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!

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.

.

.

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.

.

.

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.

.

.

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

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.

Victor CDioss Ad

.

A translation.

Much more than average.

Seven-shock speakers.

A sexy man's best friend.

CDioss!

寿記 03.10.09 Skull-Baby Says...

Skull-Baby forgot to say something.

.

.

"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

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

.

.

.

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? ♠

.

.

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!" ♠

.

.

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

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

This is very important~! ♠ Liiiisten cloosely ♠

.

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."

.

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 ♠

.

.

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 ♡

.

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 ♠♠♠♠♠

.

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 iiii♥into 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"

.

.

I feel the same way, Skull-Baby.

The members all agree with you wholeheartedly.

IMAI 1:32PM

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

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

寿記 17.06.09 Opening S.E. Development 2

.

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

Announcements from Sakurai Atsushi

2009.09.17 [from B-T official home page]

Thank you all so much for spending your hard-earned savings on the [I Love B-T] t-shirts I produced for the Tour Memento Mori -REBIRTH- and Fish Tanker's Only 2009 tour goods. I'm thinking of donating part of the proceeds, so stay tuned...

~Sakurai Atsushi

2009.10.14 [from B-T official home page]

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for your donations and your support. Thank you for going out of your way to buy all this as donations. I have decided to donate a portion of the proceeds from the sales from the time I made my first announcement up until yesterday's show at Zepp Tokyo. Thank you from my heart.

~Sakurai Atsushi

寿記 17.06.09 Opening S.E. Development

For tours and T.D.I.Q. and stuff, I make S.E.'s for the live shows.

I shut myself in my basement all alone.

I imagine the live.

Depending on the songs the band's going to perform, my images and the sound design changes.

It's a song I create entirely on my computer, so things like BPM, measure patterns, register...

I try to get away from that a bit.

A sculpture you can enjoy with your ears [objet]

Music you want to decorate your room with [interior]

The first drop of my musical idea starts to fall from there. [awakening]

Then I put restrictions on it, and I play with the sound.

An opening image...a moody melody...a sexy riff...

A pleasant sense of nihilism...romantic noise...urgent beats...

Holiness--confusion--enlightenment--the underworld

Angles--curves--a huge globe...

Make it hard, make it flat, make it rough, give it a coating...

I go around and around adjusting the sound, ride down the chain of connections between ideas. [listening]

It started as a simple design but now I see the parts are piling up in the arrangement window.

Now the song has changed into something complicated and three-dimensional.

I shift my focus.

I shave off parts that stick out, exchange them, listen and compare, keep honing, add new parts, take some more off, and listen again.

This is where the song starts to get a mind of its own.

If the song and I agree, then things proceed smoothly. [first turning]

If we disagree, then we have to talk things over.

If we still can't agree, then I....go to sleep!

Sleep and cool off my head.

The next day, we approach each other again. [second turning]

Now, I find a new expression in the song, and proceed again. [third turning]

I imagine the live.

The house lights drop, and the opening S.E. starts to play.

The tension builds.

That soaring feeling keeps up, and I hear the first drum count, and start to play guitar. [conclusion]

IMAI 10:20PM

寿記 09.06.09 memento mori

Love and Death, meeting and parting

REMEMBER TO DIE

BOYS & GIRLS Baby don't cry, it's all right

We are love and death

IMAI 4:09PM

1977/Blue Sky

1977/Blue Sky was the album released by Yagami Toll's solo project, in May 2004. The title track deals with the death of Toll's older brother, and how Toll was inspired to become a drummer. The Japanese lyrics are spoken by Toll. The English lyrics are a translation of the Japanese lyrics, and just to clear up any confusion, I'll remind you that the English lyrics are not my translation, they are in the original song. If you haven't heard it, go listen to it! Buck-Tick wouldn't exist without Toll! I transcribed these by listening to them, so I can't be 100% sure of their accuracy, but I'll wager a solid 95%. Brought to you following Lovely Rita's request for Toll solo material. The last part is like a nice little kanji lesson for all of you studying Japanese~

1977/Blue Sky

Yagami Toll & Optical Surfers

彼は突然、旅立った。

His departure was sudden.

ロックを教えてくれた。

He showed me everything about rock-n-roll.

レコードに指紋をつけると、怒られた。

He told me not to put fingerprints on the records.

１９６９．春だった。

Spring 1969.

私はあの時代の音の匂い、思いっ切り、染込んだ。

He plays, breathing smell and noise of those days.

ロックが聞こえてきた。

Now, I can hear the rock-n-roll.

彼は突然、旅立った。

His departure was sudden.

ドラムとレコード残していった。

Drum set and records left behind.

１９７７．春だった。

Spring 1977.

ドラムを片付けると言われると

She told me to put the drum set away.

彼の魂が私の手足に伝わり

His spirit ran through my flesh.

自由にオープンした。

And my soul lifts off…

ロックが聞こえてきた。

Now, I can hear the rock-n-roll.

山

Mountain

森

Forest

海

Ocean

湖

Lake

太陽

Sun

月

Moon

雲

Clouds

雨

Rain

風

Wind

雷

Thunder

青空

And…blue sky.

ロックが聞こえてきた。

Now, I can hear rock-n-roll.