30.12.09

The Day in Question 2009 Set List

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1. Iconoclasm
2. MAD
3. Muchi no Namida
4. Kick (Daichi wo Keru Otoko)
5. Barairo no Hibi
6. Memento Mori
7. Miu
8. Snow white
9. Genzai
10. Zekkai
11. Coyote
12. Tenshi wa Dare da
13. Makka na Yoru

encore 1
14. Misty Zone
15. Gensou no Hana

encore 2
16. Romance
17. Muma

encore 3
18. Heaven

28.12.09

Follow the Phenomenon!

Thanks for all the lovely New Year wishes...and all the fish!

Just a reminder, for all of you Google members, all you fans of blogger.com, all you Buck-Tick bloggers, and all you bloggers in general...feel free to spread the love by advertising us! Become a follower of the Blog-Tick Phenomenon, or link to us on your blog! Let your friends know who it is who's finally bringing you Imai's blog posts in English! And, of course, we started this blog by popular demand, so if you have any short requests, just drop us a line. Anything short, sweet, and Buck-Tick is fair game, though we promise we'll keep digging through the backwaters of Buck-Tick history for more material!

27.12.09

2009 Visits

It's not a terribly accurate program, but Flag Counter is telling us right now that we've had 2,009 pageviews so far. Perfect for the end of 2009! We couldn't have rigged it better ourselves (not that we rigged it.) What a wonderful year it's been in Buck-Tick history. Wishing our favorite band and all of you health and happiness in the new year!

19.12.09

Tenshi no Zawameki 1

Excerpted from Tenshi no Zawameki, copyright 1990 by Matsumoto Kiyori.

1988 December 2nd, on RF Radio Japan

Buck-Tick was appearing as a special guest on Rogue's midnight radio show, and I interviewed them about their new album, Taboo.

I had a funny story I wanted to tell the band, even though it was embarrassing.

The day before, I'd received a promotional copy of TABOO, which I'd been listening to on repeat from the moment I received it up until the time of the interview. There were no liner notes or lyrics attached--just the casette tape. That was it. When I got to the RF studio, Buck-Tick's manager at Victor came over and gave me the lyric booklet, and I quickly looked it over.

I'm sure everyone's had the experience once or twice of finding out that the lyrics they thought they heard and understood were completely wrong. That was how it was for me, with "Tokyo," the second song on the album. There's a part in the song where it goes, "psychoanalyze me." When you see it written out, you think there's no way of mistaking it. But when I'd first heard the album, I thought Atsushi was singing "Saikou wa dare? Jibun!" ("Who's awesome? I am!"), like a rhetorical question. I completely misheard, but it made sense to me at the time. "Oh, of course!" I thought. It would be just like narcissistic Atsushi to talk so blatantly about how awesome he is. Naturally, I was surprised when I saw the lyric booklet, but when I listened to the tape again, I realized he was definitely singing in English.

I breathed a sigh of relief that I'd looked at the lyrics before the interview, but when the interview started, I decided I really wanted to tell the band members about my big misunderstanding.

Today, the band members all seemed a little under the weather. Atsushi looked the worst, and kept coughing in between questions.

"Actually," I began, and explained my mishearing of the lyrics. By the time I'd finished, Toll was clutching his stomach and laughing hysterically. Everyone looked over at Atsushi to gauge his reaction. He had an expression of disbelief on his face.

"Whatever kind of person I am, I'd never say anything that bad!" he said. But after that, every time I saw him, he turned it into a running gag.

"I'm awesome!!!"


Buck-Tick's lyrics surprised me every time.

"The lyrics to the first song really threw me off guard. Can you clue me in?"

"I wrote the lyrics in the London studio," Imai said. "I thought I'd write them all in English...'Iconoclasm' means the destruction of sacred images or items. I got the image for the song from that word...the lyrics are abstract, but they're sort of like a symbol code."

"Where did you learn such a complicated word?"

"From the dictionary."

"Do you look at the dictionary a lot?"

"Yeah, I do."

I went on the ask them about the meaning of each song in turn. When I got to track four ("Embyo") I turned to Atsushi.

"So I heard the sound of a heartbeat."

"Yeah, like, thump-THUMP!~" Toll chimed in.

"Try turning up the volume and listening to it," U-ta suggested.

"I didn't get it. Whose idea was it?"

Atsushi raised his hand. "I'm awesome!" he said.

Everyone burst out laughing.


There was also a song on the album written by Hide with lyrics by Toll--a new combination.

"Oh, that song was an experiment," Hide said, laughing. "From the beginning I thought I'd let someone else write the lyrics."

"So he called the Experimental Brothers!" Toll said.

"Cause Anii wanted to write the lyrics so badly!" U-ta added.

Hide giggled.

"I've been found out!" said Toll.



I heard so many interesting things during that interview, so let me share the best two.

"So I heard you wrote the song 'J' about Jack the Ripper," I asked Imai.

"Yeah," Imai said. "First I was thinking about Dr. Frankenstein, but then we went to London and I was looking at Focus magazine at this store that sold Japanese magazines, and there was a picture in there that was the first picture ever released of one of the women Jack the Ripper killed. And London was the scene of the crime, so I thought it would be perfect..."

"You wrote about it on Seventh Heaven, too, but you guys have your own idea of what Heaven is, right? You mention angels again in the song 'Angelic Conversation.'"

"Well, it's about a dialog with an angel," Imai began. "I got really into the idea of heaven and angels when we were doing Seventh Heaven. But in this song, the devils look like angels, and they're really tiny, but their wings are devil wings. And you've got lots of angels over here, and then there's a little devil watching them. He's like a bat, and he's stuck in this tower-like place. I saw an illustration like that in a book, and I just felt so sorry for the little devil. Because devils aren't all bad, you know? That's what I thought. So basically the theme of the song is people, as divine beings."

I really liked what Imai said about devils not being all bad.

Even when the interview was over, the band members and I kept talking for a while about various things.

"Buck-Tick moves so fast. I really can't believe it," I told them.

"If we keep going at this speed, we'll all be dead three years from now!" of course it was Toll who said that.

"But we're the ones who are setting our pace, so I don't think we'll actually kill ourselves," U-ta added.

Atsushi's lyrics were so patently sexual, I had to ask him, "Don't you ever get censored?"

"Well the director told me 'it's not great, but I think it'll pass the censorship board.' He sounded like he was half angry." he laughed. "He told me 'Embryo' was too harsh, so I changed the characters. In the line "tearing apart the seductive map,' it wasn't actually 'chizu' ("map"). It was 'chitsu.' (vagina)"

Atushi grinned evilly as he looked at my horrified expression.

A novel look at Buck-Tick

Yes, you heard me right. There's a novel about Buck-Tick! And actually, it's old news. Published in 1990 by Matsumoto Kiyori, a writer for the Japanese music magazine GB, Tenshi no Zawameki chronicles Buck-Tick's early years, from the time of their debut to the scandal of Imai's arrest for LSD possession in 1989, up through the band's grand reunion at the Tokyo Dome in 1990. Matsumoto, the author, was both a music journalist and an ardent Buck-Tick fan, and she tells the story of her acquaintance with the band through a series of vignettes of the interviews she conducted and the concerts she attended. Rather than focusing on the content of her interviews, Matsumoto focuses on her private interactions with the band, and captures the atmosphere of the underground Japanese rock scene in the late 80's. Though Matsumoto often comes across as a misty-eyed idealist, the book is a great read for a serious Buck-Tick fan. The fresh young band members, behind the scenes! It's almost...dare I say...titillating!

It's also all in Japanese. Not Greatest Site doesn't have the money to translate it for free, but we've decided to put up a few of the best bits as a preview. If you like what you see and you want the whole thing, don't hesitate to contact us, though we warn you, translations of whole books don't come cheap.

31.10.09

Der Zibet 1991 Upper & Downer Tour: Special Guests!






Translation from "Club Quattro Buck-Tick Special Presents," a special issue of the Buck-Tick club newsletter published in January 1992. Original text by Shimokawa Hajime.

Der Zibet Upper & Downer Tour Part Two
Tuesday December 10th @ Kyuudan Kaikan


Has everyone heard Der Zibet's new album "Shishunki II" that was released on October 21st? We were so surprised that Mr. Imai and Mr. Sakurai were featured as guest performers, but they also performed at the live show!! We just had to go to the Kyuudan Kaikan!

At the door, we picked up our 3rd-floor tickets and went to our seats...oh no, we can only see their heads from here! We changed position as fast as possible. We made it to a spot at the very back of the first floor, but as soon as we'd gotten fully engrossed in Der Zibet's creepy, mysterious world, Mr. Issay called Mr. Imai onto the stage. Ooooh! He was wearing a tight leather jacket with feathers around the collar. Sooo gorgeous!! He played in his usual guitar style. In no time Mr. Imai's fantastic transformation into a Der Zibet member to perform "4-D Vision no Rasen Kaidan" was over. But three songs later Mr. Issay paused for another MC, saying, "I think you know who our next guest is..." and with that, Mr. Sakurai appeared on the stage. He stood to the right of Mr. Issay and they started into "Masquerade." I remember one magazine said it was just like Ginkoi, and they were completely right. Sakurai went behind Issay, put a hand on his hips, and twined himself around him. Wow! I couldn't take my eyes off their embrace. They are too cool! But as soon as I thought that, Sakurai slipped off stage and "Masquerade" was over. It all happened way too fast.

I couldn't get over how cool Der Zibet was. They're amazing, that's all I can say. Why did this have to be just a one-time thing?! If they do something like this again, I really want to see it!


29.10.09

寿記 30.06.09 09/06/29

Today, I got an email from a very close friend.
"They told me how long I have left to live," is what she said.
She said her uterine cancer has metastasized to many different parts of her body.
She's been undergoing treatment since last year.
She hasn't given up at all. Every day, she withstands the fear, pain, and fever.
She's fighting.
Of course, I believe in her.

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I wasn't sure I should write about something like this on here,
but then I decided it's not something I can stay quiet about.

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We were classmates in middle school, so we're the same age.
Back then, and even up till recently, we never imagined having to worry about getting sick like that. It was a big shock.
I've been drinking with her many times since she got sick, and she always says, "Take care of yourself, Imai."
I really understand now just how important it is to maintain your body and always get regular medical examinations.
We really need to stay attuned to any discomforts or strange feelings in our bodies.

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"Hey, come on, let's go drinking again soon!"

22.10.09

Happy 44th Birthday...

...to that irrepressible fellow blogger, Imai Hisashi! He doesn't seem to have posted on his own blog about it yet, but that's probably because he's off partying! It's sure to be a good one; Libras always party in style.

When he gets back we'll have to ask him about how he feels about going from being a prime number to being a repdigit.   

He's now been involved in Buck-Tick for more than half his life. If he isn't proud of that, he should be.

21.10.09

Victor CDioss Ad

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A translation.













Much more than average.

Seven-shock speakers.

A sexy man's best friend.

CDioss!

19.10.09

寿記 03.10.09 Skull-Baby Says...

Skull-Baby forgot to say something.

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"Ah , that's right ! I forgot!

Those weird ladies...Mr. Sakurai....finds....them...repulsive! He's sick to death of them. ♠♠

Kekekekekeke...

He despises them all~~

Yeah Of COURSE he does. Those ladies get what they deserve

Kekekekekeke

IMAI 12:05AM

寿記 03.10.09 Skull


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Hello, nice to meet you I'm the Skull

....uhm....maybe you'll hate me for saying this...!?

...are you going to hate me for saying this..!?

That...INCIDENT...in Fukuoka ♦

When you decide, "Let's chase them around in whitecabs," I wonder, are you trying to make us hate you? ♠

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Or, are you acting foolishly in ignorance? ♦

You know, Imai's gotten a whole lot of letters saying

"There are a lot of fans who don't know what white-cabbing is!" ♠

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...okay...fine! ♠ Paaaay atteeention!!!!!

All you green ♡ mademoiselles ♡ who are thinking "what the hell is white-cabbing?"

This is very important~! ♠ Liiiisten cloosely ♠

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First

♠ Outside the venue, some weird woman comes up to you and says, "shall we chase them? You'll be able to meet the band members!" so you follow her...

What happens theeeen?

♠ You all pack into a car that some random old guy is driving

♠ You drive around after the members all night long, you loiter around outside the bars where the members go drinking...

Repeat

This is what we call "white-cabbing."

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Um, you know, you definitely won't get to meet the band members ♠

.....kekekekekeke...♠♠

Also, of course white-cabbing costs $$$$$ money ♦♦

If it were free, those random old men woouuulldn't doooooo it ♦

Basically, they pretend to be taxi drivers...♦♦

Hyahahahahaha ♠

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So what do you do?

♠ When the weird lady tries to talk to you...you IGNORE COMPLETELY ♠

Hee hee hee hee........ ♠

This is totally fine, totally OK

But you could also let a venue staff member know. Please do ♡

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Seriously. Whitecab chasing is NEVER OKAY ♠

Like I said, they'll only hate you ♠

And also, if you try to chase them in your own car, apparently those random old men will get angry at you if they find out...♠

I don't really get it ♠...because they have NO RIGHT to get angry ♠

Don't get caught up in the moment and go whitecab chasing ♠♠♠♠♠

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Also ♠ There's no reason I have to say this, but you should be careful when you go out at night neeeee ♠

IMAI 12:00AM

寿記 25.06.09 Trash of the Floating World, and Skull-Baby 3




















"Hmm things got a little tense ♦

But, I can't heeeelp it. I just haaaaate it, neee~~ kekekeke ♣

I got upset, but I apologize, let's make nice again now

It's been exactly two years, neeee?

That night in Fukuoka, with Imai and Endo Michirou Kee hee hee hee

Was that the PARADE tour? It was the night of that live show...

They went drinking at a street-stall bar

Imai draaaank a lot~ Kekekeke

He's smiling too much in that photo

IMAI 8:18PM

寿記 25.06.09 Trash of the Floating World, and Skull-Baby 2




















"So, as I was saying...

Live stage It's great that the whole venue got so iiiiinto it~ It's great, but....

THAT pisses us off, neee~ Oy!

White-cabbing! Man, it ruins the party.

White....cabbing.... it sucks! It ruins the party.

We don't liiiike them~~~ white....cab....chasing!

People who chase us in whitecabs....piss us off... REALLLY PISSSSS USSS OFFF!!!!

After we got all psyched up from such a fuckin' great show ~

This is not cool It's a waste of your youth

It makes the booze start to taste bad...

(Even I was driiiinking! Even though I spilled it aaaaaalllll~ kekekekeke)

It's obnoxious.....severely irritating.....a fucking pain in the ass!!

We don't like you if you participate!! SHIT SHIT

I mean....you shouldn't get in! Don't get in on the spur of the moment!

Don't plaaaaaan to get in beforehand. DON'T GET IN!!

What, what?

You got in anyway~~?!?! Everbody fucking does that.

But you know...the members are just gonna hate you! Hee hee hee

So, just be caaaareful that they don't seeeee you and remember what you loooook like~~ Hee heee hee

Like, wear a mask or something... kekekekeke"

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I feel the same way, Skull-Baby.
The members all agree with you wholeheartedly.

IMAI 1:32PM

18.10.09

寿記 25.06.09 Trash of the Floating World, and Skull-Baby 1




















"The Memento Mori Tour spreads throughout the land LIFE IS TRIP

ROCK SHOW YEAHHHHHH!!!!! Feels so GOOOOOD!!!! Doesn't itttt~~ kekekeke...♣

But ♥ I think they're enjoying it...at least a bit~~ YEAH!~ Hee hee hee ♥

At every show, the 5 members and the fans are all pumped up, riiiigggght?? ♥

Oh ♪ Right is that what you think I mean?

'Connection with the audience' 'the whole hall is as one' ...something like that neeee??

What? Am...I....wrong....? Aaaaamm I?? Wahahahahaha!!! ♥ ♥

Well ♥ Just...'katte ni shiyagare'....just fuck off, okaaaaay~~ (hee hee...♠)

Cuz we're having fun here~~~♥

.....we're having so much fucking fun!? Kekekeke...♥

And there was one guy...who was so excited....he fell down during the first songggg....at least wait for the chorus, okaaaaay~~okay?~♥

Hyahyahyahyahya!!!!! ♣

....waaaaay too excited."

~he's talking a lot tonight.

"Wait! Wait I'm not done! Oh fiiine I'll say it laaaater..."

I guess he will.

IMAI 1:07AM

寿記 24.06.09 090619 & 0621




















"Aichi Prefecture Workers' Hall was fun neee~~ Everyone freaked out at Yokosuka Arts Theater neee~

I wanna do another show nee~~ ♥

We just have Sendai Izumity21 and NHK Hall, let's give them our all okaaaaaayy~♥

Kekekekeke~ ♣ ♣"

~that's what he says.

IMAI 7:17PM

寿記 21.06.09 090614

Why did he deliberately decide on today?

I was switching trains.

I was by myself.

Couldn't he have just come to NHK Hall?

When I said that, he said he was going south on that day.

So then at the last minute, he followed me.

That's so like you, Asaki-chaaaaaan!

I feel the love.

I think it's love after all.

Look into his eyes, he's the Evangelist of love.



That night, we had dinner together.

Assorted hikarimono. I went for the kohada.

IMAI 2:56AM

16.10.09

寿記 18.06.09 G.V 090616

It was the last day for the R&R Show Guitaryhthm V. I witnessed it personally.

I got an email that said "If you don't come soon it's gonna be over!" so I checked my schedule immediately.

The guy sitting next to me says, "That day's my birthday, so I'm off."

Yeah, happy birthday. (He could have left it at "I'm off that day." Honestly.)

Oh good~~ (What a relief)

And it's the last day too (we can party!)

Electro Rock-n-Roll Glamorous (a pleasure)

I can't tell you my opinions about the show (of course not!)



I had him invite me to the party afterwards, and after that, we had a glass of rum at the bar. (blessings!)

IMAI 4:37PM

15.10.09

寿記 17.06.09 Opening S.E. Development 2

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I get up off my fat ass, and make an opening S.E. for the live show.
If I don't make it soon I won't be in time for the beginning of rehearsals.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaa~~~~ All right, I should get to work!" [awakening]

Okay, so I boot up the computer I keep in my basement!

I start by trying out different sounds on the synthesizer!

Without further ado, let's add some sampling!

Keep plugging away and edit this baby!

Then add some new effects,

Don't hesitate, let's record!! [listening]


.......... ...........? ...♪♪......!! ....♪...! ........♪..........

...I wonder what'll happen if I try this?

..! ...hey! I get wrapped up in the sound, hey that's funny, this isn't my usual style!

I'm too absorbed in this.

Soon, I should finish up.

This S.E. is even cooler than I thought it was gonna be! [first turning]


Then I call up Mr. Yokoyama, and...

"Yoko-chan, I'm done with the S.E. so could you come do the data and the fine-tuning~~?"

"I'll come tomorrow, what time is good?"

"Come in the morning...................I think I can manage~~ Haha~"

"................yeah, sometimes that happens. Haha~~" [second turning]



So then Yoko-chan came over.


"So, this is what I made, listen to it..."

We listen.


"What do you think?"

"Sounds good."

"So can you do the data and mixing like always?"

"It won't take much time."

......................

"You're done?"

"Yeah I'm done."

"Okay let's have a listen." [third turning]

"Will this work?"


-And then we go out to soba for lunch- [conclusion]

IMAI 11:08PM