The following is a translation of an interview of Sakai Izumi, lead vocalist of the group Zard, regarding the release of Zard's latest album, "Eien," as recorded in the April 1999 issue of "Kayoukyoku" magazine.

--Interviewer: When making this album, did you have any specific image in mind?

Sakai Izumi: A young boy alone looking up at the stars and the various stories of love told by the constellations... A wide grass field gently watches over this scene. That's the image I had.

--There's something I'd like to know about the lyrics. For example, the song "Wake Up Make the Morning Last ~ Wasuregataki Hito e~." In this song, you introduced several unique expressions, like "Soaking my brain in a hot spring," and "My bank account of love." At what times do such ideas occur to you?

I'm really not sure myself. Everything I see before me serves as material.

--Well, then, when an idea comes to you, do you immediately write it down?

Yes, I think that everyone writes lyrics like that. Having a pen and note paper is indispensible. Then, when I suddenly think of some good words, I'm able to quickly write it down

--I have a feeling that you pay special attention to the way that Japanese words sound. So more than "singing," there's an impression that you're talking to someone right in front of youself. It seems that that may be one reason why people love Zard's songs so much...

In my situation, I take the image that I recieve when I first hear the melody, and pay special care to the inspiration that moment provides. More than words, it's a feeling inside myself, and I place that feeling into my words.

--It feels like the girl in Zard's songs is a motherly figure, silently watching over her man from a distance, without ever intruding. And, at the same time, it seems to overlap with the image I have of you. Could you compare this image to your own self.

Hmmm... Recently, I've come to feel that I don't even understand my own personality. (laughs) There are even times when I feel kind of Latin. What do you make of that?!

--What? You feel kind of Latin?! Meaning you have a kind of rascally side like the one in "I Feel Fine, Yeah"? (laughs) Well, among the songs included in this album, which song do you think comes closest to the real you?

Hmm... I suppose the song that reflects myself the most is the last one I recorded, "I Feel Fine, Yeah."

--Among all the songs you've written till now, are there any based on actual experience?

More than experiences, I write about things that I recieve with my antenna for emotions. For example, in "Brand New Love" I suddenly remembered hearing someone speak of the catch phrase "It seems undependable," and from the word "Undependable," the rest of the song developped like a puzzle.

--Okay. Changing the subject, do you have any CD's which have caught your fancy recently?

Recently, when I'm in my room, I'm always playing the Elton John CD, "Your Song," which I bought just a bit earlier.

--Well then, can we have one last message from you to give to our readers?

I'm sorry for having kept you all waiting for so long. I'd be very happy if, when you listen to this album, you feel something. This is because, no matter how good a song is, if you listen to it and don't feel anything, the song has no meaning and wasn't worth making. Yes, the most important thing is "feel."