U-TA TALKS
-A Compilation of the Secret Stories of B-T-
Regarding [TABOO/Aku no Hana]
3rd album, released January 18th, 1989. 4th album, released February 1st, 1990.
Translation: Lola
You released your first single 'Just One More Kiss' during your [SEVENTH HEAVEN] tour and the album [TABOO] was released on the day of the tour's finale.
Yes, that was our most crazy time you know. Like you said, while on tour for the previous album, the next one was released. So we were rather panicked with all that.
[TABOO] was recorded overseas right?
Yeah, it was just the single 'Just One More Kiss' that was recorded in Japan.
Oh I see. So the single was recorded in Japan and then you went to London to record the rest?
We recorded the single about three months earlier, in summer. So, it really was meant as a single by itself. That's why it was used for a commercial.
Right. Um...which one was it again......?
A CDian commercial.
Oh right! It said, "For bass like Buck-Tick".
Yeah *smiles*.
Was the song made for the commercial then?
No it was more that it was a song that could work for that. But it wasn't made especially for the commercial.
But rather than just have 'Just One More Kiss' as a single, it was put on [TABOO] as well.
Yes. We wondered if it would fit, being on [TABOO]. I don't think we would have done something like that normally. Because it was kinda different from the style of the other songs.
So it wasn't like now where you pick songs from the ones that will be on the album was it?
Right.
You decided to record [TABOO] overseas but how did that come about?
We just thought wouldn't it be interesting to do it overseas.
There was a lot of jumping around at that time wasn't there. The previous two works contained songs from your indies days and while you were recording the last album you had to run around doing radio shows which took time away from recording....
Yeah. But it ended up feeling the same when we went to London so, our producer over there was quite angry.
But it's not like you had to skip recording time in London to do radio shows right?
No but we only had about one month to record which isn't much so, the people over there felt rushed to wrap everything up. So they told us. They said, over there they usually take about three months to record what we want to do. They wanted more studio time and more time to discuss the recording. So it was just too little time to do what we wanted. And then they told us we had to understand that if we want to record there in such a short time, when we come in, everything we do has to be perfect. So that angered our producer.
You went to London without having had the time to prepare properly in Japan right.
Right. We went with more than half the album not yet written, so really we'd work on it as we'd talk about it in the studio. It was an insane way to record.
You also had cameras following you when you went to record in London didn't you.
That's right. So we had to do a lot of interviews too and because of that we were almost busier than before. People from music magazines followed us all the way to London. And if we had a tiny bit of free time, we'd have to go do photo shoots.
You thought things would be calmer if you recorded outside of Japan but......even so things were hectic.......
Yeah, but you know we were busy from around the time of [SEVENTH HEAVEN] but at least our sound recording was complete. I was just glad I didn't have to go around signing stuff during recording *smiles*. It felt like we were all roommates while we were recording. Like one family renting two flats, we were about ten people......me and the other members, our manager and our roadies. We were split into two groups living together. That was a first.
You did lives over there too didn't you?
Yup, we did, yeah. We did a sort of battle of the bands with one of the regular bands from there in a live house. Well a very tiny live house.
Was there a reason behind the decision to do a live? Yes. Because we thought by doing a live we might appear on TV over there for one song maybe. I'd say it was like the MTV of today. And I remember that Der Zibet came to see us.
Huh!? They came to the live?
Yeah, because they were recording over there at the same time so, they came to see us.
Was the recording a learning experience for you?
Recording, hm. It was because it was our first time being involved as producers. Up till then we'd never really been properly involved in the producing part of it. So, we had to be taught the technical aspects of recording along with the more artistic elements.
Did you find what you learned during that time useful in the long run?
I think it was useful, yeah. Now a lot of those things might be obvious but, that's because now we really understand them. And we understand because we had the chance to be the producers. We learned from it. We weren't just recording artists, we were professionals who could ask other professional artists their opinion.
After the recording you did the [SEVENTH HEAVEN] tour right?
That's right. That's why everything was so messy at that time. We recorded 'Just One More Kiss' in Japan, then we went to London to record [TABOO], then 'Just One More Kiss' was released on October 26th 1988 and while promoting 'Just One More Kiss' we were doing the [SEVENTH HEAVEN] tour from October to December, then on January 18th 1989 [TABOO] was released while we had the [SEVENTH HEAVEN] tour finale on the 19th and 20th of January and we announced the live as being called [TABOO].
I see......you looked at the chronology table in advance didn't you *smiles*. For the tour finale of [SEVENTH HEAVEN] Buck-Tick played for the first time in Budoukan right?
Yes, yes, yes. We called it 'Sabbat' didn't we? We played 'ICONOCLASM'. Yes, yes. I'm finally remembering things clearly *smiles*. But like, imagine if I said now that we'd finished recording [memento mori] immediately after the start of the [Tenshi no Revolver] tour. That would seem rather insane wouldn't it.
You're right it would. It'd be hard to go back to doing things that way. Were you nervous playing for the first time in Budoukan?
I wasn't actually. Somehow, I mean I was more dumbfounded than anything else. I felt like, 'Wow, so this is Budoukan?'.
After that you did the [TABOO] tour, were things still hectic then?
Yeah. We were all busy together, up till that point.
Then you had a brief pause in activity after that.
That's right. But you know, if we hadn't had that break maybe we wouldn't have continued.
You still believe that even now?
Absolutely!
Because you were too busy?
Because we didn't know what was going on. It just felt like we had to get out. It was always next, next, next, we didn't even have time to stop and think about what we were doing. It was really a time where we were far too rushed.
Did it make you anxious, suddenly having free time after being so busy?
No....... It finally gave us time to reassess everything. Not just for us but for the staff too. I mean everyone was running around way too much. So, because we finally had some free time we could actually decide on which direction we wanted to go in. From that point on, everyone knew where Buck-Tick stood as a band. We didn't release anything for a year. We weren't really making TV appearances. Until that point, we were treated as a newbie band and appeared on quite a few variety shows but, not only because we were young but also because it was normal to do so at the time right.
Then at the end of '89, you had a comeback live but how did that come about?
Hn? ......well I guess it's ok to talk about it. I mean look, it's because we had already recorded [Aku no Hana] before the live.
Ah, I see now. That's why you were able to release the single and the album in January and February of 1990.
Yes, right. Because we had already completed the recording for [Aku no Hana].
You didn't have to work on anything else.
Right. We made it while we discussing it. I think that may have been the most time we were given to work as a band.
Because you could just concentrate on recording....
And on composing too. Truly, the recording of that album went exactly as planned. And because we had time for the record company too, we made promotion videos for each song of the album. Because we were given the time to think about it, we were able to do it.
Were all of the PVs filmed before the comeback live?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Of course the 'Aku no Hana' single was filmed well ahead of time. We were busy at that time but at least we understood why we were busy and what was going on. I think that's why it really felt complete.
Right, so let's talk about the song that was paired with the 'Aku no Hana' single.
No, it's ok we don't have to, it's embarrassing.
No no, tell us *smiles*. 'Under the Moon Light' is the only song for which you wrote the lyrics Yuuta-san right.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I wrote 'em.
What sort of mood were you in when you wrote the lyrics?
None really, I just figured hey, I'd like to write lyrics. And because there was the chance to do it during that time, Anii also wrote lyrics. But from around that time and onward, lyric writing became very important to Acchan so he did most of it, and his are of a much different nature *smiles*.
Why is it you haven't played this song live? You didn't even play it during the tour of the album did you?
*smiles* I'm sure there are a few songs we haven't done. But it's because it was paired on a single....... Well, it also had to do with the tone of the songs during the [Aku no Hana] tour so, you know this song was a little too light-hearted for the rest of them so we didn't do it.
Yet even after the song has been requested many times you still haven't performed it.
Hmmmmm, right. But, see that's because since we never even played it once, it's like a new song so it would be quite difficult to play now. I'd have to be brave enough too *smiles*. Well, if we ever did it one day I'm sure it'd be fun.
[Aku no Hana] followed three consecutive releases since your indies album [HURRY UP MODE]. And because your indies version of [HURRY UP MODE] become so expensive during that time you asked that it be re-released.
Ah, that wasn't good either. Well, it was a remix right. There were some people who never heard the original. So we played the remixed songs during lives but, there were still people who said they wanted the original.
After your comeback you once again plunged into doing lives.
We did, yeah. Probably because our staff had a lot of ideas too. Like playing at the Seibu stadium and doing an arena tour.
You did a great number of lives during that time didn't you?
Yes, yes. Our next tour was even more amazing, with what we were able to do. I just figured, we could do anything *smiles*.
I see *smiles*.
*while glancing at the list of events during that time* But man, I gotta say I'm looking at it and I'm shocked we did all this in one year.
*smiles* The album tour, the Seibu stadium show and the arena tour among other lives... were all planned separately and if you include the comeback live within that year, that's five big things.
Right. Did we really do all that in one-year?
Yes you did *smiles*.
Man, I can't believe it. Honestly I think it'd be impossible if we tried that now *smiles*.
Finally, how would you summarize this period of time......?
We discovered our style......through putting out albums, doing lives and the way we worked, it felt like we became identifiable, like yes, this is our style. It felt a little like now our style could be differentiated from others.