The band members are 櫻井敦司 (Sakurai Atsushi) (vocals), 今井寿 (Imai Hisashi) (guitars, noises, electronics, vocals), 星野英彦 (Hoshino Hidehiko) (guitars, chorus), 桶口豊 (Higuchi Yutaka) (bass) and ヤガミ・トール (Yagami Toll) (drums).
BUCK-TICK's music has changed and evolved hugely over the course of their career. Their early work is what the Japanese call "positive punk". It used simple rhythms and chords, with the songs mostly in major keys and using some English words in the lyrics. Starting with 1989's TABOO, they experimented with a darker sound, which grew more mature with 狂った太陽 in 1991. darker than darkness style 93 delved into a harsher industrial rock sound which continued all the way up through Mona Lisa OVERDRIVE in 2003. With 2005's 十三階は月光, they deliberately adopted a "goth" concept, which they combined with a retro straight rock sound for the albums 天使のリボルバー (2007) and Memento Mori (2009). Their next album, 2010's RAZZLE DAZZLE, then incorporated many instances of dance-rock.
Some elements that persist throughout their music are resounding, jangling guitar chords, throbbing, prominent bass lines, harsh roars of electronically distorted noise, and ambivalent melodies that wander between major and minor keys, as well as Sakurai's distinctive rich baritone voice. Jrockrevolution described the band's style as having gone "from the bubbly sounds of pop to the buzz of electronic cyberpunk to lustful velvety goth to the smooth style of hard rock and back again". Sakurai, who is the main lyricist of the band, is famous for the erotic decadence of his lyrics, but he also often addresses existential psychological themes. His lyrics is also described as "dance in a daydream about reality". Imai, the main composer, has written many songs that read like science fiction stories, involving genetic engineering and computer hackers, but more recently has branched out into love songs.
As Josephine Yun describes them, in 'A Concise Report on 40 of the Biggest Rock Acts in Japan', "BUCK-TICK's music is smashed-together nuances of everything from Depeche Mode and New Order to U2 and The Knack. While wry, it can float and be nebulously melodic. [...] Masked in eye makeup, Atsushi looks and sounds possessed. BUCK-TICK was (and continues to be) and anomaly in the Japanese music scene, a tangle of goth rock diluted with synth and electronica. It's unhappy, dirty music, the musical equivalent of exploded soot and smoke."
BUCK-TICK and their members have performed with, for example, KMFDM, Soft Ballet, Luna Sea, Sheena Ringo, and The Yellow Monkey. The band members have also participated in different side-projects, such as Schaft, Schwein (Sakurai and Imai with Raymond Watts (PIG) and Sascha Konietzko (KMFDM)), and The Mortal.
Ash-ra
BUCK-TICK Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yami wa junsui ni mo tobira o hiraniteru
Sore de ii sa kodoku na hodo
Ikiru muimi samo shinazu
Hana o douzo chigireta bara
Minayo ningen tachi daremo ga ??? gao
Anata dake o aishiteita
??? au furoa no sumi de
Kimi ga yureru hageshiku utsukushii
Douzo odorimashou atsui dansu (dance) o
Subete noro u you ni kuroi doresu (dress) de
Douzo odorimashou atsui dansu (dance) o
Subete noro u you ni ai no ??? de
Ore wa ikiru ash-ra no mori ni
Nigete nigemo kuru sa omae ni (?) tame ni
Anata dake o aishiteita
Soshite ninderu fukaku
Tsukiageru tsumosaki ni ai no kodou kimi ga yureru
??? au furoa no sumi de
Kimi ga yureru hageshiku utsukushii
Douzo odorimashou atsui dansu (dance) o
Subete noro u you ni kuroi doresu (dress) de
Douzo odorimashou atsui dansu (dance) o
Subete noro u you ni ai no ??? de
The lyrics of "Ash-ra" by BUCK-TICK speak about a restless desire for the darkness and deep isolation that comes with it. The opening lines, "As well as I can do, the more I'm anxious, the darkness even opens the door to innocence," suggest a longing for the unknown, an urge to explore the mysteries of the world beyond the light. The lyrics go on to describe a sense of purposelessness in living, the feeling of being trapped in a meaningless existence, with the word "muimi" implying this aimlessness.
The chorus speaks about a love-hate type of relationship, with the singer loving and hating their partner, who seems to be the only connection they have with the outside world. The bridge section is particularly interesting as it talks about the singer being in a "forest of ash-ra," which suggests a desolate, barren wasteland where they seek refuge. They want to run away and forget the emptiness that consumes them, but in doing so, they want to take their lover with them.
The lyrics of "Ash-ra" are complex and open to interpretation, but as a whole, they seem to convey a sense of unrest and a desire to escape from the monotony of life. It speaks of the longing for darkness, isolation, and the feeling of being lost in a seemingly meaningless existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Umaku yareru fuan na hodo
As much as our anxiety can prevent us from functioning effectively, it is also true that darkness purifies.
Yami wa junsui ni mo tobira o hiraniteru
Darkness opens doors even in purity.
Sore de ii sa kodoku na hodo
In this way, we can be comfortable with our loneliness.
Ikiru muimi samo shinazu
Our life should have purpose so that it is not meaningless.
Hana o douzo chigireta bara
Please accept this gift of torn roses.
Minayo ningen tachi daremo ga ??? gao
All people have a face with a hidden aspect.
Anata dake o aishiteita
Only you were loved.
Soshite nikunderu fukaku
And now I deeply hate you.
??? au furoa no sumi de
We meet in the corners of the floor.
Kimi ga yureru hageshiku utsukushii
You sway with fervor and beauty.
Douzo odorimashou atsui dansu (dance) o
Please dance a passionate dance.
Subete noro u you ni kuroi doresu (dress) de
Wear a black dress that covers everything.
Subete noro u you ni ai no ??? de
Cover everything with the color of love.
Ore wa ikiru ash-ra no mori ni
I live in the forest of Ash-ra.
Nigete nigemo kuru sa omae ni (?) tame ni
I run away and come back to be yours.
Tsukiageru tsumosaki ni ai no kodou kimi ga yureru
As love throbs at the tip, you sway.
Contributed by Camilla E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.