2009/01/24＊Takuro
1/24 (Sat) Hiroshima NAMIKI JUNCTION
I’m writing today before our turn on stage. Masudore’s playing right now and it’s shaking all the way back here in the dressing room. 9mm might really be snow men as it’s again snowing just like it did last year. NAMIKI however is a venue that gets really hot, so we’re gonna kick some ass. With that, here we go.
※ The staff pass that comes with the limited edition first pressing of the DVD. Don’t get me wrong, this is the one I’m currently using — the version actually included will be different.
2009/01/24＊Taki
This is Taki.
The tour’s already in its final stages. Since the New Year’s started, we’ve had a great time playing with POLYSICS and SPECIAL OTHERS. POLY put on great shows. We’d get in high tensions just from watching them play, making us put on a good show as well. POLY’s new song is really cool! I learned it by ear while watching their rehearsal. What a luxurious way of copying something by ear.
As for SPECIAL OTHERS, I personally hadn’t had any contact with them before, but they really took good care of us and we became good friends. We always jammed with them before the shows and it was pretty high quality and fun, too. In a sense that only band guys will get, it was deeply meaningful “messing about“.
We’re playing with Masudore starting today. Looking forward to it!
The picture is of Napoleon-kun I received from the predecessor of Iichiko(!), Sanwa Shurui. Just because of the fact that I’m in a band, I was able to receive something this awesome. I’m really happy.
POLYSICS, SPECIAL OTHERS, Iichiko, thank you!
This was Taki.
2009/01/23＊Takuro
1/23 (Fri) Fukuoka → Hiroshima
Last night we kept on eating motsunabe with SPECIAL OTHERS, promising to play together again. Listening to a recording of our final jam at the hotel, it sounded pretty good. I was listening to it half-asleep yesterday after writing the blog, but it still sounds good after waking up today. I’ve no idea when, but I’d like to make it an actual band some time. Kyushu really became a great experience. We were all unanimously saying at the wrap-up how we’d all learned a lot. Once again, SPECIAL OTHERS and everyone who came to see us in Kyushu, thank you.
Starting tomorrow we’re playing with Masudore! To think that a day when we can tour together like this would come… it’s deeply moving. I look forward to it! See you tomorrow.
2009/01/22＊Takuro
「Last day of Kyushu」
1/22 (Thu) Fukuoka DRUM Be-1
Our wrap-up party with SPECIAL OTHERS got so festive, I’m unable to write anything.
Good night.
2009/01/21＊Takuro
「It’s not because I’m tall either」
1/21 (Wed) Nagasaki→ Fukuoka
It was already looking suspicious as we left Nagasaki, and in Fukuoka it’s unfortunately raining. After arriving at our hotel, I borrowed an umbrella and headed to shop by myself. Walking the streets of Hakata is fun. It feels like it’s one of a kind. I bought John Frusciante’s new album today. He’s my favorite artist. I’m listening to it as I write this and I’d already call it the best release of the year. I’ll probably just listen to this exclusively for a while (a year or so). After leaving the CD shop, I went to Mister Donut and set out while munching when a man with a familiar face appeared in front of me. It was DJ Kurizen (Zentarou Kurita). We parted after exchanging quick greetings of “see you at the show tomorrow“. I continued strolling about for a while more. Dropping by all the stores lined up, doing window shopping, leaving stores getting satisfied. Then as I thought I’d get back, I met Serizawa from SPECIAL OTHERS. I often run into people after coming out of buildings. I get told it’s because of my hair, but I don’t think it’s that. Serizawa had took a wrong turn on his way back to the hotel it seemed. So, we decided to walk back together, but we ended up making another wrong turn. After getting back to my room, there were about five little bags dangling from my hand when I realized there was not one souvenir in them. I think I’ll look for a set meal shop in the neighborhood tomorrow and eat some proper food. While I’m at it, I’ll get some souvenirs. With that, see you at the show tomorrow.
2009/01/21＊Staff
The adult way of playing.
↑ Example 1
Taki the runaway
↑ Example 2
Kazuhiko the reckless driver
↑ Example 3
Chihiro the reverse runner
After chanpon, we wanted to have some fun (lol)
We’ll now be commuting from Nagasaki to Fukuoka.
2009/01/20＊Takuro
「Bring iiit」
1/20 (Tue) Nagasaki DRUM BE-7
With the chanpon shop behind BE-7 having their regular holiday and the HARD OFF in the neighborhood having closed shop (they’re moving?), today’s was a show of trying to overcome these two regrettable coincidences. There were some troubles as well but overall it was good, and playing “Sundome” after a while was nice. The post-soundcheck jam continues to get better as well. Today’s version was considerably nice so I wish we’d recorded it. I think I’ll look for a simple recorder in Fukuoka. Not that there are any plans whatsoever to release it or anything, don’t get me wrong.
In the end, we got our revenge by going to eat chanpon at Ringer Hut, so we can head on over to Fukuoka without any regrets. Once returning to my hotel room, Obama’s presidential inaugural speech was airing. The audience was really fired up. Just goes to show that a live is a live. I don’t know the man at all, but I was thinking he sure has great fans. With that, thank you Nagasaki. See you tomorrow.
2009/01/19＊Takuro
1/19 (Mon) Kagoshima → Nagasaki
The streets of Nagasaki are busy with the preparations for a matsuri, so there’s lots of paper lanterns dangling about. It’s like a Chinese or Korean matsuri — someone told me a little about it but I forgot. There are lanterns (is that what you call them?) of giraffes, ostriches, pandas, the whole assortment regardless of nationality, lined up at the park. The streets don’t really feel Japanese-y, so it feels like we’re in a foreign country.
Our commute from Kagoshima today took us about 5 hours. Once you step out of the car after being inside one for that long, this light sort of car sickness and listless feeling lingers on. I wonder what it is… maybe the vibrations from being in the car still keep continuing. It’s the same even if you sleep. Tomorrow we won’t have to travel by car as much, so don’t worry about me. It’s been a while since we were last in Nagasaki. Let’s do this.
2009/01/19＊Staff
9mm is on their way from Kagoshima to Nagasaki.
With such fine weather and clear skies, I was able to take some soothing pictures.
『Black and white』
↑ *sits*
↑ Obstructing his bashing in the sun.
(If you look closely, you can see the white cat is in Black Kazuhiko’s shadow)
2009/01/18＊Takuro
「Jam session number 2」
1/18 (Sun) Kagoshima CAPARVO HALL
It seems all the shows for our ’09 tour are sold out. Thank you. The Kagoshima crowd was fired up as well! And there being a 9mm phrase during the jam section… great. Made me laugh. Also, excluding the Zepp venues, CAPARVO HALL was probably the biggest venue we’re playing on this tour. The dressing room was amusing as there was this hole in the ceiling as if it was a prefabricated house. If it was sunny, it would’ve looked really nice but it was unfortunately raining. We’ll have to visit Sakurajima the next time we’re here. Also, as for our post-soundcheck jam, it’s gradually getting better. Today it was Ryota on drums, Serizawa on keyboards, Taki on guitar and me on bass. There was also Yagi on pianica(?) today. Even though more than half of the members are from SPECIAL OTHERS, right now the band’s called 4.5mm Parabellum Bullet. I hope we’ll come up with a better name before we part ways. We’re commuting to Nagasaki tomorrow and in the evening we’ll be doing a radio appearance I think, so check that out! I’m tired so that’s all for now, see you tomorrow～.
