First, a note: I'm only good at translating the names of foods. -_- Actually helpful here, since Tak meticulously recorded what he ate for every meal. So, the following was cobbled together with some help from Keen to the best of my ability. Please take it as an approximation of Tak's words (and if you see any corrections that need to be made, please feel free to let me know). I don't know how interesting this will be for you, but at the least you might learn a little bit more about Mat-chan. :) I did.

In 2001, Tak and Takuro (leader of GLAY) traveled to the U.S.A. together, sans the other members of their respective bands. That's right, Hisa, Jiro, Teru, and Kosh were not invited. Takuro later mentioned a trip to Los Angeles in GLAY's fanclub magazine Happy Swing, while Tak penned the following article for Be With. I didn't realize Takuro was even in the article until someone pointed him out in two of the photos, which do not mention Takuro in the captions. However, all became clear after I examined the introduction. Here we go ~

I first met Takuro-san 2 years ago, at a dialogue for BS O.A. special volume. Usually, “Now, let’s go out to eat” afterwards is a normal social thing to do in this industry. But with Takuro, after we went to eat together, we reached a mutual live view. In the spirit of intoxication, the words “Let’s travel!” were spoken and this story begins. At the end of last year, a travel meeting was declared and we went drinking. Plans were sent through the mail. I don’t like conversations that end in a drinking session!

At the end of December, I was staying in LA. At the beginning of the new year, Takuro arrived in LA on the 6th. While drinking wine, did we have a game/bet over who would spend the most money on the trip? We did.

Tak and Takuro evidently made some sort of bet about how they would each start the trip with the same amount of money (hotel and transportation fees excluded) and see who had more money left at the end. At the end of the trip, it turned out Takuro had $200 left and Tak the spending master had...$50!

1.7 (Sunday) Los Angeles --> Memphis
Our flight was NW0554, and would take a little over 3 hours. The Chardonnay we got on the plane was delicious. There is a time difference of 2 hours; we arrived at Memphis, home of blues, at 3:30 pm. It is cold, more than cold!

National Car Rental
First, to get feet for our trip, we went to the car rental shop. Preparations were made for a wine red Cadillac. It is an adult man's Luxurious Car. But Takuro said, "This is too much for 2 men on their rigorous journey! Let's try to find something more affordable !!" What a passionate man...

Sun Studio
We stopped by the famous Sun Studio (once an origin of blues music, and a recording studio where many famous musicians worked and many famous works were born). I had only $50 money in my possession so the buying of goods had to be abandoned. Without getting lost on the streets, we arrived at the hotel at 5 to check in. I walked to Beal St. and looked around, but it was a short period of quiet. It was very cold. In the end, I went to the hotel's bar to warm myself up.

(As the result of a discussion, we ate at the hotel restaurant) crab cake, caesar salad, etc. Besides the food, the restaurant's oneesan were too beautiful. Then, we toasted each other with Zinfandel. We appreciated the movie "Coyote Ugly," and my drowsiness evaporated in 10 minutes.

1.8 (mon.)
Elvis Presley's Graceland
At 10 we set out from the hotel, and arrived after a 30 minute drive. We bought the tour ticket, and after taking the arranged souvenir photo, we embarked on the tour bus. Well, we looked at Presley's luxurious residence. Uncountable numbers of clothes, gold discs, pool, a ranch, Harleys, Ferrari, Rolls Royce, Pink Cadillac, and finally a private jet! [Err, here Tak exclaims something about money. Kin kira kin!!]

National Civil Rights Museum
This is a museum with information about history in the South. There was much sadness. Photo panels showed the atmosphere and surroundings of those times. KKK, bathrooms and drinking fountains and more: the differentiation between colored and white was sorrowfully chronicled in signs...
Tak also watched a video of a white bus driver yelling about the segregated front and back sections. Tak also stopped outside the motel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated.
“My English was good enough to understand everything. But it pained my heart.”

Rock and Soul Museum
After all, this was no mere music museum. There is nothing. Only music. Without music, this place would be too sad to enter. People might not think that blues was born in a background with cruel history. Now, when we write music, there is again a recognition of these roots.

B.B. King Blues Club
At night, we went to the B.B. King Blues Club. Generally speaking, this is the type of blues club with the kind of atmosphere America loves! Beer and meatloaf, grilled chicken, caesar salad, saikou!! At 9, that night's band appeared on stage. A beer in one hand, listening to pure blues ~ mata mata saikou!! The band was good. After they finished their performance, the band's drummer came to talk. Formerly, he played in Akasaka's "Mugen." He will come to Japan in July, and we did an address exchange. Upon return to the hotel, I drank Greyhound.

1.9 (tue) Memphis --> Nashville
We set out from the hotel at 10 in the morning. Today we head in the direction of one of this trip's big goals, Nashville. After purchasing coffee and baked potato from Arby's, we took Route 40 EAST. On the way we stopped at a town for gasoline.

I can't remember the name (of the town), but for some reason, Gilbert Grape came to mind. The people who live here perhaps do not feel unhappy, but I am grateful for the excitement and encounters in my own life. We went on for approximately 4 hours. I really love the feeling of driving and was entrusted with most of it. In the car, various fine conversations were held and in the middle of talking, we arrived at the hotel. Nashville is cold. I reached the limit of my tolerance. At a nearby mall, I bought a down jacket. It was cheap!! $38!! At 6:30 in the evening, we went to Nashville's only Japanese restaurant, the Ichiban, where RIK had met my guitar tech Hakkai-kun. The food there has been skillfully prepared for a long time.

1.10 (wed) Gibson workshop
Today's main event! Takuro was happy to be taking the observation trip to Gibson workshop. We had a long meeting with Custom Division's Mike. Continuing last year's field trip with my second time here, I was really happy. [Something about men covered in wood chips doing beautiful work] The love the people at Gibson have, the amazing pride they take in the their work, has a direct connection to their tradition. My guitar went through much work, and came from here to cross over the ocean, bringing with it deep emotions. This time, my first purpose in visiting was a meeting regarding the second Tak Matsumoto Les Paul. I have to make some decisions about the final stages, such as the color, rim, fret, etc.

I always admire the Gibson crew; I can always say I am impressed.

I tried to ask about a matter which concerned me on my last visit. "Do you throw away the excess mahogany?" When I did inquire, Mike told me a lovely story. As for this mahogany, it will probably be dispatched to burn raw materials at the Jack Daniel's factory. Romantic, is it not? The fragrance of Les Paul is put out. Therefore it continues to be loved by many in rock and roll. "Tak's guitar will be used this way," Mike added. I was delighted. (I think they mean the excess wood left over from making Tak's guitar will be sent to fire up that old JD. And I promise you "romantic" is the word Tak used). As for us, at 1:30 we went to JD's hometown, Lynchburg.

Lynchburg
This was a real situation that looked like a CM. To have the liquor keep coming, is similar to guitar. It takes a lot of time and effort and must pass through many processes. It has the flavor of rock and roll. Before today, I already really liked JD. We ate a Japanese-American dinner with the Gibson staff. Of course we toasted with JD! Prime rib saikou!!

1.11 (thur) Gibson workshop
Today, we went to observe at the Gibson workshop. I tried playing a Gary Moore model. Minna, the atmosphere of the album ELEVEN entered the office in a big way. Someone there requested "Tak, play Prisoner please." After I tried playing it, "Did you like the mood of this guitar?" "Yes." "This is your guitar. Gary would be delighted. Please wait"...and I got it! I received this present I can't put in a bag and then we went on the road to the airport.

Note: Mike told Tak "This is your guitar" maybe because he was literally about to give it to Tak. But Mrs. Keen also told me that maybe it was because Tak was the first one to use Burstbuckers. So maybe Gary's model used Tak's pickups. Something like that. Oh well. Now you know about Burstbuckers.

In the plane, we drank Chardonnay as we pleasantly chatted about the trip and about music; after a 4.5 hours flight, we arrived safely in L.A. I was really happy. However, the conversation did not end there, as we went on to eat Thai food.