"SKMT: Who is Ryuichi Sakamoto" Author: [Japanese] Ryuichi Sakamoto / [Japanese] Shigeo Goto Publisher: Chongqing University Press

What kind of person is Ryuichi Sakamoto?

He does not belong to Ryuichi Sakamoto himself. He is a complex being that is divided, full of contradictions, and yet constantly in motion.

What kind of book is "SKMT: Who is Ryuichi Sakamoto?"

An "autobiography" of Ryuichi Sakamoto written from the perspective of "others"?

Ryuichi Sakamoto's 10 years of thinking and dialogue?

1000 questions about Ryuichi Sakamoto?

…

“What is the purpose of life?”

"No. Just completing life."

This is Ryuichi Sakamoto’s answer, a simple and beautiful theory.

Everything is about this moment, “now”. How to complete it perfectly, this series of processes gradually forms this book.

skmt readers will find that Ryuichi Sakamoto is a person who insists on not being fixed, remains in an amorphous state, is closely connected with the times, constantly thinking and moving lightly between them.

Another author of this book, editor Shigeo Goto, reminds readers:

The words collected in this book are things of the past.

He is no longer at that "point in time" and will not take responsibility for his past remarks.

Who is Ryuichi Sakamoto, and who am I?

This book is a collection of interviews and conversations between music artist Ryuichi Sakamoto and genius editor Shigeo Goto over a 10-year period from 1996 to 2006, allowing readers to witness the ups and downs of Ryuichi Sakamoto's inner world.

Topics range from childhood musical enlightenment, famous creations, the Gulf War and 9/11, the end of the century, disease, constant exploration of the boundaries of musical genres, poetry and literature, humans and nature... "SKMT: Who is Sakamoto Ryuichi?" strongly reflects "this era". It is not a superficial response to current events, but a response to the deep things flowing in the era. In many cases, it is difficult to tell who is asking and who is answering in the dialogue between the two. Sakamoto has always remained in an undefined state. He is a musician, a thinker, an environmentalist, a patient...

Closely connected with the times, constantly thinking and moving lightly in between, sounding the alarm bell of the times more radically than anyone else (self-centeredly!) but continuing on the unknown musical journey.

This is a book full of the underlying flows, omens, and premonitions of the new century.

Ryuichi Sakamoto: One of the most internationally influential contemporary Japanese musicians. Born in Tokyo in 1952. He studied piano and composition at a young age, and later obtained a master's degree from Tokyo University of the Arts. He has released about 80 personal music albums, composed music for more than 40 films, and collaborated with others on more than 30 albums. He has won the Academy Award, Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score, Grammy Award for Best Original Score Album, etc. He is the exclusive musician of Nagisa Oshima, Bertolucci, Almodovar, and has also been a close collaborator of pop musicians such as Madonna and David Bowie.

Shigeo Goto: A famous Japanese editor and writer, he has written books such as "The Unique Old Man".

Xu Jianming: Japanese translator/cultural observer, graduated from Shanghai International Studies University Zhendong Japanese College, formerly deputy editor-in-chief of Shanghai Walker Japanese magazine, senior editor of Weekend Pictorial, etc. His translations include: All About Yohji Yamamoto, The Story of Cooking, Women in Ukiyo-e, and The Thoughts of Nagaoka Kenmei, etc.