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"Lack Of Love" Liner Notes
Japanese

"Lack Of Love" Liner Notes
Q&A with Ryuichi Sakamoto

1. As you created the music for L.O.L., what were you most conscious of?

To make music that was not like so-called game music

2. For each of the selections please tell us some of your secrets (such as the source for your sampled sounds) and some technical things, anything that you wish. (If you don't remember, just your impressions as you hear them now would be fine.)

1. Opening theme
This was done very quickly. The sadness that comes from a "lack of love". It's intended to include the sadness of losing the environment as well. It's a very sentimental piece, but I expected that since it would be combined with a computer game, it would evoke some strangeness as well.

2. Birth
This was also done very quickly. I had the image of life starting from a fertilized egg. But I also wanted to evoke the coldness of artificial life.

3. Artificial Paradise
It represents the changes that take place over one day. I imagined an unknown planet with a landscape like Canada.

4. Transformation
Yearning. Sadness. I wrote a new piece, and then had that made to be played on a music box. That's the first time I ever did that. Music boxes are great, aren't they?

5. Mission
I had the image of school. I even went out and bought a foot-pump organ, which is pretty difficult to play. There is only one company left that makes them in Japan. Lonesome, isn't it?

6. Dream
I had the image of a piece by Hosono that I heard long ago. That piece [of his] was really great. What was its title?

7. Unity
A rearrangement of number 6. Also a feeling of nostalgia, and cheerfulness.

8. Crisis
The influence of Bartok? Certainly I like this type of sound. You'll hear the same sort of thing in "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" and "The Adventures of Chatran."

9. Experiment
I wonder. I really don't know. Maybe influenced by "Dune"? I haven't seen that film in about 15 years, but I really loved it.

10. Decision
This is a little YMO-ish [Yellow Magic Orchestra] isn't it? (Laughs) What am I saying?!

11. Change
I really like the stinging feel on this. It's chilling! The calm before the storm. The drenching sweat from a nightmare.

12. Storm
This is my favorite track on this CD. Especially in the middle, when it goes to just rhythm, it really works! I would love to do this with a live band. If there were a vocal, I'd maybe use Ai-chan.
N.B. "Ai-chan" is Ai Yamatsuka of the Boredoms

13. Ending Theme
It's got some grandeur, doesn't it? Especially the ending, which goes on so long you want o say "how far is he going to take it?" Well, that's okay every once in a while, right? (Laughs)