VOL.176 GARNET CROW × M.F.M. 1999～2009 年历程(2002 年至 2004 年)

●○○From music freak magazine Vol.176

GARNET CROW × music freak magazine special

March issue (VOL.88)　They appeared on the cover.
An interview with Yuri Nakamura and AZUKI Nana about their 10th single 「夢みたあとで」, released March 13, was published.
＜Excerpt from the comments in the magazine＞
●As a vocalist, what would you like to convey to listeners through your singing?
Nakamura: I want to keep singing songs that can be there for people who are lost or troubled after listening to them—songs and vocals that give them a little push from behind and make them think, “All right, I’ll give it a try.” I would like to encourage them through song and give them a little peace of mind. I hope I can become that kind of presence, someone who gently pats them on the back and says, “Let’s try a little harder.”
●As a lyricist, what would you like to convey to listeners through your lyrics?
AZUKI Nana: I hope the lyrics can add some color to the life of the person listening, or make them feel something, even if only for that moment, and leave some kind of positive influence.

Self Liner Notes about Hitoshi Okamoto’s first solo album 『a first fine day』, released March 20, were published.

April issue (VOL.89)　An interview with the members about their 2nd album 『SPARKLE ～筋書き通りのスカイブルー～』, released April 24, was published.
＜Excerpt from the comments in the magazine＞
●What is AZUKI Nana like, from Ms. Nakamura’s perspective?
Nakamura: AZUKI is free-spirited. She can walk alone through Tokyo. I’m too scared to do that (laughs).
●What is Mr. Furui like?
Nakamura: He is the person I trust most. Even if something falls below the line at my stage, he is someone I can rely on, in a good way, to bring it up to a passing score.
●What is Mr. Okamoto like?
Nakamura: Mr. Okamoto floats.
Furui: He is hard to pin down (laughs).
AZUKI Nana: Watching his easygoing pace gives me an incredible sense of security. Even when I am rushing, you cannot see any panic in him. It makes me think, “Oh, it’s all right.” It feels like discovering an oasis, and it gives me peace of mind.

May issue (VOL.90)　Yuri Nakamura appeared in “the musician to the musician,” discussing her musical roots.

August issue (VOL.93)　They appeared on the cover.
A column with comments from the members about their 11th single 「スパイラル」, released August 14, was published.
＜Excerpt from the comments in the magazine＞
●The lyrics include the phrase “one unshakable thing in this world.” What is your own “one unshakable thing”?
Nakamura: Passion for music—or something like that.
Okamoto: That’s difficult. Destiny, fate, that sort of thing. There are a great many things in the world that I cannot digest unless I think that way… though I only thought of that just now. By tomorrow, it will probably have changed into a different one.
AZUKI Nana: Facts.
Furui: Perhaps the pursuit of myself (laughs).

November issue (VOL.96)　LIVE REPORT “GARNET CROW LIVE TOUR 2002 ～first live scope～,” 10.21 at Akasaka BLITZ, was published.

December issue (VOL.97)　An interview with Yuri Nakamura and AZUKI Nana about their 12th single 「クリスタル・ゲージ」, released December 11, was published.
＜Excerpt from the comments in the magazine＞
●“Crystal Gauge” feels fragile, bittersweet—or perhaps like a reflection on human nature and the way we live. AZUKI’s lyrical world always gives us something fresh, so how do you create this world?
AZUKI Nana: A lot of it is drawn out by the voice. At the same time, I feel that the things I do not want to write have become clear, so it is less that I choose not to write them than that they do not come out. When it comes to writing, I do not really try to write with a deliberate will of my own; I feel that I leave quite a lot of it to the voice.

2003

January issue (VOL.98)　After the LIVE DVD was announced, the LIVE REPORT “GARNET CROW LIVE TOUR 2002 ～first live scope～,” 10.21 at Akasaka BLITZ, was published again.

February issue (VOL.99)　The results of the reader survey “If you compared GARNET CROW to a season, which would it be?” were published in the mf RANKING corner.
Hitoshi Okamoto appeared in Player’s rhapsody, discussing his devotion to his instruments.

March issue (VOL.100)　To commemorate M.F.M.’s 100th issue, handwritten shikishi boards contributed by the members were introduced.

July issue (VOL.104)　An interview with Yuri Nakamura and Hirohito Furui about their 13th single 「泣けない夜も 泣かない朝も」, released July 23, was published.
＜Excerpt from the comments in the magazine＞
●Did you discover anything new through your exchanges with the other members while making this release?
Furui: We had Ms. Nakamura try several times to set the vocal key, and it reminded me once again how important the resonance and effect of the voice really are. Also, although the arrangement was finished before the lyrics this time, AZUKI was able to match the lyrics to the sound’s image very well. The arrangement sometimes changes greatly depending on the flow of the lyrics and melody, but with GARNET CROW, those elements have always somehow fit together well.

September issue (VOL.106)　An interview with Yuri Nakamura and AZUKI Nana about their 14th single 「君という光」, released September 10, was published.
＜Excerpt from the comments in the magazine＞
●Please tell us about the lyrics of 「君という光」.
AZUKI Nana: I listened to the demo tape once, and the words, images—everything came to me all at once. I did not have to think about anything; it all just arrived. When I started writing from the beginning, the words for the chorus came out smoothly too, and I finished everything in one go. Somehow, it feels as though I am the one being opened up. The words themselves seem to say, “Bring me out!” I have to write quickly.

October issue (VOL.107)　An interview with Yuri Nakamura and AZUKI Nana about their 3rd album 『Crystallize ～君という光～』, released November 12, was published.
＜Excerpt from the comments in the magazine＞
●Did this album have something like a concept from the beginning?
Nakamura: In our case, the overall picture of an album becomes visible as we make it. We do not decide on a framework first and then start; the things we build up naturally during production become the album’s theme. If we decide on the outer frame from the start, it places constraints on us and makes it difficult to create, so only at the very end, once the songs have largely been decided, the title is set, and the overall picture comes into view, does it take shape as an album. Until then, each song is truly an independent piece on its own. It was only recently that we began to see it concretely as an album.

2004

January issue (VOL.110)　An interview with Yuri Nakamura and AZUKI Nana about their 15th single 「僕らだけの未来」, released January 14, was published.
＜Excerpt from the comments in the magazine＞
●The melody is very easy to understand.
Nakamura: When I wrote this song, I was listening intensively to Italian songs and chansons, so perhaps that is why it has slightly ethnic vocal phrasing and a particular melodic line. And even though it is Latin, it is not the sunny, brightly lit Latin of a country under a blazing sun; it is more like a European-leaning Latin with a little shadow and melancholy somewhere in it. The song emerged under that influence.

Vol.86
They sent us a handwritten New Year’s card!

Vol.88
Their second cover appearance!

Vol.93
Their third cover appearance!

Vol.98
Of course, the precious report on their first LIVE was featured in full!

Vol.99
Player’s rhapsody!
A valuable feature in which Mr. Okamoto discussed his particular devotion to the instruments he owns.

Vol.100
The handwritten shikishi board they sent to commemorate MFM’s 100th issue.

Vol.104
Around this time, Ms. Nakamura and AZUKI Nana often answered interview questions together, but for issue 104, Ms. Nakamura and Mr. Furui were interviewed as an unusual pairing.