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I saw The Adam Project,
starring Ryan Reynolds.
2
00:00:31,782 --> 00:00:34,618
It was fantastic.
3
00:00:34,826 --> 00:00:38,205
The protagonist meets his younger self
4
00:00:39,623 --> 00:00:43,919
as a grown man.
5
00:00:43,919 --> 00:00:48,257
The movie is about them working together
to overcome hardship.
6
00:00:48,257 --> 00:00:52,970
A lot of art is made about
meeting your past self.
7
00:00:54,012 --> 00:00:56,598
You have to face who you were.
8
00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:04,648
You have to face who you were
when you first started head-on.
9
00:01:04,648 --> 00:01:10,195
Because if you think who you've become
would disappoint your past self,
10
00:01:10,195 --> 00:01:13,824
there's no way you can
motivate yourself to keep making art.
11
00:01:15,325 --> 00:01:20,330
I usually praise my past self.
12
00:01:20,706 --> 00:01:22,416
You praise yourself?
13
00:01:22,416 --> 00:01:26,420
No, I mean my younger self.
Because I know I worked hard back then.
14
00:01:28,172 --> 00:01:29,298
I did well.
15
00:01:29,298 --> 00:01:30,966
That's nice.
16
00:01:30,966 --> 00:01:37,514
But I also like the idea of who you were
in the past being proud of you now.
17
00:01:37,514 --> 00:01:39,558
Because you've come so far.
18
00:01:55,365 --> 00:01:58,285
I think my younger self
would be proud of me now.
19
00:02:51,088 --> 00:02:56,134
I started to sing only
because there was this band prepping
20
00:02:56,134 --> 00:03:00,097
for a school festival or something
back in junior high.
21
00:03:00,097 --> 00:03:04,726
Their singer caught a cold
and couldn�t come to practice.
22
00:03:04,726 --> 00:03:10,524
And the band said they
couldn't rehearse without a singer,
23
00:03:10,524 --> 00:03:14,486
so they asked me
to fill in and just wing it.
24
00:03:14,486 --> 00:03:19,324
They liked how I sang better
so they dumped the other singer.
25
00:03:19,324 --> 00:03:22,077
That's how things started.
26
00:03:22,077 --> 00:03:25,622
It wasn't like
I wanted to join a band.
27
00:03:28,083 --> 00:03:33,672
I didn�t expect this to become my job.
28
00:03:34,882 --> 00:03:37,801
Bands were really popular in Japan
29
00:03:37,801 --> 00:03:42,472
around the time I was 12 or 13,
when I entered junior high.
30
00:03:42,472 --> 00:03:46,101
And that got me completely hooked.
31
00:03:46,101 --> 00:03:49,771
All my friends picked up an instrument,
32
00:03:49,980 --> 00:03:52,274
and I chose to play the guitar.
33
00:03:52,274 --> 00:03:54,902
When I told my parents about it,
34
00:03:54,902 --> 00:04:00,782
my dad handed me a classical guitar
he bought when he was young.
35
00:04:00,782 --> 00:04:03,869
That was the first time I played.
36
00:04:04,328 --> 00:04:07,456
I had this friend
whose family ran a cake shop.
37
00:04:07,456 --> 00:04:13,670
I hung out at their place a lot
because they gave me free cake.
38
00:04:14,671 --> 00:04:20,093
This friend's brother started a band
and I liked watching them.
39
00:04:20,093 --> 00:04:22,971
Somehow I was sure
that I could play the drums.
40
00:04:23,388 --> 00:04:26,725
So I set up the kit
without permission and played.
41
00:04:26,725 --> 00:04:31,480
Turns out I was better than everyone.
42
00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:37,653
My friend's brother
and his band were really excited.
43
00:04:37,653 --> 00:04:43,659
I'd never been praised like that.
44
00:04:43,825 --> 00:04:46,828
I was absolutely ecstatic.
45
00:04:49,581 --> 00:04:51,041
That's how I started.
46
00:04:51,542 --> 00:04:56,588
My friends were forming a band
when I was about to enter high school.
47
00:04:57,714 --> 00:05:01,218
I guess they were
desperate for another member.
48
00:05:01,677 --> 00:05:07,140
They handed me a bass
and begged me to play.
49
00:05:07,140 --> 00:05:12,187
I don't know why I agreed.
I must have been really bored.
50
00:05:12,187 --> 00:05:14,022
It was kind of an accident.
51
00:05:32,499 --> 00:05:34,793
How did I meet the other members?
52
00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:36,461
Well, starting with Yuichi...
53
00:05:36,753 --> 00:05:43,218
I mean, we're the same age and all.
We connected in a ton of ways.
54
00:05:43,510 --> 00:05:48,223
A childhood friend of mine
went to the same high school as Yuichi
55
00:05:48,473 --> 00:05:50,350
and introduced him to me.
56
00:05:50,976 --> 00:05:55,647
My friend said Ubukata
was this awesome guitarist.
57
00:05:55,898 --> 00:05:58,192
Yuichi was on his bicycle.
58
00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:03,197
I remember when we first met,
I rode right past him on my bike.
59
00:06:03,197 --> 00:06:05,490
so I had to circle back.
60
00:06:05,782 --> 00:06:09,244
He was facing the other way
when I first saw him.
61
00:06:09,411 --> 00:06:12,748
To this day, I don't really get Yuichi.
62
00:06:13,248 --> 00:06:17,169
Nobody can control him.
63
00:06:17,336 --> 00:06:20,547
Back then, he wore purple lipstick
64
00:06:20,547 --> 00:06:24,885
and pants covered in straps,
even between the legs.
65
00:06:25,052 --> 00:06:26,678
He looked really cool.
66
00:06:26,678 --> 00:06:29,723
But the first thing I thought was
67
00:06:29,973 --> 00:06:35,979
there's no way he could run
in those pants if he got into a fight.
68
00:06:37,189 --> 00:06:42,819
He's kind of an oddball,
but people love him.
69
00:06:42,986 --> 00:06:47,282
You all might think he's a weirdo,
but I promise he isn't.
70
00:06:47,282 --> 00:06:49,368
He's a strong person.
71
00:06:49,368 --> 00:06:53,163
I think he likes to hide that though.
72
00:06:53,789 --> 00:06:56,291
What can I say about Ubukata?
73
00:06:56,500 --> 00:07:01,630
People see Ubukata as some
upstanding citizen, but I beg to differ.
74
00:07:01,630 --> 00:07:06,468
He may seem flawless,
but he has another side.
75
00:07:06,468 --> 00:07:11,181
If you look a little closer
you'd see his dark side.
76
00:07:11,473 --> 00:07:16,979
One time I was parking my car,
and I heard a thump.
77
00:07:16,979 --> 00:07:19,565
I looked back
and Ubu's car had slammed into mine.
78
00:07:19,940 --> 00:07:24,611
He was so casual,
like nothing had happened.
79
00:07:24,903 --> 00:07:27,114
Everyone should know
about his dark side.
80
00:07:27,489 --> 00:07:28,490
That was a new car.
81
00:07:29,032 --> 00:07:31,285
But then again,
maybe they shouldn't know.
82
00:07:31,285 --> 00:07:35,664
To be clear,
he's not a monster or anything.
83
00:07:37,583 --> 00:07:38,834
He's a sore loser.
84
00:07:39,001 --> 00:07:41,086
I mean, he's competitive.
85
00:07:41,086 --> 00:07:45,924
Nobody works as hard as him,
so he thinks he deserves to win.
86
00:07:45,924 --> 00:07:51,263
That makes him reliable
and a solid leader.
87
00:07:51,430 --> 00:07:52,723
Well, Takahashi...
88
00:07:52,890 --> 00:07:56,435
I think we performed
at the same event early on.
89
00:07:56,602 --> 00:08:01,315
We got to know
a lot of other acts around our age,
90
00:08:01,315 --> 00:08:04,568
and met Takahashi in the early days.
91
00:08:04,860 --> 00:08:08,030
I heard nasty rumors about him.
92
00:08:08,030 --> 00:08:10,532
He was kind of a bad boy.
93
00:08:10,699 --> 00:08:16,747
When I was around 16 or 17,
I would pick fights every day.
94
00:08:16,955 --> 00:08:19,625
Every day of the week.
95
00:08:20,584 --> 00:08:22,669
I was shocked.
96
00:08:22,836 --> 00:08:26,548
When I first met him,
he had this nerdy haircut.
97
00:08:26,715 --> 00:08:30,469
He told me later he had tried
tougher looking hairstyles
98
00:08:30,469 --> 00:08:35,891
but decided the side part
was the scariest looking.
99
00:08:36,058 --> 00:08:37,935
He has a pure heart.
100
00:08:37,935 --> 00:08:43,815
He loves people intensely,
and he's very passionate.
101
00:08:44,107 --> 00:08:47,528
Like, he cries when we sing to him
on his birthday.
102
00:08:48,237 --> 00:08:51,031
Honestly, it kind of
weirded me out at first.
103
00:08:51,281 --> 00:08:55,369
He cares more for others than himself.
104
00:08:55,369 --> 00:08:59,706
He can be too intense for some people.
105
00:09:00,290 --> 00:09:04,461
I don't understand Hosomi, even now.
106
00:09:04,628 --> 00:09:11,385
Who you see on-stage is
exactly who he is off-stage.
107
00:09:11,552 --> 00:09:16,348
He's never changed.
108
00:09:16,348 --> 00:09:20,435
I was fascinated from the moment we met.
He's influenced me a lot.
109
00:09:20,686 --> 00:09:22,980
Even now, I'm still just a fan of his.
110
00:09:23,146 --> 00:09:25,941
He's got a stoic personality.
111
00:09:26,275 --> 00:09:31,029
I know everything about him,
good and bad,
112
00:09:31,196 --> 00:09:32,406
but I admire him anyway.
113
00:09:32,406 --> 00:09:35,534
Not just musically,
but how he leads his life.
114
00:09:35,701 --> 00:09:41,331
Just seeing the way he lives
makes me want to get my act together.
115
00:09:58,765 --> 00:10:02,769
The 3rd Stage
means a lot to ELLEGARDEN.
116
00:10:03,353 --> 00:10:05,898
That's where we met each other.
117
00:10:06,106 --> 00:10:10,360
It was a music venue in the Motoyawata
area of Ichikawa in Chiba Prefecture.
118
00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:12,279
It's a commuter town.
119
00:10:12,696 --> 00:10:19,119
We were tucked away in Chiba,
so most of the acts were local kids.
120
00:10:19,453 --> 00:10:24,666
The ELLEGARDEN guys performed there,
but in different bands back then.
121
00:10:25,167 --> 00:10:28,921
The venue was on the 1st floor
of a shopping center.
122
00:10:29,087 --> 00:10:33,550
There was a snooty staff member
sitting at a counter by the entrance.
123
00:10:33,967 --> 00:10:38,055
There was a lot of lighting
behind the drum set.
124
00:10:38,347 --> 00:10:41,725
It was kind of a strange space.
125
00:10:41,725 --> 00:10:45,187
It was a unique venue,
now that I think of it.
126
00:10:45,812 --> 00:10:50,234
It was like an oasis for me.
127
00:10:50,234 --> 00:10:54,154
I got positive, reassuring vibes
just being there.
128
00:10:54,321 --> 00:10:56,782
I was there all the time.
129
00:10:56,782 --> 00:11:03,288
Even if I didn't have a gig,
I'd go there just to hang out.
130
00:11:03,580 --> 00:11:08,919
I really enjoyed it,
but I didn't learn much of anything
131
00:11:09,545 --> 00:11:14,258
at least as far as music is concerned.
132
00:11:14,258 --> 00:11:20,639
But I got to know
a lot of people at The 3rd Stage.
133
00:11:20,639 --> 00:11:23,225
There was always someone I knew there.
134
00:11:23,892 --> 00:11:27,563
I liked that part of it
135
00:11:27,563 --> 00:11:33,068
but everybody was just there for fun.
136
00:11:33,068 --> 00:11:39,908
I wondered if I needed to be there.
137
00:11:40,075 --> 00:11:45,497
I loved it there,
but I knew I had to move on.
138
00:11:46,248 --> 00:11:51,003
Yuichi and Ubu's band
and my band performed
139
00:11:51,461 --> 00:11:52,462
at the same event.
140
00:11:52,462 --> 00:11:57,676
They completely blew me away.
Both of them were excellent.
141
00:11:57,676 --> 00:11:59,887
That's how I met the two of them.
142
00:12:00,053 --> 00:12:01,471
Hosomi was
143
00:12:02,139 --> 00:12:07,519
a member of the best act that
regularly performed at The 3rd Stage.
144
00:12:08,145 --> 00:12:12,524
I heard people talk about
this phenomenal band.
145
00:12:13,025 --> 00:12:16,653
But I'd never seen them perform.
I just heard stories.
146
00:12:16,778 --> 00:12:20,449
I was in a band with Yuichi,
147
00:12:20,908 --> 00:12:24,912
and one day we went out to the lobby
for a break or something.
148
00:12:25,287 --> 00:12:30,000
The recording booth's door opened,
and I heard this song.
149
00:12:31,877 --> 00:12:33,212
He was recording vocals.
150
00:12:33,212 --> 00:12:38,050
The song was good,
but the singer was phenomenal.
151
00:12:38,675 --> 00:12:45,599
I just had to see who was singing.
I peeked in and there was Hosomi.
152
00:13:00,072 --> 00:13:05,077
It was like being hit
with a baseball bat.
153
00:13:05,077 --> 00:13:06,745
I was shocked by his talent.
154
00:13:06,745 --> 00:13:11,500
I thought he was
the best singer on the planet.
155
00:13:11,667 --> 00:13:13,377
The song was "Yubiwa."
156
00:13:14,545 --> 00:13:16,672
It's an ELLEGARDEN song now.
157
00:13:17,130 --> 00:13:23,512
Hosomi used to perform that song
with his previous band.
158
00:13:23,929 --> 00:13:28,141
The song really impressed me,
and so did the band.
159
00:13:28,141 --> 00:13:33,897
I asked if we could add the song
to our repertoire when Hosomi joined us.
160
00:14:16,523 --> 00:14:18,275
I couldn't forget that.
161
00:14:19,359 --> 00:14:23,906
What I had heard in that studio
made a huge impression on me.
162
00:14:23,906 --> 00:14:26,200
I was determined that he join the band.
163
00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:30,078
So I tried to contact him,
164
00:14:30,078 --> 00:14:33,540
but he had disappeared.
165
00:14:34,416 --> 00:14:36,877
Quitting wasn't a big deal for me.
166
00:14:36,877 --> 00:14:43,467
I was never obsessed
with the idea of becoming a musician.
167
00:14:43,717 --> 00:14:49,556
After I graduated from university,
I went on a break and just lazed around.
168
00:14:49,556 --> 00:14:54,019
I racked up gambling debts,
so I got an office job to pay them off.
169
00:14:54,019 --> 00:14:56,813
I was a complete mess, really.
170
00:14:56,939 --> 00:15:00,359
I wasn't passionate about anything.
171
00:15:00,359 --> 00:15:06,657
I knew I could do great things
but I just wasn't trying.
172
00:15:07,533 --> 00:15:09,117
I was a total loser.
173
00:15:11,286 --> 00:15:18,001
I guess he gave up music or something,
but I don't know.
174
00:15:18,001 --> 00:15:20,921
Anyway, nobody could get
in touch with him.
175
00:15:20,921 --> 00:15:23,757
I tend to go to extremes.
176
00:15:24,007 --> 00:15:29,304
But being debt-ridden
and having my life spiral out of control
177
00:15:29,304 --> 00:15:31,348
was a wake-up call.
178
00:15:31,557 --> 00:15:32,933
I...
179
00:15:32,933 --> 00:15:38,814
I was worried that I was useless,
that I couldn't handle my own life.
180
00:15:39,064 --> 00:15:42,526
So I decided to start again
with a clean slate.
181
00:15:42,526 --> 00:15:46,738
I deleted all the contact info
on my cell phone
182
00:15:46,738 --> 00:15:49,616
and left town without telling anyone.
183
00:15:49,616 --> 00:15:52,494
I cut off all ties.
184
00:15:52,744 --> 00:15:56,832
And that was that.
185
00:15:56,832 --> 00:16:02,546
So I kept looking for a lead singer.
186
00:16:02,546 --> 00:16:05,883
I told Takahashi about all of this.
We had become friends by then.
187
00:16:06,508 --> 00:16:08,719
I got a call from Ubu.
188
00:16:09,219 --> 00:16:14,349
He was looking for Hosomi,
and asked if I knew where he was.
189
00:16:15,809 --> 00:16:18,812
I think I said no.
190
00:16:19,062 --> 00:16:22,983
I needed a job.
191
00:16:23,108 --> 00:16:26,570
So I wrote up a resume.
192
00:16:27,196 --> 00:16:30,157
I got hired, and then was dispatched
193
00:16:30,157 --> 00:16:33,869
to a major computer software developer.
194
00:16:33,869 --> 00:16:36,413
They were starting a joint business
195
00:16:36,914 --> 00:16:42,294
with a US firm, and I got sent
because I could speak English.
196
00:16:42,461 --> 00:16:46,632
I was a member of their
technical transfer team for some time.
197
00:16:46,632 --> 00:16:48,425
It feels like I was there forever.
198
00:16:49,259 --> 00:16:54,264
Then out of the blue,
Hosomi got in touch with Takahashi.
199
00:16:54,431 --> 00:16:56,308
I only kept Takahashi's number.
200
00:16:56,308 --> 00:16:59,102
I think that was fate.
201
00:16:59,811 --> 00:17:01,647
He asked me how I was.
202
00:17:02,105 --> 00:17:03,565
I told him I was fine.
203
00:17:03,857 --> 00:17:08,529
It's not like I wanted to get back
into music or anything.
204
00:17:08,529 --> 00:17:12,658
I just thought a solo set at
The 3rd Stage would be fun.
205
00:17:12,824 --> 00:17:16,411
I told Takahashi that.
206
00:17:16,411 --> 00:17:19,164
He said that I could do that, but...
207
00:17:19,331 --> 00:17:22,668
"Ubu says he wants to
form a band with you."
208
00:17:23,126 --> 00:17:26,171
He told me to contact Ubu and I did.
209
00:17:26,171 --> 00:17:31,593
Ubu said his band's singer quit
and he asked me to join.
210
00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:34,137
I met Hosomi in person.
211
00:17:37,099 --> 00:17:39,142
He agreed to join.
212
00:17:39,476 --> 00:17:44,731
Ubu put together a band with Hosomi
and a drummer who wasn�t me.
213
00:17:44,898 --> 00:17:48,277
I was just looking in from the outside.
214
00:17:48,277 --> 00:17:51,655
I was so jealous it drove me nuts.
215
00:17:51,655 --> 00:17:54,616
I really wanted to play with them.
216
00:17:54,616 --> 00:17:57,870
I was furious they didn't pick me.
217
00:17:58,161 --> 00:18:02,666
But then the drummer left
right after Hosomi joined.
218
00:18:02,666 --> 00:18:05,586
So we discussed what to do,
and then...
219
00:18:05,836 --> 00:18:08,172
I knew they'd ask me.
220
00:18:09,131 --> 00:18:14,428
Takahashi's drumming
had always impressed me.
221
00:18:15,095 --> 00:18:21,476
I told Hosomi and Yuichi
that I wanted Takahashi to join us.
222
00:18:21,977 --> 00:18:25,814
I was working at a car wash
when Ubu came along.
223
00:18:26,940 --> 00:18:29,985
I thought, "Finally!"
224
00:18:30,152 --> 00:18:32,112
"It's finally happening!"
225
00:18:32,112 --> 00:18:37,284
So while I was cleaning his car,
he asked me to join his band.
226
00:18:37,826 --> 00:18:38,660
I said, "Sure."
227
00:18:38,994 --> 00:18:41,413
Nobody knows this,
228
00:18:41,413 --> 00:18:46,919
but I was the one who formed the band
which evolved into ELLEGARDEN.
229
00:18:47,836 --> 00:18:53,967
So practically speaking,
I'm the founder of ELLEGARDEN.
230
00:18:54,301 --> 00:18:56,261
But let's keep it a secret.
231
00:18:56,512 --> 00:18:59,973
When we got started,
I told the others...
232
00:19:00,265 --> 00:19:04,561
He had no intention of getting popular
or being swamped with work.
233
00:19:04,895 --> 00:19:08,982
"I'm not going to listen to
what anybody tells me to do. Never."
234
00:19:09,358 --> 00:19:13,445
The first time the four of us
got together in a studio...
235
00:19:13,612 --> 00:19:16,865
That was the first time
we rehearsed together.
236
00:19:17,282 --> 00:19:21,620
It was Studio Sun in Nishi-Funabashi.
Room G.
237
00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:28,544
- Hello.
- Hi.
238
00:19:43,141 --> 00:19:46,186
This is where we first played together.
239
00:19:46,186 --> 00:19:47,980
Really small space, huh?
240
00:19:49,606 --> 00:19:52,651
We practiced a lot here.
241
00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:59,575
Just looking at this place
reminds me of the old ELLEGARDEN.
242
00:19:59,575 --> 00:20:02,953
It's amazing how different
it feels being here now.
243
00:20:02,953 --> 00:20:04,705
It brings back memories.
244
00:20:05,122 --> 00:20:07,291
We were always in this room.
245
00:20:07,624 --> 00:20:10,377
Room G was the cheapest
of the seven options.
246
00:20:10,919 --> 00:20:14,506
So obviously we went with that.
247
00:20:15,048 --> 00:20:19,678
All my drumming skills
248
00:20:19,678 --> 00:20:25,684
are based on the practice I did here,
sometimes without the band.
249
00:20:33,609 --> 00:20:35,027
Oh, thank you.
250
00:20:38,780 --> 00:20:40,365
He helped me a lot.
251
00:20:40,365 --> 00:20:44,786
I got a job after I finished school,
but I was fired.
252
00:20:44,786 --> 00:20:47,581
He took me under his wing.
253
00:20:48,957 --> 00:20:50,542
I owe him a lot.
254
00:20:51,126 --> 00:20:53,378
They were tough.
255
00:20:55,547 --> 00:20:59,176
Nothing could stop them.
256
00:20:59,176 --> 00:21:02,387
There were so many other bands,
257
00:21:02,387 --> 00:21:05,682
but they stood out from the crowd.
258
00:21:07,392 --> 00:21:08,810
Thank you.
259
00:21:10,437 --> 00:21:13,065
I helped him out with stuff.
260
00:21:13,065 --> 00:21:17,778
Like counting cash
and other kinds of things.
261
00:21:19,821 --> 00:21:22,366
He also had a car washing business.
262
00:21:23,534 --> 00:21:26,537
So I helped with that too.
263
00:21:27,538 --> 00:21:29,289
- Oh that's right.
- Yes.
264
00:21:31,500 --> 00:21:35,045
It was at the car wash
he was running.
265
00:21:35,045 --> 00:21:40,592
Ubu asked me to join the band
while I was washing his car there.
266
00:21:40,592 --> 00:21:44,972
That's how I got together with them.
267
00:21:44,972 --> 00:21:49,017
Speaking of which, he still hasn't paid
for that car wash.
268
00:21:49,017 --> 00:21:51,061
Really? He should pay up.
269
00:21:54,731 --> 00:21:57,526
In the early days, the audience...
270
00:21:58,151 --> 00:21:59,486
Nobody came.
271
00:21:59,653 --> 00:22:03,699
Before releasing our first
independent record, turnouts were small.
272
00:22:03,866 --> 00:22:06,785
Totally empty.
273
00:22:07,870 --> 00:22:12,416
I wracked my brain about how to get
more people to come.
274
00:22:12,708 --> 00:22:16,879
But there was no quick solution.
275
00:22:18,630 --> 00:22:20,174
Hosomi was unfazed.
276
00:22:20,549 --> 00:22:24,928
I never asked my friends to buy tickets.
277
00:22:25,679 --> 00:22:27,890
I never begged anyone to come
to our shows.
278
00:22:27,890 --> 00:22:30,184
I never hawked tickets.
279
00:22:31,268 --> 00:22:35,564
People would come
if they wanted to hear us play.
280
00:22:36,565 --> 00:22:39,610
At least, that's what I thought.
281
00:22:39,610 --> 00:22:44,114
Not doing those things wasn't a choice.
It just felt natural not to.
282
00:22:44,448 --> 00:22:48,869
There was this person
who asked me for a discount.
283
00:22:48,869 --> 00:22:51,455
Another band was selling them
for 500 yen cheaper.
284
00:22:51,455 --> 00:22:54,082
The ticket was 2000 yen.
285
00:22:54,458 --> 00:22:56,752
I was insulted that they'd even ask.
286
00:22:56,752 --> 00:23:00,255
I told them ELLEGARDEN's performance
would be worth full price
287
00:23:00,255 --> 00:23:04,343
and if they wanted a discount,
to go see another band.
288
00:23:04,343 --> 00:23:09,681
We had faith in ourselves.
We didn't question it.
289
00:23:09,681 --> 00:23:13,477
Early on, we'd play
for even just three or four people.
290
00:23:16,396 --> 00:23:17,564
Very small crowds.
291
00:23:17,814 --> 00:23:22,986
Without that faith,
there�d be no ELLEGARDEN.
292
00:23:23,237 --> 00:23:28,575
Ubukata was so confident in our music.
293
00:23:28,575 --> 00:23:34,540
He insisted that we didn't need to
grovel to get attention
294
00:23:34,540 --> 00:23:36,667
so I could see
he was getting frustrated.
295
00:23:36,834 --> 00:23:39,253
Somehow, I remained confident.
296
00:23:41,630 --> 00:23:43,465
I just knew.
297
00:23:43,632 --> 00:23:49,304
I knew we were incredible.
298
00:23:49,972 --> 00:23:54,643
Nobody knew about us
until we released our indie record.
299
00:23:54,810 --> 00:23:59,731
People say ELLEGARDEN
came out of nowhere.
300
00:24:00,482 --> 00:24:04,069
They say we were an overnight success.
301
00:24:04,069 --> 00:24:05,445
That's totally wrong.
302
00:24:05,445 --> 00:24:08,615
We were obscure for a long time.
303
00:24:08,615 --> 00:24:11,827
Our fellow indie band friends
were jealous
304
00:24:11,827 --> 00:24:16,456
but we went through
all the pain they did.
305
00:24:16,623 --> 00:24:22,129
All four of us would stay in one room
in hotels that cost next to nothing.
306
00:24:22,129 --> 00:24:23,505
Really cheap places.
307
00:24:23,839 --> 00:24:29,261
Back then, cheap places like that
charged 100 yen per hour for AC.
308
00:24:29,261 --> 00:24:31,555
You�d insert coins to turn it on.
309
00:24:31,847 --> 00:24:36,310
We were completely broke,
so when we did summer tours,
310
00:24:36,977 --> 00:24:40,981
we slept in a single room,
crowded together on the floor.
311
00:24:40,981 --> 00:24:45,694
And the first one to give in to the heat
would pay for the AC.
312
00:24:46,069 --> 00:24:49,990
I paid for AC at least once.
I don't know who else did.
313
00:24:51,241 --> 00:24:54,161
I was so starved I almost shoplifted.
314
00:24:54,161 --> 00:24:56,830
That was in Kushiro, Hokkaido.
315
00:24:58,165 --> 00:25:04,296
Hosomi and Ubu would bring their guitars
to CD stores.
316
00:25:04,296 --> 00:25:05,964
Yuichi and I would go too.
317
00:25:06,340 --> 00:25:10,969
They'd go up to the cashier,
introduce the band, and say,
318
00:25:10,969 --> 00:25:15,682
"We'd like you to stock our CDs,
so here's a sample of our music."
319
00:25:15,682 --> 00:25:18,143
And they'd start playing a song
320
00:25:18,310 --> 00:25:21,939
right in front of the cash register.
321
00:25:21,939 --> 00:25:27,528
That got the attention of
everybody in the store.
322
00:25:27,694 --> 00:25:30,864
They'd gather around,
and Yuichi and I would pass out flyers.
323
00:25:31,532 --> 00:25:36,495
We would try anything
that gave us even a slight chance.
324
00:25:38,705 --> 00:25:43,293
One time we invited talent scouts
from record companies to a private show.
325
00:25:43,293 --> 00:25:45,420
We only did that one time.
326
00:25:45,838 --> 00:25:48,340
All the labels said the same thing.
327
00:25:48,674 --> 00:25:54,638
"You�re great, but we can't sign you.
You wouldn�t sell."
328
00:25:55,430 --> 00:25:59,309
I thought that was insane.
329
00:25:59,893 --> 00:26:05,315
Their whole job is to sell music,
like any other product.
330
00:26:05,315 --> 00:26:09,278
They were telling us that the product
was great but it wouldn't sell.
331
00:26:09,653 --> 00:26:14,116
That makes no sense.
332
00:26:14,116 --> 00:26:19,997
I mean, a restaurant that serves
great food will obviously profit.
333
00:26:19,997 --> 00:26:24,418
High-quality products sell.
That's their entire job.
334
00:26:24,418 --> 00:26:29,798
I was fed up with that
kind of industry nonsense.
335
00:26:29,798 --> 00:26:35,429
We already knew our record was solid.
336
00:26:35,429 --> 00:26:37,890
We thought we were the best.
337
00:26:37,890 --> 00:26:40,267
But those music industry people
338
00:26:40,267 --> 00:26:45,314
and their ridiculous way of thinking
just blew my mind.
339
00:26:48,150 --> 00:26:51,069
ELLEGARDEN...
340
00:26:52,029 --> 00:26:57,284
I instantly fell in love
with their music.
341
00:26:59,828 --> 00:27:04,708
I've always respected them
and I think they're incredible.
342
00:27:05,751 --> 00:27:09,213
They were so new, people didn't know
what to make of them.
343
00:27:09,671 --> 00:27:12,799
They came out of nowhere.
344
00:27:12,799 --> 00:27:17,346
They were a shock to the music world.
345
00:27:18,222 --> 00:27:21,350
After releasingDon�t Trust Anyone But Us
346
00:27:21,725 --> 00:27:24,728
we were on a roll.
347
00:27:24,895 --> 00:27:29,983
I heard our sales went up too,
though it didn�t matter to me.
348
00:27:30,526 --> 00:27:34,696
That album title had an impact on me.Don�t Trust Anyone But Us.
349
00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:39,618
I thought about the "us" part,
350
00:27:39,618 --> 00:27:46,375
and how many people
that word could encompass.
351
00:27:47,417 --> 00:27:50,379
For me, the most important thing was...
352
00:27:50,796 --> 00:27:55,676
I used to be terrible at relationships.
I was always an outcast.
353
00:27:55,676 --> 00:28:02,015
But when I performed, I finally got
the attention I'd been craving.
354
00:28:03,100 --> 00:28:05,018
We kept making records.
355
00:28:06,353 --> 00:28:12,401
We went on performing a bunch of shows.
356
00:28:12,776 --> 00:28:19,533
It's not like one particular song
drew in a wave of new fans.
357
00:28:19,700 --> 00:28:24,204
All we did were gigs.
Make songs, record, and then perform.
358
00:28:24,830 --> 00:28:28,000
We struck up friendships with
other acts.
359
00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:34,840
And slowly but surely,
ELLEGARDEN got bigger.
360
00:28:35,799 --> 00:28:38,343
Street performances were not my idea.
361
00:28:39,970 --> 00:28:41,388
I didn't want to do it.
362
00:28:55,235 --> 00:29:02,159
We had our van loaded with our gear
parked around here.
363
00:29:03,952 --> 00:29:08,165
We'd haul out our equipment
the second the shutters closed.
364
00:29:10,667 --> 00:29:12,503
We did that a ton.
365
00:29:12,961 --> 00:29:19,051
Back then it didn't feel strange,
but look at this place.
366
00:29:20,052 --> 00:29:24,848
There were so many people around.
367
00:29:25,599 --> 00:29:29,436
We performed in the middle of all this.
368
00:29:33,565 --> 00:29:36,944
We must have been out of our minds.
369
00:29:36,944 --> 00:29:42,074
And we were way too loud
wherever we played.
370
00:29:42,074 --> 00:29:46,036
We could do two songs maximum.
371
00:29:46,620 --> 00:29:50,165
The police would show up
and get right in our faces.
372
00:29:51,124 --> 00:29:53,377
They were on guard, I guess.
373
00:29:53,377 --> 00:29:56,588
The other guys were unfazed
and just kept playing.
374
00:29:56,588 --> 00:29:59,800
But it drove me crazy.
375
00:30:00,342 --> 00:30:02,386
That happened a few times.
376
00:30:03,595 --> 00:30:09,351
It was so embarrassing doing
that right in the middle of Shibuya.
377
00:30:09,351 --> 00:30:10,894
I mean, come on!
378
00:30:13,021 --> 00:30:14,481
I didn't care.
379
00:30:16,358 --> 00:30:18,235
I just liked playing music.
380
00:30:50,267 --> 00:30:51,476
We busked nationwide.
381
00:30:52,561 --> 00:30:54,897
In Hokkaido for three weeks,
382
00:30:55,230 --> 00:31:00,569
Kushiro, Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka.
383
00:31:00,736 --> 00:31:04,489
Everywhere.
We went to Sendai and Obihiro too.
384
00:31:04,990 --> 00:31:07,201
It helped us build confidence.
385
00:31:07,576 --> 00:31:13,957
We did a bunch of shows, traveling
all over Japan in a Toyota Hiace van.
386
00:31:14,750 --> 00:31:19,296
Luckily enough,
the crowds would double with each gig,
387
00:31:19,296 --> 00:31:20,589
wherever we went.
388
00:31:21,131 --> 00:31:24,843
We started with two,
then five, then ten people.
389
00:31:25,052 --> 00:31:26,803
At first, it was hard to see.
390
00:31:27,054 --> 00:31:31,183
But when 10 turns into 20, you notice.
Then it's 40.
391
00:31:31,183 --> 00:31:33,894
When it reaches 80, the club is full.
392
00:31:35,270 --> 00:31:38,982
We weren't really
paying attention to sales.
393
00:31:38,982 --> 00:31:42,486
But ELLEGARDEN's sales
doubled with each record.
394
00:31:44,404 --> 00:31:48,867
You can't contain their level of quality
395
00:31:49,159 --> 00:31:51,995
in the small venues
they were playing at.
396
00:31:52,663 --> 00:31:58,126
Their music was meant to be played
in concert halls, not small clubs.
397
00:31:58,418 --> 00:32:02,464
All my friends who I brought with me
were in awe.
398
00:32:03,048 --> 00:32:05,384
ELLEGARDEN's shows floored everyone.
399
00:32:06,176 --> 00:32:10,806
Our audiences got bigger.
400
00:32:10,806 --> 00:32:15,018
People normally shunned me,
but not at our shows.
401
00:32:16,478 --> 00:32:20,816
Suddenly so many people
were excited to see me.
402
00:32:20,816 --> 00:32:26,238
And the audiences were bigger each time.
It felt insane.
403
00:32:26,405 --> 00:32:30,158
It was the first time it felt good
interacting with people.
404
00:32:30,701 --> 00:32:35,497
They gave up their precious time
to come to our shows.
405
00:32:35,497 --> 00:32:39,084
They even paid money
to come see us perform.
406
00:32:39,084 --> 00:32:41,503
They were so pumped to see us.
407
00:32:41,503 --> 00:32:46,425
Nobody had ever looked at me like that
in my entire life.
408
00:32:46,592 --> 00:32:51,680
I loved them for coming and
even paying to see us.
409
00:32:53,015 --> 00:32:55,184
I couldn't help but love them.
410
00:32:55,350 --> 00:32:58,103
Our fans meant everything to me.
411
00:34:21,395 --> 00:34:25,190
One day, I was in a hotel in Japan,
412
00:34:26,441 --> 00:34:31,154
looking in the mirror
and putting on makeup.
413
00:34:32,823 --> 00:34:35,325
The TV was on.
414
00:34:36,159 --> 00:34:41,707
I heard music.
415
00:34:41,707 --> 00:34:48,547
It was a music video channel.
416
00:34:49,173 --> 00:34:53,218
So I was just listening,
not actually watching.
417
00:34:53,218 --> 00:34:57,264
Then I noticed
the lyrics were in English.
418
00:34:57,681 --> 00:35:00,726
I thought the music was nice.
419
00:35:01,143 --> 00:35:06,607
I assumed they were
from an English-speaking country.
420
00:35:06,607 --> 00:35:09,818
The US or the UK, or something.
421
00:35:10,277 --> 00:35:15,324
I got curious and looked at the screen.
422
00:35:17,534 --> 00:35:19,453
They didn't look European or American.
423
00:35:20,370 --> 00:35:23,457
I watched the entire video
until the end.
424
00:35:23,749 --> 00:35:26,627
It said dELLEGARDEN.E
425
00:35:26,627 --> 00:35:27,836
I made a note of that.
426
00:35:42,059 --> 00:35:45,854
To understand ELLEGARDEN,
427
00:35:46,230 --> 00:35:50,275
you can't dissect their lyrics
like a novel or something.
428
00:35:51,109 --> 00:35:53,195
You can't just look at them
at face value.
429
00:35:56,448 --> 00:36:01,286
You have to understand Hosomi
to understand them.
430
00:36:03,664 --> 00:36:08,293
So their interviews, like the ones
in rockin'on magazine, are important.
431
00:36:09,294 --> 00:36:14,049
The culture of rock bands that
played in festivals like Air Jam
432
00:36:14,049 --> 00:36:19,388
followed certain patterns in
their shows, their fashion,
433
00:36:19,388 --> 00:36:24,560
and the types of melodies they used.
434
00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:28,188
Though not bound by specific rules,
435
00:36:28,188 --> 00:36:34,027
Japan's melodic hardcore scene
had its own conventions.
436
00:36:34,027 --> 00:36:38,824
But ELLEGARDEN was something new.
437
00:36:39,992 --> 00:36:44,663
You could tell this band
came from a different background.
438
00:36:46,373 --> 00:36:50,794
Typically, bands that stand out
in a particular scene
439
00:36:51,044 --> 00:36:53,380
are influenced by a sibling
who's into rock,
440
00:36:53,380 --> 00:36:58,135
or they played at a famous rock
venue or something like that.
441
00:36:58,302 --> 00:37:01,138
You can trace their musical roots.
442
00:37:01,138 --> 00:37:07,769
But for me, I wasn't influenced
by anything like that.
443
00:37:07,769 --> 00:37:12,065
In my case, I rented records
from a shop near my local train station.
444
00:37:12,065 --> 00:37:15,569
I picked based on the cover.
445
00:37:15,736 --> 00:37:18,405
I'd listen to anything,
from any year or country.
446
00:37:18,405 --> 00:37:22,326
So there are no clear-cut roots
in the songs I write.
447
00:37:23,035 --> 00:37:27,789
After the album Bring Your Board!!,
there was no stopping them.
448
00:37:28,207 --> 00:37:30,876
Everything they put out was excellent.
449
00:37:31,668 --> 00:37:33,962
I was excited with every release.
450
00:37:34,338 --> 00:37:39,051
Every single song they put out
was just flawless.
451
00:37:39,927 --> 00:37:43,013
That was really a magical time for them.
452
00:38:28,058 --> 00:38:32,604
I remember getting thrown off by
the song "Surfrider Association."
453
00:38:32,771 --> 00:38:36,817
Takahashi has said
he can barely keep up with it.
454
00:38:37,568 --> 00:38:42,072
We just did our best.
455
00:38:43,156 --> 00:38:48,871
There were more beats that pissed
Takahashi off in the songs...
456
00:38:50,372 --> 00:38:51,957
in Bring Your Board!!.
457
00:38:53,834 --> 00:38:58,213
They were beyond special.
458
00:38:59,214 --> 00:39:02,342
ELLEGARDEN's concerts totally surpassed
those of other bands.
459
00:39:02,342 --> 00:39:08,599
They were so special, it's pointless
to even compare them to others.
460
00:39:08,807 --> 00:39:10,809
They were that outstanding.
461
00:39:11,310 --> 00:39:15,022
Their shows were truly one of a kind.
462
00:39:15,189 --> 00:39:17,191
The energy was so intense.
463
00:39:17,482 --> 00:39:21,904
You could feel the temperature rising.
464
00:39:21,904 --> 00:39:26,116
Like a pressure cooker
465
00:39:26,867 --> 00:39:29,870
that was about to explode
at any second.
466
00:39:30,162 --> 00:39:35,209
Just visceral, intense energy.
467
00:39:36,793 --> 00:39:40,088
No other act could do that.
468
00:39:42,007 --> 00:39:44,176
Their performances were unmatched.
469
00:40:28,887 --> 00:40:34,685
ELLEGARDEN's music is great, obviously.
470
00:40:35,102 --> 00:40:38,397
But on a personal level,
471
00:40:38,397 --> 00:40:42,150
they saved me.
472
00:40:42,776 --> 00:40:45,779
After our band got our big break,
473
00:40:46,989 --> 00:40:49,241
I was in a terrible place.
474
00:40:49,616 --> 00:40:53,036
Commercial success
only made me feel worse.
475
00:40:53,036 --> 00:40:59,001
The noise had gotten to me.
I was almost completely demoralized.
476
00:40:59,501 --> 00:41:04,548
The emotional burden grew heavier
as we pushed forward.
477
00:41:04,923 --> 00:41:11,763
Then I saw ELLEGARDEN
rocketing to success.
478
00:41:12,097 --> 00:41:16,018
They were pushing themselves
even harder than we were.
479
00:41:16,852 --> 00:41:18,854
But they didn�t show it.
480
00:41:18,854 --> 00:41:22,774
They were absolutely on fire
while performing on stage,
481
00:41:22,774 --> 00:41:25,611
intensely emotionally
connected to their audience.
482
00:41:26,278 --> 00:41:29,781
Their performances were that impactful.
483
00:41:29,781 --> 00:41:33,911
I was really moved.
484
00:41:35,454 --> 00:41:40,959
And somehow that lifted
a burden off of me.
485
00:41:41,418 --> 00:41:43,378
They were incredible.
486
00:41:43,378 --> 00:41:49,384
Despite how hard they worked,
they could perform so well.
487
00:41:50,886 --> 00:41:55,599
On some days they seemed
to be having fun on stage,
488
00:41:55,766 --> 00:42:00,729
and the lighting technicians and I'd be
happy with how things turned out.
489
00:42:00,729 --> 00:42:04,149
But when I'd go backstage
to greet the band,
490
00:42:04,149 --> 00:42:08,362
they'd be in a bad mood,
saying it went badly.
491
00:42:08,362 --> 00:42:12,866
They'd discuss how to do better.
492
00:42:13,033 --> 00:42:15,160
That would surprise me.
493
00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:20,624
Then again, the exact opposite
would happen too.
494
00:42:20,624 --> 00:42:24,002
I would expect another discussion
about what went wrong.
495
00:42:24,002 --> 00:42:28,423
But it�d turn out
they were actually pretty happy
496
00:42:28,423 --> 00:42:31,343
with the day's show.
497
00:42:31,343 --> 00:42:36,890
There were several times when the band
and staff's perceptions differed.
498
00:42:37,349 --> 00:42:42,771
Hosomi took songwriting
499
00:42:42,938 --> 00:42:45,816
very seriously.
500
00:42:46,233 --> 00:42:50,362
He would come up with
a song on his guitar.
501
00:42:50,362 --> 00:42:54,074
We had "Can You Feel Like I Do"
recorded already.
502
00:42:54,283 --> 00:42:58,537
But for the other songs,
Hosomi would write them alone,
503
00:42:58,537 --> 00:43:03,458
and then we would come together
and add our parts to the arrangement.
504
00:43:03,625 --> 00:43:08,589
The other guys waited outside
the studio while I wrote.
505
00:43:08,755 --> 00:43:13,510
They sometimes had to kill time
for hours, waiting for me.
506
00:43:14,094 --> 00:43:18,682
Meanwhile, I'm playing guitar like crazy
and figuring out the melody.
507
00:43:18,682 --> 00:43:23,687
Once I had an idea,
I�d go out to get the others.
508
00:43:23,687 --> 00:43:26,315
I�d say, dI�ve got something good.E
509
00:43:27,191 --> 00:43:28,817
Sometimes it�d be fine.
510
00:43:28,817 --> 00:43:32,696
If not, I�d start over.
511
00:43:33,155 --> 00:43:35,032
That was the process.
512
00:43:35,908 --> 00:43:39,203
We used to butt heads a lot.
513
00:43:39,203 --> 00:43:43,832
I tried to find compromises
as much as possible.
514
00:43:45,125 --> 00:43:46,543
Sometimes,
515
00:43:46,543 --> 00:43:52,049
the melody Hosomi had in mind
didn't sound right to me.
516
00:43:52,382 --> 00:43:55,302
So I'd tell him
that something sounds weird.
517
00:43:55,302 --> 00:43:57,971
I couldn't get a hold of it.
518
00:43:57,971 --> 00:44:01,642
He would insist that it was fine.
519
00:44:01,642 --> 00:44:05,229
He'd never convince me, though.
520
00:44:06,480 --> 00:44:11,527
We'd go back and forth
on stuff like that.
521
00:44:11,527 --> 00:44:14,029
I don't know if I'd call it conflict.
522
00:44:14,029 --> 00:44:17,991
We were discussing things
about the songs.
523
00:44:17,991 --> 00:44:22,204
We were sharing our opinions.
524
00:44:22,538 --> 00:44:25,624
I don't think it was conflict.
525
00:44:25,791 --> 00:44:28,377
All of us would discuss
the album's creation.
526
00:44:28,377 --> 00:44:32,005
I don�t know if fighting is
the right word.
527
00:44:32,422 --> 00:44:35,759
It was the same with Pepperoni Quattro
and Riot on the Grill.
528
00:44:35,759 --> 00:44:40,722
But Hosomi�s energy
for Eleven Fire Crackers blew me away.
529
00:44:40,722 --> 00:44:45,143
Something was different
about his intensity.
530
00:44:45,686 --> 00:44:48,981
Well, by that time...
531
00:44:50,816 --> 00:44:54,820
they'd established their own identity.
532
00:44:54,820 --> 00:44:58,490
I could only imagine the dedication
they put into that record.
533
00:44:59,950 --> 00:45:01,994
They exceeded all expectations.
534
00:45:02,452 --> 00:45:05,747
When we finished making that album,
535
00:45:06,665 --> 00:45:12,796
I knew what we'd created was special.
536
00:45:13,213 --> 00:45:14,798
I've always wanted
537
00:45:16,049 --> 00:45:21,138
to surpass that record,
and I'm sure the band wants to as well.
538
00:45:21,138 --> 00:45:25,017
But I'm proud that our latest work
is our masterpiece.
539
00:46:41,969 --> 00:46:47,266
I like "Salamander."
I used to listen to that a lot.
540
00:46:47,933 --> 00:46:50,060
I would say "Salamander."
541
00:46:50,477 --> 00:46:52,437
Their other songs featuring
542
00:46:53,981 --> 00:46:57,943
quintessential melodic hardcore beats
are great too.
543
00:46:58,902 --> 00:47:01,780
But in that song,
544
00:47:02,698 --> 00:47:07,828
you hear Ubu's crunchy
and heavily distorted guitar riff,
545
00:47:07,828 --> 00:47:13,834
and then there are Hosomi's
weighty vocals.
546
00:47:14,668 --> 00:47:18,130
They come together perfectly.
547
00:47:18,755 --> 00:47:23,510
I think "Salamander" best represents
that combo.
548
00:47:23,510 --> 00:47:26,889
It encapsulates what I like
about ELLEGARDEN's songs.
549
00:47:27,055 --> 00:47:30,434
We have no keyboard player.
ELLEGARDEN is a 4-piece group
550
00:47:30,434 --> 00:47:32,477
with two guitar players.
551
00:47:33,020 --> 00:47:36,690
That means that way I play will make
or break the song.
552
00:47:36,690 --> 00:47:40,652
I've always been aware of that,
at least to some extent.
553
00:47:41,195 --> 00:47:44,198
Should I keep things simple,
spice it up,
554
00:47:44,198 --> 00:47:47,659
or add some ambiance like a piano would?
555
00:47:47,659 --> 00:47:51,330
I have to consider that.
556
00:47:51,830 --> 00:47:53,457
But the rhythms are simple.
557
00:47:53,457 --> 00:47:58,837
Takahashi would often say back then
558
00:47:59,713 --> 00:48:03,675
that his focus was on making
his 8th note groove sound good.
559
00:48:54,810 --> 00:48:58,564
Things changed with each record we made.
560
00:48:58,856 --> 00:49:04,528
All I wanted to do was create live shows
561
00:49:05,153 --> 00:49:08,740
where our audience could break free
from the rules that bound them.
562
00:49:09,116 --> 00:49:15,831
I wanted to give them a total departure
from their daily lives,
563
00:49:15,831 --> 00:49:21,503
where they could let go of everything,
where nothing mattered but the music.
564
00:49:21,670 --> 00:49:26,133
We all created
those experiences together.
565
00:49:26,133 --> 00:49:28,719
Not just the band,
but the audience too.
566
00:49:29,386 --> 00:49:32,848
I was obsessed with creating
that kind of experience.
567
00:49:33,015 --> 00:49:37,811
It escalated further and further.
568
00:49:38,020 --> 00:49:42,816
I wanted to excite our audiences
in a way that no other band could.
569
00:49:42,816 --> 00:49:46,236
So our songs kept getting
faster and faster.
570
00:49:46,528 --> 00:49:48,071
I had one direction.
571
00:49:48,071 --> 00:49:51,366
More extreme. More intense.
572
00:49:53,202 --> 00:49:56,371
And more stimulating.
573
00:49:56,747 --> 00:49:59,708
That's how each record evolved.
574
00:50:00,292 --> 00:50:05,255
You know how ninjas train
in a lot of Japanese comics?
575
00:50:05,255 --> 00:50:08,675
In order to be able to jump over
high fences and stuff,
576
00:50:08,675 --> 00:50:13,805
the ninja would plant a seed
and jump over it every day.
577
00:50:13,805 --> 00:50:17,059
As the plant grew taller,
578
00:50:17,059 --> 00:50:20,979
the ninja's legs would get stronger,
and he could jump higher.
579
00:50:20,979 --> 00:50:22,856
But in real life,
580
00:50:22,856 --> 00:50:26,193
inevitably it'd grow so big,
he couldn't jump over it anymore.
581
00:50:26,193 --> 00:50:29,780
We were about to hit our limit, too.
582
00:50:35,744 --> 00:50:37,955
The first time I saw them...
583
00:50:39,289 --> 00:50:42,292
was probably
at a music festival somewhere.
584
00:50:43,210 --> 00:50:45,504
I had no interest in them.
585
00:50:46,463 --> 00:50:48,632
But I was aware of them.
586
00:50:50,676 --> 00:50:53,262
I knew they were pretty popular.
587
00:50:53,554 --> 00:50:58,225
I wasn't going to watch them perform,
so I was packing up to get on the bus.
588
00:50:58,225 --> 00:51:02,813
Then I saw Hosomi backstage.
589
00:51:02,813 --> 00:51:06,942
He was crouched down
like this for a while.
590
00:51:06,942 --> 00:51:10,612
I remember that vividly.
591
00:51:12,447 --> 00:51:17,786
ELLEGARDEN must have been
the final act of the event.
592
00:51:17,786 --> 00:51:22,875
But he didn't look like he was
capable of getting up on stage.
593
00:51:22,875 --> 00:51:25,210
I just stared at him.
594
00:51:26,837 --> 00:51:31,425
I wondered what was wrong.
595
00:51:31,425 --> 00:51:32,885
I thought,
596
00:51:32,885 --> 00:51:37,556
"Isn�t that the lead singer?
Can he perform in that state?E
597
00:51:37,556 --> 00:51:39,057
It was concerning.
598
00:51:41,143 --> 00:51:46,398
Obviously, writing music and lyrics was
stressful for Hosomi.
599
00:51:47,691 --> 00:51:51,236
That was the most stressful, I think.
600
00:51:51,403 --> 00:51:56,033
He was pushing himself really hard.
601
00:51:57,117 --> 00:52:00,954
Sometimes I couldn't come up with
good ideas for my bass lines
602
00:52:01,538 --> 00:52:03,665
and stuff like that was hard,
603
00:52:04,041 --> 00:52:08,921
but the burden on Hosomi was
so much worse.
604
00:52:09,421 --> 00:52:12,299
As our fanbase expanded,
605
00:52:12,299 --> 00:52:16,053
we had to make a record
that matched their expectations.
606
00:52:16,053 --> 00:52:19,431
That was an incredible amount
of pressure.
607
00:52:19,431 --> 00:52:24,978
With each album, we had higher hurdles
to clear and more responsibilities.
608
00:52:24,978 --> 00:52:27,523
We all felt that pressure.
609
00:52:27,856 --> 00:52:30,275
The expectations were higher because
610
00:52:31,527 --> 00:52:35,155
we had to outdo the last album.
Not sales, but for ourselves.
611
00:52:35,155 --> 00:52:37,950
So...
612
00:52:40,744 --> 00:52:43,497
The bar was being raised.
613
00:52:43,497 --> 00:52:48,418
As a band grows,
you have more songs,
614
00:52:48,418 --> 00:52:53,715
and you're limited
in what you can do next.
615
00:52:54,132 --> 00:52:57,386
You don't want to repeat your past work.
616
00:52:57,678 --> 00:53:01,640
It felt like being strangled.
617
00:53:01,640 --> 00:53:05,811
We struggled the most withEleven Fire Crackers.
618
00:53:06,270 --> 00:53:12,234
Definitely Eleven Fire Crackers.
That was the toughest one.
619
00:53:12,401 --> 00:53:14,903
As far as the records we completed go,
620
00:53:14,903 --> 00:53:20,617
Eleven Fire Crackers
was the hardest project.
621
00:53:20,784 --> 00:53:22,870
For that album,
622
00:53:22,870 --> 00:53:26,999
we all worked 24/7.
623
00:53:27,165 --> 00:53:30,043
I would go over my parts
even after I got home.
624
00:53:30,043 --> 00:53:33,881
My motivation kept me going somehow.
625
00:53:34,298 --> 00:53:41,013
I'm grateful I had that at least.
626
00:53:42,431 --> 00:53:44,266
It was really rough.
627
00:53:44,266 --> 00:53:48,562
I lost a lot of weight,
though I didn't notice it.
628
00:53:48,562 --> 00:53:51,690
And one day,
someone pointed out to me that
629
00:53:51,690 --> 00:53:55,611
I had lost a patch of hair
on the back of my head.
630
00:53:56,153 --> 00:53:59,114
I'd developed a bald spot
about this size.
631
00:53:59,114 --> 00:54:02,618
It's the only time
I pushed myself that far.
632
00:54:02,784 --> 00:54:05,621
Hosomi's hair started falling out.
633
00:54:05,621 --> 00:54:09,208
I finally saw how hard this was on him
634
00:54:09,374 --> 00:54:13,212
and the weight of the burden
that he was carrying.
635
00:54:13,629 --> 00:54:14,671
Before that...
636
00:54:17,090 --> 00:54:20,761
I never imagined
stress could affect him like that.
637
00:54:20,761 --> 00:54:26,099
I saw and still see him
as a very tough person.
638
00:54:27,100 --> 00:54:32,272
Honestly, things were getting tense
between us.
639
00:54:32,272 --> 00:54:38,320
In retrospect, I think
the three of us couldn't keep up with
640
00:54:38,320 --> 00:54:40,531
the drive that Hosomi had.
641
00:54:40,781 --> 00:54:43,575
Hosomi was bearing a cross
642
00:54:43,575 --> 00:54:49,706
that was much heavier than ours.
643
00:54:49,873 --> 00:54:51,583
And...
644
00:54:54,002 --> 00:54:55,379
looking back,
645
00:54:56,129 --> 00:55:00,175
I see that the rest of us should have
shared the burden.
646
00:55:00,175 --> 00:55:03,428
We should have helped him.
647
00:55:04,471 --> 00:55:06,723
But I didn�t do anything.
648
00:55:06,723 --> 00:55:11,812
I didn't take on any responsibility.
649
00:55:11,812 --> 00:55:18,277
Actually, I think I only made
things worse for him.
650
00:55:18,443 --> 00:55:22,114
I'd say the biggest change was
the number of staff.
651
00:55:23,031 --> 00:55:25,409
When we started,
it was just the four of us.
652
00:55:25,409 --> 00:55:28,579
We had to work out our problems
with each other.
653
00:55:28,996 --> 00:55:31,081
We discussed things head-on.
654
00:55:31,081 --> 00:55:36,170
But as our team grew,
we started venting to our staff.
655
00:55:36,170 --> 00:55:39,506
With more people
entering our inner orbit,
656
00:55:39,506 --> 00:55:44,970
there were fewer chances
for the four of us to communicate.
657
00:55:45,637 --> 00:55:51,351
The stress was really weighing
on Hosomi.
658
00:55:51,351 --> 00:55:57,649
We should have tried to understand him.
659
00:55:57,649 --> 00:56:02,613
I might have been able to give him
an outside perspective.
660
00:56:02,613 --> 00:56:05,324
We were on the same team, after all.
661
00:56:07,743 --> 00:56:10,954
I could have taken on some
of that burden.
662
00:56:10,954 --> 00:56:18,962
But I just got more and more upset.
663
00:56:19,379 --> 00:56:24,676
I would complain about him to the crew
664
00:56:26,720 --> 00:56:30,432
and tell him off for things.
665
00:56:30,432 --> 00:56:34,353
I really regret that.
666
00:56:34,520 --> 00:56:37,773
I don't really value longevity.
667
00:56:38,524 --> 00:56:44,363
I�ve always aimed to be
short-lasting but impactful.
668
00:56:44,363 --> 00:56:48,033
Of course, it�d be best to last
a long time and be impactful.
669
00:56:48,867 --> 00:56:54,957
But that�s just not how I think
670
00:56:54,957 --> 00:56:58,001
so I saw no alternative.
671
00:56:58,001 --> 00:57:04,550
I wanted to stimulate people's minds
even more than our previous work could.
672
00:57:04,550 --> 00:57:08,595
Even if only by the tiniest bit,
I wanted to surpass what I made before.
673
00:57:08,595 --> 00:57:12,975
Songwriting became
more and more difficult.
674
00:57:12,975 --> 00:57:17,980
I was completely devoted to making music
that was more exciting than ever.
675
00:57:17,980 --> 00:57:23,610
Slowing down was not an option for me.
676
00:57:23,610 --> 00:57:27,698
But it kept getting harder
to surpass myself.
677
00:57:28,323 --> 00:57:32,578
Things got brutal.
678
00:57:32,828 --> 00:57:36,415
There was an album
that we couldn't finish.
679
00:57:36,582 --> 00:57:44,548
We had a few songs done
680
00:57:45,632 --> 00:57:47,718
before everything happened.
681
00:57:47,885 --> 00:57:53,015
I can't pinpoint a specific reason
in particular but...
682
00:57:54,016 --> 00:58:00,272
For one thing, tension was running high
during the production of the last album.
683
00:58:01,773 --> 00:58:04,359
It was just that,
684
00:58:05,027 --> 00:58:08,947
things had gradually
soured between the four of us.
685
00:58:09,823 --> 00:58:14,536
It was pretty typical for us
to keep working for 180 days straight.
686
00:58:14,536 --> 00:58:16,455
We were always working.
687
00:58:16,455 --> 00:58:21,752
Even when we got home,
we just kept working on the album.
688
00:58:21,752 --> 00:58:26,048
Eleven Fire Crackers hit the top
of the charts.
689
00:58:26,048 --> 00:58:32,554
We were at a hotel during a tour,
in the lobby.
690
00:58:34,473 --> 00:58:38,519
Our manager came to us and said,
691
00:58:38,769 --> 00:58:41,396
"I know none of you will care,
692
00:58:41,813 --> 00:58:47,110
but you're at the
top of this week's Oricon charts."
693
00:58:47,277 --> 00:58:51,365
None of us were interested
so we all just went to our rooms alone.
694
00:58:51,365 --> 00:58:54,618
We were exhausted. Mentally exhausted.
695
00:58:55,369 --> 00:58:58,705
So we started working on
our sixth record.
696
00:59:00,374 --> 00:59:03,001
But the tension among us...
697
00:59:04,419 --> 00:59:06,338
got worse and worse.
698
00:59:06,338 --> 00:59:09,842
In hindsight, it was one against three.
699
00:59:10,008 --> 00:59:12,386
Hosomi versus the three of us.
700
00:59:12,386 --> 00:59:18,267
Hosomi rarely joined us at the studio
because he was writing songs.
701
00:59:18,267 --> 00:59:22,187
The three of us talked a lot and bonded.
702
00:59:25,023 --> 00:59:28,402
I can't put my finger on
why things went awry,
703
00:59:28,402 --> 00:59:31,947
but things just built up over the years.
704
00:59:33,365 --> 00:59:35,909
Up to that point,
705
00:59:35,909 --> 00:59:38,954
I had no social skills.
706
00:59:39,997 --> 00:59:44,334
I was pretty reckless.
707
00:59:45,127 --> 00:59:47,087
I survived on willpower alone.
708
00:59:47,087 --> 00:59:51,091
I think my attitude caused problems.
709
00:59:51,258 --> 00:59:56,638
For example, one day
we were loading our gear into a van.
710
00:59:56,638 --> 01:00:01,894
A group of high school girls
ran up to us.
711
01:00:01,894 --> 01:00:05,105
They handed over their camera to
one of the other band members
712
01:00:05,105 --> 01:00:11,111
and asked them to take a photo.
713
01:00:11,111 --> 01:00:12,613
That sticks out in my mind.
714
01:00:12,988 --> 01:00:16,617
Back then, I lacked empathy.
I thought nothing of it.
715
01:00:16,617 --> 01:00:19,870
If it happened now,
I'd tell those girls off.
716
01:00:20,370 --> 01:00:22,706
I regret doing nothing then.
717
01:00:26,585 --> 01:00:31,298
So I told them
I was going to quit the band.
718
01:00:32,716 --> 01:00:34,718
For Ubukata...
719
01:00:36,637 --> 01:00:41,141
It wasn't a simple decision.
He considered the whole situation,
720
01:00:41,600 --> 01:00:43,769
including Takahashi...
721
01:00:46,897 --> 01:00:50,317
and our staff and everything.
722
01:00:53,612 --> 01:00:59,952
He was the first to put into words
how bad things had gotten.
723
01:01:01,036 --> 01:01:05,624
I'd already told Takahashi and Yuichi
that I couldn't put up with it.
724
01:01:06,917 --> 01:01:09,503
I said I wanted to quit.
725
01:01:10,462 --> 01:01:15,342
And we decided to bring in
Hosomi to talk.
726
01:01:16,051 --> 01:01:21,223
I got called into the office
and they said it was important.
727
01:01:24,434 --> 01:01:27,104
I was in the middle of writing an album.
728
01:01:27,104 --> 01:01:30,691
Songwriting was really intense for me,
like I said before.
729
01:01:30,691 --> 01:01:35,654
I was so focused on that,
730
01:01:35,821 --> 01:01:40,784
I couldn't comprehend why
they would interrupt me.
731
01:01:40,951 --> 01:01:45,789
I was furious because I thought nothing
was more important than the album.
732
01:01:45,789 --> 01:01:48,125
But they said it was urgent.
733
01:01:48,125 --> 01:01:54,006
So I went and that's when we talked
about breaking up the band.
734
01:01:56,925 --> 01:01:58,510
That's my memory of it.
735
01:01:58,760 --> 01:02:02,389
I'm not sure how honest to be.
736
01:02:02,389 --> 01:02:04,975
I felt like
my world flipped upside down.
737
01:02:05,350 --> 01:02:07,936
Hosomi was probably taken aback.
738
01:02:07,936 --> 01:02:09,104
I think he...
739
01:02:11,607 --> 01:02:15,110
He wasn't expecting it.
740
01:02:16,153 --> 01:02:18,780
ELLEGARDEN was my life.
741
01:02:18,780 --> 01:02:20,782
I was totally immersed in it.
742
01:02:20,782 --> 01:02:26,580
The only thing I cared about was
that close bond with our audience.
743
01:02:26,580 --> 01:02:31,168
Losing that felt like a nightmare.
744
01:02:31,335 --> 01:02:34,963
I refused to accept
that he was quitting.
745
01:02:35,547 --> 01:02:38,967
He suggested a hiatus instead.
746
01:02:38,967 --> 01:02:42,930
And so the conversation
dragged on and on.
747
01:02:43,096 --> 01:02:47,142
We were in a room
in our production studio.
748
01:02:47,518 --> 01:02:50,312
Ubukata just came out and said it.
749
01:02:50,521 --> 01:02:53,482
Ubu started talking to Hosomi
about quitting the band.
750
01:02:54,024 --> 01:02:55,442
I think he spoke first.
751
01:02:57,736 --> 01:02:59,738
But it was three against one.
752
01:02:59,905 --> 01:03:01,740
It was a terrible atmosphere.
753
01:03:03,534 --> 01:03:09,373
It was more than just me quitting.
754
01:03:09,373 --> 01:03:14,878
We had decided that if one person quit,
we'd break up the band.
755
01:03:15,921 --> 01:03:18,882
That was our promise to each other.
756
01:03:19,049 --> 01:03:21,093
So if I quit, it was all over.
757
01:03:21,093 --> 01:03:25,264
But he insisted that a hiatus
was the better option.
758
01:03:25,264 --> 01:03:28,559
We went back and forth.
759
01:03:29,476 --> 01:03:34,731
I'm not avoiding this topic.
I honestly don't remember.
760
01:03:34,731 --> 01:03:36,400
I don't remember specifics.
761
01:03:36,567 --> 01:03:38,819
Maybe I want to forget it.
762
01:03:39,236 --> 01:03:44,366
It's my last memory of the band.
763
01:03:45,868 --> 01:03:49,371
And yet it's fading away.
764
01:03:49,997 --> 01:03:54,334
I remember feeling sick.
I had to stop.
765
01:03:54,626 --> 01:03:57,212
I went out of the room.
766
01:03:58,547 --> 01:04:05,095
I collapsed from exhaustion.
That's how long our discussion went on.
767
01:04:05,345 --> 01:04:09,725
We talked for 12 hours.
Yuichi got sick and left the room.
768
01:04:10,601 --> 01:04:14,980
He said he needed some air.
Typical Yuichi.
769
01:04:15,272 --> 01:04:20,944
That was the point when he finally
gave up arguing.
770
01:04:21,945 --> 01:04:25,407
I think he realized it was pointless.
771
01:04:27,117 --> 01:04:30,621
I wanted to finish the record.
772
01:04:31,163 --> 01:04:35,125
But things were too rough.
773
01:04:35,626 --> 01:04:38,128
There were too many problems.
774
01:04:38,420 --> 01:04:41,965
I felt a sense of relief.
775
01:04:43,425 --> 01:04:47,387
I honestly wanted to complete the album.
776
01:04:51,683 --> 01:04:55,395
But I was a little relieved
when we went on hiatus.
777
01:04:59,650 --> 01:05:01,443
I couldn't help but feel that way.
778
01:05:02,569 --> 01:05:07,449
I've thought about it a lot,
but I don't understand what happened.
779
01:05:09,243 --> 01:05:12,579
It was a complex situation.
780
01:05:12,579 --> 01:05:15,832
We didn't have an objective arbiter.
781
01:05:16,458 --> 01:05:20,963
I had the privilege
of doing an exclusive interview
782
01:05:20,963 --> 01:05:26,009
about ELLEGARDEN's hiatus.
783
01:05:26,009 --> 01:05:30,347
Hosomi explained it to me
in his own words.
784
01:05:30,347 --> 01:05:37,646
Our interview lasted
for nearly two hours,
785
01:05:38,272 --> 01:05:41,358
and he shared a lot of details.
786
01:05:42,150 --> 01:05:44,069
But despite all that,
787
01:05:45,028 --> 01:05:49,032
I couldn't wrap my head
around what had happened.
788
01:05:49,032 --> 01:05:54,496
The way Hosomi created music
789
01:05:54,496 --> 01:05:59,710
and how he devoted himself
to ELLEGARDEN back then
790
01:06:00,210 --> 01:06:03,881
had gotten to the point
that it worried me.
791
01:06:04,047 --> 01:06:07,885
He was pouring his everything
into the band.
792
01:06:08,427 --> 01:06:10,220
It was so intense.
793
01:06:10,220 --> 01:06:12,848
So my guess is that...
794
01:06:13,682 --> 01:06:20,564
Hosomi had become unable to pump
the brakes on his ambition.
795
01:06:21,481 --> 01:06:24,234
Meanwhile, his bandmates wondered
796
01:06:24,234 --> 01:06:29,072
whether they should let
him drag them along
797
01:06:29,072 --> 01:06:31,825
or take a break instead
798
01:06:31,825 --> 01:06:36,538
and get a fresh start
799
01:06:36,538 --> 01:06:40,292
after rebuilding themselves.
800
01:06:40,459 --> 01:06:44,171
It was a difficult decision for them.
801
01:07:00,854 --> 01:07:02,814
Thanks for supporting us.
802
01:07:05,359 --> 01:07:10,906
But first things first.
We're taking a break.
803
01:07:10,906 --> 01:07:16,995
Just a break, like taking
a year off college to go abroad.
804
01:07:16,995 --> 01:07:21,083
We couldn't have had
this big send-off party
805
01:07:21,083 --> 01:07:23,168
just with us four and you all.
806
01:07:23,168 --> 01:07:27,673
So thank you to all the staff
involved in today's show.
807
01:07:36,390 --> 01:07:38,767
I hope there's enough time.
808
01:07:40,310 --> 01:07:45,190
I want to make one thing clear.
This will not be our final show.
809
01:07:47,985 --> 01:07:50,112
I have a metaphor for songwriting.
810
01:07:50,112 --> 01:07:55,492
Imagine you're an alchemist using
811
01:07:56,034 --> 01:08:00,956
a big machine like a steam engine,
all covered in pipes.
812
01:08:00,956 --> 01:08:07,045
You throw everything you have on you
into the furnace.
813
01:08:07,045 --> 01:08:11,508
You throw in your freedom, happiness,
814
01:08:11,967 --> 01:08:15,304
sleep, good meals,
815
01:08:15,304 --> 01:08:18,348
TV shows and comics you like.
Those go in first.
816
01:08:18,348 --> 01:08:23,812
And then your health,
and what's left of your life.
817
01:08:23,812 --> 01:08:26,023
After sacrificing all that,
818
01:08:26,523 --> 01:08:30,360
the giant machine spits out
a tiny little grain of sand.
819
01:08:32,529 --> 01:08:34,615
To me, that was songwriting.
820
01:08:34,615 --> 01:08:41,163
I physically pushed myself to the edge.
821
01:08:41,330 --> 01:08:46,335
For instance, I wouldn't sleep
until I made a great song.
822
01:08:46,502 --> 01:08:48,003
I was like a dumb kid.
823
01:08:48,003 --> 01:08:51,924
But that's how I am.
824
01:08:52,633 --> 01:08:56,762
I had no other way
to come up with great songs
825
01:08:56,762 --> 01:08:59,681
like the tracks on Eleven Fire Crackers.
826
01:09:00,265 --> 01:09:02,976
That record was next-level.
827
01:09:03,393 --> 01:09:06,980
So I remember thinking
their hiatus was understandable.
828
01:09:07,147 --> 01:09:13,570
There were red flags.
829
01:09:14,947 --> 01:09:19,910
To put it another way,
they were like a car
830
01:09:20,118 --> 01:09:22,371
speeding all around Japan,
831
01:09:22,371 --> 01:09:28,794
charging ahead
even as bits and pieces were flying off.
832
01:09:29,753 --> 01:09:32,881
They didn't stop for maintenance.
833
01:09:32,881 --> 01:09:38,971
They just kept working
to make songs and push forward.
834
01:09:40,556 --> 01:09:45,060
If they made albums
with that much intensity,
835
01:09:45,060 --> 01:09:50,232
it was only natural
for them to break down, so to speak.
836
01:11:40,676 --> 01:11:46,974
I left the management company
that handled ELLEGARDEN.
837
01:11:46,974 --> 01:11:51,144
I didn't belong anywhere.
No company, no job.
838
01:11:51,144 --> 01:11:55,399
I was devastated
and wondered how I'd earn a living.
839
01:11:55,399 --> 01:11:59,111
I got back to my tiny apartment
in Komazawa.
840
01:11:59,278 --> 01:12:03,407
And in the mailbox was this huge packet.
841
01:12:03,574 --> 01:12:05,158
I wondered who sent it.
842
01:12:05,534 --> 01:12:07,744
There was no name on the envelope.
843
01:12:07,744 --> 01:12:11,832
I opened it and pulled out
a magazine clipping.
844
01:12:12,082 --> 01:12:14,918
I took it from a magazine.
845
01:12:16,086 --> 01:12:20,174
There was a photo I thought was cute.
846
01:12:20,174 --> 01:12:25,220
So I tore it out,
scribbled some words on it,
847
01:12:25,220 --> 01:12:30,267
folded it, popped it in an envelope,
and sent it off.
848
01:12:31,185 --> 01:12:32,603
At least, I think so.
849
01:12:33,145 --> 01:12:34,897
She lived in New York.
850
01:12:34,897 --> 01:12:40,068
It was a picture of a crowded NYC street
lined with taxis.
851
01:12:40,068 --> 01:12:44,489
There was a dog sticking out
its tongue and looking happy.
852
01:12:44,489 --> 01:12:47,659
And she had drawn
a speech bubble that read,
853
01:12:48,327 --> 01:12:51,455
"Hey man, change is good."
854
01:12:53,457 --> 01:12:55,667
At the time,
855
01:12:55,667 --> 01:13:00,672
he was fretting over what had happened
with ELLEGARDEN.
856
01:13:00,839 --> 01:13:03,217
I'm just an outsider.
857
01:13:04,259 --> 01:13:10,682
But I thought he should pursue
his own interests.
858
01:13:11,433 --> 01:13:15,479
Then again, that way of thinking
859
01:13:16,230 --> 01:13:20,067
is something I believe in myself.
860
01:13:21,902 --> 01:13:26,240
I think trying something new...
861
01:13:27,574 --> 01:13:28,951
is a good thing.
862
01:13:29,117 --> 01:13:32,454
Without that letter,
I might not be here now.
863
01:13:35,541 --> 01:13:41,547
Something that mundane saved me.
864
01:13:41,547 --> 01:13:43,048
I mean,
865
01:13:43,048 --> 01:13:47,553
there were a lot of things
that helped me.
866
01:13:47,553 --> 01:13:53,058
And that letter
is definitely one of them.
867
01:13:53,517 --> 01:13:59,356
I remember blaming myself
868
01:13:59,356 --> 01:14:00,732
during the hiatus.
869
01:14:01,024 --> 01:14:05,988
He regrets a lot of things he's done.
870
01:14:08,615 --> 01:14:11,618
I think what's done is done.
871
01:14:11,618 --> 01:14:17,207
If you're going to whine about
how guilty you are, go to the cops.
872
01:14:19,209 --> 01:14:23,505
But that's what I like about Hosomi.
873
01:14:24,381 --> 01:14:31,054
My communication skills are terrible.
874
01:14:31,054 --> 01:14:32,598
Of course I knew that.
875
01:14:32,598 --> 01:14:36,768
I'd always been
a misfit throughout school.
876
01:14:36,768 --> 01:14:39,897
But I understand myself
more than anybody else.
877
01:14:39,897 --> 01:14:42,566
So I know that I'm not a bad person.
878
01:14:43,066 --> 01:14:46,028
But I came across like a jerk.
879
01:14:46,028 --> 01:14:49,323
So I was determined
880
01:14:49,323 --> 01:14:53,535
to learn how to communicate
with other people.
881
01:14:53,994 --> 01:14:57,998
Let's say I was eating candy
with a group of people.
882
01:14:57,998 --> 01:15:01,418
And there was one piece left over,
and nobody was eating it.
883
01:15:01,418 --> 01:15:04,505
I'd ask the others if I could have it.
884
01:15:04,505 --> 01:15:07,466
They'd say, "Sure, go ahead."
So I'd take it.
885
01:15:07,466 --> 01:15:10,052
But after I did that ten times,
886
01:15:10,052 --> 01:15:13,305
eventually they'd come to resent me
and think I was rude.
887
01:15:14,431 --> 01:15:17,142
I didn't understand that at all.
888
01:15:17,309 --> 01:15:22,814
But our hiatus made me want
to improve my interpersonal skills.
889
01:15:22,814 --> 01:15:25,734
Kind of late in life, I know.
890
01:15:25,734 --> 01:15:29,738
I decided not to express
my desires anymore.
891
01:15:29,863 --> 01:15:35,577
So in my next band, I just kept quiet
about my own opinions.
892
01:15:35,744 --> 01:15:41,750
When asked to choose,
I'd just go along with everyone else.
893
01:15:42,334 --> 01:15:46,129
I went to the other extreme.
894
01:15:46,296 --> 01:15:51,260
I was like that for years.
895
01:15:53,512 --> 01:16:00,060
When ELLEGARDEN's hiatus started,
we promised we'd come back.
896
01:16:00,060 --> 01:16:03,355
So I wanted to be ready by then.
897
01:16:03,522 --> 01:16:07,401
But doing that for years
made me forget who I really was.
898
01:16:07,568 --> 01:16:11,697
It was awful, and I worried
that I'd always have to live like that.
899
01:16:11,697 --> 01:16:13,699
Around that time,
900
01:16:13,699 --> 01:16:19,079
on March 11th of 2011,
the Tohoku earthquake happened.
901
01:16:19,246 --> 01:16:24,501
With the earthquake in 2011,
902
01:16:25,210 --> 01:16:27,963
I was...
903
01:16:29,173 --> 01:16:33,927
In retrospect, I wasn't
in a good place emotionally.
904
01:16:33,927 --> 01:16:37,723
I felt like
905
01:16:37,723 --> 01:16:41,393
I'd found a cause
to sacrifice my life for.
906
01:16:41,393 --> 01:16:44,938
That was how I got involved
with disaster relief efforts.
907
01:16:45,230 --> 01:16:49,735
I was forging ahead on my own.
908
01:16:50,152 --> 01:16:53,572
That's when Hosomi called me.
909
01:16:55,199 --> 01:16:58,702
He asked me how he could help.
910
01:16:59,745 --> 01:17:06,502
I thought he was a delicate guy,
like I said before.
911
01:17:07,211 --> 01:17:11,173
So I told him he'd just be useless.
912
01:17:11,548 --> 01:17:13,800
He got a little pissed,
913
01:17:15,552 --> 01:17:20,140
and told me he was giving his life to me
so I should make use of it.
914
01:17:21,225 --> 01:17:22,851
He really told me that.
915
01:17:24,394 --> 01:17:27,606
I had been given his life
916
01:17:27,606 --> 01:17:31,443
so I figured
I couldn't ignore him anymore.
917
01:17:32,653 --> 01:17:36,657
I'm suspicious of his timing, though.
918
01:17:36,657 --> 01:17:39,576
He chose to call me
during a disaster, of all times.
919
01:17:40,202 --> 01:17:42,079
So...
920
01:17:43,914 --> 01:17:46,458
Was he trying to help me?
921
01:17:46,458 --> 01:17:48,210
Was he just being a jerk?
922
01:17:48,210 --> 01:17:51,755
Either way, it intrigued me.
923
01:17:52,422 --> 01:17:55,968
I didn't care what happened to me
924
01:17:55,968 --> 01:18:02,349
so I didn't hesitate to visit
the damaged nuclear power plant.
925
01:18:02,766 --> 01:18:08,355
I'd drive alone to the Tohoku region
after working all night.
926
01:18:08,355 --> 01:18:10,065
I'd do the volunteer work,
927
01:18:11,441 --> 01:18:15,612
then drive all the way back,
and go back to my job.
928
01:18:16,321 --> 01:18:20,742
I formed close bonds
with the other volunteers there.
929
01:18:21,243 --> 01:18:23,787
The Tohoku Livehouse Daisakusen
volunteer group.
930
01:18:24,496 --> 01:18:28,292
I say with love
that we were a bunch of jerks.
931
01:18:28,292 --> 01:18:33,881
Lots of booze, fights,
saying whatever you wanted.
932
01:18:34,339 --> 01:18:39,011
Nobody there was afraid
of being themselves.
933
01:18:39,178 --> 01:18:44,766
Before that, I'd always been told
I was a weirdo and a jerk.
934
01:18:44,766 --> 01:18:49,229
But to the people in that group,
I was normal.
935
01:18:50,480 --> 01:18:53,609
They told me I was
too cautious with others.
936
01:18:54,151 --> 01:18:57,279
They said I didn't need to be.
937
01:18:57,279 --> 01:19:02,659
They helped me reconnect
with who I really was.
938
01:19:03,160 --> 01:19:08,707
I had suppressed myself for a long time.
939
01:19:11,543 --> 01:19:17,049
But that was
an important learning experience for me.
940
01:19:17,716 --> 01:19:23,263
I'd occasionally run into
the other ELLEGARDEN guys.
941
01:19:23,263 --> 01:19:27,476
They had changed a lot too, post-hiatus.
942
01:19:27,476 --> 01:19:30,854
I don't know what caused the band
to take a break.
943
01:19:33,023 --> 01:19:36,276
But they weren't pretending
to mend their relationship...
944
01:19:37,903 --> 01:19:40,072
just to bring the band back.
945
01:19:40,072 --> 01:19:42,908
I saw them mature as people.
946
01:19:43,951 --> 01:19:48,330
They gradually worked
on their relationships
947
01:19:48,330 --> 01:19:54,044
so they could function
again as a band with Hosomi.
948
01:19:58,423 --> 01:20:01,885
I thought they might reunite.
949
01:20:01,885 --> 01:20:04,596
Because something had changed.
950
01:20:05,681 --> 01:20:10,644
I started a new band called
Nothing's Carved In Stone.
951
01:20:10,811 --> 01:20:13,480
I learned a lot.
952
01:20:14,064 --> 01:20:17,109
Mainly, I came to understand
Hosomi's mindset.
953
01:20:17,609 --> 01:20:20,404
Why he did certain things.
954
01:20:20,404 --> 01:20:23,240
I can't think of anything specific.
955
01:20:23,240 --> 01:20:25,909
But everything he did was for the band.
956
01:20:25,909 --> 01:20:30,038
I founded
Nothing's Carved In Stone.
957
01:20:30,998 --> 01:20:36,587
As a founder, I took on
way more responsibility.
958
01:20:36,587 --> 01:20:40,299
That was an eye-opener.
959
01:20:40,465 --> 01:20:43,719
Everything he did made sense to me.
960
01:20:43,719 --> 01:20:45,387
I told him all this.
961
01:20:45,971 --> 01:20:47,723
We talked all night.
962
01:20:47,723 --> 01:20:52,895
He did the best he could
to lead ELLEGARDEN forward.
963
01:20:52,895 --> 01:20:56,315
And...
964
01:20:57,107 --> 01:20:58,150
How should I put it?
965
01:20:58,150 --> 01:21:03,155
It's hard to explain because it's
about the path the band was on.
966
01:21:03,155 --> 01:21:07,576
Sometimes he'd force us into things.
967
01:21:07,910 --> 01:21:10,746
I told Hosomi that I understood
why he did that now.
968
01:21:10,746 --> 01:21:15,501
I apologized.
969
01:21:16,460 --> 01:21:18,545
But he said I shouldn't.
970
01:21:20,255 --> 01:21:21,798
He said...
971
01:21:23,217 --> 01:21:26,970
He said what he did was wrong,
so I shouldn't apologize.
972
01:21:28,639 --> 01:21:29,848
He really meant that.
973
01:21:35,562 --> 01:21:41,068
While we were on hiatus,
I wondered what would happen if I died.
974
01:21:41,068 --> 01:21:44,613
I mean, everyone dies someday.
975
01:21:44,613 --> 01:21:48,867
I had unfinished business.
976
01:21:49,743 --> 01:21:52,955
I remember thinking,
I have to apologize to Hosomi.
977
01:21:53,997 --> 01:21:57,543
I didn't care about reuniting the band.
978
01:21:58,043 --> 01:22:04,424
I just wanted to tell him I was sorry.
Man to man.
979
01:22:06,510 --> 01:22:09,805
I was emotionally distant from him.
980
01:22:11,014 --> 01:22:15,310
That might have led to our hiatus.
981
01:22:15,602 --> 01:22:17,938
I blamed myself.
982
01:22:20,274 --> 01:22:21,692
So I apologized.
983
01:22:22,150 --> 01:22:26,947
I had to apologize.
984
01:22:28,073 --> 01:22:32,077
If I didn't, it would have haunted me
for the rest of my life.
985
01:22:32,953 --> 01:22:35,539
I couldn't do it back then.
986
01:22:40,502 --> 01:22:42,421
I said sorry to him for all that.
987
01:22:42,838 --> 01:22:47,718
During our hiatus, I joined a rock band
for about eight years.
988
01:22:47,843 --> 01:22:53,682
I started doing photography.
It was really difficult.
989
01:22:53,682 --> 01:22:57,853
I don't know why,
but I endured that for eight years.
990
01:23:00,898 --> 01:23:04,276
Sometimes they'd insist
reuniting was impossible.
991
01:23:10,199 --> 01:23:16,288
But I wasn't so sure
if they actually meant that.
992
01:23:16,747 --> 01:23:21,126
Every single day
since our hiatus started
993
01:23:21,960 --> 01:23:25,714
I hoped ELLEGARDEN would reunite.
994
01:23:26,048 --> 01:23:28,383
I never forgot about ELLEGARDEN
for a moment.
995
01:23:30,344 --> 01:23:33,138
It was constantly on my mind.
996
01:23:34,139 --> 01:23:40,562
We had issues,
but nobody was better than us.
997
01:23:41,104 --> 01:23:43,023
I don't regret anything.
998
01:23:43,023 --> 01:23:50,030
Without the hiatus, our problems
might have continued to fester.
999
01:23:50,030 --> 01:23:52,741
I'm sure some bands go on like that.
1000
01:23:53,367 --> 01:23:57,287
But we went our separate ways
for ten years.
1001
01:23:57,454 --> 01:24:00,791
We needed that time apart.
1002
01:24:01,416 --> 01:24:04,545
I'm just sorry our fans
were disappointed.
1003
01:24:09,299 --> 01:24:13,387
But our hiatus taught me a lot.
1004
01:24:15,305 --> 01:24:20,519
And then, ONE OK ROCK's Taka
came into the picture.
1005
01:24:27,901 --> 01:24:31,947
We were on tour
when ELLEGARDEN announced their hiatus.
1006
01:24:32,656 --> 01:24:37,953
Our band and manager were in a van,
headed to our next location.
1007
01:24:38,370 --> 01:24:41,832
And we heard the news.
It was probably early afternoon.
1008
01:24:42,124 --> 01:24:48,755
All of us in the van
were completely shocked.
1009
01:24:49,464 --> 01:24:53,635
We were dumbfounded and confused.
1010
01:24:53,635 --> 01:24:58,265
I felt like I had lost something.
1011
01:24:58,265 --> 01:25:03,896
Like something burst and disappeared.
1012
01:25:03,896 --> 01:25:07,232
That feeling of loss never went away.
1013
01:25:07,232 --> 01:25:11,904
One of my dreams had been to perform
at a show with ELLEGARDEN.
1014
01:25:12,029 --> 01:25:17,201
But that dream went out the window.
1015
01:25:18,035 --> 01:25:20,245
My heart felt empty.
1016
01:25:20,662 --> 01:25:24,625
It may sound dramatic,
but that's how I felt.
1017
01:25:25,584 --> 01:25:30,923
So I wanted
ELLEGARDEN to reunite someday.
1018
01:25:30,923 --> 01:25:33,550
If that were to happen,
1019
01:25:34,218 --> 01:25:40,265
I wanted ONE OK ROCK
to be there with them.
1020
01:25:40,432 --> 01:25:41,850
I dreamed of that for years.
1021
01:25:42,476 --> 01:25:46,271
There's this music event called
Miyako Island Rock Festival.
1022
01:25:47,439 --> 01:25:53,278
It's fantastic. I love it.
1023
01:25:53,278 --> 01:25:58,158
One day I noticed ONE OK ROCK
was added to the line-up.
1024
01:25:58,158 --> 01:26:02,955
But it was a pretty small event.
1025
01:26:02,955 --> 01:26:05,832
ONE OK ROCK was too famous for it.
1026
01:26:06,083 --> 01:26:08,168
That seemed odd to me.
1027
01:26:08,168 --> 01:26:11,213
I spoke with Taka at the after-party.
1028
01:26:12,589 --> 01:26:18,262
I heard Hosomi
was performing at the festival.
1029
01:26:18,262 --> 01:26:23,225
That was a big reason why
we accepted the offer to perform there.
1030
01:26:23,392 --> 01:26:28,146
I was ready to talk to him.
We went and did the show.
1031
01:26:28,146 --> 01:26:30,274
Hosomi saw us play.
1032
01:26:30,983 --> 01:26:33,402
I think it was at the after-party.
1033
01:26:33,944 --> 01:26:39,950
He asked me to invite him
if I went anywhere after the party.
1034
01:26:40,117 --> 01:26:43,620
People don't usually want
to hang out with me.
1035
01:26:43,620 --> 01:26:45,622
I thought he was being polite.
1036
01:26:46,331 --> 01:26:48,375
I don't really know why, but...
1037
01:26:50,335 --> 01:26:51,753
he ditched me.
1038
01:26:52,045 --> 01:26:55,215
I went to a club after.
1039
01:26:55,215 --> 01:26:59,428
It was this sketchy
underground music club.
1040
01:26:59,428 --> 01:27:02,723
I went there to DJ.
1041
01:27:02,723 --> 01:27:09,730
Then Taka comes marching into
this shady little nightclub.
1042
01:27:10,480 --> 01:27:17,404
He started yelling at me
for leaving him behind.
1043
01:27:17,654 --> 01:27:19,948
I found him and asked
why he left without me.
1044
01:27:20,449 --> 01:27:23,285
Then I spoke with him
about ELLEGARDEN.
1045
01:27:24,661 --> 01:27:28,457
I asked him point-blank,
1046
01:27:28,916 --> 01:27:35,714
"Are you going to reunite the band?"
1047
01:27:36,173 --> 01:27:41,678
He told me if ELLEGARDEN reunited,
he wanted to be there.
1048
01:27:42,346 --> 01:27:46,767
I promised to go to lunch with him
when we got back to Tokyo.
1049
01:27:46,767 --> 01:27:49,645
So we went.
1050
01:27:49,811 --> 01:27:53,440
I explained to him that
the situation wasn't so simple.
1051
01:27:53,774 --> 01:27:57,694
He said there were a lot of problems.
1052
01:27:57,694 --> 01:27:59,821
But he also said...
1053
01:28:01,657 --> 01:28:05,285
he wanted to reunite the band.
1054
01:28:05,285 --> 01:28:08,163
That lit a fire in me.
1055
01:28:08,539 --> 01:28:14,837
Apparently there had been
previous attempts to reunite ELLEGARDEN
1056
01:28:14,837 --> 01:28:16,880
but they didn't pan out.
1057
01:28:17,422 --> 01:28:23,345
But I became determined to
solve whatever issues there were.
1058
01:28:23,929 --> 01:28:27,975
I explained all the problems to him.
1059
01:28:27,975 --> 01:28:30,060
He answered seriously,
1060
01:28:30,352 --> 01:28:33,355
"I understand there are roadblocks."
1061
01:28:33,355 --> 01:28:39,403
"But our band will help out,
and the timing is perfect."
1062
01:28:39,403 --> 01:28:44,449
"We're going to work this out for you
no matter what anyone says."
1063
01:28:49,830 --> 01:28:52,165
I was really blown away by him.
1064
01:28:52,666 --> 01:28:57,337
ONE OK ROCK and Taka
pushed us to reunite.
1065
01:28:57,921 --> 01:29:00,048
I'm really grateful to them.
1066
01:29:01,049 --> 01:29:06,221
We were discussing reuniting.
1067
01:29:06,346 --> 01:29:08,932
The four of us decided to meet.
1068
01:29:08,932 --> 01:29:10,976
We were texting back and forth.
1069
01:29:11,351 --> 01:29:16,231
Yuichi volunteered to make
reservations at a bar for our meeting.
1070
01:29:16,231 --> 01:29:20,235
My only request was that he get
a private room.
1071
01:29:20,235 --> 01:29:25,991
We didn't want to start any rumors
by us all meeting in public.
1072
01:29:26,658 --> 01:29:29,411
But then, Yuichi...
1073
01:29:30,412 --> 01:29:32,164
Is this about that bar?
1074
01:29:32,331 --> 01:29:36,752
It was our first meeting in a while.
And this bar in Shibuya...
1075
01:29:36,752 --> 01:29:42,341
I'm not trying to diss them at all.
But they have this goofy theme.
1076
01:29:42,341 --> 01:29:47,387
Everything there is designed like a
stereotypical Japanese grade school.
1077
01:29:47,387 --> 01:29:50,224
Servers are dressed like teachers.
1078
01:29:51,433 --> 01:29:54,811
We had to order drinks
following this weird concept.
1079
01:29:59,775 --> 01:30:01,318
I was so pissed.
1080
01:30:01,944 --> 01:30:08,450
Their appetizers were bread rolls
you'd see in Japanese school lunches.
1081
01:30:10,327 --> 01:30:16,291
Hosomi slams the door open and shouts,
"Who the hell booked this place?"
1082
01:30:16,291 --> 01:30:19,545
Yuichi goes, "I'm sorry, I did."
1083
01:30:20,212 --> 01:30:23,757
"I just looked up bars
with private rooms in Shibuya."
1084
01:30:23,757 --> 01:30:27,845
"I got lazy and picked
the first search result at random."
1085
01:30:27,845 --> 01:30:30,013
He's such a moron.
1086
01:30:30,514 --> 01:30:35,978
I was trying to help for once.
1087
01:30:37,354 --> 01:30:41,066
Since I never wrote songs or anything.
Well, I guess that's different.
1088
01:30:41,650 --> 01:30:45,195
Yuichi has his own way of thinking.
1089
01:30:45,195 --> 01:30:48,740
He probably thought
going there was a good idea.
1090
01:30:49,032 --> 01:30:52,619
Or maybe not, I don't know.
1091
01:30:52,828 --> 01:30:57,875
Yuichi and I were in a band together
in high school.
1092
01:30:59,376 --> 01:31:04,631
I decided to quit that band
because I didn't want to be there.
1093
01:31:04,631 --> 01:31:10,596
I talked to Yuichi about it.
We were 18 at the time.
1094
01:31:10,596 --> 01:31:14,600
It's easy to talk to him
about difficult things like that.
1095
01:31:15,184 --> 01:31:20,606
I told him I wanted to leave
and take music more seriously.
1096
01:31:22,733 --> 01:31:27,571
Right away, he said he'd go with me.
He probably doesn't remember that.
1097
01:31:29,323 --> 01:31:34,077
The four of us rarely
got together like that,
1098
01:31:34,077 --> 01:31:36,163
so it felt a little weird.
1099
01:31:46,757 --> 01:31:52,054
It's interesting.
People can choose to be hostile.
1100
01:31:54,431 --> 01:31:57,768
Or they can choose to be respectful.
1101
01:31:59,895 --> 01:32:03,690
Seeds are nurtured in the same soil,
1102
01:32:03,690 --> 01:32:08,654
but they might grow into something
poisonous, or a beautiful flower.
1103
01:32:08,654 --> 01:32:10,614
Relationships can go either way too.
1104
01:32:10,614 --> 01:32:15,577
Something changed in Hosomi.
1105
01:32:17,621 --> 01:32:23,919
He was finally able to express
the respect he had for his bandmates.
1106
01:32:23,919 --> 01:32:25,963
They felt that,
1107
01:32:27,089 --> 01:32:33,178
and it inspired a change in them too.
1108
01:32:35,305 --> 01:32:39,935
Hosomi had a wonderful wedding.
1109
01:32:41,520 --> 01:32:43,063
On Ishigaki Island.
1110
01:32:44,231 --> 01:32:46,942
A ton of bands were there.
1111
01:32:48,610 --> 01:32:51,446
I was drinking with Takahashi
1112
01:32:51,572 --> 01:32:57,786
and he cried and told me
how happy he was for Hosomi.
1113
01:32:58,620 --> 01:33:00,622
I was glad to hear it.
1114
01:33:02,124 --> 01:33:07,212
It made me believe
they could be a great band again.
1115
01:33:10,174 --> 01:33:13,427
Things were awkward in the beginning.
1116
01:33:14,344 --> 01:33:16,305
We're just guys from the same area.
1117
01:33:16,847 --> 01:33:23,437
But our relationship became
all about the band.
1118
01:33:23,437 --> 01:33:27,983
The hiatus was
obviously hard for all of us.
1119
01:33:27,983 --> 01:33:33,113
It's hard to describe how it felt
to be back together.
1120
01:33:33,113 --> 01:33:38,827
On the one hand, we didn't want
our old problems to resurface.
1121
01:33:38,827 --> 01:33:43,749
If that happened, we'd be done for good.
1122
01:33:44,374 --> 01:33:50,881
Then again, I knew we had to be
true to ourselves.
1123
01:33:52,674 --> 01:33:57,012
So I was concerned
about how this would turn out.
1124
01:33:57,012 --> 01:34:00,057
We made a decision.
1125
01:34:00,265 --> 01:34:04,520
We'd do our reunion show
at ZOZO Marine Stadium,
1126
01:34:04,520 --> 01:34:08,857
and then decide our next move after.
1127
01:34:09,191 --> 01:34:13,028
Except for festivals,
we'd never played at a venue that large.
1128
01:34:13,028 --> 01:34:15,489
Not for our own shows.
1129
01:34:15,739 --> 01:34:19,993
I was worried about the turnout,
but so many fans came.
1130
01:34:19,993 --> 01:34:22,246
They were even standing outside.
1131
01:34:22,621 --> 01:34:27,042
The stadium is in Chiba Prefecture,
where we got started.
1132
01:34:27,376 --> 01:34:29,294
That felt special.
1133
01:34:30,671 --> 01:34:34,174
That was a magical day.
1134
01:34:35,384 --> 01:34:37,302
The moment I remember most is...
1135
01:34:38,929 --> 01:34:42,516
when we walked out to the stage.
1136
01:34:42,641 --> 01:34:44,518
There was music playing.
1137
01:34:46,144 --> 01:34:52,025
We entered from stage left.
The cheer from the crowd was incredible.
1138
01:34:55,445 --> 01:35:01,285
I'll never forget that experience.
1139
01:40:01,376 --> 01:40:04,963
It's massive. Can I go out there?
1140
01:40:05,881 --> 01:40:07,132
Wow.
1141
01:40:13,180 --> 01:40:18,310
There was a stage set up for the show.
It looks totally different without it.
1142
01:40:19,269 --> 01:40:20,771
Which side was it?
1143
01:40:25,817 --> 01:40:29,404
- You performed at the far end?
- The stage was there.
1144
01:40:29,404 --> 01:40:32,491
- Can we walk over there?
- Sure.
1145
01:40:32,491 --> 01:40:36,328
- Should we go around?
- You can go straight across.
1146
01:40:36,995 --> 01:40:38,622
I don't want to ruin the field.
1147
01:40:39,540 --> 01:40:40,666
Incredible.
1148
01:40:46,380 --> 01:40:50,467
It's hard to believe we played here.
1149
01:40:53,720 --> 01:40:55,013
The stage was here.
1150
01:40:59,560 --> 01:41:01,103
It's so huge.
1151
01:41:02,604 --> 01:41:05,607
When we decided to do our show here,
1152
01:41:07,192 --> 01:41:10,863
we hadn't played together
for a decade or so.
1153
01:41:11,029 --> 01:41:16,577
So the first gig being in a stadium
felt like a huge leap.
1154
01:41:17,035 --> 01:41:21,832
We were nervous no one would come.
1155
01:41:21,832 --> 01:41:25,961
That was nerve-wracking.
1156
01:41:25,961 --> 01:41:29,965
But our tickets sold out right away.
1157
01:41:30,299 --> 01:41:33,135
I'm so grateful to our fans.
1158
01:41:34,178 --> 01:41:37,973
Our role in our shows is simple.
1159
01:41:39,141 --> 01:41:42,978
We just perform.
1160
01:41:42,978 --> 01:41:48,233
Concerts don't happen without each
and every audience member.
1161
01:41:49,943 --> 01:41:55,449
The experience is built
from their emotion.
1162
01:41:56,200 --> 01:41:58,493
Somehow I'd forgotten that.
1163
01:41:58,493 --> 01:42:01,955
But I felt that intensely
when we performed here
1164
01:42:02,581 --> 01:42:05,125
in 2018.
1165
01:42:05,250 --> 01:42:09,254
We never cared much
about playing at large venues.
1166
01:42:11,173 --> 01:42:15,844
So performing here was
just something to mark our reunion.
1167
01:42:18,430 --> 01:42:22,100
But now I'm really glad
we chose this stadium.
1168
01:48:10,032 --> 01:48:11,617
I used to be...
1169
01:48:14,203 --> 01:48:19,374
pretty worried about my age.
1170
01:48:21,251 --> 01:48:24,171
Not that I thought
I was an old man or whatever.
1171
01:48:24,338 --> 01:48:29,635
But I didn't want to seem like
I was trying too hard.
1172
01:48:29,635 --> 01:48:36,183
I didn't want people to think
I was clinging to my youth.
1173
01:48:36,183 --> 01:48:41,063
I wanted to seem mature,
in my music and everything.
1174
01:48:42,731 --> 01:48:48,529
I didn't want to make
a fool of myself.
1175
01:48:49,196 --> 01:48:51,031
That fear was hard to shake.
1176
01:48:51,990 --> 01:48:58,580
I'd tell myself to grow up.
1177
01:48:58,997 --> 01:49:04,002
Sometimes I'd sing like I used to,
and get so mad at myself.
1178
01:49:06,171 --> 01:49:08,674
I was hard on myself.
1179
01:49:12,344 --> 01:49:17,432
But talking with Jamie and Marisa,
I realized I was wrong.
1180
01:49:17,975 --> 01:49:24,565
They said 40 or 50 is still young.
1181
01:49:24,565 --> 01:49:26,358
That was a revelation.
1182
01:49:26,358 --> 01:49:31,613
I never thought that age
could be seen as young.
1183
01:49:31,989 --> 01:49:34,241
I've been completely wrong.
1184
01:49:36,952 --> 01:49:42,541
There's no point in worrying
about your age.
1185
01:49:42,541 --> 01:49:47,588
Coming to the US
gave me that realization.
1186
01:49:47,588 --> 01:49:52,885
It doesn't matter
if my music sounds young or whatever.
1187
01:49:56,388 --> 01:50:01,643
I want to have fun and make music
that I'm proud of.
1188
01:50:02,936 --> 01:50:08,150
I stopped thinking about my age.
1189
01:50:08,150 --> 01:50:09,484
That...
1190
01:50:12,487 --> 01:50:14,406
That's helped me a lot.
1191
01:50:14,865 --> 01:50:19,244
I didn't think my life could change
after just a three-month trip.
1192
01:50:20,245 --> 01:50:25,375
I'm usually too pessimistic
to believe that kind of thing happens.
1193
01:50:25,375 --> 01:50:28,921
But my experience here
has transformed me.
1194
01:50:29,505 --> 01:50:32,549
I'm certain I can do this now.
1195
01:50:34,009 --> 01:50:39,932
Making ideas into reality
requires enormous effort.
1196
01:50:39,932 --> 01:50:44,019
But I can put in the effort.
So it'll work out.
1197
01:50:49,233 --> 01:50:50,859
I hope I write something good.
1198
01:51:20,097 --> 01:51:23,308
I'm back and...
Where's your drink, Ubukata?
1199
01:51:23,308 --> 01:51:25,310
I'm okay. I have water.
1200
01:51:25,310 --> 01:51:28,814
- I'm back, safe and sound.
- Cheers!
1201
01:51:34,152 --> 01:51:39,908
We can change stuff
as we add the arrangements
1202
01:51:39,908 --> 01:51:43,036
and we could end up with new songs.
1203
01:51:45,289 --> 01:51:47,833
But for now, I have ten tracks.
1204
01:51:48,375 --> 01:51:53,505
I just chose ten of them that I liked.
1205
01:51:54,298 --> 01:51:56,800
- Do you want to hear them?
- Yeah.
1206
01:51:57,176 --> 01:52:00,554
I haven't thought
about the order at all.
1207
01:52:01,305 --> 01:52:02,806
They're just random.
1208
01:52:03,724 --> 01:52:08,437
You don't have to praise me a ton
or anything.
1209
01:52:09,188 --> 01:52:13,317
I love all my songs.
1210
01:52:13,734 --> 01:52:17,321
I'm still going to love them
even if you're harsh.
1211
01:52:17,321 --> 01:52:21,325
And if you like them,
it won't make me love them more.
1212
01:52:23,118 --> 01:52:24,161
Here we go.
1213
01:52:26,205 --> 01:52:31,335
The first song is
tentatively titled "Mountain Top."
1214
01:52:50,729 --> 01:52:52,981
- That's good.
- It's good?
1215
01:52:54,608 --> 01:52:56,693
It sounds American or European.
1216
01:53:11,583 --> 01:53:13,043
Wow.
1217
01:53:14,002 --> 01:53:15,170
Incredible.
1218
01:53:15,170 --> 01:53:16,338
Sounds okay?
1219
01:53:17,548 --> 01:53:18,924
It's amazing.
1220
01:53:19,716 --> 01:53:21,009
Alright!
1221
01:53:22,761 --> 01:53:24,555
I can't tell if it's good.
1222
01:53:24,555 --> 01:53:26,849
I needed inspiration
from outside of Japan.
1223
01:53:26,849 --> 01:53:28,684
- I can tell.
- Right?
1224
01:53:30,018 --> 01:53:33,272
- So it's good?
- Absolutely.
1225
01:53:33,564 --> 01:53:34,731
So that one is fine.
1226
01:53:35,440 --> 01:53:41,697
I thought about this for a whole month.
1227
01:53:42,948 --> 01:53:45,492
I could write songs like I used to,
if I wanted to.
1228
01:53:46,493 --> 01:53:51,498
But these new tracks are all different
from my older work, right?
1229
01:53:51,498 --> 01:53:56,962
The parts still feel like me,
but on the whole, it's different.
1230
01:53:56,962 --> 01:53:58,005
Right.
1231
01:53:58,005 --> 01:54:00,007
It's not MONOEYES or the HIATUS.
1232
01:54:00,007 --> 01:54:02,801
Definitely different.
1233
01:54:04,261 --> 01:54:09,600
This might be
the last album I make in my life.
1234
01:54:09,600 --> 01:54:11,518
I don't think I could do it again.
1235
01:54:12,311 --> 01:54:17,441
I have fewer commitments now.
1236
01:54:17,441 --> 01:54:19,693
There are less things
I'm expected to do.
1237
01:54:21,403 --> 01:54:26,116
Obviously I have things
I still want to accomplish.
1238
01:54:27,951 --> 01:54:29,453
But now,
1239
01:54:30,704 --> 01:54:37,920
I'll probably never get asked
to do something like this again.
1240
01:54:38,086 --> 01:54:41,048
We need to enjoy every step
in the process.
1241
01:54:41,048 --> 01:54:43,675
We need to embrace
every single moment.
1242
01:54:45,511 --> 01:54:50,474
I think that's the best way
to make the album.
1243
01:54:51,475 --> 01:54:56,980
Releasing our first album
in 16 years will be a huge feat.
1244
01:54:56,980 --> 01:55:00,651
We want to satisfy longtime fans,
and attract a new crowd.
1245
01:55:00,651 --> 01:55:04,321
I want us to feel ambitious
about how good this can be.
1246
01:55:05,155 --> 01:55:07,699
Even if the album flops
1247
01:55:08,367 --> 01:55:12,663
if we loved making it,
that's all that matters.
1248
01:55:16,792 --> 01:55:17,918
I think so too.
1249
01:55:20,170 --> 01:55:22,256
So that's...
1250
01:55:24,716 --> 01:55:26,093
what I've been thinking.
1251
01:55:30,180 --> 01:55:32,474
We made an album called Stupid.
1252
01:55:32,474 --> 01:55:34,726
All four of us made it together.
1253
01:55:37,229 --> 01:55:38,397
And...
1254
01:55:41,942 --> 01:55:47,239
Our current recording process
reminds me of that making album.
1255
01:55:49,950 --> 01:55:51,869
We'd listen to Hosomi's demos first.
1256
01:55:53,036 --> 01:55:54,830
I mentioned a song before...
1257
01:55:55,914 --> 01:56:01,003
"Can You Feel Like I Do" was
originally recorded for Stupid.
1258
01:56:01,837 --> 01:56:04,673
And for that production process,
1259
01:56:04,673 --> 01:56:08,760
we listened to Hosomi's demos together.
1260
01:56:11,889 --> 01:56:15,475
Just like we did for our new track.
1261
01:56:19,479 --> 01:56:23,317
When making Stupid,
all I felt was joy and hope.
1262
01:56:23,317 --> 01:56:28,030
We had no fear of failure.
1263
01:56:28,155 --> 01:56:29,740
It was just the beginning.
1264
01:56:31,116 --> 01:56:36,371
I'd take a day off my part-time job
after spending the night recording.
1265
01:56:36,371 --> 01:56:41,126
Hosomi was a full-time worker,
but he'd take days off too.
1266
01:56:41,502 --> 01:56:43,253
We'd call in sick at the same time.
1267
01:56:45,422 --> 01:56:48,634
Making that album was fun.
1268
01:56:49,384 --> 01:56:51,553
And now, it's the four of us again.
1269
01:56:53,555 --> 01:56:59,228
No engineer.
Just Hosomi working on Logic Pro.
1270
01:57:03,148 --> 01:57:04,650
I've realized something.
1271
01:57:06,443 --> 01:57:11,448
It's important for a band
to work together like this.
1272
01:57:11,448 --> 01:57:14,993
Making this album
has reminded me of that.
1273
01:57:16,161 --> 01:57:21,083
Things feel really similar
to when ELLEGARDEN first got started.
1274
01:57:22,543 --> 01:57:23,877
A long time ago
1275
01:57:24,753 --> 01:57:29,967
I told Hosomi that he wasn't my friend.
1276
01:57:29,967 --> 01:57:32,719
When I told him that,
1277
01:57:33,262 --> 01:57:36,849
he was furious with me
and how I treated him.
1278
01:57:36,849 --> 01:57:38,684
We'd fight like that sometimes.
1279
01:57:38,684 --> 01:57:42,479
But I didn't think being bandmates
was the same as being friends.
1280
01:57:45,816 --> 01:57:49,570
After 16 years,
we're working on this album together.
1281
01:57:49,862 --> 01:57:54,032
When ELLEGARDEN reunited
a decade after our hiatus,
1282
01:57:54,658 --> 01:57:59,204
Hosomi told me that I'm not his friend,
I'm his family.
1283
01:58:00,205 --> 01:58:02,291
I'll never forget that.
1284
01:58:04,126 --> 01:58:05,669
He's right.
1285
01:58:07,421 --> 01:58:10,465
We're family.
1286
01:58:13,510 --> 01:58:20,392
Family is all about having
each other's backs.
1287
01:58:38,577 --> 01:58:39,661
I'm sorry.
1288
01:58:49,254 --> 01:58:52,466
Well,
1289
01:58:53,091 --> 01:58:57,095
making a record
and getting interviewed like this...
1290
01:59:00,474 --> 01:59:04,770
I don't know when we'll get to make
another album.
1291
01:59:05,395 --> 01:59:09,316
So I feel like
this is a very special opportunity.
1292
01:59:10,567 --> 01:59:14,029
It's such a huge part of my life.
1293
01:59:17,407 --> 01:59:22,287
We've had a lot of ups and downs.
1294
01:59:23,288 --> 01:59:26,166
The band is almost like a person.
1295
01:59:33,006 --> 01:59:38,428
Making this album will be
difficult sometimes too.
1296
01:59:38,428 --> 01:59:40,597
But I'm convinced we can ride it out.
1297
01:59:43,642 --> 01:59:46,478
Now we can handle it.
1298
01:59:48,939 --> 01:59:51,692
Bands are, in a way...
1299
01:59:55,946 --> 01:59:57,948
living things.
1300
01:59:58,824 --> 02:00:00,576
For ELLEGARDEN
1301
02:00:01,201 --> 02:00:06,748
that's especially true.
1302
02:00:08,333 --> 02:00:10,752
This band has a special energy about it.
1303
02:00:10,752 --> 02:00:15,716
Something indescribable,
apart from the music.
1304
02:00:19,553 --> 02:00:21,221
I can feel it.
1305
02:00:23,640 --> 02:00:29,771
Our last question is a little corny.
1306
02:00:29,771 --> 02:00:32,649
You might not like this one.
1307
02:00:33,650 --> 02:00:36,278
What does ELLEGARDEN mean to you?
1308
02:00:38,488 --> 02:00:40,490
What does ELLEGARDEN mean to me?
1309
02:00:43,327 --> 02:00:46,288
It's not a matter
of what the band means to me.
1310
02:00:46,288 --> 02:00:48,707
I'm the lead singer of ELLEGARDEN.
1311
02:00:54,129 --> 02:00:55,631
That's it.
105769
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