GARNET CROW “Doing all right” Interview
May 2009music freak magazineAdded on July 9, 2026
New Single “Doing all right” / LIVE DVD “GARNET CROW Are You Ready To Lock On!? 〜livescope at the JCB Hall〜” — On Sale May 20, 2009!!
—This is your first single release in a while. I heard that “Doing all right” was made with live performances in mind. Was there anything that made you decide to do that?
Yuri Nakamura:Since the start of this year, there had been a period where we were recording relatively relaxed songs and ballads, and I wanted to write a song with a bright scent to it, partly as a change of mood for myself. When I thought about what kind of song to write, I felt that if we might have a chance to perform it live, it would be good to make something easy to understand and catchy, something everyone could sing together. That was where I started.
—Last summer’s live shows and the live DVD released at the end of the year gave people chances to see GARNET CROW highlighted as a live artist. Did that have an influence?
Yuri Nakamura:Yes, I think doing live shows last summer was definitely important. Every time we do a live show, we try something new, and last year we created a section where everyone could sing and dance together. It was really fun, and it was very well received. This year I was also watching the editing work for the live DVD, “Are You Ready To Lock On!? 〜livescope at the JCB Hall〜.” Because of that, I may have naturally felt that it would be nice to have a song that could become fun and exciting live. I wanted a song that was bright and positive. There was also a feeling that I was making “Doing all right” while watching the live footage in the middle of editing, so the production process itself was a lot of fun.
—Each rhythm had a fresh feeling, striking the listener with real weight.
Yuri Nakamura:I didn’t want it to become something thin, like “bright song equals light song,” so I think the melody ended up easy to understand and catchy instead. Because of that, we were particular about the guitar sound, the drum loops, and the overall thickness of the sound. Since the melody is easy to understand, I wanted the sounds supporting it underneath to be solid and strong, and I made the song with the idea that I could sing inside a sound that felt reassuring.
—Okamoto-san, what impression did you have when you first heard this song?
Hitoshi Okamoto:I thought it had a live feeling. Or rather, I could see the picture of us doing it live...
—AZUKI-san’s lyrics are also scattered with powerful words.
Yuri Nakamura:These lyrics were rewritten several times before they reached this form. Once the phrase “Doing all right” became the title and appeared at the head of the chorus, I think the lyrics ultimately became very simple and easy to understand. At first there were several lyric patterns, and we even tried changing the arrangement for each set of lyrics... Adding the melody “Doing all right” at the beginning was also an idea that came after the lyrics were finished. It felt like we were always searching for what was best and finishing it into something better.
—Did the core that existed from the start of making the song remain unchanged as you moved forward?
Yuri Nakamura:Yes. I think we were able to express the desire for both the melody and lyrics to be catchy, and for the sound not to be too light. For the sound itself, I made it with the idea of something that would fit perfectly with early summer, or the season from spring into summer when things start becoming more vivid. During the production period, I was also present for the live DVD editing work, and even if we muted the audio, watched only the live footage, and played this song over it, it felt like it fit. I think there will be live shows going forward too, so I’m looking forward to performing this song there. It’s complete as a single, and at the same time it has become a work that makes me look forward to seeing what will happen when we sing it together with everyone live.
—This song includes a long guitar solo from Okamoto-san.
Hitoshi Okamoto:Yes. It’s the longest one so far.
Yuri Nakamura:It’s about sixteen bars, so that’s not something we often have.
Hitoshi Okamoto:There are a lot of modulations too. It’s a guitar solo that will go down in history (wry laugh). The bluesy nuance is extremely difficult, so it will be hard to play live.
—For you, Okamoto-san, it must have been a challenge too.
Hitoshi Okamoto:Yes. When you’ve been doing this for a long time, you naturally tend to choose and play within the range of what you can already do, so this was a really good stimulus.
Yuri Nakamura:I think it has become a song worth listening to for people who play guitar too. For all the guitar kids out there, I think it’s a guitar solo worth taking on.
Hitoshi Okamoto:The phrases are bluesy, so people from generations above mine might hear it and think, “Oh!”