#buck-tick translation

[eyelectricmoon]

BUCK-TICK ヒズミ (Hizumi) - English translation & romaji

"Distortion"

What do I live for? It won’t go well, this makeup It’s a tough weekend, isn’t it

My mom’s dreams? I violated them I tear off my chest

Lullaby, the blood won’t sto…p Lap at the mouth of the wound

We’re distorting, this town, me and you The twilight swing sways Everyone distorted is living mysteriously Look, a window light

My dad’s dreams? I killed them too Sunday, with a pattern of rain Lullaby, goodbye, farewe…ll Chop it all u…p

We’re distorting, this town, me and you The traffic light changes to red Grandpa, grandma Let us join hands Don’t bother! Please leave us alone

Dad, Mom, don’t forget, okay? I love you so so much If it’s got to be this way... I want to become gentle The next train will go… mad*

*[T/N]　the kanji Sakurai uses in the lyrics is 狂う、”go mad”, even though in the song it sounds like 来る, “to come”, which makes sense in the context of "the next train coming"

+ it has been confirmed by Sakurai that the lyrics depict experiences of a "man with a woman's soul" who wishes to live as feminine (whether it's an euphemism for a transgender woman or a gnc man isn't entirely clear to me, i think it could be both). either way, it seems to express frustration at being unable to get rid of your masculinity completely - x

edit: here "grandma" and "grandpa" refer to older people in general, not necessarily relatives (in fact, the chosen kanji would imply that it's the former, not the latter). that part of the song seems also to be a reference to the Japanese custom of holding hands and helping a child safely cross the street, except here they refuse :(

original kanji & romaji under cut

kanji

何の為生きる？ 上手くいかないお化粧 酷い週末ね

お母さんの夢を？ 夢を犯しました 胸　掻きむしる

ララバイ　血が止まら‥　ない 傷口を　舐めて

街が　僕が　君が　歪む 夕暮れブランコ　ゆら 誰も　歪   不思議に生きている 窓に灯り　ほら

お父さんの夢を？ 夢も殺しました 日曜　雨　模様

ララバイ　グッドバイ　サヨナ‥ラ 切り刻んで　しま‥え

街が　僕が　君が　歪む 信号　赤に　変わ　る お爺さん　お婆さん 手を繋ぎましょう 構うな！ 放っといて　頂戴‥

お父さん　お母さん　忘れないでね とっても　愛している こんな　はずじゃ‥ 優しくなりたい 次の電車が　狂‥う

romaji

nan no tame ikiru? umaku ikanai okeshō hidoi shūmatsu ne

okāsan no yume wo? yume wo okashimashita mune kakimushiru

Lullaby chi ga tomara‥nai kizuguchi wo namete

machi ga boku ga kimi ga hizumu yūgure buranko yura dare mo ibitsu fushigi ni ikiteiru mado ni akari hora

otōsan no yume wo? yume mo koroshimashita nichiyō ame moyō Lullaby goodbye sayona..ra kirikizande shima..e

machi ga boku ga kimi ga hizumu shingō aka ni kawaru ojiisan obāsan te o tsunagimashō kamau na! hottoite chōdai..

otōsan okāsan wasurenaide ne tottemo aishiteru konna hazu ja.. yasashiku naritai tsugi no densha ga kuru..u

[junk-story]

Atsushi and Me – Tanaka Junichi, Director - Ongaku to Hito Special Edition

This interview is on pages 68-69 of the magazine. Footnotes can be found at the bottom of the text.

At the time we first met, the areas where he was immature as a vocalist were numerous. However, he had a unique worldview. For so-called rock vocalists, sexy vocalizations and a husky voice is becoming characteristic, but Sakurai-kun’s voice wasn’t those things, and it had popular-music-like elements to it. There were some who said his voice rivaled The Checkers.1

But, when I met him for the first time at a yakiniku shop in Harajuku, Sakurai-kun said that he liked Peter Murphy (of Bauhaus). So I think he wanted to combine the best parts of Japanese music with bands like Bauhaus and The Cure’s English dark wave to make a style of music not seen before in Japan. That was the sort of conversation we had. Maybe at that time, he thought what he wanted to do could take shape.

The realization of that was “TABOO”, but after that, a change came about in Sakurai-kun’s self-expression. The apex of that was “Kurutta Taiyou”. BUCK-TICK began to function as a place where Sakurai-kun could vent the love and hate and regrets he was holding about his home and his mother. After that, the color of Sakurai-kun became stronger, and what came from within him, the lust for life and desire for death, things like that became his themes, and their music was also influenced by that. At the time, they often heard the opinion at Victor that “it would be better to write things that are easier to understand”, and if they had, they might have been a bigger hit, maybe even hitting the million-seller mark, but, I suppose it’s because he wasn’t hindered in expressing himself that they were able to continue until now. In the first place, they weren’t even looking for that. And his songs, which came to have these themes at their core, had refined his expressiveness, and he was able to develop himself.

I worked for about 36 years recording Sakurai-kun’s songs, but he left all of it to me.2 “I’m doomed to my fate3, so I’ll sing a number of takes in my best form, and afterward, please use your favorite”, he’d say. I almost never had any requests about the take I chose. This is really an incredible thing. Most singers give me detailed requests, but he didn’t. I guess he realized that other people saw things differently than he did, and if he thought they did, I think he thought it was best to elevate that different expression atop the stage. Also, I think he was considerate about not making others feel bad.

Yes, he was a considerate and kind person. For example, when he was traveling to a big city studio, he was coming by car and got stuck in traffic, so he was also late. At times like that, although many musicians would have come in unashamed, Sakurai-kun was prostrate. “Everyone, truly, I’m so sorry…”, he’d say, and he’d bow his head to everyone all the way down to the studio’s assistant. He was someone who understood general thinking. And, he wasn’t that conscious of his commercial success. He also had no desire for fame. For that kind of person to continue being in a band, and think they want to make a career of it, that’s an extremely curious thing. Well...more than the music, more than the band, I suppose the important thing was that he was doing it with the other members. That’s why he was slow to start things outside of that, and he’d find it bothersome. (laughs) There were also things like that, and his solo album, “Ai no Wakusei”, was outsourced by me to various people, and Sakurai-kun only did the singing for it. Because when he’d communicate directly, he’d start to think about what to say, get nervous, and end up thinking about various things. (laughs)

Even after the band separated from Victor, behind the scenes, I did the recording for a number of songs. This is presumptuous of me to say, but I think I was the only one they could leave to doing it for them. However, what I think now...he would sing five takes, and he wanted to hear from me which of the takes was really the best one. Although I can’t confirm that now...but I’d like to think...that he knew the take that I thought was the best, was the best take for BUCK-TICK.

However, from the start, there were also times where he wasn’t the kind of person who could do that. (laughs) The time from “darker than darkness – style 93 – ” to “Six/Nine” was quite tumultuous. He wouldn’t show up to do vocal recordings. (laughs) This was an era without cell phones, so all we could do was wait, and after 10 hours passed, he finally came. (laughs) When we finished recording the vocals, I was listening and heard they’d driven to Mount Fuji. (laughs) There was everything with his mother, and I imagine he was pushed to a breaking point mentally. But from that, the “death” part of love and death came to expand significantly.

At that time, he was experiencing the chaos of the adult world, and I wonder if he didn’t come to have a hard time knowing what was real. So he wanted to run away from everything; his work and private life were both a mess. He drank alcohol like a drunk, like he was trying to forget reality. To put It nicely, he was pure. He wasn’t a person who could get along well in this world. However, he’d tasted that life, so the lyrics of that time had that reality in them. It may just be what I imagine, but “darker than darkness – style 93 – ” is all real. It’s not something that was made.4 I want everyone to listen to it again like that. And it’s also because of that experience that his love, hope, and kindness of not wanting to die emerged after that. And he started expressing his feelings more honestly.

Therefore, his love for family was incredible. Especially for the daughters. He had something he needed to protect, so he started to want to live. Sakurai Atsushi didn’t abandon himself to despair. I wanted to listen to more songs like that from him. If he had, then maybe a chapter where we met again would have begun. With a man who aged well.

Other than that, what I remember is nothing but stuff when we were drinking. (laughs) Because it was incredible, in any case. The live would end, and from about 11 PM we’d take off. After that, it was typical to spend time at Roppongi’s BOO!WHO?WOO!, and the shop has a small window that you can see the outside from, so you know when dawn is breaking. Nevertheless, Sakurai-kun was lively. Meanwhile, “Waratte ii tomo!”5 starts on the television. And then it got dark outside again. We were drinking that entire time. How much alcohol can a person go on drinking? I remember wondering.

Also, he was a person who was loved by everyone. By that I mean falling in love. When we were returning from London and at the airport counter checking in, the attendant saw Sakurai-kun, got heart eyes, and gave us a seat upgrade, and we were able to have an elegant return trip home because of it. (laughs)

1 Band from the same era (worth checking out!) 2 He allowed Tanaka to call the shots. 3 This turn of phrase didn’t really work well in any way I translated it...but sort of like, “there’s nothing to be done for it” – here he is, all he can do is his best! Like that. 4 Just in case this isn’t clear – he means this wasn’t constructed or fake in any way – this is truly where Sakurai was mentally at the time. 5 A long running variety TV show that was hosted by Tamori. It started at noon, to give you a reference of the time he’s talking about here.

[yoursweetvalo]

絶望という名の君へ

To you whose name is despair

Music by Hidehiko Hoshino Lyrics by Imai Hisashi

this is a translation made following my own interpretation of the song, please let me know if there is anything you think is wrong or other interpretations you might have! thank you!

目を閉じて夢を見る

綺麗で温かい夢

死を恐れ闇に怯え

嵐に傷ついても

I close my eyes and dream

a beautiful and sweet dream.

Scared of death, frightened of darkness

hurt by the storm.

絶望という名の君を強く抱いて

決して退かずに歩んでゆく

Tightly holding you, whose name is despair

I walk on, never going back.

きっと人はみんな

そうやって生きてゆくのだろう

君はもう優しい光

それを希望と呼ぶ

I guess this is how we all live our lives.

You are already a gentle light

that I call hope.

目を閉じて祈りを　流れ星に祈りを

息をする　上を向く

かわいい顔で笑う

I close my eyes and pray

Pray to the shooting stars.

Breathe, look up

and smile with a beautiful face.

きっと人はみんな

そうやって生きてゆくのだろう

君はもう優しい光

それを希望と呼ぶ

I guess this is how we all live our lives.

You are already a gentle light

that I call hope.

いつか見た夢は忘れない

目を閉じて進む

君はもう優しい光

それを希望と呼ぶ

I will never forget the dream I had one day

I close my eyes and go on.

You are already a gentle light

that I call hope.

---------

please feel free to correct me! i just do this with the goal of learning more japanese and memorizing the song lyrics for when i am able to see the guys live again! i hope it at least helps a little. personally, this and hyakuman nayuta are the most painful songs lyrically speaking :c

this album is incredibly beautiful, full of love for acchan and the fans in every single song. i feel like he is there just because of how everything seems to be about him. i am so thankful the guys are still here and making amazing music, even after all they had to go through this year.

i'll never stop supporting them, and i will never stop missing atsushi.

[an-insignificant-flower]

The "Infinity Ranking" of the Paradeno Mori Game, and Why We Don't Have to Say, "Poor Yuta"

Japanese lyricist Kawada Tomomu discussed a way to calculate the lyrics of Buck-Tick's Atsushi Sakurai briefly on his blog after the singer's death in 2023.

Utilizing a "tag cloud" formulated from the number and frequency of particular words in Sakurai's lyrics, an analyzing program produced the number 67,257.

Kawada further discusses the lyrics with the programmer, which highlight Sakurai's use of language, avoidance of certain topics, and grace in others, even compared to other lyricists.

(I'm sorry I'm in a terrible hurry at the moment and can't properly translate the blog, but please do check out the original.)

BUCK-TICK 櫻井敦司さんが司っていたものについて (original blog)

The Direction of Buck-Tick's Atsushi Sakurai (translated via Google Translate; read with caution)

[sakuhai]

Interview with Yagami Toll and Hisashi Imai (Ongaku to Hito, April 2024)

Translation from Japanese: Pikopiko ( Toll / Imai )

The promise is forever

In this interview, we asked each of the four members about that day, their reasons for continuing to play in the band, their performance at Budokan late last year ( BUCK-TICK Phenomenon ), and what BUCK-TICK will become now that they have lost their vocalist and dear friend and are now down to just four. Some of the members are still confused and have not sorted out their feelings, while others are already looking to the future and making detailed plans for the band. Some are looking at the situation from a bird's eye view, while others are always full of enthusiasm. There is a sense of unevenness, they have not yet found a cohesive unit, and it is impossible not to feel how much of a shock they have experienced. However, even though they always said that “the group would be finished if even one member was missing,” they have something in common: the feeling that they still have things to do as BUCK-TICK, and the feeling that no matter how much the group changes, the man named Atsushi Sakurai will always remain in their music and in their hearts. We are publishing the interviews in the order they were taken. We deliberately did not take a group photo. Despite the many different feelings, I will continue to respect and support the group that underwent its first lineup change in the 36th year since debut and who began to move forward with optimism. BUCK-TICK forever and ever, the five of them. Forever, forever, the five of them. Holding on to the feelings of more than 35 years together, they are taking their first step as a more innovative group.

Yagami Toll

— Today was your first photo shoot in a long time. Yes. But the fact that... [he] was not there was very acutely felt. The atmosphere was not as usual.

— Really...... Who would have thought that this would happen. Yeah...... I think it was the third song of the main part that day. I thought, "Acchan is really messing up today." Then the song ended and I noticed that he was being held by the staff. When we went backstage, he was sitting on a chair. It looked like he was talking to the staff, so I had no idea that his condition was critical. We were told to wait in the dressing room on the second floor because the backstage was cramped. After a while, we found out that he had been taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

— I see. Then came the order for us to return home. I got home at about nine o'clock in the evening. Around midnight came a message from the manager: "Passed away."

— What did you think when you heard that? I was stunned. At the same time, somewhere in my head, the thought arose: “That’s it.” After all, we all constantly said that if we lost even one member, the band would cease to exist, and if there was no vocalist, and also the person who creates the worldview of the band, then we would not be able to do anything.

- Yeah... I told the staff, "It's over." Then we went to the funeral, and on the way back, we talked about having dinner as a group of four. It's been a long time since we've gotten together like this. And when I looked at Imai, it was written all over his face that he wasn't going to quit the band.

— Did you understand it from his face? There’s nothing surprising about it. After all, we’ve known each other for over 35 years. I asked Imai, “You’re not going to quit, right?” He nodded and said, “Uh-huh.” Yuta and hide also said they didn’t want to end like this. Hearing that, I thought that if all three of us were so determined, then the only thing left to do was continue with the four of us.

— I see. I thought again about how Imai was the leader and mastermind behind BUCK-TICK. Imai gave the band its name. And wasn’t he the one who determined the band’s musical direction in the early days as the main composer? Gradually, Acchan’s expressive power increased, and it became clear what he wanted to do, especially recently, and he used that to shape his worldview. But we can’t do that anymore. Even if the four of us traced his outline, it would be a lie. And if we took on a replacement vocalist who imitated him, that wouldn’t be it either. First of all, the fans wouldn’t accept it. So let Imai formulate what he thinks the four of us can do to make it cool. If the leader says, “Let’s do it this way,” I’ll just follow him.

— But there is no idea what to do and how. So, frankly speaking, I feel terrible anxiety. I never thought that we would continue to work in the group in this form. But the second stage of BUCK-TICK begins............ That's the only way to think. I don't want to think that way, but there is no choice.

- Yeah...... It was a hard test. For everyone. Especially for Yuta...... my little brother, I dare say... He was completely crushed. It seemed like he was the worst of all. He cried all the time. Locked himself in the house, lost weight, couldn't eat anything at all.

— And you, Yagami-san? I feel sad. Doesn’t that go without saying? It’s sad, but that means that those who are abandoned by God are told to do something. You can’t just mope around all the time. Even my career as a drummer began with the death of my older brother. God says, “You guys need to work on yourselves a little more.” ( Transcript: Toll uses the word 修行 (shugyou), which means spiritual practice to achieve enlightenment (the same as “sadhana” in Sanskrit), as well as going on a pilgrimage; in the everyday sense, hard work to improve knowledge and skills) . So even though Achan is gone, we have to show that it’s possible to act like this, we have to do it. And I don’t want to leave with such a feeling of incompleteness. None of us feel like we’ve done enough at all. You know, maybe we would have decided to end the band if we had talked as a group and realized that one of the members was physically unable to continue or had lost interest in music. But [he] suddenly disappeared silently from view, and so I feel abandoned.

— So you got together as a group and decided to continue, but you don't know what exactly you're going to do. Well, there are songs where Imai sings. Now, maybe hide will sing... I mean, hide has become very proactive. The Budokan setlist was based on his ideas. He's probably the one who's changed the most. I'll repeat what Imai said: we can do a lot. We can do everything. The only thing we can't do is replace Acchan.

— However (and this is exactly how it was at Budokan), no matter that there are four of you left and that the uniform has changed, Sakurai-san’s presence will always be felt somewhere. That’s true. After all, there were always five of us. Right now, I feel a frighteningly strong sense of loss. The recent BUCK-TICK Phenomenon concert made me feel a pressure I haven’t felt since BUCK-TICK started. So I was wrong *smile*.

— What do you think about the Budokan concert taking the form of BUCK-TICK Phenomenon? I thought we had to do something. Not for us. For the fans who had lost a place to go and vent their feelings, and were feeling restless.

— Was it difficult to synchronize the vocals and the video and also play along with them? Of course it was difficult, but I would never say that I don’t want to do it if the other members are going to do it. Moreover, during the live, Acchan’s MC was playing. That’s when I broke down. During the introduction of the members, [he] called me: “Drums – Toll Yagami!” That’s when I started crying. I was in pieces during the rehearsal too. That’s why I lost my cool.

— But the fact that LOVE ME resumed after the glitch with the crowd waving their hands was like a symbol of the band starting all over again. It was great. All four of us were talking during the MC and it threw me off. I’m just trying to justify myself *smile*. When Eureka ended, I felt a bit relieved. I thought Acchan was going to MC next and I was frozen, but then there was a click and I was like “Oh shit!” but I couldn’t get it *smile*. The vocals and video were on and it’s not easy to get it right. I was really panicking but the roadie tweaked something with the remote and we managed to get it done.

— How did you feel when you finished? I felt like I had overcome one of the hardest challenges. As I just said, we had to do it. So it was a completely different feeling than usual. It wasn’t the usual “I did it!” It was a feeling of relief.

— Is it possible that the music Imai-san will write in the future will be completely different from what you've done before? Yes, because it's BUCK-TICK. We played in different genres. In " Six/Nine " there was a poetry reading (the song "Loop") , and the critics at that time tore us to pieces!

— You haven’t forgotten that, have you? *smile* The thing is, it was early. But if we do that, it will become a specific feature of BUCK-TICK. I’ve said this many times before, but I’m sure that Acchan, the least of all, would want us to repeat what he expressed. We’ll just do what we think is the coolest thing that the four of us can do. It’s completely fine if it’s instrumental music or if the melodies are completely different. Even if, in the worst case, I have to sing *smile*.

— Like Peter Criss from KISS *smile*. If everyone thinks it's cool, why not? But I doubt it will *smile*.

— So you still think that you have an exciting future ahead of you? Yes. And thanks to the fans! Because they are the reason we have been able to do this for 35 years. And the fact that we are able to perform like this is the destiny of our band. I still wanted to play as a five-piece. I would like to be in the band even if I became even more decrepit. I am the one who should have disappeared first. Don't you dare die before me!..... It's sad to think about it, but the fact that we are trying to continue despite Atsushi Sakurai's death is also the destiny of BUCK-TICK. So..... Let it be. What else can I say?

— Whatever happens, happens. So, the only thing left for us is to become a different group. BUCK-TICK season 2. The members who create the sound, as well as the producer and engineer, are the same people, so the sound quality won’t change much, but since there’s no vocalist, the sound will be completely different no matter what we do. But Acchan will still be there. I’m sure of it. Both I and the other members won’t let Acchan’s shadow disappear.

— Do you think Sakurai-san could do even more as an artist in the future? Of course. I noticed that Acchan’s expressive power was absolutely amazing in recent years, and I was sure that he would become an even better vocalist in the future. He is a person of hard work. He trained his voice and became like this thanks to his hard work. He is not the same person as he was when we debuted, right? But his appearance is a natural gift *smile*.

— You were asked to join because Sakurai-san, who was the drummer, was switching to vocals, so you could clearly see the change in his efforts. Yuta kidnapped me and brought me to Tokyo *smile*. At first, I refused. At that time, I had no idea whether Acchan could sing or not, and I thought he was fooling the band *smile*. It's just that I've never heard of a drummer becoming a vocalist.

- Yeah. With his efforts, he made everyone recognize him and carved out a path for himself into a world where he could express himself. The album " IZORA " is simply amazing! No one could have imagined that the person who sang " SEXUAL×××××! " would create such an album. This is the result of his hard work.

— Exactly. Really, I don’t know anyone who works as hard as him. He decided to live by taking on the role of a vocalist, and that’s how he became like this… I think it was about ten years ago. I started making loops using a sequencer and stuff like that. And that time, I said to Achchan, “Achchan, you were a drummer too. Wouldn’t it be cool if you played a few bars and I made a loop, no?” He immediately shot me down, “I won’t.” And he said, “Ani, I’m not a drummer anymore.” That’s how determined he was to be a vocalist.

— What do you remember now from those 35-plus years that you spent together with Sakurai-san? More precisely, what I remember about him... He was a kind person. During the indie period, we would travel by minibus to Shikoku, and the roadie and Acchan would take turns driving. Despite such an appearance, at his core, he was always a Fujioka guy *smile*.

- It's true. That's why he didn't put on airs. He was considerate of people. That trait in him didn't change. And it couldn't change.

— It’s good that the five of you were together until the very end. But I think he still wanted to continue. After all…… I decided to continue with the four of you because I think Acchan would definitely forbid me from leaving. He would say, “I’ll never forgive you if you quit the group because I’m gone.” Because he had a stronger sense of responsibility than anyone else. He said that at the Budokan, right? That he would be there. I thought so too. Acchan is very responsible, he will definitely come and watch. So as long as BUCK-TICK exists, he won’t die *smile* (transl. note: 成仏する (joubutsu) — to become a Buddha, to die enlightened; also to die without regrets) .

- Yagami-san, you too, please live as long as possible and show us how you play the drums. I'll be fine. I'm the only one in the group who has never been seriously ill *smile*.

Hisashi Imai

— It’s been a hectic four months for the band. Yes. But I would say I’m already looking ahead. And new tunes are coming one after another. I’m pleasantly excited.

— In this interview, we will look back on these four months. First of all, do you remember the day when Sakurai-san became ill? Yes. That day, after the live started...... I think it was the third song. I wondered why he couldn't hit the notes. When the song ended, I noticed that he was being taken backstage. It was a bit strange, so I announced from the stage that we were taking a break. I went back to the dressing room on the second floor, but I felt uneasy, so I went to check on the situation. It became clear that the situation was a bit complicated. He was taken away in an ambulance.

— Live was stopped. Then I went home. I called my manager once, he said, “He’s sleeping now.” Then I got an email, but I didn’t notice it. And when I called again, [the manager] said, “He passed away.” At that moment, I was a little confused. I almost said, “Do something!” but I realized that words were useless. I said, “Got it,” and hung up.

— What was the first thing you thought about when you learned about this fact? What can you say... But I decided that it was better not to delay, and immediately began to think about the future, because almost all the songs that we have now can only be sung by Achchan.

— So, do you feel like there's no one who can sing the songs you've composed so far?...... In short, they're sealed? Yes. We can play the songs that I can sing. We can slightly change the arrangement here and there, and it'll be something interesting. But we have a lot of songs that can't be played without Achan's vocals. We can't and won't perform them anymore. I wrote those melodies myself, but they're difficult *smile*. I'm sure no one else can sing them.

— Have you thought about playing in sync with Sakurai-san’s vocal recording in the future, like you did at the BUCK-TICK Phenomenon concert at Budokan? We did, but… I’ll try my best to keep it to a minimum. I can’t say anything yet, but I’ve been thinking about doing a live where we play along with Sakurai-san’s vocals. It might be interesting once we get further along. But it’s more of a fan service, a kind of performance. Lives in the future will mainly focus on what the four of us do. I hope everyone will enjoy it.

— Did it ever cross your mind that the band ended with Sakurai-san's death? I never did. Acchan is gone...... The vocalist is gone, and it might be okay to end it there, but I still want to continue, saying, "It's okay!"

— In the spirit of, “I feel like I can do something more interesting”? Yeah. Or, more like, something a little more explicit. I’d like to have an album that kind of captures the true essence of BUCK-TICK.

— The true essence of BUCK-TICK? Yes. For example, until now we couldn’t play instrumental music. There was a vocalist. It’s not about taking advantage of the fact that he was gone, but I wanted to do such things too. Or, for example, melodies without guitars. At live shows we could include melodies from background noises, and the participants wouldn’t necessarily have to be on stage.

— Without participants? Only noise? I thought, shouldn’t we break the format of the Japanese group that we’ve always followed. After the main part, we’d leave, change costumes and come back. I want to try to change that too. Acting by touch, experimenting, I want to do something new.

— I think BUCK-TICK has always been a band that could do anything, including this kind of thing. And what was holding it back was the overwhelming presence of the vocalist Atsushi Sakurai, no matter how you look at it, right? Yeah. And when he was gone, I noticed it. Of course, I was shocked by his departure, and at first I took it negatively and started thinking that something had to be done about it, but when I looked at the minus as a plus, I realized that in this case I could do this too. And when I started thinking like that, the perspective became broader.

— I see. Until now, I thought I was free. I was obsessed with the worldview that Acchan had, and I created within a narrow framework. Acchan told me, "Imai, you can do whatever you like," and I was going to do the same, but I didn't... Because I knew that it would happen someday, and somewhere in my head, there was a thought that Acchan would probably be the first to leave.

— Why did you think so? Sawaki-san from Taiyou Records (Kazuo Sawaki — the head of the label during the band's indie period) is an astrologer. During our collaboration, he told fortunes for the five of us, and even then he said this. "The first one among you to pass away will be Sakurai-kun."

- Wow... to say that before debut.... It was imprinted in my memory. I thought I understood, albeit vaguely, that this day would come one day. But... The image of death is always present in the mind's eye. You see it constantly in front of you, among other things. This is also an experience.

- That day on social media you raised a toast for the repose of his soul. After I learned of his death. After finishing the phone call with the manager, I started drinking in my room, but I didn’t want to be there, so I went to drink on the territory of the nearest temple. At that moment, I couldn’t think of anything.

— Then did you tell the other members that you were going to continue? After the funeral, the four of us went out to dinner and found out who was going to do what. We talked there, and it seemed like everyone was already determined to act. It was decided to continue. We didn’t want to change the name of the band, so we left it as is.

— Were there any options for replacement? I didn’t, but I thought that maybe if we changed it, it would be clearer. But I didn’t want to change it. Because I want to show that the musical character of BUCK-TICK contains something more.

— But on social media, you wrote, “I want to play guitar next to Acchan forever,” and were those words spoken from the heart? Yes. At the same time, I thought being number two suited me. I was comfortable being next to Acchan, and I thought that was my life. But it seems that’s not the case.

— Have you decided that it's time for you to step forward? Yes. It'll be me or hide. When I rethink the role Acchan played and imagine myself doing it... I realize that I would like it. After a while after he passed away, ideas gradually started coming to me.

— You realized how strong your desire to create in a positive way is, right? Yes. I was glad that I had this desire. So when November began, I already sat down at the computer and started composing melodies.

— Up until now, when writing songs, the initial condition was that they would feature Sakurai-san's vocals, right? That won't happen anymore. The melodic, gothic, and dark worldview will disappear. It will be completely different.

— Aren’t you worried about the reaction that everything will be completely different? No. It would be worse if they said that the vocals are different, but the melodies are the same. If they got the impression that I can only write songs like this. No, it will be cool.

— What are you planning to do with the vocals? I will sing. Probably hide too. It will depend on the song, of course, but the first number is me, and the second is hide. This also makes me a little nervous. I couldn’t even think about it before.

— What did you think of the content of BUCK-TICK Phenomenon? Considering that we had little time, we thought it would be best to synchronize Acchan's vocals with the video image, so we tried our best to achieve that. We also wanted it to be as non-gloomy as possible. Hide suggested the set list at the meeting.

— There were a few songs from the setlist that Sakurai-san had made while he was alive. Yes. But if we were to play it now as is, it would have felt too much like a requiem, so we allowed ourselves to slightly adjust the setlist and give it a positive character.

— There was Itoshi no Rock Star. I suggested playing it. I thought that if we didn't play it this time, we might never play it again. And I also wanted to play Namonaki Watashi because Acchan liked that song.

- I see. However, there is no one to take on the role of emcee. You can't just talk about how convenient it is to be number two. I've thought about this a lot. After all, this is not at all what I've always done.

— Will this role remain in the future? Either it will remain, or the live shows will be without a master of ceremonies. We'll figure it out as we go. I don't know.

— After watching the live and talking to you now, I thought that the more I tried to imagine the image of BUCK-TICK with 4 members, the more Sakurai-san’s presence was felt. If I talk about things like this seriously, I’ll be known as someone who’s not quite right in the head *smile*. Acchan’s form of existence has changed. He doesn’t have a body, but I think he still wanted to be in a band, so he probably follows us everywhere. That’s what I think.

— Do you think he still wanted to play in the band? Yes. That's why I always have this feeling that he's standing somewhere and watching. It's unlikely that he'll go to some kind of Heaven while the band exists.

— It looks like you'll need a lot of time this year to give it all a shape. It'll depend on the songs. I don't know yet what will happen, but it looks like I'll be writing all the lyrics. It takes time. This will be the first time I'll be writing lyrics for hide's melodies.

— Do you think that no one else should sing the songs that Sakurai-san performed? Probably. Because... that would be strange, in my opinion.

— Yes. But I want to try different possibilities. Whether it's a guest vocalist or AI — I don't rule anything out. The main thing is that it's interesting. But for now, perhaps, it will be the four of us.

— You are even more positive than I expected. Yes, positive. Because if you are depressed, you will be stuck forever. Yuta was terribly depressed. Everyone is different, there is nothing you can do about it, but when you are depressed to such an extent, people around you can’t even be sad *smile*. Because they are worried [about you]. So you have to look forward and do everything in your power. And I really want no one to suffer.

— Do you remember anything from your communication with Sakurai-san now? He told me many times: “Give yourself free rein!” It seems that from the outside it looked like I couldn’t relax in my melodies and was limiting myself. Although I had no intention of limiting myself, but when he was gone, I realized it. It turns out that I often suppressed myself. So I decided that I wanted to take off this lid, remove this limiter.

— That's why after his death you decided to go freely, without restricting yourself in any way, without considering yourself obligated to follow what had been before. Yes. I understood a lot after he passed away. I regret some things a little, because I can no longer check what would have happened if I had done this and that at the time. That's why I'm going to do everything that seems interesting to me. After all, Acchan probably sees this too. He sees how unrestrained we are, and he smiles.

[aechlys]

どうか踊りましょう、 熱いダンスを ！

全て呪うような黒いドレスで

どうぞ踊りましょう 、熱いダンスを ！

全て呪うような愛のリズム(鼓動)で

I'm begging you let's dance, that feverish dance!

In that black dress that seems to put a curse on everything

Go ahead and let's dance, that feverish dance!

In that (beating) rhythm of love that seems to put a curse on everything.

—Buck-Tick, "Ash-ra"

[dirubtrentfree]

Looks like today is a good day to read BUCK-TICK interviews and be emotional.

[purplemortuary]

"To the land of the aurora, a parade of souls, oh fly away

Standing in the wasteland 3000 years later, oh memory

A flock of angels, rainbow colored wind, oh fly away

The beasts under the rose

Oh oh, the howling of the twilight, like it sings, like it sings

Oh oh, the howling of the twilight, crying, roaring"

黄昏のハウリング Tasogare no Howling

by BUCK-TICK

[atomomirahija]

Tasogare no Howling | BUCK-TICK - English lyrics

To the land of the aurora, a parade of souls, oh fly away

Standing in the wasteland 3000 years later, oh memory

A flock of angels, rainbow colored wind, oh fly away

The beasts under the rose

Oh oh, the howling of the twilight, like it sings, like it sings

Oh oh, the howling of the twilight, crying, roaring

To the land of the aurora, a parade of souls, oh fly away

Standing in the wasteland 3000 years later, oh memory

A flock of angels, rainbow colored wind, oh fly away

The beasts under the rose

Oh oh, the howling of the twilight, like it sings, like it sings

Oh oh, the howling of the twilight, crying, roaring

Oh oh, like it sings, like it sings

Oh oh, crying, roaring

—————————————

オーロラの地へ 魂のパレード Oh Fly away

3000年後の 荒野に立て Oh Memory

エンジェルの群れ 虹色風 Oh Fly away

薔薇の下 獣たち

Oh Oh 黄昏のハウリング 歌うように 歌うように

Oh Oh 黄昏のハウリング 哭いている咆えている

オーロラの地へ 魂のパレード Oh Fly away

3000年後の 荒野に立て Oh Memory

エンジェルの群れ 虹色 風 Oh Fly away

薔薇の下 獣たち

Oh Oh 黄昏のハウリング 歌うように歌うように

Oh Oh 黄昏のハウリング 哭いている咆えている

Oh Oh 歌うように 歌うように

Oh Oh 哭いている咆えている

By: Atomic writer @atomomirahija

Notes: Imai wrote "Flyaway" and I believe he means "Fly away"

[pinkinsect]

kainess to me somehow

[cruisechaser-blassty]

really distraught that the website i've referenced for over a decade for buck-tick lyric translations seems to be gone. i assume it's due to whatever dumb rules google put in place about their accounts. but like. now where do i go?

[eyelectricmoon]

BUCK-TICK 名も無きわたし (Namonaki watashi) English translation & romaji

"Nameless me"

One drop of rain Please, just one drop One drop of love Please, just one drop

Me, without a name* Came across you Even to me, without a name,  Butterflies… wind… and dreams..

Oh you flowers that bloom out of season Now, bloom in profusion! Oh living things who bloom out of season Disarray disarray disarray*

Thank you for love For days in sunlight A single flower A hair ornament for you

Me, without a name Came to part with you Even to me, without a name, Red…and yellow…dreams…

Oh you flowers that bloom out of season Now, bloom in profusion! Oh living things who bloom out of season Disarray disarray disarray 

Oh you flowers that bloom out of season Now, bloom in profusion! Oh living things who bloom out of season Disarray disarray disarray

[T/N] 乱れ (midare) means unrest, disorder, disturbance, but also disarray, for now i chose disarray because it sounds the closest to midare, but perhaps i’ll change it

i decided to translate "namonai" as "without a name" for the sake of phonetic continuity, but as an adjective, it also means "unknown", "insignificant", "obscure". literally "na mo nai" means "without even a name", and i feel like it conveys the meaning better, but maybe that's just me

original kanji & romaji under cut!

kanji

一雫　雨を 一雫　ください 一雫　愛を 一雫　ください

名も無い　わたしは あなたと　出会いました 名も無い　わたしにも 蝶や　風や　夢が‥

狂い咲く花たちよ 今は咲き乱れよ 狂い咲く命共 乱れ　乱れ　乱れ

ありがとう　愛を 陽だまりの　日々を 一輪の　花を 髪飾り　君に

名も無い　わたしに あなたと　お別れ来た 名も無い　わたしにも 赤や　黄の　夢が‥

狂い咲く花たちよ 今は咲き乱れよ 狂い咲く命共 乱れ　乱れ　乱れ

狂い咲く花たちよ 今は咲き乱れよ 狂い咲く命共 乱れ　乱れ　乱れ

romaji

hitoshizuku ame wo hitoshizuku kudasai hitoshizuku ai wo hitoshizuku kudasai

namonai watashi wa anata to deaimashita namonai watashi ni mo chō ya kaze ya yume ga

kuruisaku hanatachi yo ima wa sakimidareyo kuruisaku inochidomo midare midare midare

arigatō ai wo hidamari no hibi wo ichirin no hana wo kamikazari kimi ni

namonai watashi ni anata to owakare kita namonai watashi ni mo aka ya ki no yume ga

kuruisaku hanatachi yo ima wa sakimidareyo kuruisaku inochidomo midare midare midare

kuruisaku hanatachi yo ima wa sakimidareyo kuruisaku inochidomo midare midare midare

[junk-story]

Interview Archive 2, 5.1994 - Ongaku to Hito Special Edition

This interview is on pages 62-67 of the magazine. Footnotes can be found at the bottom of the text.

ISSAY – the aesthetic man who “continues to spin round and round in a dead end with nothing to do”, from DER ZIBET, who debuted in ‘85 as “the founders of Japan’s aesthetic-style rock revival”. Sakurai Atsushi – the aesthetic man of “complete self-deprecation, going mad in any case”, from BUCK-TICK, who debuted in ‘87 as “the first aesthetic-style rock band dominating Japan nationwide”. This will be the first interview between these two. Whether you call it visual kei, makeup kei, aesthetic kei, or Japanese-style decadence kei, this movement became dominant in Japan’s current rock scene before we knew it. Although it’s been analyzed from various perspectives, in a nutshell, I wonder if at the center of this movement is “an exceptionally large desire to escape a difficult reality”. Not liking to look at reality, they seek out a place of repose that’s “somewhere that isn’t here”, and they hide thoroughly within themselves. And while Japan is a peaceful country and they were born during this moratorium [on violence], they are “hippies”. Those who have become the beacons of this are, without a doubt, Der Zibet and BUCK-TICK. With that, a meeting of two giants who rely on each other – but it really suits these two.

Ichikawa: I’ve had pending questions for when this interview happened for a long time, since I was working at a certain other music magazine, but now that we can finally do it, somehow I’m still feeling shy.

ISSAY: Hahahahaha.

Ichikawa: First, I’ll start with the perfunctory questions.

ISSAY: The story of BUCK-TICK and DER ZIBET’s formation?

Sakurai: Hahahahaha.

Ichikawa: Hahahaha. I’m tired of hearing that sort of talk already.

ISSAY: Alright then, how we first found music? (laughs)

Ichikawa: (Ignoring him1) Sakurai, around what point did you learn of DER ZIBET?

Sakurai: Around when I was 19 or 20, wasn’t it? I’d come to Tokyo from Gunma, and during the time I was living together with a friend, I borrowed a tape from someone and listened to it.

Ichikawa: Was your first “Violetter Ball (Murasaki no Butoukai)”?

Sakurai: Yeah. I thought it seemed good and listened to it. And then, by chance, I was passing by Eggman in Shibuya...and it was written there, “DER ZIBET LIVE!”. I thought, “I wonder what sort of feel it’ll have, this is my chance” and bought my ticket for that day. That was the first place I watched them…

Ichikawa: Der Zibet are decadence at its finest, aren’t they.

ISSAY: Yeah. We’ve been told by those around us to tone it down. (laughs)

Sakurai: By the way, ISSAY-san, you were singing with a mask on.

ISSAY: Really? ...That’s not great! (laughs)

Ichikawa: (laughs) The first time you saw them it was that sort of live?

ISSAY: ...I think it wasn’t that sort of pantomime pantomiming, at the time at least.

Ichikawa: What hairstyle did he have?

Sakurai: The same as now, I think. Yeah, like that.

ISSAY: Was it black? I think maybe it was red. Red or green, one or the other.

Ichikawa: (laughs) This guy, he was giddy2, wasn’t he?

Sakurai: No...well, I thought he was cool…

ISSAY: I’m glad! (laughs)

Ichikawa: Hahaha. Did you listen to Der Zibet after that too?

Sakurai: I think after that was around the time when I had first started with BUCK-TICK, not yet as the vocalist, but as the drummer.

ISSAY: Oh?! Atsushi, you were the drummer at first?

Sakurai: Yeah.

ISSAY: I had no idea. (laughs)

Sakurai: After that, while we were touring around during our indies era, at Nagoya’s ELL, DER ZIBET’s video was playing. I thought again that they were cool. Then, when we came back from touring, among our few (laughs) fans, there was a kid who loved DER ZIBET, and they gave me that video. I watched it again and again in my room like I was devouring it.

ISSAY: You watched it again and again! (laughs)

Ichikawa: What parts of Der Zibet did you like? Don’t worry; just be honest.

Sakurai: Hmmm, well I’ve performed vocals as well, so that’s where my eyes go, don’t they. ISSAY-san was cool.

ISSAY: (laughs) See~?

Sakurai: It wasn’t just singing...the added value of his performance on the stage was really impressive.

ISSAY: We were trying various things at that time. Like where I’d sit on top of a stepladder and sing, or I’d have an enormous clock.

Ichikawa: Wahahaha. You’d go onto the stage holding candles.

ISSAY: Not candles! A lantern. All four of us wore black coats and appeared on stage holding lanterns.

Ichikawa: You did as much as you could underground, didn’t you.

ISSAY: When I think of it now, I wonder if was Japanese gothic. (laughs)

Sakurai: Hahahahaha.

Ichikawa: Is this guy embarrassed, I wonder?

ISSAY: No no. (laughs) Well, performing something itself isn’t really embarrassing. Just, when it’s said right to your face...that is embarrassing, a bit. (laughs) There’s a kind of embarrassment when someone says, “A long time ago, we all went to this picnic, right?” and they bring out a picture of you from your high school days, right? It’s embarrassing.

Ichikawa: So Sakurai, you felt there were some commonalities with Der Zibet, right?

Sakurai: …...Hmmm…...how can I say this – I felt like they were a young boy’s words. There’s a boy who has his own world and there is a girl who yearns for him in it, like that? Yeah, it may have a girlish perspective to it. Or it could be like a so-called father complex.

Ichikawa: Sakurai, you’ve had a complex about your lack of personal worldview as an artist, on that note.

Sakurai: Because I still can’t express myself in words, I haven’t gotten to that point yet. The person named ISSAY-san who has already achieved it is right before my eyes…

Ichikawa: Then, the heart of a young girl longs for him, and he also ends up a father figure – a person having difficulties, and you are too. (laughs)

Sakurai: (laughs) I envy him, that’s the kind of feeling I have.

Ichikawa: The first time ISSAY saw BUCK-TICK was in London in ‘88, wasn’t it. This was while Der Zibet was recording “GARDEN” and BUCK-TICK “TABOO” respectively, and you performed in a foreign country.

ISSAY: That was my first time seeing them live. However, the first time I met them was at the public TV recording of Meguro’s Rokumeikan.3

Ichikawa: That was the time that SION, Der Zibet and BUCK-TICK all were recording on the same day. When you went to the dressing room, they were there and you became acquainted?

Sakurai: (embarrassed laugh) Yes.

Ichikawa: Was that around the time BUCK-TICK debuted?

Sakurai: Yes, right around the time we debuted.

Ichikawa: When you went to the dressing room, there were these boys with their hair straight up.

ISSAY: That’s right. But they were such good kids. (laughs) Atsushi and Imai were adult-like, but the two on rhythm (Anii and Yuuta) really talked to me a lot. It was just a “We’re BUCK-TICK!”, “Oh, hello” sort of exchange, but. (laughs)

Ichikawa: Sakurai didn’t speak?

ISSAY: He said, “I’ve been to see one of your concerts once.”

Sakurai: (embarrassed laugh) Is that so?

Ichikawa: The Sakurai of that time was a guy that consistently didn’t talk. Right before their debut, when I was doing my first interview with BUCK-TICK, Sakurai and Hoshino, they were a fleet of silence, the two of them, you know? Despite their gaudy hair standing straight up. (laughs)

Sakurai: (laughs) Waah, we were useless guys.

Ichikawa: Well, you were eyewitness to BUCK-TICK’s live in London.

ISSAY: There was a message from Atsushi in my voicemail. “I heard you’re going to London to record around the same time as us, so if you can meet up, let’s meet”, something like that.

Ichikawa: Sakurai, what are you embarrassed about?

Sakurai: Nothing, nothing. (laughs)

Ichikawa: You’re blushing like a schoolgirl, you know. (laughs)

Sakurai: ……...(laughs)

ISSAY: Hahahahahahaha. So, I heard that BUCK-TICK was going to perform live there, so I went to watch them with the other members [of DZ].

Ichikawa: I think I can ask this now, but, performing live in London was tough, wasn’t it?

Sakurai: Yes, it was tough. But, well, it was just a rush of performing and coming back home. I didn’t think I could perform sober, so I don’t remember it, but. (laughs)

Ichikawa: Just drinking up like crazy before the show. (laughs)

Sakurai: Yeah.

Ichikawa: Sounds desperate. (laughs) Were Der Zibet your only Japanese audience members?

Sakurai: It looked like there were a number of exchange students as well.

Ichikawa: Wasn’t it embarrassing with Japanese people being there?

Sakurai: And they were in the front row. (laughs)

ISSAY: Right. I was thinking that they may have come all the way from Japan to see them. I thought, “Wow, BUCK-TICK is awesome.” (laughs)

Ichikawa: Bottom line, what were your impressions from the live?

ISSAY: I thought they were doing their best. (laughs) They had a lot of spirit. I think it was the ending, that was amazing. Like BOOM, BOOM.4 It was like, “ooh, they’re really doing it.” (laughs)

Sakurai: Hey, that’s something you’d say about a sports player. (laughs)

ISSAY: It felt like you guys were like, “Listen to this, you bastards!”

Sakurai: We might have seemed like nasty guys. (laughs)

ISSAY: No, not at all, there wasn’t a feeling of nastiness to it; you were greeting them with smiles and properly did the MC in English.

Ichikawa: MC!!!

ISSAY: In the middle, speaking English got troublesome so he ended up speaking Japanese, but. (laughs)

Ichikawa: Woooooow. (laughs) This guy who can’t even speak for the MC in Japan, there’s no way he could do it over there, right?

ISSAY: Hahahahahahaha.

Sakurai: Right. It was impossible.

Ichikawa: But this is a nostalgic story.

ISSAY: Yeah, nostalgic. But I remember stuff from that time.

Sakurai: Me too. And I was glad you came to our dressing room.

Ichikawa: Thinking about it, both BUCK-TICK and Der Zibet recorded internationally as a one-time thing.

ISSAY: For us, it’s because when we go there, we end up making dark stuff. Like, the dark and extremely heavy “GARDEN” that was so heavily criticized by the people invested in it, when we listened to it in London it seemed normal. You don’t think it’s dark at all.

Sakurai: That’s right. Ichikawa-san also completely disliked our “TABOO”, so. (laughs)

Ichikawa: Well, when you go to London, it suddenly ends up feeling quite frightening, doesn’t it? And artists need to have a strong sense of themselves.

ISSAY: I ended up having the constitution for it, undoubtedly. I had fun, being in London. Wasn’t that the case for you?

Sakurai: Certainly mentally speaking, it was very comfortable.

Ichikawa: But Sakurai, you’ve been on vacation to Hawaii before.5 (laughs)

Sakurai: That place is totally harder. (laughs) There’s this obsession of like, if you don’t go outside you’re missing out...(laughs)

ISSAY: Aah, I get that! (laughs) Well, did you end up going outside?

Sakurai: I did end up going out.

ISSAY: Did you swim in the ocean?

Sakurai: I did. (laughs)

ISSAY: Isn’t that nice~, that you swam in the ocean~? (laughs)

Sakurai: Hahahaha.

ISSAY: Let’s go next time, it’ll be fun. Let’s go, let’s go. (laughs) Last summer, for the first time in 15 years, I also went to the ocean, sooo (laughs)

Sakurai: What sort of fun? (laughs)

Ichikawa: Decadent people going for a swim in the ocean. (laughs)

ISSAY: After that, we’ve met in passing a number of times. Definitely, I think it was when we were coming back from touring in Nagoya or somewhere, but we were refueling our gas in the parking area off the highway and (laughs) these guys with long hair came in. I was thinking, “Huh? I’ve seen these guys before”, and there was the bassist. He went, “It’s BUCK-TICK!” (laughs) And from the back, making an extremely embarrassed looking face about it, came Atsushi. (laughs)

Ichikawa: Wahahahaha.

ISSAY: I was like, “Oh, it’s Atsushi!” (laughs) Besides that, we also met up in front of Nakano Sun Plaza when Peter Murphy had a concert there.

Sakurai: I remember that well.

Ichikawa: Because events like that are few and far between, right. You guys live withered lifestyles like retired old men. (laughs)

ISSAY: Definitely. (laughs) Events that move me are few and far between. But look, I was moved at first when I met up with Atsushi, I was like, “It’s Atsushi~!”

Sakurai: Hahahahahahahaha.

ISSAY: Atsushi, you’re a homebody too, right?

Sakurai: Going by car from a metropolitan area to a suburb is okay, but getting to the point of leaving my room is difficult.

Ichikawa: This guy would probably be happy if you came over to his room to hang out. (laughs) You would just be idling away the time, though.

Sakurai: Well, there are no enemies from the outside there. (laughs)

ISSAY: You get tired of it right, the stuff that comes with going out.

Sakurai: Yeah, it’s tiring. I wonder why that is.

ISSAY: Because people other than you are there. (laughs)

Ichikawa: Wahahahahahaha.

Sakurai: Hahahaha. 100%. (laughs)

ISSAY: Thank you very much.6 (laughs)

Sakurai: For me, even though I’m at this age, I still happen to get embarrassed and scared about it. I want to go to Toukyuu Hands7, but I can’t, things like that. (laughs)

ISSAY: I can’t go either, you know. (laughs)

Ichikawa: Sakurai, what do you want to go to Hands for?

Sakurai: My light bulbs burnt out, so to go buy more. Places like supermarkets don’t sell them, they’re a special kind. In the end, I had someone else buy them and bring them to me. (laughs)

ISSAY: Right? I do that too.

Ichikawa: That’s no good, you guys. (laughs)

ISSAY: For me, there was a time where I wanted a takoyaki set, so I sent the manager to buy it for me.

Sakurai: Ah, I bought that too. The one from Toukyuu Hands, right? (laughs)

ISSAY: Ah, really? Next time, let’s have a takoyaki party, just the two of us. (laughs)

Sakurai: We’ll do it, we’ll do it. (laughs)

ISSAY: A dark, decadent takoyaki party. (laughs)

Ichikawa: While listening to the Sisters of Mercy.

Sakurai: Hahahahahahaha.

Ichikawa: I’m coming too.

ISSAY: Please do. (laughs)

Ichikawa: So, in “Masquerade”, the song you costar on in Der Zibet’s “Shishunki II”, it became a “decadent duet between teacher and student”.

ISSAY: Weren’t you the one who planned that? (laughs) But, that really was extremely fun. (laughs) And the finished product is quite interesting.

Ichikawa: Like the way the qualities of your voices are so similar.

ISSAY: Right? (laughs) Like, there are many parts where you can’t tell if I’m singing or if Atsushi is singing, even for me.

Sakurai: That’s been said a lot.

ISSAY: I was surprised by that. So, if you listen to how Atsushi normally sings, it’s completely different from me, right? But, when we happen to be doing a part in the same artistic style...you know?

Ichikawa: By the way, ISSAY, what do you actually think about the music BUCK-TICK is performing?

ISSAY: I haven’t listened to all of it completely, so I don’t know for sure, but I think it’s interesting. It’s weird, isn’t it? There aren’t guys performing that kind of music on major labels, are there? So I’m really happy about that, and that it’s so well received. I think that’s a really good thing. From the time they came out, I’ve thought, “This went major. That’s great!” (laughs) Even though the things they perform are quite often actually grotesque.8

Ichikawa: I think the people at Victor who gave them the OK are great too. Here are these “amateurs” with incomprehensible lyrics who didn’t know the fundamentals of their instruments, so you get a lot of weird sounds. At an average record label, they would have ended up getting the boot.

ISSAY: Normally, most likely.

Sakurai: I think so too. (laughs)

Ichikawa: If I’m speaking frankly, and I’m still thinking this, but I can’t help wondering why they were sold on BUCK-TICK.

Sakurai: Fufufufu.

ISSAY: Me, I somehow understand. I suppose the melody was easy to follow and that had a lot to do with it. I don’t think it’s necessary at all to persist in that, but as an element of their work that’s easy to accept, I wonder if it wasn’t a big part of it. Although their lyrics seemed muddied, and although their hair was done like it was. I think their melodies were amazingly alive. I wonder if they really felt that.

Ichikawa: Well, if Der Zibet had also debuted four years or so later, maybe they would have sold big.

ISSAY: Hahahaha. I wonder. (laughs)

Ichikawa: But you know, on the point of how what we call aesthetic kei or visual kei’s “weird sounds” movement gained a following in Japan, I think BUCK-TICK’s contribution is huge. Especially when you think about how aesthetic kei is currently flourishing.

ISSAY: I think so. You’re great, Atsushi!

Sakurai: (laughs) Not at all, the me of today wouldn’t be here without ISSAY-san.

Ichikawa: You guys are so creepy. But lately, the number of lovable “aesthetic fools” are getting increasingly scarce, aren’t they?

Sakurai: Because fashion comes first.

Ichikawa: Stylers9 are born on after another, but it’s just the shape of one. In the amateurs, in indies, and on major labels too.

ISSAY: Hahahahahaha. Styler (laughs)

Sakurai: (laughs) What is that exactly, a styler?

Ichikawa: Hm? Someone who personifies STYLE10.

Sakurai: Hahahaha. What a great way to say it.

Ichikawa: In the middle of the ‘80s, there was an underground aesthetic music scene centered in Shinjuku, and it was nothing but fine fools, wasn’t it?

ISSAY: It was, it was. Jean Genet11 was doing well.

Ichikawa: (laughs) There were no bands that I think a major label would be willing to spend production and advertising costs on thinking like, “This will sell!”

ISSAY: That’s right. But it’s because they had power.

Ichikawa: That underground power, it comes from a scene that has a sad history where, regardless of how good they were, their values were different from the above ground, and for this reason alone they were not recognized, right?

ISSAY: But isn’t that how it ends up in the world?

Ichikawa: Der Zibet is also still the odd one out among that group – because even while ISSAY’s “aesthetic of spinning circles in a dead end” stands out, the sounds have also been properly done.

ISSAY: It was still weird though. (laughs) However, we really were criticized for it. At the time we first put music out, it was written about as “kayou rock”.12 If you had slightly melodious lyrics, you’d quickly be branded with that.

Sakurai: We were as well. (laughs)

Ichikawa: But now there are no fools. And that’s regrettable. Because as I see it, rock is pulled along by fools. It improves the expression and the like.

ISSAY: Well, but…

Ichikawa: Guys like us need to keep going, is what I’m saying.

ISSAY: That’s what you meant. (laughs)

Sakurai: Hahahahahaha.

Ichikawa: I’m asking this right at the end, but ISSAY’s solo album production project is actually now going on in secret, but of course, Sakurai Atsushi, I think you must be obligated to participate in it in any case, right?

ISSAY: Hahahahaha. Will you do it?

Sakurai: I’ll do it!

1 This is literally noted in the text, lol. 2 This could also be “restless” or “flippant”, but those fit less well to me. 3 A live house in Tokyo. The internet tells me this show was on January 17th, 1988. 4 Onomatopoeia translation hard. 5 I felt this transition was weird in English, but it’s clear in Japanese at least that he’s implying London shouldn’t have been comfortable compared to Hawaii. 6 This is basically the first time in the whole interview that ISSAY speaks formally, and it’s for exaggerated effect. Very opposite of Sakurai, who has been 100% formal. 7 Now just “Hands” – a home center store for housing and lifestyle products. 8 “Egui” means a lot of things, but it’s apt for B-T’s music: dark topics on emotional things, taboo social subjects. 9 I spent like 5 minutes trying to figure this out before reading on. He made this word up. Sakurai and Issay didn't know what he meant either. Thanks for keeping me on my toes, Ichikawa. 10 “Style” was written in English here. 11 This appears to be a reference to this playwright’s style of work more than he himself. 12 Better Japanese music historians may know more than me, but this seems like the pre-Band Boom name for this kind of music. THE ALFEE, for example, is listed as one of the founding groups of this sound on JP Wikipedia.

[yoursweetvalo]

百万那由多の塵SCUM

Millions and Millions of Garbage

Music and lyrics by Imai Hisashi

please feel free to correct this translation at any time! i’m in no way an expert and this is my interpretation of the lyrics. enjoy!

俺たちは独りじゃない

はぐれても迷っていても

俺たちは独りじゃない

風の中いつか会うんだ

we’re not alone

even if we’re apart or lost.

we’re not alone,

one day we will meet in the wind.

闇に浮かんで燃えてる

温かさがそう欲しかった

闇に浮かんで燃えてる

あの太陽がそう欲しかった

we wanted the warmth

floating and burning in the dark.

we wanted that sun

floating and burning in the dark.

忘れるな　辿り着けるはず

don’t forget. we will get there.

百万那由多の塵芥

百万那由多の夢命

百万那由多の塵芥

百万那由多の夢命

millions and millions of garbage

millions and millions of dreams and lives.

millions and millions of garbage

millions and millions of dreams and lives.

[kyzakkk]

[Subtitles] 2023.04.07 Music Station — BUCK-TICK Cut

Click here to find the post for it!

Check the international BT discord right here!

[mementoboni]

About HIDE and his funeral, Kaoru also mentioned in his book Dokugen → here & here

Toshiya's interview in Ongaku to Hito 2024/06 - translation notes (re: Atsushi Sakurai)

Toshiya mentioned that no matter the race or country, those in front of him at concerts are all human beings, in the end. The only difference is that people outside of Japan are more free.

He was given Atsushi Sakurai's shoes by "Sakurai-san"'s family and was told: "Take me to many places with these shoes." For that reason, he felt kind of obliged to get out and visit Europe on the last tour.

Toshiya thinks that if Dir en grey had not been invited to tour in Germany a decade ago, they may have stalled in Japan and, without room to grow, the band might have been over. It was the mentality that they were in when composing Withering to death.

He went to see Buck-Tick's concert at Garden Theatre (after Sakurai's death?) and he was moved by his mentions of the parade continuing forever, even if he becomes a ghost.Toshiya got a DVD as well but he has not been able to watch it yet.

Apparently hide was supposed to attend Dir en grey's first concert at Shibuko in their debut but he passed away just a few days prior. He went to hide's funeral and, from what I gather, seniors were very emotional about that.

The same day that Toshiya first wore his Atsushi Sakurai-inspired costume to film Yurameki, the news of his death came... But he had learned of it a few days earlier, when it actually happened. Otherwise, if he had discovered it on the same day of the music video being filmed, he simply couldn't have done it.

"Then, for the first time in years, I cried a lot... Like, I was scared."

Music helped him heal.

In Europe, he saw people wearing T-shirts (of Buck-Tick or Atsushi Sakurai). Toshiya took pictures and sent them to Yuuta from Buck-Tick, which made him happy.