Hit Parade Information

This was Music Freak's review of Tak's "Hit Parade" back in Nov 2003 plus an interview at the end

1. Katte Ni Shiyagare (feat. Inaba Koshi)
Original: Sawada Kenji
The opening number is Sawada Kenji's 1977 dai hit song, covered by Inaba Koshi. Going with the nick-name of 'Julie', Sawada Kenji was a regular performer on TV's The Best Ten. A guarantee pop-hit maker with grandeous costumes and make-up, Sawada has been dubbed 'Japan's David Bowie'. Inaba shows off a chic side of his vocal style to cover the popular song. However before dragging the song into some common pop, the combination of Matsumoto and Inaba, something no one can ever make light of, adds a direct essence of B'z. The result is as great as expected. This song is now on air as TV dorama "Anata no Tonari Ni Dare ka Iru".

2. Ihoujin (feat. ZARD)
Original: Kubota Saki
This was the first single that revealed to the world that Tak Matsumoto has a secret solo project. A sudden million-seller that was released in 1979, even though many people may have never heard the original by Kubota, they must have heard other artists covering this standard popular number. The first impression is oriental style of Tak's powerful and lively guitar intro combined with Zard's Izumi Sakai's pure voice. This combination has made this work to be not just another cover, but instead a renewal with much originality. No matter how you listen to it, even today, the melodies still has a very new sound.

3. Namida No Taiyou (feat. Rina Aiuchi)
Original: Amy Jackson/ Anzai Maria
The first song was by Amy Jackson in 1965. But it was Anzai Maria's cover version that electrified Tak in 1973. He daringly arranged hard-rock into this Nippon-Western 60s pop number. The drill in the opening and teke teke (?) in the middle are great. Everywhere you can hear the playful heart of a guitarist having fun. It's difficult playing. Aiuchi Rina, known for her un-Japanese vocal style, covered the vocal, making this number even stronger. Sooner or later, she will include this fresh yet old number into her live concerts.

4. Sono Ki ni Sasenaide (feat. Saegusa U-ka, Kitahara Aiko, Takaoka Ai)
Original: Candies
In the 70s, Candies was one of those idol type groups but with real talent. Maybe many people have seen Itou Ran in recent NHK's dorama, but long before that, she was a member of Candies. Now her groups' chorus work is done by three girls, Saegusa U-ka, Kitahara Aiko and Takaoka Ai, who have done a splendid job to ressurect Candies. Timid vocals as the original charming point of the song was shown to the fullest. Disco-style rhythm and hard-rock guitar add all the necessaties to make this number modern. This version has a great impact and will be a favourite cover work among old Candies' listeners.

5. Imitation Gold (feat. Kuraki Mai)
Original: Yamaguchi Momoe
This is Yamaguchi Momoe's 1977 big-hit that sold half a million copies. Momoe, the greatest legend of pop-idol to dominate the 70s, had a lamenting, mysterious vocal style that was her total charm. As her song is covered by today's diva, Kuraki Mai, her sophisticated vocal reduced the darkness considerably. On the other side, Tak's distortion guitar is much more pressing than the original. So the contrast is very refreshing. Whatever you have to say about it, this version is done with the fullest respect to Momoe's original, almost like a tribute.

6. Minato no Yoko Yokohama Yokosuka
Original: Downtown Boogiewoogie Band
Downtown Boogiewoogie Band was an unforgettable existence in the 70s. Dressed all in white, Uzaki Ryudou said the infamous phrase that conquered the whole generation "Anta, ano ko no nan nano sa?". Listening to it now, I can't help but wonder if this reciting tone was the beginning of rap made-in-Japan? This 1975 hit is covered by Tak himself! It's an ambitious, unique number of the album.

7. Ame no Machi wo (feat. Matsuda Akiko)
Original: Arai Yumin
While the choice of Downtown Boogiewoogie Band's song shows the playful side of Tak, "Ame no Machi wo" shows his romantic side. Matsuda Akiko delicately performed this Yumin's number. Sometimes the guitar playing is drawn in, the arrangement seems to be a reminiscence of 70s melancholy blues.

8. Paper Doll (feat. Fayray)
Original: Yamashita Tatsuro
This choice of song again shows how diverse the music genre that influenced Tak during his teen years. A maniac-scale hit song by Yamashita Tatsuro covered by Fayray has an unexpectedly harmonious result. It's AOR's urban resort (AOR = Adult Oriented Rock) atmosphere refreshes the song and makes it more acceptable for us. This is one of the album's essential that shows the most of Fayray's deep vocal and Tak's cutting guitar.

9. Ichigo Hakushou wo Mou Ichido (feat. Sugazaki Akane)
Original: Banban
This 1975's huge hit, original music and lyrics by Arai Yumin was once a number performed by Tak in B'z early days' concerts. This kind of minor melody number is definitely a major influence to Tak as melody maker. While the original was sung by the male duo, Banban, this version is by a 14-yr-old female singer, Sugazaki Akane. Her sad voice fits so perfectly to the sad mood of the 70s that it brings tears to the eyes. And to complete it, Tak's guitar has a mellow crying tone.

10. Foggy Night (feat. Shizukusa Yumi)
Original: Ozaki Ami
This disco number with AOR nuance was released in 1982. Was it the era when Tak was already set out to be a professional guitarist? Did he like the simplicity of the song? Or did the arrangement charm him? Whatever it was that made him choose this song, it shows how his love for music was without boundaries. It is also a brilliant step to have a new rising star in R&B world, Shizukusa Yumi, cover this song. Her long-extended vocal brings back the romance and the best of disco era.

11. Shoujou A (feat. Uehara Azumi)
Original: Nakamori Akina
Along with Matsuda Seiko, Nakamori Akina was another star who carried the whole 80s' J-pop scene on her shoulder. She made her big break with this 2nd single "Shoujou A" in 1982. Around that era, songs started to have a resounding guitar sound as to give some kind of hard-rock impression. Covering this song is Uehara Azumi, whose shoujou (= girl) image fits perfectly to the character in the song. Tak's guitar playing is youthful, filled with lively motion, clearly showing his affection towards the song.

12. Byun Byun (feat. Kawajima Daria)
Original: Gedou
This is yet, another up-to-date choice of song. Re-released by Gedou in their come-back album after 21 years, the song suddenly found itself in the limelight again. "Byun Byun" the single was released in 1974, a rock number that is indeed very Gedou in style with its lyrics about motor-racer gangsters. Shining in this heavy guitar riffs-laden song, is ex-vocalist of Feel So Bad, Kawajima Daria. It's very interesting to hear her singing turn the violence-theme lyrics into something tamer, like an extreme sport, if you will. A song choice that shows the hard-rock roots of Tak.

13. Purple Town "You Oughta Know By Now" (feat. Takei Shiori)
Original: Yagami Junko
Yagami Junko released hits after hits during the second half of 70s and first half of 80s. "Purple Town" was released in 1980, a representative song of hers. Taking it as a whole, without ruining the image of the original song, Tak modernized the song. Even the voice seems to be Yagami's, only it is made younger by the new talent, Takei Shiroi. This song has a charm that can be recognized as new music even with the test of time.

14. Toki ni Ai wa (feat. Utoku Keiko)
Original: Off Course
Today while going about his thriving solo career, pop-singer Oda Kazumasu once had a band called Off Course in the 80s. This song was one of their emotional numbers that tugged the strings in listeners' hearts. Unlike the original vocal work by Oda Kazumasu who has a high-tone voice like a female, Utoku Keiko sings with her deep voice instead. Tak's mellow toned guitar is intoxicating, ii kanji.

15. Spinning Toe-Hold
Original: Creation
This is 1977's song by Creation, a group under Takeda Kazuo, one unforgettable guitarist legend in Japan's rock scene. Tak idolizes Jeff Beck who plays a lot of guitar instrumental numbers. Choosing this song shows how deeply influenced he was, even by Japanese guitar songs that follow Beck's style. In the 70s, a young Tak practiced very hard to copy this style of guitar playing.

16. Hitori ~I Stand Alone~ (feat. Jeffrey Qwest)
Original: Inoue Takashi
Inoue Takashi is yet another unforgettable guitarist and vocalist in Japan's 70s rock scene. In that era when TV police-doramas were popular among the youngsters, such as "Kizu Darake no Tenshi" or "Taiyou ni Hoeru", his songs were often used as theme songs. This was an ending theme for "Kizu~", a blues number that relishes in pain of withering alone. And somehow, such song is covered by Kuraki Mai's supporting band member! A guitarist cum vocalist of Experience, Jeffrey Qwest. His singing in Nihongo is quite shibui. Worth a listen.

17. Watashi wa Kaze (feat. Nakamura Yuri)
Original: Carmen Maki & Oz
To wrap up the album is an infamous song by Carmen Maki & Oz, a band that must be mentioned when discussing 70s J-rock. In the early 80s, Tak and keyboard-player, Masuda Takanobu once made a progressive-rock-band that sometimes covered this progressive number by Carmen Maki. It shows the true core of Tak Matsumoto as rock artist. Also, since in later years, Tak actually did perform this song with Carmen Maki, so it makes all the sense in the world for him to choose it. The vocal work of this complex composition of a song is none other than Garnet Crow's Nakamura Yuri. The satisfying quality of her vocal can only be better than theoriginal. It is a number that reminds one of the epitome of 70s rock. If you are a rock fan, you definitely must listen to this one.

Interview

Q After the American tour, you came back to Japan and released "The Hit Parade". Two singles "Ihoujin" and "Imitation Gold" were released before the album though.
T Sou desu ne.
Q The album features so many artists. Inaba-san covered Sawada Kenji-san's "Katte ni Shiyagare".
T When it was decided that Inaba would cover Julie (= Sawada Kenji's stage name), I had him sing five songs for me. "TOKIO", "Samurai", etc... from all those, we decided on this number one hit, because it has great melody and flow, also it won a record award.
Q I never heard of the song before, but when I first heard it, I thought it would be a great livegym song.
T (laugh) Among our fans, aren't there many young ones who haven't heard of the original? Although they might be aware of it because of the album campaign.
K Sou darou ne.
Q I don't understand "Byun Byun".
T You didn't know "Byun Byun", did you? Kawajima Daria-san was not be able to sing the lyrics at first (laugh). I thought they are kakkoii (laugh). 'Gedou no wappen senaka ni hatte, ore to yuuhi wa tomodachi nano sa'. She said she can't consent with the concept (laugh).
All (laugh)
T She said she doesn't understand the meaning of the lyrics (laugh).
Q Matsumoto-san, you performed "Minato no Yoko Yokohama Yokosuka" yourself.
T Un. Actually, in the beginning, I did the whole thing in Kansai-ben. But then we decided it's better to do it in Tokyo-ben so the whole country can understand. For this one, I was more keen on doing the guitar than the 'rap'. I love Downtown Boogiewoogie Band's Katsuda Shizuo-san's guitar. His tone is very different from other people's, sugoku yokatta.
K He's the one who played Les Paul?
T Un. Les Paul, but mainly Strats, I think.
K Oh Strats.
T He played Les Paul too. Very good tone. I went to see Downtown in Ginza NOW just because I wanted to hear this guy play his guitar.
Q The chorus done by all the artists was great.
T Sumimasen, I had everyone come to do the chorus for me.
Q And there's always one main leading voice in different chorus, isn't there?
T It might be much clearer when you listen with headphones. If you listen with normal speakers, you might be able to hear Utoku-san's upper harmony (laugh). It was impossible to get everyone to come in at the same time for this, therefore we recorded the voices one by one.
Q In the album, only Jeffrey Qwest is a foreigner. He sang "Hitori ~I Stand Alone~".
T Hai hai. He's America-jin residing in Osaka.
Q Does he use Kansai-ben to talk to you?
T Un. But mostly we spoke in English.
Q If I didn't know, I'd thought that a Japanese sang the song. His pronounciation is that good.
T Un. He's very good.
Q Will there be another project in which you collaborate with so many artists in one album?
T Maybe not anymore.
Q I thought that deciding the song sequence would have been hard.
T It was decided by Nomura-san, our engineer. But then, every single one of the finished products is good, so it really didn't matter how the line-up became.
Q The album's volume is 17 songs ne?
T Sou desu ne. But actually we have recorded even more songs.
Q Is there any song that you wanna do but wasn't included in this album?
T So many! Kuwana Masahiro-san, CHAR-san, etc. But somehow I couldn't find anyone who can sing their songs. There are a few OK ones, but we didn't go for it in the end.