[Translation] NEWS Piano score collection
NEWS Piano Collection
NEWS' first piano score book in occasion of their 10th anniversary.
A completely music centered interview where we talked with NEWS members about their encounter with music, their favourite genres, some of their episodes involving music instruments, the style of their songs and lyrics.
Reading this you'll fall in love with NEWS' music more and more!!
Koyama Keiichiro & Masuda Takahisa
-Let's start from the roots, what kind of music do you usually listen to?
M: I listen to a lot of hip hop. The first piece I heard was "Christmas Rap" by KICK THE CAN CREW. I love that song, I listened to it so much that I can sing it all without looking at the lyrics. Once I fall in love with a song I listen to it all the time. When I was in high school I listened only to western hip hop and black music (lol).
-Do you also check the latest releases?
M: I listen to sound sources mixed by a DJ I know, when I notice a song that I particularly like I go buying the album of that artist. But when I go to karaoke I often sing songs by Hata Motohiro and Mr. Children.
-So there's some difference between the music you listen and the one you sing?
M: I guess so. I listen to hip hop but many times I listen to it without understanding the words. I just understand vaguely what are the contents.
-I see. How about you, Koyama-san?
K: The first type of music I listened to were MONGOL800, B-DASH, HUSKING-BEE. Mostly of them were introduced to me by my friends, then I personally went to buy the records.
-The records, not the CDs?
K: Exactly. Back then I had a turntable, I used to go to school with a bag that could contain my records (lol). Then, for a while I was hooked to "To Be With You" by MR.BIG. My sister liked it, I even translated the lyrics and presented them at school.
-From melodic hardcore to hard rock, your favourite genres are pretty wide.
K: I listen to many different genres. I love counter-melodies (like "Hitomi wa Diamond" by Matsuda Seiko or "Saigo no Ame" by Nakanishi Yasushi). Lately instead I like Pitbull. I always check the songs in the Oricon charts, I don't really care about genres.
-I see. So, let's talk about music instruments. Koyama-san, earlier you said that you tried playing guitar but it was too frustrating...?
K: Yes (lol). I cannot play well the F-chord. If I have another chance I'd like to try again. Shige and Tegoshi can play guitar, they could teach me, I think I can still learn. I wish to be able at least to play some chords while humming a song... Ah, anyway I still play keyboard. I understand chords.
-Maybe the keyboard suits you better.
K: I've always wanted to learn playing an instrument, keyboard seemed the easiest one, more than suiting me. If you never get able to play well something at all it's not funny to keep trying.
-That's true. When you don't improve at all you get tired soon. And you, Masuda-san?
M: I can't play almost anything.
-During the theatre show "Haiiro no Kanaria" you played a guitar though.
M: Only in that occasion (lol). I bought a keyboard too, but in the end... Of course I love music, I'm always in contact with it, but after all I don't see myself playing it.
-How do you do when you produce songs?
M: I create them in my mind.
-Then you express your ideas to an arranger?
M: Yes. Until now I never created a song all by myself. Sometimes I produced it with somebody else, other times I got a track and I thought to the melody starting on it. There's a wide range of ways to produce songs and lyrics. You can just pass to the arranger your hummed "lalalala~", or you can do everything by yourself. I'm still at the humming level (lol), but I can create a melody.
-Melodies reflect a lot the tastes of the creator. And you, Koyama-san?
K: I'm the same, most of the times I record the melodies I thought with my phone and I try to create a song basing on them.
-You don't use any music instrument?
K: No, I almost never use instruments when I create a song. With instruments...I mostly play songs from my favourite musicians. I can play the chords on the keyboard and hum a song. That's why I'm really happy of releasing this score book. Like that I will be able to play our own songs and maybe I will discover many new things, like the chords used.
-It's perfect for those who're thinking of learning keyboards. Please Masuda-san, use it too!
M: I took piano lessons during elementary school. I did many things when I was little (cram school, calligraphy, piano, swimming, soccer and English). But piano wasn't my favourite activity at all.
-You didn't like to practice?
M: At the piano lessons there were only girls. I guess I didn't like that... Looking back at it now, I wish I did it more properly. Those could have been useful music foundations.
-How do you feel about singing? Were you interested in it since childhood?
M: I've always liked to sing, I sang a lot. But the first time I thought about doing it seriously was when I entered the agency and I was praised by Johnny-san. Thanks to those words I understood that I could express myself singing.
K: I wasn't really aware of my singing when I was a Junior, not even when I debuted. When we became a group of 6 members, my singing parts increased, I started to think to the songs more and I started practicing actively. Now that we're 4 I think that singing we can express our individualities better.
-Right. Being 4 vocalists you can all show your personality.
K: I don't know if I'm good or not, but now I really try to express myself singing, I do a lot of voice training. Honestly I think I began to seriously approach the songs only when we became 4. I strongly felt that we had to produce something good, we wanted to be more powerful and united. This was a big change from the past.
-During live rehearsals do you think about how do you sound when singing together?
K: Sure. During the recording we are very attentive at the balance between our 4 voices. If we work hard during the rehearsals we can be more natural during the live show, we also want to be more impactful than the CD.
M: Yes. Moreover during the CD's recording we sing everything alone.
-So you don't decide which parts you sing, you all sing the entire song?
M: Exactly. After we all sang we decide who sang best every part. I think that's the best method.
K: Yes. We all want to be satisfied by the final result.
-Like that you get a more accurate expressivity as well.
K: I think there's no point at all if you don't improve that. We're very self-conscious about that.
M: We try to keep a good balance during the recording and we try to do that also during the lives, we don't think about singing just our own lines. Doing that the way of singing and the expressivity can change, you cannot understand it until you actually do it.
-It's clear that songs change from the CD to the live shows. So, what kind of song would you like to sing in the future?
M: Uhm...for NEWS I'd like an encouraging song. I'd also like a calm ballad and I'd like to produce a hip hop song with a track maker.
-NEWS have a lot of encouraging songs.
M: Right. We like to stay loyal to ourselves.
K: I'd like to create a song that introduces each member. I love to observe the others (lol). I'd like to write lyrics that explain how I see each member. I think it'd be funny.
-That's nice, it'd be perfect for the lives. What if you had to write a song for each other?
K: Massu is like the sporty oniisan. Not like Katori Shingo's "Shingomama no Oha-rock", but I'd like to create a song like "Massu vs a crowd of children".
M: I'd like to do that too (lol). Kids are so cute when they sing, I want to be the sporty oniisan.
K: That's a dream for all the members (lol). I want to make it come true!
M: If I had to create a song for Koyama I would do something with a low key and melody, it'd be funny. A song without a refrain would be nice too.
-That's fresh! It also sound cool.
M: Or a song made only of a refrain melody. Lately I'm very interested to original songs. They're funny and I think that an uncommon song would suit Koyama well.
-Please create it! Lastly, is there an instrument you'd like to learn playing in the future?
M: Well...once a member of Tegomass' band taught me how to play percussions.
-Masuda-san, percussions would be great with you!
M: I like their look a lot too, doing it for real was very different though (lol).
K: I'd like to learn playing the sax. I'd like to try holding it, isn't it cool? (lol)
Dear readers...
M: First of all, I think that playing an instrument is a great quality. If you play our songs I'll be very happy, thanks to this score book you will also be able to understand our music better. You will understand the thoughts of the members and of the musician who created them... I cannot play anything, so please come being my accompaniment! (lol)
K: When I started playing guitar first of all I tried playing Yuzu's songs. It would be wonderful if there are people saying "When I started playing keyboards I first tried to play NEWS' songs". Then, I'd like you to use this score book to play at birthdays, wedding ceremonies and many other different events. NEWS' songs entering the life of people is the biggest happiness ever.
Tegoshi Yuuya & Kato Shigeaki
-Tegoshi-san and Kato-san, you both listen to a lot of music.
T: My favourite music's genres got wider when I entered the JE. My voice trainer passed me a lot of songs to exercise, like Billy Joel, Makihara Noriyuki, Anzen Chitai. From there I started listening to more and more music.
-You look very fond of rock music too.
T: It's my favourite genre. First I loved X JAPAN. When I first took interest in music and singing I admired that kind of high keys...
-I understand that. It sounds almost impossible to sing, right?
T: That's why I practiced with X JAPAN's songs a lot. Once I learnt that "to sing high keys you have to lower your Adam's apple" I practiced a lot in front of the mirror trying to keep it low. It's not just voice training, you have to study your whole body.
-You studied thoroughly.
T: When I find something I love I'm never satisfied. It makes me study more and more (lol). My interest increases also listening to other awesome musicians.
-It seems you're very attentive to the singing, do you have special tastes in sound too?
T: I don't like "good guys rock", I like powerful bands. Like Acid Black Cherry, VAMPS, L'Arc-en-Ciel. Zebrahead for a western example.
-How about you, Kato-san?
S: I listen to a lot of things. When I started dancing at high school I often listened to hip hop, then I shifted to punk and melodic hardcore. During high school I was all into ELLEGARDEN. For a while I listened only to them. I also went to their concerts. Even at festivals.
-You belong to that generation. Kato-san, you're very detailed also on old music, right?
S: I listen to the music that my favourite artists like. For example ELLEGARDEN's Hosomi Takeshi loved WEEZER and THIRD EYE BLIND. Then I started to listen also to THE BEATLES, THE ROLLING STONES, Janis Joplin... Lately I'm hooked to even older music, like Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway.
-That's soul music.
S: When I was a teenager I loved loud, melodic music. When I was 22-23 I started listening to quieter music. I love to listen to jazz records with a turntable, back to analogic technology. Of course I also love a lot of contemporary music though.
-Once you start listening to jazz music there's no end!
S: That's really true (lol). But I like that too. There's so much of it, you can listen to that for your whole life.
-Indeed. Let's talk about instruments. You were playing an acoustic guitar before this shooting, when did you start learning?
T: I started learning guitar...when I was 20, maybe? No, maybe even before. Nagase-kun taught me many things during the drama "My Boss My hero".
-You started with an acoustic guitar?
T: Yes. I love rock music so I wanted an electric one, but you can't play that without plugging it in. It's difficult to play chords with an acoustic guitar, I decided to start with it because it looked harder.
S: I started at the beginning of middle school. My father used to play guitar and one of his friends gave me one. But I didn't use it constantly, I didn't play that much at all (lol).
-Of course at the beginning it was difficult?
S: It was an acoustic guitar, I didn't think it was particularly difficult. But since Koyama said that he got frustrated over the F-chord I guess it's indeed hard to play.
-The famous F-wall (lol). They call it like that because you have to play the F-chord holding tight the strings or it won't sound nice, it's the first difficult obstacle you encounter learning.
S: It depends on how much you love guitars. Also on how much you really want to play it.
-If your will is strong you practice naturally...That's true. By the way, you also both studied piano when you were little, right?
T: Right.
S: I did but I hated Beyer. I didn't want to play that classic music. I didn't like to play music I didn't know, I wanted to play pop music (lol).
-Probably the improvements playing things you like are faster too.
S: Yes, I think that's important.
T: I played both electron and piano, it was fun. I could choose my favourite songs during exhibitions.
S: I remember those! I was always so nervous!
T: Back then the theme song of "Mononoke Hime" was very popular.
-What you learnt back then was useful in your career?
T: Of course it was!
S: Sure. Knowing how to read scores makes a huge difference. You wouldn't know what "3-times" and "5-times" mean if you never learnt that.
T: Exactly. I think I wouldn't be able to do harmonization without my piano lessons. When I sing I imagine the keyboard and I understand what kind of sound to produce.
S: I never do harmonization but I understand what key is best to use when I create a song. It's very important to read scores.
-Knowing scores and instruments you have a deeper understanding of music.
S: True.
T: Your way of singing changes too. Songs by somebody who plays are different to those of people who can't. Because when you play an instrument you really sing listening to the sound.
S: Right.
T: I also played drums a little, I know something about wind instruments too, sometimes I fix my singing according to the accompaniment instrument.
-Do you play instruments when you create a song?
S: Do I? Usually I start creating a melody. If I think to the sequence of chords first, I might fall into my playing habits. I don't like to restraint my music like that so I think it's better to start from the melody...
-Like that you can work on a wider range.
T: I'm the same. Sometimes I work playing keyboards but first of all I try to find the right melody. I play chords but only after I decided the melody, so I can choose which chord sound better and work on them.
-I see. So, if you were to produce a song for NEWS, what kind of song would you prefer?
T: ...That's difficult.
S: Right now...what kind of song would be the best?
T: A ballad maybe. A kind ballad dedicated to fans.
S: If we produce a song all together it would be it. In the past I wrote a song for Tegoshi, it was "Gomibako", it was really fun to do that.
-Why was it fun?
S: First of all, I had to think to a way to make Tegoshi's voice stand out. I'm the one who hears and knows the best the members' way of singing and they're tastes, it's fun to create music trying to use them at their best. "Gomibako" is a rock ballad, it starts calmly and the sound increases suddenly. We were still teenagers, Tegoshi's voice was really straight, a song with an overtone on the refrain was good for him. Tegoshi liked it as well...hey, that was a good song.
T: Yes, it was.
S: Maybe we could perform it again in a live (lol). If I were to create a song for him again it would turn out completely different though. More adult and sensual, maybe. Or maybe something very simple. Well, I'd talk with Tegoshi first of all (lol).
-What if Tegoshi-san produced a song for Kato-san instead?
T: Eh?! That's too difficult!
S: Ahahahah!
T: Maybe a very straight song would be good. Shige's songs are always so varied. I'd like to produce a song that he wouldn't usually write.
S: I guess you're right.
-You want your songs to be twisted?
S: Right. Even when I asked songs to an arranger I requested him to add as many tension chords he can. In the past I created simple songs but they turned to be too embarrassing. Moreover when I create my solo songs I want to do something that only I can do.
T: That's why I would create something straight for him. Like a classic rock ballad.
S: I would never do something like that. It's embarrassing just imagining, since you're the one creating it (lol). But it's also interesting, if there's a chance I'd like to try.
-If NEWS members exchange their favourite genres NEWS' music would be so wide. If you were a band, what kind of band would you be? Tegoshi-san would play the drums?
S: I guess so.
T: In that case I'd play with all my energies (lol).
S: Massu would look good on percussions. On a kajòn for example.
-Like this it sounds more an acoustic band though.
S: We did it once, an acoustic live. It was included as special DVD in an album...
T: That was really fun!
S: Right. It's great to sing while playing but it's definitely better to leave the instruments to pro musicians and sing.
T: Yes. It's part of NEWS' image too.
Dear readers...
T: Being able to play an instrument is a status, I think it's really wonderful. Maybe at first you were forced to do it, but once you improve even your way of listening to music will change. Please play NEWS' songs and I hope you will fall in love with our music even more.
S: NEWS' songs belong to many different genres, playing them with these scores you will be able to understand the structure of many different types of songs. Like this you will also find new ways of enjoying music. I'd love you to practice playing our songs and then exhibit somewhere!
Q. What was your first inputs towards music?
Koyama: My first favourite song was "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire. My parents always played it in the car, I memorized it naturally. It's a song from the 70s so it doesn't belong to my generation, but everytime I listen to it I feel nostalgic (lol). Talking about Japanese music, I'll mention Takeuchi Mariya. When I was in elementary 3rd class I remember I sang "Kenka wo yamete~". The first CD I bought was "Garagara Hebi ga Yattekuru" by TUNNELS!
Massu: The first group I thought really cool were B'z. I received their album "SURVIVE" from Santa-san when I was an elementary schooler (lol). Then I bought by myself the single "Samayoeru Aoi Tangan", I listened to it so much~ During middle school I listened a lot to MONGOL800, my friend introduced me to them, I loved that group. Right now I don't listen to rock music, but rock was my first entrance to music.
Tegoshi: When I was around 3~4 I went skiing with my family, there's a videotape of me singing in the hotel room. My parents filmed it, it seems I loved music since back then. Of course I don't remember it at all (lol). The first time I really took interest in music was at the beginning of middle school. My friends invited me to karaoke, I sang a song by Porno Graffiti and they praised me. It made me really happy and it made me start taking singing classes.
Shige: When I was in elementary school I listened to the folk songs that my mom loved. When I started being interested in music by myself I was at the first years of middle school. The first musicians I liked were GLAY and Mr.Children. At that time a friend of my dad got me an acoustic guitar and I started listening to music to learn playing it. I practiced also with an electric guitar but it wasn't that funny to play it all alone at home (lol). That's why I played mostly the acoustic one.
Reportage from the songs' rehearsals!
Today NEWS held a special rehearsal focused on the songs. The members gathered at the studio and started practicing on their setlist. They start singing "Pokoponpekorya" from different sides of the room while they dance gathering at the center. The refrain is absolutely cute. Then, the staff and the members check the harmonization for "Futari/130000000 no Kiseki" being very attentive to the acoustic arrangement for the lives. They all exchange actively their opinions, and they work very hard to reach a result that satisfy them all. Seeing all of this was very impressive.
ジャジャジャーン！Surprise! :D
This is something refreshing!
NEWS' first piano score book in occasion of their 10th anniversary.
A completely music centered interview where we talked with NEWS members about their encounter with music, their favourite genres, some of their episodes involving music instruments, the style of their songs and lyrics.
Reading this you'll fall in love with NEWS' music more and more!!
Koyama Keiichiro & Masuda Takahisa
-Let's start from the roots, what kind of music do you usually listen to?
M: I listen to a lot of hip hop. The first piece I heard was "Christmas Rap" by KICK THE CAN CREW. I love that song, I listened to it so much that I can sing it all without looking at the lyrics. Once I fall in love with a song I listen to it all the time. When I was in high school I listened only to western hip hop and black music (lol).
-Do you also check the latest releases?
M: I listen to sound sources mixed by a DJ I know, when I notice a song that I particularly like I go buying the album of that artist. But when I go to karaoke I often sing songs by Hata Motohiro and Mr. Children.
-So there's some difference between the music you listen and the one you sing?
M: I guess so. I listen to hip hop but many times I listen to it without understanding the words. I just understand vaguely what are the contents.
-I see. How about you, Koyama-san?
K: The first type of music I listened to were MONGOL800, B-DASH, HUSKING-BEE. Mostly of them were introduced to me by my friends, then I personally went to buy the records.
-The records, not the CDs?
K: Exactly. Back then I had a turntable, I used to go to school with a bag that could contain my records (lol). Then, for a while I was hooked to "To Be With You" by MR.BIG. My sister liked it, I even translated the lyrics and presented them at school.
-From melodic hardcore to hard rock, your favourite genres are pretty wide.
K: I listen to many different genres. I love counter-melodies (like "Hitomi wa Diamond" by Matsuda Seiko or "Saigo no Ame" by Nakanishi Yasushi). Lately instead I like Pitbull. I always check the songs in the Oricon charts, I don't really care about genres.
-I see. So, let's talk about music instruments. Koyama-san, earlier you said that you tried playing guitar but it was too frustrating...?
K: Yes (lol). I cannot play well the F-chord. If I have another chance I'd like to try again. Shige and Tegoshi can play guitar, they could teach me, I think I can still learn. I wish to be able at least to play some chords while humming a song... Ah, anyway I still play keyboard. I understand chords.
-Maybe the keyboard suits you better.
K: I've always wanted to learn playing an instrument, keyboard seemed the easiest one, more than suiting me. If you never get able to play well something at all it's not funny to keep trying.
-That's true. When you don't improve at all you get tired soon. And you, Masuda-san?
M: I can't play almost anything.
-During the theatre show "Haiiro no Kanaria" you played a guitar though.
M: Only in that occasion (lol). I bought a keyboard too, but in the end... Of course I love music, I'm always in contact with it, but after all I don't see myself playing it.
-How do you do when you produce songs?
M: I create them in my mind.
-Then you express your ideas to an arranger?
M: Yes. Until now I never created a song all by myself. Sometimes I produced it with somebody else, other times I got a track and I thought to the melody starting on it. There's a wide range of ways to produce songs and lyrics. You can just pass to the arranger your hummed "lalalala~", or you can do everything by yourself. I'm still at the humming level (lol), but I can create a melody.
-Melodies reflect a lot the tastes of the creator. And you, Koyama-san?
K: I'm the same, most of the times I record the melodies I thought with my phone and I try to create a song basing on them.
-You don't use any music instrument?
K: No, I almost never use instruments when I create a song. With instruments...I mostly play songs from my favourite musicians. I can play the chords on the keyboard and hum a song. That's why I'm really happy of releasing this score book. Like that I will be able to play our own songs and maybe I will discover many new things, like the chords used.
-It's perfect for those who're thinking of learning keyboards. Please Masuda-san, use it too!
M: I took piano lessons during elementary school. I did many things when I was little (cram school, calligraphy, piano, swimming, soccer and English). But piano wasn't my favourite activity at all.
-You didn't like to practice?
M: At the piano lessons there were only girls. I guess I didn't like that... Looking back at it now, I wish I did it more properly. Those could have been useful music foundations.
-How do you feel about singing? Were you interested in it since childhood?
M: I've always liked to sing, I sang a lot. But the first time I thought about doing it seriously was when I entered the agency and I was praised by Johnny-san. Thanks to those words I understood that I could express myself singing.
K: I wasn't really aware of my singing when I was a Junior, not even when I debuted. When we became a group of 6 members, my singing parts increased, I started to think to the songs more and I started practicing actively. Now that we're 4 I think that singing we can express our individualities better.
-Right. Being 4 vocalists you can all show your personality.
K: I don't know if I'm good or not, but now I really try to express myself singing, I do a lot of voice training. Honestly I think I began to seriously approach the songs only when we became 4. I strongly felt that we had to produce something good, we wanted to be more powerful and united. This was a big change from the past.
-During live rehearsals do you think about how do you sound when singing together?
K: Sure. During the recording we are very attentive at the balance between our 4 voices. If we work hard during the rehearsals we can be more natural during the live show, we also want to be more impactful than the CD.
M: Yes. Moreover during the CD's recording we sing everything alone.
-So you don't decide which parts you sing, you all sing the entire song?
M: Exactly. After we all sang we decide who sang best every part. I think that's the best method.
K: Yes. We all want to be satisfied by the final result.
-Like that you get a more accurate expressivity as well.
K: I think there's no point at all if you don't improve that. We're very self-conscious about that.
M: We try to keep a good balance during the recording and we try to do that also during the lives, we don't think about singing just our own lines. Doing that the way of singing and the expressivity can change, you cannot understand it until you actually do it.
-It's clear that songs change from the CD to the live shows. So, what kind of song would you like to sing in the future?
M: Uhm...for NEWS I'd like an encouraging song. I'd also like a calm ballad and I'd like to produce a hip hop song with a track maker.
-NEWS have a lot of encouraging songs.
M: Right. We like to stay loyal to ourselves.
K: I'd like to create a song that introduces each member. I love to observe the others (lol). I'd like to write lyrics that explain how I see each member. I think it'd be funny.
-That's nice, it'd be perfect for the lives. What if you had to write a song for each other?
K: Massu is like the sporty oniisan. Not like Katori Shingo's "Shingomama no Oha-rock", but I'd like to create a song like "Massu vs a crowd of children".
M: I'd like to do that too (lol). Kids are so cute when they sing, I want to be the sporty oniisan.
K: That's a dream for all the members (lol). I want to make it come true!
M: If I had to create a song for Koyama I would do something with a low key and melody, it'd be funny. A song without a refrain would be nice too.
-That's fresh! It also sound cool.
M: Or a song made only of a refrain melody. Lately I'm very interested to original songs. They're funny and I think that an uncommon song would suit Koyama well.
-Please create it! Lastly, is there an instrument you'd like to learn playing in the future?
M: Well...once a member of Tegomass' band taught me how to play percussions.
-Masuda-san, percussions would be great with you!
M: I like their look a lot too, doing it for real was very different though (lol).
K: I'd like to learn playing the sax. I'd like to try holding it, isn't it cool? (lol)
Dear readers...
M: First of all, I think that playing an instrument is a great quality. If you play our songs I'll be very happy, thanks to this score book you will also be able to understand our music better. You will understand the thoughts of the members and of the musician who created them... I cannot play anything, so please come being my accompaniment! (lol)
K: When I started playing guitar first of all I tried playing Yuzu's songs. It would be wonderful if there are people saying "When I started playing keyboards I first tried to play NEWS' songs". Then, I'd like you to use this score book to play at birthdays, wedding ceremonies and many other different events. NEWS' songs entering the life of people is the biggest happiness ever.
Tegoshi Yuuya & Kato Shigeaki
-Tegoshi-san and Kato-san, you both listen to a lot of music.
T: My favourite music's genres got wider when I entered the JE. My voice trainer passed me a lot of songs to exercise, like Billy Joel, Makihara Noriyuki, Anzen Chitai. From there I started listening to more and more music.
-You look very fond of rock music too.
T: It's my favourite genre. First I loved X JAPAN. When I first took interest in music and singing I admired that kind of high keys...
-I understand that. It sounds almost impossible to sing, right?
T: That's why I practiced with X JAPAN's songs a lot. Once I learnt that "to sing high keys you have to lower your Adam's apple" I practiced a lot in front of the mirror trying to keep it low. It's not just voice training, you have to study your whole body.
-You studied thoroughly.
T: When I find something I love I'm never satisfied. It makes me study more and more (lol). My interest increases also listening to other awesome musicians.
-It seems you're very attentive to the singing, do you have special tastes in sound too?
T: I don't like "good guys rock", I like powerful bands. Like Acid Black Cherry, VAMPS, L'Arc-en-Ciel. Zebrahead for a western example.
-How about you, Kato-san?
S: I listen to a lot of things. When I started dancing at high school I often listened to hip hop, then I shifted to punk and melodic hardcore. During high school I was all into ELLEGARDEN. For a while I listened only to them. I also went to their concerts. Even at festivals.
-You belong to that generation. Kato-san, you're very detailed also on old music, right?
S: I listen to the music that my favourite artists like. For example ELLEGARDEN's Hosomi Takeshi loved WEEZER and THIRD EYE BLIND. Then I started to listen also to THE BEATLES, THE ROLLING STONES, Janis Joplin... Lately I'm hooked to even older music, like Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway.
-That's soul music.
S: When I was a teenager I loved loud, melodic music. When I was 22-23 I started listening to quieter music. I love to listen to jazz records with a turntable, back to analogic technology. Of course I also love a lot of contemporary music though.
-Once you start listening to jazz music there's no end!
S: That's really true (lol). But I like that too. There's so much of it, you can listen to that for your whole life.
-Indeed. Let's talk about instruments. You were playing an acoustic guitar before this shooting, when did you start learning?
T: I started learning guitar...when I was 20, maybe? No, maybe even before. Nagase-kun taught me many things during the drama "My Boss My hero".
-You started with an acoustic guitar?
T: Yes. I love rock music so I wanted an electric one, but you can't play that without plugging it in. It's difficult to play chords with an acoustic guitar, I decided to start with it because it looked harder.
S: I started at the beginning of middle school. My father used to play guitar and one of his friends gave me one. But I didn't use it constantly, I didn't play that much at all (lol).
-Of course at the beginning it was difficult?
S: It was an acoustic guitar, I didn't think it was particularly difficult. But since Koyama said that he got frustrated over the F-chord I guess it's indeed hard to play.
-The famous F-wall (lol). They call it like that because you have to play the F-chord holding tight the strings or it won't sound nice, it's the first difficult obstacle you encounter learning.
S: It depends on how much you love guitars. Also on how much you really want to play it.
-If your will is strong you practice naturally...That's true. By the way, you also both studied piano when you were little, right?
T: Right.
S: I did but I hated Beyer. I didn't want to play that classic music. I didn't like to play music I didn't know, I wanted to play pop music (lol).
-Probably the improvements playing things you like are faster too.
S: Yes, I think that's important.
T: I played both electron and piano, it was fun. I could choose my favourite songs during exhibitions.
S: I remember those! I was always so nervous!
T: Back then the theme song of "Mononoke Hime" was very popular.
-What you learnt back then was useful in your career?
T: Of course it was!
S: Sure. Knowing how to read scores makes a huge difference. You wouldn't know what "3-times" and "5-times" mean if you never learnt that.
T: Exactly. I think I wouldn't be able to do harmonization without my piano lessons. When I sing I imagine the keyboard and I understand what kind of sound to produce.
S: I never do harmonization but I understand what key is best to use when I create a song. It's very important to read scores.
-Knowing scores and instruments you have a deeper understanding of music.
S: True.
T: Your way of singing changes too. Songs by somebody who plays are different to those of people who can't. Because when you play an instrument you really sing listening to the sound.
S: Right.
T: I also played drums a little, I know something about wind instruments too, sometimes I fix my singing according to the accompaniment instrument.
-Do you play instruments when you create a song?
S: Do I? Usually I start creating a melody. If I think to the sequence of chords first, I might fall into my playing habits. I don't like to restraint my music like that so I think it's better to start from the melody...
-Like that you can work on a wider range.
T: I'm the same. Sometimes I work playing keyboards but first of all I try to find the right melody. I play chords but only after I decided the melody, so I can choose which chord sound better and work on them.
-I see. So, if you were to produce a song for NEWS, what kind of song would you prefer?
T: ...That's difficult.
S: Right now...what kind of song would be the best?
T: A ballad maybe. A kind ballad dedicated to fans.
S: If we produce a song all together it would be it. In the past I wrote a song for Tegoshi, it was "Gomibako", it was really fun to do that.
-Why was it fun?
S: First of all, I had to think to a way to make Tegoshi's voice stand out. I'm the one who hears and knows the best the members' way of singing and they're tastes, it's fun to create music trying to use them at their best. "Gomibako" is a rock ballad, it starts calmly and the sound increases suddenly. We were still teenagers, Tegoshi's voice was really straight, a song with an overtone on the refrain was good for him. Tegoshi liked it as well...hey, that was a good song.
T: Yes, it was.
S: Maybe we could perform it again in a live (lol). If I were to create a song for him again it would turn out completely different though. More adult and sensual, maybe. Or maybe something very simple. Well, I'd talk with Tegoshi first of all (lol).
-What if Tegoshi-san produced a song for Kato-san instead?
T: Eh?! That's too difficult!
S: Ahahahah!
T: Maybe a very straight song would be good. Shige's songs are always so varied. I'd like to produce a song that he wouldn't usually write.
S: I guess you're right.
-You want your songs to be twisted?
S: Right. Even when I asked songs to an arranger I requested him to add as many tension chords he can. In the past I created simple songs but they turned to be too embarrassing. Moreover when I create my solo songs I want to do something that only I can do.
T: That's why I would create something straight for him. Like a classic rock ballad.
S: I would never do something like that. It's embarrassing just imagining, since you're the one creating it (lol). But it's also interesting, if there's a chance I'd like to try.
-If NEWS members exchange their favourite genres NEWS' music would be so wide. If you were a band, what kind of band would you be? Tegoshi-san would play the drums?
S: I guess so.
T: In that case I'd play with all my energies (lol).
S: Massu would look good on percussions. On a kajòn for example.
-Like this it sounds more an acoustic band though.
S: We did it once, an acoustic live. It was included as special DVD in an album...
T: That was really fun!
S: Right. It's great to sing while playing but it's definitely better to leave the instruments to pro musicians and sing.
T: Yes. It's part of NEWS' image too.
Dear readers...
T: Being able to play an instrument is a status, I think it's really wonderful. Maybe at first you were forced to do it, but once you improve even your way of listening to music will change. Please play NEWS' songs and I hope you will fall in love with our music even more.
S: NEWS' songs belong to many different genres, playing them with these scores you will be able to understand the structure of many different types of songs. Like this you will also find new ways of enjoying music. I'd love you to practice playing our songs and then exhibit somewhere!
Q. What was your first inputs towards music?
Koyama: My first favourite song was "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire. My parents always played it in the car, I memorized it naturally. It's a song from the 70s so it doesn't belong to my generation, but everytime I listen to it I feel nostalgic (lol). Talking about Japanese music, I'll mention Takeuchi Mariya. When I was in elementary 3rd class I remember I sang "Kenka wo yamete~". The first CD I bought was "Garagara Hebi ga Yattekuru" by TUNNELS!
Massu: The first group I thought really cool were B'z. I received their album "SURVIVE" from Santa-san when I was an elementary schooler (lol). Then I bought by myself the single "Samayoeru Aoi Tangan", I listened to it so much~ During middle school I listened a lot to MONGOL800, my friend introduced me to them, I loved that group. Right now I don't listen to rock music, but rock was my first entrance to music.
Tegoshi: When I was around 3~4 I went skiing with my family, there's a videotape of me singing in the hotel room. My parents filmed it, it seems I loved music since back then. Of course I don't remember it at all (lol). The first time I really took interest in music was at the beginning of middle school. My friends invited me to karaoke, I sang a song by Porno Graffiti and they praised me. It made me really happy and it made me start taking singing classes.
Shige: When I was in elementary school I listened to the folk songs that my mom loved. When I started being interested in music by myself I was at the first years of middle school. The first musicians I liked were GLAY and Mr.Children. At that time a friend of my dad got me an acoustic guitar and I started listening to music to learn playing it. I practiced also with an electric guitar but it wasn't that funny to play it all alone at home (lol). That's why I played mostly the acoustic one.
Reportage from the songs' rehearsals!
Today NEWS held a special rehearsal focused on the songs. The members gathered at the studio and started practicing on their setlist. They start singing "Pokoponpekorya" from different sides of the room while they dance gathering at the center. The refrain is absolutely cute. Then, the staff and the members check the harmonization for "Futari/130000000 no Kiseki" being very attentive to the acoustic arrangement for the lives. They all exchange actively their opinions, and they work very hard to reach a result that satisfy them all. Seeing all of this was very impressive.
ジャジャジャーン！Surprise! :D
This is something refreshing!