Bacchus
November 11, 2005
Vol. 84 [To Mexico again]
At last it's time for our second trip to Mexico. This will be our first time taking a short break from recording to go on tour. But it's a huge concert hall, and we'll be shooting a video too, so I think this will turn into another really special tour. Of course, I really want the new album to be finished too, so at the same time I feel a little rushed. But at any rate, I definitely think we're getting things accomplished. Well then, see you in Mexico.
October 28, 2005
Vol. 83 [Cold]
One day recently the temperature here was absolutely freezing, so I ended up catching a cold. I was in pretty bad shape for about a week, but I feel better now. Lately I've been listening to the demos we recorded of our newest works, and the lyrics I wrote for them didn't satisfy me at all, so that made me feel a little down. From now on I'll try my best to improve my performance with truly high quality lyrics.
October 21, 2005
Vol. 82 [Live]
For our most recent live we used violent songs as our main focus. It was a first-time experiment, and those are fun to try now and then. But we've always played the violent sets as just one side feature of the overall live, so we're not ready to play nothing but violent songs for a whole live. But I think we will do this again if we think of it, so when that happens, let's go insane together!
October 14, 2005
Vol. 81 [Complete]
I've finished writing all the lyrics for VENGEANCE for BLOOD. In other words, the story is finally complete. All that remains is to make them into songs and complete the story in musical form. It turned out to be even more introspective than I had expected in the beginning. From now on we'll be concentrating for a while on making them into songs. When that's finished, the huge task of mixing them will be waiting for me.
October 7, 2005
Vol. 80 [Finland]
Recently I bought the latest album by a band from Finland called The Rasmus. It's really awesome. I had listened to some of their older work before, but I only really liked a few of the songs then, so I was kind of surprised. I hear they're already popular in Europe, but I guess in Japan they're not that famous yet. The new HIM album will finally be released in Japan next month, so I can't help but wonder if this might lead to a "Finland boom" in Japan. That would be great, but at the same time I would kind of like to keep it as my own little secret, you know?
September 30, 2005
Vol. 79 [New project]
Our Toyama oneman, one more domestic event in our history, has ended. Now we enter full throttle into the new project of recording. The final form isn't visible yet, but I think the style will be yet another shade different from our previous works, so look forward to that. Anyway, I'm thinking many of our live shows from this point on will all be a little different from any we've done before. I hope to show everyone another new side of BLOOD. • Fu-ki's session information: On October 14 I will participate in a session event at Nishikujou Brand New. Opens at 4 pm, starts at 5 pm, advance tickets 2000 yen. The name of the band is Senboku kousoku Kuroyume tetsudou. Come check it out.
September 25, 2005
Vol. 78 [Huge success]
Thanks to everyone who took part, our first sponsor event was a huge success. Many people came, and with our own DJ and everything, I'm satisfied that we put together a great setting for the event. Of course, the live was a lot of fun too. I'd like to think of still more things to try and do something like it again. And next is the Toyama oneman. It will be unlike any live show we've done before, so I'm really looking forward to it too. Fu-ki's session information: On October 14 I will participate in a session event at Nishikujou Brand New. Details to come.
September 16, 2005
Vol. 77 [In England]
I'll tell you about one thing in England that left a deep impression on me. Apparently the people on staff there were really into a certain Japanese comedian, and they asked if I had heard of him. The topic had come up before even among us band members, so the conversation progressed from there, but I never would have expected to go all the way to England and end up talking about something like that. By the way, that comedian was.... H...G... Anyway, some news. On October 14 I'll take part in a session event at Nishikujou Brand New. Details to come.
September 9, 2005
Vol. 76 [As an engineer]
I've been handling the mixing for all of BLOOD's albums since I joined the band, and I think I get better with each new release we make, but I feel like I still have a long way to go. I want to give everyone the best songs I possibly can, and to me the work I do has about the same effect on a song as its original arrangement, so I think I need to refine my skill a bit more.
September 2, 2005
Vol. 75 [I'm home!]
We've come home safely from our fourth European tour. I've gotten pretty used to these long trips, and as always the schedule was kind of a forced march, but I think this was the most enjoyable of them all so far. Once again so many people in so many different places greeted us very warmly, and they were all really charged up, so it was really fun! Also, I was really happy that everyone congratulated me on my birthday. Thanks, everyone!
August 26, 2005
Vol. 74 [Finally]
My fourth trip to Europe has finally come right before my eyes. It's been more than half a year since the last tour there, and I think we'll be able to show everyone the results of the domestic live activities we've been working hard on. As usual, we'll have a pretty tight schedule, but I look forward to meeting a lot of people. Well then, see you at the show.
August 12, 2005
Vol. 73 [Story]
The story for our next CD is beginning to expand in my mind. The character is beginning to move ahead alone, and will be rushing into a new setting. I wonder what I'd have to lose before I would go so crazy...
August 5, 2005
Vol. 72 [Deeply...]
When I listen to a CD from an artist who symbolized the movement of a particular era, my thoughts turn to that era as the lyrics touch me. His world view brought together universal elements that are commonly used even now, sounds that were new to that era, as well as visual elements, all in one. When I listen to it I sink completely and deeply into the world he created.
July 29, 2005
Vol. 71 [Schedule]
One by one, we're confirming live shows to fill our schedule through the end of the year. One of the confirmed lives will be in sort of an unexpected place, so that's really exciting. And while I've gone on talking like this, summer has nearly come to its end too, and I suppose before I know it we'll also be greeting the new year. I wonder how many more new, unfamiliar places I'll be able to go to this year?
July 22, 2005
Vol. 70 [New sound]
In the midst of progressing through our live schedule one show at a time, we've also begun writing new songs for the next album. We've already discussed the concept of a definitive sound, so I guess from here on we'll continue to build on that as we work toward that vision. Of course it will still tie in with the story too, so I think once again it will feel completely different from our current album.
July 15, 2005
Vol. 69 [Tanabata]
My first large-scale event in Japan, the Rokumeikan oneman, has ended. Thank you, everyone who came to see it. To the one who pinky-promised, you'd better come next time! Anyway, Tanabata, the Star Festival, was this week. The wish I made there was "May our music reach you, because even though you are only one person, you are many."
July 7, 2005
Vol. 68 [A hunch]
Around Sunday afternoon, something just might happen in the area of a bridge in Harajuku. By the time this is translated it won't be right anymore, but just so you know.
June 24, 2005
Vol. 67 [New sound]
We just finished the new album, but already we've started to discuss what kind of sound we want to go for on our next album. Currently we're in search of the right sound for new songs that convey the flow of our story. I think you'll be able to hear yet another, even more different side of us this time. Anyway, putting aside talk of the future, before I knew it the day of our oneman live at Meguro Rokumeikan has been drawing nearer and nearer. We're planning to do things a little differently at next week's Narciss live as a sort of trial run for it, so look forward to that. If you plan to come to our oneman, you might be able to enjoy it even more if you come to the Narciss live too.
June 17, 2005
Vol. 66 [Finished]
Since our new album is almost complete, with only about one more step to go, I've been living a more relaxed life for the first time in a long while. I've started again reading books that had been put away for some time, and I'm even starting to think about our next album. The rainy season is starting in Japan, so it looks like I'll be spending a lot more time just staying at home.
June 10, 2005
Vol. 65 [Memory loss]
This weekend, somewhere in between busy periods, I went out for drinks with some friends for the first time in a long while. Some members from a band I was in before joined in too, so we talked a lot about what we're doing now and the things we did when we played together and such. I drank too much of the tequila I brought back from Mexico, so I have no memory of what happened after about halfway through... but I do remember having a lot of fun. I got to enjoy a brief period of relaxation. Friends are really great, aren't they?
June 3, 2005
Vol. 64 [Mixing]
All the production work on our new album is finished, so now we're working on mixing. It's not completely finished yet, but we had an interviewer listen to some of the rough in-progress material during an interview. We were fairly confident in it, but when even the interviewer praised the work, we were really excited to have that confirmation that our skills really are improving. We'll continue to do our best, so I think you'll all be able to hear us in top form when it's finished. Look forward to it.
May 29, 2005
Vol. 63 [Next tour]
Our Mexican tour just ended, but our European tour in August is already confirmed. Once again we'll only be going to countries we've never been to before. I wrote about this before, but many of my favorite bands come from Scandinavia, especially Finland, so I'm really excited. I had just been feeling disappointed recently because one of my favorites, The 69 Eyes, came to Japan but I wasn't able to go see them. I know just because we're going to Finland doesn't mean I'll be able to see them live, but still. I wish I could meet Valo of HIM!
May 20, 2005
Vol. 62 [In Mexico]
I had a great time. It was even larger in scope than any of our other tours so far, and correspondence with all the staff went really well, so they really helped us out a lot. We had to attend to some unforeseen accidents and things like that, but I thank all the staffers who helped us and everyone who came to see our live shows. I'd love to go to Mexico again someday!
May 15, 2005
Vol. 61 [Mexico]
The day we leave for Mexico is drawing near. We've been working on preparations for the lives and on production of the new album simultaneously, so time has really flown by lately. This will be the largest live location we've played in up to now, so I'm really looking forward to that. And Mexico is really hot, right? So I can promise we'll give everyone a really hot live show.
April 30, 2005
Vol. 60 [The second step]
Preparations for our new album are steadily moving along. All the songs we want to include have come together, so we've already started recording and playing a few of them at our lives. This album will have a broader range of melodies than the last album too, so I think we'll be able to show you all the new face of BLOOD with it.
April 22, 2005
Vol. 59 [Actually,]
I have a second-dan ranking in kendo.
April 15, 2005
Vol. 58 [Spring]
On these chilly spring evenings, I find myself enveloped in a strange feeling of contentment and restlessness combined, a feeling that seems somehow nostalgic and somehow lonely. At times like these, I just miss you so much.
April 8, 2005
Vol. 57 [Recycling society]
I was watching TV, and there was a program on about how something called biogas is being used as fuel in Sweden. It said biogas is the product left behind when the pure methane is removed from sewage, and that it's used in place of regular household gas and automobile fuel. I was pretty impressed to learn that fuel can be made from waste matter. And cars that use biogas apparently receive special tax favors, which is evidence that countries and municipalities are trying to make its usage more widespread. If it would become popular in Japan, and even all over the world, maybe there would be no need for nuclear energy or oil anymore. It was like I was watching a perfect future.
April 1, 2005
Vol. 56 [A song from before]
I've remixed a song from BLOOD's 1st period. It's one that I haven't performed at a live up to now, so I hadn't listened to it much, but I really like it so I would like to perform it someday. It's one that Kaede wrote, too.
March 25, 2005
Vol. 55 [Costumes, continued]
It seems like all I write about lately is the costumes, but the excitement just isn't wearing off yet. We've completed two lives in the new costumes. Moving around in them was far less of a problem than I expected. The only restrictions are on how much moving around all three of us can do given the size of the stage. Now that the photoshoot is finished and we've done some lives, the excitement of realizing that these are really OUR costumes has finally started to settle in. I can't even put into words how grateful I am to everyone who worked so hard on these costumes. I just hope I can express it not with words, but with actions and results.
March 18, 2005
Vol. 54 [Photoshoot]
Our photoshoot with the new costumes is finished. Right now we're working on preparations for all the new activities we'll be doing from now on, so I guess it feels like the first step is behind us. From now on these pictures will be the ones to appear in magazines and things like that. We're at a higher strength now than we've ever been, so you can look forward to seeing all we have planned. Also, preparations for the new album we plan to release this summer are moving along and all the songs have pretty much come together, so now we'll start recording. It will be a little while before everyone can hear it. And, starting with our next live, we'll be changing over to our new costumes. Though I'm a little nervous about whether we can actually carry out a show in them, I'm fired up to go.
March 11, 2005
Vol. 53 [New costumes]
Our new costumes are finished. When I first saw them I could only say one thing... amazing! It's not enough just to say I like them; they're just overwhelming. This week we'll have a photo shoot with them, and I think we'll be able to present them to everyone soon, so please look forward to it. They really are amazing!
March 4, 2005
Vol. 52 [Book]
I finally read this book that I bought a long time ago but have been neglecting. It's a story that was made into a big hit movie some time ago. Once I started reading it I couldn't stop, so I ended up finishing it in one sitting. When I thought about it, I realized that a character in the tale I'm continually writing has a lot in common with one character in the novel. So it turned into a great reference. Anyway, I wonder if there are other books around the house that I haven't read yet... On March 25 at Nishikujou Brand New, I'll participate in a session event. I hear the band's name is Gakkun. Yuu will be joining in also. Further details to come.
February 25, 2005
Vol. 51 [In the bath]
As I was washing myself in the bath, I noticed something smelled different than usual, but I figured it was because I had a cold. But I wasn't getting any good lather, either. And I noticed that as the foam built up, my body felt all slimy. Just as I asked myself what was going on, I realized that I'd been washing myself not with body soap, but with shampoo. Suddenly it all made sense. And it goes without saying that I washed my hair with body soap after that *lying*
February 18, 2005
Vol. 50 [In celebration]
At last my corner has come to its 50th entry. In other words, soon it will have been one year since it began. Looking back, it's been a pretty hectic year. We've gone overseas 4 times, and we've done many lives here in Japan as well. The one thing I can say with certainty is that I have grown into a more reliable person than I was a year ago. To the other members, our guests, and all of our Agents, from now on as well I'm counting on you. And to all the fans, I look forward to your continued support.
February 11, 2005
Vol. 49 [H.I.M.]
Recently, I'm really into a band from Poland called H.I.M. I heard the band's name is an abbreviation of His Infernal Majesty. Their beautiful, melancholy melodies are amazing, and their harder songs are really cool too. And the peculiar vocals are beyond description. Even though they're such a great band, for some reason they haven't released anything in Japan. Anyway, give them a listen if you're interested. My favorite song of theirs right now is one called "Join Me in Death."
February 4, 2005
Vol. 48 [Interviews]
I've done several interviews for overseas magazines and websites. When I do interviews for Japanese magazines, I'm able to express everything I want to say, but when the interview is in English I can't explain things as clearly, so some parts get a little frustrating. There are times when I'm not sure if what I'm trying to say is really getting across. It's the same when I'm writing lyrics, so I get a little anxious about whether the words fully express what I want to say. I guess I need to do more language study too.
January 28, 2005
Vol. 47 [Good news]
Recently we've had good news coming our way, little by little. It must be a result of continuing to work hard even through the painful times. Our coming activities will once again bring new opportunities. I think BLOOD will continue this way and keep growing bigger.
January 21, 2005
Vol. 46 [It's cold]
Recently it's been getting colder and colder in Japan. I wasn't prepared for it since this winter had been fairly warm up to now, but like every year around this time, it is getting cold now. I'm writing lyrics for new songs now, and when I'm thinking about things in relation to our concept this time, ideas come to me much more readily when it's cold than when it's warm. Yes, it's just like I'm carrying the beautiful melodies characteristic of those Scandinavian bands that I love.
January 14, 2005
Vol. 45 [The new year has begun.]
Happy new year, everyone. I hope you'll all continue to support us this year. Since I spent New Year's with my family, I ended up sort of neglecting my work, so I'll have to start catching up on that now. It looks like we'll be going to Mexico as a group of five, so I can't forget about the preparations for that either. And here's the conclusion of my December tour story. For the German live, since only my luggage had been left in Paris, my costume didn't get to me on time and I had to think fast and ended up wearing a coat for the live, so that was a shame. Everyone who came to the live, sorry about that. Also, our schedule was extremely tight, so I didn't have time at all to go out and have fun in Germany, which was also a shame. Next time I'll definitely make time for that.
January 7, 2005
Vol. 44 [End of the year]
Continuing the tour stories. Some nasty things happened with the live in France, but thanks to the staff and our support band, as well as everyone who attended, somehow we managed to get through the live. I'm truly grateful to everyone. So, when I look back on the past year... I can see I've been rushing forward headlong with BLOOD up to now. I think BLOOD is in excellent condition right now. So I hope next year is an even more active one, where everyone can get to know us better. This past year I've grown indebted to you all. Everyone have a great new year.
