So thank you for the acceptation, Noriko, really a pleasure to have you... Could you tell us, please, who are you and where are you from?
Thank you for the invitation! My name is Noriko Sakabe (坂部 範子) and I’m from Japan, Kanagawa, a surrounding of Tokyo.Thanks! Nice picture of you & Keiko Maeda. When did you become an Eltonite? Remember the first time you heard Elton's music and what moves you to buy his music?
I became an Elton fan in 1997 when I heard Goodbye English Rose at Princess Diana's funeral on TV. That was a sudden incident for me.
Noriko, what was it like seeing Elton for the first time and how many concerts have you been? And, for you, which member of the band is (or was) irreplaceable? Miss someone, now?
It was an unforgettable moment for me till this day, because until then, I have never known about him except his name and the song name of “Your Song". I felt about his voice shaking with deep emotion. Then I started to collect his albums avidly.
After seven years, I encountered his live concerts for the first time. I was in Hong Kong on September 14, 2004, and that forced me to see more shows. The followings were: Canterbury, June 3, 2006; Charlton, also June 4, 2006; Tokyo Budokan, two shows on Nov. 20 & 21, 2007; Vienna, Austria, June 28, 2008; Halle on July 2 and Leipzig, July 03, in Germany; and Honolulu, Hawaii last January 6.
It was a wonderful experience for me to see the band members in person every time. Specially I loved Guy Babylon on stage. I used to turn to look into the left side of Elton’s position. Guy ! May your soul rest in peace. We could see an splendid scene on the video, produced by NHK, focusing on Guy's playing at the concert in Tokyo 2001.
The unforgettable Guy Babylon!! Also, how should be your dreamed concert? And which one of Elton's live shows you thought you should be there, if you could, even back in time?
One thing I most regretted myself was I couldn’t see the two shows on 2001 in Tokyo Budokan, as I already mentioned above. This moment won't return again!!When I heard about the recovering of Elton/Ray collaboration, I really wanted to see, at least, one of their shows, before my death (-_-) because, I feel I am getting old. So, my dream realized last January in Honolulu.
Perfect!!! What would you do if you meet Elton sometime? What would you talk about and which question would you like to ask him?
That's difficult to say. It would be unlikely circumstances. First of all, I can hardly speak English. But I wish I could ask him about the plans of his next shows in Japan. And that I have been appreciated him so much for a joy of life through his precious songs; that means we are pleased to be able to make so many friends who also love his music.
For sure. Which is your Elton's item that you really appreciate, for being hard to get or for the happiness you've got to have it?
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So, once I got his autograph in Hong Kong, and secondarily Elton gave another to my grandson, instead of me, one more on vinyl cover of Japan's first release version. That's great!!! And... how it was the success of Elton John in your country? Which references had japanese about Elton? As far as I know, Elton had such success in Japan between 1970-1973 and his singles reached the charts: “It’s me that you need”, for example, it was a big hit in 1971. Are there so many eltonites now?
To be honest, I am just a new Elton fan, so sorry, I'm not sure about the 1970's and 1980's, even up until the early 90’s.
Therefore I have very limited knowledge about the Elton influence at that period in Japan, so I'm hoping that people familiar with the decades could tell about it. However I have heard how Elton was popular in Japan, then.
And yet, according to the fact that Elton John is an outstanding artist in the world, we are always saying that Elton should have more and more fans here in Japan.
As for the song “It’s me that you need", needless to say it’s an extremely beautiful song. I love it too so much. However, I would say the reason why this song was very popular, specially in Japan. I think that the lines of the lyric are very simple. In Japanese literature, specially, when we are writing lyrics or something, such as Haiku, Waka, we often express our deep feelings with limited words strictly.
So that in the same way, I suppose the young fans would easily got the interpretation of the lyric in those days. And I should add that Elton's compositional process is based on Bernie's lyric, although I have to say there are few people with a keen interest in the depth of Bernie's lyrics, in Japan.
Perfect. Had Elton's record company published some compilations in your country, over the years, particularly different from other countries? If so, which were the name of the compilations and the tracks in?
Sorry, but I'm afraid I don't know about it in detail, but we’ve got:
A very special collection（1971年）LP
DJM●FP-80329
Side 1
Your Song,
Strange Rain,
Skyline Pigeon,
Country Comfort,
Honky Tonk Women
Side 2
Border Song,
Lady Samantha,
Bad Side of the Moon,
Yes It's Me That You Need,
Rock and Roll Madonna
Best 20 DJM●IFS-90040
Side 1
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Crocodile Rock ,
Your Song,
Honky Cat ,
Have Mercy On The Criminal,
Sweet Painted Lady,
Blues For My Baby And Me,
Bennie And The Jets
Side 2
Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
Daniel,
TheBallad Of Danny Bailey ,
Rocket Man,
It’s Me That You Need,
Hercules ,
I've Seen That Movie Too ,
All The Girls Love Alice
グレーテスト・ヒッツ Greatest Hits（1974年）
DJM●IFS-80055（LP日本盤）
Side 1
Your Song
Daniel
Honky Cat
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
Side 2
Rocket Man
Bennie And The Jets
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Border Song
Crocodile Rock
Candle In The Wind
Bonus tracks:
Skyline Pigeon
Take Me To The Pilot
Rock And Roll Madonna
Candle In The Wind
Don't Go Breaking My Heart
It's Me That You Need
ELTON JOHN'S BRILLIANT HITS（1975年）
-国内プロモ・オンリーLP盤-
DJM●PRP-8042
Side 1
Philadelphia Freedom
The Bitch Is Back
Daniel
Honky Cat
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Skyline Pigeon
Madman Across The Water
It's Me That You Need
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Side 2
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Crocodile Rock
Your Song
Rocket Man
Country Comfort
Bennie And The Jets
Border Song
Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
I Saw Her Standing There
Greatest Hits Volume 2（1977年）
DJM●IFS-80945（LP日本盤）
Side 1
The Bitch Is Back
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
Breaking My Heart
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
Side 2
Philadelphia Freedom
Island Girl
Grow Some Funk Of Your Own
Bennie And The Jets
Levon
Pinball Wizard
Thank you very much, really appreciated. And what do you think about the new project with Leon Russell? What could we expect about this album? And about T-Bone Burnett as the producer? You know any member of Elton’s band were in the recording process. Any rejection?
I’m sorry I haven’t knowledge enough of these topics, yet.
Elton! Thank you for the encouragement with your new song “You Are Never Too Old”. Just for me!!!
Hahahaha He has reason, as usual. Apart from music, which are your interests? What you like to do with your off time?
Reading, writing, gardening and, specially, talking with Japanese Elton fans and with my daughter.
Finally, could you tell me your five favourite Elton's songs in running order, for my AllSongsList?
It’s difficult to choose but,
Skyline Pigeon
The Greatest Discovery
Believe
Latitude
Lady What’s Tomorrow
Thank you very much. Would you want to add some observation or suggestion, or something you want to say to your other eltonites?
I hope we Elton fans should deepen exchanges all over the world more!
Thanks a bunch, Noriko. Really a pleasure to chat with you. I was really interesting for meto do this interview with you, really an enjoyable and worth experience, and you did it very very well. Thank you. Take care and all the best!!!
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