Buck-Tick Zone

Atsushi Sakurai

real name: Atsushi Sakurai

nickname: fans have given him many nicknames but even the members of Buck-Tick call him Acchan

instrument: voice (drums during the beginning of Buck-Tick, 1983-1985)

first band: Buck-Tick

date of birth: March 7, 1966 (Showa era, year 41)

family: father died when he was 19; mother died in 1991; older brother is married with children

marital status: second marriage in 2004
divorced with child (married the band's stylist 1991-1992)

education: graduated from Takasaki High School, Gunma prefecture in March 1984

first record bought: "Feel Happy" by Shinji Harada or "Candy" by Shinji Harada (depends on interview)

first concert attended: Linda Yamamoto

pets: Atsushi is known for his love of cats

favorite...

musical artists: Bauhaus, Love and Rockets, David Bowie, etc.

fine artsits: Taro Okamoto, Salvador Dali, Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Marc Chagall, etc.

cigarette: he quit (previously Kool and Lucky Strike)

color: black, red, white

drink: full bodied red Italian wine, chablis, barolo, shochu, vodka to fall asleep (preferred brands are Stolichnaya and Smirnoff), (previously Wild Turkey bourbon on the rocks; actually he'll drink anything besides beer)

food: sushi, Italian, soba, fruit, junk food, curry, truffles, Sicilian anchovy pizza

movie: Bonnie and Clyde (in Japan the title is "Oretachi Ni Wa Ashita Ga Nai" which means: "There is No Tomorrow For Us")

sport: soccer, basketball, volleyball

season: winter

thing about himself: eyes, voice

thing about Buck-Tick: performing on stage

favorite / influential albums:

(this information was compiled from various books and interviews)

Mask by Bauhaus
Atsushi listened to this a lot during the start of Buck-Tick, he loved Peter Murphy's voice. When asked what was the one album that changed your life, Atsushi declared it was this album.

The Sky's Gone Out by Bauhaus

Boys and Girls by Bryan Ferry

Gentlemen Take Polaroids by Japan

Harem by Sarah Brightman

Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars by David Bowie
Atsushi loves everything by Bowie, especially this album. When asked who is the one artist that changed your life, Atsushi declared it was Bowie.

Nocturnes by Chopin (performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy)

Medusa by Clan of Xymox

God's Own Medicine by The Mission

The Bride Ship by Crime and the City Solution

Ignorance by Morrie

Mushi by The Stalin

The Four Seasons by Vivaldi (New Philharmonic Orchestra/London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leopold Stokowski)

Tinderbox by Siouxsie and the Banshees
Atsushi listened to this a lot during the start of Buck-Tick

Terminal by Michirou Endou

Tokyo Ballet by Masumi Tsuchiya

It'll End in Tears by This Mortal Coil
Atsushi bought this when the band was in London in 1988 and thinks of London when he listens to this album; he also likes the songs because they are tight

Rain Dogs by Tom Waits

MCMXC A.D. by Enigma

Watermark by Enya
Atsushi thinks the music is very pretty and listened to the first track a lot in 1991

Blood by This Mortal Coil

I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got by Sinead O'Connor

Time to Say Goodbye Sarah Brightman

Piano Sonatas No.8 "Pathetique," No.14 "Moonlight," No.15 "Pastoral," No.24 (performed by Wilhelm Kempff)

Violater by Depeche Mode

Toccata and Fugue by J.S. Bach (performed on organ by Peter Hurford)

 

Equipment Overview

Atsushi's instrument is his body. Interviews don't really discuss much his methods of practicing or microphones that he uses. However, he did make several comments as to his vocal habits during the release Aku No Hana. Before a show he would do 50 sit-ups to strengthen the abdominal muscles but sometimes he would even do 100 sit-ups. He also commented that he has a vocal coach and that starting with the Taboo Tour, he would not think about the show tomorrow and sing his heart out but it would be very important to take of himself right after the show so as not to damage his ability to sing. This would include sleeping with a humidifier on so high in his hotel room that the floor was wet. Also when touring, it's important to not sing with your throat but from your abdomen, though he sometimes gets caught up in the live action and sings with his throat. Also, he does not drink while on tour as to not ruin his vocals but he does drink during rehearsals and that makes his vocal performance stoic. I must comment that it's a bit contrary to his actual actions as his fondness for tobacco and alcohol are widely known, even back then. The band have many times commented that after a show they go out drinking and these drinking sessions can last until dawn. Athough more recently he has given up smoking. Unlike some other bands, (mostly Western?) the band really didn't drink or smoke on stage overall. It is rare to have seen Atsushi smoke live. He did during the "13th Floor With Moonshine Tour" and one could say it was for the atmosphere. Picture Product has a rare clip of Atsushi smoking onstage in 1988. At the Night Side video as a clip of Atsushi breathing from a can of oxygen after a performance, which is not rare for vocalists to do.

It should be noted that Atsushi has used instruments on stage. In the music video for "Speed", Atsushi is seen using a pair of maracas. He may have used them during the Kurutta Taiyo. He also played saxophone and tambourine during the Darker Than Darkness tour. Though Atsushi posed with an accordion for the Aku No Hana artwork and in the music video for "The World is Yours", he has not played it live to my knowledge. (Nor is it known if he can actually play an accordion properly though many Japanese children do learn to play piano, recorder, violin, or accordion as part of their studies.)

Below is a photo of Atsushi's pre-show warmup exercise during the "Mona Lisa Overdrive Tour" and it's not rajio taisou ('radio exercise', the national exercise of Japan).

[this page was last updated on Sunday, 25-May-2008 22:46:22 PDT]