U-TA TALKS
-A Compilation of the Secret Stories of B-T-
Regarding [Kurutta Taiyou/darker than darkness]
Kurutta Taiyou-5th album, released February 21st, 1991. Koroshi no Shirabe This is NOT Greatest Hits- 6th album, released March 21st, 1992. darker than darkness-7th album, released June 23rd, 1993.
Translation: Lola
I'd like you to tell us about any memories or incidents you recall during the recording of [Kurutta Taiyou].
As you know, now we always have Hiruma-san as our engineer right but, that was the first album he worked on. I've known him since our Indy days. If you're wondering how, well it's because back then he was in ROGUE. ROGUE had gone major but at that time, the drummer brought Hiruma-san to my place, where I lived with Anii. That's when we met. And then sometime after that, we met again in Victor's studio. And it was like oh hey~ long time no see. After that, he worked with us for [Kurutta Taiyou], for the first time.
So even though you two had been acquainted, that was the first time you actually worked together. And now he's become an indispensable part of the Buck-Tick staff when you're recording hasn't he? But what did you think of him back then?
I thought wow, he's really strict. Well I mean strict in comparison to all the work we had done here and overseas before that. There was some communication issues around the time the album came out. So we thought why not try a Japanese engineer. While many were recommended to us, we chose Hiruma-san, of course. And that's when our sound really changed for the better.
What was your impression of Hiruma-san in those days?
He hasn't changed, at all. So with an engineer who thinks outside the box, we can actually do the things we talk about.
But the miscommunication issues and the fact that Hiruma-san was Japanese and not foreign wasn't the only reason you chose him though was it?
It was things like...where we wanted to go with the sound you know. There were some minor details as well but... Like there had been a lot of young people telling us, "We love what you do!!" I think but with [Kurutta Taiyou] our audience range broadened the most. But everyone tends to think that happened with [Aku no Hana]....
Even in the office, most people's favourite songs are on that album it's true.
I think everyone thought that but, it's actually not the case...anyway, this ends up tying into [Koroshi no Shirabe]. Because that's when we decided, hey why not try redoing some songs. We thought it'd be interesting. So, that's how we ended up re-recording them all.
So you re-recorded the songs for [Koroshi no Shirabe] with Hiruma-san right.
He arranged them all perfectly. That's why it was called, [This is NOT Greatest Hits] that's such an Imai-esque title though.
Meaning it's not a best hits album right.
Yes, yes!!
I get the impression that even during interviews back then the band members even said the same, like it's just the same as usual, it's not a best hits album, or something like that.
Of course we didn't call it a best hits album because if you do that, it sounds like you're finished...*smiles*. Not to mention we hadn't even been together for ten years at that point *smiles*. So yeah, calling it best hits, kinda......makes it sound like you're completely over.
And that's why you used 'NOT' right.
I felt that...having old songs from the past on [Koroshi no Shirabe] was...how can I say it ah...like they fit really well even with our recent songs so, because of that I thought they'd work really well live you know. That's why, when we did the "Climax Together" live at that time, the new versions of the old songs worked so well and felt current.
Because you were able to do both old songs from your Indy days and more current songs, the lives became easier for you as well didn't they.
Yes. Perhaps if we'd just mixed things up as usual...it would have been terrible and awkward. *smiles* So I'm really glad the styles meshed. There was a contrast in the quality of the sound with [Kurutta Taiyou]...compared with previous albums in that it actually was what we wanted to come out.
You do a lot of the [Koroshi no Shirabe] version of songs during lives. Right, what about the next album [darker than darkness]?
This album honestly, took us an incredibly long time to get through. We really felt like, we weren't doing anything at that time you know...for sure.
But how can you say that when [Kurutta Taiyou] came out in 1991, then [Koroshi no Shirabe] in 1992 and [darker than darkness] right after in 1993...?
Huh? No way, you're kidding right?! Ah ha ha~!!
But I guess you mean you didn't do new songs right away after [Kurutta Taiyou] right. So when you think about it, it was two years in between new work and that's a little long isn't it. Was this your 93rd song? That's why you put it at 93? To play around with it as a hidden track. But at the time what sort of style were you going for?
Gradually we were able to be more and more free. Since we'd put out a number of albums, I think there was this feeling of wanting to try something even more interesting. And for this album, we tried our best to change the image completely from what we'd done previously. But it was difficult. I mean we had to...keep the mood throughout.... And at that time, we weren't that skilled at that yet.
Other than that how did recording go....?
It was hard.
Were there certain songs that caused you trouble?
Almost all of them!! Fuhaha...!! But I knew it was something I had to get through which was...a little different for me.
So you first worked with Hiruma-san for [Kurutta Taiyou] but wasn't there someone you worked with for the first time for [darker than darkness]?
..........Yoko-chan!! (Mr. Yokoyama Kazutoshi)
~~~Checking Yoko-chan's work history~~~
I see he worked on [Dress] and [Kirameki no naka de...] for this album.
I'm so glad I was able to meet Yoko-chan. Until we had him to work with...our way of doing things like synthesizing was a little different, we had been doing more of a loop with the sound back then.
What was your impression of him?
I thought he looked serious~.
And is your impression different now?
No. He's still serious now too. Oh right, this is the album that got a perfect score from 'Music Magazine'.
Looking back at that time, what would you say?
Ah well...gradually our way of doing things...like how we presented lives...we all were starting to think of differently, like we realized there weren't that many things that we couldn't do well. I guess you could say we figured that out then through trial and error.... And even if we were good at the same things as other people we figured ah well that's just how it goes you know.
Everyone felt that way?
Well I don't know if they felt that way per say...but that was the atmosphere you know.