DJ Khimaira

Interviewer, writer: Jinx_Gemini
Band Members: DJ Khimaira
Questions Answered by: DJ Khimaira



DJ Khimaira has had a long history as a DJ. Once a guest DJ at venues like Tokyo Dark Castle, Khimaira is now often known for his brutal, plus pounding mixes at his own party titled Club Inferno. JMI had a chance to talk to DJ Khimaira about Club Inferno and his upcoming performance at Castle Party!



First thing first. To someone who doesn’t know you and know what you do, please introduce yourself.

Sure, my bio is as follows:

"Khimaira first broke into the Japanese goth/industrial scene over five years ago as the primary DJ for Tokyo’s most popular and biggest gothic/industrial party,TOKYO GOTH AND DARKWAVE (now TOKYO DARK CASTLE).

Shortly thereafter Khimaira’s reputation for brutal stomping, nocternal pulse-pounding mixes grew.

He secured residency status at CYBERAGE VOODOO and DANSE MACABRE (as the organizer and the resident DJ), as well as Guest DJ spots for TOKYO DARK CASTLE, BLOOD GOTHIC MIDNIGHT and the most popular goth party MIDNIGHT NECROPOLIS (Osaka, organized by DJ.TAIKI a.k.a DJ.D-GRIMORE).

Lately he’s started his own brand-new party called CLUB INFERNO(as the organizer and resident DJ)."

When did you first know that you wanted to become a DJ?

I once had been playing a guitar for some several death/black metal bands. Ah...you know, the band thing is, as it were, "democracy" and "compromise"... and as the time goes by, I felt I should create my own stuff all by myself.

After I quit the last black metal band, I perchased a hard disc multi track recorder and a midi sequencer box then started programming some drum parts and keyboard parts. In those days, I ran into club music - abstract/triphop, drum n’ bass, trance, techno - then began to go to some clubs in Tokyo, and soon I began to being absorbed in club music/deejay thing. I used to listen to PORTISHEAD, MASSIVE ATTACK, TRICKY, DJ KRUSH, DJ SHADOW, RED SNAPPER, LTJ BUKEN, GOLDIE plus some acts from NINJA TUNE LABEL, CHEMICAL BROTHERS, AFEX TWINS...etc At the same time, I went to the legenday Japanese goth party in Tokyo called "CLUB EVE THE NEW CHURCH", organized by Haruhiko Ash who’s the mainman for EVE OF DESTINY,and there I encountered a sort of "goth club music". Although as the club deejay, Haruhiko Ash’s mix skill was way too poor(To my surprise,he didn’t do a beat/BPM-matching despite he’s a club deejay),the music was all very attractive and awesome. I think that was the beginning...

When did you start Club Inferno? What is the atmosphere of Club Inferno like?

The event launched out in May 2006. The atmosphere? Certainly darksome and decadent, but very open-minded. The crowds are all friendly, and you always can be there light�]heartedly since this party is held on Sunday evening. No specific dress code,most of our guests are dressed in black although...some are the primitive batcaver, some are the fetish/bondage... All I can say is that most crowds are the dancing addict, but there’s a lovely corner for relaxing, so if you’re not feel like dancing, you just can enjoy listening music, with chattering over with your friends.

What are your events like? Do you have theme-parties?

"Dance-oriented" or something, but you can enjoy it as you like. Even if you don’t dance so much, it may be worth coming to our party, for the first 20 persons to arrive can get the copies of my exclusive deejay mix CD for free, yay!

What do you wish for your club? Like, what do you wish for it to communicate to the people attending and what do you want to achieve? What do you want your audience to achieve (or experience)?

I don’t mean to cater to the guest’s wishes or taste for music, and I don’t mean to create the goth/EBM/industrial scnene that is the same as the European’s in Japan because it’s completely impossible! LOL As you know, Visual Kei/J-goth is one thing, and goth/EBM/industrial is totally another, I expect nothing to Japanese scene. Of course I do welcome all the ppl who come to CLUB INFERNO although...

How important is it for you to be recognised overseas for your work? Like in Europe or the US?

Well that’s the most important thing for me to be recognised among the overseas goth/industrial/EBM scnene especially in the European countries.

As for American market, generally speaking, among the worldwide goth/industrial/EBM scnenethey say that it’s still the underdeveloped country, but I personally consider that it still leaves the door open to further developement..., well, as it were, "a potential for the further expantion", you know, so I must say that the market is also very important and attractive for me.

What type of music do you prefer to use when you deejay?

Dark and floorfriendly stuff ; deathrock/electro goth(the acts from NIGHTBREED LABEL, for instance), darkelectro/terror EBM, harsh/rythmic power noiz(ANT-ZEN, HANDS, CRUNCH POD...etc), gothronica(goth meets electronica. NEIKKA RPM,for instance), hard dance(hard trance/techno), German trance, occult trance, dark ambient...etc

Since I’m a deejay,I often customize the original tunes ; changing BPM, sampling, mash up long mix, looping...etc, so most tunes in my deejay mixes might sound different from the original ones...

How do you feel when you perform?

I often get nervous and be on edge before my turns ; I may look taciturn, misanthropic and surly... You’d better not stand close to me right before my show...(laughing out loud)

Do you make your own music as well?

Of course yes, just a while ago I started composing/remixing my own tracks under the DAW system, which I still haven’ gotten used to...;P I created another account in MYSPACE MUSIC, and will upload my own tracks near future, and I’ll let you know when all is ready, okay?

What type of music/art have influenced your sound?

I’m influenced by various types of blackest stuff ; surrealism, decadent fine art,The Western occultism(Newage culture- reiki, power stones, herbal medicine...etc, Chaos magick...etc), plus Japanese occlutism called ONMYODO(c.f http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onmyodo).

As for music, well, too many to mention..."any dark stuff" or something...

I see that you are booked to play at the Castle Party. How did this gig come about?

I just had submitted my demo to the organizer then I’d gotten the deal.

Are you making any special preparations for your appearance at this festival?

Well, I’m, in fact, about to transport all my deejay system to the digital one, and I just hope it’ll be in time...

What does attending the festival mean to you as an artist?

I believe it’s one of the big target for all goth/EBM deejaiz to be take part in this famous Polish festival as well as WAVE GOTIK TREFFEN, you know...

What do you hope can come out of being a part of the festival? Would you attend next year if possible?

I’d be happy if I could be featured the festival again on the nex year’s edition, but it’s just one of my targets...

Your dress up is very beautiful and eyecatching. What’s the inspiration behind your outfits?

Oh, thanx so very much for your compliments. I’m not sure, but one of my strong influences is ROZZ WILLIAMS, I must say...

How important are your visual perfomance as to what you wish to communicate? Please explain.

First of all, if I had to choose only one out of two, I’d say "music", but that doesn’t mean that I make light of my outward appearance... Hum...music and visual...both’re important for me. I’m into a sort of dark electro/terror EBM, but honestly speaking, I don’t like their fashion especially a sort of "rivethead" - macho industrial guy’s "crew�]cut head", plus I don’t like the EBM’s chief theme - the politic issues ; that’s nothing to do with fine art, I consider.

Would you describe yourself as "being a goth"? If yes, what does it mean to you, is it important as to what you do as an artist? Is it important to you as a person in everyday life?

I don’t want to be categorized or defined a specific stuff ; As you see I’m never a Visual Kei guy, but I’m also not a typical batcaver/deathrocker nor a rivetheaded industrial guy nor a cybergoth... Honestly speaking, I’m not interested in and don’t want to be involved in "Visual Kei" and "J-goth" stuff, but it never means I hate or deny these stuff since I’m very open-minded...

As for your question "Is it important to you as a person in everyday life? "...well,the place where I live now is like a vampire’s house ; there’re some living dead dolls, skulls, altars, pentagrams, bats, bones, crusifixes, some occult related writings...etc. Yes, my room might be one of a typical goth’s ...LOL. I’m a straight,not a cross dresser nor a gay, but I usally put a slight make up whenever I go out.

What are your feelings about "decadence"? Is it something you feel you connect with�cor have something in common with?

Some key words such as "decadence", "darken", "occultism" mediates among some factors in my mind ; music, fine art, occultism, the way of living...etc As for composing, I often get good inspirations or intuitional key answers when I encounter some fabulous works of decadent fine art ; BOSCH, WILLIAM BLAKE,BAUDELAIRE, for instance...

I read your myspace profile and it really says a lot about what you are into as a person. When you say "Nothing is true, and everything is permitted...", it sounds very intriguing, so what do you mean by that?

It’s the chief belief of CHAOS MAGICK, please take your time to check out the futher details if you like ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_magic

Are you a vegetarian? If yes, why is that?

I’m not a vegetarian nor a vegan,and unfortunately ingest an animal protein in my meal. I really love animals esecially cats and dogs, and I wish human being could live on without taking only an vegitable protein...Everytime I watch the movie "Interview with the vampire", I always feel a deep sympathy with Louis ; everytime I take animals meal, I feel a sense of sin and a contradiction, but from the nutritional science’s point of view, an animal protein is essencial for human being especially the ppl of blood type "O"(Yes, my blood type is "O"). I’m actually studying Dr.D’Adamo’s "Eat right 4 your type",so for the futher details please check out ; http://www.dadamo.com/

What does astrology (both western and asian) mean to you? Is this something that affects your work in any way, shape or form?

One general theme of the timing of any magical act, the best time to perform any magic(both black and white) to affect others is four in the morning local time. Generally speaking in the occult/psychic world, this is the time when the body mind is at its lowest physiological level. It’s also know as the time of dream and the time when most ppl are born and when most will die. I consider Astrology help us a lot when we practice some psychic works...

Can you give a message to your growing fanbase?

Well, I thank you so much for taking your precious time to read my interview, I may look very darkish and blackest one, but don’ be scared! LOL I’m very open-minded, and love to meet new ppl, hope we’ll be in touch in person very near future. Love you all!

Additional Information

Official MyspaceSite
Check out DJ Khimaira’s Official Myspace Site for more information on his music and Club Inferno!


DJ Khimaira @ J-Music Ignited
Click here to see J-Music Ignited’s page for DJ Khimaira!

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