2008/04/05＊Taki
This is Taki. Our songwriting camp a while back was really fun. We wrote a lot of songs which we’ll now be practicing a lot. Right after that, we had more shows lined up and due to the excessive drinking and muscular pain that goes with them, I’m completely exhausted. I thought I’d die. Looks like I’ll have dark circles under my eyes.
For our show at JCB Hall, everyone was excited as there was talk of there being our figures on display there. I took advantage of the occasion to also lined up my handmade effect pedals. They were not for sale though. I was really happy to get to show everyone my own work so it was well worth doing. Pictured here is a headphone amp I finished making yesterday. I’ll explain it to you just in case, but the headphone amp seems to be a magical box that improves the sound of headphones. Hmmm.
Making my own effect pedals is fun, but lately as I’ve also grown an interest in making my own ramen, I went and bought a cheap pressure cooker. I want to try my best to make ramen that has punch. Once I manage to make delicious ramen, please have it on sale at the merch table.
This was Taki.
2008/02/12＊Taki
This is Taki.
The Termination tour has ended. Thank you very much to everyone who came to see us. I’m happy the new songs were well-liked, too. It was a really fun tour. There were days we did insanely good shows and days we got to eat insanely good food.
Usually when a big event like this ends, I feel sad. I used to get insanely down when things like culture festivals or training camps ended. It’s interesting how this time around I don’t feel that way at all. I think it’s because we have already have another tour coming up soon so it feels like I won’t have time to dwell on this past one. I’m already looking forward to our next show. Or rather, I’m looking forward to the next time we get to play Punishment. Playing that song is all I can think about lately. I wonder just why it’s such a fun song to play. I’ve no idea. Well, if I tried to explain it to you, it’s because Punishment is (the following omitted)
Taki (the following omitted)
2008/01/21＊Taki
This is Taki.
We’re back after two headlining tours. I feel we were able to play a lot of really good, fun shows. Thank you to everyone who came to see us.
I’ve started using a new guitar starting this year. It’s really easy to play, sounds good and, most importantly, stays in tune pretty well. It’s awesome. However it seems there was some mistake made when making this guitar when it comes to the color and the overall look — somehow I now have a matching one with Sugawara. Lately it’s fun using the same guitars and harmonizing with the two of us. Yeah, I’m doing harmonizing this year.
After completing the first stage of recording, lately we finally have time to indulge in our hobbies and relax. I want to make guitar effects and eat delicious food. I was actually making lots of effects before, but last year I lost two or three of them on tour somewhere and since then I completely lost the motivation to make more. They’re the same series as the ones in the picture, so if you happen to find them, you’ll have my eternal gratitude.
But, because the other day me and Ishige from the telephones made a promise to trade one of each others’ handmade pedals, my motivation’s gradually coming back to me. I think I’ll be making lots.
But checking the effect I’d planned on giving to Ishige, it’s suddenly stopped making sound.
What should I do. I’ve completely lost my motivation.
But, because the other day me and Ishige from the telephones made a promise to trade one of each others’ handmade pedals, my motivation’s gradually coming back to me. I think I’ll be making lots.
Ishige, you have my eternal gratitude.
This was Taki.
2007/12/02＊Taki
This is Taki.
About the second show of the Termination tour today… sorry, I don’t have confidence I’d remember the correct kanji so I’ll just write it in hiragana, but anyway, it was at Takutaku. Takutaku’s located in Kyoto and is a venue with lots of atmosphere. I really like it. Sorry, I don’t have confidence I’d remember the kanji for Takutaku so I’m just writing it in hiragana. I was seriously moved by how cool the other band Dohatsuten were. I want to play with them again. Sorry, I don’t know kanji very well so I’ll just keep writing in hiragana. Excuse me.
Today’s show was really fun.
Really fun.
Really fun.
Really fun.
Really fun.
Really fun.
Really fun.
Really fun.
Really fun.
This was Taki.
2007/10/29＊Taki
This is Taki. We’re busy with the Retsuden tour. After the second show at Fukuoka, we ate lots of tonkotsu ramen which was absolutely delicious. The other bands we’re touring with, NICO, DOES and monobright, are all really nice people and every show they do is cool. If we let our minds wonder even for a moment, they’ll outdo us. We’ll do our best to not lose. If we lose, I’ll commit seppuku.
No, sorry, correct that to say “depending on the circumstances, I’ll consider seppuku.” I’ll do it by hitting myself in the eye with my elbow.
My apologies for that.
Lately we’re really busy to the point that yesterday my head was spinning from being so busy so I was falling over quite a lot. Thus today I’ve been worrying about the negative image of people who fall over wherever they please, like the nearby lawn or such. Oh well, the show was really fun and the ramen delicious.
This was Taki.
2007/10/03＊15:00＊Taki
Taki here.
The other day we were rehearsing in the studio. We were making songs and stuff, but making them interesting really is a challenge. I got tired from being troubled over it so much. Hello, this is a tired Taki.
A while ago our engineer showed me how to use a computer and as a result, I started really wanting one for myself. It was really fun since I’ve always yearned to be able to make songs the modern way. I decided I wanted a computer so I head over to the Apple Store and stuff but as I thought, they’re expensive. I don’t have that kind of money. T-t-t-that’s right, the lottery’s for sale right? I’ll buy one this year. I’ll buy ten. I’ll just strongly believe I’ll win, then spend the rest of my days thinking how I’m going to spend my one hundred million yen. If I do that, it’s sure to turn out to be a really pure and positive life, right? Am I wrong? You don’t think so?
Yes/No
I’ll use this as a way to determine what I do or don’t do in the future.
This was Taki.
2007/08/18＊01:18＊Taki
This is Taki.
A while back, the band score for The World e.p went on sale. Some of our managers and directors immediately picked up copies and are all excitedly playing our songs. I thought I’d try playing the Taki parts, but it just sounded miserable so I gave up. In any case, “sector” is the best. All of you youngsters who play guitar, please let me know if you cover our songs, I’d love to hear some. And definitely do “sector” please, it’s seriously fun.
Some advice if you’re thinking about playing covers. First, go to a park near you and mimic the behavior of your local guitar guy. I did that, too. Also, it’s recommended that you just stop looking at the score and start dancing for all you’re worth. Note that dancing is simple, but be careful that you don’t ruin your human relations in doing so. Finally, make as many bands as you can and play with everyone. Playing in bands is really fun.
Though the score just came out, the distribution of The World will end in just ten more days. We hope you’ll get yours while you still can.
This was Taki.
2007/07/20＊04:53＊Taki
It’s Taki.
Lately we’re practicing every day in preparation for recording. I want to work hard to make an awesome album. It’s rigorous practice, tiring for both mind and body alike, but there’s a lot of fun songs so I’ll persevere somehow.
Today’s my first day off in a while, but with every day being so busy, I tend to forget how to spend vacation days. That pretty much happened today, too. While thinking “alright, what should I do?“, I’d unintentionally picked up my guitar, practicing speed picking of all things. I’m still not that fast. I don’t have any confidence when it comes to that.
Since it’s my day off, isn’t there something else I could do, something to take my mind off the guitar for a while? Lately I’ve been recklessly playing so much that the back of my hand hurts. That’s a problem. However, I spread some poultice on it and resumed my speed picking practice since I couldn’t think of anything better to do. My dream for the future is to to play the guitar fast and effortlessly. Nevertheless, it is a rather lonesome vacation day, isn’t it? Is Taki-kun alright with that?
As a last resort, I sat in front of the computer, reading up on the great China’s upcoming robot weapons. I feel these robots’ existence is a global threat. I’m really worried.
The day draws to a close as the poultice on my hand wears off. This was Taki whose body and mind alike are shot.
This was Taki.
2007/06/30＊00:53＊Taki
It’s Taki.
The tour’s nearing the final stage. It’s always so hot inside the van we use to travel to all the venues, it feels like I’m suffering from summer exhaustion. It sucks. At times like such, I think of all the delicious foods I’ve eaten before as it helps me get in a better mood.
We did a show in Kobe yesterday. Kobe was great, too. Kobe is a place where you can go anywhere and have fun, and eat anything and it’ll be delicious. The people there are great.
Today was an off-day on the tour so we came back to Tokyo and I just slept. I must’ve been really tired as I slept like a log.
As I did so, I had a dream of ramen, gyoza, hokkeyaki and Taki-kun. Surrounded by lots and lots of gyoza, Taki-kun seemed to be having a really good time. But it was more than he could eat by himself. This troubled Taki-kun. Although troubled, he still could not resist a second serving of ramen. Worrying and worrying some more, Taki-kun decided at last to put the hokke up in Saran wrap before putting it in the freezer.
Waking up, I looked in my freezer and found two packs of Ajinomoto‘s frozen gyoza.
Baked ’em.
Ate ’em.
This was Taki.
2007/06/08＊21:15＊Taki
『Even if you catch a cold, food still tastes delicious』
It’s Taki.
Right now we’re on a ferry headed to Sapporo. We spent a few days over at Nakamura’s house, but I didn’t have such a great time as I’d ended up catching a cold. I have a cough and a really runny nose.
It’s my first time on a ferry. There were lots of instances of someone yelling “I can see an ocean sunfish!” or “There’s a huge medusa!” but I couldn’t see absolutely anything which sucked. On top of that, I was coughing and had a constant runny nose.
The sea at night is completely pitch black. If you keep staring at it, it feels like it might suck you in. In a thick fog, you can’t tell where the sea begins and ends, so it feels like the air and sea form a great universe. Leaving behind us a white trace, it feels like the ship is a comet within that universe. And then finally I, too, being able to wait no longer, become part of the universe.
(The history of the universe is kind of long, so I’ll abbreviate)
Eventually, we see lights approaching us from a distance. Sipping back in the snot about to drip from my nose, I’ve returned from the universe as Taki. And I’m still coughing a lot.
This was Taki.
