Shizumu Taion Release Interview
*** translator's notes are beside *** asterisks
Lay: Isn't it great?
Mizuha & Towa: Hoo ~ ..... ( «-- Because they had been recording during the evenings all night, they've completely lost their spirit )
SHOXX: This isn't really J-rockish. I had wondered if it was a UK band.
Lay: I was the only one with a UK band intent.
SHOXX: This is different from everyone else, right?
Sanaka: (Immediately responds) Yes, it is different.
SHOXX: Well then, how about some details on this song that you did?
Sanaka: While Lay was in England, he had sent 4ge an email: "I've made a song in England!!," as he was carrying his bass throughout town and deciding on poses for pictures.
Lay: Yeah, that's right.
4ge: When I listened to the sent song, I thought it was made by someone British. So I made a song myself, but I wondered whether it was tasteless; It had took me about 5 minutes to make katatsumuri, while listening to Lay's shizumu taion. It was simultaneous progression.
(All members, oo uke!)
SHOXX: So through the computer, London's atmosphere spread like fire?
Lay: It's global communication (laughs).
Sanaka: And, all of us listened to the song at 4ge's place, and while Lay was gone, the four of us did the finishing touches. And because we had some free time, we were able to complete recording.
SHOXX: Putting all of this together, Lay-kun what kind of town in London triggered you to write such a song?
Lay: Oh, that. Well, it was the moment that I arrived into the Heathrow (airport). It was from the airplane, "A, I can see London!" I was all: I'm here!I'm here!I'm here! It was in that moment of landing that I did it.
SHOXX: How amazing~.
Towa: Pu! [a kind of laugh]
Lay: But, well, I wanted the song to come off as England-ish. It always seems to be this way, because I really like that kind of feel.
SHOXX: Lay-kun, when you came back and listened to what was finished, did it have that image?
Lay: No... Mine wasn't as catchy, but it's okay. The song became our hybrid of Jpop and UK rock. (laughs)
SHOXX: With this song, as always the singing voice seems different
Sanaka: It isn't me, singing.
Lay: Oh really (laughs).
Sanaka: It's Mizuha.
Mizuha: ? ? ? (blankly)
SHOXX: So you're the owner of such a beautiful voice.
Mizuha: Well of course I am.
Sanaka: I'm playing the guitar part. 4ge didn't really play much.
4ge: Truthfully, after Lay had returned, I had to reconstruct all that is me.
SHOXX: Lay-kun when you returned, the recording of all three songs was over?
Sanaka: With the exception of the bass for "Shizumu Taion" and "Candy Stripper."
Lay: I came back, and this year's January was full of recording. I constructed sounds once a week.
Sanaka: In other words, we recorded 2 songs in 3 weeks.
Lay: (laughs) At any rate, good sound was recorded.
SHOXX: But the bass wasn't, easily, the last thing recorded, huh?
Lay: Yeah. There was something else, I think.
SHOXX: Towa-kun, you had to try your best at the rhythm by yourself.
Towa: I was able to. Even though the bass part took three weeks, in regards to "katatsumuri", the four of us recorded it in one shot; we decided to do it in 1 take.
Lay: I don't understand, because the bass was also recorded. (Roar of laughter)
Towa: Were you surprised?
Sanaka: It's because while I was playing the bass, I sang!
Lay: Is that so?!
SHOXX: Wait. I'm a little confused.
Towa: But in regards to "shizumu taion," Mizuha also sang, the keys of the song were made, and everything was strictly judged. But the drum's fine details weren't done. In any case, the more Lay used British language, the more I had to listen.
Mizuha: (In a small voice) Like how he told the cab to stop!
Towa: Yes! Before this, Mizuha, Lay, and I were in a taxi; we wanted the taxi to stop and Lay said, "It's so different in England. You stop the taxi like this." And then reached out his hand sideways (in short, the road to go is quickly pointed at). And giving the cold shoulder to the taxi, Lay recklessly interrupted with something like, "Don't you know that you have to stop here!"
Everyone: AHAHAHAHAHA!
Towa: That was really funny. He is a purely British, I think. But, anyways, I've used up a lot of time.
Lay: This could be our last single .... It was with that kind of spirit that we always create things! Well, in regards to listening to the song, it had to be good, there couldn't be anything bad. It's that type of situation. Therefore, we had to be incredibly judging.
Mizuha: Well, as it is, smoking has been torturing my throat; so it is thanks to that for such a beautiful voice as mine ...
Lay: It became a conversation about "Who sang this!" And since Mizuha had been the one singing, "I can do that too!" So I sang.
Sanaka: So eventually, it was Lay. Not Mizuha singing!
SHOXX: I see (laughs)
4ge: But, this time I think I was the strictest judge.
Lay: (Laughs) Yes, while recording, we called you Oni-No-4ge [Demon 4ge]!
4ge: This time it was boot camp. We stayed at Mizuha's; it was our seven days war.
SHOXX: A seven days war, the truth is, I've done such.
Lay: It's always a seven days war.
Sanaka: Rather, every week is a seven days war!
4ge: And I've been searching for various CDs to listen to.
Mizuha: But 4ge, didn't you take a 40 second pit stop.
4ge: More like 4 seconds. I almost went to TSUTAYA to buy some.
(baka uke!)
SHOXX: Well, how about the lyrics; This time, Sanaka's human-ness was there, I thought. "shizumu taion" was about the nature of being in love, while "katatsumuri" was about the nature of being human.
4ge: Sanaka's lyrics are always good. He's a prodigy, I think. But again, I'm thinking cosmos.
SHOXX: What do you mean?
4ge: Well, I don't want to go into a big explanation, but its because what's next to me is human.
Sanaka: Ahahahaha!
4ge: The contents are secret, though. It's like a government conspiracy.
Lay: I like "Candy Strippers" lyrics.
Towa: I don't understand your relief in that.
Lay: That's okay. It's not really the sense of the lyrics, it's the words we chose.
SHOXX: I like the interlude in "katatsumuri." It seemed like a bird's song ...
Sanaka: It's could be that, or what about kinkonkankoon [the sound of bells]?
Lay: It's the chime when school starts and ends.
4ge: Well, out of the two, I like that approach.
Lay: That one ...
4ge: Well, I had the phrase of that chime, so long ago, in my mind, and had always wanted to use it sometime. So, I used it for this song. I thought about what I wanted to do with it, and at that time I wondered if it was good. Since it's service, I like how it develops: a stone that drops suddenly.
Lay: Changing the subject, when recording I'm always listening intently, and thinking constantly ... it's what makes me continue to work. So, recently, my body wants to work now. And so I want to do lives as soon as possible. Of course, when it's raw, it's best.
SHOXX: This year, you'll be playing a lot?
Lay: Of course, I want to stay on my feet. (laughs)
Towa: I want to do the same, and get better at drumming!
Mizuha: This year, we're even going to Hokkaido, though I'm worried because I get seasick.
4ge: I want to move.
Towa: As always, your answers are completely different. (laughs)
4ge: If my environment changes, my music will find an incentive to grow. So I always want to move.
Lay: I see that. When your environment is different, it's nice to feel some sort of incentive. Because of that, I travel. This last time, France was near, so I went; I ended up wanting to include elements of French Pop.
Sanaka: Maybe if I would do something like traveling, I would feel the need to write something. Keeping an open mind, and words might fly in. (Laughs) Rather than that kind of thing, I'd like to make some friends while we visit different regions [of Japan].
Lay: What the?
Sanaka: But knowing Hitomi [referring to himself], I can't keep friends. Because I don't really call or email people ...
SHOXX: That's so "katatsumuri." It seems difficult that only by opening the window yourself, will you be able to meet who you want.
Sanaka: If people come, maybe it's because I've accidently left the window open. (Laughs) Even though I like to be alone, I want friends. It doesn't matter who, but at any rate I want friends.
Towa: Huh? This is how we're going to end this??
