[translation] Behind 'Hurry Xmas'

This is about Hurry Xmas.

Translated by Eleonora as posted at Ark BBS. (many thanks to her)
First part of a sum of Bpass article about Hurry Xmas (lucky me I'm enjoying a looong weekend~)

Hyde said that he made this song 2 years ago during the AWAKE tour, but he didn't like it. He brought the demo to Okano san (Larc producer) but he didn't know what to do with it. So basically Hyde wanted to do this sort of song 2 years ago but he didn't manage. Then I thought of trying once again and lats year around November, December he made it.
So when it was time to choose the songs for the album he brought his and felt like the other's members songs were better, but he pushed for HX, because for him it was "the number one".
He also had to dodge questiong from Yukki "Ah, here it comes the jazz one (laugh), and Tetsu "Hyde made a cute song he said 'it's really cute' (laugh). When Ken first heard it he was really surprised. he said he felt Xmas but the jass part "How do I play it?" So after the meeting he spent quite some time practicing on how to play guitar.
Even Yukki was worried about this Jazz thing, because for the first time he would have to drum in a style far from rock. He said that though it was interesting jazz is difficult. H ereally liked the song but drumming, he felt like his drumming was ridiculous, because jazz has a sort of sacrality to it.
Then Tetsu was the one that had the hardest time during the recording to the point that he recorded as last, while in general bass and drums are recorded together at the beginning. Okano san told him "Tetsuchan, it;s better you record as last" "Maybe you should practice?"And Tetsu said "If you had told me to play it tomorrow it;d be impossible (laugh). And it took till the day before the tour started to record the bass. The bass you could hear as SE at the beginning fo the concert it was Tetsu bass for HX.

Ele note: I know little of jazz guitar, only that you need to be very expressive at playing, anyway here to read more and see why he was worried http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_guitar



Second part~
Even the arrangement was strongly influenced by Hyde's desires. He fussed in an extraordinary way about this song. Tetsu said that since Hyde was showing such an emotional attachment to this song he wanted to be constructive, saying his own ideas, but in the end there wouldn't be any point if the authour didn't feel good about it.
Of the arrangement Hyde said that at first he had a very simple idea, a jazz band sound but after the meeting, with the addition of other members' ideas the concept evolved. It came out the idea to have a Disney approach to it, but they had a hard time managing a balance between the orchestra and the accordion. Ken about it said that Hyde at first thought of having just the accordion, but Ken had this image of more instruments and kept saying "let's add more sounds". He kept grumbling until Hyde agreed. Yukki said that for being a Xmas song Hyde fussed quite a lot even about the rhythm. The second part of the song is pretty long so Yukki asked if maybe it was better to make it gaudy and wrote many rhythm patterns, but Hyde said "I guess in my head it goes on in the same way till the end" (laugh). This is the first Larc xmas song and as authour brings back to Hyde memories of the live HALLOWEEN OF THE LIVING DEATH of 2005. Hyde says that up till now the word "Christmas" stinked so much of commercial that he really disliked it. And what about HX?
"But if the song was lovely than it'd be good right? If it'd be pure than it'd be good right? I think that since we all bear a dream than it'll be nice."
But he had some doubts because as Japanese, he feels like is waiting for the New Year's Eve, but at the same time when winter is coming the streets start to light up, like being in a fairy tale and he can't help it. He really likes winter. So he made this song with a pure image, to give importance to the pure image of a dream. L'Arc en Ciel did this song together making a present of this beautiful message. As last Hyde's words "It was a big challenge for L'Arc en Ciel. Because the genre it is obviously different from all the other songs. ......Every time I make a song Yukki doesn't like it "I can't drum that" he says (laugh). Every time though he drums with a focused expression on his face (laugh). In this sense it's a challange for each one of us. Even the bass had to run and Tetsuchan really hated that (laugh). So Maybe it was a challange for everyone of us.

Ele note: well, maybe it's obvious, but when he talks of New Years Eve it;s because in Japan that is the traditional family holiday, infact they have 3 days off, while in Japan they actually work on Xmas day

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I see.. xD