Fish Tank 47
Interview with Yagami Toll
Translation: Lola
During the 'Tenshi no Revolver' tour was there anywhere that left a deep impression?
The place that left the greatest impression on me was Hiroshima. I talked about it in my corner of the FT but Hiroshima is Eichan's(1) birthplace!
Oh! So this is like a continuation.
There was staff there to help us in Hiroshima and so I had asked one of them if there were any interesting places around and then he brought me to this pub-like place devoted to Eichan *smiles*.
Huh?! You mean it was a place run by an Eichan fan?
Yes, a fan's pub. So one wall was completely covered in Eichan stuff. And live information too. The owner even kept track of all Eichan's show times *smiles*.
Aah, so it's the owner who is really into Eichan *smiles*.
Yes but so am I and I went there to sing karaoke *smiles*.
So it was all about Eichan.
Yes *smiles*. So I didn't sing anything other than Eichan while I was there *smiles*. It was fun.
Between the tour and the rehearsals for the additional performances you managed to get a little time off right?
Yeah, I was glad I could rest my body for a bit. Since I had a little break before the rehearsals for the additional performances. It's just awful having the ear monitor all the time you know. It's different from the raw sound, once the mic picks up the sound, what I hear through the ear monitor isn't the same. What I hear is so precise it sounds odd, there's no time lag at all. So because of that it feels strange to me. It feels weird after when I'm doing ordinary things in life, it's like I don't know how to adjust the power behind what I do.
That's kind of a part of being pro though isn't it?
But it's just a little thing, I'm not saying it's such a big deal in the end. I mean in this amazing world we have all these tools to play with and they really help raise the tension during shows. Like you know usually in big halls there's a lot of echo and when you hear it can be really bewildering. So logically you'd say that playing in small live houses is better because there's less of an echo. And it is easier. There's hardly ever strange echoes in live houses.
During the Budoukan show there was a runway stretching out into the audience from the centre of the stage but how did it look from your position Yagami-san?
I couldn't really see much you know, even though I wanted to.
You didn't try it out at all beforehand?
I did. Before the performance. I didn't really know exactly what it'd be like since the audience wasn't there yet but other members stood in front of it before the show and it felt quite close to me. I thought it'd help the fans enjoy it you know.
And how did you feel after the live?
After the show in Budoukan......I thought 'oh, we still have a live in Okinawa to do' *smiles*. This show might be over but there's still more to do. There was a moment after the show when I was drinking where I really thought that it was all finished and then realized that oh no, wait, there's still more *smiles*.
How did you ring in the New Year?
I returned to Gunma. Before going to Okinawa. Went to New Year's parties with old classmates and drank. Then I went to the store to check out some drum sets.
What?! You ended up working? *smiles*
You know back when I was a junior high school student it was a big thing that I was in a band so I used to drum with karaoke *smiles*.
So you felt like going back to that for a little bit I guess.
Yes. So I did 'Funky Monkey Baby' (2) *smiles*.
By CAROL. Wow there's so many links to your corner of the FT in our talk today. Was your New Years restful?
Yeah, but it's only now that Okinawa is done that I really feel I can rest.
About Okinawa, how was rehearsing for it?
Because we were continually doing lives and I rehearsed on my own at the beginning of the year I wasn't nervous or anything when it came time to do the show. I rehearsed by myself and I also rehearsed with everyone for one day.
How did you find the show in Okinawa after having been delayed for nearly half a year?
Because I had a bit of a break between that show and the one in Budoukan, I thought it was good because I felt refreshed.
During 'Sid Vicious ON THE BEACH' Asaki-san from AGE of PUNK took centre stage.
Yes he did. But you know because I've known Asaki-chan for such a long time I wasn't worried at all.
But wasn't this your first time on stage together?
Yes it was. But I wasn't worried at all, it was fun. Then after the live, Asaki-chan and the other members of AGE of PUNK were so proud of themselves. Saying things like 'I~ played~ with Buuuuck-Tiiiiick~!' *smiles*. Asaki-chan said 'I sang to Anii's drums' so proudly *smiles*.
It was quite an exciting end to the live wasn't it.
Yeah because GLAY was in Okinawa too and I haven't hung out with their drummer Nagai-kun in such a long time. So it was nice to be able to talk to him about various things. We've seen each other here and there you know but we never really had a chance to drink and talk. I think it's been about 10 years since we've been able to talk like that.
You drank with Hisashi-san and Takuro-san from GLAY until morning too.
Yes, yes, that was fun. It's not very often that three bands meet up in Okinawa and go drinking.
What are you doing now that Okinawa is over?
I'm resting, completely *smiles*. Ah but I've also been waiting for a set of V-Drums(3) to arrive at my house. It's a good time because I'm just doing what I like and playing when I want.
Recently the 'BUCK-TICK FEST 2007 ON PARADE' was released, did you get to see it?
I did. What can I say *smiles*. I think the fans will really enjoy the backstage stuff when they watch it on the bonus DVD. That's the first time we've really had backstage stuff like that up till now.
Yes it's true, you haven't done anything like that till now.
Feels like after 20 years, we owe them you know *smiles*.
Well I think you also have to want to do it. Before you guys used to say things like 'don't show that!'.
Well in those days no matter where you went they were there *smiles*. And there were always paparazzi trying to get pictures for magazines so there'd be pictures of us mid-movement and eating and stuff like that but we always had our hair up and our makeup done *smiles*.
So it's really not 'backstage' stuff per say is it *smiles*. Which means that this DVD is different from what you've done up till now.
Well, I don't know whether that's good or not *smiles*. But I do know that if watching backstage stuff makes people happy, then that's good.
Soon you'll have to think about what to do next.
By the time this DVD gets to people I'm sure the band will be on track, songs will already be written and maybe we'll be recording. Now we're already making preparations for when we'll be recording. Like I'm playing drums every day. So I won't forget how when the time comes *smiles*.
Finally, would you please say a word for all those who are awaiting Buck-Tick's next activity?
Maybe by the time you get this Imai and Hide will be writing songs and as soon as those songs are ready we'll be recording......we'll make an album that's even better than 'Tenshi no Revolver' with great spirit because we're always trying to surpass what we did before. So please watch the B-T fest DVD while you're waiting.
(1) Meaning Yazawa Eikichi from one of Toll's favourite bands 'CAROL'.
(2) By CAROL, Toll covered this song in his solo album 'Yagami Toll and the Blue Sky'. If you haven't heard it, you must!!
(3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_V-Drums.