Tag: Yagami Toll

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

 

 

BUCK-TICK | [Oct 2023] Ongaku to Hito: Yagami Toll’s Medal of a 61-year old — Live Report

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

Concert report of Yagami Toll’s 61st birthday celebration

Ongaku to Hito
October 2023

text by Kanemitsu Hirofumi, photographs by Shibata Eri

Medal of a 61-year old

Yagami Toll’s annual birthday live was held at Shimokitazawa Shangri-La. Participating artists were originally announced as “Yagami Toll & His Merry Friends” (lol) but the drum session and band performance with these friends of his made for an interesting combination of blessings and insight into Anii’s history.

 

 

The connections that Yagami Toll forged was shown through music in this show
I hope we’ll always get to see his shy smile as he drums

 

The annual birthday live held on August 19, Yagami Toll’s birthday. Just like 2021, this year’s event was held at Shimokitazawa Shangri-La.

The show was divided into two parts. The first part was a competitive jam session which gave us a stripped down look at “Yagami Toll, the drummer”. Interspersed with some words by the emcee, the first to come on stage was Tetsu (D’ ERLANGER) who looks up to Yagami as his aniki. As they performed Sayonara Shelter without drums in the backing music and Yagami Toll & Blue Sky’s Oh!My God!, we could see the unique characteristics in each drummer’s drumming style through their double performance. In this, we could also get a sense of the history of how they changed over the years to match each band’s sound. Even so, just stepping on the bass drum emits a thunderous “don!” which shakes up the atmosphere in the hall and gets the audience abuzz. Rarely do we get the chance to experience drumming in such an enclosed space.

Next to come on stage was Minato Masafumi, known to be Yagami’s sworn brother and part of the “Led Zeppelin Symposium” with whom he would always end up talking about John Bonham when drinking together. It needs no saying that the song to play was Mune Ippai no Ai wo (胸いっぱいの愛を). Blue Sky’s KANAME and Yagi Masato joined them. But unlike Tetsu’s who came earlier, this was a session where they competed against each other to prove who loved Bonzo more through the drums, rather than giving and taking because of  seniority.

And last for the first part was Higuchi Yutaka. Every year, Higuchi would make an appearance as the birthday boy bearing the cake but today, he came on stage as a bassist. He was shy when he spoke but playing to the bass-less and drum-less backing tracks of Mugen LOOP and Taiyou to Icarus, his rhythm was steady. Seeing this, it was clear to me that Yagami’s drumming was rooted in Led Zeppelin and Japan’s old-school rock music; a world apart from BUCK-TICK’s type of music. In other words, it was only after he was dragged out to Tokyo by Higuchi and became a member of BUCK-TICK that he started to drum in BUCK-TICK’s unique style.

Then came the second half. This started with a performance by Yagami Toll & Blue Sky. Joining them on keyboards was Nakayama Tsutomu, the very same producer who worked with BUCK-TICK in their early days (and a person Yagami labelled, “someone who could help if I ever needed a hand” (lol)), and guitarist Yonezawa Seiichirou. This painted a beautiful story that could only be told on this day, connecting past and present. At the same time, Suzuki Momoko (COSA NOSTRA), Kiyama Yusaku, and Tago Kunio’s involvement in Blue Sky was also a result of that “fate”. Suzuki provided the lyrics to the song Blow Wind which was recorded in their 2019 album, WONDERFUL HOME -Thunder&CoId wind-, and band member KANAME was also a part of COSA NOSTRA. Their biggest hit song, home was sung by Kiyama and produced by Tago, and Tago runs TAGO STUDIO TAKASAKI in Gunma, where Yagami recorded his own album.

The connections that Yagami Toll forged was shown through music in this show. In the encore, Yagami himself sings Carol’s Funky Monkey Baby in a grand finale. Next year, he will hold his 62nd birthday’s show. I hope we’ll always get to see his shy smile as he drums.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
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

BUCK-TICK | [5 Jan 2024] JVC Music: BUCK-TICK Genshou 2023 Concert Report

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

BUCK-TICK Genshou -2023- Concert Report

JVC Music
5 January 2024

Text ＝ Okubo Yuka
Photos ＝ Seitaro Tanaka

 

【LIVE REPORT】
BUCK-TICK “BUCK-TICK Genshou -2023-” (BUCK-TICK Phenomenon 2023 / バクチク現象-2023-)
2023.12.29 at the Nippon Budokan

 

 

Come, let’s get started──

When 29 December’s BUCK-TICK Genshou -2023- at the Nippon Budokan was announced with those words, it felt as if they lifted our gaze which had been downcast for so long. This was three weeks after the news came on 24 October that their vocalist, Sakurai Atsushi had passed on.

This was a period when everyone quietly watched and waited to see what BUCK-TICK would do going forward after being hit by the greatest sadness in their history. Honestly speaking, that announcement was such a bright light that I subconsciously wanted to look away. Given that no details were announced about the show itself, I believe there were many who felt worried too about how it would turn out.

But it’s easy for us to imagine the extraordinary determination the band members had put into this show title. BUCK-TICK Genshou (BUCK-TICK Phenomenon / バクチク現象) is a title that they also used in 1987 for gigs they played around the time of their major debut, and for the first show they played after a six-month hiatus on 29 December 1989 at the Tokyo Dome. In other words, this term represents turning points for them.

Imai Hisashi (guitarist) appeared on the BUCK-TICK Genshou -2023- stage with the same bright red hair he had 34 years ago at their show in Tokyo Dome. The moment I saw him, my anxieties were blown away despite tears welling up in my eyes.

As the hall turned dark, powerful clapping sounded in time to the SE which played; THEME OF B-T. Higuchi Yutaka (bassist), Yagami Toll (drummer), Hoshino Hidehiko (gutarist), and Imai Hisashi came on stage in that order. After the words reading “バクチク現象 (BUCK-TICK Genshou)” came up on the crimson red screen, Sakurai’s silhouette appeared on the centre platform where he always stood.

“Come let’s get started, we’re BUCK-TICK!” With Imai’s shout, the first song started; Shippuu no Blade Runner. Instead of a mic stand in the centre of the stage, a few spotlights came together to shine down. Perhaps it’s because there’s no mic there, but it felt as if Sakurai’s singing came down upon us from the skies above.

Like a ray of light in the midst of despair, the glittering rock melody sings, “Tonight  (I) bring to you  a treasure  a promise (今夜 お前に届けよう 宝物だ 約束だ)”; a perfect description of this show. It felt as if they handed “hope” to us in the palm of their hands. A string of up-beat songs were played Dokudanjo Beauty-R.I.P.-, Go-Go B-T TRAIN, GUSTAVE, telling the audience to raise their heads and look up even if they are tearful.

Both Imai and Hoshino fired up the stage with more aggressive performances than usual. The energy in the hall went up every time Imai said a few words, like “Don’t miss the ride!” during Go-Go B-T TRAIN, and “Miaows. Hope you all have a good time today.” during GUSTAVE. During FUTURE SONG -Mirai ga Tooru- which features Sakurai and Imai’s duet, Higuchi tried imitating Sakurai’s movements, and Hoshino also sang, overlapping with Sakurai’s voice.

Most unexpected of all was when I realised during Boogie Woogie and Yagami’s powerful up-beat drumming that at some point my tears had rescinded and I was genuinely enjoying the show. I have nothing but admiration for the band and their ability to fire up the audience like this even though they all must have been in deep sadness at the beginning of the show.

The atmosphere took a turn in the mid-section of the show, reflecting vividly and sadly Sakurai’s absence by beginning with Itoshi no Rock Star where he sang alongside ISSAY (DER ZIBET) who passed away last August. During Itoshi no Rock Star, unbearable sobbing in the audience grew louder as we watched concert footage of the two of them on that day on screen.

Next was Sakura which started with an oriental-sounding instrumental by Imai. In this song, the screen and even the ceiling of the Budokan was filled with cherry blossoms dancing in the air; a sight so beautiful yet it added to the sadness. Adding on, Lullaby-Ⅲ and ROMANCE came after that like a sort of funeral march, letting us listen to the songs which strongly accentuated Sakurai’s aesthetic perspective one after another.

This show did not feature Sakurai’s footage throughout. Rather, there were a few songs where we could only feel Sakurai’s presence with his voice. Especially towards the end when they put together songs during which you could almost see him singing right in front of you.

Like the Latin-style dance track Django!!! -Genwaku no Django-, Taiyou to Icarus where he flies freely through the sky with arms spread wide, and during Memento mori where the audience actually had lights shining on them as if in sync with Sakurai’s movements in the video footage.

Smoke carpeted the stage floor in Muma -The Nightmare and the audience raised their arms into the air as if he reigned before our eyes, while during DIABOLO, the four members of the band looked like a circus troupe elevating Sakurai as the ringmaster. It was a moment when they distinctly carved out his profile as a vocalist precisely because he’s not around.

The encore started with Yagami’s drum solo and after the first song, STEPPERS -PARADE- was played, the band members who have yet to make any public statement thus far began to talk about their present feelings one by one.

Choking on his tears, Higuchi said, “BUCK-TICK is a live band so I believe we grew through our live shows. And it’s also something that’s created together with everyone. Although Acchan has gone to heaven, BUCK-TICK will always be five. I don’t know what kind of future it will be, but one thing I know for sure is that we’ll continue as BUCK-TICK with everyone.”

Yagami eased the air when he commented, “I never thought my delinquent younger brother would say such admirable things.” Then, he added, “You could say it’s unprecedented, the situation it’s turned out to be. Should we continue, or is it better to stop? We gave it a lot of thought. But given that we have all of you fans like this… we would like to keep going as BUCK-TICK.”

“We managed to take a new step forward today. My sincere thanks to all of you for making your way to the Budokan despite the uncertainty. You were worried, weren’t you? Everyone was worried. But the Parade will still continue from here on out. I’ll say again:

The Parade goes on,” said Hoshino.

After him was Imai. “Life sure is unforgiving, huh? So dramatic it’s almost hilarious. But it isn’t funny. Hell, you really died. Huh? It’s okay, because we can go on. We’ll go together,” he said to a loud round of applause. “Acchan’s died but there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just a fact of life. So we may be sad, we may cry, but don’t agonise over it. Rather than focus on his death, that he’s not here anymore, instead cherish the fact that he lived, that he existed with us in the same space,” he went on. “Next year, BUCK-TICK will make new music, and a new album. It’ll be the newest, bestest BUCK-TICK so please look forward to it. But please be prepared. Next, we’ll be three. But even then, the Parade continues. Then it’ll be two, then one, I think I’ll probably be the last one standing. And even then, we can keep going, so I want to take everyone along,” finished Imai with this powerful statement.

After that, they moved on to flying the words “LOVE” and “PEACE” high in Eureka before going into LOVE ME which began with Sakurai’s MC where he said, “Everyone, let’s love ourselves.” It was here when a hiccup happened for the first time where Sakurai’s singing and the video footage differed from the four members’ live playing. The band looked determined to find some way to turn this around. It was the most human expression I had ever seen on them.

Coincidentally, Sakurai in the video also seemed to have a bit of a bitter smile on his face. Even though anxious, the audience also tried their best to help by singing the chorus with all their strength. When the singing ended, the playing did too in perfect timing, and we saw Sakurai off the stage as he waved, saying, “See you soon. We’ll meet again. For sure.”

The last two songs were COSMOS and Na mo Naki Watashi; what seemed to be a deliberate choice of two songs which massively filled the hall with messages from Sakurai. And the second encore, started with Sakurai’s words of “Let’s go! Into the future!” as the band leapt into New World. The light from countless mirror balls spread throughout the venue and the powerful light of the five’s performance brightly illuminated a future yet to be seen.

After the show, past music videos were shown on the screen, followed by an announcement that they will be holding a concert at the Nippon Budokan on Sunday, 29 December 2024. I believe every single promise like this one would become the hope which leads into the future going forward. BUCK-TICK has walked into unprecedented territory. I hope to continue enjoying the Parade led by this band who has decided to continue forward as five. Because it’s always BUCK-TICK who stirs our hearts with surprise and emotion.

Although we can wipe away the tears
we will never be able to wipe away the loneliness, so
let’s go and see BUCK-TICK again
in a place where we can share our sorrows and joys
let’s go and see BUCK-TICK again

 

BUCK-TICK Genshou -2023-
Date/Time: Friday, 29 December 2023  Doors open 17:30, show starts 18:30
Venue: Nippon Budokan

【SET LIST】

SE. THEME OF B-T

1. Shippuu no Blade Runner
2. Dokudanjou Beauty-R.I.P.-
3. Go-Go B-T TRAIN
4. GUSTAVE
5. FUTURE SONG – Mirai ga tooru –
6. Boogie Woogie
7. Itoshi no Rock Star
8. Sakura
9. Lullaby-III
10. ROMANCE
11. Django!!! – Genwaku no Django –
12. Taiyou to Icarus
13. Memento mori
14. Muma -The Nightmare
15. DIABOLO

＜EN1＞

1. STEPPERS -PARADE-
2. Eureka
3. LOVE ME
4. COSMOS
5. Na mo Naki Watashi

＜EN2＞

1. New World

 

 

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Source: JVC Music

 

BUCK-TICK | [5 Jan 2024] Ongaku to Hito: BUCK-TICK Genshou 2023 Concert Report

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

 “BUCK-TICK will always be we five.”
A Declaration of the Parade’s Continuance

Ongaku to Hito
5 January 2024

Text ＝ Ishii Eriko
Photos ＝ Seitaro Tanaka

 

【LIVE REPORT】
BUCK-TICK “BUCK-TICK Genshou -2023-” (BUCK-TICK Phenomenon 2023 / バクチク現象-2023-)
2023.12.29 at the Nippon Budokan

 

 

“My sincere thanks to all of you for making your way to the Budokan despite the uncertainty. …… You were worried, weren’t you?”

These words which came from Hoshino Hidehiko during the encore resonated tremendously with me. Ah, I see. We’ve all been worried up until this day.

The annual year-end Nippon Budokan show THE DAY IN QUESTION 2023 was suspended and in its place, the concert BUCK-TICK Genshou -2023- was announced. The strong words “Come, let’s get started一一 (さあ、始めよう一一)” danced on the event’s dedicated website but it wasn’t clear exactly what on earth was starting. Do we really want to see a BUCK-TICK with no Sakurai Atsushi? Is it better for things to end like this? Or would someone stand on stage as another vocalist? Questions which no one can say a definitive “yes” to constitute this worry.

An unprecedented concert. At first, everything felt rigid. Cheers didn’t sound when the lights turned down. Instead, breathless voices could be heard all throughout the venue. Even when Imai Hisashi hollered, “Come let’s get started, we’re BUCK-TICK!”, it was clear to me that he was tense and a little over-anxious. Sakurai’s singing echoed in synchrony with the live music. Much of it was live singing including MCs and hyping the audience up. The screen showed footage of only Sakurai in past concerts in colour, and at the same time, the current stage was shown in monochrome; a contrast between the flamboyant demon king and reality in mourning. In all honesty, I don’t know whether I should be enjoying myself. Was that the purpose of this day?

It was in the fifth song, FUTURE SONG -未来が通る- when I noticed something different. It starts with Imai’s part, then during Sakurai’s part, Hoshino joins in too. Sakurai’s footage doesn’t appear in this song where the two guitarists sing, “Don’t be hold back, do not fear　Forward!　It’s the future (hiku na hirumu na　susume　mirai da / 引くな怯むな 進め 未来だ)”. For a moment, I thought they might be headed in a direction similar to how the remaining members of Joy Division regrouped as New Order following the death of Ian Curtis. But again, that doesn’t seem to be the main subject of the day.

Suddenly, an old music video from the time when they styled their hair standing up came up towards the middle of the show. It was Itoshi on Rockstar. It’s hard to imagine why the band selected this 1995 song which was sung alongside DER ZIBET’s ISSAY. Just before Sakurai left us, almost as if to follow ISSAY who also suddenly passed last summer, I wanted to ask him if he looked back fondly on this song which he once sang so self-deprecatingly. Of course, that is now a question we’ll never get the answer to.

Instead, what we have is an extensive record. Just what we needed was footage from Yagami Toll’s 60th birthday celebration event. I couldn’t help but laugh dryly at how in love they were as I watched Sakurai exchange mushy gazes with ISSAY while they performed that song together for the first time in 27 years. Everyone loved the way their two souls resonated with each other. Even if the both of them have coincidentally gone to heaven together, it’s oddly touching. As those thoughts crossed my mind, I suddenly caught on that we should hold a proper farewell. There was a memorial event for Sakurai himself, but I wondered how many times could we hold appreciation events for our favourite “beloved rockstar (Itoshi no Rockstar)” with all the videos and lights and music? I suppose the very first of these is happening right here, now.

The lead into the next song, Sakura was perfect too. The song which Sakurai dedicated to his dearest mother is now being dedicated to Sakurai by the band. The performance was as elegant as it could’ve been. The light cherry blossoms framing the monochrome screen, the pale pink colour of the Budokan’s white ceiling, and the image of the moon slowly filling up as the song progressed to become a gentle full moon at the end; all of it illustrated the depth of love in the production. Adding on, during Imai’s improv, Sakurai’s often-used candelabra was lit before they continued into Lullaby-III, followed by an exquisite transition into ROMANCE.

ROMANCE; a popular song which BUCK-TICK had often performed since it’s release in 2005, is one of the songs in their discography which BUCK-TICK most strongly demonstrates “the alluring colours of Sakurai”. The perfection in this song lies in the blend of goth and romance. Holding a candelabra in one hand while dancing with flickering flames in the tantalising dream that is performance footage from over a decade ago. Watching it again in the Budokan gives me the feeling that his existence is probably not the be-all and end-all. Because we have something so beautiful that has been left behind for us [to enjoy] even now. Isn’t this miracle alone sufficient?

The split second in the brilliantly-lit Taiyou to Icarus video which showed Sakurai’s silhouette with his arms spread wide was as vibrant as the 異空-IZORA- tour; so dazzling that you could’ve thought it was a “festival”. In addition, Memento Mori with flames bursting out always sounds like blood-pumping festival music. The screen is divided into three sections, with past footage of Sakurai in the centre and real-time footage of the four members of the band on either side. But the difference between presence and absence, which was initially divided between monochrome and colour, is no longer there at this point. The refrain of “Life is love and death (jinsei wa ai to shi / 人生は愛と死)” strikes our hearts deep now. If these are our only options, we’ll take them both. Before I knew it, I even started to feel a desire to laugh out loud in defiance.

The band spoke about how they currently felt during the encore. While each of their words were different, the summary of it was that BUCK-TICK will always be five people even if Sakurai is no longer physically around, that they wanted to keep going as long as there are fans around, and that although they don’t know how it’ll turn out, next year, they will start recording something new as the second phase of B-T. Hoshino even twice declared, “The Parade goes on.” And even as Imai bit back curses with words like, he said, “We may be sad, we may cry, but don’t agonise over it.” I hadn’t thought about it, but maybe that’s what I wanted to hear the most. He’s always been the person who throws one-liners like these out of nowhere. On a whim, I recalled something Sakurai once said with a straight face: “It’s possible because Imai’s like that.”

If Imai-san says so, then it will go on. BUCK-TICK will go on with Sakurai’s afterimage. This was a night that convinced me that’s fine and good. The announcement that came at the very end was good tidings for the future. On 29 December 2024, a BUCK-TICK concert at the Nippon Budokan will happen一一

【SET LIST】

SE. THEME OF B-T

1. Shippuu no Blade Runner
2. Dokudanjou Beauty-R.I.P.-
3. Go-Go B-T TRAIN
4. GUSTAVE
5. FUTURE SONG – Mirai ga tooru –
6. Boogie Woogie
7. Itoshi no Rock Star
8. Sakura
9. Lullaby-III
10. ROMANCE
11. Django!!! – Genwaku no Django –
12. Taiyou to Icarus
13. Memento mori
14. Muma -The Nightmare
15. DIABOLO

ENCORE01

1. STEPPERS -PARADE-
2. Eureka
3. LOVE ME
4. COSMOS
5. Na mo Naki Watashi

ENCORE02

1. New World

_____________________________________________________________________________

LIVE INFORMATION
Sunday, 29 December 2024　Nippon Budokan
Doors open 17:00 / Show starts18:00
Designated seating: ¥11,000 (w/ tax)
(Inquiries) SOGO TOKYO 03-3405-9999

〈Advance Ticketing Information〉
■W-members advance ticketing applications
Application period: 22:00, Friday, 29 December 2023 ～ 14:00, Monday, 22 January 2024
※Applicants must be registered as a member of both the official fan club [FISH TANK] and the official mobile website [LOVE & MEDIA PORTABLE].
※Registering companions must also be W-members

■Fan club members advance ticketing applications
Application period: 12:00, Monday, 29 January 2024 ～ 14:00, Tuesday, 13 February 2024
※Registering companions do not need to be members

■Mobile members advance ticketing applications
Application period: 12:00, Monday, 19 February 2024 ～ 14:00, Tuesday, 5 March 2024
※Registering companions do not need to be members

 

Event Website
BUCK-TICK Official Website

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Source: Ongaku to Hito Online

 

BUCK-TICK | [29 Dec 2023] Sports Hochi: BUCK-TICK “will always be five”, first live show since Sakurai Atsushi’s sudden death

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

BUCK-TICK “will always be five”

Sports Hochi
29 December 2023

text by Kamo Shintaro

first live show since Sakurai Atsushi’s sudden death
10,000 people crying at the annual Budokan show

 

Rock band BUCK-TICK whose vocalist, Sakurai Atsushi (aged 57) passed away from a brainstem haemorrhage on 19 October held their first show, also their annual year-end solo concert at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on the 29th. They performed 21 songs “in memoriam” during the two and a half hour show.

71 days after his sudden passing, scenes from days when Sakurai was around were put up on the big screen. A spotlight lit up his “usual spot” in the centre of the stage as Imai Hisashi, Hoshino Hidehiko, Higuchi Yutaka, and Yagami Toll played the melodies while feeling the presence of their friend with each memory.

After the death of Sakurai-san, all their scheduled concerts were cancelled but after much consultation between the staff and the members of the band, it was decided in November that they will hold only one show at the Nippon Budokan. The concert name was changed from the traditional THE DAY IN QUESTION to BUCK-TICK Gensho (バクチク現象 / BUCK-TICK Phenomenon), a name which is usually used to mark a turning point for the band.

“Come, let’s get started. We’re BUCK-TICK!” The show kicked off with a declaration from Imai. They used live footage from past shows for the singing. A wide variety of 21 songs spanning tracks from their early days like LOVE ME and Sakura to tracks from their those album like Taiyou to Icarus and Na mo Naki Watashi was performed. All the tickets, including standing spaces, were completely sold out.

After the encore, the four members spoke about how they were feeling. Imai said, “Rather than focus on his death, that he’s not here anymore, instead cherish the fact that he lived, that he existed with us in the same space.” And Higuchi promised, “Although Acchan has gone to heaven, BUCK-TICK will always be five.”

When the concert ended, they announced that they would hold a show on 29 December next year at the Nippon Budokan. They will certainly continue in Sakurai-san’s spirit and keep moving forward. (Kamo Shintaro)

 

【Comments from the members after the encore】

Higuchi Yutaka, bassist:
Thank you for gathering here today in such large numbers. Thank you to all our fans from around the country who couldn’t make it today. Thank you to all the staff who made such a (wonderful) show possible despite the limited time. After making our debut, we managed to tour and enjoy concerts with many of you. BUCK-TICK is a live band so I believe we grew through our live shows. And it’s also something that’s created together with everyone of you. Although Acchan has gone to heave, BUCK-TICK will always be five. I don’t know what kind of future it will be, but one thing I know for sure is that we’ll continue as BUCK-TICK with everyone. Going forward, let’s continue to build upon the BUCK-TICK that everyone has always cherished throughout this time together… We’re counting on you.

Yagami Toll, drummer:
You could say it’s unprecedented, the situation it’s turned out to be. Should we continue, or is it better to stop? We gave it a lot of thought. Given that we have all of you fans like this… we would like to keep going. There’s no telling how things will turn out, but I believe we’ll start recording a new album next year. I think there are still thousands of melodies and ideas sleeping in the brains of Imai and Hoshino HIdehiko. Please look forward to it. From here on, we’ll continue to rely on your support for this second phase of BUCK-TICK.

Hoshino Hidehiko, guitarist:
We managed to take a new step forward today. My sincere thanks to all of you for making your way to the Budokan despite the uncertainty. You were worried, weren’t you?　Everyone was worried. But I’ll say again: the Parade (i.e. concerts) will still continue from here on out. The Parade goes on.

Imai Hisashi, guitarist:
Life sure is unforgiving, huh? So dramatic it’s almost hilarious. But it isn’t funny. It’s death, after all.　It’s okay. Because (the band) can go on, right? We’ll go together. Acchan’s died but there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just a fact of life. So we may be sad, we may cry, but don’t agonise over it. Rather than focus on his death, that he’s not here anymore, instead cheris the fact that he lived, that he existed with us in the same space. Acchan hasn’t yet gone to heaven. He’s still here. I believe he’ll always be together with us. Next year, BUCK-TICK will make new music, and a new album. It’ll be the newest, bestest BUCK-TICK so please look forward to it. (In future, even if our numbers dwindle) the Parade can keep going. I’ll probably be the last one standing. And even then, we can keep going, so I want to take everyone along. The 29th of December is a special day for BUCK-TICK. It’s a day to toast to. Shall we have a toast? Cheers! Thank you. Everyone, have a toast on your way home too and talk about BUCK-TICK, about Acchan.

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Source: Sports Hochi

 

BUCK-TICK | [Sep 2023] Ongaku to Hito: BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA- — Takasaki City Theater Concert Report

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA-
2023.07.15 Takasaki City Theatre

Ongaku to Hito
September 2023

text by Kanemitsu Hirofumi
photographs by MASA

Your distortion; my love

Their national album tour has ended for now. In this tour, we got to see the band find themselves again and their revitalisation along with the perfection of their live concert. The final part examines what 異空-IZORA- was about from a live performance in their hometown, Takasaki.

 

 

On that stage was the immensity of Sakurai as a performer, the conviction of the true-to-life message
and a band who has recovered what’s precious to them

“My name is Hizumi
It’s Hizumi
All I do is wear my favourite clothes　put on my favourite makeup
But everyone laughs at me Even though I’m just living my life
Father, mother I love you
Thank you I love you Goodbye”

Hizumi; you could say it’s the highlight of the concert. The excitement sparked by MISTY ZONE was cooled in an instant by Kogoeru before leading into this song. Then, the world was overcast by Izora (異空). 

Possessed by “Hizumi-chan”, Sakurai began his monologue which sounded like words from a suicide note. And after a moment of silence, the song would start but on this day, the silence went on for a particularly long time. A minute, or no, an even longer stretch of stillness dominated the hall. It was only later that I found out that the delay was caused by equipment issues, but for those few minutes of silence, the audience waited with bated breath, without even the slightest of stirrings. At the same time, the motionless, crouched over Hizumi and the four other members of the band waited statue-like for their chance to start the song.

Those few minutes felt like an eternity. Therein lay the immensity of Sakurai as a performer, and the conviction of the true-to-life message. And also, a band who has recovered what’s precious to them in this tour.

BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA- started on 19 April. Their first show at Hachioji was stunning. In an interview, Imai said, “I composed QUANTUM Ⅰ because I thought  it’d be a good idea to start the concert with it.” This alone told me that they already had a solid vision since the beginning of the album’s production, and that the concert was bound to be something highly conceptual. 

The set up which spearheaded this did indeed begin with the curtains raising to QUANTUM Ⅰ and after the encore, the curtains were drawn to QUANTUM Ⅱ. And although there was a simple member introduction segment, there was as good as no MC. There wasn’t even a drum solo by Yagami on this day. This is a band I have watched live for many years, but this is the very first time they’re putting on a show in this style.

In an interview, Sakurai also revealed the existence of the protagonist known as “Hizumi-chan”, but whether it’s because it was the first day of the tour or because his intention was not quite clearly conveyed, there were members of the audience who even laughed. However, this conversely amplifies the loneliness of Hizumi, who has nowhere to belong, and comes across as a more realistic expression. It was a masterpiece. And since the whole thing is still disjointed, the impression each song leaves is even stronger.

Among those was die. Released 30 years ago, the inclusion of this track in the Izora tour as the last song of the main show connects it to all that BUCK-TICK has done thus far. It is proof that they have always been true to themselves on stage. I had nothing but great anticipation for how Izora would be performed and how it would grow in this tour.

So, the first half of the tour. They appeared to try out a format which had the drum solo followed by member introductions in their second show at Utsunomiya, but the show I caught in Kyoto only had a drum solo. Member introductions had been removed. The MC was also kept to a minimum. I suppose they took the approach of removing even the parts of the show that were typical of a concert in order to delve deep into the world of Izora.

Neither the setlist nor the pace changed. The only change which occurred was MISTY ZONE being replaced by ONCE UPON A TIME in the encore of the shows they played during their two days in Osaka, one day in Tokyo, and at Nagano and Hiroshima.

The choice of songs around Icarus was a stroke of genius. Also, the words, “I wonder what it was we were looking for／at the end of it all,” really hit home; they felt like an answer from Imai to the song Boogie Woogie, which looks back at the days when they used to tour from  one unfamiliar city to the next in a broken down vehicle. No matter how old they turn, or how much fewer words they exchange, their collective direction remains the same.

It’s obvious that a major theme of this tour was for the young girl living in a war from Sayonara Shelter and the despair that the LGBT community experiences à la Hizumi to overlap with Sakurai’s own inescapable emotional torment, and for it all to be presented on the stage that is Izora. 

Yet, at the same time, I got the feeling that with how the COVID-19 pandemic halted tours and even after tours came back, activities could not resume as smoothly as they should have due to restricted vocalisation, and also how the five members of the band couldn’t spend as much time together and were unable to do things the way they usual would during that period, it was important for the band to get back into their usual daily routine. It was a despair akin to that of the resignation in SCARECROW which sings about having nowhere to run; similar to how they were all stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Making us, as those living in the present, look to the future
By connecting this era of deprivation with the darkness in Sakurai’s heart
That’s the kind of album 異空 -IZORA- was

Perhaps it was this distant feeling that gave the Izora album its tension and fresh presentation. But also, perhaps, somewhere in there, they were looking for hope, for the band to come back together.

That’s exactly what defined the song Boogie Woogie, and I believe that Yagami’s decision to decorate his concert outfit with old, personal photos of the band members and their carefree smiles was also a sign of these feelings.

When Yagami stepped on stage for the encore on this day, he turned around and struck a pose with his back to the audience to show them the back of his shirt. As if to say that he carried the band’s feelings on his back. Just the five of them spending time together while touring around the country like they used to probably got him feeling that way.

Also, playing a show in their hometown of Takasaki might’ve also brought up all kinds of memories for them. After their Tokyo shows, they announced that they will be playing two shows at Gunma Music Centre to close off their 35th debut anniversary year. But although the audience capacity isn’t all that large, they probably chose this not-very-well-equipped-venue to close off their anniversary year, which started at Yokohama Arena last year, because it brings up memories of the band’s beginnings and their bond. That’s what I think.

And the inescapable despair of Hizumi versus the hope of Na mo Naki Watashi. A hope, no, perhaps a future. That’s right. Once again, like I wrote earlier, it made me feel that this Izora album makes us, as those living in the present, look to the future through connecting and channelling this era’s reality of deprivation with the darkness in Sakurai’s heart which was represented by Sayonara Shelter and Hizumi, as well as SCARECROW in this album.

By being in this band, he could find light in the darkness. That is exactly what he showed us in Taiyou to Icarus and CLIMAX TOGETHER. And this is a sight that we could’ve never seen if they didn’t go on tour. I believe the ones who probably feel this most strongly are the members of the band. Without a doubt.

 

I saw the band’s future. That’s the kind of show it was.

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Images: Yoshiyuki

 

BUCK-TICK | [24 Apr 2023] BARKS: BUCK-TICK’s 異空 -IZORA- Opening Day — Concert Report

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

【Concert Report】
the Opening Day of BUCK-TICK’s latest album’s National Tour

BARKS
24 April 2023

text by Okubo Yuka
photos by Seitaro Tanaka

 

BUCK-TICK held a concert at J:COM Hall Hachioji in Tokyo, kicking off the national tour BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA- for their latest album on 19 April. Here’s what happened.

 

 

On 12 April, when the flowers were in full bloom, BUCK-TICK released their new album 異空 -IZORA- which thrilled fans as their “latest and best” update. With this latest release, their nation-wide tour BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA- started on 19 April, at J:COM Hall Hachioji in Tokyo.

As the lights turned down and the first instrumental track of the album QUANTUM Ⅰ played, drummer Yagami Toll, bassist Higuchi Yutaka, guitarist Hoshino Hidehiko and guitarist Imai Hisashi came on stage one by one to the cheers and applause of the audience. Although the audience remained masked, this was to be the first tour in about 3 years and 4 months where the ban on audience vocalisations was lifted. When vocalist Sakurai Atsushi appeared centrestage, completing the band, the cheers grew ever louder. This is the moment everyone had been waiting for.

Showered in claps and cheers, the band performed freely like fish to water. With their white costumes and matching equipment, guitarists Imai and Hoshino who usually create a beautiful symmetry on stage looked like a pair of wings. Their two guitars would intertwine to sound one single heavy riff, or take light steps in pleasant unison. On the other hand, the  rhythm team of Yagami and Higuchi were dressed in black as they accompanied the songs with both soft, warm bass notes and emotional heavy rhythms.

And there was Sakurai who took many forms whenever he spread his arms; a scarecrow; an angel; an aircraft. What is it he wishes for with open arms? Is it forgiveness for holding a beloved child in gun-toting hands? Is it the acceptance of diversity? Is it LOVE&PEACE? All the protagonists depicted in 異空 -IZORA-’s songs are so intense that they take hold of Sakurai the moment the song’s intro begins. Every gesture and movement is filled with the power of each character’s emotions in each song; so beautiful, so raw.

This performance consisted mainly of songs from the 異空 -IZORA- album like Sayonara Shelter destroy and regenerate-Mix which had warmth added to it with the gorgeously articulated violin, Mugen LOOP -LEAP- which had an intro which sounded like a gathering of beautiful fragile bubbles of sound, and Boogie Woogie which Sakurai introduced as  “a story from over 35 years ago recreated using the latest technology”. 

As earlier described, all the songs were intense. I was curious to find out what older songs would be incorporated in here, and the final result was beyond anything I could’ve imagined. They create indescribable stories by fleshing out the 異空 -IZORA- songs and adding backstories to them. It was especially so after Taiyou to Icarus; a painful, tragic, gentle, yet beautiful world which seemed to encompass everything awaited.

As I watched the show, Sakura, a poem by Ibaraki Noriko, a poet who lived during the war suddenly came to mind. It describes the fragility and preciousness of human life by comparing it to that of a flower. BUCK-TICK sings: Together with life, “Now bloom in exuberance”. As I held dear this moment where I am enjoying their show, I wonder how many more times can I watch a BUCK-TICK concert, like how the poem asks how many times can we see cherry blossoms bloom in one lifetime.

The tour has just begun. How will the songs of 異空 -IZORA- grow in depth as this tour goes on from late spring to early and eventually mid-summer? And what kind of sky will each and every audience member find in their hearts by the time the final performance arrives on 23 July? This is a show that draws people to watch it again and again to find out how the story of this production will change. I hope to enjoy these shifting skies to the fullest.

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

Concert/Event Information
＜BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA-＞

Wednesday, 19 April 2023 — Tokyo: J:COM Hall Hachioji
Sunday, 23 April 2023 — Tochigi: Utsunomiya City Cultural Center, Large Hall
Saturday, 13 May 2023 — Kagawa: High Staff Hall, large hall (Kanonji City Meeting Hall)
Sunday, 14 May 2023 — Okayama: Kurashiki City Auditorium
Saturday, 20 May 2023 — Kyoto: ROHM Theatre Kyoto, main hall
Sunday, 21 May 2023 — Hyogo: Kobe Kokusai Kaikan Kokusai Hall
Saturday, 27 May 2023 — Kanagawa: Pacifico Yokohama National Convention Hall
Saturday, 3 June 2023 — Aichi: Japan Special Ceramic Industry Civic Center, Forest Hall (ex. Nagoya Civic Hall)
Saturday, 10 June 2023 — Ishikawa: Hondanomori Hall
Sunday, 11 June 2023 — Nagano: Nagano City Arts Center, main hall
Saturday, 17 June 2023 — Osaka: Orix Theater (ex. Osaka Welfare Pension Hall)
Sunday, 18 June 2023 — Osaka: Orix Theater (ex. Osaka Welfare Pension Hall)
Saturday, 24 June 2023 — Hiroshima: Ueno Gakuen Hall (Hiroshima Prefectural Culture and Arts Hall)
Sunday, 25 June 2023 — Fukuoka: Fukuoka Sunpalace Hotel & Hall
Saturday, 1 July 2023 — Hokkaido: Sapporo Kanamoto Hall (Sapporo Civic Hall)
Sunday, 9 July 2023 — Miyagi: Sendai Sun Plaza Hall
Saturday, 15 July 2023 — Gunma: Takasaki City Theatre, large theatre
Monday (holiday), 17 July 2023 — Shizuoka: Shizuoka City Culture Hall, large hall
Saturday, 22 July 2023 — Tokyo: Tokyo Garden Theatre
Sunday, 23 July 2023 — Tokyo: Tokyo Garden Theatre

Early bird tickets: 9,900 yen (w/ tax)
Tickets currently on sale

For more information, please visit the dedicated website:
https://buck-tick.com/feature/specialsite_2023tour

 

 

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Source: BARKS

 

BUCK-TICK | [23 Jul 2023] Ongaku to Hito: BUCK-TICK’s 異空 -IZORA- Tour Final — Concert Report

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

BUCK-TICK’s 異空 -IZORA- Tour Final,
a magnificent show complete

Ongaku to Hito
23 July 2023

text by Ishii Eriko
photos by Seitaro Tanaka

 

【LIVE REPORT】
〈BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA-〉
2023.7.23 at Tokyo Garden Theatre

 

 

I watched the closing show of the masterpiece tour, BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA-. The previous time I saw them was on 19 April, at their Hachioji show so in short, of this19-show tour which visits a total of 17 locations, I’m only watching the first and last concert dates. I don’t know what happened along the way, what trials and errors and adjustments they made. But what I know for sure is that the first show and the last looked very different from each other. And that’s despite no changes with the videos and graphics projected on the screen, and the set list being more or less the same.

If I had to say, it’s so different that it’s as good as “a concert unveiling of a new show” versus “a theatre show”. If the purpose of a tour is to play their new songs live, then I think that’s something they have perfectly executed since day one. The 14-track long 異空 -IZORA- album underwent a reinterpretation in the two-hour-long concert.

They connected new songs to old; lining up the intense Showa-era flavoured song, THE SEASIDE STORY next to the distinctive city-pop song Mugen LOOP -LEAP-, and bringing in Jonathan Jet-Coaster right before the highlight of the main show Taiyou to Icarus with both songs sharing a similar theme. As written in my report of the first day, the band is capable of showcasing their work in this format precisely because they’ve kept going for 35 years and innovating throughout this time.

On top of that, what else changed to turn a “concert” into “theatre”? The issue of familiarity is of course one; the five members breathing as one, their bodies gradually growing more and more accustomed to the new songs. But what stood out above all of that was Sakurai Atsushi’s power of expression and performance.

Like Sayonara Shelter in the first half. This song was born from the imaginings of present-day Ukraine, and with each iteration on this tour, the performance of it turned into theatre. Sakurai cradles a small child, escapes to a safe place, dodging bullets as they fly past before returning fire himself with a gun in hand; these scenes captivate the audience as he sings.

Unlike a choreographed performance, he had, in short, fully immersed himself in it. The fear that one day the mic stand he holds at the end would look like an actual rifle seeps in. With the way the performance is executed, the pale moonlight shining from the screen in the back becomes more than a mere visual effect and somehow turns into an essential backdrop. Therein lies the difference between a simple performance and a dramatisation.

The next song which followed was Campanella  Hanataba wo Kimi ni, and coming right before it was a short monologue where he said, “Father, mother, it’s going to rain tonight again. Sparkly gold rain is……” His words bring forth the image of bombs flying between Ukraine and Russia. Would the audience have been just as taken aback and drawn to the scenes on stage if he instead said, “With love from the far east, please listen to this song.”? 

He performs wholeheartedly, turning one reality into a beautiful dream, swallowing both fact and fiction to turn them into one story. The singer who has surpassed the song ruled over the stage.

And there was Boogie Woogie in the midst of it all. On the first day of the tour, in the MC right before the song which sums up their pre-debut life, Sakurai said they’re “recreating a story from 35 years ago”. But now, on this final day of their tour, he changed his words to the following.

“How long can we keep going…… I wonder, how long can we keep going?　Until death?　No, even after death. We will do this even when we turn into ghosts. They are waiting!　They are waiting!”

That was the moment a nostalgic song of the past became a song of the neverending future. Because no matter how far they run, no matter the city they head for, we (= they) who eagerly await them will never disappear. “Boogie woogie!　Shoo-be-doo-ba!” These symbolic lyrics resound like an important chant.

This irreplaceable worldview will remain and persist even after the physical body has disappeared and turned into a soul. A man, who in an interview immediately after the album’s completion, said that he was still struggling, that it was hard to live, and that he was as depressed as ever, was the one to make such a powerful declaration.

I don’t think there’s any doubt that this tour is what made Sakurai talk about the future. There were a number of instances when I wondered whether the album, 異空 -IZORA- was really that positive a creation to begin with. Even though there are songs about loneliness and war, the beauty and sacredness of what they have accomplished are carried forth through his sombre and earnest performances. I believe catharsis would also come about amidst this.

The highlight of the main show was Taiyou to Icarus, where the protagonist rushes through to face death head-on. During this performance, Sakurai faced the radiant screen with outstretched arms. The sanctity of his silhouette remains unforgettable even now.

Four songs were played in the encore with old songs interspersed, once again leading us into the world of 異空 -IZORA-. Even though he’s only putting on makeup and dressing the way he likes, the faceless people all around are laughing. Even if such is the confession of the protagonist Hizumi who has no way out, it all slowly gets cleansed away at the end with Na mo Naki Watashi.

A single stalk of a white flower on screen. Midway through, it quietly starts to sway. The moment Sakurai pulls his outfit across his shoulder with a big swish, a blizzard of brightly coloured flowers rained down on the stage. Come to think of it, this move was not present in the first show. With this so-called visual effect showing perfect synchrony with the performer’s gestures, the magnificent show was made complete. It’s so beautiful that it left me speechless. This is the difference between the start and the goal. The difference between a “concert” and a “show”.

And just like this, they continued their way through their 35th anniversary year. The closing day is finally approaching. According to the extra news pamphlet which was distributed after the concert, BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA- FINALO will be held at Gunma Music Centre on 17 and 18 September.

The world of their new album evolved so much in the course of just one tour. While BUCK-TICK still continues to evolve on stage even now. I can only wonder what their final form will look like.

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

NEW ALBUM『異空 -IZORA-』
2023.04.12 RELEASE

■ Limited Edition Version A / B (Blu-ray / DVD)
■ Regular Edition
■ Limited Edition LP Version
■ Limited Edition Cassette Tape

Album cover of 異空 -IZORA-, BUCK-TICK
異空 -IZORA- | Album

〈CD〉※Same for both Limited and Regular editions
01 QUANTUM Ⅰ
02 SCARECROW
03 Warukyuure no Kikou
04 Sayonara Shelter ー destroy and regenerate-Mix
05 Ai no Harem
06 Campanella  Hanataba wo Kimi ni
07 THE FALLING DOWN
08 Taiyou to Icarus
09 Boogie Woogie
10 Mugen LOOP -IZORA-
11 Noraneko Blue
12 Hizumi
13 Na mo Naki Watashi
14 QUANTUM Ⅱ

〈Blu-ray／DVD〉　※Limited edition only
・Taiyou to Icarus MUSIC VIDEO
・Mugen LOOP MUSIC VIDEO

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〈BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA-〉

Friday, 1 September 2023 — Nippon Tokushu Tougyou Shimin Kaikan, Forest Hall (ex. Nagoya Civil Hall) ※Substitute

 

〈BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA- FINALO〉

Sunday, 17 September 2023 — Gunma Music Center
Monday (holiday), 18 September 2023 — Gunma Music Center

 

〈BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA- ALTERNATIVE SUN〉

Friday, 20 October 2023 — KT Zepp Yokohama
Thursday, 26 October 2023 — Zepp Nagoya
Saturday, 28 October 2023 — Zepp Fukuoka
Saturday, 4 November 2023 — Zepp Osaka Bayside
Sunday, 12 November 2023 — Zepp Sapporo
Sunday, 19 November 2023 — ToyosuPIT
Saturday, 2 December 2023 — Sendai GIGS
Saturday, 9 December 2023 — Zepp Haneda

 

BUCK-TICK Official Website

 

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Source: Ongaku to Hito

 

BUCK-TICK | [25 Apr 2023] Ongaku to Hito: BUCK-TICK’s 異空-IZORA- Album Tour Begins — Concert Report

Posted on by Yoshiyuki

BUCK-TICK’s 異空-IZORA- Album Tour Begins
An optimistic vitality on opening day

Ongaku to Hito
25 April 2023

text by Ishii Eriko
photos by Seitaro Tanaka

 

【LIVE REPORT】
〈BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA-〉
2023.04.19 at J:COM Hall Hachioji

 

 

 

“BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA-”. I got to watch the first day of this simply titled journey. From start to the very end, it truly was the world of 異空 -IZORA-.

It might be obvious. For 35 years, the band has continued to enchant us with a worldview based off their latest album whenever they release one. It’s not unusual that they would perform all of their new songs, including the instrumental pieces. But I was shocked to find that they stick to the typical style of doing all of that in the main part of the show and then bring on a bit of a festive mood with some past favourites in the encore. It was the world of 異空 -IZORA- through and through, from start to end. I was once again reminded of their confidence and commitment to this masterpiece.

It would be misleading to simply describe it as “dark” but 異空 -IZORA- is an album made heavy by reality. That’s mainly due to Sakurai Atsushi’s mental state which gets redirected into a variety of stories telling of narratives like war, children being sacrificed, even the band’s personal presentiment of an end looming over them, the feeling of being trapped with nowhere to run, and other similar themes. When these are the things that get verbalised in all the songs, it is probably inevitable that [the album would] steadily grow heavier, more serious. But despite this, the concert depicting the world of 異空 -IZORA- was definitely not a sombre one at all.

I have to refrain from naming specific songs, but new songs were connected to old songs to bring out a different nuance from the album. The magic of such song selection was truly magnificent. Their single, Mugen LOOP -LEAP- was paired with a fantastical love song from recent years to create the atmosphere of popular Showa-era songs which transcends time and space. Similarly, their other single, Taiyou to Icarus was sandwiched between a rock’n’roll track we haven’t heard in a while and a nostalgic song that was released in the 90s, starting up yet another different story to tell. Singing of imminent death in Taiyou to Icarus, Sakurai does not break that storyline but instead continues it by depicting the healing, comforting, and salvation of souls in the afterward.

Past experiences complement the present; I believe Boogie Woogie makes for the best example of that. This rock song which Sakurai describes as “a story from over 35 years ago recreated using the latest technology” takes us on a journey looking back at BUCK-TICK’s history of moving from city to city and stepping up on stage once night fell.

The five members of the band are usually all over the place [in terms of dressing], but on this day, Imai Hisashi and Hoshino Hidehiko wore somewhat similar outfits, creating a kind of symmetry with Sakurai in the middle which looked great. The brothers Yagami & Higuchi standing firm in the back, the two guitarists with different music styles, and the charismatic vocalist. It’s late for me to realise now, but this is what harmony looks like.

Imai now stands on stage without the need of a cane, kicking his legs everywhere without restraint. As we headed towards the end, what I really wanted to remember and take note of was the glory of Sakurai’s story-telling ability as he blooms madly in profusion alongside Imai’s guitar solo warping space and time.

This is the power of a band who has kept going and renewing themselves throughout this time. The same members have the same shared times together and kept creating with a trajectory towards the latest album. The overall structure remains intact even when songs from 30 years ago are lined up alongside their latest tracks. Or rather, whatever they’ve done thus far appears to complement the present, so much so that it makes me feel as if the old songs might’ve been put there to make the new songs shine even brighter.

There is no doubt that the heaviness in 異空 -IZORA- is definitely something that came about from facing reality, but thanks to past songs and their level of experience, they managed to maintain the balance even now, without letting things get too serious. There were a number of instances where it looked as if the members of the band themselves were aware of this too.

What made such a show even more exciting was the voice of the audience. Masks are still mandatory. But cheering is now allowed and we could see from the member’s expressions how much morale it gives them. Thunderous applause, everyone singing along to the melody of the chorus, the various calls of “Accha~n!” “Imai-sa~n!” that could be heard between songs. In the past, this could’ve been thought of as something that would ruin their pitch-black world, but hearing this for the first time in three years, I now realise that it is really a reassuring courage, or rather, nothing but a show of support for the band.

I believe the reason why they are capable of so unapologetically releasing an album like 異空 -IZORA- is because of their past of continuity, and in a similar sense, because they have so many fans. War, death, trauma, distortions…… With these words, it sounds like an album close to despair, but these were turned into works of art, stories that could only become a form of entertainment because they have fans who are capable of digesting it. Maybe that is something they came to realise because COVID-19 happened. Even as we tremble at the prospect of an imminent end, nevertheless, BUCK-TICK continues on with certainty. An optimistic, forward-looking vitality. This was the only thing I felt with the start of this tour.

 

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〈BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空-IZORA-〉

Saturday, 13 May 2023 — High Staff Hall, large hall (Kanonji City Meeting Hall)

Sunday, 14 May 2023 — Kurashiki City Auditorium

Saturday, 20 May 2023 — ROHM Theatre Kyoto, main hall

Sunday, 21 May 2023 — Kobe Kokusai Kaikan Kokusai Hall

Saturday, 27 May 2023 — Pacifico Yokohama National Convention Hall

Saturday, 3 June 2023 — Japan Special Ceramic Industry Civic Center, Forest Hall (ex. Nagoya Civic Hall)

Saturday, 10 June 2023 — Hondanomori Hall

Sunday, 11 June 2023 — Nagano City Arts Center, main hall

Saturday, 17 June 2023 — Orix Theater (ex. Osaka Welfare Pension Hall)

Sunday, 18 June 2023 — Orix Theater (ex. Osaka Welfare Pension Hall)

Saturday, 24 June 2023 — Ueno Gakuen Hall (Hiroshima Prefectural Culture and Arts Hall)

Sunday, 25 June 2023 — Fukuoka Sunpalace Hotel & Hall

Saturday, 1 July 2023 — Sapporo Kanamoto Hall (Sapporo Civic Hall)

Sunday, 9 July 2023 — Sendai Sun Plaza Hall

Saturday, 15 July 2023 — Takasaki City Theatre, large theatre

Monday (holiday), 17 July 2023 — Shizuoka City Culture Hall, large hall

Saturday, 22 July 2023 — Tokyo Garden Theatre

Sunday, 23 July 2023 — Tokyo Garden Theatre

 

BUCK-TICK Official Website

 

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Source: Ongaku to Hito