Fish tank #83 : Atsushi Sakurai
I made a quick translation of this interview the original post is here: https://buck-tickecuador.blogspot.com/2017/05/entrevista-con-atsushi-sakurai-ft-83.html?m=1
FT: the tour for fish tankers finished, have you been able to rest?
Acchan: I’m not good with the transition … from work to rest, I don’t know when to rest.
FT: there you go, did you do something to relax?
Acchan: I went to David Bowie Exhibition, I liked him since I was a teenager, so I got sad. The random images shown, the outfits and other things, I have seen them before, luckily there was a lot of things to see.
FT: according to UTA you also went to the Dali expo.
Acchan:it was during the tour. It was the only day that I was able to go, on my way I found Imai, he was going to the opposite direction. But I had agreed to meet Uta, there was a lot of people there so we had to be in line in a stand for about half hour.
FT: now I’d like to talk about last year tour, is there something that you specially remember ? You were sick in Kanagawa.
Acchan: I had a cold. When we were in Kanagawa I started to complain “ what if I can’t today ? (Sing) what are we going to do?
FT: because you were sick…
Acchan: is a little bit rude to say this but I thought what would happen if we canceled the concert. They said “let’s try the rehearsal and you can decide later” but after the rehearsal I couldn’t say “I’m going home ” *smiles* in that moment I had to make an effort, is weird to say but I tried . FT: i guess you had to put all your willpower to be on stage.
Acchan: I always have to appeal to my willpower to do it. But I knew from the moral point of view that this time I had to do it. I was not sure how much time my body was going to be able to handle but I didn’t have a choice.
FT:I think there was a statement about : if you don’t know he is sick then you won’t notice a thing.
Acchan: well maybe it is. But there were moments were my voice disappeared. I was really upset about it. But I survived.
FT: In Kanagawa I was specially impressed with your interpretation of the seaside story, when I looked at you I thought “ today his voice is so unusual, powerful and intimidating”
Acchan: I knew I had to give it all. And if you say that it means my illness helped me. That’s my only consolation.
FT: on the contrary, it seems like is not at problem , right?
Acchan: yes, if you are saying than I’m tired , that’s what im saying.
Ft: you had one performance in Kumamoto during this tour.
Acchan: first of all I want to say that I’m really happy for having went there. Even though is not much what we can do to help. Thank god we went there and we could give a concert there. The audience had a good vibe, was truly amazing.
Ft: we have been told that in this tour after each performance you have experience new ideas . The desire to make changes remain in you until the last concert in Budokan.
Acchan: In the tour happens that, if you don’t try something new you don’t know how to improve. Is a perishable product, so usually I think about it every day. I have long talks with our employees, we can talk with each other and make comments. In Budokan we made what it could only be made in Budokan. I think it was a summary of what happened in the entire tour.
Ft: if we look again at this concert what do you think you did?
Acchan: in the Budokan is really nice to sing, so I focus on my singing, keeping in mind all the good and bad things that happened.
Ft: now that the tour is over, do you think you truly celebrated Atom Miraiha?
Acchan: the feeling of singing while you are recording and when you are on tour have nothing in common. In the tour I focus on the songs so I can have a personal experience. Having as a result a new depth in the final stage of the song. So the expressions also change. In the end the song changes.
Ft: I have one more question about your outfit , the garter belt was your idea?
Acchan: yes. First of all yagi-San prepared a few different tights. When I talked about it, saying that’s what i wanted to wear, I got inspiration from my inner pervert side *smiles* I also asked Yagi-san to remove the inner lining of one of my legs, up to the pelvic bone and he did, so you can see one of my legs through the fabric and then I thought: “what if you do it like this ” and because we had some free time before the concert I asked Yagi-San be a good friend and buy me a garter belt… you know, hentai style… I mean is Sapporo style. * smile*
Ft: what? Hentai?…. who are you? **smiles*** During your performance in Romance, I had the strong feeling that I was watching a theatrical performance. It was so beautiful , my eyes could barely handled it.
Acchan: the picture I had in my head was gradually nourished by the atmosphere of a freak show just like in the cover album that we made with Akita-san in Juusankai wa Gekko. There’s a man who is seated in the back wearing thighs and his legs are crossed. That’s the image that I had in mind. I wanted to prove that that figure in the back was not a woman but a man. I even removed the unwanted hair **smiles** but to my horror when I was doing it , I was so scared , there’s nothing more despicable than feeling ashamed, this applies to any case. When you create a world, a story you have to prove that you are in it. I want people enjoy of the visual pleasure of my weird stories, I’m always aware of that.
Ft: at the end of the concert in Budokan a lot of plans were announced to celebrate your 30 anniversary.
Acchan: it doesn’t matter that is our 30 anniversary or not, there is only one thing we can do: make music and play concerts, so even though is an important moment in our story, we are going to do the same as usual. This is going to be like vacations for our fans, if everyone is happy I’m going to be happy as well.
Ft: but still… perhaps the festivities are going to cover your 30 years of career…
Acchan: we need to open old boxes and take out a few things from them. This what fans are waiting for. With a set list of the best songs everybody can participate.
Ft: the set list is going to be determined by the vote of the fans.
Acchan: I’m happy but I’m also scared **smiles**
Ft: after the release of the album of best songs you are going to play it live outdoors.
Acchan: yes under the open sky, I’m sure it will rain.
Ft: in the second day of the celebration of your 25 anniversary there was heavy rain.
Acchan: I was really sorry, not for me but for the audience and the guest artists. But an outdoor concert can be really fun. I just want good weather **smiles** I think those concerts have a good environment and a sense of freedom.
Ft: yes, exactly. You also announced a tour in the country, you included two performances in Nippon Budokan.
Acchan: the list includes a new location, Takasaki Arena. This is the first time we are going to play there. This is not a tour to support an album, so we want to relax, it will be nice to have fun with the fans.
Ft: to conclude,I’d like you to tell a few words to your fans.
Acchan: this year we have our 30 anniversary, I’d really like that you could join to our vacations that are now a festival. So let’s meet at one point.
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