Southern All Stars' true essence is the combination of their best songs and absurd album covers.
My mother was a fan, so Southern All Stars songs were always playing in the kitchen. Ever since I was old enough to understand, I've loved their early albums and songs, and whenever I was alone I would listen to "Atsui Mune Sawagi" and "10 Numbers Karatto."
Kuwata's husky voice, the lyrics with an incomprehensible intonation, etc. I was completely captivated, and even now as an adult, I still listen to it almost every day.
I was impressed not only by the music, but also by the jacket design. "Tiny Bubbles" and "Let's Be Popular"; when I was younger, I went to Enoshima with a friend who loved Southern All Stars and tried to copy the cover of "NUDE MAN." I'm sure I'd get in trouble for that now (laughs). I think it had an impact that could only be achieved on the size of an LP record.
Among them, the one that left the biggest impression on me was the illustration of a doctor administering a vaccination to a child on the singles "Ya Ya (I Will Never Forget That Era)" and "Shappo." The artwork is a far cry from the beautiful music. I believe that Kuwata's artistic sense has influenced me as a writer myself. I think that when I add a twist to my work, the influence of Kuwata's sense is unconsciously apparent.
"THANK YOU SO MUCH" is great not only musically, but also in terms of the album cover design. It really captures the Southern All Stars' style from their early to mid-period. The album cover for this band, which boasts a history of nearly 50 years, features the profile of a Japanese doll. I don't know why they chose it, but the design is incredibly cool.
Musically, as a fan of the early band sound, it was truly moving to be able to hear "Kanashimi wa Boogie no Kanata ni," composed before their debut, in this era. I was also thrilled by the nonstop flow that led into the next song, "Mitsuko to Kanji." Then there's "Sakura, Hirari," with its beautiful melody and melody, and the way he stretches out the endings and his falsetto voice are the best.
One of the songs that really captured my heart this time was "Gomen ne Kaasan (Sorry, Mother)." To be honest, I hadn't really listened to this song before, but since it's a message song that takes into account the current situation Kuwata is in, I decided to give it a serious listen.
It's a thrilling song with an unsettling atmosphere, but midway through, the line "I threw up in the bike parking lot again" suddenly appears... I looked at the context again, but it's completely unrelated and comes out of nowhere (laughs).
Kuwata often uses English phrases in his lyrics, replacing them with Japanese, but here he enunciates them clearly. He says it leaves a huge impact. I'm really drawn to the fact that it's incoherent and incomprehensible.
I have no idea how much of this album was calculated, but it's a powerful album that has given us a taste of their maturity. From now on, when people ask me what my favorite genre of music is, I'll continue to answer "Southern All Stars."
Hit Me Lyric
I threw up in the parking lot again
From "I'm Sorry, Mom"
My Favorite Southern
The Sisters of Latien Street (1979)
"Of all the great songs, this is my favorite beautiful love song. I still listen to it every day. I've asked my family to put a CD in my coffin."
BODY SPECIAL II (1983)
"Wow, it's a crazy cover (laughs). I think it would be difficult to release it in Japan these days, but the song is catchy and awesome."
Sea (1984)
"When I hear the intro, I can picture a sparkling ocean shore. It's an amazing song that really stirs the human imagination. I listen to this song all year round."
