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rehabilitation up to the first half of 2024

rehabilitation up to the first half of 2024

A Reflection on the First Half of 2024

目次

Self-Introduction

My name is tonya_harding, and I am part of a unit called “rehabilitation.”

Back in the day, I was on a social networking service called mixi, using my real name. As a bit of a tech novice, it took me a while to realize that using my real name wasn’t a great idea. In response to everyone adopting interesting mixi names, I started calling myself tonya_harding.

Over time, the name “tonya_harding” inadvertently stuck as my DJ name and such, though I never quite got used to introducing myself as “tonya_harding” when attending events as a guest on someone’s list.

Still, before the athlete Tonya Harding’s movie “I, Tonya” was released, there were some benefits to the name. If you searched “Tonya Harding” online, my blog would appear at the top of the results. However, since the movie came out, this fake “tonya_harding” has ended up much deeper in the search rankings, and any benefits are long gone. At this point, I continue using the name out of inertia.

For nearly 20 years, I’ve been making music with Prestige Kato, both as a solo artist and as a unit under the name “tonya_harding.” It’s similar to the Bon Jovi format.

I take on various roles, such as DJing, guitar, vocals, and songwriting. I enjoy idol songs, Being系 (music associated with the Japanese label Being Inc.), house music, and bass music. My original music is heavily influenced by R&B, soul, kayōkyoku (Japanese pop from the Shōwa era), and slightly older JPOP.

About Renaming to “Rehabilitation”

From tonya_harding to Rehabilitation: Prestige Kato and I have been making music together, on and off, for about 20 years. Around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to changes in our respective family environments and other factors, our activities came to a lengthy pause. Also, a few years ago, I quit social media, and Kato was not very active on it either, leaving us with few means to communicate or promote our activities. We recognized that restarting our activities would require rehabilitation and effort in various ways.

When I left social media, some people may have thought, “Oh, it seems our connection doesn’t matter to him.” To those who might have been looking forward to staying connected with me, I apologize. There were certainly positive aspects of meeting and interacting through social media and music, and I am grateful for that. However, at that time, I was not in a mental state or situation where I could continue on social media. I needed to cut ties completely and use my limited time to turn things around.

Now I’m back on social media as if nothing happened, but I still see many posts that bring me down. Also, I often realize that I’m not getting the same reactions as I did back then, which can be tough to accept. Still, I’ll learn how to use it, control my access, and use it solely to enjoy myself and for music activities.

Henceforth, we decided to name our activities “Rehabilitation.” There is a certain responsibility and even a sense of mission behind adopting this name, so I have written down my thoughts on the blog below.

「リハビリテーション」音楽で紡ぐ、終わりなき再生の物語

inside human body

I’ve long wanted to create a song with a brass section, and I finally released one that’s quite close to my ideal. The rhythm section (drums, bass, guitar) was recorded live in one take in a studio. The vocal takes were minimal, prioritizing the energy.

It’s a significant song for me, and I really like it. Plus, Moe Yamashita gave an outstanding performance in the music video, so please enjoy and share this YouTube video.


Actually, this song was previously released with an arrangement by yuichi_NAGAO.

tonya_harding · inside human body Full.Ver

It was a song that had only been performed live in an acoustic or band setting, but I was thrilled when it was arranged in a fun Future Bass style back then. Given the melody and chord progression, it was quite a challenge, but I think he did a great job.

Minato no Guitar Hiki

The foundation of this song was created quite a while ago, and it was left on the shelf for a long time, never performed live. However, we thought that by changing the melody and theme, we could make it work, and it eventually took shape in a way that satisfied both of us, leading to its release. It’s also enjoyable to perform acoustically.

Although there are many times when Kato and I don’t see eye to eye or when his unexpected suggestions throw me off, there are moments when he surprises me in a good way, like asking, “What do you think of Minato no Guitar Hiki?” Those moments are why we are partners.

I got hooked on the drama and music of Stranger Things, which influenced the use of synthesizers in this song in ways that haven’t appeared in our previous tracks. The song centers on a live studio take of the rhythm section, supplemented with additional recordings and programming.

It may not be resonating much since the YouTube views are low, but both the harmony and structure of the song are things I appreciate whether I listen to the track or play it live. Therefore, I plan to keep promoting and performing it persistently.

Participation in DJ Io’s Memorial Compilation

Just as I was beginning to strongly feel the desire to create more music, perform live, and DJ, I heard the sad news of DJ Io’s passing. Having shared many memories with him, I entered the memorial compilation as soon as I found out about it. I had just started making music on my computer, but I saw a lot of potential in Synthesizer V. This was before Kato and I seriously began discussing working together again, so it’s a solo work of mine. The song was created with thoughts of DJ Io and Yamada Warp in mind.

※ Download available from the Bandcamp link below

Remix of Nogizaka46

I’ve made mashups and partial edits before, but this might be my first full remix of a Nogizaka46 song. Properly creating modern bass music is quite challenging. There are areas where it’s not perfect, but I mostly achieved what I set out to do, so I’ll leave it as is for now.

DJ Hamasodachi played this at the Ringo Music Festival in Aomori, which was very rewarding for me. Thank you!

“Sorry f1ngers cr0ssed (tonya_harding Remix)”

tonya_harding · ごめんねf1ngers cr0ssed (トーニャハーディングRemix)

DJ MIX

I created two DJ mixes, each consisting of more tracks than I’ve ever used before. When everything aligns, like context and song key, it feels fantastic. But I don’t want to be constrained by that alone, and I always want to create highs and lows within a single set. Also, in my case, there are friends, acquaintances, and seniors who were once close to me and have made wonderful music. I think of DJ mixes as a way to pay respect, remind past acquaintances of our shared times, and introduce their music to younger listeners.

“summer of rehabilitation”

setlist

DJ MIX「summer of rehabilitation」曲目紹介

“Rehabilitation”

setlist

DJ MIX「リハビリテーション」セルフライナーノーツ

Live Performance

Thanks to Ms. Kiyomi Kobayashi, I was able to perform live.


It was a truly wonderful event, featuring an eclectic mix of opera, electronic rock, idol songs, soul, R&B, and improvisation—a truly all-genre and positive chaos, with a gathering of highly talented performers.

Ms. Kiyomi also booked us for October 26, and we even have a collaboration planned!


I am truly grateful to Ms. Kiyomi.

Future Goals

Band Performances

I hope to do a live band performance by the end of the year, or at least next year if that’s not possible. The recording members for inside human body and Minato no Guitar Hiki are reliable, and even if scheduling becomes difficult, we can still work out the lineup. The current situation, and the people who care about our music and performances, are the greatest assets we’ve built up through our intermittent music-making.

DJ Appearances

I’d like to DJ at clubs or DJ bars. I want to blast my own songs and remixes at high volume! Although I won’t rely on past event connections or collaborators (though I’m grateful to them), I’d be happy to receive DJ gig offers based on the two mixes above and the information provided in my self-introduction:

“I enjoy idol songs, Being系, house music, and bass music,”

along with our original songs and other information.

Approaching Taiwan and English-speaking Regions

Writing lyrics in Taiwanese and English to deliver our music to people in those regions is something anyone can do, so I will do it. Then, performing live in Taiwan, English-speaking regions, etc., is a goal we have, although it is a high hurdle.

While we may not have youth or visual appeal, nor the talent to move or thrill large numbers of people, that doesn’t mean people like us aren’t allowed to make music. Kato is deeply inspired by Taiwan, and I have been moved by places I once visited, and want to perform music in those places. While this may not be an ambitious dream, we are well aware that doing so “by demand” is difficult.

We also want to perform music in various locations within Japan and will start from scratch to think of ways to deliver our music and make the necessary efforts to do so.

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