Friends (フレンズ～若きロックのスターたち)

Two years ago Tetsuo Yamauchi took a spontaneous trip to Europe and learned to play bass for the first time. He returned to Japan at the end of last year, and we first met at the Hibiya Open-Air Rock Festival. His bass playing has a different, more instinctive feel than any other musician I've heard before. He's surrounded by people who truly enjoy music. Some of them are now collaborating on a record for the first time. The recording was done in a very energetic and intuitive style in the studio. Even I, listening in the mixing room, was naturally turned to stone. The cover art was drawn by Kaeru Masuda, who used to appear in the musical Hair. The overall director of this record is Tetsuo Yamauchi. The director is Shoji Kato, the youngest person at a Japanese record company and a huge rock fan. And there are so many people who brought us food, came to chat, and sang along with us. Everyone, everyone, everyone is such a good person. And they're all my friends. Michika Fukamizu