Album cover of 異空 -IZORA-, BUCK-TICK

2023.04.12 | Victor Entertainment
異空 -IZORA-

Words by Sakurai Atsushi

Music By Imai Hisashi

Japanese

 

真っ逆さま 上昇した
堕天の飛翔体
罪人は誰? 這い上がれ
落下のキマイラ

反逆のモチーフ 逆回転してる
堕落のエンジェル
エデンへ行こう 自由は進行
ニ人に合うんだ

さあ 呑み干せ 喰らえ 謳え 夜だ
さあ falling down さあ falling down
さあ falling down さあ falling down

オレハ逆撫 怠惰サカシマ
堕天の飛翔体
オレハ逆撫 怠惰サカシマ
堕落のエンジェル

さあ 呑み干せ 喰らえ 謳え 夜だ
さあ falling down さあ falling down
さあ falling down さあ falling down

さあ 混沌と夜だ
さあ 呑み干せ 喰らえ 謳え 夜だ
さあ falling down さあ falling down
さあ falling down さあ falling down

yeah! falling down yeah! falling down
yeah! falling down yeah! falling down

Romaji

By: Yoshiyuki

Massakasama Joushou shita
Daten no hishoutai
Zainin wa dare? Hai agare
Rakka no kimaira

Hangyaku no mochiifu Gyaku kaiten shiteru
Daraku no enjeru
Eden e ikou Jiyuu wa shinkou
Futari ni aunda

Saa Nomi hose Kurae Utae Yoru da
Saa falling down Saa falling down
Saa falling down Saa falling down

Ore wa sakanade Taida sakashima
Daten no hishoutai
Ore wa sakanade Taida sakashima
Daraku no enjeru

Saa Nomi hose Kurae Utae Yoru da
Saa falling down Saa falling down
Saa falling down Saa falling down

Saa Konton to yoru da
Saa Nomi hose Kurae Utae Yoru da
Saa falling down Saa falling down
Saa falling down Saa falling down

yeah! falling down yeah! falling down
yeah! falling down yeah! falling down

English

By: Yoshiyuki

Head over heels Ascended
Projectile falling from Heaven
Who’s the sinner? Crawl back up
Fallen chimera

Symbol of rebellion Spinning in reverse
Angel of depravity
Let’s go to Eden Freedom is progress
Befitting of you two

Come Drink up Devour Extol It’s night
Come falling down Come falling down
The falling down The falling down

I’m an annoyance An idler against the grain
A projectile falling from Heaven
I’m an annoyance An idler against the grain
An angel of depravity

Come Drink up Devour Extol It’s night
Come falling down Come falling down
The falling down The falling down

C’mon It’s chaos and night
Come Drink up Devour Extol It’s night
Come falling down Come falling down
The falling down The falling down

yeah! falling down yeah! falling down
yeah! falling down yeah! falling down

 

Notes:

From Imai and Yokoyamal’s interview in FT107, Imai said that he thought it would be better to add “THE” to the title because the song is in specific reference of Satan and Lucifer’s casting out.

Album cover of 異空 -IZORA-, BUCK-TICK

2023.04.12 | Victor Entertainment
異空-IZORA

Campanella  A Bouquet For You

Words by Sakurai Atsushi

Music By Imai Hisashi

Japanese

 

今夜は雨が降るよう
パパ 行かないで
ダメだよ 殺されちゃう
ほ ら 血が出ている
  砕け散った
  誰がために鐘は鳴る
  鳴り  響け Ding Dong!

兵隊さん マシンガン
ミサイル “花束”
子供たち おとうさん
おかあさん “花束”

今夜も雨になるよう
ママ 泣かないで
抱きしめていてあげる
も う 泣かないで

  愛よ 降って
  誰がために鐘は鳴る
  “It’s a Small World” Ding Dong!

兵隊さん おとうさん
おかあさん “花束”
子供たち おとうさん
おかあさん “花束”

子供たち おとうさん
おかあさん “花束”
子供たち おとうさん
おかあさん “花束”

子供たち

子供たち

子供たち

Romaji

By: Yoshiyuki

Konya wa ame ga furu you
Papa ikanaide
Dame da yo Korosarechau
Ho-ra Chi ga dete iru
  Kudake chitta
  Ta ga tame ni kane wa naru
  Nari  hibike Ding Dong!

Heitai san Mashin gan
Misairu “Hanataba”
Kodomo tachi Otousan
Okaasan “Hanataba”

Konya mo ame ni naru you
Mama nakanaide
Dakishimete ite ageru
Mo-u nakanaide

  Ai yo futte
  Ta ga tame ni kane wa naru
  “It’s a Small World” Ding Dong!

Heitai san Otousan
Okaasan “Hanataba”
Kodomo tachi Otousan
Okaasan “Hanataba”

Kodomo tachi Otousan
Okaasan “Hanataba”
Kodomo tachi Otousan
Okaasan “Hanataba”

Kodomo tachi

Kodomo tachi

Kodomo tachi

English

By: Yoshiyuki

Looks like rain will come down tonight
Papa Don’t go
I can’t They’ll kill us
Look There’s blood
  Smashed to smithereens
  The bell is tolling for someone
  Tolling, echoing Ding Dong!

Mr. Soldier Machine gun
Missile “Flower bouquet”
Children Father
Mother “Flower Bouquet”

Looks like it’ll rain tonight too
Mama Don’t cry
I’ll give you a hug
Don’t cry anymore

  Love rains down
  The bell is tolling for someone
  “It’s a Small World” Ding Dong!

Mr. Soldier Father
Mother “Flower Bouquet”
Children Father
Mother “Flower Bouquet”

Children Father
Mother “Flower Bouquet”
Children Father
Mother “Flower Bouquet”

Children

Children

Children

 

Notes:

From Sakurai’s interview in FT107, he actually worked to reduce the amount of words in this song. He believes that the imagination of the listener is the most important thing of all, so he chooses to omit explanations.

 

Album cover of 異空 -IZORA-, BUCK-TICK

2023.04.12 | Victor Entertainment
異空-IZORA

Harem of Love

Words by Sakurai Atsushi

Music By Hoshino Hidehiko

Japanese

 

炎 に  濡れた
愛のハレム
この世は 夢 ね
愛のハレム

路地裏 少年よ
楽園を知っているかい?
迷い込んだCorridor
わたし ただ étranger²
鏡の 向こう側
老婆が 手招く
酔いしれてLabyrinth
わたし ただ étranger
微かに麝香な香り
砂混じりあなたの影
タナトスの花をどうぞ
ベールを翻し 消えた
炎 に   濡れた
愛のハレム
この世は 夢 ね
愛のハレム

カサブランカ 南へ
マラケシュにひとり
市場を さ迷えば
わたし ただ étranger
おまえは何処から来た?
わたしは何処へ行くのだろう
さあおいで Carnavalへ
死者達と踊れ さあ踊れ
炎 に   濡れた
愛のハレム
この世は 夢 ね
愛のハレム

おまえはそうさ
夢や 幻
鏡よ 鏡
老婆が笑う
あたしもそうさ
夢や 幻
鏡よ 鏡
老婆が笑う よ
A ha ha.. A ha ha
笑う.. よ

Romaji

By: Yoshiyuki

Honoo ni  nureta
Ai no haremu
Kono yo wa yume  ne
Ai no haremu

Rojiura shounen yo
Rakuen wo shitteiru kai?
Mayoi konda Corridor
Watashi tada étranger²
Kagami no mukou gawa
Rouba ga te maneku
Yoishirete Labyrinth
Watashi tada étranger
Kasuka ni masukii¹ na kaori
Suna majiri anata no kage
Tanatosu no hana wo douzo
Beeru wo hirugaeshi kieta
Honoo ni  nureta
Ai no haremu
Kono yo wa yume  ne
Ai no haremu

Kasaburanka minami e
Marakeshu ni hitori
Ichiba wo samayoeba
Watashi tada étranger
Omae wa doko kara kita?
Watashi wa doko e yuku no darou
Saa oide Carnaval e
Shisha tachi to odore Saa odore
Honoo ni  nureta
Ai no haremu
Kono yo wa yume  ne
Ai no haremu

Omae wa sou sa
Yume ya maboroshi
Kagami yo Kagami
Rouba ga warau
Atashi mo sou sa
Yume ya maboroshi
Kagami yo Kagami
Rouba ga warau yo
A ha ha.. A ha ha
Warau.. yo

English

By: Yoshiyuki

Drenched in flames
Harem of love
This world is a dream
Harem of love

Hey, young boy in the alley
Do you know of paradise?
Wandering through a
Corridor I am just an outsider²
On the other side of a mirror
The old lady beckons
Intoxicated in a Labyrinth
I am just an outsider
A faint musky fragrance
Your shadow mingling with the sand
Take this flower of Thanatos
Disappearing with a turn of the veil
Drenched in flames
Harem of love
This world is a dream
Harem of love

To the south of Casablanca
alone, to Marrakesh
As I wander the marketplace
I am just an outsider
Where did you come from?
Where am I going?
Now come, to the Canaval
to dance with the dead, let’s dance
Drenched in flames
Harem of love
This world is a dream
Harem of love

That’s what you are
A dream, an illusion
Mirror, oh, mirror
The old lady laughs
That’s what I am too
A dream, an illusion
Mirror, oh, mirror
The old lady is laughing
A ha ha.. A ha ha
Laughing.. away

 

Notes:

¹The kanji is normally read as jakou, but it would seem that Sakurai decided to stylise it as masukii (musky) instead.

² French for stranger, typically used in legal contexts to refer to a foreigner (alien).

 

Album cover of 異空 -IZORA-, BUCK-TICK

2023.04.12 | Victor Entertainment
異空-IZORA

2022.09.21 | Victor Entertainment
CATALOGUE THE BEST 35th anniv.

Farewell Shelter

Words by Sakurai Atsushi

Music By Hoshino Hidehiko

Japanese

 

儚いキャンドル
地下室でダンスダンス
揺れている
魔法のランプ 瞳には炎

その手伸ばして
指先で Love Love
あと少し
影絵遊び
さあ  お姫様

止まんない雨 夢ならいいね
あなたを 抱き締めていたいけど
誰かが僕らを 殺しに来るよ
狂ってる。。 狂っているよ

今夜 静かに眠る
あなたに合いに行く 必ず
あの シェルターで  待っていて
今夜 地球はまるで
美しい流れ星 綺麗だ
あの シェルターで  待っていて

色を無くした 音も無い世界
愛の歌
震える声で あの子は歌う

冷たい雨 嘘ならいいね
あなたを 抱き締めていたいけど
わたしは誰かを 殺しに行くの
狂ってる。。 狂っているよ

今夜 静かに眠る
あなたに合いに行く 必ず
あの シェルターで 待っていて
今夜 地球はまるで
美しい流れ星 綺麗だ
あの シェルターで 待っていて。。

Romaji

By: Yoshiyuki

Hakanai kyandoru
Chika shitsu de dansu dansu
Yurete iru
Mahou no ranpu Hitomi ni wa honoo

Sono te nobashite
Yubisaki de Love Love
Ato sukoshi
Kage’e asobi
Saa ohime sama

Yamannai ame yume nara ii ne
Anata wo dakishimeteitai kedo
Dare ka ga bokura wo koroshi ni kuru yo
Kurutteru.. Kurutteiru yo

Konya shizuka ni nemuru
Anata ni ai ni yuku Kanarazu
Ano sherutaa de  matteite
Konya chikyuu wa maru de
utsukushii nagareboshi Kirei da
Ano sherutaa de  matteite

Iro wo nakushita Oto mo nai sekai
Ai no uta
Furueru koe de ano ko wa utau

Tsumetai ame uso nara ii ne
Anata wo dakishimeteitai kedo
Watashi wa dare ka wo koroshi ni iku no
Kurutteru.. Kurutteiru yo

Konya shizuka ni nemuru
Anata ni ai ni yuku Kanarazu
Ano sherutaa de matteite
Konya chikyuu wa maru de
utsukushii nagareboshi Kirei da
Ano sherutaa de matteite..

English

By: Yoshiyuki

Short-lived candle
Dance, dancing in the basement
Flickering
A magic lamp A flame in your eyes

Reach your hand out
Love Love at your fingertips
Just a while more
We’ll play with shadows
Shall we, my princess

Wouldn’t it be nice if the relentless rain was a dream
I want to keep you in my arms but
Someone is coming to kill us
Insane It’s insanity

Tonight, sleep tight
I’ll come meet you, that’s a promise
Waiting at that shelter
Tonight, the earth looks just like
a beautiful falling star It’s so pretty
Waiting at that shelter

In a colourless, soundless world
A song of love
Sung in that child’s trembling voice

Wouldn’t it be nice if the cold rain was a lie
I want to keep you in my arms but
I have to go and kill someone
Insane It’s insanity

Tonight, sleep tight
I’ll come meet you, that’s a promise
Waiting at that shelter
Tonight, the earth looks just like
a beautiful falling star It’s so pretty
Waiting at that shelter

 

 

 

Album cover of 異空 -IZORA-, BUCK-TICK

2023.04.12 | Victor Entertainment
異空-IZORA

Ride of the Valkyries

Words by Sakurai Atsushi

Music By Imai Hisashi

Japanese

 

気分爽快かい?
誹謗中傷がグロいわ
吐き気 荒唐無稽
連れて行ってあげる
Righty… Righty Right!!

たった孤独 ひ と り ぼ っ ち
ああ So Lonely Play
もっと深く 深淵を覗いて
頂戴
ワルキューレ 夜が明ける
嘘で 構わない
ワルキューレ 愛してくれ
最後 最後に

胸糞が悪い!
なんで? わたしばっかり???
アイツらが悪い
連れて行ってあげる
Righty… Righty Right!

きっかけは くちづけ
Adam & Eva
ずっと深く 深淵は
おまえを覗いている

ワルキューレ 朝が  狂う
我は 原罪
ワルキューレ 殺してくれ
最後 最後に

Righty… Righty Right!

たった孤独 ひ と り ぼ っ ち
ああ So Lonely Play
もっと深く 深淵を覗いて
頂戴
きっかけは くちづけ
Adam & Eva
ずっと深く 深淵は
おまえを覗いている

ワルキューレ 夜が明ける
嘘で 構わない
ワルキューレ 愛してくれ
最後 最後に
ワルキューレ 朝が  狂う
奴は 原罪
ワルキューレ 殺してくれ
最後 最後に

Romaji

By: Yoshiyuki

Kibun soukai kai?
Hibou chuushou ga guroi wa
Hakike Koutou mukei
Tsurete itte ageru
Righty… Righty Right!!

Tatta kodoku hi-to-ri-bo-cchi
Aa So Lonely Play
Motto fukaku Shin’en wo nozite
Choudai
Warukyuure Yo ga akeru
Uso de kamawanai
Warukyuure Aishite kure
Saigo Saigo ni

Munakuso ga warui!
Nande? Watashi bakkari???
Aitsura ga warui
Tsurete itte ageru
Righty… Righty Right!

Kikkake wa kuchidzuke
Adam & Eva
Zutto fukaku shin’en wa
Omae wo nozoite iru

Warukyuure Asa ga  kuruu
Ware wa genzai
Warukyuure Koroshite kure
Saigo Saigo ni

Righty… Righty Right!

Tatta kodoku hi-to-ri-bo-cchi
Aa So Lonely Play
Motto fukaku Shin’en wo nozite
Choudai
Kikkake wa kuchidzuke
Adam & Eva
Zutto fukaku shin’en wa
Omae wo nozoite iru

Warukyuure Yo ga akeru
Uso de kamawanai
Warukyuure Aishite kure
Saigo Saigo ni
Warukyuure Asa ga  kuruu
Yatsu wa genzai
Warukyuure Koroshite kure
Saigo Saigo ni

English

By: Yoshiyuki

Feeling good, are we?
All that slander’s grotesque
Nonsensical Absurdity
I’ll take you with me
Righty… Righty Right!!

I’m just lonely All-on-my-own
Ah So Lonely Play
Even deeper into the abyss
Oh, please let me look
Valkyrie Dawn is breaking
I don’t mind if it’s a lie
Valkyrie Love me
At the end At the very end

Just sickening!
Why only me???
They’re all so mean
I’ll take you with me
Righty… Righty Right!

It all started with a kiss
Adam & Eva
The bottomlessly deep abyss
is looking at you

Valkyrie Dawn  is raving
We are the original sin
Valkyrie Kill me
At the end At the very end

Righty… Righty Right!

I’m just lonely All-on-my-own
Ah So Lonely Play
Even deeper into the abyss
Oh, please let me look
It all started with a kiss
Adam & Eva
The bottomlessly deep abyss
is looking at you

Valkyrie Dawn is breaking
I don’t mind if it’s a lie
Valkyrie Love me
At the end At the very end
Valkyrie Dawn  is raving
They are the original sin
Valkyrie Kill me
At the end At the very end

 

 

 

Album cover of 異空 -IZORA-, BUCK-TICK

2023.04.12 | Victor Entertainment
異空 -IZORA-

Words by Sakurai Atsushi

Music By Imai Hisashi

Japanese

 

逃げられない 逃げられない
俺はもう何処へも
行くあても そうさ無いさ
そうか。。

雨晒し SCARECROW 何を見ている
何にも 何にも 見えねえ。。

泥まみれ SCARECROW 何を思う
何にも 何にも 知らねえ。。

雨の色 風の色 鉛色
誰か!³
吹き溜まり 饐えた匂い 俺は腐乱
誰か!³ 誰か!³

逃げられない 逃げられない
俺はもう何処へも
行くあても そうさ無いさ
逃げられない 逃げられない
俺はもう何処へも
行くあてなんて もう無いさ
何処へ⁉

俺の目玉を狙う 鴉¹  友達だろう?
あっち行け あっち行け 見るな
俺の目玉を狙う 鴉¹  友達だろう?
あっち行け あっち行け 来るな
影法師 神隠し 神殺し
誰か!³
誰もいない 誰もいない 誰もいない
誰か!³ 誰か!³

逃げられない 逃げられない
俺はもう何処へも
行くあても そうさ無いさ
逃げられない 逃げられない
俺はもう何処へも
行くあてなんて もう無いさ
何処へ⁉

逃げられない 逃げられない
俺はもう何処へも
行くあても そうさ無いさ
そうか!

逃げられない 逃げられない
俺はもう何処へも
行くあても そうさ無いさ
何処へ⁉
逃げられない 逃げられない
俺はもう何処へも
行くあてなんて もう無いさ
そうか。。

Romaji

By: Yoshiyuki

Nigerarenai Nigerarenai
Ore wa mou doko e mo
Iku ate mo Sou sa nai sa
Sou ka..

Amazarashi SCARECROW Nani wo miteiru
Nani mo Nani mo mienee..
Doro mamire SCARECROW Nani wo omou
Nani mo Nani mo shiranee..

Ame no iro Kaze no iro Namari iro
Dare ka!³
Fuki damari Sueta nioi Ore wa furan
Dare ka!³ Dare ka!³

Nigerarenai Nigerarenai
Ore wa mou doko e mo
Iku ate mo Sou sa nai sa
Nigerarenai Nigerarenai
Ore wa mou doko e mo
Iku ate nante mou nai sa
Doko e⁉

Ore no medama wo nerau Kurou¹ Tomodachi darou?
Acchi ike Acchi ike Miru na
Ore no medama wo nerau Kurou¹ Tomodachi darou?
Acchi ike Acchi ike Kuru na
Kageboushi Kami kakushi Kami koroshi
Dare ka!³
Dare mo inai Dare mo inai Dare mo inai
Dare ka!³ Dare ka!³

Nigerarenai Nigerarenai
Ore wa mou doko e mo
Iku ate mo Sou sa nai sa
Nigerarenai Nigerarenai
Ore wa mou doko e mo
Iku ate nante mou nai sa
Doko e⁉

Nigerarenai Nigerarenai
Ore wa mou doko e mo
Iku ate mo Sou sa nai sa
Sou ka!

Nigerarenai Nigerarenai
Ore wa mou doko e mo
Iku ate mo Sou sa nai sa
Doko e⁉
Nigerarenai Nigerarenai
Ore wa mou doko e mo
Iku ate nante mou nai sa
Sou ka..

 

English

By: Yoshiyuki

Can’t run away Can’t run away
There’s nowhere for me anymore
Not even a place to go That’s right, nowhere
I see..²

Weatherbeaten SCARECROW What do you see
I can’t see I can’t see Anything
Mud-caked SCARECROW What do you think
I don’t know I don’t know Anything

The colour of the rain The colour of the wind
Lead in colour
Someone!³
Blustering winds A foul, sour stench I am rotting away
Someone!³ Anyone!³

Can’t run away Can’t run away
There’s nowhere for me anymore
No place at all That’s right, nowhere
Can’t run away Can’t run away
There’s nowhere for me anymore
Not even a place None anymore
Where to!?

Aiming for my eyeball Crow Aren’t we friends?
Go over there Go over there Don’t look
Aiming for my eyeball Crow Aren’t we friends?
Go over there Go over there Don’t come
Shadow figure Godforsaken Godkiller
Someone!³
No one’s here No one at all There’s no one
Someone!³ Anyone!³

Can’t run away Can’t run away
There’s nowhere for me anymore
No place at all That’s right, nowhere
Can’t run away Can’t run away
There’s nowhere for me anymore
Not even a place None anymore
Where to!?

Can’t run away Can’t run away
There’s nowhere for me anymore
No place at all That’s right, nowhere
I see!²

Can’t run away Can’t run away
There’s nowhere for me anymore
No place at all That’s right, nowhere
Where to!?
Can’t run away Can’t run away
There’s nowhere for me anymore
Not even a place None anymore
I see..²

 

 

Notes:

¹ The kanji is normally read as karasu, but it would seem that Sakurai decided to stylise it as kurou (crow) instead.

² Implying the protagonist coming to an understanding and acceptance of their situation.

³ It is not explicitly written but these exclamations are akin to the protagonist screaming for someone to help.

BUCK-TICK Announces 35th Anniversary Documentary Film,
Annual Budokan Concert

Natalie.mu
18 September 2023

 

 

BUCK-TICK has announced that a documentary film commemorating their 35th debut anniversary is in production.

This will be the third movie that BUCK-TICK is producing since the first, The Buck-Tick Syndrome (劇場版BUCK-TICK~バクチク現象~) which was released in 2013 and the second, BUCK-TICK~CLIMAX TOGETHER~ON SCREEN 1992-2016 which was released in 2017. Filming for this movie began in December 2021 and is still ongoing at present. We all look forward to finding out what we will get to see in it.

At the same time, BUCK-TICK has also confirmed that they will be holding their annual 29th December concert at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. This has been an annual affair for the band ever since BUCK-TICK held a concert in the Budokan back in 2000. 2019 was the only year that they had to change the venue of this event to Yoyogi National Stadium’s First Gymnasium, but apart from this one instance, this is a special performance that has always been held in the Budokan.

Double membership holders of their official fan club and official mobile site can begin applying for early bird tickets starting 21st September, at 12 p.m. Japan Standard Time. General ticket sales will commence 25th November.

 

 

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Source: Natalie.mu

The Poem of June ──
Interview with Hoshino Hidehiko

Ongaku to Hito
July 2023

Text=Kanemitsu Hifumi
Photos=
Minami Shinichiro

 

What has been regained

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

Hoshino (H): Fufufu.

――Was this what you intended (lol).

H: This is (lol).

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

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

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

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

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

H: That’s quite true.

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

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

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

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

――It’s well-structured, isn’t it?

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

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

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

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

H: We certainly do have those types of songs.

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

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

――That’s good.

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

H: Ah, so I heard.

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

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

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

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

ーーOoh!

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

ーーI didn’t ask (lol).

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

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

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

ーーWhen he’s only in his 30s?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ーーPeople will (lol).

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

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

H: Since the start I felt like we were doing this relatively well. Besides, this time, it’s generally simpler. Our stage setup includes film and video but there’s not much of a set, is there? Since it’s easy to see each others’ faces, I guess that also made  it easier for us to focus on playing the music.

ーーOn the other hand, the costumes were pretty fresh, weren’t they? Including the fact that [yours] looked symmetrical to Imai-san’s.

H: That was, it just so happened (lol). Because I’ve been thinking since a while ago that I wanted to go with a white scheme instead of black for this tour. And in the past, I wore that kind of skirt-like piece before so I decided to just make that white.

ーーIt was nice; like a prince from the Middle East.

H: Middle East (lol).

ーーAnd did you see Anii’s outfit?

H: Ahh. I didn’t look closely but it’s all our old photos, aren’t they? I didn’t get a proper look (lol).

ーーHe turned your funny faces into an outfit without letting you vet them (lol).

H: But I did know that he probably used that photo. When we debuted, our manager at the time would take photos anytime something happened. Whether we were on the move, or eating, or backstage, or overseas, or performing live…… and in all sorts of places. It was the era before data was accessible, so he would always make copies of them for the whole band and distribute them to us. That’s why I and the whole band probably have all the same photos at home.

ーー…… If you have such photos then bring them out and use them for your autobiography (lol).

H: They’re in some corner of the house, although I never tried looking for them (lol).

ーーThat’s not a good excuse, but anyway, there’s a part of this tour that feels somewhat nostalgic, isn’t there?

H: Since we have Boogie Woogie, right? That’s why I think this is a good tour.

ーーFinally, does Hide-san currently have a country or place, somewhere that you’d like to visit?

H: Let’s see…… It’s probably about time for me to visit the European region, isn’t it? Alright, once the tour ends. Shall I go scout ahead of the plans for 10 years later (another Simply Life)?

ーーNah. Europe is kind of…… (reluctant).

H: If that’s the case, how about Miyako-jima next? It’s been recommended to me anyway, it’s okay, really. Miyako-jima (lol).

 

 

Notes:

¹ A visual of the tamagaki at the shrine.

² The “offering” of a tamagaki is not exactly the literal act of bringing your own fence post with your name painted on it. It’s more like “buying” or “commissioning” one from the shrine to put up as a prayer offering. The proceeds are as good as a donation to the shrine.

 

 

 

Return to Top

 

 

AFTERSHOW

2023.05.20 Hoshino Hidehiko BUCK-TICK

The photoshoot took place at Kurumazaki Shrine in Kyoto. As mentioned in the interview, the shoot started early in the morning. After that, everyone moved to the concert venue and the interview was conducted in the dressing room backstage. After a while, the other members of the band start to arrive. On Yuta-san’s desk in the dressing room was a mountain of his autobiography books. They were to be autographed for sale at the concert venue, but he didn’t only sign them; Yuta-san would also draw illustrations associated with the local attractions of each city where the show is held. For Kyoto, he drew the Daimonji Festival, maiko, and the Heian-jingu Shrine but then, he asked, “Any fresh ideas?” So Kanemitsu suggested Tenka Ippin Ramen (headquartered in Kyoto).

After the interview concluded, we left the dressing room and were walking down the hallway when Sakurai the Demon King approached from the other end with a big smile on his face, saying, “Got interrogated recently, Kanemitsu-san?” It was last month that I got interrogated when I went to pick up Yuta-san for his column interview and Yuta-san took a photo of that happening while laughing so I don’t know whether he [Sakurai] saw what Yuta-san took or  whether he read the last magazine edition’s column. Regardless, he got a good laugh out of it. But it was great getting the chance to see the Demon King’s smile ♡

 

 

 

Return to Top

 

 

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Images: Yoshiyuki

A new step towards personal transformation
Interview with Higuchi Yutaka

Bass Magazine Vol.359
May 2023

Interview: Nakamura Kengo
Photos: Seitaro Tanaka
Layout: D.tribe

 

Celebrating their 35th anniversary, BUCK-TICK is a band at the forefront of the rock scene. Throughout their long career, they constantly ingest a diversity of musical elements, digest and regurgitate them in unexpected manners, bringing their audience a new touch to their BUCK-TICK sound with each release. 

The same could be said about their 23rd original album, 異空 -IZORA-. Their way of music is alive and well with how the songs go from indulgent rock, to riffs reminiscent of classic rock music, to an alluring jazzy medium, exhilarating beat tunes, to B-T’s style of city pop (?) and more. Bassist Higuchi Yutaka a.k.a. “U-ta” supports the band with a steady foundation revolving around “an approach which involves carefully picking the number of notes”. In this interview, we hear about Higuchi’s present mindset as he continues to look towards the innovation of his band’s sound.

 

PROFILE
Higuchi Yutaka ● Born on 24 January 1967, from Gunma Prefecture. Debuted with a major label as the bassist of BUCK-TICK in 1987. The band has since continued activities at the forefront of Japan’s rock scene with no changes in member line-up. They released 異空 -IZORA-, their 23rd original album on 12 April 2023 and are currently on travelling the country for their “BUCK-TICK TOUR 2023 異空 -IZORA-” until July.
https://buck-tick.com

 

When there’s a reduction in sound
it feels like [the bass] is “breathing”.

――When you celebrated your 35th anniversary last September, it started off with the release of a concept best-of album and the commemorative concert.

Yuta (Y): The 35th anniversary concerts we held at Yokohama Arena turned out to be shows that we could’ve only held in this era considering the combination of societal events surrounding us like COVID-19 and the Russian-Ukraine war. But after that, we made up for it in the following tour which ran through to the end of the year and we managed to make it a kind of “joyous tour”. In recent years, we haven’t been able to tour at all because of COVID-19 and just when we thought we could, Imai (Hisashi/guitarist)-kun broke his leg. Ultimately, we’re a band who started out in the indies scene and used to tour around the whole country driving on the highways, so this tour was super fulfilling for us and I’m happier than ever that we could visit the different cities.

――Your best-of album, CATALOGUE THE BEST 35th anniv. was divided into five discs with their respective themes; “RIBELO”, “GOTIKA”, “ELEKTRIZO”, “FANTAZIO”, and “ESPERO”. That sounded like an interesting experiment.

Y: We’ve released best-of compilations before, so we came up with this format when we were thinking about possible presentations that could make things interesting, and we’ve got quite a number of songs because we’ve continued like this for so long, so ultimately, I felt this was an idea that that we could executed only because we’ve tried so many different things before. Besides, when BUCK-TICK was first formed, no one in the band had any sort of musicality. We’re basically just five friends from the same hometown who enjoy doing this together. We have Imai-kun and Hide (Hoshino Hidehiko/guitarist) as our two composers and both of them kept coming up with better and better music. And I think that as the music we make changes, they have been able to reflect that well in different ways. I think the fact that I have to cater to all kinds of music is training from the two composers (lol).

――How did you tackle the production of your latest album, 異空 -IZORA-?

Y: It’s the same every time we’re celebrating a significant anniversary year, but the “theme” was to make sure we don’t run out of steam during the anniversary year. We wanted to bring an atmosphere that we’ve never had before, or take a step towards something new that we wanted to do.

――The songs which were revealed ahead of the album’s release were Sayonara Shelter which was also recorded on the best-of album, and the two singles, Taiyou to Icarus (太陽とイカロス / The Sun and Icarus) and Mugen LOOP (無限 LOOP / Infinity LOOP). BUCK-TICK generally has a dark image, but all of these songs are cheery, or rather, they sound refreshing.

Y: That’s right. They weren’t made with the fixed notion that “This will be a single!” or anything like that, but I did get the feeling that these songs might be in the running to be released as singles in the middle of producing them. Although, we didn’t deliberately aim to make cheerful songs, it just happened to turn out like this. Whether Taiyou to Icarus or Mugen LOOP, they are songs that bring out a sense of pop that we’ve never really done before, so I guess there’s a possibility that a part of them shows we’re doing something different yet again.

――Do you as a bassist consciously try to incorporate new approaches?

Y: No, ultimately, the priority is “to play the bass in a way that suits the song”. Based on that, I tried employing the use of an upright bass in the songs Noraneko Blue (野良猫ブルー / Stray Cat Blue) and Hizumi (ヒズミ). I rarely ever use an upright bass in recording work. I would generally use a regular bass for the studio recording and then play that live with an upright bass. So this time, I just thought maybe I should try using an upright from the very beginning.

――The extended greasy feeling of Noraneko Blue’s intro was something I thought could have only come from playing the longer strings of an upright bass. Does the phrasing change for you when you play with an upright instead of simply using a fretless bass?

Y: It does. Also, I took the opportunity to record using a mic instead and the sound definitely  had a more human touch to it. It completely changes the vibe too. In terms of sound, what an actual wood bass produces wins hands down, but it’s interesting how [doing this] creates a slightly different feel. I can’t think of a better way to say this, but there’s this vague sense of going off-tune, like the pitch sounding ambiguous which makes it interesting.

――Instead of overusing the unique approach that the upright bass calls for, you only applied it at certain points, like part of the interlude and the chorus. While in the rest of the song, you went with keeping things sounding tight. I think the added seasoning this contrast brings is just exquisite.

Y: When it comes to the bass, I keep in mind the feeling that I’m also part of the chorus singing, in the sense that it would be good if I can really feel the rhythm of the melody and get into it. I think making music with this awareness would naturally lead me towards playing my bass in that manner you speak of.

――Hizumi develops with the same rhythm pattern, but I think there’s an added intentional nuance in there with the way you added a bit of grease only on the fourth beat of the last bar of the bassline in the A melody. It’s as if you applied a technique which lets listeners feel something instead of adding filler phrases.

Y: That’s probably another result of me wanting to bring feelings into my bass and match the vocals. In such a situation, I notice that compared to before, there’s more work done to reduce the sound of the bass these days. I feel like doing that brings out emotion, or makes it feel like it is “breathing”.

Making the bass sound like it’s waving it’s arms, trying to get noticed is just so uncool (lol).

――The first track on the album, QUANTUM Ⅰ is an instrumental and it’s got a heavy synth bass in it. Following that, in the second track, SCARECROW, after the vocal and guitar arpeggio, the bass comes in alongside the synth bass and it was so strong that it surprised me.

Y: That might also be related to the fact that I used a 5-string for this song. I didn’t originally intend to use the 5-string, but simply put, this song is a “weighty” one, so I thought maybe it’s a good idea for me to pile on the “weight” (lol). I hope it was a good choice made.

――The A melody in SCARECROW progresses with long tones, but there that greasy feeling comes in during chord changes which boldly brings out the sense that this is being played by an actual bass. I would think that how much of that you put in is one of those factors that would make subtle changes to the groove, but were you still thinking about how to mesh this together with the main melody?

Y: That’s right. Also, if there’s too much grease in there it’d be like the bass is going, “Heeeey! Hello!! I’m here!” Waving its arms around, being so uncool (lol).

――Like you’re trying too hard to get noticed (lol).

Y: Yeah, and that’s something I definitely don’t want. So while there are parts where the greasing comes in and where it drops for a transition, there are also times when the main melody would stand out more, or the guitar would sound more appealing if just one more note of transition gets included.

――In terms of sound, is the slightly distorted vibe we get from the songs, including SCARECROW, something that is always there?

Y: That’s right. There’s basically always some sort of distortion. As to exactly how distorted, that’s something we decide on with the tech people, but our band does a lot of loops too, so to make it obvious [to listeners] the bass is also distorted, we have to make it sound incredibly distorted. Otherwise it wouldn’t sound like it is at all. That’s why I often get told that “this sounds normal” even when something is in fact distorted (lol).

――How do you do it?

Y: It depends on the situation. Even if I bring in the distortion using an amp, there’s a variety of equipment we use like the ampeg and so on. And even after distortion using the amp, tech and the engineers would do all sorts of effects processing on the sound too. In live concerts, I use Music Man amps and the effector I use is either SOURCE AUDIO or one of the tones from ZOOM’s MS-60B.

――Boogie Woogie has a rather distorted sound but it reminds me of Unison Riff and the guitars sound like that of 70s rock music.

Y: I remember applying quite a lot of distortion to it. If I didn’t, the bass would wind up in a mess. If only the guitars were distorted, then the bass alone would feel like it’s lagging behind when it all comes together. There wouldn’t be that feeling of speed. And that’s why I distorted it. Even the texture of the distortion was made to resemble something from the past. I know that songs like this one aren’t like most of what BUCK-TICK has done before, so I’m looking forward to playing this live.

――THE FALLING DOWN is also coarsely distorted. For certain songs, I’d assume you have to hold your bass a little higher up your waist and play it kind of punk-style, right?

Y: The moment I heard this song, I already got this feeling of being hit by a ball that was thrown at my head. That’s why I just went ahead and played it without thinking too much. When I heard the song, I also thought that if we were to distort things, then it might be interesting to do something that sounds like The Stranglers too.

――What equipment did you use in recording?

Y: I used fretless bass guitars from Greco, and a Rickenbacker. There were two fretless basses; usage was split between an old bass and a new one. Because I feel like it would be better to use the new one if I’m playing an energetic song. I’ve used the Rickenbacker for a long time now. It was even used in Speed on the album Kurutta Taiyou (1991). The sound it makes is pretty coarse, so I guess you could say that the distortion would come with it more than you’d expect. The upright bass I use is made by Landscape.

――What about the 5-string in SCARECROW?

Y: It’s something Greco produced for me in the past. Since it was made way back, you can guess that it’s really heavy. As heavy as two basses (lol). I asked them to make me one more to use as a substitute just in case, and it was about a third of the weight. I was thinking, “Is the difference really that big?!” (lol).

I find myself enjoying playing with a pick recently.

一一Earlier, you said that you’re removing notes more often in your bass play now, and I got the feeling that there was some deliberate decisions made in Na mo Naki Watashi (名も無きわたし / I, Nameless) for which parts had notes and which didn’t. It would’ve been okay for you to just bury the bass with the 8-beat route in the B melody, but you instead went with patterns like one rest at the start of the third beat, and having more notes in the second A melody than the first yet at the same time less than the number of notes in the B melody, so on and so forth.

Y: Precisely. Because this is a song where I think it’s better for me to play as little as possible. That’s already decided right from the very start. I actually thought it would’ve been enough if I just did the “doon, da-da…” through to the end, but it would ultimately just make things monotonous.

――Is there any reason why you started to play with the conscious intention to reduce the number of notes?

Y: I suppose it might’ve started from my desire to prioritise the melody. Back when we just started playing as a band, it was thought that there was no question that the bassist stood on the side of the drummer as the rhythm team, but the bass has now moved a little more towards the melody side of things so I thought maybe I could just do one note at the start of each bar and not play the rest of it? (lol) Or it could be that we started to have more songs that place emphasis on the melody, more slow tempo songs. I think the way I feel the music changed with those types of songs.

――At the start, we spoke about the bass in Mugen LOOP too, but I think its light rhythm pattern with its note values and sound breaks actually add to how pop the song sounds on the whole.

Y: One thing I was concerned about with this song was how it would immediately end up with a stylish ambience if I get even one thing wrong. Because the BUCK-TICK-ness would get diluted if the song tends towards that direction. It would turn into something that probably makes you think, “This might possibly be BUCK-TICK, but something’s off?” (lol). I think we did a good job executing that kind of subtlety.

――While the cheerful sounding Campanella  Hanataba wo Kimi ni (Campanella 花束を君に / Bouquet For You) has a bit of motown vibes in it. Is motown also a genre that Yuta-san enjoys?

Y: That’s right. But this song was the most difficult one for me. When I was working on it, I kind of felt like I couldn’t hit it quite right. I think it was the way I felt the bouncy rhythm, but since it’s something I liked, I gave the old motown songs and other similar types a proper listen and got the feeling that perhaps that may just be the exact problem. Like, “For some reason, I just can’t play like how they sound back in the day.” I think I managed to get the bass in a good spot, but I think I still need to study more (lol).

――In recent years, Yuta-san often plays with finger picking but you used a pick for Taiyou to Icarus?

Y: That’s right. In this album, I used the pick in both Boogie Woogie and THE FALLING DOWN too. Actually, I guess I find myself enjoying playing with a pick recently. I realised I could do quite a surprising variety of things [using a pick], including creating the sense of speed and some other sound production related things. Also, I’ve begun to find play styles like that of The Ventures and Kabe Masayoshi-san’s intriguing. I can’t do it anywhere as well as them, though (lol).

――You’ll soon embark on your album tour. How do you think it’ll turn out?

Y: I mentioned this at the start too, but as we celebrate our 35th anniversary, we don’t know how much further we can go but we’ve made an album that signifies a new first step for us, and since we’ve been in a state that prohibits cheers and has all kinds of restrictions on concerts in recent years, I feel like [this tour] will also be our first step [out of] that situation. By producing an album and then going on tour, we can let our audience experience the songs through an interpretation they may not have had, and depending on how things turn out, there’s also the possibility to turn the songs into masterpieces, so I’m looking forward to that as well as meeting all those who have been waiting for us.

▲From left, Imai Hisashi (guitar), Yagami Toll (drums), Sakurai Atsushi (vocals), Higuchi, Hoshino Hidehiko (guitar).

 

 

 

 

Return to Top

 

 

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Images: Yoshiyuki

【Remembering ISSAY】
See you again at Sad Cafe, someday

Ongaku to Hito
15 August 2023

text by Imai Tomoko
First image: A picture published in the February 2003 issue of the magazine (photographer = Kasai Chikashi)

 

On 5 August 2023, the vocalist of DER ZIBET, ISSAY passed away due to an unforeseen accident.

Here is a passage about the artist that he was with the one-of-a-kind presence he exuded with each different worldview and his distinctive sense of aesthetic. Penned by writer Imai Tomoko-san who has been acquainted with him since DER ZIBET’s debut, it covers ISSAY’s life and the person he was as an outstanding artist who not only worked with music, but also an actor and a pantomime artist, and had considerable influence on BUCK-TICK’s Sakurai Atsushi, for starters and many, many more who came after him.

DER ZIBET’s vocalist, ISSAY has passed on.

He was bewitching as he sang in Meguro’s LIVE STATION  on the 14th of July, and was scheduled to have a joint gig with FAR EAST PHALLUS KICKER in September. The sudden news of his demise left every single person who knew him distraught, and posts from people expressing their thoughts of him continue to flow on social media.

Possessing an astounding beauty and a unique aesthetic sense, he would always offer a kind smile to anyone and everyone, but he was also well acquainted with the darker side of life. A singer, an actor, a pantomime artist; these were but some of his wide-ranging activities as a prominent artist. He doesn’t act like he’s all-knowing yet he is wise and knowledgeable in so many different things that it often surprises. There is no doubt that every person who meets someone like him will always love and have faith in him.

His stage performances were theatrical, full of aestheticism. He makes use of masks, a cane, hats and more to full effect, bringing his unique world to life. There is no other band who executes live performances in this way, so the first time I saw it, I was captivated. Also, his being a voracious reader since he was a child brought a literary flavour into the lyrics he wrote, giving them a depth that set his lyrics apart from the lyrics of pop songs which flood the streets. From Baudelaire to Edogawa Ranpo, to Capote to Mishima Yukio to Kyogoku Natsuhiko and so forth, these were authors we had conversations about from time to time.

I got to know about ISSAY when I first saw a beautiful young man Chikada Haruo-san brought to some party. Later on, I think it was the launch party for Sixty Records, the label that DER ZIBET debuted with. It was around the release of the movie The Legend of The Stardust Brothers (1984) which was directed by Macoto Tezuka and written and produced by Chikada-san.

According to a Facebook post which Tezuka wrote in memoriam of ISSAY, he said that he happened to see a picture of ISSAY that one of his staff had when they were having a meeting for the movie, and picked ISSAY out of the many candidates. His and Tezuka’s fates were strongly connected, and he later went on to act in the 2018 sequel The Legend of the Stardust Brothers, and later the movie adaptation of Tezuka’s Barbara, originally a manga written by Tezuka’s father, Osamu Tezuka.

When I actually met this handsome young man, it was at an interview for DER ZIBET’s first album, Violetter Ball-紫色の舞踏会- (Violetter Ball-Murasakiiro no Budoukai- / 1985). I remember having an awkward conversation with a well-mannered but highly guarded ISSAY. But we had a number of mutual acquaintances like Chiwaki Mayumi and Okano Hajime, so things grew more comfortable over the course of the interview. 

Always stylishly dressed in sophisticated fashion with those looks, he also looked good wearing a hat and with a cane in  hand, but as exceptionally otherworldly as ISSAY appeared, he was an unexpectedly affable, practical man. He was an adorable person who would have a wide smile on his face as he chatted with people over drinks, sometimes blurting a cheeky line or two.

Rock entered ISSAY’s world when he was in high school. He said that he was greatly inspired by musicians like David Bowie, T. Rex, Lou Reed, Sex Pistols and went to school wearing makeup. He moved to Tokyo when he was 19 and started the glam rock band, ISSAY and SUICIDES which remained active for about two years before he embarked on his solo project.

Alongside his music career, he also studied pantomime under the tutelage of Mochizuki Akira who influenced not only ISSAY’s technique in physical expression but in all facets of the arts as well, from songwriting to all the way down to lifestyle. Although DER ZIBET’s work has begun, I had the chance to watch ISSAY’s pantomime performance. As I watched him support an elderly Akira-sensei with his passionate performance, I could sense from him an energy unlike that of what he exuded when in a band.

DER ZIBET was formed in 1984. It came together when ISSAY was going to form a band with HAL (bassist), who he had been working with in his solo project, and HIKARU (guitarist), who he met through a mutual acquaintance, and at the time, MAHITO (keyboardist) brought MAYUMI (drummer) along with him. Thus arrived a non-conforming band with a beautiful vocalist straddling the lines between new wave and hard rock in an era when the term “Visual-Kei” had yet to even exist.

Embodying the contrasting styles of decadence that ranged from David Bowie to Joy Division and a rock spirit backed by bands like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, they were a novel concept in the music scene of those days, yet at the same time, it was a huge hurdle to them. But DER ZIBET continued as a band without succumbing to the pressure.

Their 4th album, GARDEN (1988) was the product of their first time recording in London. They worked at Maison Rouge Studios, which saw artists like Jethro Tull and Peter Murphy, with Dick Beetham, who worked on Jimmy Page’s solo work, in charge of sound engineering. I spent about a week with them for interview and reporting work, and even though they had to deal with the perplexity and unfamiliarity of working foreigners, the four of them enjoyed the London life. ISSAY loved fish and chips dipped with malt vinegar so much that he said numerous times he wanted to buy some and bring them back to Japan. It was an unusual occurrence for a man like him who was generally disinterested in food.

And it was during that same period when BUCK-TICK also came to London to record their 4th album, TABOO. In between scheduled work, they held a secret gig which all the members of DER ZIBET went to watch. BUCK-TICK’s Sakurai Atsushi spoke about how reassuring it was to have fellow brethren in the audience of their first show overseas in London during a later conversation with ISSAY.

To Sakurai, ISSAY was not only a vocalist he looked up to, but also someone who influenced his stage performance in no small way. It can be inferred that the theatrical performances that Sakurai specialises in now and his use of masks and other objects to express the worlds of his songs were things that he acquired from his relationship with ISSAY. 

To Sakurai, ISSAY was probably one of the few people who shared and validated his sense of aesthetic and sensibilities, and understood him as well. And to ISSAY, Sakurai was likely the junior who adored him the most but also, maybe, his most trusted person too. ISSAY would always be invited to BUCK-TICK’s year-end concert at the Nippon Budokan without fail, and it’s become an annual sight to see the two of them quietly drinking and talking with each other at the after-party.

DER ZIBET’s activities came to a pause in 1996. Since then, ISSAY has been actively involved in all sorts of musical collaborations. He was often called upon because of his distinctive voice and performances, and ISSAY was never one to say no.

In 1997, he formed PHY together with HAL and ex. 44MAGNUM band member JIMMY (Hirose Satoshi), he formed HAMLET MACHINE with ALLNUDE’s TATSUYA, and also formed LYnx with X JAPAN’s HEATH. Alongside Fukuhara Mari (keyboardist), their unit, ISSAY meets DOLLY was created based on the concepts of Neo Cabaret Music and Theatrical Music. I felt it was a space where ISSAY could be most comfortable.

In this unit, ISSAY often sang Alabama Song (from the play Little Mahagonny. Lyrics by Bertolt, music by Kurt Weill. Covered by artists like David Bowie, the Doors, and more). Hearing his rendition, Tsuchiya Masami called upon him to become a member of his band, KA.F.KA. With all these activities, ISSAY’s singing grew ever more polished.

When HAL made a recovery from the serious injury he sustained in an accident in 2004, DER ZIBET seized the opportunity to come back together and resumed activities in 2007. I remember how ISSAY would frequently visit HAL when he was hospitalised and how he so happily told me HAL was on the road to recovery. Facing trying times with positivity was precisely the kind of person ISSAY was.

MAHITO, who left before the band made its debut in 1985, even came back officially as a member of the band when they restarted activities this time. Since then, they have continued to perform live shows and release new works. They even kept going by streaming their shows online during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, finally, we were just getting to the point when shows can be held and performed normally again.

Even now, the sudden news of his passing still confounds me. But I believe all the things that ISSAY has left behind will continue to be cherished and handed down in lasting legacy. Even now, he’s probably out there somewhere singing Matsu Uta, Pas Seul-ing (solo dancing). Let’s not forget the promise to “meet at Sad Cafe”. Because I don’t want my memories to turn into Nostalgia. May the soul of the ever-smiling, ever-positive ISSAY rest in peace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Translation: Yoshiyuki
Source: Ongaku to Hito online