Thursday 4 November 2010

Inside The Bag (Translation of the Post on 3rd Nov)

Today's post is continued from the last post about "Hana" (Flower).

Please accept my apology of repeating several times already, but may I emphasise again the fact that Mr. Masahiko Shimura, who is the main songwriter, the vocalist and the rhythm guitarist of Fujifabric, avoided to use words which limit the situation and the meaning in the lyrics in order to let each listener listen to and understand the music in his/her own way.
"It is the best that each listener listens to the music in the way he/she wants.  In that way, the lyrics sounds more real, and the message in the song moves people's heart more as there is a space for imagination to work better", he thought.

As I pay a respect to his intention, in my own blog, too, I did my best not to give a direct explanation about the lyrics.  It was my attempt to describe the cultural background behind the lyrics for the Japanese rock fans abroad, regardless of their native tongue.  (It was really my intention, but if I did explain too much on the meaning of the lyrics, I am so sorry, and please forgive me... I did not meant it.)

What I am writing today might be against my will, but it is, after all, not a bad idea to introduce some episodes about Fujifabric, which have been on books, magazines and TV programmes because fans abroad do not understand those information on media in Japanese language.

There is a part, "inside the bag spreads out infinitely   I can go anywhere   I felt" in the song called "Hana" (Flower).



Mr. Shimura always carried a big heavy rucksack like a "turtle shell" (he, himself called it in such a way in an interview on the magazine.).  There were many items inside, and the most of them are used to write his music.
A voice recorder for recording some ideas flashing across his mind, a MD player, a cassette player, a notebook to jot down ideas and the lyrics, a laptop computer with iTunes (he never neglected his duty of confirming the sound of the band, written in his diary, "Shimura Nikki"), books, etc...
Definitely, there must be some more in his bag.

When an idea flashed across his mind in life, he was prepared with those tools to record a flash of inspiration so as not forget it.
Mr. Shimura often said, "I don't want to do anything, which is not related to music. ", and he must have thought about the music all the time no matter what he was doing in his everyday life.
He really devoted his life to music.

In the DVD of the live at Ryogoku Kokugikan, there is a scene Mr. Shimura sat with his legs folded and talked to someone quickly tying up a plastic bag, and put in his black bag.
Was that bag the one he was talking about...?
Not sure.

Inside the bag, his dream and potential must spread out infinitely.
The little tools in the bag traveled around with Mr. Shimura everywhere at the time of a concert tour, recording new songs, and also at private time, assisted his work to make his dream come true.
That is why "inside the bag spreads out infinitely" and made him feel "I can go anywhere", I strongly believe.

One of readers of this blog reported me that it is now very difficult to buy a book, "Tokyo, Music, Rock'n Roll" written by Mr. Masahiko Shimura. This is the book being fulfilled with his own thoughts and feelings.
It is a real shame.
Not only the episode about his bag, but also it shows how much effort he put to make Fujifabric succeed, and it tells the real stories for the young amateur musicians explaining what it is like to be a professional musician.
No matter what job you choose, to complete our job at the top flight is not an easy task at all.

I hope the publisher changes their mind and go for another printing of this book.

Today, please enjoy listening to Day Dripper.
Can you find Mr. Shimura's bag?

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