異空 -IZORA- Feature
PHY Vol. 24
April 2023
I thought having fun playing music in a band like that was enough
Except, I gradually started to wonder, “So, what am I going to do next?”…… I guess you could say that I finally woke up from a dream
—Sakurai
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Everyone wants to see spectacular lies and made-up stories, to let themselves be deceived
If calling it a “lie” isn’t appropriate…… then perhaps, a “dream”
—Sakurai
After two years and seven months, the band has released their 23rd original album, 異空 -IZORA-.
This album is all over the place, in a good way. In the beginning, they intended to release the songs in two discs so they began composing a diversity of songs, but in the end, they decided to release just one disc and this is what came of it. Yet in here is a realism that conveys the band’s current vibe. Concerts were no longer ordinary occasions and the band had been unable to carry out their activities like they used to due to COVID-19. This led to a slight change in their shared values because they couldn’t see the singularity.
Yet interestingly enough, if you read these interviews, if you listen to their music, you can sense that they all wish to feel the same emotions they felt when they first came together to form the band. Because there was no theme, no direction to follow, each member’s personal thoughts came flowing out. These are the feelings that came through this album.
A moon floating in a strange sky (異空/izora). It turns full with the wishes of these five band members. That’s right. 35 years after their debut, this is an album which shows us their new beginnings.
BUCK-TICK Solo Interviews
_______________________
Sakurai Atsushi
Interview by: Ishil Eriko
Because dreams are dreams so they aren’t actually reality, or rather, it’s something you create yourself and enchant yourself with
Besides, I also perform and enchant myself with a version of me who isn’t exactly me, right?
――This came up in an earlier interview too, but surprisingly, Sakurai-san, you visit the park, don’t you?
Sakurai (S): Yeah. To space out in the day. If I have nothing going on that day, I would go with a drink in hand, listen to music, read a book, watch grandpas and grandmas play their sports…… That’s pretty much how I spend my time relaxing. I’m not there because I want to meet people, but it’s just that sometimes it feels like I have to go get some sunlight and photosynthesise or it’ll be bad for me.
――But if it’s raining outside, like today, then it’s not possible, is it?
S: Well, if it rains, it rains so…… I think it’s nice that everyone gets a little troubled just like me.
――Hahahaha! Actually, the word “rain (雨/ame)” often came up in the lyrics to the songs of your most recent album. If we exclude the instrumental tracks, it shows up in seven of the twelve songs.
S: Oh~? Is that so? Even I didn’t quite notice that myself.
――What does rain symbolise to you?
S: I wonder. Just now, I jokingly said, “It’s nice that everyone gets a little troubled,” but everyone dreads rain equally and everyone would say things like, “Damn, it’s raining?”, wouldn’t they? It’s annoying, it dampens moods, it makes people lonely. Opening up an umbrella creates a space that only allows for yourself. That’s the imagery that I get from rain.
――Are there times when you enjoy it?
S: Originally, I really didn’t hate it. The area of my hometown, Gunma Prefecture’s Fujioka City, was famous for how you’d hear thunder almost everyday in summer. I think the weather conditions have changed a little bit now, but I would really hear angry-sounding thunder and see pretty scary lightning in the daytime just about everyday when it’s summer. I was scared but somehow, at the same time, I guess you could say, in awe. I remember seeing beautiful lightning turning the sky a pure white and feeling scared yet finding it equally beautiful.
――That’s something I would like to see.
S: Yeah. Although I believe there’s certainly nothing better than a clear sunny day. But I like this too, the dark grey skies we have today. I also imagine that the vegetation will be very happy with the rain too. They would shine and sparkle in green, and the flowers would soak up the water. I think it’s just as important as the sun for life.
――Yes. The next word which stood out to me is “lie (嘘/uso)”. It shows up in Warukyuure no Kikou (ワルキューレの騎行/Ride of the Valkyries) in the line “I don’t care if it’s a lie (嘘で構わない/Uso de kamawanai)”. But the world at large tells us that we can’t lie, though.
S: Hmm… but the truth is, we tell lies to comfort people or children. Lies like, “Monsters will come and get you if you don’t sleep soon.” We do tell lies to reassure children and protect them, don’t we? I feel that’s the perspective that the lyrics are making use of. A specific example would be how we won’t say, “Missiles are flying overhead,” but instead, we’ll say something like, “It’s raining so we can’t go out.”
――This is something ISSAY-san (Der Zibet/vocals) said, but in his words, “People seek out concerts, movies, and theatre for the sake of seeing a beautiful lie.”
S: Ahh……… That’s my elder sister¹ for you; it’s a whole other manner of speech!
――Elder sister (lol).
S: I see. But that’s nice, isn’t it?
――Yeah. I think one of BUCK-TICK’s jobs is to enchant with beautiful lies.
S: Mhm, although it might give people the wrong ideas, fufufuh. But that’s correct. Everyone wants to see spectacular lies and made-up stories. Everyone wants to let themselves be deceived.
――If the word “lie” isn’t appropriate, what other word would you use?
S: Well…… Perhaps it would be “dream”. Kind of cheesy, though. But I think “dream” is the closest synonym. Because dreams are dreams so they aren’t actually reality, or rather, it’s something you create yourself and enchant yourself with. Besides, I also perform and enchant myself with a version of me who isn’t exactly me, right? Reality is painful, it’s heavy, it’s too cruel. So I think that makes lies pretty effective too.
What you find in this Hizumi is also my own personal Hizumi²
Twisted thoughts when it comes to my own mother and father
――Speaking of whether something is real or fictional, in this album, I felt for the first time that the “papa, mama” that Sakurai-san penned has changed.
S: Ah, really? Hm… Maybe because there’s a broader perspective here. In the past, it would be about myself, and my own father and mother. That part might’ve come across exceptionally strongly but if the focus is more on what’s going on in the story, I guess it becomes…… a reference to the fathers and mothers of children in general?
――Indeed. It’s just that I believe your actual parents are an enduring part of Sakurai-san’s roots and also a form of energy that feeds your performance.
S: That’s true. …… I always question myself about it, like, “Isn’t that enough already?” Isn’t it as good as bragging about my hardships (wry smile)? I always think, “Let’s stop doing that”, “I should let go of my parents for my own sake.” But eventually, I always end up feeling that I have to revisit those events before I can start over again. Even so, when I see and hear about what’s going on in the world, there are all kinds of mothers and fathers and families. I guess I came to feel that it might be a good thing for me to sing more about these things, even in relation to myself. And also that it would be nice if I could remain as pure and innocent as a child. Perhaps this naive wish made its way there.
――The “father, mother” who appears in Hizumi; are these figures closer to Sakurai-san’s own parents or that of the character in the story?
S: Hm…… I would say it’s my own father and mother. I have these kinds of emotions in me. I think people will be able to understand all these things that are seeping out of me, though. Mm…… That’s why, what you find in this Hizumi is also my own personal Hizumi². Twisted thoughts when it comes to my own mother and father.
――Where there is murderous hatred, but also the desire to say you love them.
S: That’s right. Apologies for getting depressing, but ever since I was old enough to remember, my mother has been subjected to violence and I spent everyday trembling with my older brother. I only wondered, “Why’s my home like this?” and harboured a fear of my father, and hatred. Why does he put my mother through this? I honestly wanted to kill him too. Towards my mother, I felt pity, and wondered why she sacrificed herself…… There was a time when I told her, “You can just leave with big brother. You don’t have to stay in this house and put up with it.” And she said something like, “Why are you saying such things!” There’s a part of her that believes this is the only place where she belongs, it’s very…… frustrating, I guess. It was a situation that cannot be handled by children.
――It must’ve been incredibly difficult. However, this is unfortunately a special story that is unique to Sakurai-san. It’s not something you’d hear anywhere else.
S:Yeah. That’s true. I believe there are a lot of children who were born into far worse environments and brought up in it. It’s really unimaginable simply because it doesn’t make the news…… There really are a lot of children who matured surprisingly well and avoided becoming criminals.
――I hope this music helps people.
S: Yeah…… That would be nice.
――Yes. Next, I’d like to ask about the word “dream”. Sakurai-san has also sung about all types of dreams in in the past, but it’s rare that you would pen a phrase like, “chasing things like dreams (夢なんて追いかけて/yume nante oikakete)”.
S: Right, we started the band together but for some reason, I myself didn’t really have any goals. I was going along without specific goals like knowing what we wanted to become, or wanting to perform at a particular venue. Just happy to be able to transiently enjoy each day, firing up the audience even with shitty performances. There was a negligent and carefree part of me that didn’t care about the future as long as I could spend another night like that. I guess I genuinely thought having fun playing music in a band like that was enough. Except, I gradually started to wonder, “So, what am I going to do next?”…… I guess you could say that I finally woke up from a dream (lol).
――Hahahaha.
S: I just suddenly started to wonder, “So what do I want to do?” You know? I thought, if my first phase was me voicing my desire to be a vocalist then I have to move on to the second phase. And that’s my personal desire when it comes to our releases. That kept on sprouting and growing. And I guess I just couldn’t convince myself with the surface-level thing anymore. Wondering, “What should I myself sing about going forward?” That’s when I felt like I finally woke up from my dream.
――Right now, does Sakurai-san have a dream of your own?
S: Huh? …………… Perhaps a peaceful retirement.
――Hahahahaha! Will that lifestyle involve band activities?
S: Ah, well, perhaps within the realm of “Oh, the weather looks good today, shall we give it a go?” as an elderly man.
――Depending on the weather!
S: Hahahahah. Saying things like, “My leg hurts.’ (Lol) This isn’t something that would make headlines, but I would like to attain happiness as a person.
――Yes. One more thing I would like to bring up is the imagery of “flowers” that come up in the songs Na mo Naki Watashi (I, Nameless), Ai no Harem (Harem of Love), and Campanella Hanataba wo Kimi ni (Campanella A Bouquet For You). It’s something that appears to symbolise life and peace, and also love.
S: Yes. I, as a man who’s over 50 years of age, actually like flowers a lot.
――I think that’s a very lovely sentiment.
S: Fuhahahah. Um, well, it’s because my mother loved flowers a ton. She used to always bring me along to the horticulture corner of the DYI stores to buy cheap potted plants. We were somehow a household which always had flowers in the garden. And when I started performing concerts, I started asking for flowers in the dressing room. I thought it was nice to have flowers around in a dressing room filled with disorderly men. While admiring them, I’d end up thinking, “What a waste. I’ll bring them home.” Even now, I’ll have flowers that I receive on my birthday in my room. So I have always loved flowers. I like receiving them and giving them very much too.
――That’s even lovelier.
S: It’s a life after all. A life that doesn’t speak. Just like the sun, the wind, the rain, insects. Of course, the grass and the trees are also part of all these lives that are connected. And I think it’s all simply amazing. These lives that exist without saying a word.
――Do you have a favourite flower?
S: Do I? Ah, I’m not sure if they count, but I like baby’s breath.
――That’s adorable (lol).
S: Even though I’m an old man (lol). But I like all flowers in general. The ones I have in my room now are probably callas, lilies? They’re flamboyant. You know, people somehow tend to associate roses and the sort with me, but I really love the more simple varieties too. Also…… I just recalled something while we were talking.
――What is it?
S: I’ll occasionally visit my hometown. It’s been more than 30 years since my mother passed, but when I visit her grave, there will already be quite a lot of flowers laid. On her death anniversary and even other regular days too. It seems to me that there are a number of people who would always leave flowers for her these past decades.
――Huh? Even now?
S: Yeah. I am just humbled. In the past, I wasn’t very good at dealing with fans who came all the way to my parents’ home. But my mother always took very good care of them. I told her, “You don’t have to let them into the house,” but she would chastise me, saying things like, “They made the effort to come all the way here!” (Lol) And that fan would assertively add, “I’m Sakurai-san’s fan but I’m first and foremost your mother’s fan.” At that point I could only feel apologetic (lol).
――To think there are some who are that dedicated…… That’s amazing.
S: It’s already been more than 30 years too. While I only visit when the thought of it occurs to me. My older brother visits her grave every year on her death anniversary, and he would tell me, “There’s a load of flowers here again.” I’m really very grateful.
――I’ve got a question for you that might feel rather inappropriate considering the flow of our conversation, but what kind of flowers do you hope to receive when it’s your time?
S: Mm……
――I’m sorry, it’s really inappropriate.
S: No, no. It’s good, isn’t it? To think about these things. Normally the subdued chrysanthemums would be the main flower and I suppose there’s nothing wrong with the standard being the standard. But the flowers that currently show up on my mother’s grave are very flamboyant, not the usual types for a memorial. So, really, something like that. Flowers other than white chrysanthemums. Flamboyant would be nice.
――Then, a gorgeous, romantic bouquet.
S: I look forward to it. Fufufuh.
Notes:
¹ He referred to ISSAY as お姐様 (onee-sama), “elder sister” in a more respectful manner of speech. The word can also be used to refer to a lady boss.
² I’ve probably mentioned it somewhere before but ヒズミ (hizumi) is essentially this word, 歪み written in Katakana. Because it’s written in Katakana, ヒズミ can also be interpreted as a person’s name. At the same time, the 歪み word is essentially defined as “a distorted or warped shape, or a bad result of something”.
Here, Sakurai could be saying that Hizumi, the character also exists within him, or that there are parts of him that are also twisted in the parallel to what the song describes.
_______________________
Imai Hisashi
Interview by: Kanemitsu Hirofumi
I think it was nice to be able to work freely without a theme. It feels like the way it used to be in the past
But we faced difficulty in coordinating our schedules
――Your new song Sayonara Shelter was included in last September’s release of your best-of album, CATALOGUE THE BEST 35th anniv.. Recording work for 異空 -IZORA- started long before that, didn’t it?
Imai (I): That’s right. After we released ABRACADABRA, we couldn’t tour because of COVID-19 and after that…… Well, a bunch happened (lol).
――Sure did (lol). So you can’t use the excuse that you couldn’t make music because there was no time.
I: I’m not making excuses here— (lol). So we started recording work around April of last year but before that, we had a discussion with our staff. That’s where the conversation about how it would be interesting if we were to release two discs with a one or two week interval between them. I was thinking that it would be too.
――Sure is.
I: But I guess I gradually started getting the feeling that it wasn’t very coherent. In the beginning, we only thought about recording but then we had to get ready for the fan club and mobile members exclusive tour and our 35th anniversary show at Yokohama Arena so things started getting busy and we started feeling more and more things overlapping together.
――At the start of 2022, you mentioned that the idea was to release two discs with all types of songs at the same time.
I: At the start, right? That’s why I thought, we’re going to need a whole lot of songs, and when that happened, I thought it was going to be pretty interesting with the variety of songs that will be in it. But in the end, I guess you could say that I started to want a good reason for us to split the songs into two CDs.
――Not simply because you have a lot of songs and a wide variety of them?
I: Exactly. I also figured that I hate that recording takes a long time when there are a lot of songs. It’s like, I might get sick of it if we split them up properly but didn’t find any meaning in doing so.
――Between light and dark, something like that?
I: As an example. At first, we didn’t make any conclusion on that end and decided that we would just start composing music and move ahead with the recording. I guess we didn’t have a real final destination in sight in terms of what would eventually happen with our work.
――So where did the idea of releasing two CDs come from?
I: I think the person who came up with that idea in the very beginning was probably Tanaka-san (director). He said, since it would be our first original release in a significant while following ABRACADABRA, doing this would leave a stronger impact and it would also bring across something like the polyphagous nature of this band. And I concurred that it does sound like an interesting approach.
――When ABRACADABRA was released, Imai-san mentioned that you had the theme of “escape (逸脱/itsudatsu)” in mind, but is there nothing like that [this time]?
I: There isn’t. I thought it might be interesting to produce an album for our 35th anniversary without a clear theme or concept, or anything concrete in that sense.
――How was songwriting without a theme?
I: I think it was nice to be able to work freely. Somehow, it feels like the way it used to be in the past. But with the added difficulty we faced in coordinating our schedules along with the fact that we were going to the studio while technically being on tour, it was pretty tough.
――I would’ve thought so.
I: But as recording progressed, we had demo tapes for about 20 songs lined up. We were working towards releasing two discs so we did sort of finish it in that sense, but then the whole band started wondering whether this was really such a good idea after all.
――There was still work to do on the song lyrics while you were on tour too.
I: Exactly. Music notwithstanding, Sakurai-san still had to write the lyrics and sing his parts. Based on arrangement and demo tapes, we completed the twelve tracks that went into this album release. I think the recording work for three or so has been completed up to the bass stage; they still lack guitars and drums and that got us thinking that maybe we should sit down and reconsider this.
――So it was around the end of last year and the start of this year when you made the decision.
I: Yeah. We decided that we would attach the very first and very last instrumental tracks with the twelve complete songs and call it a day.
――I think because there was no theme to speak of, it has resulted in a collection of songs that represent the current BUCK-TICK with a lot of freedom.
I: That’s right. It wasn’t our goal to do this but on the other hand, it naturally shows what we’re like now in our 35th year together. I guess that’s the interesting thing about it.
――How would you describe the current BUCK-TICK in more specific terms?
I: Something like this (lol).
――You just can’t add a few more words in there, can you (lol).
I: Don’t think so!
――Hahahaha!
I: Well, I guess it’s the idea that our band can also play such music. We haven’t had the chance to play together yet so we don’t know how it’ll sound live and I think that’s something we can all look forward to as well.
――The first and final tracks are instrumental tracks with QUANTUM in the title.
I: I thought it would be nice for us to come on stage to those tracks in concert. I wanted to include these tracks in the album and do a bit of world-building before we go on tour.
――It’s defined as a very small unit of energy.
I: But that doesn’t mean anything here. I guess maybe something more like a prayer or a wish.
――You said you had around twenty songs?
I: Eighteen in total, I think. And from those we picked twelve for the album. Apart from that, there are three more songs that I composed but they don’t have anything done, not even guitars.
――Did you want to release two discs?
I: Nah, even if we did manage to record them all, I don’t know whether we’d actually go ahead with it. There may also be some areas that feel kind of wrong although we don’t really have those. Rather, I would prefer to execute things a little more neatly.
――You mean, with a clearer theme?
I: Yeah. We tried putting things together at a point when we prioritised the number of songs over having a theme, and as I mentioned earlier, we ended up with the unintentional effect of bringing out what our band’s current vibe is. And that’s good, but if we were to release two discs like this without any good reason to, it’s a bit…… you know.
――And that’s why this album has such a variety of music.
I: I mean, well, it’s also because when we started talking about composing a ton of songs to release in two discs, that’s exactly what we thought would happen. But [the variety] wasn’t intentional. It might feel that there are more shuffle songs and groovy music than usual, but that’s about it. The rest is our usual. We just want people to have fun when they listen to this album.
This time, I didn’t think about trying all sorts of experimental music, or incorporating this and that
I guess I was more of playing around with whatever came to mind and shaping it
――Imai-san came up with the title, 異空 -IZORA-, right?
I: Mugen LOOP (無限 LOOP/Infinity LOOP)’s working title was originally izora. That stuck with me the whole time so I made it the album title.
――Where did you get it from?
I: I like the works that artist Uchibayashi Takeshi-san creates, and he has a particular one called Ikuu e no Madou (異空への窓/Window to Another Sky). I think it’s normally read as ikuu instead of izora and he also said the same thing to me, but I thought it might be intriguing to read it as izora. And I thought it’d be nice if I could use it somewhere.
――Where did you see this artwork?
I: I bought it myself. I went to Uchibayashi-san’s exhibition and he also let me drop by his atelier for a bit, though.
――What drew you to that piece of art?
I: The homesickness. I like it.
――I saw the piece, the crescent moon is a nice touch, isn’t it?
I: Yeah. And the telephone pole at dusk, and the silhouette of a home. It’s not just the homesick feeling I like, though. I like the way [the art pieces] brings it out.
――So you made that the album title.
I: Yeah. But the purpose isn’t to make nostalgic homesickness the theme. It’s more about what kind of feeling we get when we see “different skies (異空)” like “blue skies (青空)” or “cloudy skies (曇り空)” and all that.
――Were there any changes in the way you composed your music?
I: None in particular. But this time, I didn’t think about trying all sorts of experimental music, or incorporating this and that. I guess I was more of playing around with whatever came to mind and shaping it. There wasn’t anything like a focused aim with a concept.
――Is there a chance that something like that would come around again?
I: I wonder. Wouldn’t that be based on timing or whether there are inspiration triggers? This is a slightly different topic but when I did SCHAFT in the past, we didn’t want to make something similar to the first album which was more industrial and gritty. Instead, we wanted to make music that felt less formal and allowed listeners to enjoy the live-band style music more.
――So that’s why Fujii-san (Fujii Maki) was so confused at the start (lol).
I: Because we were focused on more rock band-styled music, right? The genre is different, but I guess that’s similar to what we have now.
――Which is of more interest to you now?
I: Dunno. I enjoy them both. I guess it feels like a boom.
――Also, this time, you have YOW-ROW-kun (GARI) and Yoko-chan (Yokoyama Kazutoshi) participating in the album for manipulation and remixing too. Their work seems to sound kind of similar but I would think they’re present here as two different types.
I: YOW-ROW is the type to make use of all kinds of things without much hesitation. When he was working on the remix of Na mo Naki Watashi (I, Nameless), he came over to my home and we came up with a lot of concrete ideas like how the chord progression would go, this and that. YOW-ROW did the arrangement and adjustments after that. If I’m working with Yoko-chan, all I’d probably say is, “Make it major.” (Lol)
――Hahahaha.
I: But I did tell him right from the beginning that I wanted to turn it instrumental. There’s a set direction.
――Your tour is starting for this album that has quite a focus on performing the songs live, but have you thought about how you’d like the shows to turn out?
I: COVID-19 has subsided and now [the audience] can get loud and noisy in concerts, right? That’s definitely one thing I’m looking forward to, but I also wonder what it’s going to be like. Because I kind of forgot after these past few years. So I’m actually looking forward to that. And what kind of music I would make after experiencing it.
――Already talking about the next thing (lol).
I: Because I always get ideas and that creative urge without fail when we’re on tour. That’s exciting, isn’t it?
――We’ve known each other for decades and even now I still ask you about these things, but you never fail to get ideas about what you’ll do next, do you?
I: They’ll come to me, somehow someway. I’ve never had nothing at all. This is the way it’s been throughout these 35 years, so I’m sure the next thing will happen the same way. Once we hold concerts, I’ll start getting ideas of what might be interesting to do next, and we’ll build everything from scratch again together after reducing what was finally consolidated at the end of it to zero. That’s not a thing you’ll get tired of doing.
――That’s true.
I: Because I think there’s still more to create.
――I think the confidence in these words has become the backbone of the band. Now that your 35th anniversary has concluded, we now look towards your 40thーー
I: Because there’s still our 36th, 37th, 38th, and 39th anniversary, right (lol).
_______________________
Hoshino Hidehiko
Interview by: Kanemitsu Hirofumi
I think it’s an album we managed to put together after having experienced a bunch of things
Everyone thinks so. That we made something good isn’t the only thing we feel.
――With your new album, I get the sense that while it isn’t strongly thematic, it really lets people feel the breadth of this band’s musicality.
Hoshino (H): That’s right. At first, the idea to release two discs was raised and we subsequently started recording. In what way, we haven’t decided though, like whether it’s releasing two discs at the same time or with a short delay between them.
――You were already recording before the release of your best-of concept album last September, right?
H: That’s right. I feel like the whole of last year was spent recording. That’s why we got started early. Even though we couldn’t envision what was next. How many songs we should release, how many tracks to record, what type of songs we need; we knew nothing at all. That’s why we sort of went about it with the mindset that we really were going to release two discs or so.
――What do you mean by “type of songs”?
H: For a period, there was this sense that we were going to have two different themes for each of the discs. Like, light and dark, or something. It’s vague though. And if we wrote our music fixed on that, we’d end up restricting ourselves so I gave my music a flexibility that made it possible to change things up depending on the final arrangement. I figured that it was probably better to have more patterns so I expanded the range. Personally.
――Is that the reason behind the wide range of musicality we got in this album?
H: That’s true. In the end, the songs went into one CD, so maybe it feels like it leans very much that way.
――Roughly how many songs were initially in your demo tape?
H: In the beginning were the three songs we have now. Sayonara Shelter and Ai no Harem (Harem of Love). And Taiyou to Icarus (The Sun and Icarus). These songs were already there even before September’s Yokohama Arena event. And after that, we still kept on continuing with recording between tour dates. From my own compositions, there’s one more song that’s already got guitars recorded for it (lol).。
――So it wasn’t included because you’re only releasing one disc this time and you already had enough songs.
H: For now, it’s put on hold (lol). It’s an interesting song so I don’t want to toss it away though.
――Taiyou to Icarus is a fresh one coming from Hoshino-san. Probably because of the major chord feeling.
H: That was originally composed specifically for the album. With “light” as the focus. I think that’s where the major feeling comes from. I didn’t intend for it to be a single, though. That only happened because everyone came to the consensus that it’s kinda good while we were recording it. When Sakurai-san’s lyrics and singing came in, director Tanaka also said, “This, it’s fit for a single, isn’t it?”
――I think it’s a really good song.
H: So this time, among the four songs recorded, the cheerful ones were Taiyou to Icarus and the song on hold. While the dark ones were Sayonara Shelter and Ai no Harem.
――No matter the circumstance, you’re someone who really strikes a balance (lol).
H: Right? If we were releasing two discs, I thought having two songs in each would be just right, and if we released just one, then we can take our pick.
――What did you envision when you created Ai no Harem?
H: I just wanted something with a “dark” vibe. Probably something with a sort of thick, muddy feeling. The rhythm I went with kind of resembles dub, so I wanted the song to end with that slushy dub.
――If you had the time to, do you think releasing two discs would’ve made for something interesting?
H: We actually had more than enough time here too (lol). But we’ve never released two discs of entirely new music, right? If it does happen, it would probably be interesting, but I really wonder how it would work. Our listeners might just find that they’re only listening to one or the other (lol).
――Hahahaha.
H: If they really really think hard about it. Well, in hindsight, I get the feeling that maybe it was a good thing we decided to do it like this.
――What do you personally think about how the album turned out?
H: Hm… I dare say that it’s an album that naturally reflects the current times we live in and our present stance.
――What’s the stance?
H: All sorts of things are happening in the world now. We often see footage of war and demonstrations on TV but there’s a lot going on in those people’s lives there. Even though a lot is going on, we take it in and continue with our lives. By thinking like this, maybe we’ll be able to become forward-thinking?
――I see.
H: I think it’s an album we managed to put together after having experienced a bunch of things. I believe that’s something not only me, but the other members of the band think as well. That we made something good isn’t the only thing we feel. There are times when that’s enough, but things were completely different ten or twenty years ago. Not that there’s anything bad about it.
――Are you saying that each of these lives have affected the band?
H: Well, I suppose so. As you’d expect, coming to this age, everyone has their own thing going on. There are people who think completely differently from how I think, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have shared experiences. But once we start going on tour and get on stage, things become the same as they were 35 years ago. It’s really strange, though.
――It is.
H: That’s definitely how it is, emotionally. This somehow feels like an album which looks back on those times, doesn’t it? It lacks a concept or a theme as a result, but we were naturally able to come up with songs that fit the way the band is now.
Looking at each era, we’ve always made music honestly according to what’s in our hearts at the time
I feel like that naturally grew to become our aim
――Going back to the album, was there anything different for Hoshino-san with the sound work?
H: Nothing changed at all in recent times. Equipment’s still the same, I guess I only added one more SG to my guitars. But aside from that, there was nothing in particular that changed so our recording methods also remained the same, staff is still made up of the same people (lol). That’s not where any change would be found. But in those areas, including the melodies, I generally always have a desire to destroy it.
――When we talk about Hoshino Hidehiko, the phrase “Hide melody” often comes up so that’s also a typecast in a good sense of it, though.
H: But I want to do something novel.
――In the 35th year of your career!
H: I’m thinking that this time’s Taiyou to Icarus might be a good starting point. Everyone calls it pop but personally, I think it’s tearful.
――A tearful melody?
H: Exactly. Especially the chorus and thereabouts. I’m playing the right side guitar but when that part matched the melody, that’s when it was finally complete. I kept thinking about it throughout that time. I really thought that the song can’t be released unless these two parts align (lol).
――The alignment of the tearful melody and the guitars.
H: Right, and that’s why it’s not just a simple pop song to me. Because I kept on thinking and thinking and thinking about that guitar (lol).
――The left side guitar plays the chords with strokes, right?
H: Yeah. That’s the main backing. It was hard to figure out guitars that meshed with the song’s melody.
――It’s no surprise considering you’re a guy who wouldn’t release a song unless it’s properly completed (lol).
H: Nah, there’s none of that recently (lol). There are parts that I’m particular about, but everything else is relatively flexible. Because [the song] can grow further when the impressions of the other band members and the manipulators come in. I’ve grown more flexible in that sense.
――But no matter the band member, they all said Hide is stubborn when it comes to song production.
H: I’ve grown more flexible. Although maybe it’s just that I find some things troublesome (lol).
――Brutally frank (lol). But doing that allows ideas from more people to come into the mix and develop it more.
H: Right, right. Exactly.
――Thoughts on Imai-san’s songs on this album?
H: The feel of it is probably the same, isn’t it? The light and dark feeling. And yet the range of it is wide. So while there’s certainly a variety of styles, it’s also the same as usual. I guess he simply decided to have a wider perspective and look at different things because he was focused on the original idea of releasing two discs.
――That, along with the songs that seem to say “I want to go somewhere different” really stand out too.
H: It’s very Sakurai-san. Those words probably call for a melody, don’t they? But I always leave the lyrics entirely up to him, so at this stage, I’m no longer surprised by whatever comes (lol).
――Hahahahahaha. So whether it’s a cat which comes, or whatever else, it’s all okay.
H: Cat (lol). But this album’s Taiyou to Icarus can be interpreted in a number of ways, don’t you think? I won’t say much more though.
――Please say more (lol).
H: No, I mean (lol). When you see the lyrics, right, you might be able to guess what some of it references, but on the other hand, I think, it can be interpreted in this other way, or seen from yet another perspective too. I’d say it’s well expressed.
――Present emotions.
H: That, and because you want to protect someone, you…… It could be interpreted in that manner too.
――And live concerts. Things haven’t entirely reverted to the way they were before COVID-19, though.
H: Seems like it.
――I know it’s still too soon, but have you thought about what you want to do next?
H: Ah, right. I think I still want to produce an album. The song put on hold is still waiting, after all (lol).
――Ultimately, you want to get into band activities ASAP?
H: Yeah. I definitely have the motivation to work on whatever’s next (lol). I want to hurry up and reamp the guitars. Because I stopped at a point where I was thinking about changing the sound if that particular sound isn’t what I wanted.
――Once again, how does it feel to keep going like this throughout all this time?
H: How indeed. Looking at each era, I guess you can tell that we’ve always made music honestly, according to what’s in our hearts at the time. I feel like that naturally grew to become our aim.
――Yes. Now, this is a completely different topic, but when I looked at Boo-san’s (VJ) Instagram page, I found out that the Starfield (星 – star/野 – field) New Year Party is still going on (lol).
H: They posted the photos, right? The Starfield party was originally a family gathering though. My eldest son is going overseas to study in the UK so this also doubles as a farewell party.
――Ahh, so with the families of your friends and everyone.
H: Yes, that’s right. Everyone came together with the intention of this being a farewell party.
――I see. Has he already gone away for studies?
H: He has.
――Are you sad, lonely?
H: Not that much. He just looks like he’s having so much fun that I envy him. It sounds like he’s in a really great place. Because he’s already made friends there and he said that he was going to travel to Spain for a vacation with those friends next week.
――It does sound like he’s having fun.
H: He said everyday’s something new.
――Don’t you feel envious when you see him like that?
H: I do. Everything is fascinating, everything is brand new. No matter what he does, it’ll be his first time with it so I guess it makes sense that he’s having so much fun.
――And yourself?
H: I wonder. I doubt I can do anything like that even if I start now, though. But that’s because I was intrigued by different things back when I was around his age, I think.
――But after you graduated high school, you went to vocational school and soon after started a band, so you’ve actually been doing that and living in this world of just the five of you for 35 years.
H: That’s true. Personally, I feel that I’ve lived my life in my own way but I’ve been so busy that I could only live in this small world. So I think those experiences were most definitely good. I want us all to be able to enjoy our lives in our own way. I guess that’s the only thing I have in mind now. That he doesn’t have any regrets. That said, I did enjoy myself though.
――Agreed (lol). [We hope that they] would enjoy life too.
H: Yes, exactly. I’m still enjoying my life in my own way too.
_______________________
Higuchi yutaka
Interview by: Kanemitsu Hirofumi
There’s a change in our day-to-day relationship with how we no longer revolve our lives solely around BUCK-TICK
But on stage, we see the same band members we’ve always known, unchanged. I think that’s probably the same for all of us
――This turned out to be a great album featuring a variety of shades of the band.
Yutaka (Y): I guess we managed to make songs of various forms. Acchan’s lyrics too are what he could write precisely because of the times we’re in. I think we managed to produce an album that leaves more impact than ever.
――I would think that the reason why there’s a variety of music is largely because you spent quite a long time recording and your original plan to release two discs in the beginning, right?
Y: That’s right. We had no theme either so it felt like we decided to start with this vague goal and try going in different directions.
――Did anything change in your style of recording?
Y: Mm. But it went smoothly and it wasn’t bad. [Normally,] if we have twelve songs, my part would conclude after a few days of bass recording. After that, it’s just the wait for the engineers to do the mixing. That’s our usual style but this time, they would consolidate about three songs or so together and those songs would have some extent of singing already recorded so it’s easy for me to see how it would eventually turn out. That would also change the way I tackle the next song. It’s good that I can get a clear view of the full picture. Because before, there were a lot of instances of songs where I [hear the final version and] think, “So this is what that demo tape turned into.” (Lol)
――Sayonara Shelter was released in the best-of concept album too, but was it the first song you recorded?
Y: Nope, the first were probably Campanella Hanataba wo Kimi ni (Campanella A Bouquet For You) and Warukyuure no Kikou (Ride of the Valkyries). I think Sayonara Shelter was right after that.
――How was it dealing with such a rich diversity of songs as a musician?
Y: It was interesting as a bassist. Because it’s a line-up of songs that allows me to bring out a variety of grooves. If you focus on listening to the bass, you wouldn’t think that they all came from the same band (lol). But once the songs are complete, they turn into tracks that can only be attributed to BUCK-TICK. They’ll become one. That’s something that always amazes me.
――Has there never been an occasion where someone will say, “We don’t do this,” and reject it?
Y: Never. Although, when we debuted, the director person would say, “Stop that, we don’t do this.” And we had to stop halfway.
――I see.
Y: Ultimately, this band didn’t come about because we wanted to do just one thing, but instead with the intention of creating what is interesting to the five of us in a cool way.
――Not to make music, but to make what’s BUCK-TICK.
Y: Yeah. The fact that this is how we started is big. That’s why I think we can do anything. I would think that our fans probably never have thought “This isn’t BUCK-TICK” when they listen to our music.
――Right.
Y: That’s why we have fun no matter what we do. We don’t really have any deliberate consciousness of wanting to make music in a particular genre, like techno or grunge, goth. No matter what we do, it’ll become BUCK-TICK. Everyone knows that.
――The biggest factor which contributes to that is probably because you’ve grown to think about how a song can be executed with all five members of the band.
Y: That’s right. And that’s something we’ve been doing throughout these 35 years.
――Everyone’s got their own lives too, but can you all walk it the same way?
Y: I’m not sure about that. Well, we don’t really have the same amount of energy that we used to have back when we would mess around together until morning comes (lol).
――Hahahaha!
Y: I think it’s better to get a good night’s sleep for tomorrow’s concert anyway (lol). Strangely enough, although I believe that there certainly is a change in our day-to-day relationship with how we no longer revolve our lives solely around BUCK-TICK, but on the other hand, the moment we get on stage, we get that same vibe that we’ve always felt since way back and we become BUCK-TICK. There, we see the same band members we’ve always known, unchanged. I think that’s probably the same for all of us.
When we see scenes of war on TV, it makes you wonder what’s wrong with the world but it’s just reality
I think “異空” is a word that gives off a very strong sense of discomfort
――What do you think about the album’s title?
Y: The working title of Mugen LOOP (Infinity LOOP) was izora. I thought it was perfect for this album and this era. COVID-19 caused a pandemic, war broke out in Ukraine. In our lives, we’ve also had the Vietnam war and the war between Iran and Iraq, but we never got to see the bombings and scenes of people evacuating, or the moment of someone’s death. It makes you wonder what’s wrong with the world but it’s just reality.
――That’s true.
Y: I think “異空” is a word that gives off a very strong sense of discomfort…… That said, Imai-kun would probably say that’s “completely wrong” though (lol).
――But you’ve got a point.
Y: With all these things going on in the world, we’re releasing an album like this and going on a national tour again. I feel nothing but grateful. We can visit everyone in their cities for concerts. Things like this was something we thought would never go away and it did. That’s something we learnt from the past three years.
――That’s true.
Y: That’s why, if there’s anything we should do in this gloomy world, I think it’s to do things that bring joy to everyone. Instead of putting together a huge set and putting on a flashy performance in Tokyo, I would rather go around visiting performance halls in each district with the same kind of fervour.
――In one of the song’s lyrics that Sakurai-san wrote for this album, there’s a nostalgic story related to going on tour in a car back then.
Y: You’re talking about Boogie Woogie, right? When I saw the lyrics, I got the feeling that we had all been thinking about the same thing. When we went on tour together riding in that broken-down van, there was a time when we ran out of gas, just like in the lyrics. We ran out of gas on the highway and we pushed the vehicle to get ourselves to a rest stop (lol).
――That’s a good story (lol).
Y: It was such a hard time! I get the feeling that Acchan wrote about those memories because we talked about recalling what we did together as a band in the very beginning, what we had fun doing. It’s like a search to find out what’s at our very core.
――The five of you going on tour together, visiting the cities where your fans away, then heading to the next city.
Y: There’s something precious [to us] in that.
――So for the first time in a while, let’s have the five of you get on board a Hiace……
Y: I’ll die (lol). But the COVID-19 pandemic got me thinking about things even more. It made me aware of the fact that people were waiting for us when we lost the ability to do the things we took for granted.
――Like realising that you’re doing these things for those people?
Y: I’m more than satisfied if that relationship exists. We’ve come this far sharing that among the five of us. Because we aren’t a band where the loudest gets his way. All of us would take each person’s feelings and ideas into consideration as we think about how we can best do something while making sure everyone is happy too. And that’s the way we have always done things.
――Which song did you have a hard time recording this time around?
Y: Campanella Hanataba wo Kimi ni was difficult. It’s got a simple bass line but I found myself thinking really hard about how I should work the groove to fit it into the song’s vibe.
――What about Sakurai-san’s lyrics?
Y: I know very well that Acchan is processing the air of our times in his own unique way. He can’t pretend he doesn’t know what’s going on and write about something else, I believe. He’s a magnificent poet.
――He really can’t run away from these things. Also, because the original intention was to release two discs, both Imai-san and Hoshino-san put out quite a wide range of music, didn’t they?
Y: Those two probably flipped the switch and got really motivated about it (lol). Both composers’ music are really good. Maybe it was made possible because of the era we’re in.
――If you did end up releasing two discs at the same time, what kind of work do you think it’ll turn out to be?
Y: Probably something intriguing and very very rich in variety. But we couldn’t make it in time, right? (Lol)
――Recording while you’re on tour is a strain after all.
Y: Because we ultimately would prefer to focus. Especially for Acchan because he only writes the lyrics at the very end after the music has gotten the OK. And that’s tough.
――Then it certainly makes it unreasonable to expect it all to be done in between schedules.
Y: That’s why we had to draw the line somewhere. I think what we have here is a good enough job done for this round. Maybe the next step would be to come up with yet another thing to focus on.
――Does Yuta-san hold any expectations towards BUCK-TICK like wanting to do a specific thing or wanting to produce a particular type of album?
Y: Don’t think so. It’s good enough for me to work with these band members. That’s my number one wish above all else, and if there’s only one thing I can ever do again, it’ll be that. Ah, but there’s this thing we’ve been doing recently; the five of us taking our old songs and making them new again. That is fun. I’d like to do this more. Not just make new songs.
――Why?
Y: As we work on that, I can sense how much we’ve changed and grown. And it brings me joy knowing that even now, we’re playing the same song with the same band members.
――What is one thing that has changed in you?
Y: Songs with 8th notes, I guess.
――Meaning, bouncy songs.
Y: The ones that go ton-ton-ton-ton-ton-ton-ton-ton. I’m starting to understand what it should feel like. It’s impossible for me to elaborate further, though (lol).
――Hahahahahaha.
Y: It’s hard! But after doing this for 35 years, I feel like I might have finally grasped it.
――Even a veteran like Yuta-san has his ‘finally’s.
Y: Mm. And that’s definitely because we’re a band of five playing together. If I’m playing alone at home, I’d think wherever I am is good enough but when we’re playing in a band of five, everyone has their own interpretations so instead, I’d find myself wondering whether I really am good enough. And that might lead towards something even better, turning it into reality. That’s why I can’t help but find this all so enjoyable.
――Ultimately, it’s about the five of you working together.
Y: That’s the most important thing of all. There was a time when I worked with Okuno-san (Okuno Atsushi who he formed Wild Wise Apes with in 2004), right? While I was doing that, I really felt like, “Ah… this is completely unlike our band”, “I’ve been spoiled”. Okuno-san is a senior who I get along very well with, but even so, there will be no progress unless we discuss. Like, “How’s this?” “Nah, don’t you think this is better?” But among the five of us, that doesn’t happen and we move on naturally. As we go, we’d be like, “Ah, yes, yes, that.”
――I see.
Y: But even though it’s difficult, there’s still quite an energy. Because it’s not a familiarity that comes from simply having known each other for a long time. In terms of live performances, although factors like the song list and all that are set, but it’s not as if changes or the unexpected won’t happen. And because we do what we do while maintaining that intensity, things can grow within one tour. Like on the first day or something, I was just keenly watching Imai-kun struggle to decide whether or not he wants to have guitar playing before a song or not. Because he wouldn’t even tell me something like that (lol).
――Hahahahahaha.
Y: Our lighting guy was there too and he also said it would be easier on them if he just told them [his plan] (lol). But he plays those things by ear so we always end up with something different on each instance. It’s also like when I move towards the front of the stage, I just do it when I get the feeling I should.
――That’s what makes touring such a precious experience.
Y: It’s a joy. That’s why I would like it if people come and watch us if they happen to have the time. I want to keep doing this for as long as I can. I’ve started thinking more and more often that it wouldn’t be forever, but that’s why I want to keep going for as long as I can, and also why I want to show everyone what our favourite band is like right now.
_______________________
Yagami Toll
Interview by: Kanemitsu Hirofumi
It’s not like back then when we didn’t know anyone else. Now everyone has their own life
That’s why I don’t want to forget what it feels like when we’re all on stage together
――Thank you for your time.
Toll (T): What shall we talk about today?
――The new album, and how Yagami-san’s doing lately (lol).
T: We made good music so please give it a listen. That’s all! Yagami Toll, out! (Lol)
――Let’s expand a bit on that (lol). So, shall we start by talking about last year’s tour?
T: Due to my advanced age, I cannot remember anything at all (lol).
――Stop it (lol). But I think it was a really good tour where with each show your performance was increasingly perfected.
T: Yeah. We postponed a few shows because of COVID-19, but I agree that it was a good tour. Maybe performing shows in areas other than Tokyo and Osaka might be old-fashioned (lol), but it’s definitely something to cherish, isn’t it? My body will scream but I want to travel around and perform more if I can. Because although the audience still can’t cheer and make sounds, I can feel very keenly that we’re bringing joy to everyone.
――Because the only way to really see your fans’ reactions is in a live concert.
T: There’s a lot I noticed for the first time. I forgot where but at one of our standing shows, I noticed two girls in the audience area somewhere between Hide and Acchan. I think one probably brought her friend with her for the show, but one was crying her eyes out while the other was admiring the stage (lol). Seeing that, I got the feeling that she was probably here to see BUCK-TICK for the first time. It made me really happy to know that people still react like that to us and fans like them come to see us.
――I see. Also, album recording was going on during the tour, wasn’t it?
T: That’s right. I think it might’ve begun at the start of spring, last year. At first, we envisioned that we would release an album with two discs, so I think we were working at a pace that was somehow faster than our usual. Our recording process was different too.
――In what way?
T: We always start by recording the bass parts for all the songs first, then guitars and drums come next as we build it up, but this time, we mostly worked on one song at a time and only after each track is complete, Acchan writes the lyrics and records his singing. Then we start recording the next song again. That’s the process this time. But drums get recorded last so [by the time it’s my turn] all the other instruments are already done. That’s why there were times when I even recorded three songs in the span of a day (lol).
――Sounds tough (lol).
T: The elderly wants to be given more work (lol). But that also meant that I could take my time and rehearse properly before recording so that’s something I’m grateful for. It takes time to decide on the sound specifications in the studio, but once that is confirmed, we’ll be done with the track very soon after. I think it would need three takes, at most. In the past, recording would start with bass and drums at the same time, so we’d try out various phrases and discuss it with the other members of the band, but since how I’m going to drum has already been decided ahead of recording [it takes less time].
――What’s your impression of the songs in this album?
T: I couldn’t see the end so I was confused at first. Like, how many more songs do we have to record before we’re done? Then, at year end, it was announced that we’ll just release one CD so we’re all good (lol) and suddenly, we were done. There are probably three more songs that already have bass and guitars recorded and done, though. All that’s left are drums and vocals. I guess those would go into our next release.
――I believe there was no theme to follow in terms of sound, was there? This album has quite a few different types of songs in it.
T: I had to think about the image of the song before drumming for each and every track. There isn’t quite a sense of unity but I guess that, on the other hand, is what makes it interesting. Besides, I think that’s what things were originally like in the past anyway.
――Do you have a song you like as a drummer?
T: Ever since it’s demo stage, I already got the feeling that Mugen LOOP (無限 LOOP/Infinity LOOP) sounds like a city pop song. And I really love Yoshida Minako-san, who Ponta-san (Murakami “Ponta” Shuichi) drummed for, and Matsutoya Yumi-san when Hayashi Tatsuo-san worked with her. So I really enjoyed it.
――The riff in Boogie Woogie sounds like Yagami-san at your best.
T: Because I thought the riff sounded like [a] Zeppelin [song] (lol). That’s the feeling I got when I heard the demo tape. That’s why I took it as a message from Imai to go all out and drum with Bonzo (John Bonham) in mind (lol).
――This is your first original album release in two years and seven months. How do you feel about having this long a gap in between?
T: Personally, I would prefer to release [an album] once every two years. That period’s just about right. Although we had COVID-19 happening in between, we’re a band who’s always going on tour, so this is still a comfortable gap.
――I expect it’s tough on you if you can’t drum regularly?
T: Exactly. It’s bad if I don’t get to play around with them much because then I’d lose my touch and get rusty. Drumming isn’t something you memorise in your head. It’s something that you immerse your body in, right? The shows that were postponed for that tour are also nearing, so yesterday, I was rehearsing on my own but that alone was enough to make the muscles in my ass ache (lol). So if I don’t start with my own detailed personal rehearsals to do alongside the overall tour, it’ll get difficult in the later stages.
――But having watched your recent shows, I think they’re very stable.
T: Because it’s not about being good or bad at what we do anymore. Physical fitness is all that counts. Because I no longer have a body that’s just starting puberty (lol). In the past, I would think of trying to steal some techniques, or perhaps trying some new styles, but now it’s about being better than yesterday’s me.
――That’s a good line.
T: It’s a line borrowed from Misora Hibari-san but I like it. It basically means that we should grow a little more tomorrow from what we are today, but like I said before, I think living to see the age of 60 just means that I’m an ordinary person. Neither Hibari-san nor Yuujiro-san (Ishihara Yujiro) reached 60. And even the esteemed John Bonham passed away at 32. Those who possess something special tend to go to heaven early like that. I’m still being asked to continue doing what I do, so I have to do my best in this world. I think that’s also why I can savour the joy of continuing activities as a band.
――That’s true.
T: In my teens, I dreamt of playing in a band and drumming as a member of a band. And now at 60, I can still see my dreams. I’d probably get bad karma if I were to call this a pain (lol). Things were not all fun and games, and there were lots of trying times too, but I’m simply very thankful. I have nothing but gratitude. Because I’ve seen a lot of people who really wanted this but couldn’t do it. That’s why I’d feel guilty if the future me doesn’t grow even a little beyond my present self.
My life is all about not quitting. I think it might be a good thing to affirm that.
Because I’m proud of it. And because the ones who allowed me to do so are my band members and all our fans.
――How’s the band after celebrating your 35th year?
T: Same as usual. Then again, everyone has their own lives so it’s impossible for us to always be together, thinking the same things, drinking until morning like the way we used to. But when we get on stage, everything’s the same as always. So much so that it’s intriguing. Come to think of it…… (he starts rummaging in his bag).
――What is it?
T: I was thinking of printing an old photo of us on the outfits for our next tour so I was looking for a few of those…… Look, like these (he spreads out the photos that were in an envelope).
――Whoa, you’re all so young!
T: This is a picture of all five of us in London. It says 1988 here so…… I was 26. This was in the plane but…… at the time we could still smoke in the plane cabins. The guy in the steakhouse with the kingly beard is Hide (lol). This is Hide making a face at Acchan in the old equipment vehicle we had.
――Hoshino-san is a complete jokester (lol).
T: I was thinking it would look nice if I had these printed in monochrome on my outfit so I wanted to discuss this with Yagi-san who always makes our costumes. In the past, I’ve seen shirts printed with pictures like these in fashion shows.
――I think it’s really great!
T: It’s like going back to our roots (lol). I actually don’t really like looking at old photos. Because we were so damned busy that I only have harrowing memories of those times. The moment we arrived in London, for example, the producer got all angry at us and scolded us for not rehearsing beforehand. But it was just impossible! Because we had such a ridiculous schedule (lol). But now, I’m thinking it’s not so bad to look back on those times together with everyone.
――So that’s why you picked funny photos like those instead of the cool ones.
T: Yeah. Like I said, it’s impossible for us to do these things anymore, isn’t it? Because it’s no longer like back then when we left Gunma for Tokyo and all five of us didn’t know any one else. Everyone has their own life now too. That’s why I’m thinking that I don’t want to forget that this is what it feels like when we’re all on stage together.
――I see.
T: And we’re not the only ones involved when it comes to being on stage, right? There’s of course our staff and all our fans who have created this space together with us throughout these 35 years. I just think it might be nice to express how those emotions still remain this way.
――That even after your 60th, your emotions from those days haven’t changed.
T: 60 or not, I’m just a drummer boy for as long as I live. Just recently, I went to a music store with Tetsu (DERLANGER/drums) and I ended up buying a snare. There was an adorable store staff who said they bought it for me and when I tried drumming it, it was pretty good so I took it home. My family’s grown bigger again (lol).
――Hahahahahaha.
T: But it was a type of snare that I didn’t have. It’s a Raddick snare from the 70s and it’s a rim-clamp (note: rim-clamp refers to the snappy being clamped to the rim, while modern snare models has the snappy being attached by strings on opposite ends. The two models create different sounds due to variations in how the sound vibrations are transmitted). The one I have now is a modern model, but now that I think about it, the snare I had at the time we debuted was a rim-clamp from Pearl. I either bought it in my third year of middle school or as a freshman in high school, but I just kept using it throughout that time. I even used it in the recording of Sexual XXXXX!, but I started using a different snare after that. Like what I said about the outfits earlier too. In a similar way, maybe I’m harbouring a desire to go back to my roots.
――In a way, these things are taking you back to those days.
T: Being a band member is a blessed thing, isn’t it? Despite ageing, we can easily revisit those days. And on top of that, we’ve been with the same band members throughout all this time too. Growing older while still staying the same. It’s not half bad.
――But you’re really an older brother who everyone can lean on as a drummer.
T: But there are still so many other seniors around (lol). There’s Hayashi Tatsuo-san and Yamaki-san (Yamaki Hideo). Everyone’s still actively performing in their 70s too. Makoto-san (Takahashi Makoto) who’s 68 is still full of life. I guess it’s all about looking ahead and drumming all out while we’re still alive (lol).
――As a drummer, what thoughts do you have about your own style of drumming that you’ve had all this time?
T: I really looked up to session musicians and studio musicians. Because no matter how you look at it, their level of skill is just sky high. Impossible for me. I really think it’s true. That’s why I formed a band, I was brought in via Yuta’s invitation, and here I am, drumming all this way. That’s my life. But I think it’s a good life. Even when I’m distressed, when I wanted to quit, and when I said I wanted to retire, no one listened to me anyway (lol).
――It’s a famous story (lol).
T: I don’t know whether it’s good or bad, but my life is all about not quitting. I think it might be a good thing to affirm that. Because I’m proud of it. And because the ones who allowed me to do so are my band members and all our fans.
AFTERSHOW
2023.03.16 BUCK-TICK
The photoshoot happened in a studio at Kameari, a city that has a statue of KochiKame’s Ryotsu Kankichi outside the train station. The first to come were Yuta & Anii. The brothers enter the studio arriving in a car driven by Yuta-san. Having difficulty navigating the narrow space, Yuta-san handed the wheel to their manager. Then arrived Hide-san, Imai-san, and Sakurai-san one after another. They took their turns to get ready, and after make-up and a change of clothes the shoot started with solo shots of the members. Actually, there was also the filming of a video scheduled to happen at the same time onthis day. So both the band members and the studio staff were all busy running around. After 3 to 4 hours, the solo shoots and the film recording concluded. Everyone then went to the studio on the first floor for the group shots and the cover shoot. In the midst of a set change, Sakurai-san and Yuta-san left the studio and stood in the parking area talking cars. A heartwarming conversation unfolded: “Is this car Yuta’s?” “Yeah, it’s rather compact compared to Acchan’s car, isn’t it?” “It’s nice, looks like Yuta.” “Just say it’s small!”
And by the time the group photoshoot was done, it was already well into the evening. Now we can all it a day…… Or so they thought. Right then, Kanemitsu was spirited away by Ueda Takeshi (AA=) who came to Kameari for the dialogue with Imai-san that would be published in the main issue. Alas.
Translation: Yoshiyuki
Images: Yoshiyuki
