MEMBER | Dasr
Blog
Rustin Hiatt - Interview |
| Posted: 04/16/08 22:06:12 | Tag: Interview |
|
|
| Comments | Total: 0 |
Steve Laity of Guitar Vader - Interview |
| Posted: 03/06/08 00:50:11 | Tag: Interview |
Have you ever thought that some dreams might be a impossibility? Dare to  dream big my friends because sometimes even the seemingly impossible may be in your future. At no time was this more evident than when interviewing Steve Laity the newest member and keyboard player of the rock band Guitar Vader.Where are you from? What kind of background do you come from? Steve Laity [Guitar Vader]: I was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. I come form a family of teachers and musicians. I guess that's why I'm doing both of those same things! Where and when did you first learn Japanese? When did you first visit Japan? Steve: I started studying Japanese at YesJapan.com in 2000 which was also the year that I first visited Japan. I started taking classes within one month of returning. Japan is truly an awesome place and its amazing how one trip changed my whole life. What brought you to Japan prior to becoming a member of Guitar Vader? Steve: My brother was living in Japan at the time. I was at a part of my life where I wasn't sure what to do with myself, so my brother invited me to visit him in Japan and it was a great experience for me. However, before ever visiting Japan I was a Guitar Vader fan. Where and when did you meet the members of the band? Steve: I'm going to guess that I originally met Ujuan and Miki after one of their concerts in the summer of 2002. They were headlining a show in a famous live house called Shinjuku Jam in downtown Tokyo. Would you please tell us the story of how a keyboard player from Las Vegas becomes a member of the Japanese rock band Guitar Vader? Steve: I get this question a lot. I have always been a fanatical fan of all of my favorite bands. After seeing Guitar Vader in 2002 I began to send emails to Ujuan on a semi-regular basis. I was always asking him why Guitar Vader has so many great catchy keyboards lines on their cd's but they don't have a keyboard player available for their concert's. Originally, I had the idea that my brother (Guitar Vader fan) could play Keyboards in the band. He was a professional musician at the time in Tokyo, so the idea had merit. Fortunately, that never happened and about 2 months after I moved to Tokyo I got a phone call from Ujuan. He said that if I could play the parts then I could join the band. I bought some keyboards and here I am. I think the real reason I am here though is because I was really trying hard to help the band through promotion and cd sales. A band is like a company. There are two parts, one you have to be able to play your part and two you have to be dedicated to making the band better through any means possible. I hope that I am accomplishing both. What was your first live performance with the band like? What were your thoughts? Steve: My first live performance went pretty well actually. For the most part I didn't make too many mistakes and I felt fine. I was in a little bit of shock actually. I kept looking over at Ujuan tuning his bass and saying "I can't believe this is happening!" The second performance was when I got really nervous and made some mistakes on stage. I got a little worked up when a long time Guitar Vader friend came and stood right behind me during the sound check to see if I was playing everything perfectly. Luckily, he said I was doing a good job, but I never really got over the feeling of being watched so intently. That was when I really realized what it meant to be playing in Guitar Vader. I never take any show lightly. How have Japanese fans of the group responded to your initiation as a member? Positive? Negative? Steve: Japanese fans have always been really friendly and positive. So far there haven't been any negative reactions that I know of. How much participation do you have in the actual song writing? Are you allowed to write your own keyboard music and ideas and present them to the group, or are you given sheet music to work with initially? Steve: Ujuan and Miki do most of the writing. This is the way it should be because if I were to change anything then Guitar Vader wouldn't be Guitar Vader. I am able to add my own ideas to the keyboard parts and suggest changes though. The band has a certain way they like to do things but they are always open to my ideas. I haven't had any impact on the original music creation process except for constantly telling Ujuan to put in a lot of keyboard parts. However, they do give me some freedom to work my own ideas into existing songs for the live shows. I don't use any sheet music, I just listen to tracks from the band or the cd's themselves and then play them by ear. Everything is memorized. Do cultural and language differences get in the way of understanding your fellow group members? Fans? Steve: I like to think of myself as a decent Japanese speaker, but when I am speaking to Ujuan or Miki I always get really nervous because they are my heroes. There are some cultural differences. Things are done differently in Japan rather than the U.S and that has taken some getting used to. I try to stay out of the way unless I am asked to do something for the band. We all get along very well. We all have different musical preferences but at the core I think they are all the same in some way. Talking with fans is sometimes difficult for me. It's strange because I feel like I am one of them so when they ask me for an autograph or something I always feel a little strange. How has joining one of the greatest bands to come out of Japan changed your life? Steve: The experience has helped me a lot. It's great to finally be on the other side of things and see how being in a band really works. I have been witness to all of the passion that goes into making a Guitar Vader cd as well as performing on stage. It has added a lot of joy to my life and also a larger work load. Being a member of the band also gives me clout while working on JapanFiles.com. Other bands give me more respect because I am actually out there playing just like them and not only trying to get them to sign a contract. No matter what happens this has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Interview from 2005.03.12. I would like to thank Steve Laity of Guitar Vader for his participation in this interview. - Denise Smith |
| Comments | Total: 0 |
Poets of the Fall - Interview |
| Posted: 10/04/07 19:19:07 | Tag: Interview |
|
Up and coming, and ready to take the world by rock storm Poets of the Fall are a rock band formed in Helsinki, Finland, in 2003. Known for their rock and rock-alternative style of music. Poets of the Fall are also known as a band with an eclectic member mix; a rock singer, a jazz guitarist, and 'the' industrial-machine-trance-man. Poets of the Fall are composed of singer Marko 'Mark' Saaresto, guitarist Olli 'Ollie' Tukiainen, and keyboard-player Markus 'Captain' Kaarlonen. Poets of the Fall's music is amazing, their instrumentals flawless, and their vocals epic in feel. I recently talked to singer Mark Saaresto about Poets of the Fall's origins and yet untitled album due out in spring 2008.  Who are you and what instrument and brand do you play? Mark Saaresto: I'm Mark. I'm the lead singer for Poets of the Fall. How did Poets of the Fall come into being? Mark: Um. Through several lucky accidents, I guess. Mainly, myself and our guitarist Ollie used to jam in another band, where we realized that we had similar goals in life and that we wrote music real well together, so we decided to form a band of our own. Later on, another lucky coincidence brought Captain into the team... and there you have it, Poets of the Fall was formed. How old were you when you picked up your first instrument? Under what circumstances? Mark: I got a guitar for my seventh birthday, and eventually I did learn how to play, but I had already been singing since I was three... so I suppose being a singer, I was born with my instrument. Who or what inspired you to become a musician? Mark: It's an innate thing. I never saw or heard somebody sing or play and decided I wanted to be a musician. I think I started the whole music thing before I was even old enough to understand what a musician is. Of course, at some point in my life, I spent long years trying to accommodate my family's more conservative wishes of getting "a real job", in other words becoming something I didn't want to be, but I couldn't keep that up. It would've been a sham. It occurred to me at some point that I couldn't be satisfied in life if my life's work didn't somehow involve making music and singing. Remembering back to your first time in front a live audience, what comes to mind? Mark: With Poets of the Fall we were at this festival where there were a bunch of bands playing before our show time. I remember having a severe case of the butterflies, and I wanted to throw up many times, I was that nervous. As the evening wore on, I became more and more anxious to get up on stage and have the whole thing done with, so I could get my peace again. so by the time it was time for us to get up there and play I was so wired up to go sing and blow the place to bits, that I wasn't the least bit scared anymore, which was fun, because’ I found out I could pretty much do whatever I wanted on stage and get the whole audience to do the same stuff with me. So we really had a blast. My very first personal performance before an audience happened when I was just three years old. It took place at a family gathering, loads of people, big family, cousins uncles aunts, the whole enchilada. I'd picked up a screwdriver and used that as a microphone to sing my impromptu songs a capella. Which bands/artists do you listen to? Mark: Anything and everything I like, no matter how uncool they were considered and vice versa, I don't care how on top someone is, if there's nothing for me in their music, I'll pass thank you very much. What's your favorite venue a) to play; b) to see a band? Mark: We played at E-Werk in Cologne last march. That was a cool place to play. It was the sort of old factory kind of hall straight out of some movie that you'd just love to convert into the coolest home you ever lived in. Will there be a USA/Canada tour in the future? Mark: I sure hope so. What do you want fans to get from your music? Mark: Emotions. Palpitations. "Oh My Gods!" “What the fxxxs!" And solutions. Have you got any upcoming events/releases you want to promote? Mark: Yes, we are currently working on our third album. It's going to come out in the spring of 2008 and I can already tell it's going to be our best album so far. I'd really love for people to keep an eye out for that one, because when it comes out they'll know why it's already the talk of the day all over the place. It'll have stuff on it that you'll be happy you didn't miss. Happy days to everyone. I have to agree with Mark about the USA/Canada tour, we can only hope that as word and sales spread such a thing will happen sometime soon. I would like to thank Mark Saaresto, Poets of the Fall and Tara Kojonen (Interviews and media relations, Finland) for their participation in this interview. ~Denise Smith (Interview 2007.10.01) |
| Comments | Total: 0 |
The Seven - Interview |
| Posted: 09/23/07 15:31:11 | Tag: Interview |
|
The Seven is the brainchild of musician, songwriter and producer Kevin A. Smith. The Seven's eclectic sound takes inspiration from many artists who step outside of the box. Like them, Kevin Smith takes delight in all music, pushing at the boundaries of what is perceived to be possible. Breaking away from the expected, The Seven take us on a wonderful musical journey. An exploration into Metal, Rock, Jazz, Classical music, and anything else that Kevin Smith finds inspiring. I recently talked to Kevin about The Seven's history, and the new album Unsatisfied, to be released mid-summer 2007.  Please introduce yourself, and what CD is in your CD player right now? My name is Kevin A. Smith... 38 years old, married to my best friend Heather, father of Annabelle. In my CD player right now is the album Aerial View, by Gamalon, killer jazz-rock fusion that hit me like a brick in the head the first time I heard it in 1990. My buddy Christian sent me a promo cassette of the album and I popped it in my walkman (remember those?) and listened to side 1 over and over again, it was so freakin' cool that I was afraid the rest couldn't be as good so I just kept listenin' to side 1! I just found it on eBay for $1 and it's as good as I remember... both sides! Could you tell me a little history of both you and your recording studio? Let's see... I was born in Columbia, South Carolina. Started playing the guitar at age 12, a couple years later my parents got divorced and I was "relocated" to Williamsburg, Virginia. It was a very scary, negative experience that was intensified by raging adolescence, but it forced me to turn inwards and focus on music and my guitar playing. In the crucible, ya' know? I quit school and moved out at 17, chasing the music in my head... and 20 years later I'm still chasing. Somewhere along the line I bought a four track recorder, a drum machine, a bass, and a keyboard. I kept hearing all of these things in my head that I wanted to capture and after my first few recordings I knew I was hooked on the recording process. This love turned to passion and about 10 years ago I quit my day job and dove headlong into entrepreneurship... Six+1 Studios was born. I bring all my experiences, both musical and relational, to the studio and have grown a varied crop of clients from all around my region. From rap to country to metal to American Indian flute music, my studio is open to all. I have been honing my skills as a producer and have been pursuing projects that I feel I can take to another level. I get paid to do what I love... it doesn't get much better than that. Who are The Seven, and what instruments and brands do they play? At this point it's just me. My main six-string axe is a Line 6 Variax that I put a maple Warmoth strat neck on. I love this guitar! I also play an early 80s Fender Squier Strat (back when they made them in Japan and they were actually good guitars!) with EMG pickups. I also have a 1967 Gibson J-50 acoustic guitar that sounds really great, a Godin BG5 bass and I just bought a Peavey Cirrus 5 string bass. I run my guitars through a Line 6 POD XT live, direct for recording and through a Peavey Classic 50/50 stereo tube power amp to 2 2x12 cabs with EVs for live. The Seven is an unusual name, is there a story behind it? Well, I wasn't interested in the self-aggrandizing that seems to come with self-titled bands. I thought a name would paint a better mental picture than just the Kevin Smith Band or some such thing. I don't consider myself a numerologist, but the number seven has been an important number in my life. It represents completion and wholeness and presents a positive form with just a hint of mystery. What artists have influenced you? Which still do? My first serious influence was a family friend named Scott Miller - a great guitarist and an unusually cool person. When I was about 11 or 12 he got me set up and pointed in the right direction by recommending such artists as Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath. I remember listening to his copy of Back in Black, over and over. From there I got really into more metal and progressive music; Judas Priest, Maiden, Rush, Saga, Queensryche. And the sometimes lyrically challenged 80s metal stuff; Ratt, Dokken, Dio, Night Ranger, etc. I was smitten with guitar players like George Lynch and Gary Moore. Somewhere in my mid teens I discovered, with Yngwie's help, that I had a strong love for Baroque period classical music and bought a bunch of J.S. Bach and Vivaldi. Then Joe Satriani happened. After that, there were no more parameters. I just dug into anything and everything, jazz, space music, Philip Glass, and I found myself gravitating towards music with a strong cinematic element. Tunes that presented themselves to me accompanied by a movie that played inside my head. And music that SOUNDED really good... high production value. Some of my favorites: Eric Johnson, Neal Schon, Tim Pierce, Steve Lukather, George Lynch, Yngwie Malmsteen, Shawn Lane, Joe Satch, Gary Moore, Michael Schenker, EVH, Ronnie Le Tekro, Akira Takasaki, Vinnie Moore, and Steve Morse. Stand out albums: Led Zeppelin Presence, Yngwie's first album, Joe Satch Not of this Earth, Eric Johnson Tones, Carlos Alomar Dream Generator, Queensryche Rage For Order, HSAS Through The Fire, and Yes 90125. These days I find that I am more influenced by drummers than anything else. Dennis Chambers, Danny Carey, Alan White, Bonham, Rod Morgenstein, Mike Portnoy, Steve Smith, and others. I am often inspired by Dave Weckl, and recently Neil Peart. What is it about drummers that are influencing you? Rhythm is the heart of all music and I find myself infinitely fascinated by the 2 and the 4 and everything in between. I think that rhythm is where music primarily connects to the soul, patterns that we feel like a heartbeat. I am like so many other guitar/bass players out there... really just a frustrated drummer! BTW, I got to see Dave Weckl do a clinic in Atlanta a few years back - utterly mind-blowing! He has by far the most command over his instrument than anyone I've ever seen. One of my more recent faves is Abe Laboriel, Jr. - very tasty player. Who is the songwriter? I've heard writers say craft; others describe inspiration as their motivation. Could you describe your process, the way you write a song? I write and arrange all of the music, which is the way I have set it up. Not because I am a megalomaniac but because that is what The Seven is: the product of MY imagination. I have found that I hear all of the parts of the song as it develops, and each instrument plays a pivotal role in the composition as a whole. I haven't really settled into one particular writing style or process, it varies from song to song. Sometimes a life event can inspire a melody or rhythm, sometimes I am just jamming around and an idea will develop, but some of my favorite songs are seemingly "delivered" to me. I will grab my guitar and sit down to play and literally the first thing my fingers do will be the core of a song idea. The song "Meaning Of Is..." was that way, and so was "A Walk Across Nowhere." I've read in your bio, and I quote: "A project that recognizes music is inherently spiritual and is a gift from someone much greater." Could you explain what that means? First and foremost in my life I am a follower of Christ. An agent in the insurgency, trying to infiltrate our culture and others with the discipline of love and selflessness. About 20 years ago, after exploring other worldviews, I became intimately connected (much to my surprise) with the Creator of the universe. I have been grafted into the rhythm that flows endlessly from the Creator/Redeemer, this universal music of life. I see my music now as a gift from above, and what better way to celebrate that gift than by sharing it with the giver. Sphere of Influence (1996), and Meaning Of Is... (2000), are miles away in time from the new album Unsatisfied (2007). The former two having a continuity, in songs like; from the album "Sphere of Influence," "She Takes Me There" and "The Location Song," from the album "Meaning Of Is...," "Runner" and "Function S." Describe to me the album Unsatisfied (2007), what am I going to hear? I tried to put all the distractions aside, tried to fight off the impulse to put a little bit of every style on there, and just make the album that I hope will define what my vision for The Seven always was: big, heavy, beautiful, intense, guitar-driven instrumental music. What was the influence for this album, and how does that differ from your earlier works? Well, like I said above: focus. Trying to narrow my focus. I had this big pile of songs and ideas to pull from so I divided them into 3 categories: heavy stuff, jazzy/fusiony stuff, and The Seven stuff. Before I would just put anything on my albums, they are really more like compilations of my musical experiments. This go around I wanted some degree of continuity, I wanted to present itself as a complete ride. One of those albums you put on with headphones and take a journey with a defined group of travelers. What do you believe is the main differences musically in this work, than the earlier four? Hopefully maturity and skill. After focusing so heavily on production for the past 5 years, I believe that this album will have a really strong sound. I've got a better sense of tone and intonation now and a really streamlined way to work so I hope to capture more good performances as they happen. What continuity if any, will anchor this album to the other four? Adventure. The tendency to take a chance and step out and explore. I'm still amazed by those 12 little notes... When will the album be released? And where may we find it? I'm shooting for mid-summer or early fall and you should be able to find it at Guitar 9 Records (www.guitar9.com), CD Baby, iTunes, and hopefully some other specialty shops that deal in instrumental music. Is there anything you would like to add, or say to fans? Just a big thank you to those of you who appreciate the beauty and importance of music without words, to people with imagination! Any and all comments and questions are welcomed. And remember, love wins. I would like to thank The Seven and Kevin Smith for his participation in this interview. ~Denise Smith (Interview 2007.02.22) |
| Comments | Total: 0 |
The Captains - Interview |
| Posted: 09/23/07 14:58:27 | Tag: Interview |
|
The Captains' nostalgia-with-a-twist sound is always fresh and original. Inspired by The Spiders and The Dynamites, the band's 60s 'Group Sounds' style is a dynamic force to be experienced both live and on CD. I talked with The Captains' Kizuhiko [Guitar, Vocals], Hizashi [Guitar], Ted [Bass] and Yosuke [Drums] about the band's influences, and the album Shinsekai.  Can you tell me something about The Captains' history? We formed in October of 2001 in Sendai. The leader Kizuhiko decided to "do a rock 'n roll sound that only the Japanese can" and gathered members to that end. So far we've released three albums and a single. And we open with a live performance that makes the audience members swoon one after the other. What's been the biggest difficulties the Captains have faced? We've had many harsh things to face. It's been like sailing through the middle of a storm. However, no matter what difficulties we face, we can surpass anything and move on thanks to our fans' love. How would you describe the Captains' sound? It's a 21st century sound with a Japanese essence and The Who's destructive feelings crammed into one package. Who has influenced the Captains? The Spiders and The Dynamites and other "Group Sounds" artists. As for individual members, David Bowie (Kizuhiko) Deep Purple (Hizashi), The Beach Boys (Ted) and Number Girl (Yosuke). Who has inspired your music and lyrics? Definitely The Spiders and the Dynamites. Those groups have been our teachers. So have Sugimoto Kouichi and Tsutsumi Kyouhei. For lyrics, Hashimoto Jun. Any melody, phrase, or arrangement by those artists are more wonderful than anything. What equipment do you use? Tesco Spectrum 5 (Kizuhiko). Fender Stratocaster (Hizashi). Mosrite Ventures Model (Ted). What are your future plans for live performances? On 2/25/2005 (Sat) we're playing a one-man show in Shinjuku at MARZ. Your new album Shinsekai was released in December of last year. What concepts were in that album? Love. All the songs are love songs. It inherits the feel of the 1960s "Group Sounds," but isn't limited to it. With the title Shinsekai (The New World) we wanted to have the feeling of taking the audience with us to a new world, so we gave the album that title. What kind of style does Shinsekai have? It's a style that's nostalgic, but new. What do you think about overseas fans and tours? We definitely would like to do an overseas tour. Our live shows bring the audience together, incorporating dances and hand gestures. I'm sure that if we can cross the language barrier, it will definitely make us happy. Is there anything you'd like to say to your fans overseas? To love until you drop, that is The Captains' one wish. I would like to thank The Captains and Kanda for their participation in this interview. - Denise Smith, James Route (Published keikaku 2005.01.31 [translation, James Route]) |
| Comments | Total: 0 |
The Captains - Profile |
| Posted: 09/18/07 10:03:45 | Tag: Bio |
 Kizuhiko - Guitar, Vocal Hizashi - Guitar Ted - Bass Yosuke - Drums In 1966, the Beatles visited Japan and performed a series of concerts. The excitement around this visit sparked the imagination of young musicians, influencing not only their music, but the band's style of dress. These new '60s Japanese rock groups were called "GS" or Group Sounds. The music of these groups was characterized by heartfelt vocals, quick changes from beat-pop to psychedelic distortion, and all blended with the unique Japanese pop of the day. Inspired by such GS bands as The Spiders and The Dynamites, The Captains' GS style, complete with cheesy organ and retro wardrobe, is an original take on this unique and energetic form of rock n' roll. Deriving their name from the fact that each member was the leader in their former bands, The Captains formed in Sendai, Japan, in October 2001. Originally a five-member band, in 2002, The Captains released both their first album Shojosaku and second album Seishun Hanafubuki through independent Autobahn Records. In typical GS style both albums contained songs that ranged from wild rave-ups to impassioned ballads. As a four-man group, The Captains released their third album Shinsekai [The New World], through Last G.S. Records. Though still GS, with songs like "Koi no Zero Han," the album does take on a more pop-rock form of the genre in songs like "No No Memory" and "Tasogare Ryuuseigun." The Captains recently signed to Toshibi-EMI and are releasing their first major single, Shisshin-Tengoku -Koi Wo Shiyou yo-, on July 21, 2005. The Captains aren't a GS revue, remaking old songs or imitating their idols. The band's choice of genre is delivered with an authentic retro look, solid choreography, and original music written by band members Kizuhiko and Hizashi. Always musically fun, the band's live performances are a trip back in time you should experience at least once. - Denise Smith (published 2005.07.06 keikaku.net, updated 2006.03.30) |
| Comments | Total: 0 |
Mothercoat - Interview |
| Posted: 11/26/07 20:01:25 | Tag: Interview |
 Mothercoat's instrumental-driven arrangements give their melodic rock style a rich and varied range of sound. Mothercoat members are Hitokazu Giga [Guitar, Vocals], Makoto Myojo [Guitar Chorus], Toki Imada [Bass, Chorus], Tomo Naito [Drums, Chorus] and Junpei Sugihara [sound Engineer]. I talked with mothercoat's bassist Toki Imada about the band's new album, Mama Manner, and their recent appearance at Fanime in San Jose, California, USA. Firstly, could you please introduce yourselves? We are mothercoat. Our members are listed below: Hitokazu Giga: Vocals, guitar. Makoto Myojo: Guitar, chorus. Toki Imada: Bass, chorus. Tomo Naito: Drums, chorus. Junpei Sugihara: Sound engineer. Our music can be a little hard to explain, but we don't blame you if you feel that way. If you ever get reasonably bored, please dig into us. How did the members of Mothercoat originally meet? Tomo and Makoto originally formed their band when they were attending university, and they tried to search new vocal talent when they looked for a new musical direction. Then they scattered the leaflets at a gig for the famous Japanese band "THE HIGHLOWS" and Hitokazu replied to it. I had a chance to sing with Makoto's guitarist, and at that time they were looking for a female bassist, so despite that I never played bass I decided to join them, with some new inspiration. Where did the name "mothercoat" come from? We wanted our band's name to have the word "mother" in it because other bands seldom do that. And we think a mother wearing her coat seems wistful. What or who influenced you to pick up an instrument first? How old were you? Originally I loved singing, so I wanted to be a vocalist in a band. But since I met the [mothercoat] members and they needed a female bassist, it made me decide to pick up the bass. I don't remember when I started to sing since I was too young, but I started playing the bass at 25 years of age. What were you thinking the first time you performed live on stage? I started playing bass after I decided to join, so naturally I had to practice so I could perform with them on stage! I did exercises for half a year or so, and when I finally got to take the stage it couldn't have felt better. What musicians inspired you? Aphex Twin, Bjork, Faultline, Mary Lou Lord, Mum, Pixies, SHING02, Sparkle Horse, Talking Heads..... Other members are inspired by Bob Dylan, Mogwai, Underworld, char, John Frusciante, Green Day, Foo Fighters, My Bloody Valentine, The Cardigans, DRY&HEAVY, and so many others. mothercoat's newest album Mama Manner, is to be released on 2006/07/07. How is this album different from Interphone? We aimed for "vividness" far more than on Interphone. Interphone was a little bit of a cool-headed album. Plus, it cost much less money for Mama Manner's recording than Interphone's. Less money, higher quality - it was also the key for this album. And Junpei, our last member, joined in the middle of the creation of Interphone. He was in a tough position during the recording process, but he decided to be a "member" of mothercoat, offering a strong commitment. We welcomed his decision because we've wanted to faithfully reflect our vision of our sound on the stage as well, and it required a regular sound engineer with every gig. We wanted him to have the same level of enthusiasm, not just be a cold, objective advisor for our sound. So Junpei's dedication as a regular member also marks a big difference from Interphone. In May of this year, mothercoat performed at Fanime, San Jose, CA, USA. What comes to mind as your favorite memory of that trip? It was our first gig abroad, and I found that the American audience tended to express their emotion very straightforwardly. So their response reached us much more than that of the Japanese audience. They came to us after the live for hugs and kisses, and it was darned a original experience for me and I loved it. What would you like fans to get from your music? A feeling of strangeness. In a positive sense, a "difference" I guess. Would you like to say anything to overseas fans? Please talk about us! Interview from 2006.07.08, I would like to thank Toki Imada and the members of mothercoat for their participation in this interview. - Denise Smith |
| Comments | Total: 0 |
