Eikichi Yazawa: Your life is determined by whether or not you encounter something shocking.

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Musician Eikichi Yazawa

Originally from Hiroshima Prefecture, he was born in 1949. He debuted with "I LOVE YOU.OK" and has produced many of his own albums. As an actor, he has played leading roles in films and TV dramas, and has also appeared in numerous commercials. Last year, for the first time in 36 years, he put an end to the live tours he had been doing every year since his debut, but as he turns 60 in September this year, he will be performing at Tokyo Dome as part of a commemorative project. The performance is titled "ROCK'N' ROLL IN TOKYO DOME," a straightforward challenge, and will then begin a two-month tour. "I think students should come and see us at least once," says Yazawa.

"I was so shocked that I cried. I thought, 'This is it!'" The history of Eikichi Yazawa, a major rock star, began at the age of seven when he encountered the Beatles. "I thought this encounter was a chance, and that there was a diamond beyond it. By the time I was in my third year of high school, I had already decided to become an artist." We spoke to this big star who has doggedly pursued and realized his dreams, and who continues to shine.

"I didn't do my job with the feeling that I was working. I just wanted to get to the top. I was running desperately every day." When asked, "What does work mean to you?" Yazawa thought for a moment before speaking, with a look that seemed to say, "What does 'work' mean?"

I kept running and when I looked back, the finish line was already behind me.

With the dream of becoming a rock singer, Yazawa took a night train to Tokyo after graduating from high school.

"I'll definitely take the audition. Singing in front of people will build up my courage and serve as practice," thought Yazawa, and as soon as he made some friends, he auditioned for a disco. He failed the first time, but his frustration led him to practice hard. The second time, he auditioned for a club and signed a one-month contract. "Even though we only had a repertoire of five songs, we told them, 'We're a rock band doing it in Yokohama!' and they let us audition (laughs). We were a shaky band and they knew we'd lied. But they loved our energy." He also received 5 yen for travel expenses. He couldn't hide his joy at being paid for the first time as a rock singer. With the money he had left over, he bought Coca-Cola and instant ramen to celebrate with his friends. "I still can't forget the taste of it. I thought, 'This is where it all begins!'"

He always ran seriously. Even after his record debut, "I was always anxious, wondering what would become of me." That's why he kept running. When he first started out at age 20, the girl he was dating at the time told him, "Don't run so hard. I'll go with you." Even when he gradually lost hearing her voice, he kept running. He was so desperate that he didn't believe the people around him who told him, "It's okay now, you're in a safe place." Eventually, he lost even that voice, and when he stopped and looked back, "there was no one there," Yazawa says. "The finish line was already behind me. I had passed my dream." At that moment, the legendary rock star felt, "It would be nice to take my time, look down at the foot of the muddy road, and savor my music."

Yazawa, who was deeply moved by the Beatles, speaks with the lively eyes of a child: "Whether or not you can encounter something that will shock you determines each person's life. I felt a shock that was like a bullet when I was seven years old. There's nothing more wonderful than that."

"Repetition" established Yazawa's live performance. Repetition is important in any job.

For Yazawa, the stage (live performance) is "a place to express oneself." "I'm always thinking about arrangements and performances, how I can blow away an audience of 10,000 people. That's why I'm so happy when the audience is captivated just as I expected." He then added, in his own unique way, "The moment I feel happiest is when I take a shower after a fantastic performance. It's this repetition that has established Yazawa's live performances. Repetition is important in any job.

Same here. "Repetition is GREAT"! "GREAT rut"!

Yazawa has been repeating himself over and over, and before he knew it, this year marks his fifth year as a rock singer. On August 5th he will release his first album in four years, ROCK'N'ROLL. He chose this title because "I wanted to go straight ahead." "Up until then I had done so many crazy things, both in Japan and around the world. After doing everything I could, about five or six years ago I thought, 'Maybe I've forgotten something important?' So I stopped making records for a while."

Now, he has found the answer. "When you're a composer, your eyes are drawn to a good drummer or guitarist, but that's not the case for listeners. What's important is being straightforward. I want to make easy-to-understand rock music, and I want to go straight for it."

In September, when he turns 60, he will perform at Tokyo Dome for the first time in 20 years. After that, a two-month tour awaits. When asked about his future goals, he answered clearly, looking off into the distance, "After the concert in December, I want to spend Christmas feeling great."

University is a rehearsal for entering society

After graduating from high school, Yazawa immediately jumped into society with the aim of becoming a rock singer. "University is a rehearsal for becoming a working member of society. It is no exaggeration to say that society and university have completely different faces," he said, leaving this message for students: "I want you to make the most of your four years at university. But make sure you are prepared so that you don't feel a gap with society after graduation, and do your best for four years."

Eikichi Yazawa had the impression of being unapproachable, but this interview completely swept that away. Despite being a big rock star, he spoke to the students on an equal footing from start to finish, and from the way he answered questions while expressing his emotions with his whole body, I felt that he was a person with a more honest and passionate heart than anyone else.

Even as he approaches his 60th birthday, the man still retains the excitement he felt when he first encountered the Beatles, and his power shows no sign of waning.

From the August 2009 issue of the Student Newspaper