32 replies to this topic

[Mizura]

Nakajima Takui is a musician under Up Front who has recently been writing more stuff for H!P. He also has some really awesome songs. I'm surprised there wasn't a thread here already.

 

I don't really have any more information than that. (I don't even know if this is the right section for this).

[Obsidian]

I think it's fine he's a UF artist and H!P songwriter if we've got Tsunku in this section then why not Takui.

 

Anyone have a problem with it...

 

[Obsidian]

He lists his musical influences as The Beatles, (He also says Lennon & McCartney are his most respected people) Punk and generally British music. I wonder what Punk bands he's specifically into? Though you could try and make a pretty good guess based on his music and style in general probably The Jam maybe The Clash and I've detected some of The Stranglers too...the Bass in his version of Taiki Bansei for example. The cover of his latest album uses a London-style Street sign on a plain brick wall, very 'Mod'.

 

But The Beatles influence is obviously the where the main connection between him and Tsunku comes from musically.

[aira慶一郎]

he have a good voice

" hold on " is my fav 

[Muyim Pimoup]

yay, Takui thread , i adore his vocal power and his song,,
when he sing The Beatles song with Tsunku together that was awesome,,

[Minagi-chan]

Finally, a Takui thread!    I wanna share some good oldies of him -with pretty good MVs-:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp-MOkC8xEs

[RoxasXIII]

 

who said rocker couldn't be a motivator?

 

really considering to buy Beat & Loose right now

[aira慶一郎]

what i like about takui songs

is that it have some life lessons (expose-hold on ) 

[Obsidian]

UpFrontLink interviewed Takui about how he writes songs, writing for Idol groups and Fakuda Kanon's move to lyricist. etc.

 

Spoiler

UFL: First of all, can you introduce us the song you wrote for Ciao Bella Cinquetti, “Ichigoichie”?

Takui Nakajima: This song is Minor, with upbeat rhythm. It has somehow a sad feeling however this song is strong, with some power too. I was writing another song during a whole day and around midnight, I was making a demotape of it when suddenly another melody came in my mind. And this melody was ”Ichigoichie”. I thought why this nice melody came to me suddenly? Of course the other song I was working on was also a good one, so I continued working on it but I always had this other melody which bothered me. Finally, from this melody I had in mind, I had almost the whole structure of the song, about the arrangement, its length, etc. And then I thought, ok, let’s work on this one too from now! It was around 4AM in the morning… And finally around 1PM, I had a meeting and I came with the demotape of “Ichigoichie” and was really happy!

 

UFL: And concerning the other songs you composed for other artists, do you have a process that you always follow?

Takui: Well, it is usually case by case but there are often 2 patterns. The first one is like for “Ichigoichie”, a melody comes to my mind even if I wonder how and why this melody is in my mind now. Then I work on it. The other pattern is for example when I receive a request like for Juice=Juice. The staff asked me a specific song, I accepted it and finally I composed this song.

 

UFL: But even if you receive a request for composing a song, don’t you have usually also the image of the artist in mind? Takui: Yes, indeed! If we continue with our Juice=Juice example, before anything, I listen to all their songs before I start to write their song. Then I check more details with the staff about their request and I start to compose. After the composition, I can make some changes in the song to fit their musical universe, thanks to my previous work of studying their discography.

 

UFL: Thinking about your recent composition for Ciao Bella Cinquetti, it has an adult image like the members told me previously in another interview. But for some groups, you have to deal with an image of younger women, so how do you proceed about this difficult point when composing?

Takui: Yes this is really difficult to adjust the song with the age of the members, especially if they are young. If I just have to create the music, once again I listen to all their music and think if I can create a new type of song for example. But to be honest I like this difficulty, when this is not for me, I have to adjust many parameters and it takes a long time. This is a nice challenge!

 

UFL: Let’s take another example, the song “Taikibansei” had some nice feedbacks when I saw the overseas fans comments. Did you feel that this song had a special impact?

Takui: I am so happy to hear this, but surprised to hear this because “Taikibansei” was quite simple in the composition. I worked on the arrangement with the image of London and New York in my mind so perhaps this is one of the reason this song had nice feedbacks…

 

UFL: But if we just think about your influences with The Beatles, with punk groups, the London rock touch’, etc. in fact you compose songs with many genres, isn’t it difficult to mix all those genres when you compose?

Takui: First of all, I am a music fan. I play rock and ballads for my own career but I love the music, in all its approaches and genres. I also love rhythm (he made several different rhythms with his mouth and hands at this moment) and just by hearing a nice rhythm, I want to dance on it. There is no genre I dislike. On the opposite, there are some borders, limits with words that music doesn’t have.

 

UFL: Following this, don’t you have any new musical challenge for your own career or by composing for other artists, like a jazzy or classical touch for example?

Takui: Definitely! I don’t know when but I want to try those jazzy and classical approaches, for my own career or for other artists. However there is another thing that you UFL-staff should understand easily… I sing my own songs in Japanese but I am also interested into singing them in an English version! I want to make English version of the lyrics, record once again the songs and perform them overseas! (Laughing) And like you said, I am totally into making classical songs. I made some classical versions of my songs and I want to compose more and more. If I receive an offer interesting, I am totally open, and don’t refuse because it is “this artist” or because it is “this musical genre”. I just want to create the best song, that’s all.

 

UFL: Do you have any interest in collaborating or composing for a foreign artist?

Takui: If I receive a nice offer, of course!! Please introduce them to me!! (Laughing)

 

UFL: What are your next objectives from now?

Takui: This year, I want to release new singles for me, this is why I am composing many other songs. But I want to perform a lot this year, this is really important for me.

 

UFL: Fukuda Kanon wrote the lyrics of the song “Doushiyou, Watashi” so as a “senpai”, do you have any feeling about her desire of writing lyrics?

Takui: When Kanon-chan told me she was going to graduate, she also said she wanted to write lyrics. I thought it was amazing! And she told me she began to write lyrics after receiving the music, which means she is able to write lyrics on music, with the difficulty of adjust the words with the rhythm… This is really not easy! So just to think she can do this now, this is really good!

 

UFL: And what about a collaboration with her?

Takui: Just after her graduation, I told her I will support her new career and if there is any opportunity, I would be happy to compose while she writes lyrics, whoever the singer or artist might be!

 

UFL: Do you have a message to people living overseas?

Takui: Oh yeah… there are many bands performing overseas, aren’t they? And some of them asked me why I didn’t perform overseas yet. I answer usually I had no opportunity yet, even if it is not America or Europe, Asia is nice as well! I am ready to go almost everywhere, I want to perform my own songs overseas and I will try my best to make new fans from all over the world.

 

UFL: Finally, if you can go to a country, but only one, where will you go?

Takui: This question is too difficult… but probably a country where people speak English, even if it is not their main language, if they can speak English at least like Taiwan, Germany, etc. It will make me totally happy.

 

https://www.facebook...=notify_me_page

 

He really wants to perform aboard.

[zam（仮）]

I think Singapore is a good place for Takui to start with. It is like the meeting point between East and West.

[sukibeam]

Here he is in the latest Upcoming

 

[kusumi yamada]

New single coming out on March, 8! 

"Wagako ni sasageru PUNK SONG" (Punk song dedicated/that I dedicate to my child). 

CD tracklist:

1. Wagako ni sasageru PUNK SONG (我が子に捧げる PUNK SONG)

2. Tarareba (If it was enough) (たられば)

3. Umaku ienai (Can't say it properly)　(上手く言えない)

4. Koete misero (Show me beyond)　(超えて見せろ)

 

MV for the title song: 

[jigenbakuda]

This was a little bit off topic in the Tanimoto Ami thread (she likes butts and this song is called butt), but belongs here with all my copious amounts of fanboying over  it. I edited below post to add in another video, that has only the song, instead of the whole upcoming link.

 

MC starts @0:30

Song starts @3:45

 

 

I was watching through old episodes of Upcoming (aka Music Plus aka UF Licks) when I found this song that Ami really should sing at her next birthday event.

 

It's title is simply "おしり" (Oshiri/Butt)

The first two lines: 君のおしりが好き (I like your butt)  とってもおしりが好き (I really like butt)

 

And to bring it all full circle, one of the guys singing it (the first one to sing) is Nakajima Takui who happens to be in this week's episode recording the chorus of Shuukatsu Sensation.

 

 

 

I love this song and I swear I will cover this song if I ever make it big.

[jigenbakuda]

Moonlight Shining Love

 

 

Fork in the Road

 

Takui finally covered Shuukatsu Sensation

[davidguy3237]

I don't think there's a Joujou Gundan thread? So I'll post these here

 

Joujou Gundan x Nakajima Takui

Up-Front is just one big family lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLnoSf2fhOk

[core2quad]

From Upcoming

Nakajima Takui / Sonzai【2018.8.11】

[core2quad]

From Upcoming

Nakajima Takui / Shinkirō【2018.8.11 SHIBUYA REX】

[jigenbakuda]

He sang Happy Birthday for Tomoko and it was pretty f-ing rad

 

[jigenbakuda]