YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT LISTENING TO THIS!!
Let's Listen!!
Translation by Lola
Matsutouya Yumi
-[Benisuzume] released March 5th,1978.
-[Ryuusenkei '80] released November 5th, 1978.
-[OLIVE] released July 20th, 1979.
-[Kanashii hodo otenki] released December 1st, 1979.
-[Toki no nai Hotel] released June 21st, 1980.
-[SURF & SNOW] released December 1st, 1980.
-[Mizu no naka no Asia he] mini album released May 21st, 1981.
-[Sakuban Oaishimashou] released November 1st, 1981.
The awesomeness of Matsutouya Yumi!!
So~ this is all I brought for today.
~Mr. Yagami begins to stack the eight CDs he brought into piles of two.~
You know what this means, right? For every year from 1978 until 1981, Matsutouya Yumi put out two albums a year! Ok, well one of them in '81 was a mini album but still! *smiles* On top of that, she was touring at the same time, I mean how amazing is that! That's talent!!
I know during the time of our debut we were told that too, that "To create one song is a talent but to be able to create so many, that's a gift!"
She had been married for about three years by that point which I knew because I was following her avidly(1).
Anyway, around that time she came to Gunma's music centre while on tour and I had seen her for the first time when I was in high school, and yet again I was blown away by her set.
But what surprised me the most was the stage was on an angle and, there were lights set up to do a countdown from thirty minutes before the concert started. It was pretty exciting. And right when the counter hit 00:00, the show started. There's no way in hell BUCK-TICK could manage that! *laughs*
At the beginning of this year there was an event to commemorate her 40th anniversary at the Budoukan, "The Golden Circle" with Teraoka Yohito (JUN SKY WALKER(S)).
I was invited to go and meet her and so I did and said, "I've been your fan since junior high" *laughs*. And the renowned Hosono Haruomi was there too (2).
The incredible thing is, all her original band mates from her early days were there. As for the concert, I just watched in complete silence, not wanting to miss a single beat.
What's the difference between Arai Yumi and Matsutouya Yumi?
Arai Yumi first showed up in the 70s, and as you might expect her concerts were very music oriented. However, when she became Matsutouya Yumi, she seemed to put on more of a show during lives, that's the difference I'd say. She even says herself, "I couldn't hold back if I wanted to progress." I mean her show was a full on circus, complete with elephants (3)! And at the Zushi marina, she even had synchronized swimmers! *laughs*
Isn't that Matsutouya Yumi?!
It's kind of a famous story about the design of the CD jacket used for "Sakuban Oaishimashou" but anyway, she used the English art design group Hipgnosis, who are known for doing cover art for artists like Pink Floyd. But the truth is, the girl on the cover isn't actually Matsutouya Yumi *smiles*. They probably just found someone who looked like her.
Which songs are your favorites?
'Futou wo wataru kaze' from "Ryuusenkei '80". And 'Corvet 1954'. She does a duet with Kisugi Takao-san on that one. She had a lot of guest vocals in her songs in those days. Like on "Kanashii hodo otenki", Ueda Masaki-san sings in '78 (seventy-eight)', even though it's just that one part *smiles*. And on 'Koibito to konai de' from "SURF & SNOW" she does a duet with the now deceased Okada Masumi-san.
Notes: (1) Before her marriage, she recorded under her birth name of Arai Yumi.
(2) Also known as Harry Hosono. Best known for his work with the rock band, Happy End and the electronic music band, Yellow Magic Orchestra.
(3) I initially thought he must be joking, or meant images of a circus on a screen but no. Matsutouya Yumi had a tour that featured a complete circus, trapeze artists and all. Her shows are like Vegas-style spectacles.