Fish Tank 48
Interview with Yagami Toll
Translation: Lola
To start off, why don't you tell us what's been going on lately?
I'm waiting for songs. Seems like Hide might finally have one done you know.
What do you do while you're waiting for songs?
Hmm...I rehearse by myself and go to the gym. Ha hah *smiles*. Recently I've been going to the gym many times in a row, I look like an idiot *smiles*.
So then would you say going to the gym is part of your daily routine?
Yes. After I've worked up a good sweat I say 'Ah, now I can go drinking!' *smiles*.
Huh *wry smile*. I see you're very dedicated to keeping your body in shape.
Yeah, at least a little.
Other than going to the gym what have you been doing?
I went home once. I went to visit my old man's grave since it was the anniversary of his death that day.
I see. You have a relatively great amount of free time right now so what's an ordinary day like for you?
Yes well......this is going to sound rather irresponsible but... I usually end up drinking until morning, my days and nights have been reversed. My kouhai drummers come over and play.
They go to your house?
Yeah, that's right. We all get together at my place. Well the ones who get along. By now some of them have made even made their debut so...I had to ask them how to stay in touch.
Does it end up feeling like a drum clinic for you and your pro drummer friends?
It does, yeah. I lecture about drums *smiles*. But I've noticed I'm always drumming on something like the table. It does feel like a clinic too, since people ask me things like 'please teach me about drums' and I'll even tell them about how much different models cost. I tell people everything. I don't conceal anything.
You give individual lessons at your house don't you?
Yes. I get questions like, 'How did you play like that in this Buck-Tick song?' and so then I show them, oh, like this or like that *smiles*.
You have a very practical approach *smiles*.
Yes, yes. It's all hands on.
That's really valuable experience...so when you're done do you go out drinking?
Yeah. Until we feel good.
Yagami-san, have you gone to see any of your friend's lives lately?
I went to see Harada Kenta-kun's live. But I couldn't hang out with him afterwards....... So that's pretty much the only live I saw. I wanted to go see D'erlanger but I couldn't go the day they were playing.
Have you been really obsessed with any sort of food or alcohol lately?
Obsessed with? Lemme think.......when I'm pouring beer while I'm in the bath, when it's in the container, the froth turns all creamy *smiles*.
Really?! You had beer in the container?
Yeah. I think it was meant to be a shochu server when I bought it though. But anyway, when you drink beer in it in the bath, the froth turns creamy, it's great! Well, you asked me what I've been fixated on right? I found that really neat.
That's the kind of fun you can only have at home right?
It is yeah. In the past, I used to go to places like Roppongi to have fun but it's not the same sort of feeling at all. In the past, there used to be a lot of bars in Roppongi with open mike nights and people would play drunkenly and just have fun and I'd wonder when I played with them if we were really of the same generation because a lot of them were greater than I was, they were virtuoso. Jamming with those people was really fun you know but...now, there aren't really any places like that anymore.
So that's why you drink and play at home...?
Yeah. That's why. I'm just cheerfully...copying Yuming (1)*smiles*. Arai Yumi-san's drummer, Hayashi-san, is likely really skilled right? Then again maybe not *smiles*.
In this issue we've announced the fan club only lives but having been almost a year since doing lives, how do you think doing a fan club only live will go...?
Well, we still have to record before we get into that.... Yeah...but I think we'll do something fun of course and I think it's good we're doing them because it's the fans who support us so I guess they want something special in return right? Something special, and extravagant. That makes them feel good you know. Wouldn't it be good to do a live that made people feel like 'I'm so glad I joined the fan club!!'?
As far as the fans are concerned, I'm sure that would make them really happy.
A special deluxe show! *smiles*
A lot people answered in the questionnaire that they wanted you guys to do more fan club only lives too.
*while looking at all the forms* They want us to have big gathering with fireworks? And karaoke? *smiles*
Well, you know, there are a lot of different opinions out there *smiles*.
Some want to see us on a talk show *smiles*. ......and want to be invited backstage?! Well maybe that'd be ok *smiles*.
That's absolutely every fan's wish...
We continued to talk about organizing the fan club only lives for awhile...
In your corner of the FT, you introduce us to artists that have influenced you and that you like but what do you base your choice on each time?
Nothing really, I just pick what influenced me.
You like a lot of different bands don't you?
I do, so I plan to go on talking about them endlessly. Aha-ha-ha *smiles*.
What did you base your choice on this time then...?
I wasn't sure what to pick this time...so I looked at my CD rack and at all the CDs one by one. But you know, I thought of a few different things for this time. I did Yuming before right? So I absolutely wanted to do something on the artists that influenced her too like American female vocalists...from the 70s like Carole King or bands like the Carpenters. But there's so many people who influenced her from the 70s...that I really will have to think about who to choose...
But this time you introduced us to an amazing drummer. Having listened to it, I can understand why you enjoyed it and study him.
Actually, did you know I already introduced him? ...I think it was on another person's CD though *smiles*.
Oh!! Did you really? ...you can talk about that more next time...
Yes.
Finally, will you say something for everyone awaiting Buck-Tick's next work?
From now on, we'll be recording. We'll create another wonderful album and after that we'll perform it live for everyone so please wait for that day. It's right before recording now, and I'm in really great form *smiles*.
(1)Yuming is Arai Yumi's nickname.