Fish Tank 46
Interview with Higuchi Yutaka
Translation: Lola
Looking back on the tour, how has it been up till now?
I think it's gone smoothly so far. We haven't had any problems and it's been a long time since we've had such a long tour that was fun to do, I'm enjoying it.
I imaging with the schedule being so packed and all the moving around it must be difficult sometimes but how do you find all that?
I think what's the hardest is that we've had 12 overnight stays so far but you get used to it after awhile and it becomes easier.
Looking back on 2007, you celebrated the 20th anniversary of your debut and it's been a very busy year but how was it for you personally Yuuta-san?
Busy as you said but also very complete. We've been recording since January and doing so many things and we also met a lot of people. We've done various events, then we have our own lives so I think it's been one complete year.
Amidst all that you had the major event for B-T, the Buck-Tick Fest in September, how was that for you?
The Parade tour started in June, so it was a long time before we celebrated the B-T fest in September but it was so fun that we were able to do something like that. Beginning in June we did lives in various live houses in different areas and that led us to the event in September, and it was such an amazing feeling for us to be heading towards September knowing that we could do the B-T fest. I think it was such a splendid thing to do.
The B-T fest was a sponsored event for you but did you enjoy it?
I did, very much so. I think we all did. With regular lives and concerts there's not really that swelling feeling of excitement beforehand like there was for the fest. It's not like.......we planned for it to be that way or anything but when we did it, we had a great time. I just wish we had been able to given more time to all the artists who came out to play for us. But it felt like it was all over in 10 minutes to me.
One of the things that took time was that a lot of people wanted to be first but I feel it all went successfully.
Yes, it did. That's because the staff did a great job, they really did their best you know. Usually people try to fit half that number of artists within the time frame we had. So it's thanks to our staff that we managed it.
Would you want to do another B-T fest with a different premise?
Yes, I'd love to. Obviously I thought it was interesting to do something like that, this time it was a tribute for us but I think if we did it again with a different theme then maybe our guests would find it interesting too. It would be seeing Buck-Tick again but something different. But I think it'd be good to keep with that festival feeling again.
Did you get to know the other performers a little better?
Yeah. Like I had met the members of GLAY before but never had the chance to really chat with them until then. There were a lot of people like that so I was happy I got to speak with them.
So you never really got to talk to the members of ATTACK HAUS before?
No I didn't. They know a lot about history, I was surprised.
You were excited to talk about history with them weren't you?
But they knew so much more than me sadly. When they told me all the history books they had read I nearly fainted *smiles*. Those are some heavy readings *smiles*.
It was an amazingly fun event really, with all the various artists who came out.
It was an honour to have everyone who came to see us too, that sort of thing doesn't happen too often. The staff was saying that too because even for things like the Rising Sun Rock fest and Summer Sonic there aren't that many people there just for us. So it was great to see all the people who came.
Before the B-T fest, you participated in the Rising Sun Rock Fest in Hokkaido for the first time, how was that?
I've never been to an event with that kind of atmosphere before. It really felt like a festival. It was wonderful. Everyone really enjoyed the music, there was no one band as the focus, so that easy festival atmosphere made it really enjoyable. That type of event is great.
LA-PPISCH reformed and came to the Rising Sun Fest didn't they?
I wasn't able to see them though........But I've seen Magumi-san since I've returned to Tokyo *smiles*.
Then, after the B-T fest, the album 'Tenshi no Revolver' came out, how do find the album is doing live?
As a live album, I think it's bringing out the best in the five of us.
Even though the sound is simple, I feel there's a great core to it but were you aware of that even when you were still recording?
Yes, since Imai-kun said he wanted to make a rock and roll album. Well, we've done similar things in the past but, making this album, and doing the tour, it seems much more complete to me this time around.
When I watched you on stage you seemed so much more free this time Yuuta-san.
It's because of that band-like unity I think. Like, with '13 kai' it was really more of a show with this magical atmosphere......whereas now it's the exact opposite. There's various ways of looking at the same live this time. I think that's what Buck-Tick is trying to do, to draw out as many as we can.
This time it seemed like you came to the centre of the stage much more.
With the way the set was, it felt like Acchan was closer to our platforms. Previously even though there weren't steps separating us it just seemed harder to move from my position.
Has any live left a deep impression up till now?
The Osaka Festival Hall because it's been over 20 years since we've played there together as a band so that left a really deep impression. It's an amazing hall to play in.
Wasn't it your first time playing in.......Toyota?
Yes, that's right. Even though it was our first time going there, it was fun. I think I want to keep going to places I've never been from now on if we can.
You're not doing a Day in Question show this year but you are having additional live performances as a tour finale, would you tell us more about that?
The whole flow of this year has been about 'Tenshi no Revolver' right. I mean we've been recording it for over a year so it feels like we've been putting our hearts into it for the whole of that time. This time it's really been easy to include old songs with the new songs in the set lists. Because of that we wanted to change the contents again for the finale. We thought perhaps it might once again create a new atmosphere.
Because this year has been so full, I think the fans are a bit worried about what you'll do next year.
I think I want to do something that has that sort of energy again but I don't know what form it will take. I guess people are worried we'll go on break in the end...or something like that *smiles*. Right now my thoughts are full of the tour but I'd like to do something with just as much energy next year.
Once the tour is over, do you want to go on vacation right away or do you want to just keep working?
I want to keep working.
Finally would you say a word to everyone who is anxious for news of next year's activities?
This year we worked the whole way through and I'd like to continue working into next year doing something just as energetic so please look forward to it.