VOL.114 16th single“君を飾る花を咲かそう” and concert DVD
music freak magazine Flash Back GARNET CROW 10th MemoriesP.050–051
From music freak magazine Vol. 114
GARNET CROW
New single “君を飾る花を咲かそう”
Concert DVD *GARNET CROW livescope 2004 〜君という光〜*
On sale June 16!
At the beginning of this year, GARNET CROW successfully completed their second tour, *GARNET CROW livescope 2004 〜君という光〜*. Five months later, on June 16, they will release their 16th single, “君を飾る花を咲かそう.” There is, in fact, an extraordinary story behind this song—something that has never happened to them before. We spoke with Yuri Nakamura and AZUKI Nana about the new song and the concert DVD being released on the same day.
●I had originally thought that “雨上がりのBlue,” the new song you performed at the concert recently, would be released as a single.
Yuri Nakamura (hereafter Nakamura): “雨上がりのBlue” was a song we had just finished writing at the time, so we thought we would let everyone hear it while we still had the momentum of the live shows. Its release this time is actually a separate matter (laughs).
●How does it feel to be releasing new material five months later?
Nakamura: Since we had the concerts in between, it doesn’t feel like such a long time has passed. Our schedule wasn’t excessively demanding, the songs accumulated naturally, and this felt like the right time to release one.
AZUKI Nana (hereafter AZUKI): It’s not as though we had an especially large amount of free time, but mentally the pace was comfortable, and we made the transition from performing to creating smoothly.
●So this wasn’t a song you had been saving from earlier?
Nakamura: It was newly written. In the past, whenever we were in the middle of a tour, the performances took up all our energy, so we could hardly think about production at all.
●How did this song come about?
Nakamura: This is a little personal... Some time ago, a close friend’s family member passed away suddenly. I heard the news on the day after our Tokyo show, and although it was rather sudden, I went to the funeral. Their passing had come so unexpectedly. The family was devastated, and many people came to say goodbye. Standing among them, I felt once again the bonds between family members, the presence of the things we hold dear, and the fragility of human life... The melody suddenly welled up from that experience.
Because the song was written with such an event as its starting point, the feelings I put into it were different from before as well. At first, I was extremely prone to tears; whenever I saw the lyrics while recording the guide vocals, I could barely keep from crying.
●The lyrics seem to hint at that kind of scene too.
Nakamura: Yes. I hadn’t told her anything, so I was even more surprised that the lyrics she sent me were like that. In the past, AZUKI and I would often see the same images because of the atmosphere of a melody, but this was the first time the lyrics had evoked that specific event so clearly.
●Did AZUKI write the lyrics without knowing anything about what had happened to Nakamura?
AZUKI: I had no idea at all... This time, the connection was simply too close. When I write, I usually sense the images in her mind, but this time it wasn’t just one part—the whole thing fit perfectly. Even I was amazed.
Nakamura: Since it was a song written from a real experience, perhaps something truly came through.
●What, specifically, surprised you?
Nakamura: The melody appeared just when I had reached the point where I needed to write a song. I thought about many things on my way home, and the melody came to me. Then, suddenly, it began to rain heavily along the way. The lyrics she sent me included “the final rain,” and the image was exactly the same! This time, unlike before, it wasn’t “How amazing that it fits,” but “What do we do if it really fits?” (laughs).
From music freak magazine Vol. 114
●I thought it was a farewell between friends, so I never imagined there was such a profound experience behind it.
Nakamura: Of course, we wrote the song because we went through something like this, but everyone can interpret it as any kind of farewell. What we put into the work with particular force, though, is the hope that people will take another look at those they cherish—their family, friends, benefactors, and lovers—and at the place those people occupy in their lives.
●The title “君を飾る花を咲かそう” is very striking too.
AZUKI: At first, I listened to the demo with no preconceptions at all, and an image of someone leaving came to mind. The first thing I saw was someone dying and departing this world. I thought about the people who had gone before me, and about how I would want to say goodbye myself... Then I imagined a funeral where the person was sent off in a place covered entirely with flowers. The lyrics came pouring out from there.
●Even though you imagined such a scene, the lyrics are not gloomy; they are actually quite positive.
AZUKI: The demo gave me a very gentle, warm, and powerful impression, which is why the lyrics turned out this way. When I write, I sometimes describe things too specifically and narrow the image down, but this time it stopped in a very gentle, warm place.
●This song also makes it especially easy to picture the members performing it live.
Nakamura: A song written after going through a concert can indeed carry something of that image. I didn’t write it specifically for live performance, but when I listen to the finished song, that kind of scene often comes to mind.
●It is also a very solid song with a strong GARNET CROW character.
Nakamura: This is one of the things we do best as GARNET CROW, and it is the sound we want everyone to hear.
●Nakamura, what is it like to sing this song?
Nakamura: At first I did tend to tear up, but it isn’t particularly difficult to sing. The melody and lyrics fit together so well that I could simply follow their flow and sing it naturally to the end.
●How did you feel after finishing the tour at the beginning of this year?
Nakamura: I’m just glad we made it through safely... (laughs). It was simply, phew, what a relief.
AZUKI: That one sentence says it all (laughs). We’ll probably still be saying the same thing after our third tour.
●Did you remain nervous throughout the tour?
Nakamura: I consciously tried to relax, but I think I was still carrying some pressure unconsciously.
AZUKI: More than on the day of the performance itself, it was about taking care of all kinds of feelings... First of all, you have to manage your physical condition, so you become somewhat restrained and have to make sure you are in your best shape when the actual show arrives. The preparation leading up to that point is still quite demanding.
●Still, this time it felt reassuring to watch you. You could sense that GARNET CROW draws listeners in through the playing itself, without unnecessary staging.
Nakamura: If people see us that way, I think we can call it a success. We really don’t want the quality to decline.
●Compared with before, do you feel more at ease and able to enjoy performing?
Nakamura: I haven’t consciously noticed it to that extent yet (laughs).
●The concert DVD will also be released on the same day as the single.
Nakamura: When I watch it myself, I can’t help smiling (laughs). The members and everyone in the hall were having such a good time, and they created a warm atmosphere together. You can really feel that strongly in the footage too. It feels wonderful, so I hope everyone will watch it and enjoy it.
●It also includes the new song “雨上がりのBlue.”
Nakamura: I think it’s nice to have that kind of surprise. That’s what live performance is all about. Being able to do something like that may also show that we’ve grown a little and become a little more relaxed.
AZUKI: Being able to suddenly perform an unreleased song live was probably possible because we have developed a sense of trust with the people who come to see us.
●Finally, GARNET CROW is about to enter its fifth year since debut. Could you talk about your feelings and goals for the future?
Nakamura: Time really flies (laughs). We are constantly working on new material now, and if enough songs build up, we would like to release another album. Until then, please enjoy this single and DVD, and wait for us.
AZUKI: I want to take things slowly and not rush. It may be a somewhat extravagant wish, but I hope we can create our work at our own pace. Without pushing ourselves, we want to keep working carefully, little by little.
(Interview: Sai Saida)
Hiroto Furui and Hitoshi Okamoto Talk About the Concert DVD
Hiroto Furui: “This time too, it really felt as though it was over in the blink of an eye, but we spent an incredibly fulfilling period. The setlist and content varied from venue to venue, and I enjoyed those heart-pounding moments as well. The DVD includes a lot of previously unreleased footage, so whether you came to the shows or couldn’t make it, I think everyone will enjoy watching it.”
Hitoshi Okamoto: “I think having one previous tour under our belt was a tremendous help. It became easier to get a feel for things. There were quite a few minor problems, but we were able to stay in a positive frame of mind throughout, and I learned a lot that I can carry into the next one. I want to do even better in the future.”
Official website: http://www.garnetcrow.com/
New Single
GARNET CROW “君を飾る花を咲かそう”
Released June 16
GIZA studio / GZCA-7054 / ¥1,000 (tax included)
1. 君を飾る花を咲かそう
2. やさしい雨
3. 夜深けの流星達
4. 君を飾る花を咲かそう -instrumental-
※ “君を飾る花を咲かそう” is the ending theme for the TV Tokyo network anime *モンキーターン*.
Concert DVD
GARNET CROW *GARNET CROW livescope 2004 〜君という光〜*
Released June 16
B-VISION / ONBD-7034 / ¥3,990 (tax included)
Tracklist: Timeless Sleep／泣けない夜も 泣かない朝も／flying／Endless Desire／水のない晴れた海へ／未完成な音色／君という光／今日の君と明日を待つ／Marionette Fantasia／永遠を駆け抜ける一瞬の僕ら／千以上の言葉を並べても...／夢みたあとで／永遠に葬れ／君の家に着くまでずっと走ってゆく／夏の幻／Mysterious Eyes／僕らだけの未来／スパイラル／雨上がりのBlue／Holy ground／二人のロケット.
Also includes interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.