Thank you for always reading WIZZARD LINER NOTES.
Long time no see, everyone!
It's still cold, so please take care not to get sick!
Now, for the first liner notes of the new year, VOL.7, I'd like to talk a little about 'Soundtrack.'
Thank you for your continued support this year.
Soundtrack, or "suntora" (short for soundtrack in Japanese).
This refers to an album that compiles all the sounds recorded in movies, videos, etc. What kind of image comes to your mind when you hear "soundtrack" or "suntora"?
Do you have a particular one that comes to mind?
Thinking about it, what was the first soundtrack I ever encountered?
Hmm...
I think it was that one.
I remember begging my parents to buy me an LP because I wanted the song "Galaxy Express 999 (THE GALAXY EXPRESS 999)" by Godiego, which was the theme song for the movie version of Galaxy Express 999. (It's the one in the picture.)
Have any of you seen Galaxy Express 999?
It's an old work, so maybe not many people have seen it...
The story is about a brave 10-year-old boy who, for some reason, meets a mysterious beautiful woman in a slum and aims for Andromeda to get a mechanical body.
It's a story that depicts the boy's growth process through his journey, and it's still a wonderful work even if you watch it now.
This movie version is not a compilation of the TV series, but a newly re-structured story for the theater, so I think even first-time viewers can enjoy it. Please check it out if you have the chance.
The story and Godiego's music combine to bring tears to my eyes.
And I think that, even as a child, I unconsciously found the link between sound and visuals to be comfortable and moving.
After that, I would take my favorite manga and records, somehow choose songs that evoked the worldview, connect my father's headphones to the stereo, and read manga while listening to music.
Harmagedon, which I also introduced in VOL.6. The influence after watching this was particularly strong.
Oh, speaking of which, I also bought the soundtrack for Harmagedon!
Of course, I watched and read "Akira" many times as well. LOL.
At that time, I was completely an indoor person; I didn't go to Andromeda, nor did I follow unknown beautiful women. LOL.
However, it's not like I bought and listened to soundtracks every time I watched a movie, but even now, there are still bands and musicians that I discover and love through movies.
How about you all?
Do you have any soundtracks that have left an impression on you?
Please allow me to introduce some of my personal favorite soundtracks (please note that personal preferences for the content of the work may vary).
■ I Shot Andy Warhol OST
This work depicts the life of Valerie Solanas, a woman who shot and seriously injured Andy Warhol in 1968, while also showing scenes from Andy Warhol's art studio, "The Factory," at the time.
The soundtrack features Luna, R.E.M., Ben Lee, Pavement, MC5, Yo La Tengo, etc., all performing cover songs.
I picked it because I like Luna, Pavement, Yo La Tengo, and MC5.
■ Lost in Translation OST
A platonic romance set in Tokyo, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.
Directed by Sofia Coppola, the soundtrack is a full expression of her taste.
Her husband's band, PHOENIX, also participated.
Kevin Shields (guitarist) of MY BLOODY VALENTINE contributed songs, and personally, there are almost no filler tracks.
Above all, as a fan of THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN and MY BLOODY VALENTINE, I was excited when the music intertwined with the visuals.
KEVIN SHIELDS, MY BLOODY VALENTINE, THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN, AIR, DEATH IN VEGAS, SQUAREPUSHER, Happy End, and others participated.
■ I'm Here OST
This short film by Spike Jonze depicts a pure love story between two robots living in a world where humans and robots coexist, and I think it explores the meaning of love.
To be honest, most of the musicians on this soundtrack are not very well known, but overall it's great!
In particular, "There Are Many Of Us" by Aska, which is also the main theme song, is highly recommended. I also like Animal Collective and Girls.
■ Spun OST
A film directed by Jonas Åkerlund, who has worked on music videos for artists like Madonna.
Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins was in charge of the music.
Regarding the story, it's a matter of personal taste, so I can't say much, but personally, it was a bit... haha.
However, the visual composition and the sound were incredibly good.
Also, I picked it because I love Billy Corgan. haha.
■ Singles OST
A story depicting the love lives of several men and women set in Seattle during the heyday of grunge in the 1990s.
For those interested in grunge and alternative rock bands of that era, the lineup of the "Singles" soundtrack is excellent.
It features many bands representing the grunge and alternative rock scene of the 90s, such as Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Chris Cornell, Soundgarden, The Smashing Pumpkins, Screaming Trees, Mudhoney, and more.
■ Gummo
An American film directed by Harmony Korine in 1997.
A unique human drama portrayed in a documentary style.
It is mainly composed of various styles of metal music such as black metal, doom metal, grindcore, and sludge metal.
I wouldn't recommend it to those who don't like metal music... I'm sorry.
For those who do, I highly recommend Absu, Eyehategod, Sleep, Bethlehem, and especially Sleep.
■ The Holy Mountain OST
I've watched this film many times.
A film directed by and starring Alejandro Jodorowsky, released in 1973.
A Mexican surrealist cult film.
While the content of this work is definitely a matter of taste, Alejandro Jodorowsky's inventiveness and unique philosophy are truly impressive!
Personally, it's a film I also like as an art piece.
The soundtrack is also wide-ranging, from jazz and Latin to psychedelic rock, and all the songs perfectly match the film's worldview!
■ Ghost in the Shell: Arise OST
Ghost in the Shell: Arise is a story depicting the eve of the formation of Public Security Section 9, led by Motoko Kusanagi, whose entire body is prosthetic. Just this alone makes me excited, lol.
The music was handled by Keigo Oyamada's solo project Cornelius, and the animation production was by Production I.G.
This series is also cool, as expected.
And Japanese anime is the best!
I think Cornelius's music also matched the work well in the soundtrack, and Aoba Ichiko's ending song was also great~
I haven't found the soundtrack for this one yet.
■ Strutter
This film, featuring original music by J Mascis of the alternative rock band 'Dinosaur Jr' and a cameo appearance by him, is a black and white film with a nostalgic warmth.
WIZZARD has been distributing PLAYLISTs with music selected to evoke the theme of each season since 2020AW.
I create these playlists hoping that they will serve as a soundtrack to help you imagine the atmosphere of the season.
It might be surprisingly good to listen to them with the lookbook images every season.
They are available on Spotify and Apple Music, so please take this opportunity to listen to them.
I would be happy if you could discover new music through WIZZARD's PLAYLIST.
You can listen from the links below.
[ Spotify ]
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5M1x9nLVRlZdcBTkaPSFTX?si=1TmEZfCpTxOPaJUs-rJRMQ
[ Apple Music ]
https://music.apple.com/jp/playlist/wizzard-2022ss/pl.u-xlyNqrNIkzX52lM
Thank you for reading LINER NOTES VOL.7 again!
See you next time in LINER NOTES VOL.8.
VOL.6 https://wizzard.stores.jp/news/61c2c1be3475ed5b82164c4e
VOL.5 https://wizzard.stores.jp/news/61bc95e0d26fa50526613c9c
VOL.4 https://wizzard.stores.jp/news/61b492273475ed58db0e3176
VOL.3 https://wizzard.stores.jp/news/61aa2ef8b91b75549afa7abd
VOL.2 https://wizzard.stores.jp/news/61a07134b91b75123e2cd5d2
VOL.1 https://wizzard.stores.jp/news/61b9cd652ee5c27732582351