U-TA TALKS
-A Compilation of the Secret Stories of B-T-
Regarding [Shapeless/Six-Nine/COSMOS]
Shapeless-released August 24th, 1994. Six/Nine- 8th album, released May 15th, 1995. COSMOS-9th album, released June 21st, 1996.
Translation: Lola
So I'd like you to start talking about [Shapeless]. This wasn't an original album right?
At that time we had thought lets do a photo book, so part of [Shapeless] is a photo book. We all went to Turkey for the photo shoot. When I think about the music now, I'm amazed because we had some really famous people do the remixes for us. Now we wouldn't be able to do that.
What was so amazing about those people?
A few years after they did the remixes for us they took a huge break. Now, people wouldn't have the gall to ask. So we were really lucky back then.
What sort of places were the photos taken in?
Places without many people around, because otherwise they couldn't really take photos right. So they took photos in places like ruins, and then even right in the middle of the town. There were some taken in Istanbul too. Oh, and we also did a live in Istanbul.
Really?! You mean at the same time as when you went to do the photo book?
Yes, we did a live then too *smiles*. We were in some sort of live house type place so we told them we were a Japanese band. And so we ended up performing.
But of course this wasn't planned was it?
It wasn't planned at all. I think we played 'Speed' or something like that. I don't really remember too well now but there was sort of this feeling of disappointment for us after. Like, 'god that was awful'.
The place you performed in was only filled with locals right?
Yes, yes, of course. They seemed to really get into it. You know they were all, 'oo~ a Japanese band'. I think we still had some makeup on too from the photo shoot earlier that day.
Ah, so you looked good to perform on stage then?
Yes, yes. I didn't have my hair up though.
Please continue on with [Six/Nine].
God, well that was a time of really super hard recording.
Your schedule was rather insane leading up to this album as well with all the various stuff going on....
Yeah but up till that point we had gotten relatively comfortable with the pace. Like if we were really busy and couldn't finish songs we could just say, hold on a bit but with this album, we had to get the songs done rapidly.
Up till then you'd release about 10 songs per album but then with [Six/Nine] there was 16, that's a lot more.
Yes, exactly. It was just really gh...like we left the drum settings on all the time so that we could record right away when we'd get into the studio. So then we'd have to go to a different studio to practice. Can you imagine? Usually once the rhythm section is done recording, we dismantle the drum set completely right but this time we'd leave everything out just as it was. Then because we still had to put in things like the guitars, we'd practice and check in another studio and then if they were good, we'd go back to the recording studio to put them in.
That's pretty crazy.
And because the release date had been decided, there was a definite end time. But really......there was just no way we could do it you know.
But when you decided on the release date, you hadn't decided yet on the number of songs right?
I think we talked about it to a certain degree but it was Imai-kun who kept saying that he wanted to do all these things at the time. That's what made it crazy.
Was it like previously? Where even during recording you had to do TV and magazine interviews?
At that time it was just recording. Very intense recording.
Were there any songs that caused some trouble?
Nothing troublesome per say but 'Uta' was very different from any other song we had done before.
It's true. I think the fans felt that way as well.
......seriously, the recording for this album was really intense *smiles*. It was like 'oh god~ when will it end?'.
And the number of songs increased even while you were recording.
But that was because Imai-kun was so incredibly driven to do them you know. Like he'd come in, record the guitar for one song then go home and write another. But because it was something he wanted to do, it felt good to do it all. It's not like we had to force ourselves to do it. It's just that it was hard to give it shape. Imai-kun didn't say this but, I think that was his most productive time. It seemed there wasn't enough time for all the things he wanted to do. So when it came time to tour the album, it felt like we had the best theme yet, a full one album tour.
Because until then you wouldn't just play songs from the album you were touring with.
Right. But because this album was so powerful on its own and the songs were also easy to understand, it flowed well by itself. And I think it was at that time that our form and our image started to come through more and more.
I'd like you to tell us now about the colours of the CD case.
Yes, yes, yes *smiles*.
So there's a purple case and a red case.
I have the purple one *smiles*.
Um, so first it was released with the purple casing but then there was a little incident and then after that it was re-released with the red case right.
Well that might have been the first press but there was another regular case that was limited as well.
A regular case? You mean the purple one wasn't the only one?
It wasn't, there was a clear one too.
What do you mean there was a clear one?
Like you said, the first press was purple. Then a little after the first press was released, there were a few that came out with just a regular clear case. But then after that because of the incident you mentioned both the clear case and the purple ones were taken off the shelves and the red ones were released. So you see, in a way there's also a limited edition clear case.
Afterwards, you released a best of album called [CATALOGUE 1987-1995] right?
Well it was more of a collection of our singles.
So it's not like there was any change or movement with it for the members was there?
No. There wasn't.
So next was [COSMOS].
Hiruma-san was our engineer for this wasn't he.
What are some memories you have of this album?
Hmm......I think this album went relatively smoothly didn't it.
It was completely different from when you did [Six/Nine] right?
Yeah *smiles*. There weren't that many songs either.
And you played a big part in the pop PV didn't you?
In 'Candy', yes. That's the one that Anii and I grew beards for right. Usually in PVs it's the vocalist that does most of the stuff but for this one, it's the rhythm section......it's weird.
That PV was unlike any you guys had done before.
See, that's because Furufuru directed it.
You mean Furukawa-san from Guniw Tools right.
Yeah, I think that's why it felt so completely different from anything we'd done before.
While the title of the album is 'Cosmos', the tour was called 'Chaos'. It implies that sort of 'life' and 'death' theme but why was that chosen at that time?
We've had that sort of theme since [darker than darkness]. [darker~],[Six/Nine] and [COSMOS] were like part of a series. That was the image we were trying to solidify with these albums as we toured them.
So you put out [COSMOS] and graduated from Victor.
Well, we can't go into that too deeply though right *smiles*. Basically Victor's policy changed. So I think there were quite a few bands that left Victor at that time. I guess the times changed after that. In the past everything revolved around the actual record company but nowadays it's all about offices.
Ok, and we can't talk about it anymore due to the mature nature of the subject.
Ha ha ha! Yeah it's way too heavy for this issue *smiles*.
So those were the years from 94 to 96. Looking back on those years, what sort of period would you say it was?
We completed the things we wanted to do bit by bit......I'd say it was a time when we could do what we wanted without deviating from that. It seems like we could do whatever we wanted both in recording and in lives. It was a time when we didn't even have to have meetings to discuss what we'd do, it was just like 'Right, let's do this'. We still put thought into what we were doing of course but back then, it was like there was no one to hold us back.
Because you were surrounded by people who understood Buck-Tick's style.
Yeah, you're right.
Now say a word about what it was like being 29~30 years old.
Uh *smiles*. .........ok, well~......I'd like to say that it was a time when I didn't make mistakes.