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R&R Newsmaker February 2007Reference pictures at the gallery. [insert text here] means translator's note. UVERworld Long Interview This is the first big album in 2007. It might be exaggerating a little, but that's OK. UVERworld's second album is outstanding. The title it Bugright. Not only the word Bugright, but the band's name is not listed in the dictionary. New words are always invented and used among people who share things in common with each other. Those words will eventually gain 'citizenship.' When we think about it, rock and roll has a history like that, too. What we want to say is that Bugright's meaning will expand. This article tells how Bugright was born. Here you go: We used to fight a lot when we were pre-pro, but even that helped improve us. I: When did you finish the CD? T: We finished mastering on November 25. It was very moving when we finally listened to it. K: I started to think that it was finished when we were deciding the track order. I was really excited. In fact, I listened to the CD again just this morning. I: You were listening, so that means everyone was listening. (laughs) N: Yes. Shintaro and I have been recording since July. We listened at several different stages of the recording, and we felt cool. But now that we're done, it's very moving. I was listening again in my room. (laughs) I: You guys are privileged to be able to taste this building process, like construction workers working on a building. N: Yes, but we're busy from the beginning. That reminds me, our whole band is growing. S: I have been listening almost everyday since the mastering, too. I can almost listen to it objectively. A: I can also listen with an objective ear. Sometimes I review. There are some parts that I don't remember how I played, so I go over those places and practice my guitar. I: As predicted in our previous issue, this CD is wide in range, but it doesn't feel like you guys stretched it too much. Each piece is different, but it is like UVERworld. T: That's nice to hear. But we didn't make this album thinking that way. We weren't thinking about anything except to make good songs. This album is just the outcome. K: It wasn't the total thinking, we wanted to make each song remembered, not just the album. That's the feeling we wanted to give, and this album is the result. Having said that, we wanted to do better then Timeless. I: When Timeless was completed, everyone was satisfied. Did you still feel that you could do better in Bugright? T: Yes. Did you feel uncertain? [to the rest of the band] N: No. Printclub... not that.[he made a mistake] (laughs) Since we were pre-pro, everyone's ideas were being exchanged, and all of them kept on getting better. So I had the usual confidence. K: For sure, demands around us become stronger and stronger too. But we all worked on the music for a very long time. There are some things that one of us can't fix, but all five of us together can fix it. Because I'm not alone, I can overcome many different pressures. We would quarrel when we were pre-pro, but even the quarreling became good things. A: All of us develop the demos. It is repetitive, but it creates a good work flow. A good work flow keeps us going in a good direction, and that's how I keep confidence in myself. I: So in other words, you had a system to make renowned music on your own. Is that right? A: Yeah. In Timeless, we did the same, but we weren't accustomed to a lot of things, and we couldn't catch up with the flow. T: I'm not afraid because we have that system. Until now, this process made our music go only in a good direction. S: For our first album, we couldn't grasp all of the steps to complete the album. We recorded the drums first, but we couldn't visualize the steps before the completion. But this time, we understood all of it. And we could put our minds more at ease . I write the lyrics in all kinds of places, and I can write so much. (laughs) I: That means experience-wise, the two albums are very different. Is that right? You seem to know about what your doing. The difference can be seen when you compare Timeless and Bugright, especially when you compare the DVDs in the limited editions. When we watched the previous one, there is some discomfort in the studio. But when we watched the current one, it feels like it's your own home. T: Definitely. There is a difference between the two. K: Before, I was nervous, even when it wasn't my turn to record. But this time, when it has nothing to do with me, I would step out, and I would leave other people in charge when it was appropriate. I: Akira, you used to say that you never feel nervous at recordings. A: Well, I was being over-confident. (laughs) I like recording, but this time, the fun of it unbelievable. Because we experienced an album before, we could do this one with more confidence. I: So you had the confidence, but scheduling wise, it wasn't easy. You had to be in the studio during your tour, right? T: Yes. But this time we could switch the schedule easily. For example, In the past, I felt like I could only write music at home. I felt like I had to turn the switch on and off in my head to write the lyrics. but I heard that some authors can write when they were on an airplane, and I thought I'd try once, and try to write in different places. Then I could write so much. (laughs) I could even write things that I couldn't at home. I: So the unexpected you has come out. T: Right. A lot of new words have come out. I was like that when my antenna was pulled to tight. [huh?] S: The recording of the rhythm parts were already finished around the tour time. During the summer we recorded we came back to the recording. At that time, it was hard to tune the drums after being used in hot weather. N: Three of us had a hard time with the tour, but not me. K: But we weren't overstressed. The recording itself isn't that stressful. When there's a live concert in between, we can let the stress out at the live performance. I don't try to switch from live and recording, when I am at live, I try to forget all my daily emotions, and feel all good. That makes me think "OK, ill do my best at the studio." That feeling is natural for me. A: In my case, the fun at the live and at the recording is at two different poles, but they are as strong as each other. When we had to finish our live, and the very next day ride on a Shinkansen [railroad] to go record, but I didn't have to turn on and off a 'switch'. For me it was 'go to the studio to have some fun.' It wasn't psychologically difficult at all, except I didn't have time to write lyrics. I: OK. If this interview remains as evidence, the record company must assume that you can record on tour, and write music anywhere. They might produce an even tougher schedule. (laughs) K: Ahahahah. T: OK (laughs). No problem. I want to create a lot of music before I get old.(laughs) It's a good idea to spend a lot of time on one song, but I also feel that I'd like to constantly emit what's on my mind. So, even during the tour, I would have time to write lyrics during transportation. Someday, I want to make an album that has no deadline. But even if that happens, I will probably keep writing at this pace. I: That's a happy thing for listeners to hear, because they will always have your fresh music. I: Let me ask a basic question. What is the meaning behind Bugright? If the R in right was to become L, it would mean the light to collect bugs by, right? T: Yeah, there's a little bit of double meaning there. We want collect a lot of people with our music. The English word "right' means correct, and Bug means 'bagu', or wrong. In other words, 'incorrect right answer'. In this world, there are times that we don't know what's right and what's not right, and at the same time, this is the collection of music that has no right or wrong answers. There are no right answers in music. I think that our music is a production of each moment and incident. When new melody comes up, I think it's a result of the 'bagu'. That's my interpretation. I: So the things that are born my incident may become something irreplaceable. It doesn't only correct methods can create correct answers. T: Exactly. There are times when wrong methods can lead us to correct answers. In music, there are times that I've felt 'this won't fit in this song'. But when I tried it, the result was very good. We've had that a lot in our music. This name was almost our band's name once. I: Oh, so that means this title isn't just for the album itself, but it shows UVERworld's attitude, and even your music. K: Right, in that sense, Timeless means the same thing. Either word fits well with each of our songs. I: I can understand that just one album isn't all you represent. This time, did you have any difficulty deciding the order of the songs? You have many different kinds that have to be represented effectively. T: We looked at the flow very carefully. We imagined a live concert. N: We thought about things like when this piece ends, this intro would be very moving, and things like that. I: That feeling must be different from person to person. Do you share similar feelings among the five of you? T: Yes. K: When someone thinks of the music order, and I feel impressed by it, like 'this is a good way of listening to it', my ideas become more like this new way. (smile) Of course, we were imagining a live concert. A: We reached a total concensus on this track order. T: We thought it over many times, and we felt there was no better way then this. We thought of the live, the people that would listen to us for the first time, and we thought of the people who have been listening to us for a long time. This is the outcome. I: This album is the beginning of UVERworld's 2007. What kind of year will it be? T: After we finished recording, we had a meeting about what we should do next. It was a meeting for only our members. It was like a celebration for completing the album. We talked while listening to our album. K: It was held in our pre-pro room, or our living room. (laughs) T: How many hours did we talk? Six hours? Maybe longer. Katsuya alone talked at least four hours. (laughs) K: Ahahaha. I got excited, and I wanted everyone to listen to me. (laughs) T: We were all crying while we talked. It was from midnight until 11A.M. When we started talking about the future, we went into a really deep area... That helped us make up our mind, right? N: Yeah, but I was reprimanded by Katsuya, it was like being hit in the head. Seriously. (laughs) I: By any chance, Katsuya-kun, do you have a drinking problem? K: No, these four made me drink too much. (laughs) T: We will always remember that night for the rest of our lives. K: It was a machine-gun talk. We were saying the same thing over and over. And we knew it. (laughs) But I remember everything that I said. T: The conclusion was that we will be the strongest we have been in 2007. We will let out everything we have in ourselves. We will let out what we are, we will explode. I: OK, so now we have an album that has made the five of you feel like that. May I ask one thing? If Katsuya starts talking a lot, do you think I could secretly record it? K: No, spare me. (laughs) T: Oh, that's important. We promise you can. (laughs) Self Liner Note Zero no Kotae T: I always wanted to write lyrics like this. It says I won't regret it if I die tomorrow. I want to live a life like that. That's something that I want to convey through the entire album. Akira composed the actual music. A: My belief during my work was: I layer my favorite sounds, as usual. Everyone else contributes to one chorus. K: It's a very forward song, where Akira's boldness can be seen. S: It's a very enthusiastic song, I feel good when I hit the drums. N: In regards to the performance, there were some parts that we just improvised. That made me think, "Oh, I can do this." There's a freshness that isn't like UVERworld. SHAMROCK T: I like this song more and more. During live, a lot of people have asked for this song, and I am glad that I wrote it. A: It's a good song, it's bittersweet. K: The first impression I had was catchy, good-feeling song. But when I listened to it again with a fresh view, I started feeling that it was a very rock-and-roll like song. S: This song grew up when I wasn't looking. N: The sound is great. Every time I listen to this, it makes me think of the time that I first came to Tokyo, and tears... (laughs) Home binetsu 39C T: The North latitude and East Longitude roughly refer to the Shiga Prefecture. I was so happy when these lyrics came up. We spontaneously wrote this song in the studio. K: We wanted to camp out and make a song, but we didn't have the time. Instead we worked on it in the studio from scratch. S: At first, I couldn't see a completed form, and I was nervous. N: Honestly, we struggled a lot. But I still like the feeling of everybody being positive and that made me feel 'its nice to be in a band' A: The riff at the introduction is something that I have never done before. Nagare.Kukyo.This Word T: This is a different version from the one included in the Death Note tribute. We've been working on the music for a year or so. A: There is no 'hitting' of the guitar in this song. I might 'hit' it, but its not the main riff. [This was confusing] The 'hitting' is heard more in the back, and the band sound is in front. S: My voice heard for the first time in this song. I wonder what kind of tension I should use in the live performance for this song. K: That '1,2' is a very good start up explosion that brings up a lot of tension. N: Nice. I can't wait for the live performance. Colors of the Heart K: It is straight, and it doesn't fade. T: It's great at live performances. Maybe the best song for live in the singles that's been published so far. A: Through performing live, I have come to like this song more and more. I like it more then when we first made it. S: It is fresh, even now. N: The playing of the sad and aggressive parts makes me feel good. It is simple, but well finished. Live Every Day as if it were the Last Day T: The title itself is very special. When I had Akira listen to it for the first time, he said 'a little XX' [huh?] So he rewrote the melody. A: I said it casually. I meant it well. (laughs) It is a very good song. S: When I hit the drums, it was difficult to bring out the tension. N: It was fun making the different phrases. K: This title makes me think. It's interesting for me to wonder listener's opinions will be. Charmant No Ura T: This song was created about a year ago. The back of Chalman. It's the name of the apartment Akira lived in in Shiga. (laughs) A: To be precise, its Chalman Kopo. I can remember the vivid view even now. N: I never thought we would come up with lyrics like this. Except for Shintaro, everyone has been to the river behind the Chalman. S: That makes me feel like going there. (laughs) K: Nostalgic. I used to swim in the river. I have changed, but that place will never change. Hitori Janaikara N: I find a special meaning in this piece. It encourages me. T: This is my theme as well. A: I think song is a life theme. In a way it sings about the basics of life. S: This is a coupling piece. [A Bside] It's the only one like it in this album. I'm glad it's there. K: This is the center of the album. I'm very weird, but it's OK, because 'I'm not alone.' Kimi no Suki na Uta T: I love this song. I'm glad that I made it real. I think it's it great that people who listen to this song have cried. A: The music is different, but it was fresh. S: There are probably many people that became fans because of this song. When I think of the people that might listen to the album, I think that this is one of the most important. K: Surprisingly, there were many reactions from men. I can sympathize with these lyrics. N: I think this song is very manly. 51% S: This song became more stable at the pre-pro stage. T: This is the story of the main character in Kimi no Suki na Uta after he expresses his feelings. The meaning is a secret; it is very deep. A: I played the solo guitar. I went back to my past self. [again, not quite sure what he means] K: We did the recording after we knew the lyrics. [?] I wanted to show how sad this song was, even if it was only through the sound. N: I wanted to show the sweetness, but it wasn't enough. It had to be sweet and passionate. LIFEsize T: I wrote this with Akira. We wanted to make something that seemed like summer. It was our first time writing a song in the key of A. When we were finished, it was morning already. Akira and I were very moved. A: From the beginning, I saw a good ending. K: This was a special song for Takuya and Akira. They always gave it special attention, so I played it in accordance to that. S: The sound of the drums is great. N: Groovy. Empty96 T: The meaning of this 'It's not empty.' I love this song. I feel like banging my head so much that it'll fall off. I can't wait to sing it live. A: This is a difficult song. I want get carried away, but if I get too carried away, I'll mess up. S: During the recording, we almost got carried away. We need to practice. (smile) K: I feel the same. It makes you feel great, but if we get carried away, everything will get messed up. N: We have to play it right, every member. Otherwise it will fall apart. Discord T: Originally I wanted to write this as a ballad, but it turned out very differently, and became Empty96. I continued to work after that, and wrote Discord. I can't read all of myself yet. As a professional, I haven't succeeded, but as an artist, I have passed. I am Bugright. (laughs) A: The melody is great. The lyrics at the end are wonderful. S: We put a lot of different things in this song. It's nostalgic. N: This song is to make me improve as a player. It made me feel like doing a live chorus for the first time. But I probably won't be able to. (laughs) K: When the album ends with this song, it makes me feel like we can go to the next step. Kimi no Suki na Uta (Acoustic) T: I've always wanted to make an acoustic version. I'm satisfied now. A: I only strummed the guitar for this song. I let Katsuya take care of the details. K: I could play freely and happily. It's the same song, but both are good versions. N: I join in halfway through the second part. I join in quietly. S: There is no drum. (laughs) I can listen to this song with both hands free. Back to page 1
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