TUBE Nobuteru Maeda

I will lose someday anyway, so I will continue to face defeat.

TUBE Nobuteru Maeda

■ Profile
He debuted as the vocalist of TUBE in June 1985. His third single, "Season in the Sun," was a huge hit.
After that, they continued to release many songs, mainly summer-themed songs such as "Ah Summer Vacation" and "Embracing Summer," onto the hit charts, and established the image of "summer = TUBE" in the general public.
The annual summer live concert at Yokohama Stadium, which has been held for over 35 years, has become a summer tradition.
This year, in June 2025, will mark the 40th anniversary of their debut.

TUBE is a rock band that represents the Japanese summer. They have produced numerous hit songs, but they have also faced many hardships along the way. What are the beliefs and ways of thinking that they have stuck to throughout their long and storied careers as artists? This year marks the 40th anniversary of their debut, and a commemorative collaboration album, "TUBE ×" (Tube Kakeru), was released on August 6th. We spoke to TUBE's vocalist, Maeda, as he continues to take on new challenges.

I first became interested in music when I was in junior high school. A senior student recommended Western music to me, which led me to discover American rock from the 70s. TUBE's sound was also sensationally influenced by that American rock style. When I was in my third year of junior high school, I experienced playing in an air band at the school festival, and I started to think, "It feels great to be on stage." Then, when I sang for the first time in front of about 100 people in my second year of high school, I thought, "I want to do this for the rest of my life."
We had been preparing for our debut since we were about 18 years old, but it was a constant struggle. We hardly went to school, and we practiced every day, so we had no money. I think people around me looked at me coldly, asking, "How long are you going to keep dreaming?" because I was practicing without going to school. At the time, we had hundreds of fellow musicians, some of whom were aspiring to become musicians as we were, but gradually the number of them dwindled. In the end, only four people remained. They are the current members of TUBE.

■What is the mindset that has allowed you to continue for 40 years?

Something I've always tried to do when writing lyrics and composing music is to create songs that pat you on the back. In the past, I've written songs that were almost preachy, like "This is how it should be" or "Don't give up," but I've reflected on that and now I try to write lyrics that encourage you and say, "It's okay to lose."
If it were our generation, we could say, "Let's go together!", but some of our fans have families and their children have moved out, so we make the show with that generation in mind. You might think, "Those old guys look like they're having fun!" but... (laughs).
TUBE is associated with summer, and there was a time when people would say things like, "Are you growing watermelons?", which really upset me, so we even did more live shows in winter than in summer. However, when I was in my 30s and looked back on that time when I was resisting pressure from society, I began to think, "Ah, that was the last thing I should have done."
TUBE has a song called "That's Just How It Is." Even when we were looked at coldly or had difficult times, we encouraged ourselves with the strange logic that "the world works because there are people who lose." We weren't doing it to win, but because we were bound to lose someday, so we told ourselves to keep going even if we lost. I think this is the mindset that allowed us to continue for 40 years.

■About the 40th anniversary collaboration album "TUBE ×" (Tube Kakeru)

When it comes to 40th anniversaries, the mainstream is tribute albums and covers by various young people, but we wanted to create something original, so we planned a collaboration with eight artists whose styles are completely different from our own.
I first approached GACKT, and although he was a bit hesitant, he agreed and the collaboration came to fruition. The song changes key every single tone, and there were moments when he thought, "I'm going to change the key here!" and although I imagine him as a very rock person, he is actually very sensitive, and I discovered things that I wouldn't have known until we started making music together.
Speaking of younger artists, I also collaborated with FRUITS ZIPPER. For their song "Family Summer Vacation," I appeared on a music show playing the father and even danced with them. It was my first time trying that dance style, so I ended up practicing more than I'd ever practiced before in my life (laughs). Idols look like they're having fun on stage, but it really made me realize how much effort they have to put in behind the scenes. With each collaboration, the song structure and recording methods were all different, so it was a struggle. Normally, we record vocals ourselves with TUBE, so we proceed based on our own judgment, but there were some songs where we asked them to be present during the recording, and I could really sense the difference in the emphasis placed on each side. It took a lot longer than usual to make a song. Usually, it takes about 70 hours to get to the mixing stage, but I think this one exceeded 100 hours.
Still, collaboration is a great learning experience. Working with people from a different community broadens your horizons. I think it's good to have the desire to absorb new things no matter how old you are.

■ Future outlook

Thankfully, TUBE's songs have been re-recorded in Asian countries, so I would like to try re-recording them in various languages. I am currently studying Chinese and Korean. I still don't understand the differences in pronunciation, but I am working hard. We are all older guys approaching the age of 1, so I hope we can continue making music for as long as possible.

■Message to university students

When I was a student, my teachers often told me, "Buy the hardships of your youth, even if it means going through them," but I think it's best to put in the effort if it's for your own good. Chances probably come three times in a lifetime. We had our chances, too, and we're here today because we worked hard in our own way. I failed many auditions, and even when I thought I was no good, I kept practicing. Even if you think you're not blessed, opportunities will definitely come. If you're not paying attention, you won't notice opportunities as they are, so always work hard and don't miss them.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on April 9, 2025 by Yuka Matsuzaka, a fourth-year student at Keio University

■TUBE 40th Anniversary Collaboration Album"TUBE×" (Tube Kakeru)

■TUBE's first all-singles best album is now on sale, celebrating their 40th anniversary since their debut.
All Singles TUBEst -White- [First Press Limited Edition]
All Singles TUBEst -Blue- [Regular Edition]

Kensei Tokuhara, 1st year student at Information Management and Innovation University, Yusaka Matsuzaka, 4th year student at Keio University, and Rurika Abe, 2nd year student at Showa Women's University