[Arashi] Time concert booklet - Matsumoto Jun

Arashi Alphabetical Talk about Concert - Matsumoto Jun

A - AUDIENCE
Clearly, if we don't have an audience, we wouldn't have formed, and it's because the audience is there for us, that we can express and assert ourselves. That's what I think. Besides, I think that the audience is by no means our allies... that's why it's interesting right. We're not the ones who dish out results. You could say that for certain things, they have aspects that have to be entrusted. If we do everything on our own, in the end, the results and that sort of thing will take leave from our hands. It won't turn out to be the way we want at times too. I think, that's why it's interesting.

C - CONCERT CIRCLE (= circle)
In order to have people standing on the stage gather together and create one item, the moment calls for everyone to face the same direction. That's what I think. Also, because our lives change according to the venues, it's a way of communication to confirm topics. Finally, although we're all different "individuals" when we stand on the stage, with the awareness of that plus "everyone", it's the moment when we tie our stomachs together. That's how it is I guess.

G - GROUP
Because I can think this now, to truly have 5 different people come together, I think it really is a working start. Till now, it feels like it really got tied up into one. Of course, I think that it's because we have that that we're still together even now, and that's also the group's strength, as well as our unity. But now, I think that we've really gotten a good balance. If we think of getting together as one we can do it, and if we think of separating we can do it. It feels like we may have the control of this balance down. With the good flow of the Asia, triumphant return, Dome tour beginning from the summer tour in 2006, somehow I think it's necessary that we continue that aspect but, an end is an end, although I think we have to apply that. The "till now" that I spoke of has been accepted and we're starting from one at the top but, that's what I think now. I think that Arashi is now, a very interesting group.

I - IMAGINATION
I'm a very sensing person. I grasp concepts with my senses, and I talk with my senses so, even if the ideas "I want to do it this way" surface, it's hard for me to convey that. It's the staff who solidifies and brings my ideals and requests into reality. If you say that our lives are magnificent, then it's the same as saying that our staff is magnificent. I think that's why the things that I think of consists of imagination that beyond the staff's strength.

P - PLEASURE
The happiness from lives... that's, something I'd rather ask instead (laughs). What kind of joy that the audience feels. Clearly, to see a live person move, to feel a live person... that sort of live "atmosphere" is something that you won't understand until you go there. Though depending on the person, they may have moments where they don't wish to see (laughs). There may be people who think "How tiring" halfway through. Because it has your entire body feeling something, till the very end of the end within all that. That's why we made it so that people would have something remain, where they would think, "Ahh~ that was great". Of course we create each and every song, but I do consider the total balance, and with that total, I want to do a live that leaves something with people at the very end.

Q - QUALITY
How should I define quality? right. The rights and wrongs of lives, there are many forms of that, and people's differing opinions of, "I just want to have fun" "I want to watch them" "I want to listen to good music" "I want to watch a good stage," there are all sorts right? To consider what kind of live is good with all that, we can only make a hindsight-based assumption. As one who is showing, it's natural that we would want to aim for a performance with higher quality. There's no point in doing something with low quality. After all, if you go into a restaurant and get a, "It was a bit of a failure... but try it," you'd think, "Then make it over again!" (laughs) The height of quality, it's the lowest requirement for people who paid money and came to watch us right. That's what I think now.

S - SUMMER TOUR 2007
This time I want to do a content with the awareness of "words". That's what I think. If we speak of why I think so, from a friend who came to watch the Dome performance, "Because the lyrics in Arashi songs are good, I can become energized, so to listen to only that amount of people sing, that's already quite touching," is what he kind of said. I was really happy with that... it's a reason why I looked back at Arashi's songs again. It's the same for the songs in this album too, including the songs that we've done till now, the amazingness and strength held in lyrics=words, the magnificence, I'd like to turn my eyes to that once again. Because of the timing now, I think it'd be great if people could see what we've done till now with a new line of sight. It's in a pretty urgent time but, somehow, it's curious and serene. Now, I have the wish to create too, so my emotions may widen with the music.

W - "We can make it!"
The magnificence of this song, is that the structure is steady, and the aspect where it has a story. If you listen till the very end, you get energized too right. That's the magnificent part.

Y - Matsumoto SOLO "Yabai-Yabai-Yabai"
You're already curious with the title right? (laughs) This time, I couldn't decide on my song till the very end of the end, I've always done stuff that have matched with my favourite 80s taste up till now, and to do rock, is a little... at that moment, while looking at the demo songs I found "Yabai-Yabai-Yabai" and became, "Ohh~, what is this!?" (laughs) When I listened to it, it was a little interesting. The sound is pretty seriously created, but it feels a little relaxed too. Personally, I added in a more ridiculous feel to it though (laughs). Well, at the concert it'll turn out to be a Yabai thing (laughs). [Yabai - amazing]

Arashi summer tour 2007 Time ~Strength of Words~
Without a doubt, summer of 2007 only happens once. Till now we've done many things, and we've shown that to you in various expressions and forms. Within that, what do we do now? right. Because it's now, with our personal traits and our group traits, music traits, the interest that we ourselves normally feel in music, I would like to have a summer that makes us feel that once more as we perform. Right now, that's what I think. For example, that's how I am now but, with songs that I listened to before and didn't think of anything, because of the timing now, when I listen to it now my emotions are transferred into it. Depending on how long a time has passed when you listen, your understanding deepens right? Because I think that songs have that kind of interesting aspect too, because that's what I'm feeling now, I hope to have the guests who come down feel that too. Rather... I apologise for such selfish thoughts (laughs). I do think, that it'd be great if they could feel that with their emotions.
Clearly it was hard making last year's summer too, and after that we created the tours from Asia till triumphant return, then after that we made Dome... if we just talk about the results for that, I think that we've turned out to have great form. When I look back now right? That experience or that confidence... I think it's half of each but, that's how "this year's summer" was created. But, if we don't see the results at the end for that, we won't know how it is. Because the theme will be worked out within myself, I'd like to do all that, and I think it would be great, if the audience who come to see us has a summer where something will remain with them.