VOL.97 12th single“クリスタル・ゲージ”
music freak magazine Flash Back GARNET CROW 10th MemoriesP.032–033
From music freak magazine Vol.97
GARNET CROW
New single *クリスタル・ゲージ* arrives December 11!
From music freak magazine Vol.97
Yuri Nakamura (vocals) / AZUKI Nana (keyboards) / Hirohito Furui (keyboards) / Hitoshi Okamoto (guitar)
GARNET CROW has completed the Osaka, Tokyo, and Fukuoka dates of its first tour, *GARNET CROW LIVE TOUR 2002 〜first live scope〜*, and additional performances have been confirmed. On this tour the four members each showed their individual live qualities: Yuri Nakamura’s stage manner revealed her true self; keyboardist AZUKI Nana played the flute; Hitoshi Okamoto’s guitar combined mature flavor with playfulness; and keyboardist and arranger Hirohito Furui showed fiercely energetic keyboard playing. “クリスタル・ゲージ,” which attracted attention when it was played in the venue after the concert, is finally being released. We spoke with Yuri Nakamura and AZUKI Nana about the first concert and this new song.
● Although additional performances remain, let us first say congratulations on completing the tour. How did the first tour feel?
Yuri Nakamura: It was very enjoyable. Before the first show, I felt as though I was going to sing in front of judges, and I worried that everyone who came might look at us that way too. But even when I sang a lyric incorrectly, there were many warm voices saying “Keep going,” and I was moved.
● Were you nervous?
Nakamura: I was a little nervous at first because of the song structures. But the audience’s eyes were warm, as if saying “You can do it.” It was not exactly a parental feeling, but there was a power that said “Everyone is supporting you,” and that actually calmed me. Before the concert I thought, “I absolutely must not make a mistake—not even once!” But mistakes happened anyway. The encouraging voices and looks let me perform comfortably; I felt more relaxed than during rehearsals.
● What about AZUKI?
AZUKI Nana: Much the same, and very enjoyable. I especially wanted to say, “Thank you for your support!” It was our first time, so we did not know what to do and could not read the atmosphere, but at every show the audience actively helped create the atmosphere and made the venue lively.
Nakamura: We thought we would energize everyone, but everyone energized us instead.
AZUKI: Exactly. In the end, it is simply thank you for supporting us.
● How did each venue feel?
Nakamura: Each place had a different atmosphere. Osaka was our genuine first appearance, so part of my feeling was simply to work desperately and hold on while standing onstage. By Tokyo, we had completed one show and could go on with the confidence that it should be all right. There were also many especially energetic people in the audience, and the venue was different, so the atmosphere differed from Osaka. Even if we intend to do the same show at every venue, the final result is completely different.
● Will performing together as four affect your record-making in the future?
Nakamura: I do not think we will begin recording by gathering everyone together and saying “Start!” But we have experienced something we had never experienced before, so it may affect our state of mind.
● “クリスタル・ゲージ” attracted attention because it was played in the venue after the tour shows. When did you begin making it? Was it during the tour?
Nakamura: We had a completed mix quite a long time ago. Later we thought it might be suitable to play after the concerts, so we began doing that. We could hear the sound coming back from the venue too, and after hearing it we thought, “This is good.”
● How was the song written?
Nakamura: We first fixed the phrase that would be sung first, then wrote backward to create the A section. The coupling song, “Crier Girl & Crier Boy 〜ice cold sky〜,” was written beginning with its A section.
● When composing, did you first imagine what kind of song you wanted to sing?
Nakamura: I wanted a little of a band feeling, or perhaps a guitar-pop feeling. The song began with the idea of making acoustic guitar the main element.
● We would like to ask AZUKI about the lyrics. You often say you write so that Nakamura can sing comfortably. Was that true this time too? Did you have a theme?
AZUKI: This time there was no clear theme of “I want to express this.” Before a theme, what came first was an image.
● Did you turn the image into words while overlapping it with Nakamura’s voice?
AZUKI: Without her voice, I could not write. With only the melody, it would not become this.
● “クリスタル・ゲージ” feels fleeting and somewhat sad, and its content makes one think about human nature and how we live. Your lyrical world always feels fresh, and I want to know how you create it.
AZUKI: A large part of it is drawn out by her voice. But I think I am very clear about the things I do not want to write, so rather than deliberately leaving them out, they simply never appear. When I actually write, I do not try to use my own will to write something; I surrender myself more to her voice.
● What does it feel like for you, Nakamura, to sing lyrics AZUKI has written?
Nakamura: Naturally, it feels fresh to put lyrics to a melody I wrote. I have many ideas about how to sing them and how to fit the words into the melody, as well as about the song structure and various changes. In “クリスタル・ゲージ,” we split the voice into different tracks and interwove them. I had not imagined that while making the demo; I decided on it after seeing the lyrics.
● Was there a phrase or sound effect that took a long time to complete?
Nakamura: Because the song begins with the chorus, I wanted listeners to notice it immediately with an “Ah.” So I especially wanted to connect the overall flow beautifully, letting the second phrase take over from the first and continue smoothly. Since the title refers to crystal, I also wanted transparency. There are many acoustic-guitar parts, and to keep my voice from being covered, I added relatively high harmonies and thought about the balance.
● How would you like people to experience the song?
Nakamura: I hope they feel the overall atmosphere and the impression they get on first hearing it. Please listen to the interplay between the acoustic guitar, voice, and the sounds of the words.
● How did you make the coupling song “Crier Girl & Crier Boy 〜ice cold sky〜”?
Nakamura: At the time I wanted to try a minor-key, slightly sad song, and it came out quickly. It was written after “クリスタル・ゲージ,” so it is the newer song.
● After listening, I feel the theme must be love—the pure feeling of loving someone.
AZUKI: I have always been pure (laughs).
Nakamura: This song is special. We had never said anything to each other, yet the images from the music and the lyrics fit together perfectly.
AZUKI: The scenes were the same.
Nakamura: I imagined wearing a yukata, watching fireworks, and looking at the night sky.
AZUKI: Exactly. When she called, I had almost finished writing. Then she mentioned fireworks, winter, the starry sky, and images of boys and girls, and I said, “I put all of those in!” (laughs) “Crier” gave me the image of a boy and girl who cry easily. I was genuinely surprised that we had thought of the same things.
Nakamura: When I write melodies at home, I sing temporary Japanese words that are easy to fit. Later, when I saw the finished lyrics, I was startled to find the word “fireworks” in the same position.
AZUKI: Really? Is that so?
Nakamura: Really. In the line about “fireworks in the depths of winter,” my temporary lyric had been “fireworks rising into the sky.” When I saw the completed lyrics, the word landed in exactly the same place. I was amazed that our ideas could overlap like that. I had not expected fireworks to appear in winter lyrics either.
● So the images brought out by the melody were exactly the same for both of you.
Nakamura: I wondered whether that meant the image had been conveyed.
AZUKI: Perhaps your signal was simply too strong (laughs).
Nakamura: Fireworks, fireworks (laughs).
AZUKI: Perhaps the melody’s imagery was too strong. I was surprised too. To a large extent I surrender myself to the music; sometimes I simply listen blankly until the thing called forth by the melody appears, and only then begin writing. I do not force words into it, and I almost never decide that I want to write something and force it into the song.
● Are there times when you cannot write at all?
AZUKI: Because I have to surrender myself to the music, too many distracting thoughts will not do. The time when I can write is also limited. Even if I think, “I will start writing now,” I first have to clear those things away. I do not hear a melody and think, “This melody, so I will write it this way.” I have to prepare myself first. If I am depressed because something unpleasant happened, or too excited because something pleasant happened (laughs), I have to put all of that down first. That is where I begin. Then, when I feel, “I am ready, come in,” I listen to the song.
● A blank state of mind.
AZUKI: A state of welcoming her voice in.
● Even when you write in that state, there is still a clear theme and a clear thread of what you want to convey.
AZUKI: Those things are drawn out by her voice.
● In that case, asking what listeners should pay attention to is a foolish question (laughs). How to listen is up to the listener.
AZUKI: Depending on the listener’s mood at the time, they may feel wrapped up in it, and the resonance of the song in each person’s heart may be different.
Nakamura: I like the fireworks in the depths of winter.
AZUKI: I hope everyone listens according to their own feelings.
Release information
GARNET CROW New Single *クリスタル・ゲージ*
Released December 11 / GIZA studio
GZCA-7006 / ¥1,000 (tax included)
1. クリスタル・ゲージ
2. Crier Girl & Crier Boy 〜ice cold sky〜
3. クリスタル・ゲージ 〜instrumental〜
*“クリスタル・ゲージ” is the December ending theme for the TBS network program “Pooh!”*
Television appearance confirmed!
December 27 (Fri): ANB *Music Station Super Live 2002*.