U-TA TALKS
-A Compilation of the Secret Stories of B-T-
Regarding [Hurry Up Mode]
Indies Album, released April 1st, 1987.
Translation: Lola
You know back then we went to the record company guy's mansion to take photos.
What?! So these pictures were taken in one of the rooms of their house?
Yeah in one of the rooms. And then the photographer developed them there.
Had he taken photos there before or something?
Well he was an acquaintance of the record company's boss at the time.
Did the photo shoot take a long time?
For the album jacket? Not at all. He just told us to stand in front of wall and then took pictures. It was over right after.
Do have an original copy of that?
I don't. I think I gave it away to some roadie ......
You don't have the original CD either?
No I ended up giving that away to someone too.......
Oh my god!! ...but it's such a valuable thing....... *regaining composure* Do you remember anything about recording this album?
I do.
Did you feel like recording that album was the beginning of your musical career?
No. Because we had already recorded our first single 'To-Search'.
So 'To-Search' was the first then. Huh? Did I get the release date wrong?
Yeah. 'To-Search' was our first. Back then, Anii was in another band. And he used to enter all sorts of contests with that other band. I think that's how he made connections with someone from Yamaha. Anyway, this guy was studying and training to work as a studio engineer so he taught us how to work things and didn't charge a lot. And that's how we ended up recording it in Hie (Kanagawa-ken).
I see. Did you record all the songs there?
Yes. For both 'To-Search' and 'Hurry Up Mode'. But for 'To-Search' we didn't wait for a record company's approval so we just recorded it with a multi-tape machine that Acchan had at his house.
Huh?
And since we had made a recording we thought, why not try doing lives? And for that of course you need to put your sound on something for people to get it and we figured a cassette was as good as anything so we did that and then wrote four other tentative songs.
So 'To-Search' had four songs on it?
No. We just played those songs for lives.... But then when it came time to do 'Hurry Up Mode' we already knew someone from the record company because that engineer introduced us. And thus began the harsh recording *smiles*.
*smiles* Harsh huh? Could you be more specific?
Because we had to travel all the way to Hie by car and I'm sure we did that during recording for one week straight.
So you did about two songs a day?
...something like that...I don't really remember but because we were restricted by time, it felt like we couldn't put enough into it. It took a long time. Like if we ended up working late into the night, like until 3am then we'd have to take the car all the way back to Tokyo after even though we'd have to be in the studio before the afternoon the next day. Because we had to do it everyday we thought about sleeping somewhere closer but we always ended up doing the commute. All of us together.
Everyone...?
So all that moving around is what made recording harsh.
So you're saying in those days you all went around in one car?
Yes. We all clunked along in it.
So you didn't even try to go somewhere to spend the night?
We didn't have the money for that, and really, where are you going to stay in Hie? I'm telling you it was harsh.
So everyone commuted every day during recording?
Yes.
Did you ever sleep in?
No...but I worried about it even though I didn't. Because the songs were ones we had done in concert before....
So it wasn't like you were working on the songs for this album during recording.
Yes, exactly. Because we thought we'd just record them as they were, the recording was pretty normal.
It was re-released later but, hadn't you put it out as a record and a CD initially? Putting out a CD was a pretty rare thing in those days.
Even more rare is that Buck-Tick's first indies release was on CD.
What prompted you to release a CD?
Because people thought it was pretty cool you know. Because no one else was putting out CDs.
They were putting out a lot of records right?
Because CDs weren't in wide use yet.
That's true, a lot of people didn't have CD players.
Yes, it was even rare for major artists to put out CDs. So we thought we'd try. Plus CDs were popular. Because they were something new. Usually, you couldn't get something like that, CDs were only used for "service tracks".
Yes, so why did you think to make one? I mean now it's the norm but...
We thought about the differences between a CD and a record. Now it's the complete opposite but back then, records would have sold a lot more easily.
Now it's a simple thing to just burn CDs using a computer...it's normal but, in those days there weren't many places where you could actually burn CDs was there?
The record company people certainly had to look around, also to find a place to do the mastering properly.
So in those days what made you decide to put out a CD instead of a record?
I think someone just said we should because it'd be interesting so we figured ok, let's try it. Then we talked about where to do the mastering because unlike for records, we didn't know where to go to get the CDs printed. Of course we found one...I remember there was a factory along Pier 7 or Pier 8 that did it. I went to a specialty school around there.
You were still a student then.
Yeah. Well not really, I never actually went *smiles*.
To school? *smiles*
Out of the two years I was there I don't think I even went to class for a total of two months.
What?!
So anyway, when I was thinking about what to do I got a notice before recording.
Like a drop out notice...
No. It said if I went to supplementary classes for a week or two then I could graduate.
Huh? Ah, forgive me, what kind of school were you going to again?
Management school.
*both burst out laughing*
Clearly management school doesn't have anything in common with music.
Um? So then......did you graduate?
No, no.
*both burst out laughing*
You know, so I blamed it on the recording of 'Hurry Up Mode'.
Ah...that's why they offered supplementary classes.
I felt like I had enough of that specialty school. But you have to go to get licences for management, bookkeeping and stuff like that. But for the people who aren't interested in that, it doesn't matter if they study or get help.
*pointing at Yuuta* Person who isn't interested *smiles*.
But it's because I didn't go to those supplementary classes that I am where I am now.
That's true! Of course.
Anyway, since that studio in Hie gave us a really cheap rate and made room to schedule us......
They weren't selfish.
Exactly, and the engineer was really kind to us too.
Usually engineers make the studio's needs the priority. Ah, were any of the others students then too other than you Yuuta-san?
No, Hide didn't even go for a year so it was just me I think. But I thought I wouldn't finish either *smiles*.
Yet you still enrolled *smiles*.
I just never went *smiles*. Imai-kun went to a design school so he had a lot of friends there. Because a lot of people there were musicians. LA-PPISCH's Kyoichi-san was there too but he was in a different year. There really was a lot of musicians there. Like the drummer of Der Zibet was there too. ......kinda sucked for me though you know......
Who did you become acquainted with then? That you're friends with now? *smiles*
No one, no one *smiles*. Anyway, as was the style at the time I had my hair spiked up but I got a lot of resentment for it. Because it was so alien from everything at my school. Even the teacher used to call attention to my appearance and be like, 'The hell is that!'.
Of course...because when you go into a company, you're surrounded by people who all have their hair parted on the side in the exact same way.
Oh! There was this other guy too who was heavy metal at my school *smiles*. He and I were very different but we were both underwent a lot of criticism. But other than him and I, the rest of the guys all looked like old geezers. With their polo shirts and their pant suits, they looked like typical dads *smiles*.
Getting back on topic...how did the recording go? Because it was your first time...did you find it went really well? or just so so...?
Well I wouldn't say it went really well, it's weird saying this but it just went in one shot you know? It was just like, let's do it! And then we did.
What do you mean by that?
Just that. It was just done in one shot. The guitar solo and the vocals were done separately after. But then everyone played together. Like Hide, Anii and I were all together.
We continued to digress in our discussion......he had a lot of stories from twenty years ago......
This is really old but I have a pilot version of 'Just One More Kiss'.
Sorry, what's a pilot version?
A pilot version is what they call a single record in the industry, with cassettes we'd pass out samples but not with CDs, but we did with records. Which reminds me yeah, we had a record too.
You did? So you gave out samples of it?
No no. We didn't have money for that. You mean the indies one right?
Ah, so you mean you got the actual record from your guarantor?
Yes, that's it......
Ah, but you don't have it anymore do you?
Nope...... I gave them away to everyone......
Maybe you'd have it lying around your house with your old things Yuuta-san.
I doubt it......
We digressed again and ended up talking about Toshima town hall...
Then we commemorated the release of 'Hurry Up Mode' at Toshima town hall. Ah, I'm going off topic again, sorry *smiles*.
I thought so......I'm sorry my memories are a little vague.
That's ok, I was there and even my memories are vague *smiles*.
You guys pasted the 'Buck-Tick Genshou' stickers everywhere yourselves didn't you?
Yes, they're old but I held onto some *smiles*. We all would plaster them everywhere we walked you know, so we could tell where we'd been.
*smiles* It's like......Hanzel and Gretel.
Because we'd just stick them anywhere we went and then suddenly we'd see them and be like oh! I've been here already *smiles*. I did that all the way to my house! I'd even put it on people's doors! So it'd be easy to see *smiles*. Because in those days, we were just trying to inform people any way we could you know, it's what you do when you're an amateur.
It's true, you didn't have the internet like now.
Do you think there's a lot of people reading this who didn't know this stuff? I wonder if this kind of information corner is ok?
Don't worry, I'm sure everyone will enjoy it. And next time you'll tell us about your debut right?
Yee~s!