Were You Standing At The Crossroads In the Gunma Prefecture...?
...plus eleven other questions for Tomoyasu Hotei.
1. There is a blurb somewhere on the internet describing you as "one of the most intimidating figures in Japanese music". Would you think that this has to do with your prolific body of work and longevity as an artist or the fact that you are very tall and scary-looking?
2. Outside of Japan, your claim to fame is a piece of music that few know by title - "Battle Without Honor Or Humanity", but many would recognize from watching the films "Kill Bill Vol. 1", and more recently, "Transformers". Who do you think used your score better - Michael Bay or Quentin Tarantino?
vs.
3. As a follow-up question: if O-ren Ishii and your character from "Samurai Fiction", Rannosuke Kazamatsuri were to duel to the death, who would end up a bloodier mess ?
4. You're obviously an artist with a strong personal aesthetic. Since emerging into the Japanese music scene in 1981, have you ever looked back on any of your style choices and thought - what the hell was I thinking?
5. I understand it was the 80's (and I guess to some degree maybe even the 90's), that led to some of those style choices; but what about musically? Is there a sound explanation for what is going on in this music video?
6. Ok, admittedly though there is no denying the cheesiness of "Be My Baby", it is pretty awesome. On the other hand, I think your early hit "Dancing With The Moonlight", stands the test of time and still sounds great today. It wouldn't surprise me if it came out as a cover or a remix done by, say an artist like Robyn or Kylie. Would you maybe consider collaborating with either?
7. I noticed there's this black and white print that appears everywhere with you, almost like a logo - it's all over your guitars and it sometimes creeps into your wardrobe. How did this obsession come about?
8. You're different from a lot of guitar virtuosos in that when you perform onstage, you move around a lot. And by saying that, I mean that you do a lot of fruity dance steps. Have any of the younger bands ever given you crap for it or have you just shut them all the hell up with that badass shredding?
9. "Thrill" has been on my iTunes playlist for years because it took me a long time to master the Dodge Ball stage of the Nintendo DS game "Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!", but for the longest time I didn't know you were the artist. I'd always loved the song, but what do the rest of the lyrics mean after the line "baby baby baby baby baby baby baby"?
10. I'd find out years later how "Thrill" sounds in English. What was it was like dealing directly with Andrew W.K.?
http://youtu.be/Evhd3LcfKaE
Lastly, how does one say "EPIC" in Japanese?
1. There is a blurb somewhere on the internet describing you as "one of the most intimidating figures in Japanese music". Would you think that this has to do with your prolific body of work and longevity as an artist or the fact that you are very tall and scary-looking?
2. Outside of Japan, your claim to fame is a piece of music that few know by title - "Battle Without Honor Or Humanity", but many would recognize from watching the films "Kill Bill Vol. 1", and more recently, "Transformers". Who do you think used your score better - Michael Bay or Quentin Tarantino?
Click to viewvs.
3. As a follow-up question: if O-ren Ishii and your character from "Samurai Fiction", Rannosuke Kazamatsuri were to duel to the death, who would end up a bloodier mess ?
4. You're obviously an artist with a strong personal aesthetic. Since emerging into the Japanese music scene in 1981, have you ever looked back on any of your style choices and thought - what the hell was I thinking?
5. I understand it was the 80's (and I guess to some degree maybe even the 90's), that led to some of those style choices; but what about musically? Is there a sound explanation for what is going on in this music video?
6. Ok, admittedly though there is no denying the cheesiness of "Be My Baby", it is pretty awesome. On the other hand, I think your early hit "Dancing With The Moonlight", stands the test of time and still sounds great today. It wouldn't surprise me if it came out as a cover or a remix done by, say an artist like Robyn or Kylie. Would you maybe consider collaborating with either?
7. I noticed there's this black and white print that appears everywhere with you, almost like a logo - it's all over your guitars and it sometimes creeps into your wardrobe. How did this obsession come about?
8. You're different from a lot of guitar virtuosos in that when you perform onstage, you move around a lot. And by saying that, I mean that you do a lot of fruity dance steps. Have any of the younger bands ever given you crap for it or have you just shut them all the hell up with that badass shredding?
9. "Thrill" has been on my iTunes playlist for years because it took me a long time to master the Dodge Ball stage of the Nintendo DS game "Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!", but for the longest time I didn't know you were the artist. I'd always loved the song, but what do the rest of the lyrics mean after the line "baby baby baby baby baby baby baby"?
10. I'd find out years later how "Thrill" sounds in English. What was it was like dealing directly with Andrew W.K.?
http://youtu.be/Evhd3LcfKaE
Lastly, how does one say "EPIC" in Japanese?