Ryo 
(Vo. CRYSTAL LAKE)

Music x Fashion, culture & roots by CRYSTAL LAKE’s frontman

CRYSTAL LAKE has gained tremendous support from heavy-loud music listeners with its original sound and worldview, and an overwhelming enthusiasm for its roots in hardcore and metalcore. Ryo, the vocalist of the band, is an artist who values fashion and culture closely linked to music. He talked about his fashion roots and CRYSTAL LAKE activities.

RSJ: What kind of fashion do you like? 

Ryo: I like black. The whole body may be black, but I like to play with colors. I also like playing with hairstyles and the shoes I wear and attaching accessories.

RSJ: What’s about Band T-shirts? You’re wearing a T-shirt of a band called GODFLESH today.

Ryo: Would you not like to appeal to a band that influenced you? I like music, but I like clothes that have a background. To wear band T-shirts means to dare wearing something that understands his identity.

RSJ: Is there an artist you longed for, including fashion, when you got into music?

Ryo: It’s heavy metal bands from the ’90s, like Machine Head. I don’t wear leather jackets, but I really like the music and fashion of that time when I got closer to the street, like wearing military pants and large tops. The same is true of the vocalist Rob Flynn, and Sepultura‘s Max Cavalera also influenced me by fashion.

RSJ: What kind of fashion did you do when you were a teenager?

Ryo: The combination of skinny pants with band T-shirts hasn’t changed from that time. The first T-shirts I bought were Metallica and Rage Against The Machine. Despite the time that has passed, it’s not blurred in mind (laughs).

RSJ: What are your favorite Classic items?

Ryo: I’ve always liked and wore VANS & Dr. Martens since my student period. I like Dr. Martens unusual loafers and unusual prints instead of the classic 8 holes. I like things that have a basis with a slightly different taste.

RSJ: You’re wearing a Skinny pant right now, but that was influenced by the ’90s, wasn’t it that time?

Ryo: The Dabo-Pant is about three-quarter length, right? But I also increased the wearing of thick pants recently. I’m also wearing Dickies’ extra-thick pants and trying to bring out the old taste. I’ve dared to wear skinny pants for stage costumes until now, but recently I’m more conscious about my own comfort on stage appearance and I can show it in a natural way.

RSJ: Fred, the Limp Bizkit‘s vocalist, who came to Japan in April, also wore a superb Dapo-Pant.

Ryo: We could see his butt completely (laughs). I like Limp Bizkit and Fred was a fashion leader, so I used him as a reference. They often came to Japan together with KORN that I like more. It’s a dark atmosphere, but super heavy. KORN‘s fashion was quite different from other bands. I was attracted by the upper and lower Dickies workwear, and the full-body Adidas tracksuit. I thought something like how can you be so cool in a jersey? I’m not feeling like Suchmos, I’m KORN (laughs).

RSJ: I would like to hear about the future activities of CRYSTAL LAKE. 

Ryo: A new album will be released later this year. From October, the family « JMS presents BODY and SOUL » Tour will begin. After that, we will go on European Tour in November and December.

RSJ: Crystal Lake has a great wave right now.

Ryo: We also feel it. I think it’s great that the band is moving towards a single goal. Even when I went on the European Tour, the band united and moved on to the goal. That came very suddenly, so I knew that we weren’t the only ones popular in the boom. So even if you can mobilize people, I want to increase it little by little.

RSJ: The quality of the Single « THE CIRCLE » released on August 8th is high, and the Live performances are getting tighter.

Ryo: I think that we have gradually established ourselves since the release of「Apollo 」last year. If you are Japanese, you can’t do this unless you are the same as you do for songs and the style of Live performances, but when you go abroad, there is a lot of consciousness.

RSJ: It seems that the European Tour was a great response. You’ve just been asked, but why can you live up to the highest expectation of Live performances?

Ryo: That’s right. But it has always been a thing, and I think that is our color, so I’d like to make it sharper. In Europe, the market is originally big, but it was a better welcome than expected. We were surprised because there was no expectation at all. Are you looking for something that isn’t in Europe or something unusual? I felt it this way.

RSJ: Crystal Lake is original not only in sound but also in the world of lyrics written by Ryo.

Ryo: After all, I can’t be a gangster, and I can’t feel so poetic, so I want to write in my own words. There are science fiction novels and movies that have influenced me so far, and I really like fantasy. I’m always thinking about how to put such a thing into the real world. I love myths and I love Star Wars. Do you feel that you’re saying what you really want to say? Anger is the root of everything. Why do you scream? I’m not angry and I’m not complaining about society, but I’m screaming because I stockpile anger every day. I think it’s not interesting if the cry isn’t real. I want to express something that naturally springs in. I want to make something that can be heard and felt. Looking back in the history of music, both Rock and Blues came out of such anger and cry. It’s a thing, and I think it’s the most important to do.

RSJ: What are your future plans?

Ryo: We will go on Tour and release an album, and we would like to do a One-Man Tour for the release of the album at the beginning of next year. Then, we want to go to America. South America also has a lot of pointed metal, and if you have roots in Sepultura or South American metal, you want to go there for sure.

CRYSTAL LAKE
New Album
「HELIX」
Release on 2018, November 28th

SHOP LIST

Style Daikanyama TEL : 03-6415-7722
G-Star International TEL : 03-6890-5620
Dr. Martens / Airware Japan TEL : 03-5428-4981
PUMA Customers Service TEL : 0120-125-150
DIESEL / DIESEL JAPAN TEL : 0120-551-978 Osaka, Prefecture Osaka-shi, Chuo-ku, Minamisenba 3-12-9
Lovelace Aoyama TEL : 03-3401-2301 Tokyo, Minato-ku, Minami Aoyama 3-17-11

Mod and street style, checked pattern, fall trendy.
Long Coat ¥23,760, Pants ¥13,824 (SUPER THANKS / Lovelace Aoyama), T-shirt ¥6,480 (Style Daikanyama), Hat ¥6,480 (G-Star International), Sneaker ¥11,880 (PUMA Customers Service)

This year’s punkish style is popular for its flashy style from the summer.
Blouson ¥59,400, T-shirt ¥10,584, Pants ¥51,840 (DIESEL / DIESEL JAPAN)

A style that is not monotone but in earthy colors.
Coat ¥41,040, T-shirt ¥5,832 (SILAS / Style Daikanyama), Shirt ¥22,680, Pants ¥2.160 (G-Star International), Cap ¥3,132, Sneakers ¥14,904 (PUMA Customers Service)

Not only monotone, Autumn style that makes you feel music

This summer’s fashion was very popular. When it comes to autumn, monotone and chic things increase, but surprisingly this year, summer’s flashy effects remain. Therefore, it is recommended that you insist on the color or enjoy a unique color. This time, we introduced the band Crystal Lake’s vocalist Ryo, and he wore a fashion that makes feel the music even though it was a different style.

This year’s ricing jacket is recommended to be a little loose.
Racing jacket ¥113,400, Hoody ¥24,800 (DIESEL / DIESEL JAPAN), Denim pants ¥23,760 (G-Star International), Shoes ¥28,080 (Dr. Martens Airwair Japan).

Coordinate a Monotone style accented with orange’s color.
Tailored Jacket ¥62,640, Flannel Shirt ¥18,144, Long T-shirt ¥21,384, Pants ¥31,320 (DIESEL, DIESEL JAPAN), Shoes ¥28,080 (Dc. Martens Airwair Japan)

Photo : Cherry Chill Will
Editor : Toshiya Ohno
Styling : Masahiro Ogura
Hair and Make-Up : Atsushi [HairSalon F]

[INTERVIEW] 
Ryo (Vo. CRYSTAL LAKE) 
x 
Rolling Stone Japan 
Magazine Vol.04
「Music x Fashion」
Sept. 2018

Interview by Rolling Stone Japan

English Translation by Gaëlle GEDDA

INSTAGRAM : gaelle_gedda
TWITTER : gaelle_gedda
FACEBOOK : geddagaelle

SUPPORT :
CRYSTAL LAKE OFFICIAL , ROLLING STONE JAPAN OFFICIAL

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