[Arashi] Time Concert Booklet - Sakurai Sho

Arashi Alphabetical Talk about Concert - Sakurai Sho

C - Sakurai SOLO “Can’t Let You Go”
I usually exchange emails with the arranger Yoshioka Taku-san. Interestingly, when we started production on this solo, all communication went extinct. Between the two of us (laughs). The moment when we switch into that job, I feel so great. It’s really better to just directly discuss, “I would like the feel of this sound, to be more like this,” but we do it through a J Storm person. When it’s done that way, there’s a conversation on the sound you see. In other words, first the first parts of the arrangement is done, then I’ll add in my rap, and then the arrangement will change yet again to fit that rap… with that, that conversation will be sort of like, “What do you think Sho-kun, you try to beat that!” Then, I’ll also be all, “Damn it~, I’ll definitely produce something for you!!” sort of thing (laughs). That kind of arguing… that creative sort of arguing felt great. I really like it.

D – DREAM
In the rap lyrics for “We can make it!”, the first thing I had done was the phrase that said, “Write it as DREAM and read it as ‘goal’”. If we speak of why I thought of that, when we had our interview for “Kiiroi Namida”, I was asked about my dreams. At that time, I answered, “Dreams gradually change in accordance with goals, so dreams have a possibility of eventually disappearing”. I remembered that. Originally, it was supposed to have the temporary title of “My dream” too (laughs). The truth is, during the Dome concert, the talk of, “Shall we produce a song together” progressed with Nino, and with “Now isn’t the time for that,” the idea disappeared. That was the time when “go go and go and on and on” was finished. It was just the right time so, I thought I ought to use it in these rap lyrics. This is how the lyrics were created.

J – J STORM
Clearly, people have really increased. Of course, I don’t think that J Storm is a company that belongs only to us but, its set up was when “a Day in our Life” was released right? At that time, it was 3 people you know? And now there’s about 20 ~ 30 people… I think it’s amazing. Clearly, there’s an awareness of “home”. While there are a lot of times when we have briefings at J Storm, when the briefings end, we’ll go to the floor that everyone is at and talk. Since we’re not company employees, that kind of feeling, is not something we really have (laughs). Somehow… that’s really strange. Surely that’s close to a “comrade”. I’m happy. I’m really happy that the number of people has increased so much.

L – “Love so sweet”
You know, this song is great! Seriously!! The truth is, now, I’m editing videos, and I have a friend who transferred jobs and is now working in Russia. In other words, with him… I probably won’t see him much anymore. So, for that guy and for everyone to keep their memories, I’m creating those videos. When I do that, this song’s lyrics, “Memories are forever, dreams you’ve always pursued, even if two of us were apart” are really amazing. I was crying while I did the editing (laughs). That’s right… that’s why, the one I really listen to a lot right now is “Love so sweet”. Also, I thought this at the Dome concerts but, when we sang it for the encore, I sang “Wow ~wo,” and when I directed the mike to the audience, the response “Yeay ~ yeay” came back. “So fun! It’s a good thing I was in the “Wow ~ wo” unit!” I thought (laughs). “Wow ~ wo” unit is the best! It felt really good!!

M – MEMBER
Clearly with the Dome concerts over, it feels like we have calmed down as a group. After all, no matter what, starting from “Kiiroi Namida” last year, Asia concerts or Dome concerts… we’ve had a lot of new challenges. Well because it’s us, our aura itself is pretty light about it (laughs). There are many moments when we’d go, let’s put our spirits in, and overcome these walls! With the end of the Dome concerts, it feels like we’ve hit a “fullstop mark” once as a group. If we talk about it with the meaning of “members”, I think that working in a drama with Nino right now is also a new challenge. To have a member in a venue where you’re supposed to be alone, it’s strange and calming right. As I thought… members are great. I think they’re amazing. The trust and relationship is different from friends and work colleagues right. If we talk about it in broad terms, they’re friends and work colleagues… they’re that “everything”. “They’re family and they’re friends, and they’re also work colleagues,” I think that’s Arashi.

P – PENLIGHT
Dome was amazing, wasn’t it. It was really pretty. The most striking one that appeared was “Blue” right? I think it was… I get swept up in the middle of that. Next is my solo, you see. “I’d like to see that a little more”… it really gets me swept up and acting all cool but, I was really sad (laughs).

R – RAP
For the rap lyrics in the album this time, in general, a flow that’s different from the others we’ve had till now has been born. It’s not that I had particularly thought about doing it that way, but I guess it’s the flow and break of words? That’s changing within me. First, the rhythm is created in my head, then with that rhythm, I writ down the matching vowels that appear from my mouth, after that, instead of getting the vocabulary to rhyme, I get the rhyming down with the scope of the lines. Recently, for the “Mada ka na mada iya hatamata~” (“Not yet huh not yet No, and~”) part in “Di-Li-Li”? It has changed quite a bit huh. You could say it has become softer. Before this I think it had a shape, and the words were fixed in there but, maybe I’ve become able to choose words that match with the rhythm that I’ve worked out in my head.

X (= Failures)
In last year’s summer, the one thing I really messed up was in the chorus of “I Want Somebody”, and I was in the center. I don’t know why but… I completely forgot the choreography for the chorus. I panicked, and I don’t know what I was thinking, but in the middle of the four of them dancing I suddenly started fanning (laughs).

Z – ZERO&T “Taiyo no sekai”
I went to Australia for the interview of “ZERO” didn’t I. I immediately went there right after the Dome concerts ended, and I had posted that on an email. The Johnny’s Web one. It was the time “We can make it!” had come out so I used the phrase “You wo ryou ni suru donyoku na wakaba” (“Greedy fresh leaves that use the sun as provision”) from the rap of “Future” with the intention of concluding the email. And then, I was told, “Because of copyright issues, it is difficult to post,” so I was shocked. “It’s not something that I own anymore…” In the hotel in Australia, all alone, I had a great shock (laughs). I was really bitter so, I put that line in the rap lyrics for “Taiyo no sekai” for a second time (laughs).

ARASHI SUMMER TOUR 2007 Time ~Strength of Words~
First, it’s a first time for me to have the filming for a drama (“Yamada Tarou Monogatari”) overlapping completely with such a concert. It was like that for “Kisarazu Cat’s Eye Japan series” as well but, it didn’t go quite as far as this one. Furthermore, what’s different from that time is that I also have “NEWS ZERO”. So that means, it’s going to turn into a, how am I going to overcome this summer, how am I going to have fun (laughs). But you know, I’m often told, “It must be hard to be in concerts and dramas,” but that’s not the case at all. The dramas that I act in during the tours are, similarly, as refreshing as the concerts that I perform in in the middle of dramas so, I can get refreshed either way. That’s why, it may be tough physically but, it should be a fun summer! That’s the kind of feeling I have. Also, the thing that will bring new enjoyment to the New Year’s lives, will be the audience’s social network. If it’s New Year’s, there is an impression for all the members that there are a lot of families. That’s why, no matter what kind of audience comes, I’m really looking forward to this summer.

Clearly for the summer tour, the aspect of it being an album tour is also strong. Just like the way it was for “COOL&SOUL”, the songs will come alive in accordance to the way the performances will be attached. It’s exciting to find out what songs will change in what way. A seven year creation that was made with that AROUND ASIA. There, one more time, we’ll add a fullstop mark again. It’s very important how we’ll write that next character. I think it’ll be great if we can show that to you in an Arashi-like manner.