2009/07/22＊Takuro
「Good morning」
We’re rehearsing for the festivals today. We’ll start lining up the amps now.
2009/07/22＊Takuro
「Candy House」
It’s the first song I heard by michelle. It was the opening theme for Music Square. If Abe hadn’t been the guitarist for michelle, the me in junior high school might’ve just given up on guitar before I’d barely even started. I wanted to play like that, so I tried copying him. But the thing is, no one can copy him.
May Abe rest in peace. I’m praying for his happiness in the next world.
2009/07/21＊Takuro
「Under the rainbow」
It already went down two days ago, but I’ll talk about GG09.
Not only the members of UNICORN and Dragon Ash, but everyone in the audience celebrated with me. I’m happy. That’s all I can really say. I’ve made another unforgettable memory. Having everyone sing “Happy Birthday” to me, you can’t get that anywhere. I really mean that. Returning backstage, I was seeing stars. When I was up on stage, I think hints of sadness, or hardship, or shyness or holding back my tears were all rising to the surface in my facial expression, so I really don’t want to see what they captured in the footage～. (laughs) I’m sure they were totally filming me though. Nhahaha.
All the fans and everyone who was at the venue, my friends and family, the 9mm team, George and all the GG staff, thank you very much. GG is being held for the 9th time next year, so… we’ll be waiting for your call. (laughs)
About that rainbow at the end. Appearing in Tokyo a little before 19, it was a double rainbow, bigger, clearer, more vivid and more beautiful than any other rainbow I’ve seen so far. I was gazing at it, sensing that it was congratulating me on the show and my birthday, but everyone else looking at it must’ve taken it to be just an omen of good luck. It’s not very often that people are able to create something as beautiful as rainbows, but music is always at least second best in that regard. The kind that reverberates in both your heart and your body.
Tomorrow we’re playing with the HIATUS at Shinkiba Coast!!
This was Takuro Sugawara (26). With that, later.
2009/07/16＊Takuro
「The rainy season has passed」
Sorry for not keeping in touch. 9mm is doing good. With so many events like the Daisanji Memai Taisen finale, Scandalous Night and Kyoto Daisakusen piling on top of each other, I haven’t had the time to write anything.
To add to that, we’re currently busy with a new song (practicing it at soundcheck before every show). After surviving the rough festival season and safely getting through Budokan, we’re scheduled to go into recording in the autumn. We don’t know what we’re going to come up with yet, but we’re of course going to make it good. I’d like to have this summer become a big inspiration for it.
Now then. I’m excited about standing on the stage of GG09 next week. I’m glad we’re able to perform with Dragon Ash again since our first appearance at GG. I’m really sorry to impose, but my birthday is also on the 19th and according to what I’ve heard, I was born at around 4 in the morning it seems. Thus, it’ll be a new version of me performing that day～. I’m hoping for your support. (laughs)
Watch out for summer fatigue, everyone. With that, later.
Our third summer festival, Kyoto Daisakusen. It was a fantastic event. I want to go agaaain (I gotta stop this).
2009/07/07＊Takuro
「The beginning of summer festivals and end of Taisen」
There was a clear sky and full moon on Tanabata. That’s the first time it’s happened to me as far as I can remember. I was most fond of Tanabata when in elementary school, but my memories of it from back then are all full of rain. I know it’s always clear above the clouds, but somehow it gives me a weird feeling this time. It’s a beautiful full moon, right opposite my veranda, all round and plump.
Shounan Otomatsuri the other day. We kicked off our summer festival shows in a relaxed mood. The sea is very visible from the venue. Looks like summer’s begun this year as well, huh. It was really fun, but I felt we need to quickly get back to our usual hard-hitting shows～. I’m very grateful to Yama Arashi for inviting us. Let’s definitely make what we talked about happen. 9mm’s a Yokohama band as well.
And then, the Daisanji Memai Taisen tour finale is tomorrow at last. I want to make everyone’s feelings go on full-throttle tomorrow. When one listens to 9mm songs, I don’t know whether it resounds in a bright place in that person, or some dark, melancholic place. Regardless of that, my feeling remains the same: let’s have fun tomorrow.
With that, later.
Pictured here is a bottle of Shounan Otomatsuri wine (they said there was only one).
2009/07/04＊Takuro
「Shounan Otomatsuri」
We’ve been busy busy since the Sapporo stop on the Daisanji Memai Taisen tour. Since we didn’t get a chance to give it away Sapporo, we gave the effect pedal to Eijun from THE BACK HORN. He was talking about using it in Tokyo, so look forward to that. However, I get the feeling we’ll just end up with 95% of the people not even being able to see that’s it’s Taki’s workmanship or anything～ (laughs)
Now then, tomorrow we’re playing at Shounan Otomatsuri. I went and bought sunscreen in preparation, the one promoted by Anna Tsuchiya in their CM. I want to avoid standing on stage at Budokan with a half-assed tan from the Summer festivals. Well, that plan changing halfway through and me playing Budokan all black isn’t completely out of the question, either. (laughs) I’ve always tanned poorly to begin with, like an elementary school student on his summer vacation.
It’s a nice evening. There are hints of summer. Let’s have fun with this year’s one well, everyone, no matter what may happen, because it always comes for us year after year, not even asking us for anything in return. With that, later.
2009/06/26＊Takuro
「Tonight it’s Beat It」
The day began with unbelievable news. We performed tonight and were indeed able to share our music together with everyone, making it a wonderful night. I’ll take that deep emotion and turn it into a prayer hoping for his happiness in the next world — just like an immeasurable number of other people are doing as well — as I begin to mourn.
With that, later. Good night.
2009/06/25＊Takuro
「It’s almost July!」
Fast! It’s been a week since Daisanji Memai Taisen in Fukuoka. I’m walking around Shibuya, dragging along my suitcase, when I stop to think “ah, I’ll just take the Toyoko Line (direct to Minatomirai line) and get straight to Yokohama.” I’ll look up at the Landmark Tower and think “oh dear, what would I do if it collapsed“… while eating a crepe as I worry about it (if there aren’t crepes, then navy curry will do). “Yeah, I’ll do that…” is what I was absentmindedly thinking… when I realized, no, we’re playing in Sendai tomorrow! Don’t worry, I’ve sorted out my thoughts. We’re heading there now. Taki and Kazuhiko are probably already there, doing radio appearances. Meanwhile, Takuro & Chihiro are on the highway. With it being such a sunny day, with the healthy paddy fields reflecting the sunlight and everything just being a lush green color, my eyes are in heaven. The sun is finally starting to go down. The days have gotten really long. With that, later.
