From ANOTHER STORY, by yasu
"Janne Da Arc vocalist yasu's debut as a writer"
When that sentence was printed in the newspaper, I was in a hotel room in the middle of Tokyo, and even though the publication date was still a month away, I had already written this "ANOTHER STORY" manuscript. I had continued working there, and even when I had come back home again, I worked on it more, over the course of many days.
As far as actually laying eyes on the actual newspaper article, I was in a radio booth, doing a live broadcast. But, even stronger than what I saw unfold in my imagination, and even more surprising, was the thought that they were actually using that title to refer to me.
In terms of seeing the title "writer" written there, I had a very real worry that it would completely spoil the ability of others to be able to see me as a musician, but that was because I felt that I had the intention of understanding that it was not so easy for a musician to don the shoes of writing and jump into it so deeply as to be called a "writer" by profession.
Moreover, I felt conflicted because, to compare myself in the same way to, and attach my name to, the same creative enterprise as those who wrote about such subjects, would I not be doing a disservice to those of us in Janne Da Arc by taking that name for myself?
Also, I was concerned that taking this direction with my work might make it really transparent, and if that happened, would I not lose the ability, as a musician, to persuade people with all the works following this one?
And then, those people who were so kind as to read "ANOTHER STORY", would they not think, just a little bit, "Did a vocalist of a rock band really think that he could write a decent story?" Though that was because I thought that it was only natural that there were people out there who were dealing with genuine doubts.
The doubt of, ‘can I really create a work like this and say that it was nicely done'?
It's not that I'm saying that I wrote every single word, every sentence, of this work alone. I think there have to be readers out there who think, "Even if he hadn't taken the trouble to write all this, I get it."
What do you think about my writing something like this at the end?
Of course, I did write the work itself. But, if there are those who can create new ideas, there are also those who organize them to make them easy to understand, too. And then there are the people who really saved me, the people who changed me into someone who can write an amazing novel, simply by wishing that this "ANOTHER STORY" be brought into the world, and by believing in it.
Here's how I think:
When we make a CD, just like how there are engineers who create the music copy itself, and arrangers, and the designers who create the CD jackets, we as musicians rely on the talents of so many people just to be able to produce a single work. This is not exclusive to my industry, and surely, writing works the same way, does it not?
In this place, I want to express my feelings of gratitude to all the people who collaborated with me during my writing of the novel "ANOTHER STORY".
"Even after continued sleepless nights, you helped me without even a word of complaint. I can say it was really like maternity leave, very much."
So, this time, for this human being called "yasu", it might be more accurate to give him credit for "original story" & "production".
In regard to my work, I have an unshakable opinion. "One's true parents and the parents one grows up with are equals." To make this a little easier to understand, when I tried to move the musical world in which I live, for one song I made, I was its "true parent". However, what truly made it wonderful was when another person took that rusty song and made something new from it. When that work has been improved, still, somehow I accept the credit for it. In cases like that, it's natural to pass down the judgement that if there hadn't have been another parent to let that old work "grow up", then there would be no way to use it.
That is, when I create something for Janne Da Arc, and, for example, another member helps me with just one phrase of the lyrics, then without fail we always take credit for it jointly. It is my pride to do so, since after that point, if there are new phrases I can create, then there are new words, too.
To say it more clearly, if it was not for that, I would absolutely not be able to hold my head high with pride and say, "This is my work." In the world, there may be people who generally think, "People support one another." However, I know well that to those who came before you, stating the importance of such things is not a very good idea.
However, as I've said before, if I didn't speak my mind now, and speak about both my absolute theory and my pride, as far as my work up to this point was concerned, I would be lying to you.
When I met with those who read this novel before now, whenever they talked about it, and whenever they asked me about it, I couldn't stand hearing them pointing me out and placing me in this role of letting them hear about my hardships: the "novelist yasu".
As for me, I intend, from today onward, to always be able to say when the time comes to show my work to the world as the sole creator, that I've become able to live with my head held high.
This afterword came about out of my own feelings of unwillingness to give up the persuasive power of my work. Honestly, I felt, though I am taking on the title of the sole creator of this work so reluctantly...if I took it on so joyfully, would it not be the same thing as the manufactured "beauty" that all of those television stars who have plastic surgery to create double eyelids choose to show to the world? Would not, then, those same eyes that doubt that reality also turn in doubt on my music?
Ah, but those promotional sentences above aside, consequently, this sentence too has become just another sad excuse...
In any case, I'm not approaching this novelization of "ANOTHER STORY" as "the novelist yasu". To the end, as "Janne Da Arc's yasu", I consider myself blessed if you experience this book together with Janne Da Arc's music on the album as a way to define the message on the album "ANOTHER STORY" more clearly.
As an artist, I want to live with pride in myself, confidently and without hesitation. Though there are ordinary things every day that I do lie about, those things that I do bearing the banner of "Janne Da Arc" are things in which I absolutely never wish to lie.
I'm writing confidently thanks to the existence of those who supported me during my work in this novel, but it could just be because they were kind enough to see me in another light thanks to the policy Nozomi took on life in the story.
Just as how Nozomi asked the girl a question for herself...
January 20, 2003
Janne Da Arc vocal yasu