wednesday, 12 July 2017 05:46)
Mr. Li shares the same sentiments as a lot of people, it seems.
I was just thinking about this issue yesterday (one of the reasons why I'm here at this site right now):
For as much as we all love Babymetal (and Sakura Gakuin, too) and all the elements involved in the creation of this wonderful entertainment...it begs the question: At what cost?
There are always two sides to every argument.
Two sides to a coin.
The girls obviously realize this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
But then there is the element of needless 'sacrifice' of childhood, and more importantly: A normal life.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there some unwritten rule or contract about 'being professional' - meaning, the girls not only do not have the time to have a 'normal life', but that they are prohibited from it?
You know what I mean.
These girls are going from preteen to adulthood - never knowing any semblance of 'romance'.
If it's their choice to chase a dream and make such a sacrifice, then all the power to them.
I just hope that one day they don't look back and have regrets.
I'm sure they won't, but still...you never know.
Yui, in particular, is growing an ever-wandering eye.
She is curious.
You can see the progression of this each year, looking back at old videos.
You can also see Moa looking at her with concern - as if afraid that Yui may stray from their contract and 'pact' by 'acting inappropriately'.
But the thing is: Yui is NOT acting 'inappropriately'. She's just a young girl who is attracted to charming, good-looking men (especially that German guy, for some reason). It is completely natural to have 'feelings' at that age.
All Yui is doing is smiling - but in her smile you can see that she is attracted to whomever she is smiling at (like that German dude - which I don't understand because he is not good-looking and is not really 'charming', either - but who knows what qualities of a man charms a young woman, because it can be anything or nothing at all).
Have I stated too much?
Sorry. But like Moa - who is sensitive to how others react - I, too can see this being an 'issue' in the future.
Like Moa, I am concerned about Yui's natural loneliness - and this 'loneliness' is probably affecting all three of the girls.
The girls are entering the prime of their lives.
Once they are in their early to mid-twenties (and still under contract to always 'be busy') - they are on the slow, inescapable slide away from youth - and will never be as beautiful as they were.
So there is a coin with two sides.
I see both sides, and so I set it on edge.
Greetings from British Columbia, Canada