Tag: Interview

BUCK-TICK | [3 Dec 2024] Pia: “Feels like we’re a new band” — Interview with BUCK-TICK

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

BUCK-TICK Interview
 “Feels like we’re a new band”
From that day till now, and continuing into the future with their latest release and tour

Pia
03 December 2024

Text: Kawamura Amiri

 

BUCK-TICK announced a new chapter during BUCK-TICK Genshou -2023- (バクチク現象-2023-), their 29 December 2023 performance at the NIppon Budokan. Earlier that same year, their overwhelmingly charismatic frontman Sakurai Atsushi passed away on 19 October. On that date, they who have been active at the frontlines of the Japanese rock scene without any change in line-up ever since this group of schoolmates formed the band in 1985 and made their debut in 1987, promised to rise again from the abyss of this great sorrow. Everyone who was shrouded in darkness found light in them, watching over BUCK-TICK’s new choices as they paraded on the road of transformation.

With a four-man outfit made up of Imai Hisahshi (vocals/guitar), Hoshino Hidehiko (vocals/guitar), Higuchi Yutaka (bass), and Yagami Toll (drums), BUCK-TICK released their latest single, Raijin Fuujin – Resonance (Thunder God, Wind God – Resonance / 雷神 風神 – レゾナンス) on 20 November, and their latest album スブロサ SUBROSA on 4 December. In addition, they have a very aggressive schedule lined up; going on a fanclub-exclusive tour in December 2024, performing their annual show at Nippon Budokan called Naisho no Bara no Shita (Under the Secret Rose / ナイショの薔薇の下) on 29 December, and then embarking on a nation-wide live house tour, BUCK-TICK TOUR 2025 スブロサ SUBROSA which starts April 2025, among other activities.

What does this second era of BUCK-TICK foresee in their future?

【Part 1】
Here, the members of the band share their own thoughts and feelings about the new songs, and about the continuance of the band after having gone from five members to four. 

【Part 2】
Next, the members of the band talk about the important milestones of last year end’s Nippon Budokan show BUCK-TICK Genshou, doing this year’s version of that show and going on tour with the new formation, and their new album.

 

 

【Part 1】

 ――The new works are complete. The new BUCK-TICK has started. What kind of emotional journey did you experience last year when Sakurai-san passed on and you made the decision to continue the band as the four of you?

Imai (I): Acchan (Sakurai) passed away and two, three days later, I thought, “I have to have a band.” Then, I gave it some thought and concluded, “So let the four of us be it.” At that point, I haven’t yet spoken to the other members, but I figured that the only way [forward] was for us to do it. But there’s no point in forcing ourselves to do this if we can’t enjoy it, and I thought, the other members probably have their own thoughts about this, so we came together to discuss and conceptualise. It also felt like we’re starting a new band.

Hoshino (H): After Sakurai-san’s funeral, we all gathered and when we asked, “What’s going to happen with BUCK-TICK?”, the conclusion we came to was, “We continue.” We also talked about what form this will take, and after that, we proceeded to compose. Except, at the time, I still felt like I was in a daze. It only really hit me that it’s the four of us doing this after we started writing music and recording. I think my feelings evolved with each stage we passed.

Yuta (Y): I first thought it would be better that the band continued. Because we’ve received support of many people for more than 30 years. Our fans have grown up and aged together with us and having gone through so many different experiences together, we’ve had a lot of great times. As a person, I don’t think it’s right to just tell these people who have supported us all this time that it’s the end without even a performance. I don’t feel like I can call it quits on my own. If we can continue, we can give back to those who supported us, and the four of us are brothers in arms after all, so to me, I think this was the best decision of all.

Toll (T): When I received the news about Sakurai’s passing, I honestly thought that was the end. The other members of the band have been friends since high school and one of their juniors had been working for us throughout all this time as our roadie but the first thing I did was tell him something like, “This is the end.” But, just like what Hoshino said, when we got together to eat after the funeral, we concluded that we’ll continue. And since we decided to do so, Imai and Hoshino made preparations to start composing music. We had no idea what things would be like, but as a result of us four deciding to keep going, we made new music.

――Considering that Yagami-san already thought that things had come to an end, were you not uneasy about continuing?

T: Even now I’m nothing but uneasy. Now that we’re four, there’s only live performances left up ahead so you really have to wonder what kind of reaction our fans will have. Videos of Sakurai were put up at last year end’s Nippon Budokan show but there won’t be anything like that from now on. That’s why I’m wondering how we’re supposed to get people to come see this four of us. We’re still in pre-rehearsals for the shows. Whether or not the two of them will be able to make it as vocalists, well, this is going to be their first time, isn’t it? Performing as lead vocalists.

 ――Did the decision to have Imai-san and Hoshino-san take on the roles of vocalists come out of a discussion among the four of you?

I: Nope, there was no discussion. It’s more like there was no other option.

H: For me, I’ve been singing on the demo tapes all this time. So I felt that moving on to perform vocals was a natural progression.

――So now that the two of you are both vocalists-cum-guitarists, have you uncovered difficulties or discovered anything new in terms of singing the songs you’ve written yourselves?

H: I definitely tried to make sure that it’s easy for me to sing. We had Sakurai-san until now so I was composing according to his key. From this [album] on, that’s one area I had to think differently about when I composed.

I: Similarly, I started to think about how easy it would be to sing it. Later on, the both of us have to record vocals, so there are now more songs that focus on rhythm rather than melody.

――Thus far, we’ve heard songs from BUCK-TICK where Imai-san’s voice comes across as a sharp, edgy tone. But as a vocalist of the new BUCK-TICK, we’ll be seeing a new side from you unlike in the band Lucy, where you also performed as a vocalist and a guitar, right?

I: Yes. At least, I hope.

――When you decided to sing as frontman, what did you mentally prepare for?

I: Uh, to sing with energy (lol).

――I see (lol)! Did you consider the possibility of AI or bringing in a new member in the beginning, when you found yourselves without a vocalist?

I: Bringing in a new band member or a guest vocalist, it’s not very realistic, or rather, just not a very intriguing idea. I felt that it’d be easier to continue as a band if it was just us four. With regards to AI, we did a bit of testing but it was nothing like what we thought it would be. Not convenient in any way, so.

――Did Hoshino-san venture there again after being put in charge of singing?

H: I went for a bit of vocal training, things like that. For the purpose of getting comfortable with my singing voice since it’s a completely different thing than what we use for speaking like this.

――Yuta-san, Yagami-san. How did you feel after hearing their singing?

Y: Hide (Hoshino) said it earlier; he sings on the demo tapes, so we’re actually quite used to hearing him sing. Imai-kun always sang on the unconventional songs, but this time, there’s a variety of melodies so I think both of them actually made it work pretty well.

T: It’ll be Hoshino’s first time on lead vocals, but we all have always heard [his voice]. For Imai, he’s always been on the higher pitch but it’s a first for him to do a ballad like the one in our new album so I couldn’t quite wrap my head around what it would be like but…… immediately I thought, “Imai’s ballad is pretty good!” (Lol) I hope that our fans will come to get used to hearing Imai and Hoshino’s singing.

――Imai-san’s expressive vocals have their own surprising elements which gets listeners excited, and Hoshino-san’s voice sounds fresh and full of tenderness. By the way, Imai-san’s got a lot of moves and actions when you’re on stage, so do you think your performance will be affected by the fact that you need to sing too?

I: Definitely in terms of how we’re presented on stage. I have a guitar, a keyboard, a mic too. If I’m going to do the same things that I’ve always done so far I wouldn’t be able to move from that spot, though. I think I’ll be mulling that over as we go.

 ――Last year, at your Nippon Budokan show, Imai-san said, “Next year, BUCK-TICK will write new songs, and make an album.” Just like he said, your new work is complete and Raijin Fuujin – Resonance was chosen to be the album’s lead single. It leaves the impression of everything brightening up all at once and the contrast of both your voices in the duet is enjoyable too but is there a reason why this song was selected for the single?

I: Because it’s definitely got this feeling of things opening up and for this duet, I start first, followed by Hide, so I thought it felt neat. It’s also easy to understand [from the song] that this is the new BUCK-TICK.

――The B-side is a remix of the same song by DTM (desktop music/synth-pop) duo Pasocom Music Club but what I want to ask is, why them?

I: Because I thought it’d be interesting to ask the younger generation. At first, we had quite a few candidates in mind, but when we actually got around to listening, we liked their remix so we chose them. There’s a kind of freedom? Or something like that which influences them. Although they’re young, there’s a part of them that feels like there’s nothing they can’t do, and that’s a good thing.

――The music video has also been released. How did it feel filming with just the four of you?

Y:The four of us got into it without really having decided on anything so we were having discussions with the director during the shoot. We haven’t yet shot the music videos for the other songs so this is the only song we’ve done so far, but going forward, I believe we’re going to have to think about things like our positions, where we stand, and all that.

【Part 2】

――Your latest album, スブロサ SUBROSA, a product of this new formation, is a voluminous release with a total of 17 tracks. I could feel each member’s honest emotions from last year until now, and your feelings towards Sakurai-san and all your fans captured in the album’s music and lyrics. And although this is something the four of you created, I could really sense how it had always been five people in BUCK-TICK. Regarding the number of tracks, didn’t you actually want to have more?

I: In the end, this was all of it.

Y: Huh? Didn’t we initially say we’d have more?

I: Hahaha. Well, we were also coming up with [new] music here and there but. We also talked about wanting to do a 2-CD release, see. In the end, we gathered 17 songs.

――The fact that there are three instrumental tracks by Imai-san is also something that has never happened before, right?

I: I did want to make instrumental tracks too. Given that we have this number of songs, I felt that it would be easier listening in terms of flow if we included instrumental tracks, and since our frontman and vocalist Sakurai isn’t here anymore, it actually means that we can do instrumental tracks, I think. I’d think that they’re also intriguing in their own ways.

――I suppose it’s in part thinking outside the box. The 4th track, From Now On, which Hoshino-san composed lyrics for initially sounded like it would be an instrumental track until Hoshino-san’s voice came in.

H: Half of it was composed with the intention of making it an instrumental.

――Oh, I see! The very first track, Hyakuman Nayuta no Chiri SCUM started with the line “We are not alone (俺たちは独りじゃない / Ore tachi wa hitori janai)” which is followed by song structures and a wide variety of sounds that we haven’t really heard before,until the last thrilling track, Tasogare no Howling. I think this will be new for all those who have been listening to your music throughout all this time, and also, there would likely be more people who decide to try and listen to BUCK-TICK because this second era sounds interesting. If you were to pick one song to recommend to these people, which would it be?

I: The second track, スブロサ SUBROSA. It’s also the album title, and a song that doesn’t have any guitars at all.

H: I’d like to recommend all of the songs but…… maybe the 12th track which I wrote myself, Zetsubou to Iu Na no Kimi e.

――Is the song where Hoshino-san composed the melody, and Imai-san, the lyrics, right? That’s another combination that has never happened before.

H: That’s right. I picked this song because it’s melodious so it’ll probably be easy to listen to.

Y: Me, I’d pick the 3rd track, Muyuubyo SLEEP WALK. It’s a song that doesn’t feel like anything we’ve done as BUCK-TICK before, so I think it’ll probably bring a new feel to even those who have always listened to our music. This album, on the whole, has a lot of parts that will leave deep impressions on you.

T: Personally, I would choose the 8th track, Meiousei de Shi ne. This song has an afrobeat and it’s been a while since I had to do that so it was super tiring (dry laugh). But I’ve gotten quite used to it recently, so I got my groove back. It requires the use of timbales (a [percussion instrument typically used in Latin music) and it’s a song that shares a similar drum pattern with HURRY UP MODE so I had to put my back into it for the first time in a while.

 ――After the release of your new works, the live shows continue but it’s after all been a year since the turning point that was last year end’s Nippon Budokan show, so I believe that this year’s Nippon Budokan performance will be the one that will really showcase BUCK-TICK’s evolution. Looking back, how did you feel standing on stage last year? And what will you have in mind when you go on stage this year?

I: I think last year’s show was one that we absolutely had to do, so it’s good that we made it happen, right? Videos of Sakurai and his voice were being played as the four of us stood on stage, but it sank in that “This is how it’s going to be”. As to how it’ll look in this year’s shows with the “new four-man BUCK-TICK”, I want to enjoy the process of figuring that out while experimenting.

H: Last year, we also discussed whether or not we should hold the performance, but ultimately, we decided to do it. Then, we spoke about how we’re going to do this going forward but we went ahead with the show amidst all the anxiety that we, the band members, our staff and even the audience who attended it were feeling. Those were the circumstances we had to work with but because we did that show, I guess you could say that everyone’s feelings changed. It was a good thing that we did it. I think whether we went through this experience or not would really affect how we would all feel going forward. This year, we have a new formation, and while we’re definitely going to perform our new songs, I want things to turn out well so from here on out, it’s practice.

Y: I don’t remember anything, not even how I felt performing last year. But I definitely wanted to convey my feelings to the people who kept supporting us. If we were to, let’s say, write it out in text and publish it like a report, it feels a little too lacking, like, I think I should speak my feelings in person so it was good that we did the show. We’re here now because of that performance. Just like how it took decades for our five-man formation to get to where we were, if going forward we can experiment our way through doing things in a four-man group the way the did when the band was first formed, I think we’ll definitely be able to make something great, so I want to put my best into this.

T: It’s almost a year since our Nippon Budokan show last year and now that I think about it, that show was really as good as the last performance of “the first era of BUCK-TICK”. From here on, we’re starting out as “the second era of BUCK-TICK” and with us four, we’re starting off with “スブロサ SUBROSA”. That’s what I’m feeling. Well, it’s another band, isn’t it? So next, we’ll just have to win everyone’s approval. I guess you could say it feels like I’m a newbie again. Excited yet anxious, but I’m filled with motivation to drum as a part of the new BUCK-TICK from this year end on.

――And finally, I’d like to once again ask everyone: What is “BUCK-TICK” to you?

I: For me, ever since I was in school, I’ve always wanted to form a rock band and make it my career. I just wanted my life to revolve around being in a band, without having to do part-time jobs and whatnot. Since then, all kinds of things started happening, I got to meet people, and here we are now. So BUCK-TICK is something that I want to do from now until forever.

H: Tough question, but I suppose, it’s a part of my life? Something that naturally exists without question.

Y: It’s really been a long time since we started the band, hasn’t it? Not just the members, but even our staff, our fans, everyone is part of BUCK-TICK to me. Our staff have always given their all in the work they do for us, and there are also those who have been supporting us for a long time. So maybe that’s why I’ve come to feel that “everyone is BUCK-TICK”. And since I feel that we’re such a band, this is all very precious [to me].

T: Yuta said it, but even our PA has been working with us ever since we debuted. And there are also three other roadies who were juniors in Fujioka High School that have been with us ever since we performed at Shinjuku JAM during our indies era. Our staff have really stuck with us for a seriously long time. Among them are newbies who have steadily joined us, but we want to help them keep going for as long as we can and that’s the kind of band we are. That’s why we even have [staff] like our stage director or manager who had been with us from the very beginning since we debuted who already passed on. Which is why it really feels like that, “Team BUCK-TICK”. Every time we go on tour, there would be staff afterparties once in ten times. And during those events, what I always say to the staff who join us is, “I may be a part of BUCK-TICK, but see, you are also a part of BUCK-TICK.” The ones who get up on stage are the band members, but the ones who build the world of BUCK-TICK there and then are our staff and lighting of course. It’s a composite art on the whole. That’s why, I’ve been doing this with the thought of “Team BUCK-TICK”. I think BUCK-TICK will probably continue to exist until our members have truly come down to zero.

 ――At last year’s Nippon Budokan show, Imai-san said during his MC that [the band] will continue even if the number of band members drops to three, and two. Then, he also said, “I guess I’ll probably be the last one standing.”

T: Well, we definitely see such cases overseas. Like in my favourite band Sweet, the guitarist is the only original band member left. All the other parts have changed. But the band Sweet has always existed. There’s also this other band called Slade where only only two members are left. They bring in new band members for their activities. So don’t you think it’d be interesting if BUCK-TICK moves into that sort of a situation? BUCK-TICK is probably going to be a band that doesn’t break up. Although I can’t say for sure that there won’t be an end. Even if Imai is the only one left, he could just bring in a drummer or something and keep the trade name or something.

Y: That just goes to show that Imai-kun will be the sole survivor! (Lol) 

I: (Dry laugh)

――I’ll continue to observe and watch BUCK-TICK evolve and find success. Lastly, please share a few words people who will be listening to your new album, スブロサ SUBROSA.

I: Look forward to it. It’s unlike anything we’ve done before, so it’ll probably be interesting.

H: We built this up from a “state of nothingness” so even we had no idea what would come of it until it was complete. There are probably fans out there with all sorts of opinions and feelings but this is an album “brought to you by the four of us”. We enjoyed the process of putting it together, so I hope that you will enjoy listening to it too.

Y: This is a really wonderful album that was born out of experimentation so I hope that everyone will give it a listen. It’s always been like this even when we were five, but I think that producing an album and going on tour like this is how we’ve always been searching for what we’ll be moving on to next. So, this time too, we made an album, we’ll be going on tour, and meeting all kinds of people who will come and see us. I have hope that we can take another step forward and keep going.

T: I really hope that you’ll giev the album a listen. Also, we’re doing something new as a group of four, and I’m feeling like a newbie at age 62, so I promise to do my best! (Lol)

 

＜Release information＞

New Single
Thunder God, Wind God – Resonance [雷神 風神 – レゾナンス / Raijin Fuujin – Resonance]

Now on sale

BUCK-TICK Thunder God, Wind God – Resonance [雷神 風神 – レゾナンス / Raijin Fuujin – Resonance] cover

 【Tracklist】

1. Thunder God, Wind God – Resonance
[雷神 風神 – レゾナンス / Raijin Fuujin – Resonance]

2. Thunder God, Wind God – Resonance (Pasocom Music Club Remix)
[雷神 風神 – レゾナンス (パソコン音楽クラブ Remix) / Raijin Fuujin – Resonance (Pasokon Ongaku Kurabu Remix)]

 

BUCK-TICK「雷神 風神 -レゾナンス」MV

 

 

New Album
『スブロサ SUBROSA』

Releasing Wednesday, 4 December 2024
※Vinyl LP will be released on Wednesday, 29 January 2025

BUCK-TICK『スブロサ SUBROSA』CD / Vinyl LP Cover
BUCK-TICK『スブロサ SUBROSA』Cassette Tape Cover
  • Limited Edition A (SHM-CD + Blu-ray): 6,050 yen (w/tax)
  • Limited Edition B (SHM-CD + DVD): 5,500 yen (w/tax)
  • Regular Edition (SHM-CD): 3,300 yen (w/tax)
  • Limited Edition Cassette Tape (Double cassette tape): 4,400 yen (w/tax)
  • Limited Edition Vinyl (3LP): 12,100 yen (w/tax)

 

【VICTOR ONLINE STORE Exclusive Limited Made-to-Order Set】

  • Limited Edition A + Original T-shirt: 9,900 yen (w/tax)
  • Limited Edition B + Original T-shirt: 9,350 yen (w/tax)
  • Regular Edition + Original T-shirt: 7,150 yen (w/tax)

※Limited made-to-order quantity sold at the VICTOR ONLINE STORE.
※The original t-shirt comes with the CDs (limited edition A/B and regular edition).

 

※An exclusive special show will be held in Tokyo on 23 March 2025. Attendees will be drawn from those who purchased both the single (Raijin Fuujin – Resonance) and the album (スブロサ SUBROSA).

『Exclusive Special Show』
Sunday, 23 March 2025
Somewhere in Tokyo

Doors open/Performance starts: TBA

【Included songs】

  1. 百万那由多ノ塵SCUM (Hyakuman Nayuta no Chiri SCUM)
  2. スブロサ SUBROSA
  3. 夢遊猫 SLEEP WALK (Muyuubyou SLEEP WALK)
  4. From Now On
  5. Rezisto
  6. 神経質な階段 (Shikeishitsu na Kaidan / Neurotistic Stairway)
  7. 雷神 風神 – レゾナンス #rising (Raijin Fuujin – Resonance / Thunder God, Wind God – Resonance)
  8. 冥王星で死ね (Meiousei de Shi ne / Die on Pluto)
  9. 遊星通信 (Yuusei Tsuushin / Planetary Communications)
  10. paradeno mori
  11. ストレリチア (Sutorerichia / Strelitzia)
  12. 絶望という名の君へ (Zetsubou to Iu Na no Kimi e / To You Who’s Named Despair)
  13. TIKI TIKI BOOM
  14. プシュケー – PSYCHE –
  15. ガブリエルのラッパ (Gaburieru no Rappa / Gabriel’s Horn)
  16. 海月 (Kurage / Jellyfish)
  17. 黄昏のハウリング (Tasogare no Hauringu / Twilight’s Howling)

 

Dedicated website:
https://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/linguasounda/subrosa/

 

＜Live Information＞

Fanclub member-exclusive live
『FISH TANKer’s ONLY 2024』

December 6 (Fri)　Aichi・Diamond Hall
December 7 (Sat)　Osaka・BIGCAT
December 14 (Sat)　Gunma・Takasaki City Theatre, Studio Theatre
December 15 (Sun)　Toyko・Toyosu PIT

※Tickets are sold out for all dates

Dedicated website:
https://buck-tick.com/feature/specialsite_fto2024

 

＜Tour Information＞

『BUCK-TICK TOUR 2025 スブロサ SUBROSA』

April 12 (Sat)　Miyagi・Sendai GIGS
Doors open at 17:00 / Performance starts at 18:00
1F standing・2F rear standing: 9,900 yen (w/tax)／2F Seated: 11,000 yen (w/tax)
※Drinks not included

April 13 (Sun)　Niigata・Niigata LOTS
Doors open at 17:00 / Performance starts at 18:00
Standing only: 9,900 yen (w/tax)
※Drinks not included

April 19 (Sat)　Osaka・Zepp Osaka Bayside
Doors open at 17:00 / Performance starts at 18:00
1F standing・2F rear standing: 9,900 yen (w/tax)／2F Seated: 11,000 yen (w/tax)
※Drinks not included

April 20 (Sun)　Aichi・Zepp Nagoya
Doors open at 17:00 / Performance starts at 18:00
1F standing・2F rear standing: 9,900 yen (w/tax)／2F Seated: 11,000 yen (w/tax)
※Drinks not included

April 26 (Sat)　Hiroshima・Hiroshima CLUB QUATTRO
Doors open at 17:00 / Performance starts at 18:00
Standing only: 9,900 yen (w/tax)
※Drinks not included

April 27 (Sun)　Fukuoka・Zepp Fukuoka
Doors open at 17:00 / Performance starts at 18:00
1F standing・2F rear standing: 9,900 yen (w/tax)／2F Seated: 11,000 yen (w/tax)
※Drinks not included

April 29 (Tue･Holiday)　Kagawa・Takamatsu festhalle
Doors open at 17:00 / Performance starts at 18:00
Standing only: 9,900 yen (w/tax)
※Drinks not included

May 11 (Sun)　Hokkaido・Zepp Sapporo
Doors open at 17:00 / Performance starts at 18:00
1F standing・2F rear standing: 9,900 yen (w/tax)／2F Seated: 11,000 yen (w/tax)
※Drinks not included

May 16 (Fri)　Tokyo・Zepp Haneda(TOKYO）
Doors open at 18:00 / Performance starts at 19:00
1F standing・2F rear standing: 9,900 yen (w/tax)／2F Seated: 11,000 yen (w/tax)
※Drinks not included

May 17 (Sat)　Tokyo・Zepp Haneda(TOKYO）
Doors open at 17:00 / Performance starts at 18:00
1F standing・2F rear standing: 9,900 yen (w/tax)／2F Seated: 11,000 yen (w/tax)
※Drinks not included

May 24 (Sat)　Tokyo・Toyosu PIT
Doors open at 17:00 / Performance starts at 18:00
Standing only: 9,900 yen (w/tax)
※Drinks not included

May 25 (Sun)　Tokyo・Toyosu PIT
Doors open at 17:00 / Performance starts at 18:00
Standing only: 9,900 yen (w/tax)
※Drinks not included

 

Dedicated website:
https://buck-tick.com/feature/specialsite_subrosa

Official website:
https://buck-tick.com/

 

 

 

BUCK-TICK『スブロサ SUBROSA』CD / Vinyl LP Cover

BUCK-TICK『スブロサ SUBROSA』Cassette Tape Cover

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Source:
【Part 1】https://lp.p.pia.jp/article/news/407331/index.html
【Part 2】https://lp.p.pia.jp/article/news/407332/index.html

 

 

DER ZIBET | [Jun 2024] ROCK AND READ: DER ZIBET Feature

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

tribute to DER ZIBET/ISSAY
Tracing the footsteps of the King of Decadence

ROCK AND READ 106
June 2024

Photos provided by by M.Saito

DER ZIBET arrived in the music scene before the term “Visual-Kei” was even coined. Coinciding with the release of the tribute album, ISSAY gave life to FLOWERS – a tribute to Der Zibet – on the birthday of ISSAY who passed away last year, this feature will shed light on what kind of band this is and the person ISSAY was through a retelling of the history of DER ZIBET, the latest interview with HIKARU, and the interview with ISSAY about his personal history from a late-2005 issue of this magazine.

 

 

history of DER ZIBET
デルジベットの軌跡

Text by Yamamoto Hiroka
Photos provided by by M.Saito

 

DER ZIBET was formed exactly 40 years ago. Dubbed “the pioneer of decadence”, “musicians for musicians”, I hope you can get a sense of how great a band they are through this look into their history.

 

In an era where the mixing of genres had yet to exist
DER ZIBET’s music was unconventional from the very beginning

DER ZIBET formed 40 years ago, in 1984. The band consisted of five members; ISSAY (vocals) who had his own solo projects running and had been casted in the first commercial film that Macoto Tezka directed, TheLegend of the Stardust Brothers, HIKARU (guitar) who had already made his debut in 1982 with the band Be-Bops, HAL (bass) who was involved in ISSAY’s solo work alongside Morioka Ken (SOFT BALLET), MAYUMI (drums) who was once invited to join Seikima-II, and MAHITO (keyboard). In an era where the concept of “Visual-Kei” had even come about, let alone the term, just ISSAY’s presence in the music scene was impressive. His performances which incorporated all that he learnt since his youth under the tutelage of pantomimist Mochidzuki Akira were unlike any other, and he made his debut as an actor even before DER ZIBET.

Although a member when the band came together, MAHITO left and DER ZIBET debuted with their single, Matsu Uta in 1985. In the same year, they released their first album, Violetter Ball -Murasakiiro no Budoukai- which was produced by Haruo Chikada. Even though their vocal and performance abilities were still developing, DER ZIBET’s music had always been unconventional from the very beginning with how they channelled into rock elements of other genres like punk, progressive rock, glam, new wave, jazz, funk, tango, and many more. Of course, this was an era where the mixing of genres had yet to exist too.

At the time, ISSAY would erect a streetlight on stage and sing while smoking Gitanes. He was an individualistic vocalist who gave the impression that this band might turn out feeling more like a solo project, but the instrumentalists HIKARU, HAL, and MAYUMI weren’t  sequacious, which was a good thing. On the topic of their superior and intelligent music sense, I will never forget how a magazine back then asked, “What other influences do you have outside of music?”, to which everyone responded with answers like literature and film, theatre, pantomime and the like. ISSAY’s literature-refined lyrics revolved around a 16th-note beat and incorporated odd time signatures; techniques which made such complex music sound like pop music were already used since those days.

With a treasure trove of free ideas in both their music and their performances,
they were later known as “musicians for musicians”.

In 1987, they released their second album, Electric Moon. The shows they played were centred around a main “Radical Dance” concept and an underlying “mystery park” theme. On their third tour, they left quite the impression with a performance that featured toilet paper draping down from the ceiling. It was only later on that they got known as “the musicians’ musician”, but it’s impossible to talk about the basis of it without talking about the early days of their career which were a treasure trove of free ideas in both their music and their performances. Incidentally, prior to BUCK-TICK’s debut, Sakurai Atsushi loved listening to DER ZIBET and went to watch them perform; this was how they first got acquainted.

Then, the first turning point for the band came in the form of Okano HAJIME and Kisaki Kenji coming together to produce their third album, DER ZIBET which was released in 1988. ISSAY took on a wilder appearance dressed entirely in leather as they played powerful pop music with a flavour of popular Japanese music at the time. Their national tour for this album, “WHOLE LOTTA LIVE! ～Mune ippai no ai wo～ (胸いっぱいの愛を / with a heartful of love)” culminated in a final performance that was also their first show at Shibuya Public Hall.

Just as it began to look like they were heading in a direction along the lines of Japan’s beat rock scene, they flew straight to London soon after the tour ended and stayed there for about a month to work on their new album at the Maison Rouge Studio, where famous rock classics were born. The sound engineer they worked with was Craig Leon who would later go on to work with Jesus Jones. The result was GARDEN, a gothic 4th album which encapsulated London’s atmosphere and even its typically grey skies. At the time, ISSAY held Sisters of Mercy and The Mission in high regard and after returning to Japan, he spoke about how he could sense how different the history of rock is there through their recording methods, saying, “I realised how great they were.” It even happened that Hanada Hiroyuki from The Roosters swung by the studio for a visit and ended up participating as a guest guitarist.

Although they never made it big, DER ZIBET’s shows always drew a large audience. I don’t know how ISSAY felt about being given titles like “the pioneer of decadence” and “a rock band ahead of its time”, but their 5th album, CARNIVAL, which HIKARU produced himself involved keyboardists HOPPY Kamiyama and DIE (＝D.I.E.) who later became a support musician for ZI:KILL and then a member of hide with Spread Beaver. Their sixth single, Mammoth no Yoru, which turned into one of their most popular songs to perform live, was a splendid combination of MAYUMI’s rapid-fire tom drum playing and HAL’s bass lines reminiscent of the primitive age. There was even a period of time when ISSAY’s lyrics got cyber-inspired; in an era before PCs were commonplace, he described non-conformists as “bugs created by god” or a “beloved programming mistake”.

After this, DER ZIBET produced album after album of masterpieces.

The album HOMO DEMENS, which was heavily inspired by free jazz saxophonist John Zorn’s music, included a cover of a song by The Doors. HIKARU’s compelling guitars which grew in depth and ISSAY’s alluring yet cutting expression left quite the impression. It even featured a miraculous coincidence of John Zorn happening to be in Japan by chance and actually appearing on the album as a guest with his saxophone.

Then, in 1991, they released Shishunki Ⅰ – Upper Side – and Shishunki Ⅱ – Downer Side – which could be said to be their greatest work pre-hiatus alongside HOMO DEMENS. The long interview where ISSAY had to face his own loneliness and pain as he spoke candidly about his youth could be said to be what led to these albums. At the time, ISSAY said that the original essence of rock music was similar to the feeling of adolescence. He said, “While it has a very aggressive, sizzling rock and roll image, doesn’t it also have a very abstract, emotional side to it at the same time? Our band has always played with these two sides, but we felt it would be a good idea to shape them properly this time.” Incidentally, Shishunki Ⅱ also houses a legendary songs among BUCK-TICK fans, namely ISSAY and Sakurai Atsushi’s duet, Masquerade and 4D Vision no Rasen Kaidan which featured Imai Hisashi. Sakurai Atsushi even appeared as a surprise guest at Kudan Kaikan for the final show of the tour.

During the time when DER ZIBET had fewer live shows, ISSAY and TATSUYA formed the programming music unit HAMLET MACHINE. HIKARU also busied himself with Pugs, a band he formed with ex-PINK members Okano HAJIME and HOPPY Kamiyama. Meanwhile, in 1993, DER ZIBET released the album TRASH LAND which told of the “collapse of a fictional city”, a story that would not be out of place looking at today’s cities lined with high-rise apartment buildings. The following year they released the album POP MANIA, again with Okano HAJIME as producer.

Then, in the same year, ISSAY announced his own solo album entitled FLOWERS which was a collection of hit songs from the Showa era . hide, BUCK-TICK’s Sakurai Atsushi and Hoshino Hidehiko, LUNA SEA’s SUGIZO, Kiyoharu, THE MAD CAPSULE MARKETS’ MOTOKATSU, DIE IN CRIES’ TAKASHI and many more big-name musicians were involved in this album, making it a work  worthy of the name “King of Decadence”. In this same period, Pugs embarked on their debut tour in the USA.

Despite DER ZIBET releasing Green in 1995 and KIRIGIRISU in 1996, they announced that they would be going on an indefinite hiatus that same year. Regarding activities prior to the band’s break, HIKARU reminisced, “Instead of Japanese bands, we only ever thought about competing with foreign bands.”

The interview with ISSAY which is being republished again in this issue is from the time when he was busy as a member of ΦPhI, a band he formed with 44MAGNUM’s Hirose Satoshi, HAL and Satou Minoru, as a part of ISSAY meets DOLLY, the unit he formed with Fukuhara Mari, a member of Lynx, a band he formed with X JAPAN’s HEATH, SAY→ICHIRO, and Matarow, and as a part of HAMLET MACHINE. HIKARU is now busy with the two bands he formed, Loco-Apes and onseiriki, although the frontmen of both bands have never met.

After this period, DER ZIBET made a miraculous comeback in 2009 with the original five-member line-up but that will be covered in the interview with HIKARU which comes after this. I won’t go into too much detail here, but their creative drive did not wane in the slightest. They went on to release the conceptual two-part album ROMANOID Ⅰ and ROMANOID Ⅱ. Looking at ISSAY’s image and the artwork featured, they then continued to release albums that exuded depth and sex appeal akin to that of aged wine.

Following DER ZIBET’s reunion, in 2013, ISSAY formed KA.F.KA with Tsuchiya Masami, Morioka Ken, Ueno Kouji, and MOTOKATSU. He also took on acting roles, appearing in films like director Macoto Tezka’s The Brand New Legend of the Stardust Brothers and Tezuka’s Barbara. But he passed away suddenly in August 2023 just before the 40th anniversary of DER ZIBET’s debut. HIKARU said, “Before our hiatus, I was making music I wanted to make, but after our reunion, I made music with ISSAY’s lyrics in mind. I was often surprised by what I came up with. It really was a lot of fun.” While writing this article, my heart felt unbearably heavy as I was reminded that Morioka Ken, Sakurai Atsushi, and HEATH had also left us.

The tribute album, ISSAY gave life to FLOWERS – a tribute to Der Zibet – is slated for release on July 6th, ISSAY’s birthday. I sincerely hope that DER ZIBET, a band so completely devoted to music, will continue to have an audience for generations to come.

 

 

ISSAY gave life to FLOWERS – a tribute to Der Zibet –
Releasing 6 July 2024／2-CD・18 tracks

Participating musicians

Tsuchiya Masami, MORRIE, Kobayashi Yuusuke (The Novembers／THE SPELLBOUND), Diamond☆Yukai & Kogure “shake” Takehiko (Diamond Shake／RED WARRIORS), Matsuoka Mitsuru (SOPHIA). NARASAKI (Coaltar Of The Deepers), Morishige Juichi (ZIGGY), PATA (X JAPAN／Ra:IN), kyo (D’ERLANGER), Chu-ya (Allergy／De-LAX／LOOPUS／FAR EAST PHALLUS KICKER), SUGIZO (LUNA SEA／X JAPAN／THE LAST ROCKSTARS／SHAG), SAKURA (gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy／Rayflower／ZIGZO), Okano HAJIME, BAKI, “CRAZY” COOL-JOE & Minato Masafumi (Drunkard Ball), Sakurai Ao & Ishii Shuji (cali≠gari), Kamiryo Wataru (NeoBallad), Kaya, tezya (tezya & the sightz／Euphoria), michi. (MASCHERA／S.Q.F／ALICE IN MENSWEAR), Kimura Seizi (ZEPPET STORE), Chiwaki Mayumi, Shimoyama Jun (Rock’n Roll Gypsies／ex. THE ROOSTERZ), Ken-ichi (Valentine D.C.／VERTUEUX), JUN (Valentine D.C.), Honda Takeshi (PERSONZ／Effectric Gurtar), DIE (Ra:IN／hide with Spread Beaver), Dantoudai no MELODY, Hashizume Akito (the superlative degree／HUSH), RIKIJI (Oblivion Dust／IMOCD!), Hoppy Kamiyama (God Mountain), AUTO MOD clas-six, etc. (in no particular order)

 

 

 

 

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Interview with HIKARU

Interview/Text = Sugie Yuki (杉江由紀)

DER ZIBET is
ultimately, my life’s work.

HIKARU formed DER ZIBET alongside ISSAY in 1984 as the band’s guitarist and main composer. In this interview, the big brother of DER ZIBET, HIKARU continues the story from where ISSAY left off in the interview that we published in this magazine back in December 2005.

 

profile
Autonym: Yoshida Hikaru. While he has played a part in many artists’ and bands’ recording work as a guitarist, he is also a music producer. He formed DER ZIBET in 1984, went on an indefinite hiatus in 1996, and then officially restarted activities in 2009. Golden☆Best Sixty Years, DER ZIBET’s best-of compilation album of their work released under the Sixty Records label is slated for release on 19 June 2024.
derzibet.com

 

It wasn’t as if everyone suddenly said, “Let’s bring DZ back again!”
Things just naturally turned out this way.

――This issue includes the interview with ISSAY-san that came out in #005 which was published in December 2005. At the very end of that interview, ISSAY-san said, “I have no intention of doing DER ZIBET again right now.” At the same time, he also said, “We being humans, we never know what will happen when, so I want to do whatever I can.” Does HIKARU-san remember what you thought about DER ZIBET during that period? 

HIKARU (H): Actually, in June of 2005, I met ISSAY for the first time in a long while at DER ZIBET’s manager’s wedding and there, he told me, “So, I got a Lynx live at Numazu this autumn, and it’s also DER ZIBET’s 20th anniversary so I’m thinking of playing DZ songs with Lynx. You wanna perform as a guest?”

――Even now I remember very well the “Lynx PLAY DER ZIBET” live performance at Numazu Noir which took place on 22 October 2005. It was such a profound feeling seeing ISSAY-san and HIKARU-san standing on the same stage together for the first time since the band went on hiatus in 1996. Of course, heath-san (HEATH) being there as Lynx’s bassist also added to it, but I thought that really was quite the show to remember.

H:It was. Well, at the time, it simply ended with thoughts along the lines of how it sure was fun to perform together with everyone. At that point in time, conversations about restarting things or anything like that didn’t come up.

――The next thing that happened was the live and releases in July 2008 that you did under the band name “reD biteZ”. Those activities were definitely linked to DER ZIBET’s revival, right?

H: The one who created that opportunity was HAL. HAL reached out to everyone and gathered us. That said, I, ISSAY, and MAHITO were there but at the time, MAYUMI, our drummer was undergoing medical treatment so Satou Minoru (ex. ΦPhI) came in.

――Doesn’t that mean that the rhythm part of the band was made up of the ex. PhI team?

H: Yes, yes. At first, the five of us gathered and started rehearsing. For HAL’s rehabilitation.

――The how and why of this had to do with HAL getting rather severely injured in an accident and making a miraculous recovery, right? It was then that he said, “I want to perform in a band again.”

H: That’s why the five of us gathered at a studio just about every month for rehearsals as a form of rehabilitation for him. In fact, I think we probably did that consistently for over a year. Then, while doing that, we started talking about doing a show and that was when Minoru said, “Please call MAYUMI.” And only then did the five members of DZ come back together.

――When DER ZIBET had its major debut, the band was made up of ISSAY-san, HIKARU-san, HAL-san, and MAYUMI-san. MAHITO-san was originally part of the band prior, so it’s pretty intriguing to see that the original members have only now come back together.

H: It wasn’t as if everyone suddenly said, “Let’s bring DZ back again!” Things just naturally turned out this way.

――Was that performance you did under the “reD biteZ” name back then more of a showcase ahead of the actual restart?

H: Honestly, at first, we were worried about how much HAL could take and whether he could handle it. So we [did that show] with the thought of testing the waters first.

――Despite all the twists and turns, in March 2009, DER ZIBET announced PRIMITIVE, the first album in 13 years since Kirigirisu and finally restarted activities officially. The most recent album release was 2018’s Fujouri (不条理), but following the reformation of the band, what was HIKARU-san focused on this time around?

H: Most of all I didn’t want to make music that sounded nostalgic. That’s the only thing that I often said to ISSAY too, and he also said that he wanted to keep doing novel, new things.

――We know that you generally would perform popular songs from your old catalogue in shows, but there’s definitely a strong impression that DER ZIBET evolves and matures every time you release new music.

H: I’m pretty sure that’s got to do with changing with the times.

 

Our relationship changed a lot compared to the way things were pre-hiatus
I felt more strongly that “we’re the ones running DZ” after our reunion than before.

――I think the members of the band spent about 10 years or so away from each other, so when you came back together to restart activities as DER ZIBET, was there anything that HIKARU-san felt you rediscovered or got reacquainted with? For example, with regards to ISSAY-san’s singing and his lyrics.

H: Here’s the thing; the way things were in 1996 when we released Kirigirisu was the same as when we made our major debut — I and ISSAY could not get along at all. To the extent that when we debuted, I was already thinking about whether I should quit after one year (lol).

――It was already that bad right from the very start? But when ISSAY-san and HIKARU-san appeared on a streaming program I hosted some years ago, ISSAY-san sounded like he was joking when he said, “It’s not that I couldn’t get along with HIKARU. We just weren’t on good terms (lol).”

H: During our major label days, it kind of felt like I was dragging myself through those ten-ish years in those circumstances. In the beginning, I was also the type to write lyrics so I would write a little bit here and there, but relatively early on, ISSAY told me, “Stop writing lyrics, won’t you?” I was pretty taken aback and I guess our relationship only worsened since then. But midway, I started doing production work for our albums so we started thinking about the lyrics and discussing together. That’s why although we weren’t at loggerheads all the time, our relationship changed quite a lot when we compare the way things were right before the hiatus and after our reunion. A big part of it was how great ISSAY’s singing had become when we reformed the band. That was a surprise.

――While DER ZIBET was on hiatus, ISSAY-san experienced quite the variety of live performances as ΦPhI, HAMLET MACHINE, ISSAY meets DOLLY, and Lynx. I would think that he honed his skills as a vocalist in this process.

H: Because ISSAY’s voice pre-hiatus was weak, wasn’t it? A lot of times I’d worry and wonder if it’d be okay, but when we started working together again, his voice had become really powerful. Even his lyrics now had depth so that was another area that I noticed had changed.

――I think it cannot be denied that different sides have grown more appealing as time passes.

H: Adding to that, when I look at our old song lyrics again but with this perspective now, I can see that these aren’t just any old lyrics after all. Maybe back then, he wasn’t great at how he expressed himself, or maybe he was just too direct or something. That’s also something that I only understood after we reunited because we started drinking together too (lol). We started drinking together and talking about all manners of things while drinking.

――That’s a really heartwarming story.

H: Even the album titles we came up with while drinking together. Those were really good times. I felt more strongly that “we’re the ones who are DZ” after our reunion than before.

――What was it like prior, then?

H: During our major label days, there was always this feeling that they were “letting us” be DZ. It wasn’t literal, as in someone letting us do our thing, but our schedule was decided before we knew anything, and it felt as if we were just there to clear whatever work they had put in front of us. On that note, we’re our own management office and label post-reunion which means that we ourselves make the decisions on what to do so the amount of things we experienced felt overwhelmingly intense.

――The music you made after the reunion was nothing other than outstanding too; PRIMITIVE exuded an emotional vibe befitting a new beginning, the conceptual series that was ROMANOID Ⅰ and ROMANOID Ⅱ, NINE STORIES which was announced right before your 30th anniversary, Bessekai (別世界) invited listeners to the other side, and Fujouri (不条理) in which the glamorous and dramatic essence of DER ZIBET was condensed.

H: Unfortunate that not a lot of people listened to them, right? (Lol)

――Presently, I believe all the music you released post-reunion has been made available on online streaming services so it would be great if everyone would give it a listen.

H: It would. I want the stuff we did pre-hiatus to be made available on streaming services too but the rights for those are complicated and all over the place so it’s a little difficult. But maybe people will be able to listen to those too in the near future. Also, we’re also releasing Sixty Years, a best-of album on the 19th of June which is a compilation of songs we released under the Sixty Record label.

――That’s great news. In the first place, as the musicians’ musician, DER ZIBET is a band that doesn’t only attract music fans but also has garnered respect from many artists. You’ve always been known as a band for connoisseurs so I’m very happy that even more people will get the opportunity to listen to you through streaming services. On that note, does HIKARU-san have anything to say about being labelled as the musicians’ musician?

H: I’ve actually heard all sorts of things about that before. But although I have a lot of friends who are musicians, I don’t have much recollection of being respected (lol).

――Including BUCK-TICK’s Sakurai (Atsushi), don’t you think that there are a lot of well-known people who look up to you?

H: Well, but I say that because I don’t have younger musicians coming up to me to tell me these things directly. In that sense, I think ISSAY probably had quite a large network though. For me, I just have a few musician friends here and there who I go drinking with.

 

I actually have the sound sources for seven unreleased DER ZIBET songs.
They’re demo vocals, but the lyrics are already in and the recording quality isn’t too bad.

――I wanted to talk about post-COVID DER ZIBET too. In recent years, HIKARU-san and ISSAY-san has had a number of opportunities to perform live under the name “from DER ZIBET”. Could you share a little about how this came about?

H: As in, why we had to do things as “from DER ZIBET”, right? A part of it is difficult to put into words, but our bassist and drummer couldn’t quite do it the way we did pre-hiatus, you see. Outside of album production, continuing to perform live as DER ZIBET was tough, it was difficult.

――What I’m sensing is a strong desire against going on another hiatus but instead to keep up with activities as “from DER ZIBET”.

――If so, what were HIKARU-san’s thoughts at the time on how the future DER ZIBET would carry out activities?

H: Ah, well, we were barely hanging on. Because it was a constant worry. Last year, we performed as DER ZIBET at only two shows; in April at Yokohama’s 7th Avenue and in July at Meguro LiveStation. But I actually still have the sound sources for seven unreleased DER ZIBET songs.

――As many as seven?　When were they produced?

H: We probably started two years ago, working on them on a relatively on and off basis. But we actually progressed based on having spoken about intending to release them as an album this year. We were still planning to add more songs too.

――Do these seven songs have ISSAY-san’s singing recorded already?

H: Demo vocals, yes and the lyrics are already in. The recording quality isn’t too bad so I was thinking maybe it’s good enough to go.

――Since you have such precious unreleased songs, I do hope that they’ll be released to the world. 

H: Even if I wanted to do that, there’s still a bunch of problems to overcome first though……

――In terms of timing, this October will mark the 40th anniversary of DER ZIBET’s start.

H: Furthermore, next year will be the 40th debut anniversary. I still don’t know whether we’ll be able to release the songs next year but we’re going ahead with that goal in mind. Also, my band Loco-Apes will be releasing our album Republic of Gbrica (ジブリカ共和国 / Jiburika Kyouwakoku) this 26th of September. And on release day, we’ll be playing at Shimokitazawa Que too. There’ll also be a DZ tribute and event going on too.

(Republic of Gbrica)『ジブリ力共和国』 Loco-Apes
(Republic of Gbrica) 『ジブリ力共和国』 Loco-Apes

――That’s right. The tribute album, ISSAY gave life to FLOWERS – a tribute to Der Zibet – is going to be released on ISSAY’s birthday, the 6th of July and on the 4th of August, many of the artists who were involved in the tribute will be gathered at Shibuya duo MUSIC EXCHANGE where a live performance involving HIKARU-san staying on stage for just about the whole event will be held. When you came to learn that such a project was raised, how did HIKARU-san feel about it?

H: In terms of the tribute, it didn’t really click for me in the beginning. To me, I just felt that if people wanted to do it then by all means, just go ahead. But as more and more musicians joined and their numbers grew, I advised the organising committee that “It would be better if we involved a producer who could make sense of it all and put it all together, so we should get Okano (HAJIME) to do this.”

――Speaking of Okano HAJIME-san, he was also involved in DER ZIBET’s production in the past, and he’s also gone on the Pugs US tour with HIKARU-san as a fellow band member too. He’s someone you’ve got close ties to, isn’t he?

H: I couldn’t think of anyone else. In any case, there were a lot of different musicians participating in this tribute so I thought it’d be tough to bring all their sounds together. Even before talk of a tribute came up, Okano-san told me during a call we had that “I’m up for anything” so that also left an impression in my mind, you know? From what I heard, it seems like he quite enjoyed working on the production of the tribute so I’m glad.

――It appears that this tribute album will have two discs and the participating artists are made up of those who are from the same era as DER ZIBET, even seniors and juniors. What kind of impression does such a lineup leave you with?

H: I haven’t yet heard all of their music, not even all of Tsuchiya(Masami)-san’s, but it’s really quite the variety of people taking part and I think whatever they’ve come up with so far all sounds great.

――Members of Valentine D.C., a band who HIKARU-san once had a hand in producing, the band Dantoudai no MELODY which was newly formed by Kneuklid Romance’s Ogasawara Kenichi-san and YUTAKA-san, Akito-san (presently a member of the superlative degree) who was in the band ALL I NEED; all these artists a.k.a. HIKARU’s children are also involved in this tribute album. How do you feel about that?

H: I’m of course happy about it, and although I was worried until I got to hear their music (lol), all of them sounded cool so I’m relieved.

――No matter the artist, they all have some sort of connection to DER ZIBET but in particular, DIE-san (Ra:IN) was more than just a support musician during your HOMO DEMENS album era. He was as good as a quasi member of the band having gone on tour with you all, and during the tribute recording session, he even said, “To me, meeting DER ZIBET was the most significant thing of all [in my life]. You could almost say that my career as a professional musician started from there. In a sense, DER ZIBET is like the hometown where I was born.”

H: That’s probably very true. If I hadn’t dragged him in, DIE-chan might’ve never gotten a mohawk too (lol).

――This eventually led to his great work in hide with Spread Beaver too.

H: He got a mohawk when he was with DZ, and after that he got pulled into ZI:KILL, and after seeing him there, hide pulled him over. I don’t know how grateful he feels about that, though (lol). 

――I think he’s very grateful. He even participated in two songs for this tribute. Moving on, Honda Takeshi-san (PERSONZ) is a guitarist of the same generation as HIKARU-san who’s also taking part. Among the guitar enthusiasts, Honda-san and HIKARU-san appear to attract the same level of attention as guitarists who are skilled at using effects pedals.

H: I like effects pedals too but my sellability is not the same as Takeshi’s, is it? (Lol) But Takeshi and I are friends. We often went drinking together, and have also gone to watch each others’ live shows. And since he’s participating in the tribute, he wrote about DZ on X. Like how he thought maybe Japanese bands weren’t something to scoff at after seeing us. I just feel that he should’ve said so earlier back then (lol).

――This time, Watanabe Mitsugu-san from PERSONZ is also involved in another song, isn’t he?

H: They’ve never actually attended our live shows but they have joined us for just the afterparties before (lol). Speaking of which, Mitsugu called me to say, “I think I’ll do it.” I can’t remember when we exchanged phone numbers, but “Mitsugu” appeared on my phone screen (lol).

――An artist from your generation, Sumida Takeshi-san is also taking part [in this tribute]. Upon hearing of ISSAY-san’s passing last August 10th, he posted something very memorable on X, “When it comes to ISSAY, I would say that he’s a senior in our high school of culture. People say that he’s a pioneer of [the] visual [genre] but he’s in a whole other cultural class of his own. There isn’t the slightest trace of rowdiness in him at all. All of DER ZIBET are like that.” I think so too.

H: Right. I think that we’re a band who had no sort of jock culture or hierarchical relationship. Even between ISSAY and I, whenever we drink the conversation more or less always goes there. Talking about history and all that.

――That’s a pretty sober topic to go with finger food, isn’t it (lol).

H: When it comes to our history, he knows it all down to the details. From history, we’d move to talking about the album and the lyrics anyway. But I’m not that familiar with it. After our reunion, I listened to him talk about all sorts of things whenever we went drinking and when there was something which piqued my interest, I wanted to find some way to keep up [with the conversation] so I read all of Shiba Ryoutarou’s books, gathered my own materials. That was the kind of good influence he had on me.

――Being the band which you’ve been in with ISSAY-san, what is DER ZIBET to HIKARU-san?

H: It is ultimately my life’s work. Especially since after our reunion, this is the only place where I can perform the music I made myself, and that remains true even now. In the almost 17 years since the band came back together, ISSAY and MAHITO expanded on what I created which I found helpful and enjoyed. Looking back after this has all ended, I think we kept at it for a long time, and although I think it was good that we were able to do this for as long as we did, I just feel that there’s still a lot I want to do.

――Please, for the sake of DER ZIBET and your fans, let the unreleased songs see the light of day!

H: Right. Since I mentioned it here, I guess can only follow through with it.

――Lastly. Tell us what you like about ISSAY-san.

H: What do I like about him?　Not much at all (lol). But after the band got back together, I found that he’s grown more amenable and when drinking, we could even talk about the times when we didn’t get along. I think it’s adorable whenever he said things like, “I really want to punch myself from back then” though. (Lol)

 

 

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In search of a place to belong — Interview with ISSAY

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Translation: Yoshiyuki
Images: Yoshiyuki

BUCK-TICK | [Jul 2024] Ongaku to Hito: Annual Interview with Hoshino Hidehiko

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

Interview with Hoshino Hidehiko

Ongaku to Hito
July 2024

text by Kanemitsu Hirofumi
photograph by Sasahara Kiyoaki_L Management

 

Now, is the time for change

Hoshino Hidehiko will celebrate his 58th birthday on 16 June. This once-a-year series has continued these past 23 years since 2001 with the simple reason that “[his] birthday is in June”, but more often than not, the publishing period doesn’t coincide with a release, so it frequently results in him talking about his ordinary, carefree, leisurely daily life. But that’s not all for this year. BUCK-TICK now consists of four members and they’re recording something new while exploring a new style. Furthermore, where Hoshino stands in the band has changed and as he approaches his 60th birthday, he’s looking to change things up.

What he talks about hasn’t changed much; it’s his usual way of daily life but when it comes to the band, there’s a change in his attitude and his resolve comes across. Recording is going well, so the day when we get to hear what the overhauled BUCK-TICK sounds like probably isn’t too far off. From each word he spoke, I sensed anticipation more than anxiousness.

 

 

 

I quite often attend my friends’ concerts
The other day, I went to see my first SUPER BEAVER show

――Once again, it’s June.

Hoshino (H): Sure is. It still continues even after publishing two books, doesn’t it? This series (lol).

――It’ll keep going until the end of Ongaku to Hito (lol). Now, how has this year’s Hoshino-san been?

H: Recording work has begun but right before that, I went to Tomamu (Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU Ski Area) in spring to ski and all. Since it’s been a while since I could spend time with the family.

――I’m glad to hear you enjoying yourself.

H: It was my first time at Tomamu but it was great. I’d like to go again.

――When we did our interviews remotely, I noticed that the number of snowboards behind your home studio increased (lol).

H: Hahahaha. Because my studio is gradually turning into a storeroom. There are three boards in there now (lol).

――Sure is tough being a dad (lol).

H: There aren’t any big changes at home…… Ah, my eldest son who was studying abroad has changed his plans and come back. He’s resumed university too. Things have gotten lively again at home. He said it’s hard living in the UK (lol).

――I see (lol). Hoshino-san has also started going out recently, haven’t you?

H: That’s right. I quite often attend my friends’ concerts. The other day, I went to see my first SUPER BEAVER show.

――Oh, that’s a surprise!

H: I got to know bassist Kenta (Uesugi Kenta) through T$UYO$HI-kun from The BONEZ. And we grew closer meeting at dinner parties and other events.So, he invited me to a show. Other than that, I also went to see The BONEZ, Kishidan, GLAY too. And Maneskin as well. Every now and then I’m going.

――What music are you listening to these days?

H: I mainly listen to playlists on subscription services¹.

――Ah, so you listen to your own playlists you put together with the songs you like?

H: No, no, no, doing that is troublesome so I only listen to things like these (he then shows me his phone screen).

――“Introduction to² Oasis”, “Introduction to² Ed Sheeran”, “Introduction to² Garbage” (lol).

H: I listen to these on and off.

――But do you really have to listen to “Introduction to² BOØWY” in this day and age? (lol)

H: Ahaha. Nostalgic, though, isn’t it? Also, when I wake up on Sundays, it’ll be “Sunday Morning”. If it rains, it’ll be “Rainy Day”. There’s quite a variety.

――And if you like [a song], you’ll save it?

H: Nah, just in the moment (lol). I’d think, “Aah, what a nice song,” but once the next song comes on, I’d go “oh well” and leave it to stream away.

――I was aware, but this is a really un-musician-like story (lol).

H: You already know, don’t you (lol).

――How old are you turning this June again?

H: I’ll turn 58.

――Getting closer to your 60th.

H: Yeah, well, that’s true. Anii (Yagami Toll / drummer) is already past 60 but, next year, there will be one more person who will reach that stage of life too.

――Is there someone you admire in terms of how they live their later years?

H: Like, how they age and grow older?

――That’s right. In recent times…… Maybe Tachi Hiroshi? 

H: Tachi Hiroshi is certainly cool (lol).

――Aged 74. At the red carpet event for the Abudeka is Back (帰ってきた あぶない刑事 / Kaettekita  Abunai Deka) movie, he picked up Asano Atsuko in his arms and carried her bridal-style, didn’t he?

H: That’s amazing (lol). Something like that is impossible [for me]. I’m worried for my back (lol). But I look up to old men who live with an easygoing mannerism more instead of that level of a petit-maître. Like Tokoro-san (Tokoro George), and, who was it…… That easygoing and kinda risque [guy].

――Uhhh…… Girolamo?

H: Not him (lol). Ah, Takada Junji-san. Doesn’t he look like he’s having fun living life? That’s what I want to become.

――I doubt it’s possible to be as carefree as him though, right? (Lol). Anyway, you mentioned that you’re currently in the midst of recording, but how’s that going?

H:There’s one song; it’s not completed yet but there are songs that are more or less done. There are a number of tracks that already have the bass recorded, so we’re just making progress by working on each of them, one by one.

When I’m composing music, I can’t just think about composing a nice melody
I have to start by considering that if I’m going to sing, I’d try not to have to play the guitar so much in concert.

――You’re working on finishing the songs one by one because Yuta-san (Higuchi Yutaka / bassist) requested so, right?

H: That’s right. But in terms of the big picture…… I don’t feel like we’re at a stage when we can see it yet.

――The album’s?

H: Whether it’s the album’s or the direction of the new BUCK-TICK, I suppose. The songs are pretty much done to some extent, but as to how we’re going to give them shape with what kind of balance and so on, I guess there are some areas we’re still figuring out.

――What are you figuring out?

H: As of now, I can’t really go into detail yet (lol). Mm…… Sound-wise it won’t be the same as what we’ve done all this time, so I guess, we’re figuring out how to bring it all together.

――Everyone’s looking forward to it with bated breath.

H: Even I am looking forward to it, you know?

――What are Hoshino-san’s thoughts after listening to that one almost-complete track?

H: In summary, it [feels] new, has a BUCK-TICK-ness to it, and carries the conviction that the band will continue on. Things like that. Of course, I know that we’re going to become a BUCK-TICK unlike before, but probably, I suppose everyone expects as much. I guess it feels more like a diagonal shift.

――Is it tough creating something unlike anything you’ve done before despite carrying the same band name?

H: Nah, I thought it was surprisingly workable. New ideas kept popping up too…… Well, we absolutely had to have them but it was surprisingly less of a struggle than I expected.

――And of course, Hoshino-san is also putting out music, right?

H: A number of them already. But Imai-san (Imai Hisashi / guitarist) did far more than me. He’s really churning them out.

――Is Hoshino-san doing vocal recording?

H: That, I am (sharp gaze).

――Ohh!　So that means it’s Imai and Hoshino, you two who are recording vocals.

H: Mm. Sometimes we do it together too, all that.

――Not Yuta-san, though?

H: He absolutely refused (lol).

――Hahahahahaha. In the past, Anii said that he would do it if asked (lol).

H: While drumming?　We’ll give it a think (lol).

――With the way things are this time, did you feel like you had to change the mindset you’ve had thus far?

H: Right. Well…… When we made the decision to continue as four, the switch had already happened. Probably all four of us at that point had already taken the first step forward. We had no choice but to make it work, so we switched gears. Half a year has passed since then, so we can just take our time to get used to this state of affairs from here on out. That’s what I thought. Since we already decided to continue, we definitely won’t forget [the past], but we have to move forward. That’s how our mindset changed.

――But wouldn’t you have never expected that such a big change would happen to you just before your 60th?

H: Well, yeah.

――Imai-san was happy playing guitar on the side of the stage, and Hoshino-san was happy to take a step back and just compose songs in your distinctive style. The roles that you play in BUCK-TICK have undergone a huge change.

H: Well, we started by first dividing up responsibilities. Even though I’m still composing music, I can’t just think about composing a nice melody the same way I have so far. I have to start by considering that if I’m going to sing, I would want to make it such that I don’t have to play the guitar so much in concert.

――Yes, I see.

H: But this is also life, right? (Lol) The fact that such things can happen too. It’s a test we never saw coming but we don’t know what will happen or how things will turn out, so I think the only thing I can do is to enjoy the change.

――Thus far, Hoshino-san’s songs for BUCK-TICK had their special characteristics, right? Is that going to change a little too?

H: Most likely. Of course, there are parts that I would like to keep, but there are also parts that are rather different.

――Because of that sudden change in mindset.

H: That’s right.

――How’s the rest of the band?

H: Initially, Yuta seemed to take it really hard but now, I think he’s slowly getting back to normal. Everyone’s got a little more things they need to do now though. Like, I’m even going for vocal training.

――OH!

H: Might as well, since I’ll be singing, right? At the same time, I feel like I don’t have to worry too much about it, but I don’t normally raise my voice, you know? And I haven’t been to any karaoke sessions recently either (lol).

――I’m looking forward to it. All that’s left is for Hoshino-san to live everyday relaxed, in all positive meanings of it.

H: Yeah, well, that much is fine. When recording, there are a lot of first-times so that makes me nervous but we’re spending a longer than usual time on it, and things are scheduled with quite a number of intervals so there’s time to think anyway. During those periods, I can take it easy.

――That’s nice.

H: Well, but as long as I’m at home, I’m a pick-up and drop-off service among other miscellaneous jobs, you know (lol).

――Being a dad is busywork (lol). When you turn sixty in two years, let’s release a commemorative book.

H: Like a compilation (lol).

――We’ll go to an island further south than the previous [photo shooting] locations of Taiwan and Okinawa.

H: In that case, for variety’s sake, [let’s go to] Italy or something (lol).

 

 

 

 

Notes:

¹ E.g. Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music etc.

² I thought of using the typical naming convention that is available in Spotify (This is –), but I’m not sure what it looks like in Japanese. The names of the playlists here following the naming convention that implies “Introduction to –” (はじめての — / hajimete no —) so that’s what I decided to use instead. I have no idea what platform he’s using, though. So I can’t be 100% sure that “Introduction to –” is the official naming convention in English, assuming the platform has an English interface, of course. He could very well be using a platform that’s exclusive to Japan.

 

 

 

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AFTERSHOW

2024.05.16 Hoshino Hidehiko BUCK-TICK

The photoshoot location for this year’s Poem of June was Odaiba’s sandy beach. The weather looked good and we planned to do the shoot in the lingering sunset at dusk, but when we looked at the weather forecast one day prior, it predicted stormy weather, and that a heavy storm warning might be issued starting that evening. Furthermore, there was news that typhoon-like winds might blow, so we started the photoshoot three hours before the originally planned time. The wind felt gentle and Hoshino-san laughed as he said, “Will the wind really pick up later on?” But it appears that in the evening, Odaiba really came under the beating of very strong wounds. It’s a real blessing we started early……

 

 

 

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Translation: Yoshiyuki
Scans: Yoshiyuki

BUCK-TICK | [Nov 2023] Ongaku to Hito: Cut through this Endless Darkness — Interview with Imai Hisashi

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

Ongaku to Hito
November 2023

Imai Hisashi
AFTERSHOWS

Cut through this Endless Darkness¹
Interview with Imai Hisashi

text by Kanemitsu Hirofumi
photos by Yamauchi Hiroe, Aoki Hayaka

 

The final performances of BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空 -IZORA- happened over two days, on the 17th and the 18th of September at Gunma Music Center. There’s a lot of significance behind concluding their tour and closing off their 35th anniversary year which started with a 2-day event at Yokohama Arena last year in this hometown venue where the band used to often perform; it’s a preface indicating that this is not an “ending” but a “beginning”.

And three days after the final show was the 21st of September. That’s right, on this very anniversary day marking the band’s debut, I interviewed guitarist Imai Hisashi. Rather than fixate on the concluded tour, he’s already looking ahead, feeling his way to his next vision. This is precisely why the last song of their final show had to be New World. The 異空 -IZORA- that Imai speaks of, the tour, and also a formidable hope towards something new; these are what he shared with us in great detail.

 

I couldn’t wrap my head around what kind of album this is
But I just knew that it was nothing like anything we’ve done before
Then we started touring and I started to get a feel of the response

ーーIt just occurred to me that today is the 21st of September. That’s BUCK-TICK’s debut anniversary day, right!

Imai (I): Ah, huh…… Congrats.

ーーThat’s my line (lol). While there’s still one rescheduled Nagoya show left, for now, the 異空 -IZORA- tour has come to an end. I think the concerts were exquisitely executed and they really showed us the album’s world, but I’d like to hear Imai-san’s perspective on it.

I: I composed a bunch of different things myself and, you know, in the beginning, I couldn’t wrap my head around what kind of album this is at all. But I just knew that it was nothing like anything we’ve done before. Then we started touring and I started to get a feel of the [audience’s] response, and I guess you could say, the more shows we played, the more I got into it?…… Yeah. I just felt really strongly that it’s an album like nothing we’ve done before.

ーーAs you mentioned in [past] interviews, the concert was structured to start with the first track of the album, QUANTUM Ⅰ and end with the last track, QUANTUM Ⅱ. Your first show at Hachioji barely had any MC segments, neither was there member introductions or a drum solo.

I: Ah, right, that’s what the very first one was like? Not doing the drum solo was most likely an idea that came from Sakurai-san (vocalist Sakurai Atsushi), probably. This time, it was Sakurai-san who posed the suggestion that since we’ll basically do away with member introductions, we should start the encore with a drum solo.

ーーI see. But I felt that structure coupled with the content made this concert a thorough approach to bringing the world of the album to life.

I: That, definitely. But it’s also because we gradually got a better grasp of it as time went on. When the first show concluded, I thought, this is unlike anything we’ve done before. I wasn’t sure what it would turn into but as the shows went on, things got more and more interesting. And the [audience’s] reception was good too, right?

ーーIn it, the character “Hizumi-chan” takes over Sakurai-san and starts taking on a life of its own. There’s no arguing that was the highlight of this tour.

I: It didn’t feel like that in the beginning though. But it really is amazing that Sakurai-san gets up on stage and puts on such a performance on his own volition as a vocalist, isn’t it?

ーーThat’s one of the things everyone goes along with as long as it’s what Sakurai-san wants to do, right?

I: Yeah. I don’t [say] I want him to do something in particular or anything like that. I never have.

ーーI think the timing of this tour happens right when the COVID-19 pandemic has settled and the audience can cheer, when concerts are going back to normal. How has the response been?

I: As expected, I got the feeling that people haven’t quite gotten used to it or something in the beginning, but they were reserved, you know? I guess everyone was watching us with the vibe that they weren’t too sure what they should do. Things haven’t completely gone back to the way they were originally but we’re slowly getting there.

ーーAnd the final shows of this tour were held in BUCK-TICK’s home town, at Gunma Music Centre.

I: Those two days were really fun. At the very end, it finally sank in that this is how everything ended up. It was an album that was nothing like what we had done, but I didn’t foresee that this is what it would become either. As I said earlier, I couldn’t grasp what it would become, up until the very end.

ーーI wonder why.

I: Not because it was influenced by something else but while composing the songs, first, my PC broke.

ーーAh, right (lol).

I: So my music composing environment at home changed, you see? I wasn’t familiar with the new system and I couldn’t use the workspace I set up for my work PC, so I ended up having to compose in a really really inconvenient space (lol).

ーーNot at the basement work den where your PC was set up?

I: Not there, but at a low table near the sofa at the back (lol). I set the system up there but since it’s on a low table, it was a bit of a stoop while working so I had to hunch while programming (lol).

ーーHahahahahahaha.

I: It was sooo uncomfortable (lol). Then, we initially wanted to release two CDs so our original goal was something else entirely too. That’s why I say that 異空 -IZORA- is [an album] that didn’t have anything; not a plan nor a theme nor even a concept. And we just went along with the idea that we’ll keep recording whatever we made. Then halfway through came the decision to make it one CD so even I couldn’t really make sense of what kind of work this would be after we put all the songs we recorded together.

ーーSo starting with QUANTUM Ⅰ and ending with QUANTUM Ⅱ was how you gave it some coherence.

I: Yeah. And while we were performing, I guess I found myself understanding better what [the album] was supposed to be.

ーーThat’s really how it went, right? Also, going a little off topic, since you dropped the idea of releasing two CDs, what happened to the unreleased songs and the half-recorded songs that didn’t make the cut?

I: With those, we’d probably have another look at them or redo them, I think.

ーーA relook!

I: If they were already recorded in full, I might think they’re OK as they are, but there are only a few tracks that has Yuta’s (Higuchi Yutaka) bass and Hide’s (Hoshino Hidehiko) guitar recorded, and don’t have my guitar or Sakurai-san’s voice recorded yet. So I’m thinking I could incorporate the ideas that I’m getting now and the things I want to try in these songs.

At first, we planned to end the same way we did with the tour shows
But I thought, we always play New World at the end of these milestone shows

ーーI see. So, was it always part of the plan to celebrate the final at Gunma Music Centre?

I: You could say we wanted some sort of closure after all. And if we were to do that, then our hometown’s the place, I suppose. There were a number of different venues in the running, but Gunma Music Centre is one where we will almost always play whenever we go on tour anyway. Since it’s getting older and people are saying that soon it wouldn’t be able to host concerts anymore, we decided that it was probably a good idea to do this here and now. Besides, it’s also our anniversary.

ーーI see.

I: Back in my high school days, I went there to watch something for a school event. So that’s exactly how long it’s been around. The changing rooms are small, and it gets really really cold in winter (lol). But it’s nice to perform there after once in a while.

ーーYou’ve also switched out quite a few songs from the tour’s regular setlist.

I: I think we put in more songs that weren’t from this album.

ーーAmong them was New World which came at the very end of the encore. I think that made a huge impact.

I: It wasn’t in the original setlist, was it? Everyone brought up the songs they wanted to perform, we picked a few to change things up, and we planned to end the show with Na mo Naki Watashi, same as the tour. But we always play New World at the end of these milestone shows though…… that’s what I felt. So I requested this song and ICONOCLASM, and said, why don’t we play New World at the end.

ーーHaving New World at the end not only wraps up 異空 -IZORA-, but it also creates the sense that the band is start up again from that point on, doesn’t it?

I: I just thought that it’d be so good. When you think about it, even the venue is a place in our hometown that we’ve always played at since ages ago too. It’s great, isn’t it?

ーーThe way it brings out memories of how the five of you felt 35 years ago?

I: Yeah…… Maybe that’s the feeling.

ーーSo the tour has ended, it’s been announced that there’s a documentary movie in production and that the annual Nippon Budokan show will be happening, but do you, Imai-san, have a vision of what you’re going to do next already?

I: I’m really getting heaps of the “I want to create something” feeling.

ーーActually, I want to hear about the contents of the “heaps” (lol).

I: I don’t know exactly what they are but I’m thinking it’d be great if we could do something new again that feels different. Like, I think I can create something like that again.

ーーWith BUCK-TICK?

I: Yeah.

ーーI always say this but that’s the amazing thing [about you guys]. If you wanted to do something that feels different, you’d more likely work with different musicians instead of the same band members, which I think would make it easier to get a hold of that change though.

I: Nah, if we can do it, I want to give it a try with this and that. Right when we just started going on tour, Raymond (Raymond Watts / PIG) came to Japan and together with Sakurai-san, we met up, went for food and drinks, and got buzzed with talk about doing SCHWEIN again. At the time we didn’t really have the time and energy to think about doing that properly yet so we stopped the conversion there and told him to wait a bit until we wrapped up the tour.

ーーWhat did Raymond say?

I: He said, “Let’s do a SCHWEIN US tour.” (Lol)

ーーBefore the album was released, SCHAFT also came up in conversation when we were having drinks after the dialogue interview with Takeshi-kun (Ueda Takeshi / AA＝).

I: Right. So, you see, I’ve always harboured the desire to continue activities with SCHAFT and SCHWEIN and Lucy. But it’s all about timing with all of them. At the same time, I want to do whatever I can do while I can. But I hate being so busy that I’m pressed for time, and more than that, the band I want to work on the most is BUCK-TICK, you see.

ーーI really wonder why you feel so strongly about BUCK-TICK’s activities.

I: Hurhur. I forgot (lol).

ーーBut obviously things aren’t the same as they were 35 years ago. Oddly enough, even though everyone’s grown older and even started their own families, everyone’s still dedicated to the one same goal. And that’s really difficult to have, I think.

I: But our roots have never changed. I don’t think it’s something that can be changed all that easily.

ーーWhen I reflect on myself, I feel like a lot has changed. I realise that I can’t dedicate a hundred percent of myself to magazine work because other than that, I still have to deal with my family and children, the company, and management of it too.

I: Isn’t that an occupational difference? It’s probably not the same.

ーーSo what’s different for a band?

I: We’re more selfish² (lol). We do of course take into consideration things like we can and cannot do, our families. We do that, but we have freedom, you know? There’s no rigidity. Because what a band needs are things like artistic qualities and creativity. Things like these, you can’t really use force to squeeze something out or we’d end up getting constrained and stifled, you know?

ーーI see.

I: All’s good as long as we can enjoy ourselves. Probably because there are many different ways to have fun. Because it’s not about how long we spend, but the quality [of what we do].

ーーThat’s true.

I: That’s why I want to have fun as a band. While we can and are doing it. Because I don’t want to find myself one day going, “Ahー I should’ve done that,” and regret.

ーーDo you feel distant within the band? Did that change?

I: Of course it changed. Because it’s no longer just the band [in our lives]. But when it comes to the band, what hasn’t changed is our dedication to creating.

ーーAny interest in doing concerts that recreate albums, or re-recording stuff?

I: Hm…… Like?

ーーLike a concert where the main segment is made up of only songs from Six／Nine or something like that. That kind of an approach.

I: Why would we do that?

ーーThere are a lot of bands who have been at it for a long time and aren’t there people saying that they want to hear the vibe of this album [from the past] or hear you do songs that you rarely play? Or even doing this just to generate some buzz. Things like that?

I: Huーm……… Boring.

ーーHahahahahahaha.

I: Although it might be interesting if we went with the approach of going all out to change the arrangement [of our songs] like what we did with Koroshi no Shirabe (This is NOT Greatest Hits) (note: their self-cover album released in 1992). But I did try to envision such a concert before. For example, what would it be like if we did a concert in the world of 13-Kai wa Gekkou and did it like that throughout? I gave it some thought but…… I think I’d really hate it.

ーーHahahahahahaha!

I: Like, it’d make me gloomy, I think. Because that would definitely make me want to do something new.

ーーAfter being in the same band for so long, others tend to do those reprisal concerts or do re-recordings to find some change in perspective or a breath of fresh air, but that’s not how it works [for you], right?

I: I think our old songs are things that belong to those days so that’s  enough. Even if one day I find myself thinking we should try recreating things, it wouldn’t be a direct reproduction and in the end, I feel like it’d just end up becoming all tied up in gothic nuances.

ーーSo instead of doing that, you’d rather go with the approach of doing whatever catches your fancy.

I: New things are always more fun.

ーーThat’s why you want to create something new.

I: That’s right. Which is why after this, we still have the live house tour and all but I want to start on the next thing already. And when I think about that, the ones that can bring it to life are BUCK-TICK after all.

ーーI would think so.

I: We’ll soon start creating next year so.

ーーHave you spoken to the band?

I: Not yet (lol). But we’ll definitely create.

 

 

Notes:

¹ Lyrics from New World: 無限の闇　切り裂いてゆけ (Mugen no yami　kiri saite yuke)

² More than just “selfish”, 勝手 (katte) also carries the nuance of “doing whatever one pleases” and a certain degree of “freedom”.

 

 

 

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AFTERSHOWS

2023.09.21
Imai Hisashi BUCK-TICK

Since you’ve wrapped up your tour, let’s do an interview — that was the suggestion. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, the concept of conducting an interview over drinks when it comes to BUCK-TICK has recently been lost. But just when we thought that this tradition had come to an end, Imai raised the request, “…… Let’s go drink!”. We even went to the ramen place that we often frequented in the middle of the night back then, and before we knew it, seven hours had gone by. That’s right. This is how interviews with Imai go…… But without [Imai] even turning into a Jizo statue* halfway, the party ended before the last train. To Kanemitsu, this might just be a [sign of] significant improvement [on Imai’s part], or perhaps, something entirely revolutionary? Could this mean that next time, [Imai would hold up] until the last train before leaving too!?

 

 

Notes:

* Oftentimes, Imai would space out and fall asleep pretty early on during drinking parties. When he spaces out, people say he’s a Jizo statue.

 

 

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Translation: Yoshiyuki
Scans: Yoshiyuki

ISSAY | [Jan 2006] ROCK AND READ: In Search of a Place to Belong — Interview with ISSAY

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

In search of a place to belong
Interview with ISSAY

ROCK AND READ
January 2006

Interview/Text: Yamamoto Hiroko
Photos: Ogiso Takeo

 

I thought that I never had a place to belong, but as I went through life, what I learnt is that a place of belonging isn’t something you search for, but something you can make for yourself.

This year marks the 20th debut anniversary for the high-energy ISSAY who calls his present musical activities with various bands and units “an abnormal circumstance”. Self-described as a “musicians’ musician”, we take a dive into his life where he originally had an inhibition over his eye-catching appearance.

 

ISSAY

Profile
Vocalist of the band DER ZIBET which went on a hiatus in 1996. Upcoming shows as the  presently-active band LYNX are happening on Saturday, the 31st of December at Yokohama 7th Avenue, and on the 14th and 15th of January at Omotesando FAB. He will also perform with his other unit, ISSAY meets DOLLY on Saturday, the 17th of December at Minami Aoyama MANDARA, as well as for HAMLET MACHINE on Tuesday, the 27th of December at Hatsudai DOORS.
www.issay-works.com

 

 

――You were born in Shizuoka Prefecture’s Numazu City?

ISSAY (I): That’s right.

――And you grew up in that warm climate?

I: Yes. Warm climate and warm people all around (lol).

――So were you a sprightly elementary schooler who would go swimming in the sea every summer?

I: Well, I can’t really say though. It was as if my introverted and extroverted selves took turns coming out. “Noisy” would be written in a column of my report card for the first semester, then in the second semester, it would say that I was too quiet so my teachers would be worried, you know?

――Was it because you were affected by being described as noisy?

I: Nah, it wasn’t anything like that. I don’t think it was a reaction.

――Or you made such a racket that you burnt out.

I: (Lol) I don’t know, but I think my mood swings were violent. Since, well, I was so full of worries, you know?

――What had you worried as a child?

I: My parents divorced before I started elementary school and I went with my mother but in my 4th year, I was brought back to my father…… So, that pretty much meant I’ve been witness to my parents’ discord since I was in preschool, see?

――So your emotional ups and downs likely had something to do with that. Then, how did you have fun in such a situation?

I: By playing with imaginary monsters, I guess. I was always playing by making all sorts of things up. Also, I dug holes in the garden.

――Holes?

I: You see, I wanted to create an underground kingdom.

――So, holes that you could go into?

I: So, you see, I dug with my spade with everything I could muster but I didn’t have the strength so once I dug up to my knees, I wouldn’t be able to get any further.

――Because the ground would get harder, right?

I: Right. So I would think the soil was bad here and decide to dig somewhere else which meant that I was digging holes all over in there (lol).

――In a garden that’s covered in holes.

I: I wanted to build a secret underground base like a prairie dog’s (lol). My mother got angry but she seemed to find that the holes were just right for throwing rubbish in (lol). When I start to dig another hole, she’d tell me it’s still too soon (lol). I did get the help of my younger brother who was under a year-old with the digging holes, but if we couldn’t do that, we’d do things like play in the wardrobe with a flashlight.

――You’re quite the introvert, aren’t you?

I: Seems like it, doesn’t it?

――I think so. What about friends?

I: I had a few in class, but I moved houses a lot so while I did live near school for the first two years or so, once I lived further away, my friends wouldn’t come over and play. When I started living with my father, it was a place so faraway that I couldn’t get to school except by car, so I was really alone. But there was a lot of nature around so finding somewhere to play wasn’t a problem. Although, as you’d expect, I didn’t go around digging holes in land that belonged to someone else (lol).

――But it’s tough for children who are separated from their mothers because they’re powerless so they can’t do anything about it.

I: That’s true. When I lived with my father, I had a new mother, but I’d be badly beaten if I was gloomy or wouldn’t stop crying so I decided to tread cautiously just in case. You see, my old man was a million times more of a rocker than I am.

――How severe was it?

I: There’s nothing I could say. If I didn’t do what I was told, violence would erupt.

――To do things like, study hard for your future?

I: So, my family runs a construction company. And since I’m the eldest son, everyone around me naturally assumed that I was probably going to take over and even I unquestioningly could only believe that I would take over too.

――By the way, what about coming into contact with music?

I: None. The closest contact was via music programs on TV, and besides, I loved reading books. All kinds, including the popular Edogawa Ranpo series. Everyday I would go to the school’s library room and borrow one book at a time while on Saturdays, I’d borrow a thick book which I can read over two days. At least my parents wouldn’t get angry at me for reading books.

――I think there’s a part of you that unconsciously suppresses your emotions, but was there something which shaped the person who you are today?

I: It’s always been like that ever since I was in elementary school, but my father was, to some extent, a person with both money and status so my homeroom teachers would all be on good terms with him. So when I told my teacher something that I told them not to tell my parents about, they would expose me to my father and I would end up getting beaten like hell so I would never ever trust them. All the adults around me were also relying on my father’s patronage so I believed that they were only being nice to me to let my father see it.

――That’s the way you thought even as a child?

I: That’s how I thought. That adults had no qualms with lying to protect themselves. So, anyway, when I entered middle school, I joined the Kendo club since my father was someone who was both accomplished in academics and sports. And since it was stifling being at home, I would go to school ahead of everyone. So I’d wake up at five thirty or six in the morning and arrive just as the school gates were about to open, then try to stay back for club activities until as late as possible.

I was in a fight when they were trying to insult me by calling me “Faggot!” The awareness that my face wasn’t particularly manly became such a complex that I decided, “I’ll just wear makeup if that’s the way it is”.

――Were you not saved by music?

I: In terms of music, I did listen to whatever was being played on the radio, but I didn’t like rock.

――Why?

I: It was noisy (lol). Hard rock is what was being played back then. I didn’t like the high-pitched voices and the loquacious guitars so the only thing I could listen to were the guitar solos by Queen’s Brian May. Other than that, I listened to movie music.

――Music without singing. Does that mean the thought of singing never once crossed your mind?

I: That’s right. So, for high school, I attended a boarding school. I happened to see their pamphlet and thought my father wouldn’t have anything to complain about since it was a prep school…… They were super strict there but it was better than being at home. School classes went on until the 7th period and there were no club activities at all. Once [classes] ended, dinner came right after and then we were to study until eleven at night. There were guards who would patrol around to see whether we were doing anything we weren’t supposed to.

――Sounds like prison.

I: Well, I’d just read my books while pretending to study anyway.

――What if you read manga or played games?

I: If we were found to have those in our possession, you’d either get asked to leave the dormitory or get expelled. There were snitches among us too so we couldn’t trust anyone around us either.

――All this just makes you grow more and more distrustful, doesn’t it?　Weren’t you a high schooler when you started wearing makeup?

I: It was when I was in that high school. I was in a fight when they were trying to insult me by calling me “Faggot!” Up until then I wasn’t even aware that (my face) wasn’t particularly manly and it became such a complex for me that I snapped and decided, “I’ll just wear makeup if that’s the way it is”.

――I think other [boys] would normally head in the opposite direction and decide, “Then I’ll train my body!” or something.

I: Instead, the part of me that wanted to make them look like idiots came out. So once I did that, no one said anything like that to me again.

――You were in full makeup in the boarding school.

I: There weren’t any men who wore makeup back then so they thought I was mentally ill, you know? When I was in the push-up position for physical education class, the teacher questioned me, “What with your hands?!” And when I replied, “Manicure,” he didn’t say anything else (lol). Also, during that period of time, we’d sneak out of the dormitory every Saturday and go drink at a bar where gay people gather so I was aware of the culture behind [painting my nails and wearing makeup]. On the other hand, the simple fact that these people exist made me feel better and I thought they were cool for living their lives openly so I didn’t have any sort of reservations about wearing makeup.

――So having been called a faggot, wearing makeup was an attack in kind saying, “What’s wrong with looking like one?”

I: That’s right. No one said anything back so I took that as a win for me. Also, my friends brought me to this place they called a rock cafe and that was where I first listened to David Bowie’s STATION TO STATION album. It was the first time I heard rock music that wasn’t noisy and that made me realise, “Oh, so this is viable [as rock] too.”

――Did you know what David Bowie looked like?

I: I didn’t. But later on I saw a photo of him and thought, “This guy’s face sure looks a lot like the devil’s.” (Lol)

――So you only started growing an interest in rock when you became a high schooler.

I: Yeah. But when I was a second year student, an incident occurred and I had to withdraw from that high school. Well, it was found that we were doing something and scores of us were implicated but a junior who I got along well with was called out by the teachers and got caught. When that happened, he said, “The others made me do all that.”

――Were you caught for something like drinking together?

I: Something along those lines. And although about half of all the students in the dormitory were involved in this one way or another, all of it was pinned on me. I suppose from the school’s perspective, there was no way they could expel all these students so they probably needed to make someone the scapegoat, right? I myself was also questioned by the teachers in their bid to find out who else was involved, but I didn’t want to be someone who sells out my friends.

――It’s disappointing, isn’t it? Rather, a let down. And even though you’ve experienced so many occasions that left you distrustful of other people?

I: Although, my father is the only person I told the whole truth to. That man isn’t rigid through and through; he’s someone who holds chivalry in high regard so he understood why I felt the way I did. Except, he’d keep saying to me, “You think you protected your friends but it was your friends who betrayed you.” So after I quit that high school, he told me to go work while looking out for a school I wanted to attend and so I lived in Tokyo for a while delivering newspapers.

――Kind of like telling you to go learn some self-discipline.

I: Yeah. Since I’m good at waking up early to begin with (lol), I’d get up at four in the morning, deliver newspapers, come home and then drink gin while listening to music. Like JAPAN and Gary Numan and King Crimson and so on. And I also wrote.

――As a diary?

I: Well, I wrote down whatever came to mind. Instead of writing about daily happenings like a diary, it’s more of [asking myself] things like “Why do I have to do this”, or what I felt while listening to music, or what part of a song’s lyrics stuck with me, things like that.

――It was a tough period but at the same time, important, wasn’t it?

I: Yeah. It was really huge. So I worked for about two to three months, but during that time, I became friends with people from political groups, you know? Although, once again, my parents found out about it and they made me go home with them.

――But listening to what you’ve said thus far, you hated adults and when you couldn’t trust your peers in your age group, you went deeper into your shell and yet, you made friends with gay people and political participants. It’s as if you’ve got such a strong curiosity that you didn’t despair, at all?

I: Who knows?　In any case, I wasn’t forgiven for getting expelled from high school anyway. Well, at this point in life I think I had no choice but to try and protect myself but that wasn’t how I thought at the time. So I was made to go back with them again, and this time it was a period of confinement.

――Like a period of house arrest where you weren’t allowed to go out?

I: Well sometimes I have to go help out with my father’s work, but everytime he saw my face, he’d say, “Useless. You’re useless.” so I didn’t want to step out of my room at all, you know? But I would also feel suffocated staying in my room so I’d just say, “I’m going for a walk,” and ride my bicycle to the beach.

――…… From there to a beach in Numazu.

I: So while in my room, it’s the same as usual; I was writing whatever, listening to music, reading books.

――Turning whatever was trapped in your heart into words and regurgitating them on paper.

I: Yeah, that’s right. Besides, I hadn’t yet thought of doing music at the time.

――You were a hollow vessel, weren’t you?

I: I didn’t know what I should do. I didn’t really want to go to school, neither did I want to go to work. I was in a total moratorium. And just right then, my younger brother who was living elsewhere because of my parents’ divorce also dropped out of high school, and once that happened, everyone started to say that it was because of his elder brother’s influence so it became difficult to stay for long no matter which family home I went to. I think that’s why there’s little sense of familial kinship to me.

When I started going on stage, I was called “good looking” for the first time.  That got me thinking, “This is where I’m meant to be. As long as I’m standing on stage, I’m not weird.”

――You never had a place where you belonged.

I: None at all. Knowing where I belonged was something that came much much later though. So, this situation continued for about three months or so until I couldn’t stand being alone in my room any longer and went back to high school. I had to do a year over again, but [I was allowed to go back] on the condition that “If [you] caused any problems this time, it’s the end.”

――So you enrolled in a local public high school?

I: Yeah. As usual, I’d go early in the morning, riding my bicycle as I hummed songs. Like David Bowie, Gary Numan, so on. But even though I was going to a new high school, I was a bundle of distrust, you know? Since I was a transfer student, [other students] would tell me, “If there’s anything you’re not sure about, you can ask us anytime.” But on the inside, I was being all, “Shut up, you idiot.”

――Everything looked like hypocrisy.

I: Yeah. I thought, “When push comes to shove, you’d all betray anyone,” you know? Also, I continued to write so I started getting the vague notion that I wanted to become an “author” but I didn’t know whether I had the talent for it. But my modern Japanese language teacher at the time, who was also my homeroom teacher, saw the things I wrote and said, “I rarely see anyone who’s both opinionated and writes this much so do keep writing more.” They also showed me the novel they were writing.

――That was the first time you met an adult who said such things to you, wasn’t it?

I: You’re right. The guys in school were good guys too, and I’m still friends with them to this day.

――You had a distorted experience in human relationships but here were people who received you with open arms.

I: Yeah. It’s the good-naturedness that we call “being Shizuokan!” (Lol) No matter how much I doubted them or how much suspicion I had in me, they were all people who stuck around proper. If anything, they found me interesting, saying things like, “This guy’s something else.” For example, if something happened that I couldn’t take lying down, I would butt heads with the teacher or would typically get sent to the staff room and start a big fight in there, but even that they found amusing.

――Despite being brought up in an environment that promotes social withdrawal, you’re direct, aren’t you?

I: Because I don’t like what I don’t like. And maybe I did some reflection at some point. Since I couldn’t express that I didn’t like something when I was little. Anyway, it was at that time when my teacher suggested, “How about you try writing poetry?” But I said, “I’ve never written anything ike poetry before.” To which he said, “Because your writing is similar to poetry. If you just cut some words out, it’ll turn into poetry.” Even though I understood what he meant, I didn’t have the confidence for it, except, that was when I started using ISSAY as my name.

――As a pen name?

I: Because, you see, I always sign off my writings and poetry with ISSAY. Anyway, that was when I came across T. Rex. And at the same time, I gave Sex Pistols another listen and that’s when I thought, “If we’re talking about something like this, I might just be able to do it too.”

――As in, you could probably sing like this?

I: I could probably make songs like these. That I might be able to write poetry. Thinking about it now, that’s one astounding idea, isn’t it (lol).

――(Lol) It certainly is. Also because you weren’t even doing anything band-related.

I: (Lol) Because I wasn’t. As to why rock music, it’s because I thought such simple rock music was within my abilities, and also because it’s a genre that lets these people turn themselves into their own form of expression. When I realised that “I can dress however I like, wear makeup, and say whatever I like!”, it was instant enlightenment for me, you know?

――Like you’re finally liberated from your gloomy everyday life?

I: And the next thing was figuring out what to do, you know? So, there was this senior who was graduating ahead of me who played the guitar, so I told him, “I’ll definitely go to a university in Tokyo next year.” This senior’s friend also played the guitar but I told him, “Go practice playing bass for me. I’ll find a drummer in university.” And that marked the end of my  second year in high school.

――All of a sudden you’re displaying initiative that looks like it comes from someone else.

I: Because, you see, I had to improve my academic abilities to a level that would get me accepted into a university, something I had never needed to do before. I figured that the only way I could leave home legally was to attend a Tokyo university. Furthermore, it would mean that I could eat for free for four years (lol). I thought I’d see what I could do there.

――Without telling your parents that you’d be doing music?

I: There’s no way I could tell them. So when I got to Tokyo, those were the days when YMO and all that new wave were all the rage. Like Bauhaus and bands like them were popular. It was a battle of ideas and as long as you had good taste, it would work out. And also, [much of it depended on] what the people who saw you thought of you. Anyway, since I’m abnormal¹, I knew that I would draw people’s attention no matter what so I found a drummer and started a band. That was ISSAY&THE SUICIDES.

――What kind of band was it?

I: Glam punk. Initially I said, “Why don’t we cover T. Rex. songs,” and then we went into a studio but then a melody came to mind while I was humming, and so we played an original song in our very first rehearsal. That got me convinced that I was a genius (lol).

――Do you remember what that song was?

I: Um, it was… MAD POET. It means “a crazy² poet”. After that, we went on to perform in a live house and that was the very first time someone said I was “good looking³”. Because I always thought I was a weird person.

――And those were the days before visual-kei was even a word, right?

I: It wasn’t, and while there were people getting up on stage wearing makeup, in my case, I wasn’t just wearing makeup because of music; I was wearing makeup because it’s my lifestyle. So having someone say that I’m “good looking” for the first time, that really got me thinking, “As I thought, this is where I’m meant to be. At the very least, as long as I’m standing on stage, I’m not weird.”

――So you grasped the chance to enter this universe once you performed in a livehouse?

I: Nah, that SUICIDES disbanded and I started my own solo project. That was when Morioka Ken (Soft Ballet) joined me as a member of my band, and bassist HAL, who later on formed DER ZIBET with me. So, during those days, I started getting covered in music magazines and featured in bishonen magazines, and that was how people in certain circles grew to know of my name.

We debuted when I was in my fourth year of university so thank goodness for that. Because if we didn’t, I think I’d just die.

――The bishonen magazines (e.g. JUNE), you were featured as a model, right?

I: Yeah. As a model, even though I’m a rock musician. At the time, I thought I needed to do something, whatever it was so I decided to do anything and everything for the sake of it. During that period of time, I happened to get to know my first manager. And later, I got acquainted with my pantomime mentor who asked, “Come join our next show?” I said, “I can’t do pantomime though.” but he said, “I’ll only have you do what’s within your abilities.” So I said, “Sure, I’ll do it.” Besides, I also had the idea that it would be interesting to incorporate pantomime into my performances. And so from then on, I started wearing two hats, being a musician and also doing pantomime.

――So, after the solo project came the formation of DER ZIBET?

I: That’s right. I was getting tired of playing in a band where the member line-up kept changing more and more often, so I asked my staff at the time to help me look for band members. And that person was present in a meeting for Macoto Tezka’s first movie, The Legend of the Stardust Brothers; you know, the one that Chikada Haruo-san composed music for. The two of them were looking for a substitute for an actor who suddenly couldn’t take the job, but anyway, what I heard was that my staff happened to drop my photo before their eyes. And that made them ask, “Who’s this guy?”

――You were a perfect fit for the portrayal of this character.

I: Yeah. My staff told them that they had my profile on hand for the purpose of recruiting band members but they decided that, “Let’s meet him anyway.” So I met them and they said it’s a rock musical so I said okay to it.

――Which means before DER ZIBET, came the movie, The Legend of the Stardust Brothers (1984).

I: So when filming just about wrapped up, we settled on the members of DER ZIBET and when Chikada-san came to watch us play live, he really liked us so he introduced us to the president of the record company he was going to start. And the next year, we made our debut with them as their very first artist.

――After the band was formed, everything quickly fell into place, didn’t it?

I: We debuted when I was in my fourth year of university so thank goodness for that. Because if we didn’t, I think I’d just die.

――……

I: Because, you see, I thought there was no point in living otherwise. And also because on the inside, I decided that if nothing was decided within this period of time then… you know?

I absolutely hated singing in front of people (lol). I wanted to do something that turns a person’s existence into a performance.

――So what plans did you envision for DER ZIBET?

I: [I wanted us to be] a covetous band who is absorbed and incorporated music that isn’t rock too. These words hadn’t come to my mind yet at the time, but [we were to play] “rock music that is an extension of cabaret music”. With classical bits, vulgar parts, and pantomime incorporated, I wanted to do something completely new. Like I said earlier, it’s because those were the days of competing with ideas. In terms of whether I was good at singing or not, that was probably not mentioned anywhere (lol).

――(Lol) Besides, [your case is] unlike that of those who became vocalists because they liked singing, right?

I: Yeah. Especially because I absolutely hated singing in front of people (lol). And also because I wanted to do something that turns a person’s existence into a performance.

――Just by standing on stage?

I: No, what I wanted to do was to the extent that even just regular walking is a performance.

――You mentioned this earlier, but this was in the mid-80s when visual-kei had yet to be coined as a word.

I: In those days, I changed the colour of my hair almost every week; one time it would be purple and the next thing you know, it’s green, then gold (lol). Even when I was young, I’ve always been told, “You’re probably doing this because you think it’s cool, but anyone who looks at you would just think you’re strange.”

――After debut, your performances have been described as European decadence, theatrical, along these lines.　I heard that you even had a street lamp mounted on stage, and used masks too.

I: We came on stage carrying hand lamps, right?

――At the same time, you had 16-beat songs, incorporated tango and jazz into your music; I remember thinking I’ve never seen such a band before.

I: And adding to that, we are wearing tuxedos, right? (Lol)

――Later on, people started saying that you’re one of the forefathers of visual-kei.

I: But back then, there were already bands like Auto-Mod and Madame Edwarda in the underground scene. Although it was still sometime before they became more mainstream.

――But the fact is, BUCK-TICK’s Sakurai-san went to watch your show when you debut, and in your first solo album which was released in 1994, Sakurai-san and hide-san and LUNA SEA’s SUGIZO-san, and even Kiyoharu-san who was in Kuroyume at the time were all guest artists too. While DER ZIBET was at first deemed to be uniquely distinctive, don’t you think that as your activities continued, you grew to become a band which musicians look up to?

I: Mm, but I think it’s just that we happened to debut early and that this culture would’ve come about sooner or later anyway. Although, to this day, I must say that I am grateful to Chikada-san and his record company friend who took an interest in us back then. Because even though we didn’t really make many hits, they really took good care of us.

――I think that’s because you had so much originality. We’re switching topics a lot, but it was also a surprise when you released two mini albums titled Shishunki (思春期) in 1991. Because back then, no one would’ve ever thought the Japanese word for “adolescence” (思春期) could appear in rock music.

I: Well, there sure were a mix of opinions, weren’t there? The whole band was made up of people who wouldn’t be satisfied unless we kept doing something new, but while there’s no doubt that we had good taste, when you listen to it now, it’s definitely pop music. A while ago (October 2005), I played a show in Numazu for my 20th debut anniversary where I performed only self-covers of DER ZIBET songs, and [that’s when I realised that] despite how everyone kept going on about how niche and outlandish we were, it’s so curious how it’s just pop music now.

――Yes, yes. So, DER ZIBET announced an indefinite hiatus in 1996. But apart from your solo album release while DER ZIBET was active, you also formed the electronic-rock unit Hamlet Machine.

I: That was a period (1991) of time when DER ZIBET barely did any shows. So I’d say that Hamlet Machine was a new unit that was formed as a result of the explosion of my desire to fulfil my needs. I’m a stage performer so I can’t live without live performances.

――Which is why other than the one solo album, you stuck with performing in bands after going on hiatus.

I: Perhaps. After we announced the hiatus, I did form the band Φ -PHI-.

――With ex. 44MAGNUM band member Hirose Satoshi-san on guitar.

I: A band with two frontmen. But we broke up in three years anyway.

――So now, you’re involved in activities for three bands at the same time; Hamlet Machine which has been around for quite a while now, LYNX and ISSAY meets DOLLY.

I: Yes. It’s an extraordinary state of affairs (lol). With DOLLY, [it came about] because I wanted to play in this type of band no matter what, you know?

――Meaning?

I: Cabaret music through and through. I wanted to be infused in that kind of a world that lives outside of the field of rock music.

――Would you say that the original idea you had in mind was something along the lines of the movie Cabaret (starring Liza Minnelli)?

I: That, and the musical version of Cabaret too. And there’s also some influences that come from glam rock musicians too.

――I see. With a keyboard and violins included in the arrangements, the performances are a combination of acoustic and band music, right?

I: Yeah. There are classical elements included as well, but it’s also got the raunchiness of glam rock which makes it sort of decadent. I guess you could call it neo-classical romanticism. I’m doing this with the feeling that I might be the only person who can bring out the beautiful and the grotesque, the gaudy and the raunchy in such a manner.

――I’m getting the impression that DOLLY and LYNX seem to exist on different vectors.

I: LYNX, we started out playing sessions together and this year, we officially formed the band. They invited me for events a number of times and I was thinking it felt engaging when bassist heath (ex. X JAPAN) suggested, “Let’s form a band.” And I said, “You be the leader then.” (Lol) I’ve never been in a masculine band like LYNX so it’s pretty interesting, you know?

――It’s rock with a manly vibe. Can you share a little bit about the members?

I: On bass is heath, while on guitar is SAY→ICHIRO who was from HUSH and is now in w.a.r.p., and on drums is test-NO.’s Matarow. Sometime last year I thought I should do this while I could, you know? That I wouldn’t reject it if it ever came up (lol). LYNX is still a rough stine but I’m pretty interested to see how each of our characteristics would come together from here on out. Just a while ago, we performed in Numazu as a cover band.

――Yes, yes. The Numazu show where LYNX performed DER ZIBET songs and an original member of DER ZIBET, HIKARU participated as a special guest, right?

I: Yeah. Drummer Matarow was the one who came up with the idea and SAY→ICHIRO was the one who suggested performing in Numazu (lol). I didn’t think that HIKARU would really show up, but it so happened that I met him for the first time in a while at a mutual acquaintance’s party. And when I asked him, “Should we play [those songs]?”, he said, “Just do it,”  so then I said, “I wonder if you’d wanna perform too,” and he replied with, “Ah, well, DZ songs are hard, aren’t they.” (Lol)

――Even though the ones who arranged those songs were you, yourselves.

I: But once I mentioned that we’re playing in Numazu, he said, “If that’s the case then maybe I’ll do it.” (Lol) With that 20th anniversary show, I was happy that [the other members of] LYNX wanted to celebrate the occasion for me and we didn’t want to make too big a deal out of it which is why it was held in Numazu. Besides, those who really wanted to come would come for it anyway.

――In any case, you still look the same as you did back then. Including your figure. What’s your secret to maintaining it?

I: Willpower (lol). I can’t give you a good answer to that question. Because I drink, I don’t do diets, I don’t even go to the gym. Well, but I don’t have calmness or composure (lol). The kind of social responsibility or something that people in their 40s have.

――(Strained laugh) People who feel the burden of life.

I: Maybe I don’t have it? Probably.

――But do you incorporate pantomime into your daily life? Like in your postures or something.

I: That, yes. Also, I’ve been exclusively [playing the role] “ISSAY” for over 20 years now, you know? Earlier, I said that I never had a place to belong, but as I went through life, what I learnt is that a place of belonging isn’t something you search for, but something you can make for yourself. Perhaps the biggest winners are the ones who say, “This is my place.”

――I see. Based on what I’m hearing, I get the feeling that ever since you started using the name ISSAY for your poetry, you stuck the label of “puberty (思春期 / shishunki)” on yourself and continued to keep to the promise that you made to yourself all those years back.

I: What a wonderful way to put it (lol). But I’m too embarrassed to let such words come out of my own mouth.

――When the ISSAY-HIKARU duo came back to life at the 20th anniversary event, were there those among your fans who started speculating a return?

I: Firstly, I have no intention of doing DER ZIBET again right now. Because there’s no point unless each of us are at our best, and besides, I live in the moment. There are things I have to do with Hamlet Machine, DOLLY, and LYNX respectively, and there’s also significant meaning for me to be in each of these bands, so I want to do them all right. And we being humans, we never know what will happen when, so I want to do whatever I can. Anyway, I’ll just stop if it’s not working out. I have quite a lot of shows to do, so I hope you’ll come and watch. Because you never know when real rock bands will cease to exist.

――Whatever the band?

I: Yeah. Because bands would break up over any sort of ridiculous reason. Which is why I say that it doesn’t have to have anything to do with me, but if there is a band you want to see, I hope that you’ll go and see them against all odds. I don’t want people to say things like, “I should’ve gone back then.” Because there’s nothing sadder than hearing that a band has broken up.

 

 

 

 

 

Notes:

¹ I chose to translate this part as “abnormal” but the specific word he used to describe himself with was 奇形 (kikei) which is more along the lines of “deformed”, “freak”, “monstrosity”.

² The original text actually censored the Japanese (キチガイ / kichigai), writing it as キ★ガイinstead. While simply translated as “mad/crazy/lunatic”, it is also used to describe a person who has thoughts that are different from other people or slightly divergent from them, and has been interpreted (maliciously or excessively) to simply refer to a person whose behaviour is seen as abnormal by society, or behaviour that is socially unacceptable, or even to that person itself. Although there’s no written rule, this word was supposedly banned from use in mass media in the 1970s after family members of mentally disabled persons protested strongly against its use, calling it discriminatory and hurtful. To this day, you apparently can’t even name characters with this word in games. 

³ カッコいい (kakkoii) was the word here and since “cool” wasn’t exactly the kind of word you’d use back in the 80s, I went with the much more literal translation of “good looking”.

 

 

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Image scans: wilhelmina111 on LJ
Text scans: Yoshiyuki

BUCK-TICK | [Aug 2023] ROCK AND READ: TOUR 2023 異空 -IZORA- Report / Higuchi Yutaka Interview

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

ROCK AND READ 108
August 2023

 

 

BUCK-TICK
TOUR 2023 異空 -IZORA-

Text◎Koji Yoshida
Photography◎Seitaro Tanaka

 

The tour for their 23rd album, 異空 -IZORA-. There’s still a postponed show in Aichi and the grand finale in Gunma, but it could be said that the 2-day show in Tokyo marks the end of a chapter. This piece is a report on the first Tokyo show.

The venue was a large, eight thousand-seat capacity hall, but the stage setup was very simple. There were no large screens to show the band on, neither were there decorative elements. In this setting, the opening instrumental QUANTUM Ⅰ started playing and a psychedelic video played on the LED screen in the back of the stage. As the words “異空 (izora)” appear, the members of the band come on stage and Hoshino Hidehiko plays an arpeggio, Sakurai starts to softly sing, “Nigerarenai, Nigerarenai, Ore wa mou doko e mo (逃げられない　逃げられない　俺はもう何処へも)”. Keeping in line with the flow of the album, the first song was SCARECROW. Hoshino and Imai Hisashi’s guitar ensemble seem to toe the line between harmony and dissonance alongside the precise drumming of Yagami Toll and Higuchi Yutaka’s calm and collected bass. And there’s Sakurai, singing melancholically with his face hidden under a hat. Shown on the screen was a scarecrow, or perhaps, a crucifix. Whether they wanted to or not, from the very beginning the audience was sucked into the relentless story that BUCK-TICK had woven in 異空 -IZORA-.

Warukyuure no Kikou starts with pipe organ music. Grossly distorted guitar sounds playing to a steady drumbeat and bass groove reminiscent of a marching procession made for an unsettling atmosphere. Removing his hat, Sakurai sang passionately, as if possessed. In short, this second song continued to give me chills like the first.

It wasn’t a bombardment of songs which came afterwards; there was a short pause after each song as the show progressed. Whether it was to let the audience’s cheers rain down on them with the ban lifted, to take some time to shift focus for the next song, or simply for a change of guitars, this was different from the typical rock concerts which attack vigorously. At the same time, it all felt very solemn.

Imai and Sakurai’s duet, IGNITER featured kanji sync-ed with the lyrics swirling on the screen. Sakurai shone a light in the audience area while singing Uta. And then, the first MC.

“Hello darling?　Hello baby?　Do have fun~.”

Sakurai whispered with a voice which transcends gender and age. Before I knew it, there he was wearing knee-high stockings and garter belts……

A torch lit up in the back of the stage and I thought he was about to give an erotic performance of Ai no Harem but instead, he performed a glimmer of hope in a disastrous situation to violin music under a screen of a star-filled sky with Sayonara Shelter destroy and regenerate-Mix, followed by Campanella  Hanataba wo Kimi ni which felt like the breaking of dawn. Although dressed in a basic jet black, Sakurai’s ability to express himself in red, white, light blue and yellow was simply overwhelming.

Sandwiched between Imai’s surf music playing before and after was THE SEASIDE STORY, followed by the BUCK-TICK-flavoured city pop song Mugen LOOP -LEAP-. After that, Sakurai said, “Thank you for all your cheers. Everyone can now make a little more noise again, there’s even some part of me that isn’t sure what I should do…… But, anyway, let’s have fun. With that, the band moved into Boogie Woogie. Then, towards the end of the Showa-era jazz flavoured Noraneko Blue, Sakurai crouched and hissed like a cat.

I’ve said this before, but Sakurai really looked as if he was possessed by something. Transcending attributes like gender and age, and even human or cat, it was amazing how he changed completely with each song he delves into. Even during Taiyou to Icarus which came after THE FALLING DOWN, Jonathan Jet-Coaster, Sakurai looked like he really became a bird, or perhaps an angel soaring through the skies as his figure merged with images of the cosmos on the screen.

Just as he said, “Thank you for today,” in a friendly voice, Sakurai started to whisper in repeat, “I want to die… I want to live…”. Hoshino’s gentle acoustic guitar, Imai’s spacey noise, Yagami’s cool beats, and Higuchi’s solid groove; the heavenly universe named BUCK-TICK grows, ever-expanding. When the screen turns a blank white at the end, Sakurai turns and walks in its direction, disappearing into the halation. After that, only feedback noise remains as the other members of the band also leave the stage in the backlight of the screen. It was as if they were each going back into the BUCK-TICK universe.

The stage reopens with a drum solo by Yagami. The other members then came on stage and after Imai and Higuchi’s usual habit of taking photos and videos of the audience from the stage, the second part of this concert, the encore began with the beautiful ballad Sekai wa Yami de Michiteiru.

After CLIMAX TOGETHER, ONCE UPON A TIME, and Kogoeru, Sakurai said, “My name is Hizumi. Correct, I’m sad. I wear my favourite dresses, put on pretty makeup; I’m just living my life. But everyone laughs at this. Even though I’m just living…… Father, Mother, I love you…… Thank you…… Goodbye……”. Then starts the amazing Hizumi. It’s BUCK-TICK’s style of a lullaby. Coupled with Imai playing his guitar while dancing the hopscotch-like jenkka, the twisted worldview which seemed to be tickled by childish wonder left me with breathless surprise.

“Thank you very much for [coming] tonight. We appreciate it. Thank you.” With that, they proceeded into the final song, Na mo Naki Watashi. A single stalk of a white flower appeared on screen. Whether it gets blown by the wind, gets rained on, or has countless flower petals flying around it, the flower doesn’t fall. In Sakurai’s interview which was published in issue 106, he spoke about this song, saying, “It is enough to bloom and exist as you are.” Each and everyone of us live differently under different skies. There will likely be tough or agonising days. But it’s okay, because the fact that you are here is more than enough――That’s the kind of message the song seemed to send. Then, the ending instrumental QUANTUM Ⅱ played and the curtains closed on the concert.

Despite the contrast between the main show and the encore, it was a complete story. What kind of sky did you see here? There were likely those who got a painful reminder of reality too. Yet it’s likely not an exaggeration to say that there were likely others who felt some sense of hope for life. But it goes without saying that all these different thoughts and emotions are all precious in their own way.

 

TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA
2023.7.22-23　Tokyo Garden Theatre

1. QUANTUM I
2. SCARECROW
3. Warukyuure no Kikou (Ride of the Valkyries)
4. IGNITER
5. Uta
6. Ai no Harem (Harem of Love)
7. Sayonara Shelter destroy and regenerate-Mix
8. Campanella  Hanataba wo Kimi ni (A Bouquet For You)
9. THE SEASIDE STORY
10. Mugen LOOP -LEAP-
11. Boogie Woogie
12. Noraneko Blue (Stray Cat Blue)
13. THE FALLING DOWN
14. Jonathan Jet-Coaster
15. Taiyou to Icarus (The Sun and Icarus)
16. Die

―encore―
1. Sekai wa Yami de Michiteiru
2. CLIMAX TOGETHER
3. ONCE UPON A TIME (22nd)／MISTY ZONE (23rd)
4. Kogoeru
5. Hizumi
6. Na mo Naki Watashi
SE QUANTUM II

 

profile & information
Formed in 1985. Members of the band are vocalist Sakurai Atsushi, guitarist Imai Hisashi, guitarist Hoshino Hidehiko, bassist Higuchi Yutaka, and drummer Yagami Toll. “BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA- FINALO” will be held on Sunday, the 17th and Monday, the 18th of September at Gunma Music Center. Following, the livehouse tour “BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA- ALTERNATIVE SUN” will start on Friday, the 20th of October.
buck-tick.com

※An interview with Higuchi Yutaka which was conducted prior to this concert comes next.

 

 

 

 

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Higuchi Yutaka
BUCK-TICK

Text◎Okubo Yuka
Photography◎MASA (Alegre), Yamauchi Hiroe (PROGRESS-M)

 

profile & information
Born 24 January 1967. Blood type A. Bassist of BUCK-TICK which was formed in 1985. Other members of the band are vocalist Sakurai Atsushi, guitarist Imai Hisashi, guitarist Hoshino Hidehiko, and drummer Yagami Toll.
buck-tick.com

 

To all our fans

BUCK-TICK will wrap up the tour for their 23rd album, 異空 -IZORA- in July with the shows at Tokyo Garden Theatre before concluding the 35th anniversary year of their major debut with two shows on 17 and 18 September in their hometown of Gunma.

In this issue, we spoke to bassist Higuchi Yutaka about his journey with BUCK-TICK. From details about their first show at Shinjuku JAM to the real reason behind holding their comeback concert at Tokyo Dome, some things are being talked about for the first time in this interview but he would also constantly mention their gratitude to the fans who would wait for them no matter when.

And now, BUCK-TICK steadily heads towards their 36th year together.

I want for us to keep going for as long as we can. Because there are people who will wait for us.
That’s why I really want to cherish this, all of this.

——Following the release of the album, 異空 -IZORA-¹ we’re now in the midst of your national tour “BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA”². At the juncture of this interview (mid-July), you’re left with five more shows to go. How do you feel about this?

Yutaka (Y): I think we pulled it off really well, it also feels like it’s all gone by really fast.

——With this tour spanning 20 shows, it’s not exactly a short tour, though.

Y: Maybe it’s because we had a lot of weekend shows, but I find myself thinking, “It’s already ending?” I gradually got comfortable as we went along, so maybe that’s all the more why I feel like this.

——The 異空 -IZORA- album encapsulates the currents and atmosphere of this era. Is there anything you feel even more strongly about now that you’ve brought this perspective all around the country?

Y: It’s definitely impossible to pretend I don’t know, right? The current state of society. But something I’ve felt from the very beginning is that it might be better not to hold on too tightly to that. There are some songs that touch on it, but we don’t have to keep bringing it up across the whole show. And I think we managed to do this.

——I assume that’s coming from the consideration about how your audience would feel. There’s a storyline in the setlist for this tour, so I thought it was meant to make it easier to bring a message across.

Y: That’s right. We kept deliberating about whether we should make the main part of the show the story or include the encore as well and turn the whole concert into one big story though. We didn’t really split it into two parts, but we decided not to do a double encore and instead perform 異空 -IZORA- properly with just the main show and one encore.

——I see. I think it became even richer when you mixed in past songs.

Y: Also, the audience is now allowed to cheer starting this tour, so I think the way people enjoy the concert has also changed bit by bit.

——Cheering definitely adds to the atmosphere.

Y: And we can still hear everyone even wearing the ear monitors. I felt all, “Ah~, this is what it felt like.”

——Your 35th debut anniversary year also comes to an end in September. Looking back on this past year, how do you feel?

Y: First of all is that we have a lot to be grateful for. Because there was a lot we couldn’t do during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even last September’s show at Yokohama Arena³ feels like it happened three years ago. These are things to be happy about, definitely. Like being able to see our fans, like the way the whole country waited for us. All that.

——For this 35th anniversary year, ROCK AND READ first had Yagami-san⁴ tell us about the band’s 35-year history. Then, Hoshino-san⁴ looked back on these 35 years with a focus on the music he wrote. This time, with Higuchi-san, I’d like to focus on the stage from your perspective and how the view from your position has changed. Do you remember the first time you got on stage?

Y: The first time was as a member of BUCK-TICK’s predecessor band (Hinan GO-GO), when we performed at a music store in Gunma. At the time, we were covering songs by THE STALIN, but I didn’t feel nervous or anything like that. Before I knew it, we were done (lol). That was during the band boom back then and Mentai rock and bands like THE MODS were popular so it felt as if everyone was covering those. At that gig, cover bands who covered THE MODS or HOUND DOG and all those were there too. So, right after the HOUND DOG cover band sang Namida no Birthday, you’d have us performing THE STALIN’s Tenpura. It really was quite the event (lol). The audience were somehow mistaken for punks too because it looked like they were entirely made up of Keganin (怪我人, lit. injured person).

——That event sounds like a blast. What are Keganin?

Y: They’re guys wrapped up in bandages and stuff. A misinterpretation of punk. Just Keganin (lol). This wasn’t a school event but there were a lot of kids from other schools who came too.

——So after the band becomes BUCK-TICK, which venue comes to mind?

Y: In our early days, I’d say it’s definitely Shinjuku JAM. It’s the very first venue we performed at in Tokyo, and when Acchan (Sakurai Atsushi) became our vocalist with Anii (Yagami Toll) playing drums, our first show⁵ was at JAM too. At first, there were chairs lined up on the audience floor. The stage at JAM was low so if the audience stands, their view barely changes. We also often performed at Shibuya’s YANEURA and Shinjuku ABC Hall. In the beginning, all we had was a tiny stage so when we performed, it was like we were all squished together in a packed train carriage. So close together that the necks of our guitars would clash (lol). We step on pedals to tune without making any sound, but it was so cramped that there were times when (the front row audience would) keep stepping on them too.

——How did you increase the audience turnout?

Y: When Acchan became our vocalist, we’ve been in Tokyo for a while now and we made friends with all kinds of people. As we got invited to perform in joint gig shows, our audience numbers also steadily grew, something like that. …… I think we probably never held one-man shows. We certainly didn’t at YANEURA, and I’m of the feeling that we didn’t at JAM either. The one-man show we did at LOFT only happened after we debuted anyway.

——Does that mean you received an offer from a major label before you even did a one-man show?

Y: I guess we got into the habit of doing events or joint-gigs. When we released HURRY UP MODE⁶ under an indie label, we did a show at Toshima Civic Center⁷ but there were a few other bands who performed then too. It’s just that we were the main act. Then just before we debuted, we did that one-man show at Shibuya LIVE INN⁸.

We started with fifteen people or so (in the audience), then a hundred months later, and then two hundred the next time.
Seeing our audience grow every time we go, that was when I thought, “Maybe this’ll work out?”

——While seeing your audience grow, around when did Higuchi-san start feeling convinced that this band could make it?

Y: That’s got to be some time right after we made our debut. Especially because we started travelling to other regions. Because people wouldn’t come at all in the very beginning, you know? We’d do joint-gigs with those who are locally popular and steadily build our audience. After debuting, I had the impression that the regional areas were more peculiar than Tokyo.

——Peculiar in what way?

Y: For example, so, we often toured the Tohoku area. Back then, Tohoku had the most rock music lovers in Japan so it was pretty exciting. There were huge festivals, and we even participated in a live tour called Tohoku Rock Circuit⁹. There weren’t many regional TV stations so I remember very well that we made a guest appearance on one of Iwate’s TV programs which was broadcast on Fridays at 7 p.m.. Even though we just made our debut, we were making a guest appearance at prime time (lol).

——I want to see that (lol).

Y: I think we got quite the viewership numbers (lol). Going on tour right after we debuted, Tohoko was the one region where we held one-man shows right from the get go. We started with only fifteen people or so in the audience but when we went back months later, that grew to about a hundred, and the next time we went again, it became two hundred. Seeing our audience grow everytime we go, that was when I thought, “Maybe this’ll work out?” Because there were probably more in the audience than in other areas like Osaka or Nagoya too.

——So, the flame of BUCK-TICK was first lit in Tohoku.

Y: It’s actually the same even now. What makes me happiest is seeing people come together to see us when we go somewhere we don’t know about or we’ve never been to. It energises us, in a way. This is about the first time we went to Sendai for a show at Yamaha Hall¹⁰ at the start of the tour, but when the instrumental track started playing we couldn’t make a single sound right from the start (lol).

——That’s something you’ll certainly remember clearly (lol).

Y: Yeah, it’s like, “Problems right from the beginning!” (Lol) These things happened quite a lot too.

We didn’t want to make it such that people who wanted to get in couldn’t.
That’s why I remember we said that we wanted to perform where everyone could enter.

——In the midst of it all, just a year after debut, you stood in the Nippon Budokan for the first time¹² for the final show of your SEVENTH HEAVEN¹¹ tour.

Y: We actually weren’t all that emotional about it. Maybe it’s because we didn’t really have much of an impression of the Nippon Budokan as a venue. The reason for that is because the bands we like didn’t play at the Nippon Budokan anyway. Maybe the only one who did was BOØWY.

——So it wasn’t exactly a venue you’d aim to perform at back then

Y: Comparatively, I felt more when we played at Shibuya Public Hall for the first time¹³, like, “We’re really performing in a hall.” I think that was for the SEVENTH HEAVEN tour too. Besides, BOØWY had also performed there before, along with ARB and musicians of the like.

——Speaking of Shibuya Public Hall, that’s where BOØWY announced their split, wasn’t it?

Y: I went and saw BOØWY performing there too. Back then, the audience would crowd at the front of the entrance. I remember seeing band members of ROGUE and PERSONZ there too.

——How was the performance at Tokyo Dome¹⁴ for your comeback?

Y: It felt like it ended pretty quickly, actually. There was no concept at the time, but we said that we didn’t want to make it such that people who wanted to get in couldn’t. Since we had to go on hiatus just before that, we didn’t want to let down anyone who wanted to come. That’s why I remember we said that we wanted to perform where everyone could enter.

——I see. In the past, I think someone said something along the lines of, “The adults (record company) had helped clinch [the venue] for us”, but I didn’t know that everyone in the band held such a hope.

Y: I believe that’s what it was. And also…… Tokyo Dome had only been open for about a year at the time, and I have a strong memory of how bad the sound system was (lol). In ROMANESQUE¹⁵, there’s a break after the “dan”, but the sound was reverberating and it turned into a “dandada~n” so there was no break at all (lol). It’s a venue that wasn’t originally made for concerts, so the sound engineer had to figure things out along the way too.

——I want to hear ROMANESQUE being played by the present BUCK-TICK too.

Y: Eh?　Because it’s quite the song, isn’t it? And the hi-hat can’t be hit for that break. It makes you wonder how it all fits together (lol).

——So what happened in Tokyo Dome?

Y: I think the hi-hat was put in at Tokyo Dome. The ROMANESQUE we did in our amateur era had no hi-hat but we released a mini album, didn’t we? That was when we started including the hi-hat, I believe. It turned into something impossible (lol).

――It gets more difficult as the venue grows bigger, doesn’t it?Y: Because we all had our eyes on Anii back then (lol).

――BUCK-TICK tends to stage elaborate performances too. I’ve even heard that once something new can be utilised, it’ll very likely be employed in BUCK-TICK’s shows.

Y: That’s right. When the opportunity presents itself, our stage planner would want to try doing something interesting. One of our shows, there was spider silk, right? Where it flys out together with tape streamers. That was something our stage planner came up with. I heard that it would be out of this world if he owned the rights to that one. Apparently he got the idea when he went to watch a kabuki performance, he saw that white spider silk flying through the air and started wondering whether there was a way he could somehow employ that effectively. That started from BUCK-TICK’s stage. After that, he thought projectiles were really fun to work with, so next, he sent Cyalume (glow-in-the-dark materials) flying. He wanted to make Cyalume-filled pill capsules that were slightly bigger than medicinal ones fly with special effects, but they shot out [of the cannons] so quickly that there were no [visual] effects at all (lol). There wasn’t enough light intensity so they all fell to the ground before they could even start glowing.

――To think there were such failures too (lol).

Y: We also had artificial roses falling. Since they were artificial, they were heavy so they just dropped to the ground with a thud. He wondered if there was something he could do about it but, since they had already been made, we decided to just go ahead with it and let them drop down on us. I had them fall on my head and get stuck too (lol). Basically, if the stage was small, the flowers would drop above me too. I guess the correct solution to that might’ve probably been to lay them out on the floor.

――Appearing on stage from the inside of a giant balloon, rain falling down only on Sakurai-san’s head in a live house; you had a lot of jaw dropping stage productions.

Y: That was during our live house tour¹⁶, right. Depending on the venue, sometimes we could use that equipment and sometimes we couldn’t, yeah.

――The stage production in recent years seems to give the impression that you’re using the power and beauty of images and videos to further expand the world of the songs.

Y: The stage planner who worked with us throughout all this time thinking about all kinds of production had passed away so there’s now a new person in-charge which could’ve been the reason why there’s a slight change in the atmosphere of our recent concerts. And also that the resolution had gone up in the past three to four years which allows us to create particularly beautiful videos.

――Concert production has evolved considerably alongside the technological advances made in LED visuals.

Y: That’s right. Even for music videos; we had always recorded them on film and when we suddenly switched to filming digitally, everything was captured so clearly. It somehow felt unpleasant so we would make those sharp images a little bit grainier.

――Around when was that?

Y: Probably 21st Cherry Boy¹⁷. It was around that time when we suddenly went digital. I remember feeling like it’s a TV.

――Being in business for 35 years, you’ve been directly affected by the shift from analogue to digital, and later on, the further advancements of digital recording. What do you think about this present era we’re in where people can listen to music for free?

Y: We are still releasing CDs even now, but we’re definitely trending in that direction, aren’t we? Like David Bowie said, in the end, music itself is going to become like running water or electricity.

――How does Higuchi-san usually listen to music?

Y: I import CDs into my PC to listen to them.

――What kind of music do you listen to in your own time?

Y: Instead of new releases, I more often dig up old music to listen to these days.

――When you go back as an adult to listen to the music you used to listen to, you’d sometimes come across new discoveries, right? Like meanings in the lyrics.

​Y: And that happens with the music we make too. Something would be playing and just when I think that this particular track sounds pretty cool, I’d realise, “Huh?　Is this BUCK-TICK?” (Lol) There and then I’d become aware that a particular song had been arranged in a particular way, or something.

――And you’ve got an impressive catalogue too.

Y: That’s why I’m doing my best to listen to our own music now (lol). I have to get it all in, don’t I? Since last September’s shows at Yokohama Arena, we’ve been performing throughout this whole time and if I don’t take something out, nothing can go in (lol).  That’s why whenever we start touring, I’ll try my best not to listen to other music. I’ll listen to the songs that we’re performing for the tour, but I won’t listen to anything else. Even Anii says, “Don’t listen.” (Lol)

――You’re focused (lol). There’s a lot that makes me think that BUCK-TICK’s really amazing, like how you keep revamping yourselves with calling each release “the newest is the best”, but looking at your 35-year history, things weren’t always looking up and there even were times when your audience numbers dropped. I’m hoping that you could touch on that a little.

Y: We definitely felt it, back then. Since we weren’t making many appearances on TV and broadcast, suburbs won’t receive much information. I think music magazines were having their best days during that period, though. People living in the suburbs would probably get their information through magazines even if there’s no TV, but that was gradually on the decline which meant that information wasn’t getting to them and so started the situation of our drop in audience numbers.

――Were you anxious or anything like that at the time?

Y: Nope, we weren’t. Because it’s not as if there’s zero people. If we had zero then I think we’d definitely have to start thinking about things though (lol). What we were doing in Tokyo worked here [in Tokyo] so we said we would create this sort of a stage set to travel around the country with, but if we picked smaller venues in the suburbs because of a smaller turnout, the set wouldn’t be able to fit. Since we had to perform in venues that could fit the set, we didn’t have much of a choice except to go with the larger halls. Doing that is what led to empty seats.

――I see, so that’s the situation. How did you stay motivated then?

Y: Hmm… It’s more like, we weren’t all that disheartened (lol). We just continued business as usual. On the contrary, even in such a situation, we just feel happy that we were doing what we’re doing, all of us.

――While most bands would go on hiatus or disband because they couldn’t quite overcome such a period, BUCK-TICK made a comeback and have continued to see success since. That’s another part of BUCK-TICK that amazes me.

Y: You could say that our good points can be seen precisely because we’ve been at this for a long time. I don’t think that we’re all growing together. Let’s say, when everyone runs out at the  “Get ready, and start!” call, you could start out great but wither away towards the midpoint, and one by one, everyone would pull out or something. At the same time, there’s no way that everyone can always stay on the same page, is there? Even if you’re all, “Alright, let’s get going!!”, there are times when you’d realise that, “Huh? I’m the only one who went?” Right? When that happens, you’d tend to stop whatever you’re doing once you realise that something isn’t quite right, wouldn’t you?　Then starts the blame game and all that.

――There’s none of that in BUCK-TICK.

Y: That’s right. Also because we left our [then] management and had the resolution that we’ll be giving our all going forward.

――Right, it was around that same period of time, wasn’t it?

Y: It was. We left that office and completely changed the way we did things.

――Perhaps it was good that you did a full reboot or something at that time. When I spoke to Yagami-san, he said that he had thought of quitting twice thus far, but has Higuchi-san ever had the desire to quit in the past?

Y: Nope, I’ve never thought of quitting. Although I have felt that things were a struggle, or rather, that it was difficult to raise my own spirits. There were times when I was having difficulties with my playing, or have found myself at a loss as to what to do, but I also feel that since the five of us have made it this far together, this is something I should cherish. I think Anii has never been better than now. Because everyone’s doing well, you know? Although, we can’t really push ourselves too much (lol).

Because we were kids when we debuted. Like elementary school kids feeling like, “I wouldn’t die even if I got run over by a truck”, “I’m invincible!” (lol)

――Has Higuchi-san ever experienced a change in your on-stage mindset?

Y: My personal turning point is around the time of 13-Kai wa Gekkou¹⁸; that’s when the change happened.

――How so?

Y: I started feeling like maybe it’s better if I don’t put on an act. That maybe, it might be a good idea to be my own usual self. Putting on an act as in, I’m all cheerful backstage but I have to put on a sullen face on stage, something like that. I guess that’s the kind of change that happened to me.

――That it’s okay to show your smile.

Y: That’s right. You could say we started communicating with each other. From another perspective, I guess it could also mean that I could see better now, the audience side. Before then, I might’ve been too preoccupied with my side of things alone.

――I’d say that’s a sign that you’ve grown more relaxed on stage. Because Higuchi-san and Imai-san coming out during the encore to take photos and videos from the stage was another thing that never happened in the past.

Y: We started doing that some years ago, but it was an initiative that came about from the idea that it would be nice if we could convey the atmosphere in the concert venue to those who weren’t able to come. Obviously, if we took photos of the stage set, there would those who feel like [the surprise has been] spoiled for them if they’re attending the next day or sometime in the near future, so we decided to take shots of the audience instead.

――How considerate (lol). But it’s true that the overall atmosphere of the concert changed. Like how you held huge festivals¹⁹ during your 20th and 25th anniversaries. Did such an experience influence you in any way?

Y: Ah, it did, yes. The more we went on with it, it really sank in that we’re not alone [in this].

――To close off your current 35th anniversary year, you’ll be putting on a show on the 17th and 18th of September at Gunma Music Center²⁰ in your hometown. Celebrating the end of the 35th anniversary year in your hometown; did this decision come from the whole band’s feelings?

Y: Didn’t we do a collaboration with Fujioka-shi²¹ this year too? While thinking about what would be a good way for us to head into our 36th year, we came to the conclusion that this was probably the best.

――Gunma Music Center is also a place of many fond memories for you too, isn’t it?

Y: That’s right. Because Gunma only had the Music Center back in the day. When we got to perform there²², it was definitely a very emotional experience. Despite the fact that it’s small, right. Both backstage and the stage itself. I hope we’ll be able to do something interesting there.

――After that, your live house tour²³, “BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空 -IZORA- ALTERNATIVE SUN” will start.

Y: I’m looking forward to the live houses. Specifically, how we’ll present this 異空 -IZORA- vibe. I really wonder how we’ll portray in an environment without videos, especially because we could use videos for the hall tour.

――That’s true. I’m looking forward to it. The fact that you’ve continued to be forerunners as a rock band for 35 years is amazing in itself, but what does Higuchi-san hope for the band to achieve going forward?

Y: I want for us to keep going for as long as we can. Acchan also said the same thing in this tour’s MC, but essentially, we do our thing, we do our best  because there are people who will wait for us. Having been doing this for 35 years, I get emails, right, saying things like, “I came (to your shows) again because my children have all grown up and I have more time to myself now.” As long as these people stick around for us, I want to keep going, you know?

――Because there are people who will wait for you…… That’s exactly what’s written in the lyrics to Boogie Woogie²⁴.

Y: Exactly. I believe that too.

――Where you are now at this time in your life, would you say that this state of affairs is a dream come true for the whole band?

Y: That’s right. Besides, we started this all with the desire to have fun with lots of people in a concert.

――I think this not only applies to BUCK-TICK but to other long-running bands too, but while it’s true that the members of the band are fulfilling their own dreams, at the same time, I believe they’re also making someone else’s dreams come true. Like the dreams of not only musicians, but anyone who dreams of working with BUCK-TICK someday and works hard to forge their path to it. Because if the band ceases to exist, those hopes will never come true.

Y: Previously, when we went to a radio or TV station in Osaka, there were staff members there who said that to us too. They said, “I’m a long-time fan. Keep up the good work (これからも頑張ってください).” And their boss who was listening in on the side said, “You work hard (お前が頑張れ).” That made me laugh (lol).

――What a story (lol). Wasn’t there some controversy going on in the comedian industry about half-hearted generational baton-passing just a while ago? In the music industry, there are other bands from the genre-less BUCK-TICK’s generation who are still very active. I kind of wondered whether some band members of the younger generation might’ve sympathised with this controversy (lol).

Y: You mean bitching about other people?　Don’t even think about it (lol).

――It’s just that there’s something about BUCK-TICK that doesn’t allow people to say such things, right? Even teenagers think you’re cool when they look at you. Everyone will still kowtow to [BUCK-TICK’s brand of] beauty. Do you have some sort of secret behind it?

Y: Maybe it’s because we don’t really want to get old? On the contrary, I think there are probably musicians in our generation who actually want to grow old. Because you’d give off this cultured vibe, and that’s attractive or something. There are people who think this way, right?

――Do you wonder how many more times you’ll be able to do this, things like that?

Y: I’ve started feeling like this isn’t forever. I didn’t think that about these things when we debuted, neither did I think that we’d find ourselves here, now. Because we were kids, weren’t we? Like elementary school kids feeling like I wouldn’t die even if I got run over by a truck (lol).

――That was certainly a thing at that age (lol).

Y: Like, “I’m invincible!” And yet [the kids would] start crying the moment they fell over (lol). I think that’s what it felt like, when we debuted. I guess you could say that we were so busy that we couldn’t really think that far ahead. But as the years pass, you’d sooner or later start to think about these things, right? Looking at the bands who came before us, there are those who have passed on too. That’s why I really want to cherish this, all of this.

 

 

Notes:

¹ 異空 -IZORA- ＝ Their 23rd album which was released in April.

² “BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA” ＝ Their tour named, “BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA” which ran from April to July, 2023.

³ show at Yokohama Arena ＝ The show named, “BUCK-TICK 2022 “THE PARADE” 〜35th anniversary〜” which was held on 23rd and 24th of September, 2022.

⁴ Yagami-san, Hoshino-san ＝ Their respective interviews were featured in issue #102, published August 2022 and issue #104, published December, 2022.

⁵ our first show ＝ Their performance, “BEAT FOR BEAT FOR BEAT Vol.2” which was held at Shinjuku JAM on 4th of December, 1985.

⁶ HURRY UP MODE ＝ Their indie album which was released in January, 1987 (and later re-released with a major label as a remix version, HURRY UP MODE(1990 MIX) in February).

⁷ Toshima Civic Center ＝ “BUCK-TICK現象 (BUCK-TICK Genshou)” which was held on 1st of April, 1987; the day HURRY UP MODE was released.

⁸ Shibuya LIVE INN ＝ “BUCK-TICK 現象 Ⅱ at LIVE INN” which was held on 16th of June, 1987.

⁹ Tohoku Rock Circuit ＝ An event tour which was held in March and April of 1988.

¹⁰ Yamaha Hall ＝ Their performance in Sendai for the “BUCK-TICK 現象 TOUR” which was held on the 22nd of September, 1987.

¹¹ SEVENTH HEAVEN ＝ Their 2nd album which was released in June, 1988.

¹² in the Nippon Budokan for the first time ＝ Two days of shows which where held on the 19th and 20th of January, 1989 as the final of their “SEVENTH HEAVEN TOUR” which started in October, 1988.

¹³ Shibuya Public Hall for the first time ＝ Their performance in Tokyo for the “SEVENTH HEAVEN TOUR” which was held on 13th of October, 1988.

¹⁴ Tokyo Dome ＝ “バクチク現象 (Baku-chiku Genshou)” which was held on 29th December, 1989.

¹⁵ ROMANESQUE ＝ A track recorded on their mini album, ROMANESQUE which was released in March, 1988.

¹⁶ live house tour ＝ Their tour named, “TOUR2013 COSMIC DREAMER” which ran from January to March, 2013.

¹⁷ 21st Cherry Boy ＝ Their 18th single which was released in November, 2001.

¹⁸ 13-Kai wa Gekkou ＝ Their 14th album which was released in April, 2005.

¹⁹ festivals ＝ “BUCK-TICK FEST 2012 ON PARADE” was held at Chiba Port Park on 22nd and 23rd of September, 2012. “BUCK-TICK 2017 “THE PARADE” ～30th anniversary～” was held at Odaiba Yagai Tokusetsu Kaijo J Chiku on 23rd and 24th of September, 2017.

²⁰ Gunma Music Center ＝ For “BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空 -IZORA- FINALO” which will be held on the 17th and 18th of September, 2023.

²¹ a collaboration with Fujioka-shi ＝A BUCK-TICK-themed flowerbed and more were featured in Haru no Fujioka Hana Meguri (Flower Tour in Springtime Fujioka / 春の藤岡花めぐり), a special event that was held between March to May, 2023.

²² got to perform there ＝ Their first performance there was the Gunma show for their “SEVENTH HEAVEN TOUR” which happened on the 15th of October, 1988.

²³ live house tour ＝ Their tour, “BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空 -IZORA- ALTERNATIVE SUN” which will run from October to December, 2023.

²⁴ Boogie Woogie ＝ A track recorded on the album, 異空 -IZORA-.

 

 

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Translation: Yoshiyuki
Scans: Yoshiyuki

DER ZIBET | [20 Feb 2024] DER ZIBET Tribute Update Vol. 7: ISSAY—A Brother & A Kindred Soul by Chu-ya

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

DER ZIBET Tribute Update Vol. 7
20 February 2024

ISSAY—A Brother & A Kindred Soul
A Gentle, Dignified, & Beautiful Bosom Friend for Eternity

by Chu-ya

 

Having been born and lived in the same era together, DER ZIBET is a rival and brethren (to me). I also admired them as icons glittering in darkness and decadence. ISSAY can only be described as my brother and kindred soul. Gentle, dignified, and beautiful; my bosom friend for eternity.
—Chu-ya

 

This update talks about the story and history behind a lavish event which was held jointly by ISSAY (DER ZIBET), and Chu-ya (LOOPUS〜FAR EAST PHALLUS KICKER) and Genet (AUTO-MOD), both of whom are participating in the tribute album. This event occurred regularly in recent years. It is a pity that we will no longer be able to see these three unorthodox and charming artists in performance, but we on the project team hope that activities by these legends will continue in the future. Also included are comments from Chu-ya, a sworn brother and most frequent co-performer to ISSAY.

BUCK-TICK’s Anii (Toll)’s birthday event leads to the birth of the Dark Triad of ISSAY, Genet, and Chu-ya.

 

Joint performances by ISSAY, Genet, and Chu-ya date back to the late 1980s. The three of them came together again for the first time in a long while in 2012 at BUCK-TICK’s drummer Yagami’s 50th birthday concert celebration (DER ZIBET, AUTO-MOD, and LOOPUS were guest performers). Afterwards, these three bands began to hold events together regularly. The momentous first was in 2014 at FREAKS OF LEGEND Vol.6, hosted by Genet.

Perhaps as a result of their overly potent presences, these three who tremendously influenced the new wave, goth, glam, and positive punk music scenes were known by monikers like  “The Dark Triad (闇御三家)“, “The Trio of Heinous Specters (三妖怪)“, and “The Decadent Three (デカダン三人男)“. Following the first, they made the agreement that each band would take turns hosting events. In 2017, it was DER ZIBET’s LIVE MANIA act.4, in 2018, it was Chu-ya’s Jashin no Kyouen 〜Better An Old Demon Than A New God (Feast of Fiends/邪神の狂宴), and in 2019, it was Genet’s FREAKS OF LEGEND 2019. All these were annual balls which were held at Koenji HIGH.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020, a talk session hosted by FOOL’S MATE Channel was held instead of a live concert.

In 2023, Chu-ya got in contact with ISSAY and Genet to plan their return after a four-year break, but with ISSAY’s passing, the two bands, LOOPUS and AUTO-MOD held the event titled, “Rebirth!! Jashin no Kyouen (-1)” on the 4th of November at Kichijoji ROCK JOINT GB. The special guest guitarist on this day was Yukino (krishnablue / ex. AUTO-MOD), who is also participating in the tribute album. Notably, Yukino was also the creator of the illustration of these three. It was sold as character merchandise during the 2019 event.

 

 

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Source: DER ZIBET Tribute Update Vol.7

 

 

DER ZIBET | [Jul 2017] Après-guerre Reissue Vol.5: Der Zibet — ISSAY + HIKARU

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

Der Zibet
ISSAY + HIKARU

Après-guerre Reissue Vol.5
July 2017

Since their reunion, Der Zibet continued activities with their unique stance and has now released 20 Seiki (20世紀 / 20th Century), a best-of album comprising of songs they released in the 20th century, as selected by the members of the band. There is no question that even those who have recently become fans will be able to enjoy their live performances even more after listening to this album. And to those who aren’t very familiar with them yet, I invite you to have a taste of their remarkable legacy.

 

PROFILE
Debuting in 1986, ISSAY’s presence and their one-of-a-kind band image and music won them an ardent following. Kirigirisu (キリギリス) was the last album they released before they ceased activity. 10 years passed before they reunited. Since then, they have kept active at their own pace with live performances and music releases.

■OFFICIAL HP
http://derzibet.com/

 

 

――What gave you this idea to release a best-of album?

HIKARU (H): Around the end of our 30th debut anniversary year, talk about going through some record company to release it started up but since these are old releases, things are complicated with the rights so even though we originally intended to release it last year, it ended up being this year. In the beginning, things were moving along pretty smoothly but setbacks came in at the very end (wry smile). Feels like we finally released it.

――How did you feel when you got confirmation that it was going to be released?

H: Happy, right?

ISSAY (I): Because we never thought it could be. It was the sort of situation where we were questioning whether something like this was even possible.

H: Also because this is the first time we had the freedom to choose all the songs in a best-of album.

――How did you pick the songs?

H: Ultimately, we focused on songs that we perform live. We’ve done live performances of all the songs here.

I: Even if we did include songs that we don’t perform, that’s no fun, is it? There’s an increase in those who aren’t fans from way back, and they voiced out that it’s difficult to get their hands on original releases from those days too. Which also means there are a lot of songs we perform live that they don’t know, aren’t there? So, you see, it was quickly decided that this would be based on the songs we perform in our shows. Then HIKARU came in with, “What do you think about something like this?” and shared a draft with us. From there, [discussions] were like, don’t you think including this is better than that, and all that.

H: Cutting [the number of songs] down was more difficult, wasn’t it? Because we chose a little too many. Everyone was suggesting this and that.

I: While drinking, yes (lol).

H: In the mastering stage, we couldn’t fit [all the tracks] into the first CD (wry smile). We had to revise a bunch of things. Besides, if we were back in the vinyl record days, it’d be a 4-piece release, this collection.

――It’s quite a hefty one, isn’t it? Among the songs, the only newly recorded one is Neo Flower Moon. Why did you choose to record a studio version of it at this point in time? It’s from 1986, isn’t it?

I: We intended to put in in the previous album, Bessekai (別世界 / Another World). We had that in mind but the number of songs we made for Bessekai grew too large so then we again decided to put it back in storage. And now it finally gets to see the sun here.

H: The topic of recording it never came up in the past, and even though we’re only doing it now, it doesn’t feel out of place at all. Although it’s a song from 1986, it doesn’t feel weird to place it within Bessekai, and it’s fine that we do it only now, too. That’s some sort of interesting.

I: It’s something we’ve been dragging out until now so I guess it’s just good that we’re finally doing it now.

H: It’s like a homecoming.

I: And we basically kept the arrangement the same too.

――Even the lyrics?

I: I made adjustments in some parts but it’s basically unchanged, yes.

Often described as unorthodox¹

――Are the two discs meant to feel like they are split chronologically?

H: The songs we released through BMG are indeed in the second CD but that’s a good thing, isn’t it? On the contrary.

I: Because there are a lot of BMG era songs that we started to play after our reunion, aren’t there?

H: The last album we released was Kirigirisu (キリギリス / Grasshopper) and then our activities came to a halt so we didn’t manage to do a tour for it. It was pretty interesting playing the songs from that album after we came back together. We ended up recording a lot [of songs] for disc 2 so I think it’s good that we had them divided like that. Included are also really unorthodox songs that would make people wonder why they’re in a best-of compilation, but they’re a perfect fit for the present, right?

――Do you feel that there’s some reason why you don’t feel uncomfortable playing these songs again now, 30 years later, after so much time has passed?

Both: ……

I: We both fell silent (lol). This time, since we have such a quantity, we were able to include unorthodox songs, especially those from our BMG era. There are unorthodox songs in the first CD too, but whatever people used to call unorthodox back then doesn’t feel as unorthodox as it used to now in present times. After 30 years, we’re finally not unorthodox (wry smile).

――Is that because societal values or something like that have changed with the times?

I: I think that’s one reason, and also that we are now able to easily execute the little things we do in our music. We’re now capable of doing them without needing to strain for it. That’s definitely a thing, isn’t it? Otherwise we definitely wouldn’t include songs like Club Idiot, normally (lol). But when we play them now, it feels good. It feels much better now than it was back then.

H: There are songs that we would never play in this day and age (wry smile). Something just wouldn’t feel right. The music and the melody or the arrangement or something else just wouldn’t be right. Like songs from our third album or something, there are some that we get asked to play but there’s no question that we definitely don’t want to (wry smile).

I: Probably, those songs, I think the fact that they’re over-produced contributes to it too.

H: There might have also been an element of trying to do more in an effort to sell well.

I: Besides, there are also [songs] that we did because we were told to try and do something less unorthodox. Not to say that we did that unwillingly, but because we did that, it also means that we’re straying off our centre line, doesn’t it? Back then, we didn’t know what our centre line was, but now, I would think we know where it lies.

――Maybe it doesn’t feel weird even after 30 years because that centre line sticks out.

I: It’d be cool if I said that it stuck out, but we can’t do anything else. I think basically, when we four or five come together to play, this is the only brand of music we’re capable of making. And that’s something I find particularly intriguing these days. I don’t get the sense that anything’s come through, you know? 

H: Back then, fun times were complicated by unpleasant times. Now, digging up the stuff that we did in the past to play is enjoyable. In those days, we weren’t exactly a fun band having fun.

I: Now you said it (lol).

H: It wasn’t a band where four people made music happily (wry smile). Neither were we a group who got along well with each other. In comparison, we’re actually on much better terms now. It’s way more fun now than it used to be.

――Why’s that? What’s different?

H: Because ISSAY got good at singing.

I: Oy! (Lol)

H: Now I can say that we can peacefully have drinks together and chit chat. We’re not clinging to the past because we want to create new things. Steadily evolving like this is fun.  This is a different feeling than what it used to be. Because back then, since we were signed to a major record label, there were other things to contend with like how the next album had to be delivered after a certain amount of time. Now we can spontaneously release new songs or albums.

――Basically, you do whatever you want.

I: During the 10-year break, I think we came to understand our mutual characteristics. When we started things up again, we really understood our respective attributes.

H: Because playing with the same band members means that we would know their habits from those days.

To feel the passage of time

――That’s also a change caused by the length of time, isn’t it? You mentioned that you don’t feel any discomfort with the songs themselves, but do you perhaps feel the youth in it or something like that?

I: In regard to these songs, there are indeed those that I don’t think I would presently write. There are a lot that I think I could only do because of the folly of my youth, or I could only write because I didn’t understand all that much. I think I probably possessed a strength I didn’t know I had.

――When you say that there are lyrics that you wouldn’t write in the present day… it isn’t about ISSAY-san, is it?

H: Because ISSAY doesn’t stray from his path. I’ve finally come to understand that. I used to think that it would be better if he would write lyrics that were easier to understand, but after the band came back together, we spoke about a lot of things. And when we were working on Primitive, topics like what eternity means to ISSAY came up. He often talks about eternity [in his lyrics] but I wanted to understand the heart of it. After that, I started to think that the lyrics he wrote back then were actually pretty good too (lol). That’s why I say that ISSAY doesn’t stray from his ways.

I: I certainly don’t. Looking at them now, there are lyrics that I think could’ve had a little more ingenuity in them, you know?

H: Because we’re comfortable now. Like the lyrics of Bessekai songs ended up reading like they’re showing you some sort of visual media. Although if you knew what it meant, you’ll probably be able to get a deeper understanding of the unhesitating lyrics from those days which looked like you wouldn’t be able to get it unless you listened to it.

――But don’t you think that things like lyrics have a greater tendency to change?

I: It’s not about writing because I want to write, but instead, I write because something took shape in my mind. Like a landscape or an event; whatever comes to mind, wins.

――Are there instances where you listen to an old song and feel that you probably wouldn’t be able to do the same thing in the present?

I: I think I was attuned to whatever was specific to each era, so I probably chose whatever fit best. But given the way my lyrics are, they won’t really give the impression that they’re dated, so I think they’re relatable even now. I don’t think it’s weird even if we take them out to play in this manner, right?

H: With titles like, Matsu Uta (待つ歌 / Waiting), Shizumitai (沈みたい / I Wish To Sink). Amazing. huh?

I: Matsu Uta just happened to turn out like that, though. It’s a waiting song, so it’s an alias, like, “Let’s do a song about waiting”. When I said that, Chikada Haruo-san said, Matsu Uta as a title is good. So, then, I decided we’ll name it Matsu Uta.

H: And because that’s our debut single, right? It only gets even more messed up from there. Shizumitai was a peculiar one too, wasn’t it? People would ask what’s Shizumitai supposed to mean? But now it’s intriguing. Back then, the only thought I had was, “Are there no cooler-sounding song names?”

I: Because all of us were rebellious, weren’t we? Sticking to what defined rock to us and all that. That’s why things were difficult, back then. We’d butt heads over that, you know? But I also think if we didn’t have those conflicts, then we wouldn’t be here now, anyway. I think it was very important that we fought right there and then while in the midst of production.

H: Production is fun now, isn’t it?

I: We still have conflicts on occasion but those are good conflicts, you know? This album is the product of conflicts but these days, we are capable of taking it normally so it’s good, isn’t it?

H: We’re all really thankful that we can release this at this time.

I: We’re thankful, and we’re just glad. In this album, we arranged the songs as if we were putting together a setlist for a live performance. Like, it’ll sound so good if this song came after this one. And I think that’s the most impressive thing about this album.

H: Arranging them, it felt like we could put on about three whole shows just like that.

――And who came up with the album name?

I: When we were having drinks, I suggested, “What about 20 Seiki?”

H: He likes T-REX and all, so he initially proposed titles like 20th Century Boy. Saying, “20 Seiki Shounen (20世紀少年 / 20th Century Boy) is a great name, isn’t it?” “Don’t you think it’s a good idea to have 20 Seiki come after Bessekai?” 

――It sounds really odd when I hear it like this. We’ve already been in the 21st century for quite some time now, haven’t we? And yet it doesn’t feel dated.

I: Exactly. It’s like saying what you’re currently hearing is what we did in the 20th Century (20 Seiki). And it’d be great if that’s the impression it gives people. Because I think that’s the way we meant for it to be.

――It’s a wonder why it doesn’t feel old though, isn’t it?

I: Because we don’t pander to trends (wry smile). We couldn’t keep up to whatever was trendy. And that turned out to be our fortune (lol).

H: These songs were angled for the band, so simply put, we weren’t sellable (wry smile), but now, that’s a good thing, isn’t it? If any one [of our works] turned out to rake in the cash, then I think everything would start revolving around it, or we’d never remove ourselves from it. After all this time, I think that’s good for us.

――I believe there are a lot of people who would be happy to hear it.

I: Because the album itself is interesting, isn’t it?

――Have you been called unorthodox¹ since your reunion?

H: These days, the world is filled with unorthodox things, so. What we do is legitimate, isn’t it?

I: Basically saying, in the end, we were right (lol).

――I’m sure you’d like for everyone to listen to this best-of collection and enjoy your live performances even more than ever.

H: And we’ve got a pretty tight schedule for the rest of this year, don’t we?

I: We’ll start producing our next album soon.

――Very ambitious! We’ll look forward to it.

 

 

 

Notes:

¹ マニアック (maniakku), literally read as “maniac” has been translated as “unorthodox” in this interview. Despite how it reads, its definition is more closely related to being obsessed with very specific or niche topics. In other words, something that isn’t generally accepted in mainstream society. Thus the translation choice here.

 

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Scans: Yoshiyuki

 

 

BUCK-TICK | [Jul 2023] Ongaku to Hito: Annual Interview with Hoshino Hidehiko

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

The Poem of June ──
Interview with Hoshino Hidehiko

Ongaku to Hito
July 2023

Text＝Kanemitsu Hifumi
Photos＝Minami Shinichiro

 

What has been regained

Hoshino Hidehiko turns 57 on June 16. The way he exudes the aura of a handsome, ageless  uncle remains the same as usual, but ever since he was 35, we’ve been having annual interviews with him every June, his birth month and this year marks the 23rd iteration. These interviews and his journey through life since birth were collected in his autobiography, Simply Life which had an expanded and revised edition published again last September. Following that, one would’ve thought that there will be no more interviews anymore. But the poem of June will go on forever.

At his own suggestion, this year’s photoshoot features him in a yukata in Kyoto, where the band is visiting for one of their shows in the BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空 -IZORA-. And the polish of the execution of this tour is exquisite. Not only have they chosen to construct the world of their album 異空 -IZORA- in a different manner than they used to, the band is gradually regaining what they have lost in the process of going on a proper tour with the lifted ban on audience cheers. It’s just wonderful to see such joy and confidence in a live show. It also leaves the impression that they’re probably looking to chase after tours again next month too.

 

 

 

After performing live in front of an audience, I’ve come to find that this album is actually well-balanced
What’s significant to us is definitely performing live and getting a real sense [of the music]

――I was shocked when I received a rare invitation from you asking, “Shall we hold the interview in Kyoto this year?”

Hoshino (H): Fufufu.

――Was this what you intended (lol).

H: This is (lol).

――We visited Kurumazaki Shrine located in the Saga area of Kyoto for today’s shoot, where the red tamagaki¹ (fence posts) in the shrine grounds made for an impressive sight. When was it that Hoshino-san offered² yours here?

H: To be specific, it’s in the Geino Shrine that’s within Kurumazaki Shrine, right? Last year, I went on a little sightseeing tour with a friend who’s a native Kyotoite and their spouse in between tours. So at the time, I heard that there was a shrine that people in the entertainment industry go to pray at and I grew curious so we went to have a look. That’s when I offered the tamagaki but I haven’t visited again since then. So this was actually the first time that I’m seeing my own tamagaki erected. It was early in the day, but it was quite crowded with people, wasn’t it?

――Seems like it’s become part of the tour route for school trips. We left the hotel at nine in the morning so as to not disrupt them. And now we’re backstage in the concert hall for this interview which was scheduled to start at eleven.

H: I generally wake up quite early so it’s fine (lol). It’s no bother at all. In fact, a schedule like this is easier on me.

――Alright, then. I got to watch the opening show for this tour last month. It’s a little bit different from the shows you’ve done so far, and there’s a strong concept that shows the audience the totality of it.

H: That’s quite true.

――What are Hoshino-san’s thoughts about this change?

H: I guess we could package the world of the 異空 -IZORA- album within the whole concert; from the opening to the last song in the encore. But even so, that’s not all there is. Because we managed to tie our older songs into this as well, I think they got updated too.

――There are still five more dates to go, but have you noticed any changes?

H: The drum solo now comes before the encore begins, but that’s probably about it. Surprisingly, nothing else. Maybe it’s because we’re very focused on getting the concept done right.

――It’s well-structured, isn’t it?

H: When we were completing the album, we forced what was meant for two separate CDs into one, so honestly speaking, I personally felt some sort of discomfort, or something like that about doing that. But now that the album is done and we have performed live in front of an audience like this, I’ve come to find that it’s actually well-balanced.

――I actually think it’s good that there’s no clear theme. At the same time, it also [shows] that this band has been making this wide a variety of music.

H: That’s BUCK-TICK for you. What’s significant to us is definitely performing live, getting a real sense [of the music], and growing that awareness of it. That’s what I understood after we started touring.

――Because it hits home when you have an MC or songs which reminisce about the old days.

H: We certainly do have those types of songs.

――By the way, how did you spend your Golden Week?

H: I couldn’t do anything. Well, the kids have grown up now so it’s not as if they’d ask me to take them somewhere. But more than that, they have classes and club activities even during the holidays so everyone’s schedules are all over the place. That’s why I just stayed at home and relaxed without doing anything.

――That’s good.

H: But, I told you last year that my father passed away, right?　It just so happened that the memorial service for the first death anniversary fell during Golden Week, so I thought we should do a day trip and drove to Fujioka. But who knew, even though we left home early, it took us five and a half hours to get there because of a traffic jam made worse by the holidays and a traffic accident. There were even accidents that just happened.

――Normally it would only take you about an hour and a half, right?

H: Right. That really screwed things up. We couldn’t make it in time for the memorial, so in any case, we offered incense, visited his grave, spoke with family and relatives, and soon after made a U-turn home (lol).

――Did you manage to go see the flower beds at the former Fujioka High?
(Note: Flower beds in the image of BUCK-TICK have been planted in at their alma-mater, now Fujioka City Learning Center for a collaboration campaign with their hometown, Fujioka City)

H: Sounds like it was a hit, wasn’t it? Imai-san (Imai Hisashi / guitarist) and Yuta (Higuchi Yutaka / bassist) also went down, and Anii (Yagami Toll / drummer) visited just recently too, didn’t he?　But it was so hectic that all our energy was spent, and I didn’t feel like I was in the mood for it at all so…… Unfortunately, I had to give it a miss this time.

 

Our 35th anniversary year technically ends in September
so I think it would be nice
if we could do something to wrap it up at the end

――Changing the topic, Sakurai-san (Sakurai Atsushi / vocalist) has released a ring as fan merch, hasn’t he?

H: Ah, so I heard.

ーーIt’s a romantic one with a design based on Sakurai-san’s vocal waves, but will Hoshino-san also release such a stylish thing?

H: Stylish things are nice but between [that and functional things], I lean towards releasing goods that can be used in daily life so there’s much more of that for me. So I have various considerations to think about.

ーーOnce the tour ends in July, what do you think BUCK-TICK will likely do next?

H: I wonder. Our 35th anniversary year technically ends in September, so I think it would be nice if we could do something to wrap it up at the end.

ーーOoh!

H: Not sure about what’s after that…… It wouldn’t be solo work (lol).

ーーI didn’t ask (lol).

H: I mentioned this earlier too but since we had the original idea of releasing two CDs, I actually have songs that were composed but just not recorded anyway. So I want to continue working on those, but we’ve already taken a break from that too. But, well, we each have our own ideas, anyway.

ーーBut now that you can resume touring in full force, and band activities and live concerts are back as a part of daily life, do you feel like you’ve regained something?

H: Right. Especially when we have a song like Boogie Woogie. The sense that it’s great being in a band…… Come to think of it, this has nothing to do with the topic at hand, but I heard that Ed Sheeran has started working on an album that should only be released after his death.

ーーWhen he’s only in his 30s?

H: I read about it somewhere. He’s still releasing albums but he started putting together a separate one for a posthumous release. Apparently he would add songs to it from time to time and state in his will that this would be released after his death.

ーーI guess he’s making preparations for his death despite his youth.

H: Who knows. But I sort of empathise that he doesn’t want to have any regrets. It makes me want to put some effort into turning those song fragments sitting in my PC into something proper.

ーーI heard that when Imai-san opens up his hard disk, he occasionally comes across song fragments like, “Huh, what was this?” (Lol)

H: It’s not organised, right? (Lol) But when I think about these things, I really want to keep making more music.

ーーAnd today, you even had a photoshoot in a yukata.

H: Yes, right. I thought, since we’re doing the shoot in a shrine, we might be able to enhance the atmosphere if I wore a yukata so I planned for this. What do you think?

ーーSimply awesome. If you’d actively propose such plans in future then we’ll release another revised and extended version of Simply Life in another 10 years.

H: I wonder who would buy a 67-year-old’s Simply Life (lol).

ーーPeople will (lol).

H: I get the feeling that the future topic for our chats wouldn’t be about my kids but about my grandkids (lol).

ーーThere is a possibility of that (lol). But I must say that I got a peace of mind when I had a look around the dressing rooms backstage and found that the other members of your band are generally relaxed.

H: Since the start I felt like we were doing this relatively well. Besides, this time, it’s generally simpler. Our stage setup includes film and video but there’s not much of a set, is there? Since it’s easy to see each others’ faces, I guess that also made  it easier for us to focus on playing the music.

ーーOn the other hand, the costumes were pretty fresh, weren’t they? Including the fact that [yours] looked symmetrical to Imai-san’s.

H: That was, it just so happened (lol). Because I’ve been thinking since a while ago that I wanted to go with a white scheme instead of black for this tour. And in the past, I wore that kind of skirt-like piece before so I decided to just make that white.

ーーIt was nice; like a prince from the Middle East.

H: Middle East (lol).

ーーAnd did you see Anii’s outfit?

H: Ahh. I didn’t look closely but it’s all our old photos, aren’t they?　I didn’t get a proper look (lol).

ーーHe turned your funny faces into an outfit without letting you vet them (lol).

H: But I did know that he probably used that photo. When we debuted, our manager at the time would take photos anytime something happened. Whether we were on the move, or eating, or backstage, or overseas, or performing live…… and in all sorts of places. It was the era before data was accessible, so he would always make copies of them for the whole band and distribute them to us. That’s why I and the whole band probably have all the same photos at home.

ーー…… If you have such photos then bring them out and use them for your autobiography (lol).

H: They’re in some corner of the house, although I never tried looking for them (lol).

ーーThat’s not a good excuse, but anyway, there’s a part of this tour that feels somewhat nostalgic, isn’t there?

H: Since we have Boogie Woogie, right? That’s why I think this is a good tour.

ーーFinally, does Hide-san currently have a country or place, somewhere that you’d like to visit?

H: Let’s see…… It’s probably about time for me to visit the European region, isn’t it? Alright, once the tour ends. Shall I go scout ahead of the plans for 10 years later (another Simply Life)?

ーーNah. Europe is kind of…… (reluctant).

H: If that’s the case, how about Miyako-jima next? It’s been recommended to me anyway, it’s okay, really. Miyako-jima (lol).

 

 

Notes:

¹ A visual of the tamagaki at the shrine.

² The “offering” of a tamagaki is not exactly the literal act of bringing your own fence post with your name painted on it. It’s more like “buying” or “commissioning” one from the shrine to put up as a prayer offering. The proceeds are as good as a donation to the shrine.

 

 

 

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AFTERSHOW

2023.05.20 Hoshino Hidehiko BUCK-TICK

The photoshoot took place at Kurumazaki Shrine in Kyoto. As mentioned in the interview, the shoot started early in the morning. After that, everyone moved to the concert venue and the interview was conducted in the dressing room backstage. After a while, the other members of the band start to arrive. On Yuta-san’s desk in the dressing room was a mountain of his autobiography books. They were to be autographed for sale at the concert venue, but he didn’t only sign them; Yuta-san would also draw illustrations associated with the local attractions of each city where the show is held. For Kyoto, he drew the Daimonji Festival, maiko, and the Heian-jingu Shrine but then, he asked, “Any fresh ideas?” So Kanemitsu suggested Tenka Ippin Ramen (headquartered in Kyoto).

After the interview concluded, we left the dressing room and were walking down the hallway when Sakurai the Demon King approached from the other end with a big smile on his face, saying, “Got interrogated recently, Kanemitsu-san?” It was last month that I got interrogated when I went to pick up Yuta-san for his column interview and Yuta-san took a photo of that happening while laughing so I don’t know whether he [Sakurai] saw what Yuta-san took or  whether he read the last magazine edition’s column. Regardless, he got a good laugh out of it. But it was great getting the chance to see the Demon King’s smile ♡

 

 

 

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Translation: Yoshiyuki
Images: Yoshiyuki

BUCK-TICK | [May 2023] Bass Magazine: Higuchi Yutaka — A new step towards personal transformation

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

A new step towards personal transformation
Interview with Higuchi Yutaka

Bass Magazine Vol.359
May 2023

Interview: Nakamura Kengo
Photos: Seitaro Tanaka
Layout: D.tribe

 

Celebrating their 35th anniversary, BUCK-TICK is a band at the forefront of the rock scene. Throughout their long career, they constantly ingest a diversity of musical elements, digest and regurgitate them in unexpected manners, bringing their audience a new touch to their BUCK-TICK sound with each release. 

The same could be said about their 23rd original album, 異空 -IZORA-. Their way of music is alive and well with how the songs go from indulgent rock, to riffs reminiscent of classic rock music, to an alluring jazzy medium, exhilarating beat tunes, to B-T’s style of city pop (?) and more. Bassist Higuchi Yutaka a.k.a. “U-ta” supports the band with a steady foundation revolving around “an approach which involves carefully picking the number of notes”. In this interview, we hear about Higuchi’s present mindset as he continues to look towards the innovation of his band’s sound.

 

PROFILE
Higuchi Yutaka ● Born on 24 January 1967, from Gunma Prefecture. Debuted with a major label as the bassist of BUCK-TICK in 1987. The band has since continued activities at the forefront of Japan’s rock scene with no changes in member line-up. They released 異空 -IZORA-, their 23rd original album on 12 April 2023 and are currently on travelling the country for their “BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空 -IZORA-” until July.
◎https://buck-tick.com

 

When there’s a reduction in sound
it feels like [the bass] is “breathing”.

――When you celebrated your 35th anniversary last September, it started off with the release of a concept best-of album and the commemorative concert.

Yuta (Y): The 35th anniversary concerts we held at Yokohama Arena turned out to be shows that we could’ve only held in this era considering the combination of societal events surrounding us like COVID-19 and the Russian-Ukraine war. But after that, we made up for it in the following tour which ran through to the end of the year and we managed to make it a kind of “joyous tour”. In recent years, we haven’t been able to tour at all because of COVID-19 and just when we thought we could, Imai (Hisashi/guitarist)-kun broke his leg. Ultimately, we’re a band who started out in the indies scene and used to tour around the whole country driving on the highways, so this tour was super fulfilling for us and I’m happier than ever that we could visit the different cities.

――Your best-of album, CATALOGUE THE BEST 35th anniv. was divided into five discs with their respective themes; “RIBELO”, “GOTIKA”, “ELEKTRIZO”, “FANTAZIO”, and “ESPERO”. That sounded like an interesting experiment.

Y: We’ve released best-of compilations before, so we came up with this format when we were thinking about possible presentations that could make things interesting, and we’ve got quite a number of songs because we’ve continued like this for so long, so ultimately, I felt this was an idea that that we could executed only because we’ve tried so many different things before. Besides, when BUCK-TICK was first formed, no one in the band had any sort of musicality. We’re basically just five friends from the same hometown who enjoy doing this together. We have Imai-kun and Hide (Hoshino Hidehiko/guitarist) as our two composers and both of them kept coming up with better and better music. And I think that as the music we make changes, they have been able to reflect that well in different ways. I think the fact that I have to cater to all kinds of music is training from the two composers (lol).

――How did you tackle the production of your latest album, 異空 -IZORA-?

Y: It’s the same every time we’re celebrating a significant anniversary year, but the “theme” was to make sure we don’t run out of steam during the anniversary year. We wanted to bring an atmosphere that we’ve never had before, or take a step towards something new that we wanted to do.

――The songs which were revealed ahead of the album’s release were Sayonara Shelter which was also recorded on the best-of album, and the two singles, Taiyou to Icarus (太陽とイカロス / The Sun and Icarus) and Mugen LOOP (無限 LOOP / Infinity LOOP). BUCK-TICK generally has a dark image, but all of these songs are cheery, or rather, they sound refreshing.

Y: That’s right. They weren’t made with the fixed notion that “This will be a single!” or anything like that, but I did get the feeling that these songs might be in the running to be released as singles in the middle of producing them. Although, we didn’t deliberately aim to make cheerful songs, it just happened to turn out like this. Whether Taiyou to Icarus or Mugen LOOP, they are songs that bring out a sense of pop that we’ve never really done before, so I guess there’s a possibility that a part of them shows we’re doing something different yet again.

――Do you as a bassist consciously try to incorporate new approaches?

Y: No, ultimately, the priority is “to play the bass in a way that suits the song”. Based on that, I tried employing the use of an upright bass in the songs Noraneko Blue (野良猫ブルー / Stray Cat Blue) and Hizumi (ヒズミ). I rarely ever use an upright bass in recording work. I would generally use a regular bass for the studio recording and then play that live with an upright bass. So this time, I just thought maybe I should try using an upright from the very beginning.

――The extended greasy feeling of Noraneko Blue’s intro was something I thought could have only come from playing the longer strings of an upright bass. Does the phrasing change for you when you play with an upright instead of simply using a fretless bass?

Y: It does. Also, I took the opportunity to record using a mic instead and the sound definitely  had a more human touch to it. It completely changes the vibe too. In terms of sound, what an actual wood bass produces wins hands down, but it’s interesting how [doing this] creates a slightly different feel. I can’t think of a better way to say this, but there’s this vague sense of going off-tune, like the pitch sounding ambiguous which makes it interesting.

――Instead of overusing the unique approach that the upright bass calls for, you only applied it at certain points, like part of the interlude and the chorus. While in the rest of the song, you went with keeping things sounding tight. I think the added seasoning this contrast brings is just exquisite.

Y: When it comes to the bass, I keep in mind the feeling that I’m also part of the chorus singing, in the sense that it would be good if I can really feel the rhythm of the melody and get into it. I think making music with this awareness would naturally lead me towards playing my bass in that manner you speak of.

――Hizumi develops with the same rhythm pattern, but I think there’s an added intentional nuance in there with the way you added a bit of grease only on the fourth beat of the last bar of the bassline in the A melody. It’s as if you applied a technique which lets listeners feel something instead of adding filler phrases.

Y: That’s probably another result of me wanting to bring feelings into my bass and match the vocals. In such a situation, I notice that compared to before, there’s more work done to reduce the sound of the bass these days. I feel like doing that brings out emotion, or makes it feel like it is “breathing”.

Making the bass sound like it’s waving it’s arms, trying to get noticed is just so uncool (lol).

――The first track on the album, QUANTUM Ⅰ is an instrumental and it’s got a heavy synth bass in it. Following that, in the second track, SCARECROW, after the vocal and guitar arpeggio, the bass comes in alongside the synth bass and it was so strong that it surprised me.

Y: That might also be related to the fact that I used a 5-string for this song. I didn’t originally intend to use the 5-string, but simply put, this song is a “weighty” one, so I thought maybe it’s a good idea for me to pile on the “weight” (lol). I hope it was a good choice made.

――The A melody in SCARECROW progresses with long tones, but there that greasy feeling comes in during chord changes which boldly brings out the sense that this is being played by an actual bass. I would think that how much of that you put in is one of those factors that would make subtle changes to the groove, but were you still thinking about how to mesh this together with the main melody?

Y: That’s right. Also, if there’s too much grease in there it’d be like the bass is going, “Heeeey!　Hello!!　I’m here!” Waving its arms around, being so uncool (lol).

――Like you’re trying too hard to get noticed (lol).

Y: Yeah, and that’s something I definitely don’t want. So while there are parts where the greasing comes in and where it drops for a transition, there are also times when the main melody would stand out more, or the guitar would sound more appealing if just one more note of transition gets included.

――In terms of sound, is the slightly distorted vibe we get from the songs, including SCARECROW, something that is always there?

Y: That’s right. There’s basically always some sort of distortion. As to exactly how distorted, that’s something we decide on with the tech people, but our band does a lot of loops too, so to make it obvious [to listeners] the bass is also distorted, we have to make it sound incredibly distorted. Otherwise it wouldn’t sound like it is at all. That’s why I often get told that “this sounds normal” even when something is in fact distorted (lol).

――How do you do it?

Y: It depends on the situation. Even if I bring in the distortion using an amp, there’s a variety of equipment we use like the ampeg and so on. And even after distortion using the amp, tech and the engineers would do all sorts of effects processing on the sound too. In live concerts, I use Music Man amps and the effector I use is either SOURCE AUDIO or one of the tones from ZOOM’s MS-60B.

――Boogie Woogie has a rather distorted sound but it reminds me of Unison Riff and the guitars sound like that of 70s rock music.

Y: I remember applying quite a lot of distortion to it. If I didn’t, the bass would wind up in a mess. If only the guitars were distorted, then the bass alone would feel like it’s lagging behind when it all comes together. There wouldn’t be that feeling of speed. And that’s why I distorted it. Even the texture of the distortion was made to resemble something from the past. I know that songs like this one aren’t like most of what BUCK-TICK has done before, so I’m looking forward to playing this live.

――THE FALLING DOWN is also coarsely distorted. For certain songs, I’d assume you have to hold your bass a little higher up your waist and play it kind of punk-style, right?

Y: The moment I heard this song, I already got this feeling of being hit by a ball that was thrown at my head. That’s why I just went ahead and played it without thinking too much. When I heard the song, I also thought that if we were to distort things, then it might be interesting to do something that sounds like The Stranglers too.

――What equipment did you use in recording?

Y: I used fretless bass guitars from Greco, and a Rickenbacker. There were two fretless basses; usage was split between an old bass and a new one. Because I feel like it would be better to use the new one if I’m playing an energetic song. I’ve used the Rickenbacker for a long time now. It was even used in Speed on the album Kurutta Taiyou (1991). The sound it makes is pretty coarse, so I guess you could say that the distortion would come with it more than you’d expect. The upright bass I use is made by Landscape.

――What about the 5-string in SCARECROW?

Y: It’s something Greco produced for me in the past. Since it was made way back, you can guess that it’s really heavy. As heavy as two basses (lol). I asked them to make me one more to use as a substitute just in case, and it was about a third of the weight. I was thinking, “Is the difference really that big?!” (lol).

I find myself enjoying playing with a pick recently.

一一Earlier, you said that you’re removing notes more often in your bass play now, and I got the feeling that there was some deliberate decisions made in Na mo Naki Watashi (名も無きわたし / I, Nameless) for which parts had notes and which didn’t. It would’ve been okay for you to just bury the bass with the 8-beat route in the B melody, but you instead went with patterns like one rest at the start of the third beat, and having more notes in the second A melody than the first yet at the same time less than the number of notes in the B melody, so on and so forth.

Y: Precisely. Because this is a song where I think it’s better for me to play as little as possible. That’s already decided right from the very start. I actually thought it would’ve been enough if I just did the “doon, da-da…” through to the end, but it would ultimately just make things monotonous.

――Is there any reason why you started to play with the conscious intention to reduce the number of notes?

Y: I suppose it might’ve started from my desire to prioritise the melody. Back when we just started playing as a band, it was thought that there was no question that the bassist stood on the side of the drummer as the rhythm team, but the bass has now moved a little more towards the melody side of things so I thought maybe I could just do one note at the start of each bar and not play the rest of it? (lol) Or it could be that we started to have more songs that place emphasis on the melody, more slow tempo songs. I think the way I feel the music changed with those types of songs.

――At the start, we spoke about the bass in Mugen LOOP too, but I think its light rhythm pattern with its note values and sound breaks actually add to how pop the song sounds on the whole.

Y: One thing I was concerned about with this song was how it would immediately end up with a stylish ambience if I get even one thing wrong. Because the BUCK-TICK-ness would get diluted if the song tends towards that direction. It would turn into something that probably makes you think, “This might possibly be BUCK-TICK, but something’s off?” (lol). I think we did a good job executing that kind of subtlety.

――While the cheerful sounding Campanella  Hanataba wo Kimi ni (Campanella 花束を君に / Bouquet For You) has a bit of motown vibes in it. Is motown also a genre that Yuta-san enjoys?

Y: That’s right. But this song was the most difficult one for me. When I was working on it, I kind of felt like I couldn’t hit it quite right. I think it was the way I felt the bouncy rhythm, but since it’s something I liked, I gave the old motown songs and other similar types a proper listen and got the feeling that perhaps that may just be the exact problem. Like, “For some reason, I just can’t play like how they sound back in the day.” I think I managed to get the bass in a good spot, but I think I still need to study more (lol).

――In recent years, Yuta-san often plays with finger picking but you used a pick for Taiyou to Icarus?

Y: That’s right. In this album, I used the pick in both Boogie Woogie and THE FALLING DOWN too. Actually, I guess I find myself enjoying playing with a pick recently. I realised I could do quite a surprising variety of things [using a pick], including creating the sense of speed and some other sound production related things. Also, I’ve begun to find play styles like that of The Ventures and Kabe Masayoshi-san’s intriguing. I can’t do it anywhere as well as them, though (lol).

――You’ll soon embark on your album tour. How do you think it’ll turn out?

Y: I mentioned this at the start too, but as we celebrate our 35th anniversary, we don’t know how much further we can go but we’ve made an album that signifies a new first step for us, and since we’ve been in a state that prohibits cheers and has all kinds of restrictions on concerts in recent years, I feel like [this tour] will also be our first step [out of] that situation. By producing an album and then going on tour, we can let our audience experience the songs through an interpretation they may not have had, and depending on how things turn out, there’s also the possibility to turn the songs into masterpieces, so I’m looking forward to that as well as meeting all those who have been waiting for us.

▲From left, Imai Hisashi (guitar), Yagami Toll (drums), Sakurai Atsushi (vocals), Higuchi, Hoshino Hidehiko (guitar).

 

 

 

 

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Translation: Yoshiyuki
Images: Yoshiyuki