Takeru (former vocalist of SuG) announced that his solo project “sleepyhead” will officially conclude activities following its fourth-anniversary tour next year.
Following the release of the short novel Sentimental Worlds End on February 20, 2022, the project will embark on a final tour of the same name.
Read the translated statement from Takeru himself regarding the situation below.
Comment from Takeru
March 17, 2022
The fourth anniversary of the project known as sleepyhead seems like a good time to bring it to a close.
First of all, the way that I am now, I don’t believe I can create anything better than Sentimental Worlds End.
I devoted so much of myself to it and it has become a masterpiece that I take great pride in. I am deeply grateful to the fans and everyone who helped make this possible for the continued support under these circumstances.
sleepyhead’s final release will be a 3D music experience—a novelization of the album, Sentimental Worlds End. It is not a transcription—it is a novel on the theme of suicide notes, drawing on emotions I have myself experienced in my life, written by me.
This is not a sudden, spontaneous occurrence, but I have been having these thoughts about death ever since I can remember.
That is the reason I have been able to create and also the reason I have forced myself to change the negative into the positive.
At the same time, I became conscious of the fact that I was exposing myself to negative things on purpose to use myself as a medium for creation.
Heading away from good things and in a direction that would make me miserable.
I knew that if I didn’t end my relationship with that “sentimental world”, I wouldn’t be able to continue.
If I am going to live, I want to experience the world in a different way.
sleepyhead was a way for me to create an alter ego for this life, to create a separation from this “sentimental world”. It was an incomplete resurrection—a dream that was a thread that extended past the unexpected end of a band. I think I hadn’t quite become “Takeru” back then.
Since the start of the pandemic, it has been getting more and more difficult to set each individual gear in motion. The hurdles that must be overcome have been endless and inevitably, I have encountered stress because of them.
Also, when I don’t complete things in a way satisfactory to myself, I feel like I only have myself to blame and as a result my confidence and motivation regarding creative work has been dwindling.
Things are changing every day, and I find that there are more and more complicated situations that I can’t simply push through with passion or effort alone.
It’s hard for everyone so it feels like I can’t tell anyone that it’s been difficult for me, too. I wanted to tell you all but I realized I felt like my hands were tied in that regard.
I feel like if I continued this way, I’d grow to hate making music and creative pursuits, and I don’t think I can stand feeling like that anymore.
This is a path I chose for myself and I do not have a single regret. As leader, while being conscious of my responsibilities, I challenged myself in pursuits that I enjoyed and learned to deal with my weaknesses with all my strength. However, because I was constantly putting it all into facing this ever-changing world, I couldn’t afford the energy to show my thanks to others.
If I don’t remedy this, I won’t be able to become a Takeru that I can be proud of.
In order to find the joy in this once again.
In order to overcome the past.
It will be 15 years since I started activities next year, and I would like to take some time to carefully reflect on what got me this far and what I must do from here on out.
Those feelings of happiness and enjoyment, I want to be able to accept them more honestly, and now feels the time to search for what can be born from them.
Meeting you all is what gave me the place I belong.
In order to return that favor, I want to change.
At the end of the year, at least until the start of the final tour, I’ll take a break from updating my social networks too in order to find my way.
To all of you who helped create this unending dream over the last four years. Thank you very much.
December 4, 2021
Takeru