Famous people I'd like to meet - Final Part

[Enfluerage]

Every now and then, I would write a set of articles eg: famous tourist places, sporting events, favourite films etc. Recently, I've written a set of articles about ten famous people I'd like to meet.

I thought I'd share this last part here (unfortunately, I'm not sure how to import the photos). It's quite long and perhaps a bit convoluted. But perhaps people might appreciate what I wrote =)

Neways, enjoy, and hope this gives people here an interesting perspective.

* * *

My goal for the article set was to present each famous person in certain light – in the exact way I think of them. I understand this may be different to how most people perceive them.

1) Shane Warne is the brilliant and inspirational leader.

2) Otsuka Ai is a superb music arranger and composer, who also has an uncanny ability to cheer people up.

3) Arnold Schwarzenegger is an incredibly smart man who achieved great personal success despite being from difficult beginnings.

4) Bill Gates miraculously changed from being the leader of an "evil empire" to one of the greatest role models for philanthropy.

5) Miyazaki Aoi is an actor with unparalleled skill - she can act many different roles so naturally, as if she was "born to act in them" all.

6) Quentin Tarantino is so immersed in film and music that he can make excellent movies very easily.

7) Michael Jackson was the most talented media artist of all time.

8) Jackie Pullinger performed one of the most inspirational services to humanity, in the history of the world.

9) Rick Warren is one of the most influential thinkers and teachers of this new millennium.


* * *

There is one more person left in this set of articles. I left this person last to emphasise just how much I respect the works of all the media artists above, before I write the following statement:

I consider the combined film and music works (around 50 films, 15 music albums) of all the above 9 people to be approximately equal to the media works of one person.

That's right - the COMBINED works of:
My all-time favourite male actor, (22%)
My current favourite singer, music arranger and media artist, (43%)
My all-time favourite female actor, (25%)
One of my 3 all-time favourite directors (10%) AND
The media artist I think the most talented of all time. (12%)

* * *

In, 2007 I planned a trip to Shanghai to watch a concert. The concert was to be held at three locations (Taiwan, Hong Kong and the last stop was Shanghai). Although I had already bought both the concert and plane tickets already, I was curious to see what the Taiwanese thought about the first concert (which was attended by many major stars such as Jolin & Wang Xing Lin).

Not only did the press label the concert as the greatest ever held in Taiwan, and that Taiwan was very fortunate to stage it - it was even suggested that local (Taiwanese) artists should study and learn from it.

If I were to write about the concert I watched in Shanghai though, what impressed me the most WASN'T the:
-The incredibly technically skilled guitarist (a star from the 80's), the superb session drummer, the brilliant bass guitarist and the two fantastic keyboardists.

-The band director, whom I consider the greatest pianist and also the greatest music arranger of all time (and not Maksim, Chopin, Listz or even Otsuka Ai)
-The magic shows, fireworks, circus acts and props.
-The awesome dancing and costumes.
-The amazing flow, perfect timing and incredible attention to detail of the concert.

- Or even the beautiful and heartfelt expression of the songs.

Because, after the last song (Who...) was sung, the entire stage and band was cleared out. All that remained was a half-deaf, musically talentless, tiny person in T-shirt & jeans. Putting the microphone aside, she raised a finger to her lips to ask the audience to keep quiet. After a long wait, she screamed "Thank you" at the top of her voice.

Even though she wasn't using a microphone ... Even though she already was the all time best-selling solo artist (and one of the richest people) in her country... Even though for the last eight years, she had at least one number 1 single AND one number 1 album EVERY year (this record is now for a ridiculous 11 years)...



- I knew just how much being a singer STILL means to her.


And that's what I really think about Hamasaki Ayumi.



QUOTES:
"Music is my life. If I'm without music, or I can't sing anymore - it's like I'd die, I'm nothing! Because music is everything,”

"I always believe that in music, the truth will always prevail. I'm confident that as long as I sing no lies, and stay truthful to my fans,
they will understand my music."
"If the people think I'm doing very well and being successful, I think it's because I'm sincere about everything. I tackle everything sincerely."

I originally did not have any ambition to become famous or to become an artist like this. I have not at all expected in any way that I would become famous in this way. But at the very beginning, when I started to sing at the age of 19, I prepared myself and made myself ready to accept many different things that would happen, such as the responsibility that comes with fame, the lack of freedom that I would experience, and my role as a performer and as an artist.

"Originally the reason I started to keep tight control over all my productions was because I did not want to blame others if the production failed. If I decide to do something all by myself, it all comes back to ME, it's MY responsibility. That way if something goes wrong, I can say it's my own fault because I chose to do this at that time. If I leave it to somebody else, I have to ask the person why things went the way they did. I didn't want to do that. So that's why I went through everything by myself and why I controlled every single bit of my production, so that I can take all the responsibilities on my own.

That's how it all started. But as time passed, I found professionals in each field and I can leave many of the responsibilities to them. I've also changed my approach because of the trust and the ties I've had to these people over the years of working together. Now I would like to find professionals like these, as many as possible, to move my team along more efficiently."

I think that maybe I trusted my father and mother very much when I was very little and regarded them as the people who'd always be with me. But my father left me, and deceived me, telling a lie to me.

Isn't it common that diaries get lost? My family moved quite often, unbelievably often. And maybe because of it, we have no such memorial goods. It reminds me now that we don't even have any photo albums. Haven't you seen such things often? The albums filled with the photos in one's childhood. We don't have them.

There was a hut-like house behind the school building. All such children were gathered into one class, regardless of grade. Then, we did nothing special. Only watching TV or reading books there. The "absent family class" was, how do I say? --- so bleak that you wouldn't believe it to be an elementary school.

Well, at first I studied mathematics and did scientific experiments eagerly. I did them as I couldn't find anything else to do, and my grades were improving. But I thought one day they were not necessary for me to live on. I thought that whichever colour the liquid of the test tube turned, it would exert no influence on me when I grew up.

"Matsu san and I attended the same high school, and she was always admired by everybody. She hasn't changed a bit, and I thought she was a very pleasant person ...
"On Matsu-san, my teacher would always say "Look and learn you manners, Hamasaki san!" That's what I remember.



How Hamasaki Ayumi became a singer:
(from Rockin' on Japan)

Matsuura Max: "It's been a long time since we last talked. Do you really intend to sing?"
Hamasaki Ayumi: "I do. I do. Because I'm free now."
Matsuura Max: "I suppose so. You have nothing else to do, don't you?"
Hamasaki Ayum: "Yes."
Matsuura Max: "So first, go to the voice lessons and the physical training to develop your singing"


EXCERPTS FROM LYRICS::
(All lyrics by Hamasaki Ayumi)


My All
"The sparkling crystals we have left behind
Are now shining here though they may not be perfect…
Honestly, I cannot say that it was all fun and joyful. But always, I wasn't alone.
I want to show you a dream I hope you will have
A never-ending and lasting dream - this is my wish.

Even now, I can certainly say that I don't have any regrets.
We have always fought it out with all our strength.
Honestly, I had some hard nights and the days when I felt unbearable
But always, I wasn't alone."

Daybreak
Light and shadow are
really the same thing.
If you close your eyes,
you can see them on your own.

Both the sadness in happiness,
and the hope at the end of pain

No matter how far apart we are,
we're always together.
Remember that even when you feel
crushed by the weight of the world,
there's someone out there who loves you.

Winding Road
"The footprints I left behind are distorted and muddy;
But I don't regret them at all - I'm proud of them from the bottom of my heart"

I can't live along well as before
I'm not so tactful
But one thing I can tell you is
I keep on going this way with my head held high

A bird that forgot how to fly
Will be able to flap its wings once again
Just as I could start walking again

Kiss o' Kill
The more you pretend to be strong, I see your weakness
The more you bare your fangs, I see your pain
You can be yourself, I'll accept you
You don't have to be afraid, because I know you
We shed tears as if we were laughing
And laugh as if we were crying

Endless Sorrow

What if there was nothing to believe in,
and what if all that's left is despair?

Please, hear my prayers in this era overflowing
with wingless angels.

Even if you have no wings left.
I still have one wing left ...
Together


A song is Born
Hold the flowers to your heart,
and pray that they may some day bloom.

From here, the only way
I can tell you this is by
singing this song;

I'll be happy if you'd lend me
your ear, even just for a little while.

Remember, just one more time
how we were born, crying, into this world.
Your dreams and hopes for tomorrow
are all in this world.






* * *


NOTES:

1) Hamasaki Ayumi has had at least one number 1 single each year, in the last 11 years, and a number 1 album each year, in the 11 years. She is also the highest selling solo artist of all time in Japan.

2) I consider Hamasaki Ayumi to be the least musically talented singer out of my 100 favourite singers.

3) When record executive Max Matsuura (from Avex Trax) first saw Hamasaki Ayumi, he suggested that she should take singing lessons. In 2003, he was forced out of the company due to a disagreement with the president. Hamasaki Ayumi went to press saying that she would leave and follow Max Matsuuara, causing the Avex Trex stock price to plummet 15% in one day (before trading of the stock was suspended).

Max Matsuura was reinstated as CEO and today, Avex Trex is the best selling record company in Japan (even outselling Sony Records, Universal etc).

4) Matsu Takako was a guest on Hamasaki Ayumi's tv show (episode 20). She went to the same high school as Hamasaki Ayumi, and it is interesting to compare their careers. Matsu Takako was born from a family of famous stage performers and started her career doing theatre (before moving into singing and film). She is a brilliant actor, a very good live singer & performer, can also play the piano, and used to write and compose her own songs. She is one of the most popular Japanese singers/actors in the last decade, featuring in many popular tv series and also many good films, like the Japanese Academy award winning "Tokyo Tower".

It's interesting to compare the two because Matsu Takako is a supremely talented person who was born to be a star. Hamasaki Ayumi on the other hand became a star.

5) Hamasaki Ayumi's tv show was this really weird show where literally nothing happens. Her guests basically come and eat some food, play some simple games (eg: snap - LOL) and have a chat. No gossip or scandals are brought up. It's amazing that Hamasaki Ayumi could make this a very popular show, and shows just what is possible with exceptional preparation - she always had interesting things to say and would make each guest feel very comfortable.

6) "A song is born" was a charity song written for 9/11. I consider this to be the most well-written song of all time.

7) Endless sorrow has a fantastic idea behind to it.
Even if you're blinded, you may still continue forward.
Even if you had one wing left, you'll be fine as long as you can find someone with one wing left.

The point of the song of the song -
Even if there is nothing left but despair.
Even if you had no wing left in this era of wingless angels.
True friendship and love is not about each person having one wing each (thus allowing both to survive).
- It's about still being together with one wing between two people.

8) The song Who... is always the last song (either sung or played) at the end of her concerts.
It is my all-time favourite song (and equal favourite media art).
The song is about how when her father left her as a child, her mother was forced to work, thus she was raised up by her grandmother. When Max Matsuura arranged singing lessons to Hamasaki Ayumi, she hated them, was truant and wanted to give up. However, her grandmother encouraged her to carry on. During the recording of her first ever single, her grandmother was ill, but she encouraged Hamasaki Ayumi to carry on to finish the song. Unfortunately, her grandmother never got to hear her finished song, nor see that she would become Japan's bestselling solo artist.

That's why I think the last line of the song "Who..." is:
"I pray this song will forever reach you"

The song itself is a beautiful thank you song. Dedicated to everyone who has helped her (her staff, her fans, her mother and especially her grandmother). But most importantly, it symbolises exactly why I think Hamasaki Ayumi is such a great media artist.


9) When Atsushi Shikano, chief editor of Rockin’ on Japan interviewed Hamasaki Ayumi, they talked literally 10 pages worth of interesting dialogue, before Shikano made this remark:

“By the way, we haven't yet talked about music at all”.

If I ever had the privilege to meet Hamasaki Ayumi, I think it'll be the same with me.


10) For those who don’t understand this article at all:

The reason I like Hamasaki Ayumi’s songs and concerts is not because I think she is an exceptionally skilled/talented singer or musician. It’s the other way round – I think her works are of exceptional musical, lyrical and production quality. Year after year (almost without fail) she releases an album (which she writes in its entirety) and has 2 different concert sets, regardless if she is ill, had loved ones passed away or had relationship breakdowns.

It is all the more amazing because she is half-deaf and really isn’t born to be a singer or musician. Being thankful that she somehow became a singer though is why I believe she is so dedicated to her work …. And also why she thanks her staff and fans so sincerely after her concerts.

And that’s the whole point – Hamasaki Ayumi is my all time favourite media artist, BECAUSE she isn’t a talented or a naturally skilled singer.

3rd Favourite Media Artist (2001)
2nd Favourite Media Artist (2002, 2009)
Favourite Media Artist (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)