Wednesday 30 March 2011

Dance 2000 (English Translation of the post on 29th March 2011)

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Let me introduce you a relatively old song of Fujifabric, today - 'Dance 2000', which sounds in their character (Fujifabric-like) to a great extent whenever you listen to.

'Dance 2000' is the 5th song in the first mini-album by Fujifabric, 'A la Carte' released on 21st October 2002.  The band consisted of different members at that time- vocal & guitar by Masahiko Shimura, Drums & Chorus by Takayuki Watanabe, Keyboard by Sachiko Tadokoro.  All the members are from Fujiyoshida City in Yamanashi Prefecture (Fujiyoshida City Official Website), and they have known Shimura kun before the world recognises him as "a vocalist, a guitarist and a main music writer of Fujifabric".
The band might be more "at home" like at that time.

Here is the article about "A la Carte", which can call to mind his younger days.
Fujifabric "A la Carte"

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Later, 'Dance 2000' has been arranged over several times - as the 4th song in 'A la Molto' released on 18th February 2004, and a coupling song of 'Niji' ('Rainbow') in Single CD released on 1st June 2005.
There are totally 3 different versions of 'Dance 2000", and it is our pleasure, as a Fujifabric's fan, to listen to and make a comparison between those.
Shimura kun is known as a musician who loves to arrange a song over and over. His attitude seems to me to resemble to the one of  proficient novelists and artists who are eager to make a thorough investigation of their work to the bottom.

'Dance 2000' was played by two bands in Fuji Fuji Fuji Q (a memorial concert for Shimura kun) on 17th July 2010 - Hanaregumi and Kishidan.  According to the leader of Kishidan, Shimura kun was moved by Kishidan's song called 'One Night Carnival' saying "Disco music is so nice!" in their concert, and he was strongly inspired and made 'Dance2000'.
Enjoy listening to 'One Night Carnival' by Kishidan for your interest.



The leader of the band, Sho Ayanokoji, said in Fuji Fuji Fuji Q, "I thought Masahiko is a genius who could make such a great song. (There is an episode that Sho asked Shimura kun to give 'Akane iro no Yuhi' to him, but he was eventually refused!)  I also never know a song on swinging 8 beats in low spirits like this! It is just like Masahiko's character and personality.", and the crowds burst into pearls of laughter.

The relationship between Kishidan and Shimura kun has been a long time since 1999.  Shimura kun was 19 years old at that time, just after graduated high school, and he was working at a live house and studio called 'Los Angeles Club'.  The guitarist of Kishidan, Tomy (Saionji Hitomi), was a manger of the studio and Sho and Ranma (Hoshi Guranmanie, a member of Kishidan) were working there, too.

It was written on Shimura Nikki that Shimura kun and Sho used to work in a same convenience store as a part-time job, too, so they were good friends over 10 years.
In Fuji Fuji Fuji Q, Sho talked some private episodes about Shimura kun with some jokes, and we could feel his deep affection and grief.  His words also gave us a glimpse of Shimura kun's younger musician days.

'Dance 2000' is the song which can represent those days.

There are lyrics of 'Dance 2000' written in three different designs in front of me -black letters on white paper of 'A la Carte', white letters on black paper of 'A la Molto', and black letters on grey paper of 'A Complete Collection of Poems by Masahiko Shimura', but what I can feel from these lyrics is only one - a young man, who is not used to dance in disco, is trying to dance in full effort!
I love it!!

'Dance 2000' is a kind of songs which make us indulge in nostalgic memories...

Enjoy listening today's song - 'Dance 2000'.


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