Dedicated to Sakurai Atsushi—
The forever five, believing in the future of BUCK-TICK
Rockin’ On Japan
January 2024
Text ＝ Tae Omae
This manuscript was written on the 19th of November. Exactly a month ago, I was shocked by the news that Sakurai Atsushi had to be rushed to the hospital after performing the third song on the stage of a fan club-exclusive show. I prayed for his recovery. But the sad news reached me a few days later. Even now, I’m having difficulty accepting the fact that Sakurai-san’s body is no longer in this world.
As the vocalist who spun the lyrics to more than half of BUCK-TICK’s songs, death was a recurring theme in his work and although he sometimes looked like he was toeing a dangerously thin line at the edge of a precipice, he would always return to the realm of the living without fail. While he peered into the abyss of death, his desire to live was stronger than anyone’s. Perhaps the energy and friction of this continued attachment [to both life and death] is the true nature [of his] which birthed that immeasurable darkness and beauty.
A person’s soul is immortal. The life that each and everyone of us lives in a physical body is precious. Sakurai Atsushi was an artist unlike any other who believed in both of these sentiments equally.
Nicknamed the “Demon King”, he had darkness-tinged, beautiful good looks which were breathtaking, but he was untouched by narcissism. Whenever I asked him about music recording work during interviews, he would search for the right words with an almost naive sincerity, and then a shy, gentle smile appears on his face before he answers.
The band celebrated their 35th debut anniversary in 2022. During their national tour for their latest album, 異空 – IZORA – which was released this year, he displayed depth of a whole other league as a performer with his phantasmagorical singing, his poetic narratives between songs, and his eloquent miming with the use of eye contact and even the very tips of his fingers.
Life is love and death (Vita est amor et mors / 人生は愛と死). Death is not that which separates but rather, an extension of life. Everyone should be free to themselves, to live the way they want. Watching his performance of Sayonara Shelter alone and the way it embodies the sadness, pain, joys and love, senselessness and magnanimousness, resignation and hope of war in their entirety, the heights to which he brings his performance gives me shivers. The peerlessly handsome man who was as good as the incarnation of Eros had transcended gender and anything and everything to exude the compassion and mercy of the Virgin Mary.
On the 14th of November came a news flash; on the 29th of December, the originally announced annual concert at the Nippon Budokan being cancelled and in place, a concert named “バクチク現象-2023- (BakuChiku Genshou / BUCK-TICK Phenomenon)” will be held. バクチク現象 is a special concept that was applied to shows like the commemorative concert that was held in 1987 for the release of their album, HURRY UP MODE, and their comeback concert at the Tokyo Dome in 1989.
The October 2012 edition of this magazine featured BUCK-TICK who were celebrating their 25th anniversary at the time. Group interviews and photo sessions were held for it. Varied in appearance and demeanour, the five of them were tied together by a red string…… Or rather, there seemed to be hints that they were all holding on tightly to the red string, each with their own willpower.
There’s no way to predict the specifics of バクチク現象, but I cannot forget the words that Sakurai-san said in recent concerts. “The Parade goes on until we die. [And] even when we die it continues.” Whatever shape the future which the five of them envisioned takes, I believe they intend to see it though.
Translation: Yoshiyuki
Scans: Yoshiyuki