You can check out the preliminary lyrics here: http://bzwiki.offthelock.com/Into_Free_-Dangan-_(Lyrics)

Tour: B'z LIVE-GYM 2011 -long time no see-
Venue: Club Nokia, Los Angeles
Date: July 24th, 2011

Here's a relevant extract of the voting results:

Category "Best Artist": B'z ranked 5th (5th in 2010, 3rd in 2009)
Category "Best Album": C'mon ranked 2nd
Catagory "Best Vocalist": Koshi Inaba ranked 1st (same as 2009, 2010)
Category "Best Guitarist": Tak Matsumoto ranked 2nd (1st in 2010, 3rd in 2009)
Category "This year's biggest news": Matsumoto winning the Grammy ranked 4th
Category "Best Drummer": Shane Gaalaas ranked 16th (8th in 2010, 9th in 2009)
Category "Best Bassist": Barry Sparks ranked 6th

Just as expected, B'z has gone official with some exciting news. Their hit song "Samayoeru Aoi Dangan" is going to be re-released in a re-recorded, English version as Into Free -Dangan- which will be the theme song for Capcom's upcoming game Dragon's Dogma. The game is slated for a May 24th, 2012 worldwide release.

Interestingly enough, Shane Gaalaas helped out on the lyrics! He's credited in the lyrics section.

Lyrics: Shane Gaalaas, Koshi Inaba
Music: Tak Matsumoto

Following the news, a trailer featuring the song has been uploaded to B'z official YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHuxBr0FS_E.
For those who can't see it because of stupid rights regulations, you can also check out the trailer on Capcom's official website: http://www.capcom.co.jp/DD/collabo04.html

Further news regarding the release date of the song are yet to be announced. Get hype and wait a bit!

The hype meter is constantly growing with B'z being in the middle of recording and Shane being back in Tokyo after a short break!
News should be out any day now... Everyone's hoping for February 1st (JST), so check back tomorrow in case there's some hype news!

Photo taken by: TOMUJI OHTANI

Japanese music magazine "Player" has posted a teaser for the new issue on their blog. It will feature a C'mon tour live report as well as a report on Tak Matsumoto's latest gear. The very same gear he also used during the C'mon tour. To get everyone excited, they posted a picture of the latest guitar prototype Tak is using at the moment: The Gibson Tak Matsumoto DC Prototype 2011 #1. (ver wondered what guitar Tak is holding in the picture on B'z official website? Well now you know.

Perhaps I can get ahold of that issue (out Feb 2nd) and report back to you guys! Would certainly be interesting to read that live report... and of course the Tak Matsumoto gear report

Source: Player Blog

Anyway, close to the end of the song, the singer shouts Tak, come on! and we get to hear Tak's signature sound. His solo proves to be a worthy finish for the song. In the album's booklet he's credited as "Feat. Tak Matsumoto by courtesy of VERMILLION RECORDS".

Check out the song below. Tak's solo starts at around 3:30.

Among others, Tak Matsumoto has been mentioned to be on the collaboration album as composer.

*UPDATE (January 23rd, 2012)*: The launch of the album was postponed in December, but a new date has now been announced: March 28th, 2012. The title of the song Tak is collaborating on has also been revealed: ALL RIGHT NOW. This is a completely new song by Anna Tsuchiya and will feature Tak. It is currently unclear as to what extend Tak is involved. My guess would be: Composition, Arrangement and Guitar.

Past projects Tak Matsumoto was involved in include(but are not limited to):

• Fantasia by Takamiy (Released: August 25, 2010)
• Chuo-sen by Kine Naoto (Released: April 7th, 2010)
• SET IT ON BLAST!! by Stevie Salas (Released: July 15th, 2009)

Source: B'z松本、ハイスタ難波書き下ろし曲収録!　土屋アンナのコラボ・ベスト登場 - TOWER RECORDS ONLINE

There haven't been a lot of news concerning B'z lately. They wrapped up their C'mon tour around christmas and then went on break. But for how long? Apparently not for too long as we got word from Sydney that B'z is currently shooting a new Pepsi NEX TV commercial. The first shot that was tweeted by user @greenapple21 which showed a bunch of people on top of a parking garage. She claimed it was B'z shooting a new promo video. However, the picture was taken too far away to confirm.

Today, another picture has surfaced, which clearly show Tak and Koshi sitting at a table - with apparently two Pepsi Nex bottles on the table. Looks like B'z has got a long running advertisement contract with Pepsi now? Sounds interesting... So is it a new music video they're shooting? Or a new music video AND a commercial for pepsi nex? Or just the commercial?

As B'z is currently filming, it will be a while before news get out. We suspect that news should hit the official channels by the beginning of February.

Stay tuned, B'z Brothers!

PS: Here's the picture in question:

Check out the set list after the break!

B'z LIVE-GYM 2011 -C'mon- Dome Tour Set List

1. Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo
2. Samayoeru Aoi Dangan

B'z no LIVE-GYM ni youkoso~!

1. Don't Wanna Lie
2. Pilgrim
3. BE THERE
4. Homebound
5. Boss
6. Meimei
7. DAREKA
8. SPLASH! (English Version)
9. Brotherhood
10. #1090 -Thousand Dreams- (Tak's solo)
11. BLOWIN'
12. Ichibu to Zenbu
13. Hadashi no Megami
14. Liar! Liar!
15. ZERO
16. DIVE
17. The Meister
18. C'mon

Encore

1. Itsuka no Merry Christmas
2. ultra soul 2011
3. Calling

Ending Theme: Hitori Ja Nai Kara -Theme of LIVE-GYM-

When asked to come to the school, Matsumoto gladly accepted the request: "If it's for the kids, I'll do it with pleasure". He also spoke highly of the school's new program called JAM PROGRAM. He thinks it's a great thing to connect the children to one another and making new friends of music.

Tak talked about his experiences of being in a band at the event. He furthermore  elaborated on various things from "How B'z succeeded", "How I practiced playing the guitar" to "What's a band?", "What's rock?". Afterwards, they went on to a Question & Answer session where members of LIVEJAM could ask Matsumoto questions and he would try to reply in an easy to understand manner.

One of the children asked "When you were young, what would you do in your free time?" to which Tak replied "I played Super Mario. I was really good at it!".

Another question was "Recalling past live performances, what moment will forever be in your memory?" to which Tak replied "Probably when Inaba suddenly disappeared from the stage. I could still hear him singing, but I couldn't see him. When I wondered where he was, he actually fell off the stage. But even though he fell off the stage, he was still singing!"

Everybody was very delighted to have Matsumoto-san as a guest. They were listening very closely to everything he had to say and enjoyed the time with him. To finish off the event, they took a group picture:

Source: http://info.livejam.co.jp/?eid=77

Hey folks, it has been quiet on the B'z front these days, but I'm still alive and kickin'. Today, I bring you this piece of news: Tak Matsumoto is releasing another Epiphone Double Cutaway(DC) model in Japan. It's available in Japan starting today at a price of  122,850 Yen. It comes with a hard case and a limited edition gigbag.

Judging from the picture above, it looks like Tak has already used that guitar while touring North America this year.

Epiphone has also posted quite a stunning article about Tak's new gem:

Epiphone announces the new Tak Matsumoto DC Standard Plus Top Cherry Outfit, a stunningly beautiful guitar designed by Epiphone and Tak Matsumoto exclusively for Japan. From his blistering solo work and his long-standing association with the band B'z to his GRAMMY winning albums with renowned artists like Larry Carlton, Tak Matsumoto has proved himself not only one of Japan's true masters of the fingerboard, but one of the world's most powerful rockers. With a searing tone that is utterly infectious, Matsumoto has bridged the musical gap between East and West and proved that rock is truly a universal language. Now, Epiphone brings Tak's unique design and superior tone home with the one-of-a-kind Limited Edition Tak Matsumoto DC Standard Plus Top Cherry Outfit which embodies Tak's own asymmetrical take on the popular DC Standard Les Paul style with a carved Hard Maple cap with AAA Flame Maple Veneer and a stunning Black Cherry finish.

Check out the full article here: Introducing the Tak Matsumoto DC Standard Plus Top (Japan Only)