2012/03/10＊Takuro
「A good day」
Last year on March 11th, 9mm was about in a meeting, deciding when to have another meeting regarding the jacket of our new album at the time. The meeting was stopped, and like lots of other people, I walked my way through Tokyo to get home. Since then, our album was released as planned, we celebrated its release at Yokohama Arena, carried out a country-wide tour, did our annual end-of-the-year show and greeted the New Year.
Tomorrow, 9mm is planning to be in the rehearsal studio and spend our time practicing. Just practicing with the four of us, like always. With us so deep in concentration, we could be playing at 14:46, too. At that time, I think I’ll change my performance into a silent prayer.
With that, later. I wish you all a good day today.
PS. Tomorrow and the day after there are going to be all kinds of events all over the country. They have the “Shooting up to Heaven!” fireworks event at the Imperial Palace tonight, and though right now it looks to be snowing, I’m going to send strong cheers of support their way.
2012/03/09＊Takuro
「After GLAMORUS STUDY」
One week after the Shibuya O-nest 15th Anniversary on the 29th, the GLAMOROUS STUDY event we were challenged to do by HERE was a huge success. At the afterparty, we talked and talked until we could talk no more… laughed at the fact that we ended up conversing more with Hajimetal rather than HERE… and decided that we’re sure to play together again in the future. You don’t get to see that very often, you know. Thanks muchly to everyone who came.
As for 9mm’s March, we’ll be taking part in BOOM BOOM SATELLITES’ tour at Fukuoka & Hiroshima, and then at the beginning of April, we have a serious showdown with HAWAIAN6 in the form of a tour of Tokyo-Nagoya-Osaka, so look forward to that as well! (Because we are! (laughs))
2012/02/29＊Takuro
「The February that just slid past by」
Oh dear! We’ve had loads of events and news this month, and we’ve been playing shows at the end of each week, too. And yet, none of us in the band are writing here! If this wasn’t a leap year and tomorrow wasn’t February 29th, this would’ve been etched down into the 9mm history books as “the month with heaps of activity and yet not a word from the band themselves“! No but really, this was a seriously busy month for us. Just to name the venues… Yokohama Arena → Saitama Super Arena → Makuhari Messe, halls 9-11 → and finally, Shibuya O-nest. (laughs) Too awesome.
Shibuya O-nest’s 15th anniversary event, co-organized with 9mm, takes place tomorrow. It should be advertised on the freepapers right now. To begin with, the leap year and the 29th of February is meant to adjust the time; a day to set the balance straight. So let’s make it a proper show so that we’ll be prepared for resuming business as usual starting next year. Uh, I’m not sure what I mean by that, but in other words, what I’m trying to say is that let’s have fun tomorrow — a day that only comes once every four years that has a “9” in it. With that, later.
2012/01/27＊Takuro
「At the studio」
Scribbling down notes on new songs, working on arrangements, etc.
It’s another cold day in Tokyo.
2012/01/26＊Takuro
「A winter of ambition」
Lately I hear it at least once every couple of days. “We’ve entered the coldest time of the winter now.” Sure is an ambitious winter. Pretty soon it’ll have been a week since our show with People In The Box. It feels like we got a great reaction at the event. It happens a lot of the time, but everyone’s going “we should start doing this more often!” As I say “thanks to everyone who came, let’s make noise again next year!“, the demons around me burst into great laughter — though unfortunately for them, they’ll be driven out with beans next week.¹
We were mixing a certain song in the recording studio today. We’re working while getting all giddy listening to the sound coming out of the speakers. I want to have you all see and hear this soon. Look forward to it.
Visiting the CD shop, I noticed that the cro-magnons’ new release has come out. TAIJI at THE BONNET, too. Also, it seems ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION’s best-of album ranked number one on the Oricon charts. It feels really good when a cool rock band’s CD sells like hot cakes. We, too, will fix our postures and create songs even crazier than before. Ones that simply won’t allow you to sit still when you listen to them.
(Picking up where we left off the other day, tomorrow we’re planning on having another meeting with certain people from HERE. No one wrote about it on the blog, but we were creating our battle strategy together. This was on the night when even Tokyo had some snow accumulate.)
¹ A reference to a setsubun tradition.
2012/01/07＊Takuro
「ECLODEVICE」
ECLODEVICE is a brand started together by me and dop from Lessthan*. If you see 9mm on a magazine or somewhere and think “those clothes sure look cool“, there’s a high possibility that it’s Lessthan. At our shows, it’s 100%.
Now then. Lessthan* is a cool, rock fashion brand that will also take part in the Tokyo Collection. However, the partner to ECLO’s dop is me, an amateur. Up until now, I’ve taken the approach of taking it easy and if I happen to come up with a fun idea, I go “let’s make it happen.” This year, we’re going “Let’s increase our activities! Without changing our way of doing things!” So, we’ve created a website to begin with.
Right now there’s just a countdown ticking there (it actually started at the end of the year), but at this point there’s only two days’ worth left. The mystery will be solved on January 9th. (laughs) Is it going to be perhaps the announcement of our first item on sale…? I wonder…? Mmm, maybe I’m making it too obvious… fufufufufu…
Both those of you who like fashion and those who do not, I hear you’re both weak against countdowns (the hell?), so please check it out～.
2012/01/06＊Takuro
「2012 start」
Once again: Happy New Year.
For my New Year’s promises, I could pretty much just reprint the entire last blog by Kazuhiko. To those feeling a little forgetful due to New Years, please do check it again. I feel strongly about my decision of wanting to be even more riotous. I wanna take you higher, everyone. I ask you, I beg of you: let’s do this.
As for 9mm in 2012, although we were supposedly thinking “we spent all of last year touring, so this year we should just take it easy and write songs……” and whatnot, but before realizing it we’re just announcing more and more shows. (laughs) We’ll be fully operational like always.
For now I think I’ll just put up our live schedule until March. It’ll be longer than usual, so take your time.
1/21 (Sat) Akasaka BLITZ
HIMEHAZIME
w) People In The Box
First show of the year (officially… though we did play on New Years). Above all else, I’m looking forward to our first proper showdown in a while playing alongside People. I think those among our fans who have yet to experience People will be knocked out of their wits, so aside from listening to their CD’s, please do come in completely unprepared. (laughs)
1/31 (Tue) Hachioji Match Vox
w) MAXIMUM THE HORMONE
The return of the MMT 2011 extra edition. For details, please refer to the letter of challenge and our response to it. Of course, 9mm will be batting second like on the tour. We’ll just have to do it.
2/11 (Sat) Yokohama Arena
Version 21.1 fourth
We were invited to do this event arranged by the threesome of the telephones, OGRE YOU ASSHOLE and sakanaction. A gathering of bands from the same generation. When we played with THE BAWDIES at CDJ, we were talking about how we’ll have to go crazy since we were both invited to perform. I’m also happy about getting to see OGRE play live again.
2/19 (Sun) Saitama Super Arena
EMI ROCKS 2012
EMI’s ROCK event. It ought to be dazzling this time around as well. We’ll be announcing more details on this later.
2/26 (Sun) Makuhari Messe
DEVILOCK NIGHT THE FINAL
A tremendous honor. I think there’s going to be lots of instances of me going “ah man, to think I’m able to see this band play at Makuhari Messe!“
2/29 (Wed) Shibuya O-nest
nest 15th Anniversary with 9mm～
w) Meaning/SuiseiNoboAz
Moving on to O-nest in February after the three consecutive mass meetings. Anniversary with 9mm. I think this’ll be a super hot one. Leap year live!
3/08 (Thu) Shinjuku LOFT
HERE PRESENTS 「GLAMOUROUS STUDY: Point 6」
Playing alongside HERE. Before the actual show, we’re actually planning on meeting up for dinner and devising strategies for it (laughs). So, I ask that you look forward to it. It’s gonna be no-nonsense～. Hajimetal might be there, too.
3/22 (Thu) Fukuoka DRUM LOGOS
3/23 (Fri) Hiroshima CLUB QUATTRO
BOOM BOOM SATELLITES 「BRAND NEW CHAPTER-GARDEN OF DELIGHT」
We were summoned to join BOOM BOOM SATELLITES’ tour featuring other bands. They previously played on 9mm Day, but this time it’s the other way around. How will BOOM BOOM’s audience react to 9mm? More than anything, I’m happy I’ll get to see them perform on two nights in a row. I’m looking forward to it.
Phew! That was long! That must’ve been hell for the Twitter-inclined. Thanks for keeping me company.
And like that, we’ll be plunging onwards towards March. We’re planning on getting started with songwriting from the start of the year. The shows have lots of variety in venue capacities and other bands on the bill. You and us, let’s all get tougher. Let’s go at it with even more gusto than before.
With that, we’ll be hoping for your support this year, too!!
2011/12/31＊Takuro
「Last 3 days of the year」
We played our shows at RADIO CRAZY and COUNT DOWN JAPAN. It was our first time at CRAZY and Nth time at CDJ. Both of them had amazing amounts of people there to see us. Thank you very much.
9mm’s already playing their first show of the New Year tonight. Have a good New Years’, everyone.
If everything goes according to the weather forecast, it looks like the area of the Tohoku region close to the Pacific Ocean will be getting a beautiful first sunrise of the New Year. There are people from all walks of life in both the areas that have gotten considerably better as well the areas that are still experiencing difficult times, but it’d be nice if everyone got to start off their New Year with a pretty sunrise.
The forecast for the sky in Tokyo, by the way… I saw it but forgot what they said. At this right, it’ll probably be sunny. Maybe.
Everyone who’s coming to the show (or those of you who are already at the venue), I’ll see you later.
To those of you spending it with your family, friends or lover, those who will possibly be alone, those who have work… Everyone, I respectively wish you all a happy New Year’s Eve. With that, later.
※ Some pretty amazing cuisine¹ they had at Osaka Namiki and the backstage area of CDJ.
¹ “Tuna, half-killed & fried“
2011/12/30＊Takuro
「Let’s go, Makuhari」
The rays of sunlight feel nice. You can see the Sky Tree there. I guess it only looks small because of the distance. Now then everyone, if you’ll excuse me. Let’s meet at the venue.
2011/12/17＊Takuro
「Utsunomiya → Sendai」
Our updated goods went on sale starting yesterday.
The new sticker package is nice! Looks like some parts you’d find at a music shop!
Alright. We’re heading into soundcheck now.
