Translation: Ring match 5 vs Kazuya Yoshii (solo, The Yellow Monkey)
From so-net.ne.jp
Tatsurou (MUCC) vs. Kazuya Yoshii (The Yellow Monkey)
Kazuya Yoshii is still influencing vocalists and artist even outside rock scene. Tatsurou is of course one of them. Today he's suitably nervous to face his respected senpai.
Yoshii listened to MUCC's music and agreed to this talk session, and Tatsurou's not even trying to hide his excitement. Because this is a battle of styles, we can't allow them not to fight, but... Tatsurou-san... This time he's too excited to pay attention to the title or topics or anything... Well, I guess he should be. He has so much respect he even listened to the album to prepare for this, so I will overlook it this time. So. Did Tatsurou get the discussion started in his state of maximum tension? Get real. It's the first time I see this kind of Tatsurou (laugh).
So, today...
Kazuya Yoshii: (looks at the tape recorder) Eh?! Isn't that MD?
Eh? Yes, it's a MD. It has recebtly surprised many artists I've interviewed, so I guess MDs are already old?
Kazuya Yoshii: It's old (laugh). If you don't pay attention, they will disappear altogether.
That's how it seems.
Kazuya Yoshii: Haven't they disappeared?
They haven't disappeared, but they now have radios inside them!
Tatsurou: Ahahahaha.
Kazuya Yoshii: What's that (laugh)? Is there a radio inside this MD?
There isn't! Why do you think so?
Kazuya Yoshii: I don't know about them (laugh). Shouldn't we start the discussion?
Wow (laugh).
Tatsurou: Ahahaha. He struck straight to the heart of the matter (laugh). I'm looking forward to this.
You haven't been this polite before, Tatsurou... (laugh) You really love Yoshii-0san.
Kazuya Yoshii: But you haven't seen me live.
Eh?! Really?!
Tatsurou: Yes... Work has always piled up. But this year I'll definitely go see the summer tour! Please let me see it!
Kazuya Yoshii: ...he says, and still doesn't show up (laugh).
Tatsurou: No, really, I really will go! ...I say, if you will allow me to come. I look forward to it (takes off his glasses).
Because you took off your glasses (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: He did (laugh).
Tatsurou: Well, the time you were with THE YELLOW MONKEY, I was still a student at my home prefecture Ibaraki, so I didn't really go to concerts. But I really liked you. I love both THE YELLOW MONKEY and your solo project.
Kazuya Yoshii: So do I (laugh). Why (laugh)?
Tatsurou: This is probably ridiculous, but I really like the feeling of freedom of your solo project. I'm keeping up with your solo albums pretty well. I only sing your solo songs in karaoke.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, really? Great (laugh). I'm very happy about that. When I go to karaoke, I'm still only asked to sing THE YELLOW MONKEY (laugh).
Tatsurou: Really?!
By the way, Tatsurou-san, what is your speciality?
Kazuya Yoshii: Spe... Speciality?! That's old (laugh). Like this (points at MD, laughs).
Eh? Oh, you mean how I said speciality (laugh)? You're pointing out my old-fashioned ways yet again...
Tatsurou: My speciality (laugh) is Pojinegaman or something.
Kazuya Yoshii: That's dark (laugh)!
Tatsurou: Ahahaha. I really love Pojinegaman. There's also Sade Joplin...
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah.
Tatsurou: and 20 GO...
Kazuya Yoshii: So you like dark song (laugh). Well, it's not like I have any other kind of songs (laugh).
Tatsurou: And there's more! I sang TALI at a friend's wedding!
You're reporting that (laugh)?
Tatsurou: Yes (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahaha. But I'm glad to hear that, really.
You agreed to take part in this discussion and to listen to MUCC's music, so did you listen to an album?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yes, I listened to the album Kyuutai, which will be released 4th of March. It's great loud rock. Ken of L'arc~en~ciel produced it, right?
Tatsurou: Yes, some songs. He has been producing us since two singles before this album and we've learned much from him.
Kazuya Yoshii: Are you close friends?
Tatsurou: He's our senpai at the record company, so we've been seeing him a lot.
Kazuya Yoshii: I see.
Tatsurou: Umm... (silence)
Ahahaha. He's under a lot of pressure today (laugh). Usually Tatsurou-san's firing at the quests with his questions, but it seems that he's lost his cool today (laugh).
Tatsurou: No, I actually have lots of questions I want to ask! But I can't (laugh). When I'm this close to him, it's impossible. Impossible. I give up (laugh).
So this battle of styles ends in your complete defeat (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahaha. It's okay, you can ask anything.
Tatsurou: I think it would end that way even if it wasn't me, because there are lots of artist who respect Yoshii-san regardless of genre.
Kazuya Yoshii: Really? That's not true (laugh).
Tatsurou: No way! 9mm Parabellum Bullet's Takurou-kun (vocalist Takurou Sugawara) also said he likes you very much.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, I see. So I've become that good (laugh). Is it a good or a bad thing (laugh).
Tatsurou: You're great! Even if you have talent and keep doing it for a long time, not everyone becomes so respected, or rather, few people become like that.
Was the first band Yoshii-san started Urgh Police that you started at your home area?
Kazuya Yoshii: Right. I guess Urgh Police was my first real band. Rather than starting it, it felt like I was allowed to put it together. Everyone else was older than me, they were pretty much leading it, so I learned a lot that time.
Tatsurou: Oh~. So that explains.
Eh? What (laugh)?
Tatsurou: No, it's okay, it's okay, I'm just listening to the story (laugh).
I thought your tension is so high you're starting to say weird things (laugh).
Tatsurou: I'm not (laugh). I read from the questionnaire that you filled that when your first band started doing lives, you had a 100 people audience just like that! I was wondering why was that, and the truth is that whan I get anxious I can't help it (laugh).
But that's great.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahaha. "That's great", you say (laugh). You sound like a mother (laugh).
Tatsurou: So you do (laugh). So, what's great?
The band Urgh Police was called Mötley Crue of Shizuoka!
Tatsurou: Oh~! Great~!
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahaha. No it isn't (laugh). Like we were praising ourselves (laugh).
No, you were really good, even at that time. I remember Urgh Police. I must have seen you a few times.
Tatsurou: Wow. I wish I would've seen you too~.
At that time Tatsurou-kun must've been an elementary school student (laugh).
Tatsurou: But is your idol B.B.KING?!
Kazuya Yoshii: Yes, a recent one (laugh). I've began to listen to him recently.
Tatsurou: On the album VOLT (Kazuya Yoshii's 5th album released on March 18th) in the lyrics of Furorida you have a phrase "B.B.KING no chookingu ga sou itten da YEAH", that's great! I thought he's influencing even your lyrics. What else have you been listening to lately?
Kazuya Yoshii: Lately I've been listening to electronica a lot. I haven't listened to rock lately. I wonder if I don't like it (laugh).
Tatsurou: What~!!!
Kazuya Yoshii: Or something (laugh).
Tatsurou: (Laugh). When I heard at the BLACK HOLE (YOSHII LOVINSON's first album release in February 2004), I thought that since it's solo and not with a band, it doesn't definitely have to be rock and you can be more free. But this time VOLT's great sound is rock, right?
Kazuya Yoshii: That's right. I tried all kinds of things, but it seems that it is the thing I'm best at.
Tatsurou: I thought it was really cool. This band sound feels really fresh.
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah.
Are the musicians always the same or do you have different people playing different songs?
Kazuya Yoshii: There may be some changes due to schedules, but the drums on the albums are always played by JOSH FREESE. This time the rhythm section was recorded in three days, and because the schedules matched, I had JOSH play it.
Tatsurou: Apart from sessions, I have only experiences of being in a band and I haven't done music with others but our members, so I can't imagine it. And MUCC is the first band I've been in.
Kazuya Yoshii: Is that so? How old were you when you started?
Tatsurou: 17 years old. I became 18 that year.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh. How old are you now?
Tatsurou: This year I'll be 30.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, that's a long time.
Tatsurou: Isn't it? This is our 12th year together.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh. THE YELLOW MONKEY quit during our 13th year.
Tatsurou: Oh! That means we only have one year of MUCC left.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahaha.
Tatsurou: I especially like JAM from THE YELLOW MONKEY, but Puraimaru has a great feeling of atmosphere.
Kazuya Yoshii: Puraimaru is really refreshing. It's probably because it was recorded at the mountains next to a lake (laugh). But I also like Puraimaru.
Tatsurou: For me, there is of course melody, but what's important to me is that the song emits an atmosphere, for our own songs, too. It's very important while writing lyrics. Um, this is sudden, but have you had times when you couldn't write lyrics? Like a slump.
Kazuya Yoshii: Sure. Lots of them. This album was easy, but I was in a slump when making THE YELLOW MONKEY's third album (jaguar hard pain, released in March 1994)...
Tatsurou: Eh?! You were already in a slump at THE YELLOW MONKEY's time?!
Kazuya Yoshii: Yes, I was. I was also in a slump when making my second solo album (WHITE ROOM, released in March 2005).
Tatsurou: Really?! I really like WHITE ROOM, RAINBOW is my favourite!
Kazuya Yoshii: You know it very well (laugh).
Tatsurou: Of course I know it very well! Because I love it (laugh)! Really!
Kazuya Yoshii: And you still haven't come to my live (laugh)?
Tatsurou: ...a, ahahaha (laugh). Are slumps a periodical thing?
Kazuya Yoshii: I wonder. I don't really know it either.
Tatsurou: Sometimes I suddenly can't write... At times like that I listen to songs that make my head feel soft, and Yoshii-san's songs make the strongest bang that opens up air holes. Wow, where do these words gome from? These expressions don't make any sense. It's great. This is crazy, but the aim is great, and it goes straight to my chest. It's really great. It can't be imitated, really. I really respect you.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh no. But I'm glad to hear that. You said it well (laugh).
Tatsurou: I'm really learning a lot! What do you do when you're in a slump and can't write?
Kazuya Yoshii: So am I. For me, reading lyrics of an artist called Lou Reed makes my head soft. When you write a lot, you're bound to hit a wall and have times when you can't find anything to write about and times when you can't find proper expressions.
Tatsurou: Right.
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. I think anyone writing lyrics has experienced that. Lots of it. But this album was pretty smooth.
Tatsurou: The most surprising song on this album was Noupan! I listened to it over and over while looking at the lyrics!
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. I believe that (laugh).
Tatsurou: But I was glad to see you'd written Noupan in the questionnaire under the question "a song you liked recently".
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. Isn't it good, Noopan? I really love it (laugh). Noupan is one of my top three songs (laugh). Including THE YELLOW MONKEY times.
Tatsurou: In top three even including THE YELLOW MONKEY times?! That's a really respectable top three!
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. Respectable top three (laugh).
I want to hear the two other top three songs.
Kazuya Yoshii: I won't tell them (laugh). It's a secret (laugh).
Tatsurou: Ahahaha, so the other two songs are a secret (laugh). But anyway, I want to know how you came up with a song about not wearing underwear. If I would've been asked to write lyrics for that song, not wearing underwear wouldn't have even crossed my mind. But when I listen to Yoshii-san sing Noupan, I can't imagine it being about anything else. It's great. Very erotic. It really is great.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh no, when Tatsurou-san becomes over 40 years old, you can write it too (laugh).
Tatsurou: Really?! I think it's impossible for me... Only Yoshii-san can be that cool and not seem like they're joking. Even when I pass 40, it would still seem like I was joking. Why is there this difference... A difference in people's greatness... I'm not there yet.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. Don't strain yourself (laugh). I didn't have any other choice but to go there (laugh). I was just being true to myself when I wrote it (laugh).
Noupan is a languid, erotic song. Did you start by composing it?
Kazuya Yoshii: No, I wrote the lyrics first.
Tatsurou: Eh? What a surprise! That's great!
Kazuya Yoshii: It was the first time I wrote lyrics first.
Tatsurou: Is that so? The first time you wrote lyrics first?!
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah.
Tatsurou: But in the song the melody abruptly changes in the middle. That's why I thought you must've composed it first.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, right. That was the reason. From "sutereo sugiru yononaka" onwards there weren't much lyrics. But I didn't want to add more words. So I made second chorus and from here on I think it changes to something resembling Neil Young.
Tatsurou: Oh~. Great.
Kazuya Yoshii: Also, from that point the lyrics become abstract, and I'm not going to explain them, but actually they're panning, the sound is moving left and right.
Tatsurou: So that's how it is! Great! Great! That's how it was~ (excited).
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, but that's not all of it, I'm also singing of being without underwear (laugh). I was being clever when I wrote it.
When did you write it?
Kazuya Yoshii: Around the time of at the BLACK HOLE.
That was five years ago.
Tatsurou: Is that so? It's so old.
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. I really like this song personally. I thought that I wanted to give it proper shape someday. That's now. I was really glad when the lyrics and the music matched perfectly. Isn't it interesting?
Tatsurou: Yes. It's really interesting. When it matches it's interesting, but when it doesn't it's painful. When it doesn't match, it's really painful, right?
Kazuya Yoshii: Right. I really know that feeling of worry.
Has Yoshii-san's style of writing or content of lyrics changed between band and solo career?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah, it has. Well, this may get a little fishy (laugh), but when we were beginning, it was said that my lyrics were the reason we were not selling. But I didn't want to write lyrics that were easy to understand. At that time I was sulking. I can't do anything about it now, about the lyrics that I wrote back then. I just wrote stuff like "lobotomy of remodeled penis" or "vagina" (laugh).
Rather than hard to understand... weren't they too easy to understand for public airwaves...
Kazuya Yoshii: That's right (laugh). They said NHK won't broadcast it (laugh). But during the middle and late periods the lyrics became easier to understand (laugh). Well, I might've gone to a wrong direction for a while, but as a vocalist of a band I had to write lyrics that represented the band.
I see. Sure, there is variety within a band.
Tatsurou: Didn't Yoshii-san sing lyrics written by other members? Don't you want to sing other people's lyrics?
Kazuya Yoshii: No, not at all. Those guys didn't write any (laugh). It's not like I refused it.
Tatsurou: Didn't anyone ever say "I want to write lyrics for this song"?
Kazuya Yoshii: No, they didn't.
Tatsurou: I see. For us it's not just me, but all of the members write. I don't have anything against it, it's not a problem because I think they're interesting, but some people think it's inexcusable that a vocalist doesn't write their own melodies and lyrics.
Kazuya Yoshii: I see. I think it's because they feel they're not doing enough. Surely.
Maybe. Yoshii-san writes songs and lyrics and also plays guitar on this album, but you have others to play keyboard and percussions. So, what's the difference between that and doing the whole song by yourself?
Kazuya Yoshii: Well, I don't want to limit it to the scope of what I can do. I'm aiming for a more fusion-like, more jazz-like, full-blown thing that I just can't play on my own. I want it to stay the way I hear it in my head to the end. If I want slide guitar or something like that I'll ask others to play it for me.
I see.
Kazuya Yoshii: Does Tatsurou-kun also write songs?
Tatsurou: Yes. I sometimes write them.
Kazuya Yoshii: What's the difference between writing lyrics for a song someone else has composed and a song of your own?
Tatsurou: Well. There is a difference. There's also a difference when singing lyrics someone else has written. Lyrics that are written by someone else don't lose their scenery and nuance. Because they're not written by me, they will always have the same feeling even though time passes.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, I see.
Tatsurou: For my own lyrics, they feel very real when I write them, but gradually those feelings become memories and the way I put feeling into the lyrics changes. That's why also the way I sing them at lives changes.
Kazuya Yoshii: Hmm, is that so? I see. I've also done covers, but I wonder if I should ask someone to write me lyrics (laugh). Oh, or would it be better to ask someone to write my songs? It could be interesting. Actually I've been thinking it would be interesting to make a cover album of popular songs.
Tatsurou: Wow! I really, really want to hear that! If you did that, what kind of covers would you do?!
Kazuya Yoshii: Songs that are very major but that rockers wouldn't do.
Tatsurou: Like what like what?! Give me an example?! (extremely excited, laughing)
Kazuya Yoshii: Even if I say, you wouldn't know them (laugh). Do you know Hone made aishite by Takuya Jou?
Tatsurou: I don't know it.
I know (laugh). Seems like it would become very erotic rock. I want to hear it!
Tatsurou: What kind of song is it?
Hone made~ Hone madee~ (sings)
Kazuya Yoshii: It's a bit wrong (resolutely).
Tatsurou: Ahahahaha (very loudly).
Kazuya Yoshii: You don't have to sing it (flatly).
Tatsurou: Ahahahaha (very loudly). What else?
Kazuya Yoshii: Mirei Kitahara's Zange no neuchi mo nai or something. I'd like to turn Ishikari banka into progressive rock. Western style.
Definitely cool (shouts)!
Kazuya Yoshii: Isn't it? I'd also like to turn Hone made aishite into country.
Tatsurou: I see. You'd like to return it back to those days?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yes! Yesyesyesyes. Definitely yes.
Tatsurou: To reimport it.
Kazuya Yoshii: Yes! That would sell. Maybe (laugh).
How did Yoshii-san change from a bassist to a vocalist?
Kazuya Yoshii: I guess I wanted to sing. But when we started THE YELLOW MONKEY, I played bass at first.
Tatsurou: Really?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. But then HEESEY's band quit, and because I liked both his personality and bass playing, he became our bassist and I took guitar. We had another vocalist at that time.
Eh? So you had two guitars in the beginning?
Kazuya Yoshii: We didn't have EMMA at that time. ANNIE played drums, HEESEY played bass and I played guitar. With the vocalist there were four of us, but he left because of musical differencies, so we had to look for a new vocalist. While we were searching, I was singing. That's when EMMA came to play guitar. That's when we recieved an offer from a record company to release an album. We said we hadn't found a vocalist yet, but ended up recording anyway, so we decided it was okay and debuted like that (laugh).
Tatsurou: So that's how it happened! But I've also heard there's a height limit to THE YELLOW MONKEY. All the members are over 180 cm tall. That's also very cool.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. Sure, even though I'm still close friends with the previous vocalist, he wasn't over 180 cm (laugh). So people think that's why he left (laugh).
Ahahaha. So, did you start writing lyrics after becoming vocalist?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah, that's how it was. In Urgh Police the vocalist was the leader, and he thought that rock can't be sung in Japanese, so we only had English lyrics. I reacted to that and became a little obsessive over using Japanese. Even if it's rock, Japanese is cool. But it's true that lyrics of Japanese rock bands were too easy and unsophisticated. But Southern All Stars's Kuwata-san did that. I thought it was great. Kuwata-san writes words that are very easy to understand, but I wanted to have more decadence. So I made lyrics that were THE YELLOW MONKEY. I thought there has to be all kinds of Japanese that can ride on Western rock. It's easy to put old, hard words like "till doomsday" in rock, but I wanted to use more decadent words. I thought they would have to fit.
There's not much English in MUCC's lyrics either.
Kazuya Yoshii: That's good. It's good not to use too much English. It's good to limit it to katakana English. In my case, I worry that only these songs will fit the song, and I end up losing the meaning. They become lyrics that an ordinary person can't understand. I even care more about the meaning than fitting the melody (laugh).
Tatsurou: Ahahahaha.
Kazuya Yoshii: When I have parts like that, I take care to convey an explanation at another part of the lyrics.
Tatsurou: I see. I think the lyrics of Pojinegaman are really fitting.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. A complete turn (laugh). I was really troubled about my personal life at the time of writing it, so instead of being really serious about it, it feels like it's strong only on the surface and actually quite absent-minded.
Tatsurou: Is that so? I really like songs with a feeling of escapism. Speaking of personal life, do you like fishing?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. Love it. On my time off it's all I do.
Tatsurou: Do you like nature?
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahaha. I like nature.
Tatsurou: I also really like the lyrics of CALL ME. "I can't stretch my both hands out in the city". It wraps it up nicely.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahaha. Thanks. At that time I was resting in a place with clear air.
Tatsurou: Do you fish with your children?
Kazuya Yoshii: With a friend (laugh).
Sorry for interrupting, but Yoshii-san! MUCC will play at Budoukan on March 15th!
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, really? How many times have you been there?
Tatsurou: This is the second. It's been three years since the first. I was really nervous that time, but I think this time I'll be more used to it. Please come and see us if you like!
Kazuya Yoshii: Certainly. But they sure make you nervous, lives. Do you like Budoukan?
Tatsurou: I like it.
Kazuya Yoshii: That's good. But I was also nervous about my first Budoukan show.
Does Yoshii-san get nervous?!
Kazuya Yoshii: I do, I do! I do~. I tremble even now.
Really?!
Kazuya Yoshii: Really, really! I don't get used to it. I think it would be bad if I did. For me, there's no live without nervousness.
Tatsurou: It would be nice to do a live in a relaxed mood, but I guess you're right, you need tension.
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. Definitely. When we did THE YELLOW MONKEY's last live at Tokyo Dome, there were 70 000 people. But that live didn't make me nervous.
Tatsurou: E?! Really?! How come?!
Kazuya Yoshii: Because I already felt that it was over. At that time I thought I hated that kind of world. I was that tired. I think Tokyo Dome was a dream. We had been aiming for it. But. It was different than I'd imagined. Of course we didn't want to do a careless live. But there was no tension. There was not enough force to create tension. But when I did my first tour as YOSHI LOVINSON, the tension at a livehouse called Niigata Phase was so strong I felt like throwing up.
Tatsurou: Eh?! You weren't nervous at Tokyo Dome but you could've thrown up at Niigata Phase?
Doesn't Phase only have the capacity of 1200 people?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. But I almost threw up. My heart was bursting. I was surprised myself. It's interesting, human life (laugh).
Tatsurou: That's true. Feelings and stuff. But when you're solo, everything depends on you. That's a big chance. I think it would be impossible for me.
Kazuya Yoshii: It's terrible to do comments, MCs and radio appearances alone (laugh). When you're with a band, they will meddle, but when you're alone, you have to do everything (laugh). Our members were great at playing the straight man (laugh).
Tatsurou: Our members don't meddle (laugh)!
Ahahaha. Tatsurou-kun plays both the straight man and the fool (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: Is that so (laugh)?
Tatsurou: Yes! Because they're both needed (laugh). I feel like it's time for a riposte and end it confusing you with a sad laugh (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. That's sad (laugh).
Even though you love music, you've been doing band activities for so long there must've also been some times when you've had a feeling of failure?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. I feel like my life's full of setbacks. I think I'm a solo musician who's risen up from the failures.
Tatsurou: So even Yoshii-san sometimes feels like he's failed...
Kazuya Yoshii: I feel so even now.
Tatsurou: Is that so? By the way, why did you cahnge your artist name YOSHII LOVINSON to your real name Kazuya Yoshii? (He was YOSHII LOVINSON from 2003 to 2006.)
Kazuya Yoshii: It's because a friend from my hometown asked me "Did you know there's a guy called YOSHII LOVINSON?" (laugh)
Tatsurou: Ahahahaha. Really?
Kazuya Yoshii: Really (laugh). I told him "that's actually me..." and he went "really?!" and was surprised, so I quit using that name (laugh). Have the members of MUCC become close friends during your 12 years?
Tatsurou: Yeah, we were classmates back in our hometown.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, that's how it is. Bands like that are really close, right?
Tatsurou: We're having fun together even on our days off.
Kazuya Yoshii: THE YELLOW MONKEY was pretty close, too. The drummer and the guitarrist are brothers.
That's right. I saw their previous band several times.
Kazuya Yoshii: Killer May?
Yes.
Kazuya Yoshii: I see. I've actually been thinking that you (the writer) look like someone, and now I know who it is! You look like EMMA's and ANNIE's mother! Noriko Kikuchi. Just like Noriko! I want to mail EMMA and ANNIE a pic (laugh).
Tatsurou: Ahahahaha. That's weird (laugh).
It's an honor (laugh). By the way, is there a Japanese band that Yoshii-san admires?
Kazuya Yoshii: There is. 44MAGNUM's vocalist.
Tatsurou: Oh! Our senpai!
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, he is, isn't he?
Tatsurou: I first met him at an event nine years ago and he had a great aura. Jimmy-san spoke in honorific language and it felt even more scary (laugh). I thought it was great. They really are in a different class than us.
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah.
But he's not a guitarrist or a vocalist, so did you always aim to be a vocalist?
Kazuya Yoshii: Not really, but Paul-san is on a really high level for a Japanese vocalist. He has great voice and aura, so he feels like a great individual.
Yes, Paul-san's way of singing is definitely unique. It sets him apart from Japanese vocalists.
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. Paul-san's a foreigner. It was really wonderful. I haven't really met him, but I saw him in Shizuoka at a livehouse called Circus Town and he left a strong impression. I was about 18. They were on a different level from Urgh Police. It was great.
Bands like Loudness, 44MAGNUM and Earthshaker were the first of Japanese metal.
Kazuya Yoshii: Right. Japanese metal.
The band scene at that time was really tough and cool. Loudness, 44MAGNUM, Earthsahker, Yoshii-san's Urgh Police, HEESEY-san's Murbas and Killer May all had an individual, cool sound.
Kazuya Yoshii: Well, it was just one scene. At that time. Dead End and others. The bands that are popular now still draw inspiration from those bands. Respect them.
Tatsurou: I borrowed old DVDs and was shocked to see that MORRIE-san (Dead End's singer) already wore hair extensions. Now it's usual, but that was back then. Wasn't it sensational?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. MORRIE-san had a really good taste. He was very cool even back then.
Tatsurou: Really, visual kei at that time was really manly and cool. Even though they had long hair, they were very manly. Nowadays it has a delicate feeling. And the lyrics were manly, too.
Kazuya Yoshii: The word "knife" was used a lot in lyrics (laugh).
Ahahaha. So it was (laugh).
Tatsurou: I see! Knife! Even if we used it, it wouldn't be cool (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: Knives... I used it a lot, too. "Naa naa no naifu" (laugh). Even the performances were cool back then.
Tatsurou: I'd like to try doing MC like Yoshii-san.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. How do you know that? You haven't even seen me live (laugh).
Tatsurou: The wife of our office's chief manager is a huge fan of Yoshii-san's, so I borrowed DVDs (laugh). It seems she's a pretty important person at your fan club (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. Who's that (laugh)? But attacking 20 000 times with that MC seems foolish (laugh).
That's rock.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. It's not rock in the least (laugh).
Are there any younger Japanese bands that have caught Yoshii-san's attention lately?
Kazuya Yoshii: MUCC.
Tatsurou: (incredibly delighted) No way~ (happy)!
Kazuya Yoshii: Really. I just heard you for the first time, but I thought it was really cool. My own roots are in rock, so I'm very particular about it. If it's not cool, I won't listen to it. That's why I don't listen to rock very much. Nowadays there are lots of bands who appear at school festivals wearing glasses. I don't listen to rock bands like that. I don't listen to it if it isn't cool. The guitars are distorted and it's like listening to the guy at the pizza place. They don't really have make-up or long hair, and I think "you're not gonna be in the posters", and I don't really like that. I think it's important to be in posters. Short hair is okay, if there's a good look or outfits or something (laugh). Joe Strummer had short hair, but he still got into posters (laugh).
I really agree!!!
Tatsurou: But THE YELLOW MONKEY was really cool, even without the height rule. It still doesn't feel old. It's great that there still isn't a band that was as cool.
THE YELLOW MONKEY felt like it was Japanese glam rock. A bit languid and erotic. Nowadays the kids don't have much interest in glam rock? There are no bands playing glam rock, so if someone did it now, it would feel copied.
Kazuya Yoshii: I think there aren't any glam rock bands because youngsters don't think it's cool.
Tatsurou: What about DAIGO? Before he went solo, he was in a very showy band. Isn't that glam rock?
Kyousuke Himura's solo compositions also had a feeling of glam rock.
Kazuya Yoshii: HEESEY and ANNIE participated, too. Yeah~, it's a bit different.
Yeah~, it is a bit different~.
Kazuya Yoshii: It's a bit different.
Tatsurou: Different.
Yeah~. Glam rock isn't really a music genre, but it's not just about flashy outfits either. It's hard to put in words... Like T.REX or David Bowie.
Tatsurou: There aren't any young Japanese bands doing it?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah, there aren't. There might not come any. Yeah, there definitely won't be any.
But even if the young bands don't listen to T.REX or David Bowie, THE YELLOW MONKEY has a huge influence on them! But they still aren't crossing over. THE YELLOW MONKEY may be too cool. In 1985 there was a band called Marchosias Vamp, and it would be pretty interesting if someone started a new band with that kind of name.
Kazuya Yoshii: What kind of things does MUCC draw inspiration from?
Tatsurou: It's folk songs for us (laugh). For me it's Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi-san, and our main songwriter, our guitarrist Miya, loves Yoosui Inoue (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: I see! So that's why you like my dark songs?! I see how they fit in (laugh).
Tatsurou: Might be. Who was the first musician Yoshii-san was influenced by?
Kazuya Yoshii: It was Cheap Trick for me. After that came metal. Iron Maiden, super maiden (laugh). (Iron Maiden's name comes from a torture device used in the Middle Ages.) I got into guitar at first (laugh). At that time everyone was doing Michael Schenker. At that time I wanted to do a tribute album to Earthshaker with Tamio Okuda or Spitz or someone (laugh).
I'd like to hear that (laugh). The discussion is coming to an end, so please say something to Tatsurou as his senpai in life.
Kazuya Yoshii: Senpai in life (laugh). I'm not gonna say anything~ (looks at discography) But MUCC has really released a lot!
Tatsurou: So we have.
Kazuya Yoshii: But really, do your best. 12 years. I think that's great. You should really do your best.
Tatsurou: I really respect Yoshii-san, so when I'll do my best to improve so I'll be as good as Yoshii-san when I reach his age! I'm definitely coming to your live!
Kazuya Yoshii: Will you really (laugh)?
Tatsurou: I will! I will! I will! Please let me go! Can I go?
Kazuya Yoshii: Definitely.
Isn't there anything Tatsurou wants to say to Yoshii-san (laugh)?
Tatsurou: I want to talk with you again (laugh). But I'm satisfied if we can now take photos together!
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. Of course (laugh). Let's take photos together afterwards.
Tatsurou: Yes! Thank you very much!
Tatsurou (MUCC) vs. Kazuya Yoshii (The Yellow Monkey)
Kazuya Yoshii is still influencing vocalists and artist even outside rock scene. Tatsurou is of course one of them. Today he's suitably nervous to face his respected senpai.
Yoshii listened to MUCC's music and agreed to this talk session, and Tatsurou's not even trying to hide his excitement. Because this is a battle of styles, we can't allow them not to fight, but... Tatsurou-san... This time he's too excited to pay attention to the title or topics or anything... Well, I guess he should be. He has so much respect he even listened to the album to prepare for this, so I will overlook it this time. So. Did Tatsurou get the discussion started in his state of maximum tension? Get real. It's the first time I see this kind of Tatsurou (laugh).
So, today...
Kazuya Yoshii: (looks at the tape recorder) Eh?! Isn't that MD?
Eh? Yes, it's a MD. It has recebtly surprised many artists I've interviewed, so I guess MDs are already old?
Kazuya Yoshii: It's old (laugh). If you don't pay attention, they will disappear altogether.
That's how it seems.
Kazuya Yoshii: Haven't they disappeared?
They haven't disappeared, but they now have radios inside them!
Tatsurou: Ahahahaha.
Kazuya Yoshii: What's that (laugh)? Is there a radio inside this MD?
There isn't! Why do you think so?
Kazuya Yoshii: I don't know about them (laugh). Shouldn't we start the discussion?
Wow (laugh).
Tatsurou: Ahahaha. He struck straight to the heart of the matter (laugh). I'm looking forward to this.
You haven't been this polite before, Tatsurou... (laugh) You really love Yoshii-0san.
Kazuya Yoshii: But you haven't seen me live.
Eh?! Really?!
Tatsurou: Yes... Work has always piled up. But this year I'll definitely go see the summer tour! Please let me see it!
Kazuya Yoshii: ...he says, and still doesn't show up (laugh).
Tatsurou: No, really, I really will go! ...I say, if you will allow me to come. I look forward to it (takes off his glasses).
Because you took off your glasses (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: He did (laugh).
Tatsurou: Well, the time you were with THE YELLOW MONKEY, I was still a student at my home prefecture Ibaraki, so I didn't really go to concerts. But I really liked you. I love both THE YELLOW MONKEY and your solo project.
Kazuya Yoshii: So do I (laugh). Why (laugh)?
Tatsurou: This is probably ridiculous, but I really like the feeling of freedom of your solo project. I'm keeping up with your solo albums pretty well. I only sing your solo songs in karaoke.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, really? Great (laugh). I'm very happy about that. When I go to karaoke, I'm still only asked to sing THE YELLOW MONKEY (laugh).
Tatsurou: Really?!
By the way, Tatsurou-san, what is your speciality?
Kazuya Yoshii: Spe... Speciality?! That's old (laugh). Like this (points at MD, laughs).
Eh? Oh, you mean how I said speciality (laugh)? You're pointing out my old-fashioned ways yet again...
Tatsurou: My speciality (laugh) is Pojinegaman or something.
Kazuya Yoshii: That's dark (laugh)!
Tatsurou: Ahahaha. I really love Pojinegaman. There's also Sade Joplin...
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah.
Tatsurou: and 20 GO...
Kazuya Yoshii: So you like dark song (laugh). Well, it's not like I have any other kind of songs (laugh).
Tatsurou: And there's more! I sang TALI at a friend's wedding!
You're reporting that (laugh)?
Tatsurou: Yes (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahaha. But I'm glad to hear that, really.
You agreed to take part in this discussion and to listen to MUCC's music, so did you listen to an album?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yes, I listened to the album Kyuutai, which will be released 4th of March. It's great loud rock. Ken of L'arc~en~ciel produced it, right?
Tatsurou: Yes, some songs. He has been producing us since two singles before this album and we've learned much from him.
Kazuya Yoshii: Are you close friends?
Tatsurou: He's our senpai at the record company, so we've been seeing him a lot.
Kazuya Yoshii: I see.
Tatsurou: Umm... (silence)
Ahahaha. He's under a lot of pressure today (laugh). Usually Tatsurou-san's firing at the quests with his questions, but it seems that he's lost his cool today (laugh).
Tatsurou: No, I actually have lots of questions I want to ask! But I can't (laugh). When I'm this close to him, it's impossible. Impossible. I give up (laugh).
So this battle of styles ends in your complete defeat (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahaha. It's okay, you can ask anything.
Tatsurou: I think it would end that way even if it wasn't me, because there are lots of artist who respect Yoshii-san regardless of genre.
Kazuya Yoshii: Really? That's not true (laugh).
Tatsurou: No way! 9mm Parabellum Bullet's Takurou-kun (vocalist Takurou Sugawara) also said he likes you very much.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, I see. So I've become that good (laugh). Is it a good or a bad thing (laugh).
Tatsurou: You're great! Even if you have talent and keep doing it for a long time, not everyone becomes so respected, or rather, few people become like that.
Was the first band Yoshii-san started Urgh Police that you started at your home area?
Kazuya Yoshii: Right. I guess Urgh Police was my first real band. Rather than starting it, it felt like I was allowed to put it together. Everyone else was older than me, they were pretty much leading it, so I learned a lot that time.
Tatsurou: Oh~. So that explains.
Eh? What (laugh)?
Tatsurou: No, it's okay, it's okay, I'm just listening to the story (laugh).
I thought your tension is so high you're starting to say weird things (laugh).
Tatsurou: I'm not (laugh). I read from the questionnaire that you filled that when your first band started doing lives, you had a 100 people audience just like that! I was wondering why was that, and the truth is that whan I get anxious I can't help it (laugh).
But that's great.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahaha. "That's great", you say (laugh). You sound like a mother (laugh).
Tatsurou: So you do (laugh). So, what's great?
The band Urgh Police was called Mötley Crue of Shizuoka!
Tatsurou: Oh~! Great~!
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahaha. No it isn't (laugh). Like we were praising ourselves (laugh).
No, you were really good, even at that time. I remember Urgh Police. I must have seen you a few times.
Tatsurou: Wow. I wish I would've seen you too~.
At that time Tatsurou-kun must've been an elementary school student (laugh).
Tatsurou: But is your idol B.B.KING?!
Kazuya Yoshii: Yes, a recent one (laugh). I've began to listen to him recently.
Tatsurou: On the album VOLT (Kazuya Yoshii's 5th album released on March 18th) in the lyrics of Furorida you have a phrase "B.B.KING no chookingu ga sou itten da YEAH", that's great! I thought he's influencing even your lyrics. What else have you been listening to lately?
Kazuya Yoshii: Lately I've been listening to electronica a lot. I haven't listened to rock lately. I wonder if I don't like it (laugh).
Tatsurou: What~!!!
Kazuya Yoshii: Or something (laugh).
Tatsurou: (Laugh). When I heard at the BLACK HOLE (YOSHII LOVINSON's first album release in February 2004), I thought that since it's solo and not with a band, it doesn't definitely have to be rock and you can be more free. But this time VOLT's great sound is rock, right?
Kazuya Yoshii: That's right. I tried all kinds of things, but it seems that it is the thing I'm best at.
Tatsurou: I thought it was really cool. This band sound feels really fresh.
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah.
Are the musicians always the same or do you have different people playing different songs?
Kazuya Yoshii: There may be some changes due to schedules, but the drums on the albums are always played by JOSH FREESE. This time the rhythm section was recorded in three days, and because the schedules matched, I had JOSH play it.
Tatsurou: Apart from sessions, I have only experiences of being in a band and I haven't done music with others but our members, so I can't imagine it. And MUCC is the first band I've been in.
Kazuya Yoshii: Is that so? How old were you when you started?
Tatsurou: 17 years old. I became 18 that year.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh. How old are you now?
Tatsurou: This year I'll be 30.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, that's a long time.
Tatsurou: Isn't it? This is our 12th year together.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh. THE YELLOW MONKEY quit during our 13th year.
Tatsurou: Oh! That means we only have one year of MUCC left.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahaha.
Tatsurou: I especially like JAM from THE YELLOW MONKEY, but Puraimaru has a great feeling of atmosphere.
Kazuya Yoshii: Puraimaru is really refreshing. It's probably because it was recorded at the mountains next to a lake (laugh). But I also like Puraimaru.
Tatsurou: For me, there is of course melody, but what's important to me is that the song emits an atmosphere, for our own songs, too. It's very important while writing lyrics. Um, this is sudden, but have you had times when you couldn't write lyrics? Like a slump.
Kazuya Yoshii: Sure. Lots of them. This album was easy, but I was in a slump when making THE YELLOW MONKEY's third album (jaguar hard pain, released in March 1994)...
Tatsurou: Eh?! You were already in a slump at THE YELLOW MONKEY's time?!
Kazuya Yoshii: Yes, I was. I was also in a slump when making my second solo album (WHITE ROOM, released in March 2005).
Tatsurou: Really?! I really like WHITE ROOM, RAINBOW is my favourite!
Kazuya Yoshii: You know it very well (laugh).
Tatsurou: Of course I know it very well! Because I love it (laugh)! Really!
Kazuya Yoshii: And you still haven't come to my live (laugh)?
Tatsurou: ...a, ahahaha (laugh). Are slumps a periodical thing?
Kazuya Yoshii: I wonder. I don't really know it either.
Tatsurou: Sometimes I suddenly can't write... At times like that I listen to songs that make my head feel soft, and Yoshii-san's songs make the strongest bang that opens up air holes. Wow, where do these words gome from? These expressions don't make any sense. It's great. This is crazy, but the aim is great, and it goes straight to my chest. It's really great. It can't be imitated, really. I really respect you.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh no. But I'm glad to hear that. You said it well (laugh).
Tatsurou: I'm really learning a lot! What do you do when you're in a slump and can't write?
Kazuya Yoshii: So am I. For me, reading lyrics of an artist called Lou Reed makes my head soft. When you write a lot, you're bound to hit a wall and have times when you can't find anything to write about and times when you can't find proper expressions.
Tatsurou: Right.
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. I think anyone writing lyrics has experienced that. Lots of it. But this album was pretty smooth.
Tatsurou: The most surprising song on this album was Noupan! I listened to it over and over while looking at the lyrics!
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. I believe that (laugh).
Tatsurou: But I was glad to see you'd written Noupan in the questionnaire under the question "a song you liked recently".
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. Isn't it good, Noopan? I really love it (laugh). Noupan is one of my top three songs (laugh). Including THE YELLOW MONKEY times.
Tatsurou: In top three even including THE YELLOW MONKEY times?! That's a really respectable top three!
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. Respectable top three (laugh).
I want to hear the two other top three songs.
Kazuya Yoshii: I won't tell them (laugh). It's a secret (laugh).
Tatsurou: Ahahaha, so the other two songs are a secret (laugh). But anyway, I want to know how you came up with a song about not wearing underwear. If I would've been asked to write lyrics for that song, not wearing underwear wouldn't have even crossed my mind. But when I listen to Yoshii-san sing Noupan, I can't imagine it being about anything else. It's great. Very erotic. It really is great.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh no, when Tatsurou-san becomes over 40 years old, you can write it too (laugh).
Tatsurou: Really?! I think it's impossible for me... Only Yoshii-san can be that cool and not seem like they're joking. Even when I pass 40, it would still seem like I was joking. Why is there this difference... A difference in people's greatness... I'm not there yet.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. Don't strain yourself (laugh). I didn't have any other choice but to go there (laugh). I was just being true to myself when I wrote it (laugh).
Noupan is a languid, erotic song. Did you start by composing it?
Kazuya Yoshii: No, I wrote the lyrics first.
Tatsurou: Eh? What a surprise! That's great!
Kazuya Yoshii: It was the first time I wrote lyrics first.
Tatsurou: Is that so? The first time you wrote lyrics first?!
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah.
Tatsurou: But in the song the melody abruptly changes in the middle. That's why I thought you must've composed it first.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, right. That was the reason. From "sutereo sugiru yononaka" onwards there weren't much lyrics. But I didn't want to add more words. So I made second chorus and from here on I think it changes to something resembling Neil Young.
Tatsurou: Oh~. Great.
Kazuya Yoshii: Also, from that point the lyrics become abstract, and I'm not going to explain them, but actually they're panning, the sound is moving left and right.
Tatsurou: So that's how it is! Great! Great! That's how it was~ (excited).
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, but that's not all of it, I'm also singing of being without underwear (laugh). I was being clever when I wrote it.
When did you write it?
Kazuya Yoshii: Around the time of at the BLACK HOLE.
That was five years ago.
Tatsurou: Is that so? It's so old.
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. I really like this song personally. I thought that I wanted to give it proper shape someday. That's now. I was really glad when the lyrics and the music matched perfectly. Isn't it interesting?
Tatsurou: Yes. It's really interesting. When it matches it's interesting, but when it doesn't it's painful. When it doesn't match, it's really painful, right?
Kazuya Yoshii: Right. I really know that feeling of worry.
Has Yoshii-san's style of writing or content of lyrics changed between band and solo career?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah, it has. Well, this may get a little fishy (laugh), but when we were beginning, it was said that my lyrics were the reason we were not selling. But I didn't want to write lyrics that were easy to understand. At that time I was sulking. I can't do anything about it now, about the lyrics that I wrote back then. I just wrote stuff like "lobotomy of remodeled penis" or "vagina" (laugh).
Rather than hard to understand... weren't they too easy to understand for public airwaves...
Kazuya Yoshii: That's right (laugh). They said NHK won't broadcast it (laugh). But during the middle and late periods the lyrics became easier to understand (laugh). Well, I might've gone to a wrong direction for a while, but as a vocalist of a band I had to write lyrics that represented the band.
I see. Sure, there is variety within a band.
Tatsurou: Didn't Yoshii-san sing lyrics written by other members? Don't you want to sing other people's lyrics?
Kazuya Yoshii: No, not at all. Those guys didn't write any (laugh). It's not like I refused it.
Tatsurou: Didn't anyone ever say "I want to write lyrics for this song"?
Kazuya Yoshii: No, they didn't.
Tatsurou: I see. For us it's not just me, but all of the members write. I don't have anything against it, it's not a problem because I think they're interesting, but some people think it's inexcusable that a vocalist doesn't write their own melodies and lyrics.
Kazuya Yoshii: I see. I think it's because they feel they're not doing enough. Surely.
Maybe. Yoshii-san writes songs and lyrics and also plays guitar on this album, but you have others to play keyboard and percussions. So, what's the difference between that and doing the whole song by yourself?
Kazuya Yoshii: Well, I don't want to limit it to the scope of what I can do. I'm aiming for a more fusion-like, more jazz-like, full-blown thing that I just can't play on my own. I want it to stay the way I hear it in my head to the end. If I want slide guitar or something like that I'll ask others to play it for me.
I see.
Kazuya Yoshii: Does Tatsurou-kun also write songs?
Tatsurou: Yes. I sometimes write them.
Kazuya Yoshii: What's the difference between writing lyrics for a song someone else has composed and a song of your own?
Tatsurou: Well. There is a difference. There's also a difference when singing lyrics someone else has written. Lyrics that are written by someone else don't lose their scenery and nuance. Because they're not written by me, they will always have the same feeling even though time passes.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, I see.
Tatsurou: For my own lyrics, they feel very real when I write them, but gradually those feelings become memories and the way I put feeling into the lyrics changes. That's why also the way I sing them at lives changes.
Kazuya Yoshii: Hmm, is that so? I see. I've also done covers, but I wonder if I should ask someone to write me lyrics (laugh). Oh, or would it be better to ask someone to write my songs? It could be interesting. Actually I've been thinking it would be interesting to make a cover album of popular songs.
Tatsurou: Wow! I really, really want to hear that! If you did that, what kind of covers would you do?!
Kazuya Yoshii: Songs that are very major but that rockers wouldn't do.
Tatsurou: Like what like what?! Give me an example?! (extremely excited, laughing)
Kazuya Yoshii: Even if I say, you wouldn't know them (laugh). Do you know Hone made aishite by Takuya Jou?
Tatsurou: I don't know it.
I know (laugh). Seems like it would become very erotic rock. I want to hear it!
Tatsurou: What kind of song is it?
Hone made~ Hone madee~ (sings)
Kazuya Yoshii: It's a bit wrong (resolutely).
Tatsurou: Ahahahaha (very loudly).
Kazuya Yoshii: You don't have to sing it (flatly).
Tatsurou: Ahahahaha (very loudly). What else?
Kazuya Yoshii: Mirei Kitahara's Zange no neuchi mo nai or something. I'd like to turn Ishikari banka into progressive rock. Western style.
Definitely cool (shouts)!
Kazuya Yoshii: Isn't it? I'd also like to turn Hone made aishite into country.
Tatsurou: I see. You'd like to return it back to those days?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yes! Yesyesyesyes. Definitely yes.
Tatsurou: To reimport it.
Kazuya Yoshii: Yes! That would sell. Maybe (laugh).
How did Yoshii-san change from a bassist to a vocalist?
Kazuya Yoshii: I guess I wanted to sing. But when we started THE YELLOW MONKEY, I played bass at first.
Tatsurou: Really?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. But then HEESEY's band quit, and because I liked both his personality and bass playing, he became our bassist and I took guitar. We had another vocalist at that time.
Eh? So you had two guitars in the beginning?
Kazuya Yoshii: We didn't have EMMA at that time. ANNIE played drums, HEESEY played bass and I played guitar. With the vocalist there were four of us, but he left because of musical differencies, so we had to look for a new vocalist. While we were searching, I was singing. That's when EMMA came to play guitar. That's when we recieved an offer from a record company to release an album. We said we hadn't found a vocalist yet, but ended up recording anyway, so we decided it was okay and debuted like that (laugh).
Tatsurou: So that's how it happened! But I've also heard there's a height limit to THE YELLOW MONKEY. All the members are over 180 cm tall. That's also very cool.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. Sure, even though I'm still close friends with the previous vocalist, he wasn't over 180 cm (laugh). So people think that's why he left (laugh).
Ahahaha. So, did you start writing lyrics after becoming vocalist?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah, that's how it was. In Urgh Police the vocalist was the leader, and he thought that rock can't be sung in Japanese, so we only had English lyrics. I reacted to that and became a little obsessive over using Japanese. Even if it's rock, Japanese is cool. But it's true that lyrics of Japanese rock bands were too easy and unsophisticated. But Southern All Stars's Kuwata-san did that. I thought it was great. Kuwata-san writes words that are very easy to understand, but I wanted to have more decadence. So I made lyrics that were THE YELLOW MONKEY. I thought there has to be all kinds of Japanese that can ride on Western rock. It's easy to put old, hard words like "till doomsday" in rock, but I wanted to use more decadent words. I thought they would have to fit.
There's not much English in MUCC's lyrics either.
Kazuya Yoshii: That's good. It's good not to use too much English. It's good to limit it to katakana English. In my case, I worry that only these songs will fit the song, and I end up losing the meaning. They become lyrics that an ordinary person can't understand. I even care more about the meaning than fitting the melody (laugh).
Tatsurou: Ahahahaha.
Kazuya Yoshii: When I have parts like that, I take care to convey an explanation at another part of the lyrics.
Tatsurou: I see. I think the lyrics of Pojinegaman are really fitting.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. A complete turn (laugh). I was really troubled about my personal life at the time of writing it, so instead of being really serious about it, it feels like it's strong only on the surface and actually quite absent-minded.
Tatsurou: Is that so? I really like songs with a feeling of escapism. Speaking of personal life, do you like fishing?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. Love it. On my time off it's all I do.
Tatsurou: Do you like nature?
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahaha. I like nature.
Tatsurou: I also really like the lyrics of CALL ME. "I can't stretch my both hands out in the city". It wraps it up nicely.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahaha. Thanks. At that time I was resting in a place with clear air.
Tatsurou: Do you fish with your children?
Kazuya Yoshii: With a friend (laugh).
Sorry for interrupting, but Yoshii-san! MUCC will play at Budoukan on March 15th!
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, really? How many times have you been there?
Tatsurou: This is the second. It's been three years since the first. I was really nervous that time, but I think this time I'll be more used to it. Please come and see us if you like!
Kazuya Yoshii: Certainly. But they sure make you nervous, lives. Do you like Budoukan?
Tatsurou: I like it.
Kazuya Yoshii: That's good. But I was also nervous about my first Budoukan show.
Does Yoshii-san get nervous?!
Kazuya Yoshii: I do, I do! I do~. I tremble even now.
Really?!
Kazuya Yoshii: Really, really! I don't get used to it. I think it would be bad if I did. For me, there's no live without nervousness.
Tatsurou: It would be nice to do a live in a relaxed mood, but I guess you're right, you need tension.
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. Definitely. When we did THE YELLOW MONKEY's last live at Tokyo Dome, there were 70 000 people. But that live didn't make me nervous.
Tatsurou: E?! Really?! How come?!
Kazuya Yoshii: Because I already felt that it was over. At that time I thought I hated that kind of world. I was that tired. I think Tokyo Dome was a dream. We had been aiming for it. But. It was different than I'd imagined. Of course we didn't want to do a careless live. But there was no tension. There was not enough force to create tension. But when I did my first tour as YOSHI LOVINSON, the tension at a livehouse called Niigata Phase was so strong I felt like throwing up.
Tatsurou: Eh?! You weren't nervous at Tokyo Dome but you could've thrown up at Niigata Phase?
Doesn't Phase only have the capacity of 1200 people?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. But I almost threw up. My heart was bursting. I was surprised myself. It's interesting, human life (laugh).
Tatsurou: That's true. Feelings and stuff. But when you're solo, everything depends on you. That's a big chance. I think it would be impossible for me.
Kazuya Yoshii: It's terrible to do comments, MCs and radio appearances alone (laugh). When you're with a band, they will meddle, but when you're alone, you have to do everything (laugh). Our members were great at playing the straight man (laugh).
Tatsurou: Our members don't meddle (laugh)!
Ahahaha. Tatsurou-kun plays both the straight man and the fool (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: Is that so (laugh)?
Tatsurou: Yes! Because they're both needed (laugh). I feel like it's time for a riposte and end it confusing you with a sad laugh (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. That's sad (laugh).
Even though you love music, you've been doing band activities for so long there must've also been some times when you've had a feeling of failure?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. I feel like my life's full of setbacks. I think I'm a solo musician who's risen up from the failures.
Tatsurou: So even Yoshii-san sometimes feels like he's failed...
Kazuya Yoshii: I feel so even now.
Tatsurou: Is that so? By the way, why did you cahnge your artist name YOSHII LOVINSON to your real name Kazuya Yoshii? (He was YOSHII LOVINSON from 2003 to 2006.)
Kazuya Yoshii: It's because a friend from my hometown asked me "Did you know there's a guy called YOSHII LOVINSON?" (laugh)
Tatsurou: Ahahahaha. Really?
Kazuya Yoshii: Really (laugh). I told him "that's actually me..." and he went "really?!" and was surprised, so I quit using that name (laugh). Have the members of MUCC become close friends during your 12 years?
Tatsurou: Yeah, we were classmates back in our hometown.
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, that's how it is. Bands like that are really close, right?
Tatsurou: We're having fun together even on our days off.
Kazuya Yoshii: THE YELLOW MONKEY was pretty close, too. The drummer and the guitarrist are brothers.
That's right. I saw their previous band several times.
Kazuya Yoshii: Killer May?
Yes.
Kazuya Yoshii: I see. I've actually been thinking that you (the writer) look like someone, and now I know who it is! You look like EMMA's and ANNIE's mother! Noriko Kikuchi. Just like Noriko! I want to mail EMMA and ANNIE a pic (laugh).
Tatsurou: Ahahahaha. That's weird (laugh).
It's an honor (laugh). By the way, is there a Japanese band that Yoshii-san admires?
Kazuya Yoshii: There is. 44MAGNUM's vocalist.
Tatsurou: Oh! Our senpai!
Kazuya Yoshii: Oh, he is, isn't he?
Tatsurou: I first met him at an event nine years ago and he had a great aura. Jimmy-san spoke in honorific language and it felt even more scary (laugh). I thought it was great. They really are in a different class than us.
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah.
But he's not a guitarrist or a vocalist, so did you always aim to be a vocalist?
Kazuya Yoshii: Not really, but Paul-san is on a really high level for a Japanese vocalist. He has great voice and aura, so he feels like a great individual.
Yes, Paul-san's way of singing is definitely unique. It sets him apart from Japanese vocalists.
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. Paul-san's a foreigner. It was really wonderful. I haven't really met him, but I saw him in Shizuoka at a livehouse called Circus Town and he left a strong impression. I was about 18. They were on a different level from Urgh Police. It was great.
Bands like Loudness, 44MAGNUM and Earthshaker were the first of Japanese metal.
Kazuya Yoshii: Right. Japanese metal.
The band scene at that time was really tough and cool. Loudness, 44MAGNUM, Earthsahker, Yoshii-san's Urgh Police, HEESEY-san's Murbas and Killer May all had an individual, cool sound.
Kazuya Yoshii: Well, it was just one scene. At that time. Dead End and others. The bands that are popular now still draw inspiration from those bands. Respect them.
Tatsurou: I borrowed old DVDs and was shocked to see that MORRIE-san (Dead End's singer) already wore hair extensions. Now it's usual, but that was back then. Wasn't it sensational?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah. MORRIE-san had a really good taste. He was very cool even back then.
Tatsurou: Really, visual kei at that time was really manly and cool. Even though they had long hair, they were very manly. Nowadays it has a delicate feeling. And the lyrics were manly, too.
Kazuya Yoshii: The word "knife" was used a lot in lyrics (laugh).
Ahahaha. So it was (laugh).
Tatsurou: I see! Knife! Even if we used it, it wouldn't be cool (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: Knives... I used it a lot, too. "Naa naa no naifu" (laugh). Even the performances were cool back then.
Tatsurou: I'd like to try doing MC like Yoshii-san.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. How do you know that? You haven't even seen me live (laugh).
Tatsurou: The wife of our office's chief manager is a huge fan of Yoshii-san's, so I borrowed DVDs (laugh). It seems she's a pretty important person at your fan club (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. Who's that (laugh)? But attacking 20 000 times with that MC seems foolish (laugh).
That's rock.
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. It's not rock in the least (laugh).
Are there any younger Japanese bands that have caught Yoshii-san's attention lately?
Kazuya Yoshii: MUCC.
Tatsurou: (incredibly delighted) No way~ (happy)!
Kazuya Yoshii: Really. I just heard you for the first time, but I thought it was really cool. My own roots are in rock, so I'm very particular about it. If it's not cool, I won't listen to it. That's why I don't listen to rock very much. Nowadays there are lots of bands who appear at school festivals wearing glasses. I don't listen to rock bands like that. I don't listen to it if it isn't cool. The guitars are distorted and it's like listening to the guy at the pizza place. They don't really have make-up or long hair, and I think "you're not gonna be in the posters", and I don't really like that. I think it's important to be in posters. Short hair is okay, if there's a good look or outfits or something (laugh). Joe Strummer had short hair, but he still got into posters (laugh).
I really agree!!!
Tatsurou: But THE YELLOW MONKEY was really cool, even without the height rule. It still doesn't feel old. It's great that there still isn't a band that was as cool.
THE YELLOW MONKEY felt like it was Japanese glam rock. A bit languid and erotic. Nowadays the kids don't have much interest in glam rock? There are no bands playing glam rock, so if someone did it now, it would feel copied.
Kazuya Yoshii: I think there aren't any glam rock bands because youngsters don't think it's cool.
Tatsurou: What about DAIGO? Before he went solo, he was in a very showy band. Isn't that glam rock?
Kyousuke Himura's solo compositions also had a feeling of glam rock.
Kazuya Yoshii: HEESEY and ANNIE participated, too. Yeah~, it's a bit different.
Yeah~, it is a bit different~.
Kazuya Yoshii: It's a bit different.
Tatsurou: Different.
Yeah~. Glam rock isn't really a music genre, but it's not just about flashy outfits either. It's hard to put in words... Like T.REX or David Bowie.
Tatsurou: There aren't any young Japanese bands doing it?
Kazuya Yoshii: Yeah, there aren't. There might not come any. Yeah, there definitely won't be any.
But even if the young bands don't listen to T.REX or David Bowie, THE YELLOW MONKEY has a huge influence on them! But they still aren't crossing over. THE YELLOW MONKEY may be too cool. In 1985 there was a band called Marchosias Vamp, and it would be pretty interesting if someone started a new band with that kind of name.
Kazuya Yoshii: What kind of things does MUCC draw inspiration from?
Tatsurou: It's folk songs for us (laugh). For me it's Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi-san, and our main songwriter, our guitarrist Miya, loves Yoosui Inoue (laugh).
Kazuya Yoshii: I see! So that's why you like my dark songs?! I see how they fit in (laugh).
Tatsurou: Might be. Who was the first musician Yoshii-san was influenced by?
Kazuya Yoshii: It was Cheap Trick for me. After that came metal. Iron Maiden, super maiden (laugh). (Iron Maiden's name comes from a torture device used in the Middle Ages.) I got into guitar at first (laugh). At that time everyone was doing Michael Schenker. At that time I wanted to do a tribute album to Earthshaker with Tamio Okuda or Spitz or someone (laugh).
I'd like to hear that (laugh). The discussion is coming to an end, so please say something to Tatsurou as his senpai in life.
Kazuya Yoshii: Senpai in life (laugh). I'm not gonna say anything~ (looks at discography) But MUCC has really released a lot!
Tatsurou: So we have.
Kazuya Yoshii: But really, do your best. 12 years. I think that's great. You should really do your best.
Tatsurou: I really respect Yoshii-san, so when I'll do my best to improve so I'll be as good as Yoshii-san when I reach his age! I'm definitely coming to your live!
Kazuya Yoshii: Will you really (laugh)?
Tatsurou: I will! I will! I will! Please let me go! Can I go?
Kazuya Yoshii: Definitely.
Isn't there anything Tatsurou wants to say to Yoshii-san (laugh)?
Tatsurou: I want to talk with you again (laugh). But I'm satisfied if we can now take photos together!
Kazuya Yoshii: Ahahahaha. Of course (laugh). Let's take photos together afterwards.
Tatsurou: Yes! Thank you very much!