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Ground Zero Drummer Opens Up about Struggles with Military Service, Mental Health, Relationship
Published: October 16, 2021
Many fans will remember the fear we all felt when Ground Zero drummer Kirishima Eijirou had to be escorted off stage during their Columbus show this summer. The band barely made a comment as the show continued with guitarist and apparent jack of all trades Bakugou Katsuki taking over the drums. After the show, the band released a statement to assure fans that Kirishima was okay and would make a full recovery. They cited exhaustion and dehydration as the cause for his quick exit.
This month, however, Kirishima sat down with This Morning host Uwabami to talk about a subject that shocked many. Uwabami is a long-time friend of UA Records founder Yamada Hizashi and has been the interviewer of many UA label artists over the years. (Fans will remember the legendary 2015 One for All interview that Shall Not be Referenced.) Kirishima cited his label’s trust of Uwabami as part of his decision to speak out about a very private part of his life.
“I needed to know that what I say won’t get twisted around to make me sound a certain way. It’s important to me that what I have to say is heard how I mean it,” Kirishima explained. Uwabami, while being known for her exuberance and flirty demeanor, is the picture of support as she assures Kirishima that the interview will be shown in full.
Read the transcript below to find out just what has us so surprised and even more in love with the rowdy redhead.
Uwabami: We’re joined this morning by Ground Zero’s drummer Kirishima Eijirou. After a brief scare earlier this year at a summer concert, Kirishima is here himself to set the record straight. Kirishima Eijirou: Thanks for having me.U: We’re glad to have you. How are you feeling? KE: Right now? Uh, pretty nervous. U: Understandable. From what I hear, you’ve been reluctant to talk to the public about the incident over the summer. KE: Yeah. People have a tendency to take things out of context when you post online. All I could really do was assure fans that I’m okay. I didn’t really want to say anything further than that. U: So, what made you decide to finally come forward? KE: It was a few things, honestly. But mostly, my hand has kind of been forced. After that concert, it’s all anybody wants to talk about. We had all these announcements that we’ve had to put on hold because all the media wants to know is what happened at the concert.U: That must be exhausting. KE: Exactly. And when our PR people suggested I come talk to you on your show, I figured it might be a good idea. We needed to clear this all up, and I needed to know that what I say won’t get twisted around to make me sound a certain way. It’s important to me that what I have to say is heard how I mean it. U: Say what you need to say, Kirishima. We’re not here to place judgement, and you know we’re not the type to edit anything out. KE: I know. And you can call me Eijirou. U: That’s so sweet! KE: [He laughs.] Really, I just get a little wigged out when people only use my last name. But that’s another story for another time. U: Do I sense another interview in our future? KE: I hope not! Um, not that I don’t like you or anything—U: [She laughs.] You’re a private guy, I understand. KE: I am, yeah.U: So, you said that was only one reason, though. Needing to clear up for PR purposes.KE: Right. Well, people started making all these guesses about what happened and whether or not it really was exhaustion or dehydration or if we were hiding something. It kind of sucked to be accused of lying because I wanted my privacy. U: I can see how that would hurt. KE: Then I kind of started to realize that my situation isn’t really that unique? Like, I’m sure we have fans that are going through something similar, and I started to feel really selfish for keeping it all to myself. I mean, I didn’t ask for this. U: Ask for what? KE: This whole platform we have now. I just wanted to play music with my friends. I love playing for audiences and I love interacting with fans, but I never expected to be somebody that could have an impact on people I’ll never meet, you know? So, I would see all these posts either expressing concern or fear or betrayal, and I started to feel like maybe I owed it to my fans to be there.U: Plenty of artists are protective of their privacy and what they show to the public. Only, in your case it’s a little deeper than just wanting to stay anonymous.KE: Right. It’s, uh. [He laughs.] Man, we talked about this before this whole thing, and I’m freezing up now. U: I understand. Why don’t I ask you some questions instead? KE: No, no it’s okay. It’s better to just say it, right? Rip the band aid off and all. U: Sure. KE: I’m a US Army combat veteran. When I was overseas, I got caught in a bomb blast that kind of messed up my leg for life. I, uh. [He pauses.] I still have a lot of nerve pain, and sometimes my leg just doesn’t work. U: So, that concert? KE: Right, uh. I had a flare up like an hour before were supposed to go on. I, uh. We call them flare ups. There’s a lot of pain. There isn’t much I can do when it happens. U: But you still went on? KE: Well, I didn’t tell anybody it was happening. U: Why not? KE: I didn’t want to disappoint anybody. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. U: It sounds like kind of a big deal. KE: I mean, I guess it is. Ask anybody else and they’ll say it is. For me, it’s just life. It’s a thing that happens. And this was our first solo show. At the time, there was no question of whether or not to say something. It was just about getting through the concert. U: I’m sensing a “but” coming up. KE: Well, yeah. See, if you’ve ever played the drums— U: I have not. KE: [He laughs.] Right, well. It’s a full body instrument. It’s coordination and attention and rhythm, but it’s also every muscle in your body. And when you’re having muscle spasms and nerve pain, those things don’t go away the more you move. They kind of get worse. U: And it all came to a head. KE: Right. [He pauses.] So, the way we play together is usually pretty cohesive, right? We’re a band that’s really focused on making music together. But we have our songs. Denki has Electric, Hanta has Cellophane, Mina has Acid Veil, Katsuki has Howitzer. I have The Gauntlet. That’s my song. I wrote it; I’ve got that ridiculous drum solo. It’s a hard song to play. It’s our third-to-last song in the set list, so I’m already exhausted and my leg just hurts. I fumbled my solo. I never fumble. U: Everybody makes mistakes. It’s a live show. KE: For sure. But not me. Not on The Gauntlet. Nobody really noticed—U: You’re good at rhythmic improv, I’ve noticed. KE: It’s one of my favorite things to do. U: Somebody noticed that you messed up, though. KE: Katsuki did. He’s known me way too long to not see things like that. So, he told Hanta to play Cellophane, and he came to talk to me. U: He probably knew right away. KE: Absolutely. The second he came over to my kit. He waited until Cellophane was done and helped me off stage. To be honest, I could barely stand at that point, which must have looked pretty scary. U: Have you seen the video? KE: Uh, no. I don’t really want to. U: Understandable. I can confirm it was pretty scary, though. KE: Yeah. Um, he helped me off stage and the medics were there. I didn’t want them to take me to the hospital or anything. I mean, I knew what was wrong and there’s nothing a hospital can do. U: You didn’t get the finish that show. KE: No. I have to take some pretty serious painkillers when those flare ups get bad enough. There’s no way I’m able to play once I’ve taken them. It really sucked, honestly. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want anybody to worry. But I ended up making it worse by keeping silent. U: That’s kind of why you’re here, too, though. KE: Yeah. I thought if I did that much damage in one night by staying quiet, what damage could I be doing if I kept doing it. U: What do you mean by damage? KE: Just that. I disappointed fans, I made them worry. I put a burden on my band mates. My issues aren’t uncommon, you know?U: Sure. A lot of people deal with chronic pain. KE: Exactly. [He pauses.] We have a lot of young fans. And I want them to know that it’s okay to admit when you’re in pain. The people who love you won’t be disappointed. U: Is there a reason you’ve been so reluctant to talk about this? Other than wanting your privacy. KE: Oh, jeez. U: Big question? KE: Complicated question. I mean I knew it was coming. You gave me the list. U: Still. KE: I guess I didn’t want people to think of me a certain way. U: How do you mean? KE: Well, a lot of people have preconceived notions of people who have been in the military or are in the military. And there’s more assumptions and beliefs based on whether or not that person’s “seen action.” U: Can you elaborate? KE: I guess. Uh. I guess mostly what I was worried about was people using my status as an excuse to support us or to demonize us. I didn’t want people to be like, “hey this band has a veteran, support our troops,” and I didn’t want anybody to say, “hey this guy was in the military what a scumbag”. U: Those were the only two responses you thought of? KE: No, it’s way more complicated than that, which is kind of another reason I haven’t wanted to talk about it. I don’t want to talk about being overseas or what it was like to be in combat. Like, I was barely eighteen when I enlisted. I didn’t see any other option for myself. I hated school, and I was bad at it, too. I wanted to help people. I wanted to be able to protect people. U: So, why the military?KE: I knew what I was getting into. I was strong and active and hopeful for the future. Y’know, I wanted to do it. I wasn’t pressured or anything like that. I felt lost, and I found an answer. I don’t really want to get too deep into it, I guess. This isn’t a subject that’s covered in one hour-long interview. U: No, it’s really not. We can move forward a little bit? KE: Yeah, let’s. U: Okay. So, you were injured in September of 2016? KE: Yeah. I was, uh, medevac’d to a base in Europe, then flown to Walter Reed once I stabilized. I was unconscious for most of it. I spent about a month and a half there before I was able to go to outpatient care at the Vet hospital in Los Angeles. U: You’re originally from here? KE: Yeah. My support system is still mostly out here. It was where I needed to be after everything. U: Ground Zero got back together not too long after you got home. KE: Right. The four of them were playing together for a while, actually. They’d all kept it up while I was gone. It took me a little while once I got home to be able to get back into it. U: It wasn’t just the physical aspects of your injury, was it? KE: No. It’s easier to admit now, to talk about openly. And it’s part of the reason I realized how important it is to really be open about it. I’m thankful for how much people have been discussing mental health in the past few years. It’s gone from something nobody talks about to something that people willingly open up about. That support was pretty much unheard of when I was growing up. It’s hard for me, but I need to get it out, you know? U: Certainly. I was raised similarly.KE: Yeah. See, I’ve had anxiety all my life, and dealt with some low periods when I was in high school. Some symptoms of PTSD are depression and anxiety, but those are things that I deal with separate from my PTSD diagnosis. I was better at dealing with it before, but it was unmanageable when I got back home. U: It took you a while to get help. KE: Too long. When I moved out here, I lived with Katsuki. I couldn’t do anything. I could still barely walk on my own. I felt like a burden, like I wasn’t worth the trouble. There was a lot of trouble. U: You seem to have a really strong support system. KE: Absolutely. All of my band mates, of course, Katsuki especially. My doctors have been there since I got back, too. U: You said it was hard for you, in the beginning. KE: Yeah. For a while, actually. It was hard for me to get out of bed. There were, uh. There were a couple times I just shut down completely. I didn’t get up for days sometimes. Couldn’t. U: That sounds scary. KE: For the people around me, definitely. For me? Honestly, at the time I didn’t feel much of anything. I wasn’t there enough to be scared. Um. Sorry, that’s probably. U: It’s okay. It’s important to talk about. KE: It is. Things are under control now. But it took a long time to get that way. U: Now, the way your band really got its notoriety is not very common. The lucky break, the sudden jump into the spotlight with One for All. How has this all affected your recovery?KE: Well, it definitely complicated some things.U: How so?KE: It’s hard for normal people to deal with trauma, let alone people whose lives pretty much unfold entirely on social media. That wasn’t something I was really prepared for, honestly. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen a lot of fantastic things that wouldn’t have happened had our band not taken off like it did. I’ve been able to help people and lend an ear. But it’s hard to be there for yourself when you have to be there for everybody else.U: You have to find a balance.KE: Exactly. Mina’s great at this stuff. She’s always doing Instagram live and answering fan questions and interacting on social media. She has a tumblr that’s almost entirely devoted to people talking to her about some pretty serious things. I’m not built for that kind of emotional labor anymore.U: Anymore?KE: Before, uh. All of this. When I was in high school, god, when I was a kid. I was a really happy-go-lucky kind of guy. Nothing could bring me down. I had more friends than I could count, people relied on me. I was a mediator and a peacekeeper. Y’know, I was somebody who people would come to if they had a problem and even if I couldn’t think of a solution, I’d be there to hear them. I always wanted to hang out, to go out, to do things.U: That’s different now?KE: Empathy takes energy. Some days I barely have the energy to deal with myself.U: It’s been a long time since high school.KE: People change. And not just the fact that people change as they mature, people who go through really tough shit change in ways you can’t predict. I think even if I hadn’t gotten hurt, I’d still struggle. Maybe not in the same way, but in some way.U: There’s a song on your upcoming album that deals directly with a lot of what you’ve been struggling with.KE: Yeah, our second album is coming out later this year.U: That’s exciting.KE: Yeah, it is! Some of the songs are a long time coming.U: Like Unbreakable.KE: Like Unbreakable.U: Can you tell me about the song?KE: I wrote the original version of it in 2019.U: The version on the album is very different from that first version, isn’t it?KE: Uh, yeah. To say the least. The first version came from a really dark place. Uh. It’s hard. I keep saying that. [He laughs.]U: There’s a great deal of difficulty in your life.KE: I wouldn’t say that. Just, for a while things were really bad. So, I wrote Unbreakable to kind of vent, I guess. That was the year we opened for One for All, and later that year, we got signed and started really getting serious about making our first full album.U: And this is when this version of the song came from?KE: Sort of. The version on this album is a rewrite that I worked on with Katsuki. Once we got into the studio, Hanta refined the hook, and Denki refused to sing lead on it. [He laughs.]U: Which is why we get the pleasure of hearing you take lead on a song.KE: God, I don’t know if it’s a real pleasure.U: Please, Eijirou.KE: Right, right. Humility versus self-deprecation.U: A common problem.KE: Anyway, that track is the only one you’re going to hear where Katsuki sings, which I think is the real cool part of it, honestly.U: We don’t get many opportunities to hear that.KE: He’s shy.U: Katsuki? Shy?KE: I know, it surprises a lot of people.U: He seems rather outspoken, if I’m honest.KE: About certain things, he absolutely is. And he’s confident. People kind of mistake him for arrogant a lot of the time, but he really is just that good.U: He is talented.KE: Y’all don’t even know.U: Is that right?KE: He’s the best. I’m not exaggerating. He’s probably gonna yell at me if we keep talking about him, though, so.U: Due for a topic change?KE: [He laughs.] I guess we are. U: So, tell me more about how you’ve been. KE: Oh, uh. Well. Katsuki and I moved to a new house last year! It’s a lot more accessible than our old place, and we have a big back yard and a pool! Which is amazing. It’s one of the few exercises I can do for an extended period of time, so I was psyched when we found a house with one. U: You’re really into physical fitness. KE: Yeah. I used to run a lot. I used to box, too. Just for fun, of course. U: Of course. KE: I loved that stuff. The strength in it. I haven’t felt strong for a long time. I used to think that getting hurt made me weak, and that being depressed made me weak, too. Like a lot of other stuff, it took me a long time to understand that was all crap. It’s strong to ask for help, and it’s strong to let people in, even when it’s scary. Especially when it’s scary. [Commercial break plays.]U: We’ve talked about a lot of very serious subjects, so far. There’s a question that I know if on a lot of people’s minds, myself included. It’s been a subject of a lot of online magazines and social media for a while.KE: Oh, boy.U: You know what’s coming.KE: You gave me the list of questions.U: So, you’ve said.KE: Alright, hit me with it.U: [She laughs.] You and Katsuki.KE: Me and Katsuki.U: What exactly is the nature of your relationship?KE: We’re wording it that way?U: We are.KE: That’s the weirdest way to ask.U: It’s the broadest way to ask.KE: Fair, fair. The nature of our relationship is.U: You’re holding me in suspense.KE: Well. Katsuki’s my best friend.U: Is that all?KE: Of course not.U: [She laughs.] Come on, Eijirou.KE: Right, okay.U: Are you nervous?KE: Uh, yeah, totally. I mean we talked about it before this interview. Like, how we would tell people and what we’d say, and he’s totally cool with it. It’s still scary. Taking this part of your life and showing the world.U: It’s nerve-wracking.KE: Earlier this year, Katsuki and I got married.U: Congratulations.KE: Thank you. It’s kind of old news for us, but we kept it private for a reason.U: People have suspected you two were a couple, but I don’t think anybody could’ve guessed just how much of a couple.KE: I mean we’ve been together pretty much since I got back. He proposed when we found the house in February 2020, and we had a spring wedding at Storrier Stearns in Pasadena.U: He proposed? Not you?KE: Okay, so this has a lot of backstory, but essentially, I’ve been the first to do everything in our relationship. He was incredibly stubborn about being the one to propose.U: That’s sweet.KE: He’s sweet, though he’d kill me for saying it.U: You’ll understand if not many of us would believe that.KE: I think our fanbase has it figured out.U: The whole tough guy with a heart of gold thing.KE: Yeah, I think there was a trend a while ago where people started calling him a dark strange teddy bear, or something like that?U: Indeed. Twitter first, then Instagram ran away with it.KE: I don’t get on social media all that much.U: Your Instagram is still set to private.KE: [He laughs.] Yeah, it is. No plans to make it public any time soon, sorry. U: There was a period of time where people thought you and Mina were an item.KE: Yeah, I remember that. Happened in high school, too!U: Thoughts?KE: It’s always been ridiculous. Mina’s my oldest and best friend. But that’s all. People have suspected I’m with Denki, Hanta, Izuku. I mean, crap, people have thought that me and Ochako were together!U: These are, of course, dear members of One for All.KE: Of course. And it kills me, honestly, because Izuku is married and Ochako is, too. The idea of being with Denki or Hanta that way is just. Ick. Y’know? Those guys are my brothers.U: You and Katsuki have been married for seven months. How’s that been?KE: If I’m honest, it’s not much different than before. We’ve relied on each other for a really long time, just now we’ve got a couple more legal protections than before.U: Any plans to grow your family?KE: Oh, jeez. [He laughs.] We have Red, but that’s about it. Katsuki wants to get a cat.U: Red?KE: My service dog, Red. We got her after we moved, since we had the space. She’s a real game changer.U: We have a picture of her that our viewers will see now.KE: Oh, like a fancy overlay.U: [She laughs.] Yes, exactly.[Image Description: A red Golden Retriever wearing a red and orange vest sits next to a naturally tan-skinned person wearing jean Bermuda shorts and red Crocs. Only the legs and shoes of that person are visible. End Description.]KE: It’s the picture I showed you this morning, right?U: Yes. She’s gorgeous.KE: Yeah, she’s our little girl. A spoiled brat when she’s not working, honestly.U: I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t mention…KE: Oh, no.U: Those shoes, Eijirou!KE: They’re comfortable!U: They have comfortable shoes that look half decent.KE: They’re not that bad.U: Eijirou, darling. They are that bad.KE: You sound like Katsuki.U: He doesn’t approve?KE: He tells me to throw them away every time I wear them. In truth, I think I keep wearing them just to spite him.U: [She laughs.] So, no plans aside from pets?KE: We don’t really know at this point. We’re young, our career is just sort of taking off to the point where we’re working on music almost full time. If we ever decide that we want to raise children, it’s not going to be any time soon.U: So, we’ve got that picture of your pup. Any chance we’ve got any pictures of the ceremony?KE: [He laughs.] You know we do.U: Yes, that’s true. Our viewers will see those right about now.[Image Description: Two men stand together in front of a small pond. In the background, there are trees with pink blossoms and a small temple constructed from light brown wood. The two are turned toward each other, holding hands and not acknowledging the camera. The man on the right is taller and is wearing a black suit with a white shirt and black tie. His hair is long and red, tied back in a low ponytail. The man on the left is shorter with spiked blonde hair, wearing a sharp black suit with no tie and the top button of his white shirt unbuttoned. End Description][Image Description: Two men stand together in a slow dance pose, in the middle of a small crowd of people. The rest of the people are blurred out; the main focus of the image is the two men. The man on the right is taller with red hair. He wears a plain white button down with the sleeves rolled up and no tie and black slacks. The man on the left is shorter with blonde hair, also wearing a plain white button down with no tie, but with black slacks. The sleeves of his shirt are also rolled up. The men are smiling at each other, with their heads tilted together. End Description.]U: Eijirou, these are stunning.KE: Man.U: You’re having a very strong reaction to these pictures right now.KE: Yeah. I just.U: Take your time.KE: Sorry.U: No need.KE: Okay, we’re good. Yeah, just. Man, there were a lot of times in my life I never thought I’d get to have that. [He pauses.]U: Do you need more water? We can get you some.KE: That’d be great.[A person dressed in black with a headset comes behind the chair and swaps out water bottles on the side table between them.]KE: Thank you.U: All good?KE: Yes, thank you.U: So, you were saying.KE: Yeah, so. I’ve had, I guess. Issues with self-worth all my life. And like, don’t get me wrong. It’s not like I had some super depressing childhood, but your brain doesn’t care about your socioeconomic status or whatever. And I’ve carried all that shit with me, then what went down— [He clears his throat.] I guess for a long time I thought I was lucky enough Katsuki even wanted to stick around. I didn’t think he’d stay. I didn’t think I’d ever find anybody that would. I never even dreamed that that person would be Katsuki. U: And now that this is your life?KE: It’s hard to wrap my head around sometimes. I get choked up when I think about it too hard. Katsuki calls me a crybaby all the time. He has no right to talk, though.U: Katsuki gets emotional about it, too?KE: He’s way more subtle than me. [He laughs.] Not that that’s difficult.U: Don’t be too hard on yourself. Why don’t we change gears a little now?KE: That’d be great, thank you.U: Of course. So, now that your band’s new album is out, you guys are planning some exciting tours in the coming year.KE: Yes! We’re doing a southwest tour early next year, then a Midwest tour during the summer. We wanted to do a full US tour, but just logistically, it’s not something we’re able to do right now.U: This is your first official tour, though?KE: Yeah. We toured with One for All, but this is our first time doing the headlining.U: Do you have an opening band traveling with you?KE: Yeah! For the southwest tour, our opener is this band called Dark Shadow.U: You’re talking about up-and-coming alt duo Tokoyami Fumikage and Shoji Mezo.KE: Yeah! They’re great guys. Also based out of LA, so check them out.U: How about the Midwest tour? That one’s a little further off.KE: We haven’t picked our opener yet, unfortunately. But we’ll keep everybody posted on our website.[A commercial break plays.]U: We’re nearing the end of our time together, and we’ve bounced between a lot of subjects.KE: Yeah. A little bit of whiplash in some cases.U: Definitely. I just wanted to know if you had any culminating thoughts. Anything you want fans to really take away from this?KE: I’ve had a lot of time to come up with something really deep and meaningful. I mean, I’ve known about this interview for a couple weeks, now.U: And what did you come up with?KE: Fucking nothing. [He laughs.]U: [She laughs.] There has to be something.KE: I mean there’s a lot of things. I don’t feel like any of it really, uh, goes together really. I guess when I was a teenager, I really wish somebody had been there to tell me that things are gonna work out. I don’t know if I would have believed them, but just having somebody say it I think would have helped me. So, I guess I just want to say to our fans that. [He pauses.]Sometimes life gets really rough, and you think it’s not going to be worth fighting through it. Sometimes you’re going to be alone or you’re going to feel alone and you think nobody’s gonna miss you. You think you’re selfish for dragging down the people around you, and as sad as they’d be if you were gone, it’s worse to force them to deal with you all the time.And sometimes you hurt so bad you don’t care so much about the people around you.You think you’ve only got one option left. But you don’t.Asking for help is the hardest thing in the world to do. But the people in your life want you around. And there’s so much in this world that’s brilliant and exciting and ready for you. Things you aren’t gonna get the chance to see if you don’t ask for help.God, and the thing is, too. I know how hard it is. You want somebody to see you, to help you, but it’s so hard to ask for it yourself.If you know somebody that seems like they’re taking a back seat, like you don’t see them as much, or they’re not answering your texts. Reach out to them. It’s so much easier to accept help when it’s offered than to ask for it on your own.Um. Sorry, I got kind of carried away there.U: Don’t apologize. That was beautiful. And something I think a lot of people need to hear. Your fans love you, Eijirou, and I know it means a lot to hear your support.KE: I wish I could do more. U: I can promise you there are so many people you’ve helped just by being here. Thank you for joining me today, for opening up. It’s a scary thing to do, but I’ve loved the chance to get to know you more, and I know all your fans have enjoyed it, too.KE: Thank you so much.[End of interview.]