Frontman Mukai Shutoku founded what would later be called Zazen Boys shortl… Read Full Bio ↴Frontman Mukai Shutoku founded what would later be called Zazen Boys shortly after the demise of his previous band Number Girl. He initially recruited former Number Girl drummer Ahito Inazawa. Mukai's original idea for Zazen Boys centered around himself and Inazawa playing together with guest talent. This changed after Mukai brought in Hinata Hidekazu (ex-ART-SCHOOL) on bass and Yoshikane Sou (Kicking the Lion) to fill out the band's lineup. He named the group Zazen Boys after an old project with 54-71 and pop singer hal. The band's self-titled album was released in January of 2004 to considerable underground success.

The band's debut continued the steady evolution apparent in Number Girl's final albums, but taken several steps further. The precise rhythms and minor-key melodies of Mukai's former band were still part of the equation, though a heavy dose of experimentation moved the sound even farther left-of-center.

Mukai started working on a new album the same year, released in September 2004. Zazen Boys II smoothed out the rough edges of the band's debut and featured another hometown friend, Shiina Ringo, on backup vocals.

Inazawa announced his sudden departure the next year. Mukai quickly brought in Matsushita Atsushi as the new drummer, then released the five-track single Himitsu Girl's Top Secret in July followed by Zazen Boys III in January 2006. The new album looked to be a push towards free jazz, with a clear focus on improvisation and ambient experimentation.

Source: Keikaku.net

Fender Telecaster
ZAZEN BOYS Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I Feel Fender Telecaster

鳴る夜俺はここに立っている

アンプにブチ込んで打ち鳴らす

6本の狂ったハガネの振動
俺の体にとり憑いた

得体の知れない感情が鳴り響く
そこら辺りに撒き散らす
uh……鳴っている

遠くに聴こえる馬鹿太鼓練り歩く
1弦から6弦へ

1フレットから24フレットへ
この広大な思索の荒野を練り歩く

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Fender Telecaster" by Zazen Boys speak of loud music and its emotional impact. The first stanza talks about the singer being in a place where they can hear the night ringing. They plug their guitar into the amp and strike its strings, creating six frantic steel vibrations that take hold of their body. This inexplicable feeling resonates and spreads, and the singer seems unable to control it or understand it fully.

In the next stanza, an idiotic drum can be heard in the distance, while the singer wanders through the vast wilds of thought that this music inspires. They move up and down the fretboard, travelling from the 1st to the 24th fret and from string to string. The music, and the act of playing it, seems to be a way to explore the depths of the singer's emotions and psyche. The song seems to suggest that music can transcend words and rational thought, tapping into a primal and visceral part of ourselves that is difficult to articulate.

Line by Line Meaning

鳴る夜俺はここに立っている
On this noisy night, I am standing here.

アンプにブチ込んで打ち鳴らす
I plug in and play loud through the amp.

6本の狂ったハガネの振動
The vibration of my six crazy strings.

俺の体にとり憑いた
Possessing me, taking over my body.

得体の知れない感情が鳴り響く
This unknown emotion echoes through me.

そこら辺りに撒き散らす uh……鳴っている
Spreading around, uh... it's singing.

遠くに聴こえる馬鹿太鼓練り歩く
The sound of foolish drums marches off in the distance.

1弦から6弦へ 1フレットから24フレットへ
From the 1st string to the 6th string, from 1st fret to 24th fret.

この広大な思索の荒野を練り歩く
I wander through this vast wasteland of thought.

Contributed by Elijah L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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