RnR Newsmaker December 2006 - Sakura

With his attention to the Tokyo band scene since 80's generation, he officially entered L'Arc~en~Ciel in 1993. Though he retreated from Laruku in 1997, he continued his activities in various bands like ZIGZO, SONS OF ALL PUSSYS, Lion Heads (as guitarist), then he also becomes arranger/producer, I remember he was startled when he was asked to explain about his carreer "One person, as who!?". Drum . Sakura . This time with him here, he'll explain anything about "In Tokyo band scene there is this kind of person" and what made him chose this carreer until now.

There's a record in my brother's room that I searched all over

When the most important festival in Rock history "Woodstock" was held in 1969, Sakura was born in Tokyo. He has a brother that 7 years older than him, and a sister that a year older than him, so he was the next son. With the neighborhood that "compared with it, maybe we have a house that looks richer", and being the next son, he grew with wide thought.
Though my brother went to tuition and my sister learnt ballet and electone, I think I'm quite different with them, ne (laugh). I've taken a private lesson once, but then I didn't want to take it anymore! After that suddenly I was like awaken. My brother was kinda raised strictly, I waas really glad I wasn't raised that way. I remember when I was a kid... I went to the elem entary school by bike, I also reached until Sunshine 60. There, if I continued move up until the top, would I find money there? I don't know about such things, I only went school and went home after school. At that time, I like stone-carving, ne. I'm looking for soft stone that waas the materials for wall, and I carved Gaikotsu (Translator's Note: I don't know what it is, so I write it exactly as the katakana written), then I buried it into a hole. If I think again about that now, why I did that? ... Around the backyard of my parents' house, maybe I also buried that."

The first time Sakura became interested in music was when he's in the 6th grade of elementary school. It was started with "Best Hit USA". The program that was started in 1981 about the latest hit chart and video clips. At that time, that program brought a new and fresh concept that gave a really big influence for youngsters. Also to Sakura.
Though my brother was in folk generation, he always checks Best Hit USA, and records it properly. "This week in the first position is Police with "mitsumeteitai". I guessed the record is in my brother's room" with that kind of feeling I searched through my brother's room. Inside that there's also Led Zeppelin's "Four Symbols" (The masterpiece that ever recorded in Rock 'n Roll "Stairway to Heaven"). At that time Zeppelin was written everywhere. How frequent? Well, the feeling was like I was dragging out listening to their song. At that time the one that gave me a big shock was Frankie goes to Hollywood. Among the band that entered the hit chart, that artist was really different, I really like their song. Well, that's really a surprising memory. I also like Duran Duran and Culture Club, ne. Even if I listened to Culture Club now, it still gives great impression. At that time, I can't play any music instruments. My brother had a folk guitar, I learnt to press the chord one by one, C chord, F chord, I have a feeling like "Where should I press?", that's when I was in elementary school. My fingers were getting hurt.

I want to be like this person," that's what I thought, in a sudden, in a roadie

The first time Sakura met with drum was when he was in the third yeaar of junior high school. He who continued his study to boys high school, when he saw his senpai (senior) in the brass club hitting the drum, he felt like "A, that's cool. I think this is good for me".
When I was in junior high school, I joined the judo club. Because I've joined judo club when I was in junior high, I don't want to join the same club again in high school. I tried to avoid that, that's what I thought that time, through my friends I want to play music together for the first time. Well, what kind of music instrument will I play, I thought, then I wanted to join the brass club. In that club, I met my senpai who played the drum. It was the start. Suddenly he said "Here, try this". But I can play it well for the first time when I was 17 years old, ne. When I entered high school, I was practising bass - I copied the bassline of Duran Duran's John Taylor - I played the bass alone, but don't know why, where's no "get" feeling? Well, I really enjoyed when I played drum

"Hit since the beginning," then Sakura's natural gift was felt, he actually developed a lot, his existence was known in various bands. He of course joined the school band, anw when he's in the third grade of high school, he also participated in the other bands.
The peak time was when in a week I spent 5, 6 days in studio

That's when he's nearing the pro label.
It felt like Rental Studio musician, ne. From my father's relations, there's a chance of becoming pro musician, from that person I knew a lot of people. I was participating in various bands. I also often in and out the Urawa Narciss livehouse. Though it started from my relation's band, I was getting used to play the drum, the feeling was really fit in me, so it's like going there everyday. Being roadie, being PA, set the lighting, then also handling the ticket. De, meanwhile, "Could you be DEAD END's roadie?" there's came such talking.

With the powerful vocalist that really had a charisma, Morrie, DEAD END was really an important band in Rock scene at that time. They had a brilliat performance technique, their music seemed to be the only one with lyrics in gothic view. Kiyoharu, SUGIZO, as rock stars at that time, they really gave great influence to him.
DEAD END's drummer was Minato Masafumi, when he was in Saber Tiger in Sapporo, from that time, "He's really great. I want to be like that person," I though. Then suddenly "Could you be the roadie?". It's a great circle, "How come? This is really the power of fate," I felt like that. Though it's not proper if I talk about Minato-san, I really learnt a lot from him, I got a lot of influence. Please teach me to play drum, though there's also that kind of line I asked to him, " It is not like that. You can learn by watching me play. So though the lesson you obtained is like stealing from me, but that's fine," he said. When I looked the music sheet, "Uh-huh, I see," I said, then I paid attention a lot, ne. "Umm, how to play this phrase..." there's also that kind of question. You can't do that like that, "When you face this song, what kind of image you draw on your mind?" or "what kind of image you get?" from such kind of conversation, it really answered my questions. The biggest thing in my live is meeting with DEAD END. I can get connect with my favourite drummer, Minato-san. I really improved a lot. From that point and on, I made a decision to do music.

Then, Sakura was accepted in the higher school (His marks were good, there's a time when he was in top five of the students), but seems to be guided by fate, he walked with his strong will toward the music path.
In the third grade of high school, I got my driving license, so I can drive cars. Then I got a lot of directions from my counselling teacher. Maybe for the person had that kind of position, I thought they would talk about kind of deviation value a lot, but that teacher is different. "You are a person who keeps paying attention to the one whom you talk, and you also listen to the others' saying very well, and you could understand it. So, anything you have decided, as long as you think it's good for you, ganbare (keep up doing it)," he said. My teacher in brass club was also like a parent for me. That person was a sax player before, so he had passed through difficult ways in music and really understand about that, "If you enter a proper university, that's also good," he said. Are those people I met are gifts? Maybe. I'm just like a child who carve on a stone, ne

In the end, after he graduated from high school, he entered music school. But because he had gotten a lot of experience in "the real place", the lesson in that school was really boring for him.
When I did PA, I had recording engineer's course. I thought that it's not good if I only learnt drum, I also had to know various methods of sounds producing. I've learnt a lot, ne. Things regarding PA, I've quite known it in livehouse, MTR's direction of use, I also understand about that. The difference between the lesson and binary number system was interesting, ka na. According to the lesson, "In 1 atm, 20 Celcius degrees, the speed of sound is 340 m/s," such kind of things, while in binary number system it's using "0, 1, 0, 1" digital counting. I like to learn like that. But, ... Of course, the methods used outside the school is really interesting, ne.

I think there's no such person that his existence as a pro player can be considered as God.

Two years later, when Sakura was 20 years old, DEAD END was disbanded. He stopped being roadie and started to earn living by being a pro drummer.
I joined "Hako Ban" in Yokohama cabaret. At first we played "Uta chino", it sounded like jazz. I've played many things except reggae, maybe. In doing our performance, sometimes there's also stripper. We had the preparation for 10 minutes, then "Sa, let's do it". A person who had the ability to know the note when he watched music performance was searched. "The tempo is like this," there's such saying "with BPM it can be said like this," I said as a consideration before the real rhythm came out. I learnt a lot about those meanings, but then I stopped it after half a year. When I went from Yokohama with car, it took 3 hours long, I arrived at my house on 2.30 A.M. I thought, though I've collected a lot of money, I didn't have time to play, 'I thought "No, I won't do it anymore". I've influenced a lot in Hako Ban, seemed like my feeling as a drummer had decreased in value.

But, the existence of Sakura was very well-known in Tokyo live scene, he hasn't focused in one band, but he continued being supporting player and stunts in variious bands. Let's listen to his reason for that, he'll answer it.
Nanka ne, I don't want to be bandman, I want to be a pro drummer. I talked to myself, even if I did not much only hitting the drum, I still got a lot of admirer... At that time maybe I'm such being modest to people surrounding, I don't wanna see a separation in a band. To complete uncompleted things. I thiink there's no such person that his existence as a pro player can be considered as God. At that time, instead of being a 'God' musician, I felt like "What else that good?" It depended on the person about the way to get the feeling. Now, I have different way of thinking, "Let's do it with full of spirit," I think, but that time, such thought as "I want to do it together with these people," I didn't have that kind of thinking. Until I met L'Arc~en~Ciel members

In the end of 1992, Sakura was destined to meet the members of L'Arc~en~Ciel. In the next yeaar, January 1993, a week after the recording of 1st indies album "DUNE", he officially joined Laruku. It's the first time that Sakura, with his own will being an official member of a band after some years, then his existence is well-known until now.

Comment on the photo:
A piece of photo about a memory of child time. This is a picture of Sakura with his sister that a year older. The boy, with his smiling face, made gaikotsu by carving a stone.

Note:
Roadie = road crew. More info can be seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_crew



CHRONICLE of Sakura:

1969
One day on 17.09, he was born in Nerima, Tokyo

1985
First time hitting drum in brass club

1986
Start to play drum seriously / first time listening to DEAD END

1987
First time being in-and-out in Urawa Narciss / participated in some bands

1988
Continued his study to the higher school that is a music school / start being the DEAD END's roadie

1990~1992
When DEAD END is disbanded, he started to earn living with being Dr. of Hako Ban / doing the activity of Dr. in various bands such as The HALEM Q, DIE-KUSSE, etc.
December -> met the member of L'Arc~en~Ciel

1993
January -> officially entered L'Arc~en~Ciel
April -> 1st AL 'DUNE' released
June~August -> 'Close by DUNE' (all 10 locations 10 public performaces), 'Close by DUNE FINAL' (Nissin Power Station)

1994
April -> 'Nostalgia no yokan' (all 3 locations 3 public performances)
July -> Media Debut with Video SG 'Nemuri ni yosete' / 2nd AL 'Tierra' released
July~August -> 'Sense of Time '94' (all 7 locations 8 public performances)
October -> 1st SG 'Blurry Eyes' released

1995
May~June -> 'in CLUB '95' (all 19 locations 20 public performances)
September -> 3rd AL 'heavenly' released
September~October -> 'heavenly '96' (all 8 locations 9 public performances)
December 'The other side of heavenly '95' (all 3 locations 3 public performances), 'TOUR heavenly '95 final' (Nippon Budokan)

1996
April~May -> 'kiss me deadly heavenly '96' (all 23 locations 24 public performances), 'kiss me deadly heavenly '96 REVENGE' (Tokyo Bay NK Hall)
August~September -> 'BIG CITY NIGHTS ROUND AROUND '96' (all 3 locations 5 public performances)
December -> 4th AL 'True' released
December~January -> 'FRESH LIGHT presents TOUR '96-97 "Carnival of True" (all 8 locations 10 performances)

1997
April -> retreated from L'Arc~en~Ciel

1999
April -> ZIGZO, live debut
July -> 1st SG 'chi to ase to namida no uragawa no happy' released
August -> 'The 1st Scene ZIGZO' (all 2 locations 2 public performances)
October -> 1st AL 'MONSTER MUSIC' released
November~December -> 'It's a Wonderful Day' (all 8 locations 8 public performances)

2000
April~May -> 'all standing "GET A SPLASH!" tour' (all 20 locations 21 public performances)
August -> 'all standing "GET A SPLASH!" tour special in 9 Provinces' (all 4 locations 4 public performances)
September -> 2nd AL 'Add9 Suicide' released
October -> 'Add9 Suicide YAON!!' (in Hibiya Yagai Ongakudou)
November~December -> '"Add9 Suicide" tour' (all 8 locations 12 public performances)

2001
April~May -> 'TOUR THE WORLD INTRODUCTION' (all 16 locations 19 public performances)
November~December -> 'TOUR 2001 "HOLIDAYS IN CHELSEA"' (all 8 locations 9 public performances)
From this year and on, start to get involved in producing MUCC

2002
January -> best AL 'Gol"S" and dis-Star ~Best of ZIGZO~' released
March -> 'THE LAST SCEAN ZIGZO' (all 6 locations 6 public performances) / on the last day ZIGZO officially disbanded in Akasaka BLITZ
December -> performed as S.O.A.P in 'DANGER' (Club Citta Kawasaki)

2003
February -> 1st AL (mini) 'GRACE released / 'BUBBLE FESTiVAL' (all 3 locations 3 public performances)
April -> 2nd AL (mini) 'gimme A guitar' released
April~May -> BUBBLE FESTiVAL (Summer 2003)' (all 6 locations 10 public performances)
August -> performed in 'SUMMER SONIC03' / 'SUPER JUMBO BUBBLE FESTiVAL' (Akasaka BLITZ)
November -> 'Overseas. Asia Festival' performed in overseas Century Park Music Hall / 'First Time of SHANGHAI BUBBLE FESTiVAL' (overseas Xitiandi ARK) / 3rd AL (mini) 'high' released
December -> performed in 'DANGER II' (Nippon Budokan)

2004
February~March -> 'BUBBLE FESTiVAL "Winter Shogun 2004"' (all 13 locations 14 public performances)
July -> 1st SG 'Paradise' released
August -> 'SUPER SUMMER JUMBO BUBBLE FESTiVAL' (Nippon Budokan)
December -> performed as S.O.A.P in 'DANGER III' (Nippon Budokan)
From this year and on, start to get involved in producing SID

2005
October -> held Lion Heads event (Shibuya O-West)
December -> performed as S.O.A.P in 'DANGER IV' (Nippon Budokan)
This year, got involved in producing Sokoban

2006
August -> Lion Heads 1st AL 'Shiro, Kuro, Ao, Aka.' released
October -> 'Lion Heads 2006 in overseas ARK' (overseas . Xitiandi ARK)
December -> performed as S.O.A.P and Lion Heads in 'DANGER V' (Nippon Budokan
From this year and on, start to get invloved in producing Girugamesh, 176BIZ

thx to matsu-san for the article scans!! ^_^