Hi everyone! The hot summer has arrived. And on top of that, Japan is in the trend of “saving energy”! Better not save too much and go through this devastating hot summer! Personally, I do not like this hot summer, so it’s quite tough lol

However, in order to prevent from getting dizzy by the heat, I start working out once to twice a week, mainly using training machine as well as a bit of swimming. Also, you need a lot of body strength to raise a child…

My oldest daughter, Mone, is in her first summer vacation and how to satisfy her unlimited energy have been a big topic for me and my wife. My two years old daughter Noah is also very energetic, and no matter how much heat is outside she screams “Dad, I wanna go to a park!” When Mone and Noah is playing around together, they are playing in peace for the first 5 to 10 minutes, and after that they will get in to a battle with any smallest cause, and it’s a hustle to stop them lol

Noah basically knows how to swim with the tide, so the bigger sister Mone is one who usually cries in the end. The battle of these daughters is seriously challenging. Yet still, this year we are having problems with radiation, taking a small child to swimming pool and beach is kind of scary to be honest. For now, we are just being cautious to drinking only mineral waters. It has seriously become a tough time…we are keeping as much focus not to become too cautious with everything.

Well, let’s continue on to the next topic! The song you are listening right now is cann’s third consecutive release single, which would be the finale of this release project, is a medley version of “Namida No Kazu Dake Itosikute” (love you as much as the number of tears), “Tsuki no Megami” (Goddess of Moon), and “Ryuu Sei U” (Star Shower). In May, the theme was “mother’s day”, which the song “Niji Iro No Carnation” (Rainbow color carnation) was released. In June, the theme was “father’s day”, which “Chichi no Senaka” (Daddy’s Back) was released!! And now, the three month consecutive released single finishes with “Namida No Kazu Dake Itosikute” (love you as much as the number of tears), “Tsuki no Megami” (Goddess of Moon), and “Ryuu Sei U” (Star Shower). All songs were composed when canna was active, however these songs were unreleased tracks.

The cover picture was written by my daughter Mone, which she drew listening to the song! The cover design of “Nijiiro No Carnation” and “Daddy’s Back” was designed by my sister CHIKA. She is also a photographer, which she has supported in my project in many ways.

From the left: “Namida No Kazu Dake Itosikute” / “Daddy’s Back” / “Nijiiro no Carnation”

The first track, ““Namida No Kazu Dake Itosikute” (love you as much as the number of tears) was scheduled to be recorded on canna’s first album “Mujintou” (deserted island) in 1999, but since the release date was in February, due to seasonal reason, we decided not to recorded on the album. Then the song was considered for a coupling B-side of the following summer single, “Migite” (Left Hand), but we have already wrote “Aitsu” (That Guy” and “Kingyo Sukui” (Goldfish Scooping), we again decided not to. And after a long delay, we are finally able to release this single, which we are so grateful about! The song was written before our debut, which is composed with two songs that was written with the producer we worked with that time, and made it into one song. Before this song, like the song “Unison” by Maaya Sakamoto is composed with couple different songs written in different time and ultimately became one song. Compiling different songs that has different lyrics, tempo, and key, and making it into one song by a good production and idea is one of my favorite creative processes.

The Beatle’s album “Abbey Road”, the songs like “Golden Slumbers”, “Carry That Weight”, “The End”, as well as Billy Joel’s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” has a little classical elements but yet enjoyed as a POP tune. Myself, I was leaning classical piano during my childhood, this kind of new radical approach feels exciting! If you could listen to “Namida No Kazu Dake Koishikute” and enjoy guessing which part are composed with different songs, it would be great lol



The second song, “Tsuki No Megami” is a song scheduled to be recorded on the second album “Shin Sekai” (New World” in 2002. We wrote two new uptempo songs that time for this album, but in the end, “Umi Ni Tsuki ga Shizumu Mae Ni” (Before the moon drops to the ocean) was recorded. The phrase “Lunar Moon” used in the chorus section is the name of Takashi Taninaka’s loved dog. Please don’t tell this to Tani, please lol

Personally, I really like the feel of bass and drum. And One of Tani’s strongest uptempo song, “Taiyou He Noboru Niji” (Raibow That Rises To The Sun”, has a really nice feel in the vocals. Certainly one of the song I would like you to listen when driving highway. Of course, you don’t have to necessarily be a driver to decided to listen to this song…lol



And lastly, the third track “Ryuu Sei U”, as said on canna’s page, is a song written to our most important friend. Even now, the tragic accident and pictures from the news does not get off from my head. He is a very valuable bass player in canna. He really had a warm heart and contributed as a band leader. That day, we went to see a live show by an artists signed to the same management company, and he was also playing in this show as well. Tani and myself went to this show together. After the show, we went to the backstage for some greetings, and we went back home. The band members had a after party, and they went into the manager’s car to drive back home. Do not know the specific of how the accident has happened, but when the car was parked at the side of the road, near his home, and getting instruments off from the trunk, a sport car rushed in with a high speed spinning around and smashed into their car…It was so big that it was broadcasted through a television news. In middle of the night, the phone rang, and I was informed about the accident. It was so shocking that I was not able to sleep all night. The following day, on the lunch time news channel said, there has been a car accident which a car crushed in to a musician in the nationhood. I was so shocked that I was not able to accept that reality. After the tragic event, we have had a CD debut which we dreamed for a long time, and in 2003, we have stopped our activity. A long time has passed. But I still remember that tragedy very clearly. I believe that he is living in our heart, which a bright smile. And he is watching and encouraging us. I truly hope that the lyrics of this song, “Ryuu Sei U”, will reach to him up in the star!

Shusui