Don't Let Me Go

"Don't Let Me Go" was released in September 1996 and is Keisuke Iwashita's only self-produced CD. Production began in April and took about three months to complete. All lyrics, composition, arrangement, performance, singing, recording, editing, and cover illustrations were done by Iwashita himself. My partner gave me appropriate advice during the recording, so I credited her with "directions." At the time, I didn't have a computer, so I asked Kojima Recording in Yoyogi to do the mastering and printing. I ordered 500 sheets and 5 cardboard boxes. I priced it at 2,000 yen, but only about 200 copies were sold. Afterwards, I handed them out to people (I still have about 100 copies left in my closet).
The following is a quote from Kazuhiko Yukikawa, which was published in the "Independent Edition" of "Music Magazine January 1997" (pages 266-267).
"Don't Let Me Go" is a CD containing seven songs, mostly played and sung on the piano. It has a smooth flow similar to the quiet songs of Elton John, Todd Rundgren, and Pete Townshend, an oozing pop sensibility, and a heartrending voice and melody that remain in your heart.