Para:noir loses a member

≒色 (Iro) has decided to leave Para:noir after their first oneman 「Paranoid Personality」, which will take place on the 21st of August. Here is the official band announcement:

Announcement regarding withdrawal of member

We regret to announce that as of the SHIBUYA RUIDO K” Para:noir 1st oneman “Paranoid Personality” gig on 21st August, the drummer Iro will be leaving the band.

The reason for this is the different opinions in terms of music, and the lack of enthusiasm for the band. After consultations within the members, it has turned out to be this way.

Each member wrote a comment about that fact as well:

Iro’s Comment:

I really am sorry for the sudden announcement.
As of the Shibuya RUIDO K2 one man gig on 21st August, I, Iro will be leaving Para:noir.
It has been about a year since the band formed and started and I have continued as the drummer of Para:noir, however, I started to notice the difference in enthusiasm between the other members and I in terms of music.
At first I thought that the passing of time and continuing with our activities would change this, but this only brought about bigger differences between us, and it was beginning to become difficult to shorten this distance between us.
Due to this difference in motivation towards our music, it became a hitch which we knew would have a bad affect on our work, which would not be good. I talked about this with the other members.
And so, it came to the conclusion that I would withdraw.
In a band, even if one member is lacking in motivation we can not make good music. That’s why I know that bringing on this conclusion myself is selfish and inconsiderate of me.
However, this was all I could do.
I really am sorry.
But, I have shared many happy times, and also times when I would have my mistakes corrected, with these amazing members; Akane, Satoshi, Yuuya and Shou. I will value these irreplaceable moments.
It will be one of my treasures in life.

Akane,
Satoshi,
Yuuya,
Shou,
thank you so much.
And I really am sorry.

I will do everything I can and work very hard in the 2 months until our one man gig. I will put my full effort into running on forward.
Please do support us.
Even after our one man on 21st August, I would like you to give more of your love to the newly headed Para:noir.
Lastly, though it may have only been a year, I, Iro, as the drummer of Para:noir, am full of gratitude and apologies to the other members, to those involved and to those who supported us.
I am proud to have been able to be part of Para:noir and to have had all the support from so many people.
Thank you so much.
And I am sorry for my selfish decision.

Drummer: Iro

Akane’s Comment:

I’m sure no one is interested in a string of “pretty words”, so I’m going to be honest.

The truth is Iro’s withdrawing from the band was already decided before our tour in the spring,
We hid this for a long time and continued with the gigs.
We can’t deny that this was betraying the fans.
I really feel bad for that.

“We can do it if it’s the 5 of us.”
We started with that thought.
There’s no doubt that all 5 of us thought that.
The fact that Iro could no longer keep up with this because his enthusiasm was dying down and it seriously disappointed me.

At the least, the only things I have at the moment is music, doing a band, and Para:noir, including all of you who support us; that’s everything.
I found it [Iro's lack of enthusiasm] to be betraying this [everything I have], and I even had some quiet words with him.
But I think the only thing the 4 of us can do is move on forward as that is the only thing we wish for.
To think that Para:noir is losing a member when I thought the 5 of us would continue together for a long time makes me sad.

We are aiming for the top and are raging with excitement against all odds.
Even if you lose sight of your goal slightly, it will tire you out. It’s obvious that you will no longer be able to keep up.

If you’ve lost your motivation, it’s important to be aware of it, and if you’ve lost it there’s not much else you can do about it.

But my feelings have finally started to calm down.
I can’t say I can wave Iro off with a smile, but I have been with him since our previous band and for about a year in Para:noir.
I hope we can continue to be able to laugh together as friends.

We are, by no doubt, pushing forward, with no intention of stopping.
Things may have changed with it being only the 4 of us, but we need you to stick with us.

Please support us.

Akane

Satoshi’s Comment:

The first thing I want to say to everyone is the word, “Sorry”.
Saying sorry won’t tie up loose ends, and I have no intention of randomly stringing together “pretty words”, so I would like to give my own interpretation to those of you who have supported Para:noir.

In regards to this withdrawal, we had a lot of talks within the members, and it was not something that we could push past and move on. Rather than “push past”, there were more things that we couldn’t turn away and ignore. You can’t do a band by yourself; it takes shape through the efforts of everyone, but every person’s thoughts and values are different. To have arguments and disagreements because of that is not a bad thing; if anything, I think that is what shapes a band. But I think something that we can’t ignore is one’s enthusiasm towards the band. To be frank, that enthusiasm [of Iro] towards the band was lost, and that is why things turned out this way. There was no longer a feeling of wanting to make an amazing performance on stage, make more music and to keep Para:noir growing [from Iro]. It is because of the reason that Iro could no longer feel the same way as us. If we all can’t have the same feelings towards the band, there will be gaps that we just can’t fill in, and over everything it would be rude to our supporters and fans. It was really tough to hear Iro say in his own words that he no longer thought that he wanted to do music, but I didn’t want him to force himself to continue and to carry on in that situation, therefore it came to this result. But by no means will it be that we, Para:noir, will stop our activities, and we will definitely keep working more and more on becoming a better band. This is our promise to you.

The thought of a withdrawal is sad news, but I have no intention of thinking negatively, and I hope that this withdrawal for Iro will be a big plus to his life and future, and I wish him the best.

Thank you for reading this till the end. Please continue to support Para:noir.

Satoshi

Yuuya’s Comment:

To everyone who has been supporting Para:noir;
I am sorry that this has become a sudden announcement.
After discussing this many times within the members, it has come to the sad conclusion that Iro will be withdrawing.
Personally, I had strong feelings of wanting Iro to do the band with us till the very end, so when I heard about Iro’s feelings I was full of disappointment and felt extremely confused, and I didn’t understand yet didn’t want to understand what he was saying.

Obviously, I know this result isn’t exactly positive, but I promise to those who have supported, helped and been involved with Para:noir, and moreover to myself, that I will put more effort than ever into our work from now on.

Para:noir and Iro.
Though the one man gig on the 21st August will be the turning point for us to move on and take different paths, I would be very grateful for your kind support.

Aizawa Shou’s Comment:

You know how one person is determined to start something and does it?
And how beside that person there are his companions who have that same determination.
People who not only have the same determination, but people who will support you.

At that point in time, if that “flame” inside you blows out…or something like that, we don’t want to let it pass by simply saying “Oh well”. To pretend that your “flame” is still burning when it’s burned out is not admirable. We wouldn’t want that of our members, because we’re not doing music as a performance [only visually].

The only thing I can say in the end is that to make sure that your flame doesn’t burn out, you need to keep adding your own wood to that fire. It’s not something that someone can do for you. By not giving up and using trial and error, you can create many different things within yourself and around you, which becomes a love towards yourself and towards the members.

As part of Para:noir, I have those thoughts. That’s why this is upsetting for me. Because I thought for certain that we could continue with these 5 members.

With one ending, there is a new beginning.
It is one section of a “continuation”.
Para:noir will not stop for a moment.
After the one man gig we will shine on much, much brighter and stronger.
I have confidence in that.
I don’t have any worries.

Firstly, we need to do a commemorative one man gig.
We’re going to smash through our schedule on the 21st August, and everyone needs to come. Can you promise me that?
Let’s make the end of this summer an awesome one.

I may not have been able to put the message across very well, but thank you for reading this till the end.

Please don’t worry, and continue to keep up with us.

Aizawa Shou

Source: shattered-tranquility