One tour focused on the physical performance. He produced two ideas, two opposite tours at once, one called TOUR INNOCENT WORLD, and the other, TOUR Atomic Heart, without a break. They switched their production label to Oorong (which is still their current production label), and producer Kobayashi reached the peak of his career. That was an experimental album because they mixed the clear sound of instruments with digital sounds, resulting in what is called "DigiRock" ("Digital Rock").Īlso, the circumstances surrounding the band had changed. Sakurai said, "We wanted to be a big monster" (meaning they wanted to be hugely successful). According to Sakurai, "Since that time, I started releasing myself." Despite this, it was supported by many audiences. Through that song, he wrote about himself for example, you see in the lyrics the words, "mr. Most of their songs were created aiming for popularity, but " innocent world" was a song in which Sakurai was revealing his inner self. However, this song became the turning point for the band. The hit, " innocent world", followed and their popularity became stable. Because of " CROSS ROAD", they became known as a love song band. In the 22nd week of the release of the single, they finally reached a million sales. " CROSS ROAD" sold very well and their tours were also successful. They had finally found golden tunes which touched people through these songs. The single, " Replay", was a tie-up for a snack commercial, and 4 months later, " CROSS ROAD" was used as a drama theme song. Suzuki recalls Sakurai saying he wanted to sell 1 million units. That was just two years since their debut. Mr.Children were chosen as the next break in music magazines. As a result, their compositions and band characteristics matched. It's the same studio used by Lenny Kravitz. They wanted to be refreshed, so they used Waterfront Studio in New York. For their third album, Versus, they wanted to get a new energy into each sound. The system enabled them to control instruments digitally. They adapted new systems for their album. Also, their techniques improved.Īt that time, the technology revolution in the music scene grew very fast. They created the album, Kind of Love, which was the accomplishment of the combined energy and hard work of Sakurai and Kobayashi. They had to compete in the big music scene, so they put priority in their compositions. They wanted to be in the front lines of the music scene. In 1992, Mr.Children's debut album, EVERYTHING, represented this collaboration.Īt the time they debuted, there were some big bands which dissolved, and karaoke became popular. Kobayashi didn't hesitate to speak his mind on Sakurai's compositions and lyrics.
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Sakurai learned how hard it was to be professional through this experience. They started collaboration work with Kobayashi at his home. They wanted to find a strategy to be on the side of counterculture against the band boom. He was known as the music composer for Kuwata Keisuke and Koizumi Kyoko. Also, they met producer Kobayashi Takeshi. So they played as the opening act for Jun Sky Walkers and learned what it meant to be professional. Inaba from TOY'S FACTORY said, "I felt their potential in their songs." Through their networking, they got a contract with Bad Music. When they came back, they tried to adapt a new arrangement, but other people said they preferred their previous arrangement. After this, they were refreshed and they returned to the livehouse more sophisticated. In '91, they reached a change and announced 3 months off. But they were very serious about their music. They passed auditions at the livehouse, "La Mama", and they became entitled to play there.Īt "La Mama", their popularity with the audience increased, and they were scouted to debut as professionals. Sakurai remembers at that time they tried to make something that they didn't have. But when they picked up this new name, they changed their attitude towards their band, and they decided to broaden their horizons. Because of this influence, their music became political and sarcastic. The leader of that band was Tsugi Jinsei. By that time, they were influenced by the band, Echoes.
The name was chosen while they were talking in a diner. They spent their teen years in the Tokyo suburbs and in high school, Sakurai, Tahara, and Nakagawa met. Sakurai was from another part of Tokyo (Nerima), so they all came from the same part except for him. Kenichi Tahara, Keisuke Nakagawa, and Hideya Suzuki met in junior high school in Tokyo. This was the year that the Woodstock Festival took place, and it was also an epoch-making year in rock 'n' roll music history. They were all born in 1969 (except for Sakurai Kazutoshi who was born in 1970).