[TRANS] Talking Rock (Feb 2021): SixTONES Special Feature
SixTONES
The vocal group SixTONES who are making a 2-issue consecutive appearance since our previous issue! We bring you the second half of the interview which was conducted with them split in two groups; in the picture [above] starting from the right side, Kouchi Yuugo & Jesse & Kyomoto Taiga, and Morimoto Shintarou & Matsumura Hokuto & Tanaka Juri. The theme is of course their anticipated first album released on January 6, and its naming “1ST” as well! By the way, I saw tweets by SixTONES fans who bought our last issue and read it, tweeting that “the writer for ‘Talking Rock’ is so excited!” (laughs) (by the way, the writer is me, the chief editor Yoshikawa), but from listening to their first album “1ST” which is enriched with a variation of sounds that deliver different expressions, and exhibits outstanding vocal sense, they too should definitely understand why I was excited! Furthermore, their particularity towards music making was stronger than I imagined, and I let out many surprised exclamations in response to their answers in our following interview too! A first album = one of the foundations that represents an artist, and in that regard, they successfully conveyed their music versatilely, and garnered expectations for their future possibilities. This is the second half of the interview on such a brilliant album “1ST”, and about the charms of the 6 members of SixTONES. I urge you to read it along with the first half included in our last issue!
■ Kouchi Yuugo · Jesse · Kyomoto Taiga
- First we have the second half of Kouchi-kun, Jesse-kun & Kyomoto-kun’s interview! We’ll of course continue to ask about their first album released on January 6 and about its name “1ST” [, but before that]. This applies to your Junior tracks so far, and also for your coupling songs in your previous 3 singles, but you chose all of the tracks in “1ST” by yourselves as well (please refer to our previous issue, Jan 2021!), and I really thought your particularities and choices were brilliant! The expressions of the songs were incredibly rich!
Kouchi: There’re really a lot of different songs after all!
Kyomoto: In a good sense, they’re scattered and all fighting to be the lead.
Jesse: It’s not Johnnys-like in a way.
-I see!
Jesse: But I’m sure that’s what’s interesting.
- Exactly my thoughts! That’s what interested me, or rather, I honestly thought it was good music and proposed this interview. Firstly, what were your thoughts during the production of this album “1ST”?
Kouchi: We first received the files of the prospective tracks from the staff-san. After the date of our briefing session was decided, we all each listened to the songs thoroughly before the day arrived. On the day of the briefing, the staff-san would write the song titles on the whiteboard and ask a question like “who thought this song was good?”, and continued to narrow down the choices through majority rule.
Kyomoto: SixTONES have always been like that; we have a rule of using majority rule to decide on not just music, but for all decisions at any sort of meeting.
- Ah, is that so!
Kouchi: Then, when we narrowed down the candidates to a certain degree, we imagined for both this album [as a whole] and for our future concerts, “which song would be good to have?”. We’d share our opinions like “this song and this song is a little similar, so won’t this one be better?”, and basically decided on the songs through our own majority rule.
Kyomoto: Our underlying theme in creating the album was “to be disjointed in a positive way”. We didn’t have that idea established loud and clear in advance, but all the songs stood out in a good way, and it felt like that there was no point if it didn’t become an album abound with SixTONES-like variety, or shall I say, everyone of us had the desire to go hard. And so, even when it came down to 2 choices, we would do things like purposely choosing the one that is heterogeneous to the Johnnys framework, or picking the ones that we thought “we haven’t done this melody before” or “this one attacks hard!”, and this is the result of that combination (laughs).
- I see!
Kyomoto: What more, after listening to the demo tapes, we also discussed about things like “please change it so it’s a little more like this kind of mood” in regards to the arrangements.
Kouchi: Yes. We were given the chance to voice our opinions and wishes in detail.
Kyomoto: We gave suggestions on almost all tracks, so there were ones that changed quite a bit from the demo version.
- Huhhh! Is that so! Do you have an example of a piece that changed greatly?
Kouchi: I do. “Special Order” (track 3) changed a fair bit right?
Kyomoto: It did. And “Curtain Call” (track 5) did as well.
Jesse: “Lifetime” (track 10) changed quite a bit too.
Kouchi: Yeah! “Lifetime” became even better!
Jesse: We asked them to “make it more and more grand” as the song reached its second half.
Kyomoto: On top of that, we also suggested returning to the verse again at the end of the outro.
- Huhhh! Is that so! I’m continually being shocked and impressed by everyone’s responses since a while ago (laughs).
Jesse: In my head, I imagine “Lifetime” playing at the ending credits of a movie, so I wanted to convey that and asked them to further revise it. It’s not limited to just this song: we treated each and every one of them as “a piece of work” and made various detailed requests, so in that way, each song is (with a smug expression on his face) a “Special Order”! (laughs)
Kouchi: How annoying (laughs).
Kyomoto: So annoying (laughs).
Jesse: Hahaha (laughs).
- Hahaha (laughs). (And I start clapping too)
Jesse: Thank you very much (laughs).
Kouchi: I don’t think it’s something that needs applause (laughs).
Kyomoto: I don’t think so either (laughs). Also, there are 5 songs from our Junior days.
- The 5 tracks that are included in the “Limited Edition A: Genseki-ban” right?!
Kyomoto: Yes. Amongst them, there’s a song that only had a half written, and with the recording this time round, we made the addition of the second half.
Jesse: Yes. It’s “Kono Hoshi no HIKARI” (Limited Edition A: Genseki-ban track 11).
Kyomoto: We included such surprise-like elements for our fans who’ve been supporting us since our Junior days.
Kouchi: It’s a song that they’ve listened to this whole time, but I hope they will find it fresh.
- It’s happy news to the fans who’ve been there since then!
Kouchi: It’d make us ecstatic if they enjoy it!
Jesse: After all, songs from our Junior period are truly precious to us as well. It’s like, I feel that even stronger especially because we made our debut.
Kouchi: Yeah. Especially “Kono Hoshi no HIKARI” and “BE CRAZY” (Limited Edition A: Genseki-ban, track 12), they were the first songs we received when our group was named SixTONES. That’s why they’re precious just as Jesse said, and they also hold many memories, and also why I think all of the 6 of us strongly wanted to include them in our first album.
Kyomoto: However, we don’t want to alter it and keep the sound consistent from that time.
Kouchi: Yes yes. We didn’t want to change something that everyone had become familiar with listening to.
Kyomoto: That’s why we kept the same arrangement, and only lengthened the song duration.
Jesse: And also, the 3 unit tracks that we worked on in pairs came out really well too.
- The 3 tracks included in the “Limited Edition B: Neiro-ban” right?!
Kouchi: What more, all 3 of them have different colours.
- Yes! Even from the 10 tracks shared across all editions, you’d see that not even one of them is the same type. For example in “Limited Edition B: Neiro-ban”, even Kouchi-kun & Morimoto-kun pair’s “My Hometown” (track 12) has a different taste to the 10 common tracks.
Kouchi: That’s right!
Jesse: It’s super hard rock right! (laughs)
Kouchi: What part of it was?! (laughs)
Kyomoto: Hahaha (laughs).
Kouchi: Your hearing’s gone mad! (laughs)
Jesse: Hahaha (laughs).
- Hahaha (laughs). It’s not hard rock at all (laughs), in a sense it’s the total opposite, a number with a country-like, folk-y surf rock image!
Kouchi: That’s exactly the vibe I like. I think it’s a song, including the lyrics, that we were able to express exactly because it was me and Shintarou. So possessing multiple variations - the colour changing depending on who and who gets paired together - is a forte of SixTONES, and that is highly pronounced in these 3 unit tracks, so keep your ears open!
- On almost the reverse to the chill sound of “My Hometown”, Jesse-kun and Tanaka-kun pair’s “EXTRA VIP” (track 11) is a rather wild hip hop number. Hearing Jesse-kun’s vocals with malice and beauty was exhilarating, and Tanaka-kun’s range is expanding every time I listen to his rap!
Kouchi: Yes! Even from our eyes, we can see that Juri’s range in rapping is widening. Even as a member, hearing how it’s sung in the demo and then hearing the changes from “this is how it sounds when Juri does it!” is really amazing, and it’s fun as well.
- Uh-huh. By the way, “Special Order” came up earlier (laughs), but I think the vibe of this song which reminds one of The Chemical Brothers or The Prodigy’s digital rock & big beat dance arrangements, fused with an oriental flavour is unique and cool!
Kouchi: Yes! Personally, I thought “I definitely want to include ‘Special Order!’” when I first listened to the demos. I raised my hand immediately [for this song] during the briefing you see. That sound is just the thing that gives it its character, and it was the song that got stuck in my head even when I listened to many other songs. The ring and phrases of the repetitive sound-chorus (the chorus is not mainly composed of singing but sounds instead) really draw you in. I think it turned out very nicely.
- Uh-huh. Utilising a semi-acoustic melancholic tone for the backing, “Curtain Call” which begins with a beautiful balance of kindness and pain, has a sentimental and pop chorus that sounds exactly like the manifestation of that refreshing and yet heart-wringing feeling you get after crying, and it’s as if that pulls at my heartstrings!
Kyomoto: The demo for this too originally was more pop and bright, but we asked them to arrange it with more sparsely as if to intensify the painfulness, and as a result, I think it created a very nice atmosphere.
- On top of that, the sequencing of the 10 shared tracks was very well done. Making an impactful start with “ST” (track 1), which is described as “SixTONES’ ultimate ‘saikyou’ [lit. most ‘scream’] killer tune”, that momentum continues through to the 4th song “NEW ERA” before reaching this number “Curtain Call”, and that’s nice isn’t it!
Kyomoto: The staff-san decided on the order of the tracks, but they thought it through as if they were creating a set list for a concert. I think that’s really lovely.
- Yes. And the last song, track number 10 “Lifetime” is just like the ending of a concert, having a finale-like aura to it that is fitting to be the ending, almost as if it wraps it all up.
Kouchi: I think Jesse’s intro in “Lifetime” was brilliant too!
- Yes! Jesse-kun’s delicate vocals as if he was talking to you in the beginning was the best, and his falsetto was beautiful - it’s an amazing song!
Jesse: Thank you very much! There’s something about “Lifetime” that gets me even when I’m singing it. Also, I personally think “Uyamuya” (Regular Edition, track 11) was interesting.
Kouchi: “Uyamuya” was fun wasn’t it!
- It’s a piano rock number in vocaloid style where the 6 of your vocals layer from one to the next in rapid succession without any breaks isn’t it.
Jesse: Yes. The singing continues for the whole time like a tongue twister.
Kouchi: We decided on this “Uyamuya” in the latter half of the album production. When we said “we want a song that’s a little bit more unconventional”, the staff-san replied “how about something like this?” and suggested this with dubiousness. We latched on immediately once we listened to it and exclaimed “this is new isn’t it!”. And the staff-san were shocked and said “this is okay as well?!” (laughs).
Jesse: That’s why I think the staff-san went “oya oya?” [ohh~h?] when they saw our huge reaction to “Uyamuya” (laughs).
Kouchi & Kyomoto: Hahaha (laughs). (they then continue to forcibly give applause)
- Hahaha (laughs). (I applaud as well)
Jesse: The heavy beats in “Mad Love” (Regular Edition, track 12) are nice too.
- It’s a soul and hip hop number that has a dope and sexy sound conveyed through all-English lyrics isn’t it!
Jesse: All of us talked about how it’d be amazing to perform at a concert. It really gets me excited too when I listen to it in the car. Like it’s a song that makes you think “[so] Johnnys do this type of music too”.
- Yes! It’s really is an album that contains many songs that make you think “are they seriously Johnnys?”.
Jesse: We really wanted to leave that impression too. So that comment honestly makes me happy.
- And something that I want to say out loud is that about the beauty of your harmony and chorus. Idol groups often have the image of singing in unison, but SixTONES has vocals centred around Jesse-kun and Kyomoto-kun, and there [in addition], the 6 of your vocal sense and expressions which combine chorus and harmony beautifully is truly wonderful. Furthermore, you span over a wide range of genres and the vehicle which encompasses that generously is “1ST”. This applies to your title track “ST” as well; the “ST” of course refers to SixTONES, but it also holds meanings of STORY and START and such as well.
Jesse: There were several other candidates for the [album] title, but we decided on it quickly.
- That’s why I think it’s a wonderful first album that encapsulates SixTONES multifaceted charms!
Kyomoto: We too gave it our all till we were out of ammo (laughs).
Kouchi: We were thinking “will we be okay after this?” (laughs).
Kyomoto: Yeah (laughs). That’s why the bar’s higher again for next time (laughs).
Jesse: You’re right (laughs). But well, I think we really did create an amazing album, so the concerts will definitely be fun.
Kouchi: Yes! There’re lot of songs that will liven up a concert. We have a tour coming up as well. It’s been tough due to corona, but I hope to do my best whilst following the guidelines.
- I still haven’t had the chance to experience your concert, so I’d love the chance to see one someday!
Kyomoto: Please come!
Kouchi: Please come!
Jesse: Please, let’s go and watch it together!
- Uh, we won’t be able to watch it together (laughs)
All: Hahaha (laughs).
- Because all of you would be on stage (laughs). And so (laughs), this applies to your tours as well, but I look forward to what sort of SixTONES music you will share with us in the future. Thank you very much for today!
All: Thank you very much!
■ Morimoto Shintarou · Matsumura Hokuto · Tanaka Juri
- Next we have the second half of Morimoto-kun, Matsumura-kun & Tanaka-kun’s interview! The main topic is of course their first album “1ST”, but first, what were your thoughts when you heard about making this [album]?
Tanaka: It happens to be a release that’s near our debut 1st anniversary, at a moment that we can call a milestone, so how much we’ve levelled up in this year and how much we’ve widened our range is what I wanted to show foremost; and if we’re able to execute that well, then we’d also be able to have a great start to our 2nd year, so that’s where I focused my energies. And at the same time, it’s also SixTONES’ first album, so I think it was a moment where we put a stronger focus on our music by considering what to create. It was about how far we could exceed the expectations of the people who love SixTONES’ music. And I believe it’s also a test of how our music will be received by people who like music, but have yet to know about SixTONES, so I was hyperaware of that when I tackled this project.
- I see! By the way, did you talk about this between the members?
Tanaka: Nahh, we didn’t talk about these things at all right?
Matsumura: Not at all.
Morimoto: We didn’t.
- I see. So, Tanaka-kun’s comments just then were purely your own thoughts?
Tanaka: Yes. More like, it’s not just limited to that answer, but it’s been like this so far, and I think our answers hereon too will generally be from the three of our own perspectives (laughs).
- I see (laughs). That does seem to be the case when I look back at our earlier interview [from last time], but that individuality is what creates SixTONES’ charm isn’t it! Now, how about Matsumura-kun?
Matsumura: I adamantly didn’t want fall under a predictable category since it was our first [album], or rather, I was strongly adverse to playing safe. I suspect that’s a shared idea between the 6 of us even if I don’t verify that with them. That’s why we’ve been able to come this far with 3 singles and widen our range with not the mindset of “we’ve already released this type of song so let’s try something different”, but with something more instinctive; with a more responsive attitude in trusting what we want to do and bringing shape to that… the effect of our 3 singles was really strong after all. Releasing completely different types [of songs] one after the other, and having that be accepted naturally led us to think that there’re no such things that “we have to do” or that “we can’t do”.
Morimoto: It’s true that we don’t feel shackled by any ideas of “SixTONES’ has to be like this”.
Matsumura: Yeah. That’s why I wanted us to be freer and transmit ourselves aggressively, and I thought if I keep such a mindset, then we’d be able to create something yet undiscovered; in other words, a SixTONES original.
- I see! How about Morimoto-kun?
Morimoto: In creating this, the feelings of wanting to deliver the best music occupied my mind. I’m totally the type of person to listen to music based on feelings. Rather than thinking “it’d be cool if SixTONES does this” when I’m choosing the songs, I always pick the ones that I like to listen to and I think that would become the best SixTONES’ music if we can add the 6 of our colours to it nicely. It’s ultimately up to the listener who determines if the end product is good or bad, so I believe it’s important to choose something confidently and deliver it to the world so that it can be a song that resonates with those listeners. That’s what preoccupied my thoughts in making the album.
- I see! As a result, the expressions of the songs all differ across the 10 common tracks in all versions, the new songs in the regular edition, and even the unit tracks in the “Limited Edition B: Neiro-ban” too - this range is honestly amazing!
Matsumura: All the songs are self-asserting in a positive sense.
Tanaka: I think it was something born due to everyone’s different tastes in music. In other words, I think it’s also an album which brings out the 6 of our feelings.
- Uh-huh. It really is different strokes for different folks with your musical roots, and you talked about that thoroughly in our previous interview too! By the way, in this album that’s packed with variety, could you please each pick out a particular number that made you think “this is a little wild!”?
Matsumura: Mine’s “Uyamuya”. It’s a “vocaloid-type” song, but it’s totally a melody that I’m familiar and love to listen to (laughs).
- Is that so (laughs). On top of that, its piano rock arrangement that doesn’t exist in the other tracks was memorable.
Matsumura: And, to point out what’s distinct about vocaloids, is that there’s no need to take a breath [between lines] since it’s not made to be sung by humans. That’s why it’s common to not be able to sing most of them, but since there are 6 people in SixTONES, we can sing it if we link it [our lines] together (laughs).
- Yes yes (laughs). You’re right!
Matsumura: What more, “vocaloid-type” music, or genre even, is something that I consider to be original to Japan alone, and I wanted to do it with SixTONES’ colour. It’s quite a big thing to me personally that we created such a song.
- I see! How about Tanaka-kun?
Tanaka: Mine is “Coffee & Cream” (track 8). It’s purely my type of music.
- It’s stylish and cool isn’t it! It’s a mid-tempo chill-type of hip hop number that has jazzy piano phrases equalised with vocals and rap, and it gets your body grooving comfortably.
Tanaka: The sounds and lyrics, and as well as the expression is actually really diverse in hip hop isn’t it? Putting it contrarily, it’s like there’s no definition. But things like a strong beat and heavy back track, or aggressive lyrics are usually what comes to mind first, so people tend to think that it’s music done by scary people.
- Yeah. It’s true that many people have that perception including the fashion and looks [of hip hip artists].
Tanaka: But that’s definitely not the case. There are more pop-ish tracks that are easy to listen to, as well as groovy and comfortable ones too. That’s why the hip hop songs that SixTONES have performed so far are a little different, and I hope to let people who like idol songs discover that it [hip hop] has such range too. I think that’s particularly easy to convey in an album. The rest is simply that I like them and they’re my favourite songs.
- I see. How about Morimoto-kun?
Morimoto: It’s “Mad Love” for me. I love heavy beats like this. Feeling the beat with my whole body is the best. That’s why I often listen to club music, and lately, tropical house as well.
- Tropical house is similar to dancehall reggae, where it gets your body grooving along comfortably.
Morimoto: That’s right. I like that feeling where you can feel the beat with your whole body. Well, “Mad Love” is pretty heavy, but I think it’s suited to being blasted on huge speakers at a venue with good acoustics; and I think it’s also a song that can turn up the heat at a concert.
- Uh-huh. That sound that prompts you to move your body from the core is cool. It contrasts nicely against you and Kouchi-kun’s folk-y surf rock unit track “My Hometown” (laughs).
Morimoto: You’re right (laughs). I think “My Hometown” took shape like this because it was Kouchi and me. I find those differences really interesting in my head.
- By the way, in the interview with the other 3 members earlier, they mentioned that many demo tracks had changed from its initial form, with many suggestions for the arrangements being proposed by all of you.
Tanaka: Ahh, there was a bit of that. There were cases where we requested for detailed changes again and again for a single song.
Matsumura: On the reverse, aren’t there fewer songs that we didn’t rework?
Morimoto: You’re right.
Tanaka: For example, we’d ask them to create it with faster BPM and a slower version as well.
Morimoto: And things like raising the key by a semitone or lowering it too.
Tanaka: And things like adding and subtracting different sorts of sounds.
Morimoto: And like deciding if it would be good to have all-English lyrics, or whether to add in some Japanese lines or not.
- Huhh! That’s pretty detailed!
Matsumura: Sometimes there were cases where we proposed “let’s replace the entire second verse” as well.
- Ah, really!
Morimoto: How was it with Juri’s rap? It changed quite a bit from the demos right?
Tanaka: Ahh, if I had to say then it basically all changed.
Morimoto: Ah, all of it?
- Is that so!
Matsumura: It’s true that the rap in the demo and Juri’s rap are totally different in the lyrics and the flow.
- So does Tanaka-kun listen to the demo at length and change it to fit yourself?
Tanaka: No, it’s not really like that; it’s like I do it on the spot at the recording studio. I don’t really practise beforehand. I end up singing like the demo if I practise.
- Ahh, I see. You get influenced.
Tanaka: Yes. I don’t want that to have that affect me. So I’ll only remember the keywords and rhythm, and don’t listen to the rest of the rap part. Then at the recording studio, usually the demo track gets played as a guide, but I ask for that to be turned off to record my rap.
- I see! Rap is originally something that expresses your emotions at that moment after all.
Tanaka: That’s right. It isn’t originally something that you do with what’s given to you. Which is why one’s individuality comes through. On top of that, the stance I take when rapping is different depending on the song; I’m super relaxed in “Coffee & Cream”, but it’s like I’m on the defence with “EXTRA VIP” and “Special Order” - my mood changes and the song’s colour naturally affects how I rap and how my voice is projected. In that sense, I think I did many types of raps this time, which also made me realise we did as many tracks with such variation.
Matsumura: I’m confident that the 6 of us definitely gave all that we could at the present point of time.
Morimoto: Me too. I’m confident in all the songs and it’s like I can say [proudly] that it’s SixTONES’ music.
- On the contrary, it’s like you can do anything. I think this first album contains so much variety that it makes me think it won’t be a surprise with whatever type of music you do next; it’s a wonderful album that both establishes a foundation for SixTONES, as well as furthering your potential!
Tanaka: Thank you very much!
Morimoto: That makes me very happy!
Matsumura: The order of the songs is amazing too. The staff-san decided on it, but I think the flow of it is really nice.
- Exactly so! Track 9 “Imitation Rain” which plays just before the last track is “as expected!”, or rather, it shines like a highlight, and it sounds a little different hearing it in the album!
Morimoto: Yes! It changes doesn’t it.
Tanaka: It has ridiculous presence.
Matsumura: It’s like we realised anew about the gravity of this piece. That’s why I honestly want many people to listen to this album.
- I’m holding this interview too in hopes that many people will discover this work. Thinking about what music SixTONES will bring us next after such a superb first album - I’m very much looking forward to that! Thank you very much for the interview held over 2 issues!
All: Thank you very much!
Related: Talking Rock! (Jan 2021)