Dead Eyed Spider

Interviewer, writer: akfgfan
Band Members: Tadahiko Chida (Vocals), Hiroshi Sekine (Guitar), Kotaro Aoshima (Bass), Louis Sesto (Drums)
Questions Answered by: Louis Sesto



Formed in 2003, Dead Eyed Spider brings a powerful mixture of hard rock and metal to the music scene in Tokyo. They have performed with bands like Blindman, Blood IV, and Hoeru. In 2005, they released their first demo "Lookin‘ at You". They are now hoping to attract your interest with their first album, "Show Me Your Blood". J-Music Ignited had the opportunity to talk with drummer Louis Sesto about their new album and the history of the band.



How did you come up with the name for your band?
A lot of people ask us how we got our name. There isn’t really much to it though. We just wanted something different, and something that sounded cool. And obviously something that didn’t sound like some other band. We got together and started combining words, and this is what we came up with. Simple as that.

Several of your members had been playing in other bands before you formed. What inspired you guys to come together to form a new band?
Hiroshi and Kotaro used to play in a band called ‘Sergeant’ for close to 10 years. Their singer and drummer quit, and they were looking for new members. That’s when they got in touch with me. I just quit my old band ’Blindman’ and was looking for a new band to play in too. We got together to jam, and I was really amazed at how Hiroshi went about writing the songs. He’s a great song writer with vision, and that’s the most important aspect I look for when joining a band. There was some kind of chemistry that happened between us, and we instantly knew that this was going to be a great band.

Do you have any musical influences?
Personally, I grew up listening to all the 80s stuff from pop to hair metal, and so on. KISS was what got me into hard rock & metal, then Motley Crue and all the other metal bands of that era. Hiroshi happens to be a great fan of early KISS too. He also likes the BEATLES, and that’s one reason why his song writing is versatile. Besides that, he has been inspired by other artists such as Michael Schenker and LOUDNESS. Tadahiko, our singer has influences from WHITESNAKE and THE CULT.

You just released your first album, "Show Me Your Blood". How did you come up with the titled for the album?
We decided to use the title "Show Me Your Blood" which also happens to be the first song from the album. That was the first song that we wrote as a band, and it has also been our trademark song when we play live. Using that song title as an album title is our way of showing that this particular song is what represents DEAD EYED SPIDER at this point of time. The song "Show Me Your Blood" is about people that act as though they’re good people, but turn out to be evil inside. The phrase is not intended to be a violent thing such as actually "spilling blood" or anything. It’s just another way of saying "Show me what you’ve got inside".

Did you do anything different for this album compared to your first demo cd, Lookin’ At You?
Yes. We spent much more time making the album. The 3 song demo was recorded and mixed in a few days, whereas for the album, we spent a good 3 and a half weeks in the studio. The demo was made just to introduce the band to clubs, media, labels, etc. It’s rough and obviously the sound is not great. We took time to make this album, in a good studio, and with talented studio staff. The whole procedure was a different thing. We re-recorded 2 songs from the demo, and we’re pleased with what we have on the album. There’s more energy in it and it just sounds a whole lot better. It sounds like what it’s supposed to sound like!

Does Show Me Your Blood have a main theme or message?
There isn’t any main theme or overall message for the album. There are a bunch of songs that sound pretty versatile, so there are some songs that are lyrically aggressive and others that are more like rock’n’roll type lyrics. Hiroshi writes all the songs, and I write the lyrics to the songs. I try to write the words that match the sound, so I can’t really stick to one theme since Hiroshi brings a variety of songs that have a different atmosphere to it.

What would you like fans to listen for in Show Me Your Blood?
There is a lot to listen to in Show Me Your Blood...I guess, firstly the variety of songs. I’d say the song writing is superb and there’s a lot of hook in it, which makes it easy to remember. I’m sure that once you listen to the tunes they’ll cling on to your ears!! Another highlight would be Tadahiko’s singing. He’s got a great voice and feeling which should be credited for.

What was most important to you when you wrote the lyrics and music for the album?
We find it most important to make music that we enjoy the most. Musically, Hiroshi tries to make a variety of songs so the album doesn’t turn out to be a bore. But it’s also important to have the DEAD EYED SPIDER trademarks on each song. Therefore, I would say "balance" would be a very important aspect when making an album. Lyrically, whatever I felt was what I try to put into the words. Also, due to the fact that English is not Tadahiko’s native tongue, I tried to structure the lyrics so that it would be easy for him to manage and also easy for the Japanese listeners to understand.

Dead Eyed Spider has been performing at a lot of concerts recently. Has there been a particularly memorable concert?
No show really in particular. Each and every show is special for us, and I would say we’ve enjoyed all the shows that we have done so far.

Are you interested in performing in any other countries?
A big YES to this question! We are currently looking for opportunities to play outside of Japan. If there’s a crowd waiting to hear us play, we’d be happy to go anywhere around the world.

Are any of your members active in other bands?
I used to perform for a number of bands while playing in DEAD EYED SPIDER, but I’ve decided to focus on this band only for the time being. Tadahiko sings for another band called KILLER ELITE, but the band hasn’t been doing much lately. He also has some tribute bands that he sings in, but for the most part, all members currently have their priority in DEAD EYED SPIDER.

Where do you see the band going a few years from now?
Making more albums, playing more shows, and hopefully not only in Japan but in the States, Europe and the rest of the world.

What advice would you give fans that want to become musicians?
If you really believe in what you want to do, just put all of what you’ve got into it. Just keep at it. That applies not only for music but for everything. If you want to be a musician, listen to lots of music, go to lots of concerts, and absorb all that you can. The more you hear and see, the more you will know what you’re supposed to do.

Thank you!
Thanks for the opportunity!! It’s a pleasure for us to be part of ’J-Music Ignited’.

Additional Information

Official Site
Check out Dead Eyed Spider’s Official Site for more information on their history, lyrics, discography, and more!


Dead Eyed Spider @ J-Music Ignited
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