8 September 2008 :: I'm your elder, respect my fists

:: Interview /⊙ Features Home

CMG: Are you a huge pop star in Japan?
Shugo Tokumaru (ST): No. Maybe people might call me Underground Artist. The music scene doesn't have the change with your country.

CMG:What other underground artists do you associate with in Japan?
ST: Asuna, Drawing4-5, Group Inou, Kazumi Nikaidoh, Nhhmbase, Tenniscoats, Teasi, Itoken, 54-71, etc. You can find many Japanese artists from my web site.

CMG: Slick plug. What else do you do, besides music?
ST: Gellers is the band I play guitar. Gellers is pop-rock band.

CMG: Do screaming girls follow you wherever you go?
ST: Hmmm. Maybe. Occasionally.

CMG: Are they running away from something (like a giant sea monster), and think you can save them? Or do they think you're hot?
ST:? I have no idea.

CMG: What city or town are you from?
ST: Tokyo, Japan.

CMG: Describe it.
ST: For me, I want to know, what you know about Tokyo? Tokyo is a town that doesn't know sleep. It's like NYC. Building, people, building, people, building, people, building, people, park, building, people, building, building...

CMG: It sounds repetitive.
ST: There's a lot of buildings and people in Tokyo, more than you think.
CMG: …
ST: And, there is no samurai.

CMG: I was just going to ask you what Tom Cruise is like. I picture Tokyo as ultra-modern, probably with robot versions of Scarlett Johannsen walking around in their underwear, like a mechanized mid-life-crisis relief squad.
ST: That's funny. But, not so modern...

CMG: It has a great hip hop scene though. Are you involved with that at all?
ST: I like hiphop. But, I’m not involved so much.

CMG: Was Night Piece a success for you in Japan?
ST: Success? Hmmm...I think so.

CMG: Were you happy with it? When we spoke last year, you were very modest about that album.
ST: I don't know what is success. I’m just happy people like my songs.

CMG: How many copies did it sell in Japan?
ST: I don't know. We sold 1000 or more. We're re-pressing more.

CMG: How were you introduced to Music Related Records?
ST: I gave my demo CD-R to a friend of Trevor (Music Related) living in Tokyo. He make a copy and sent it to Trevor. I didn't know about Music Related Records at all. He is crazy...

CMG: Do you mean actually crazy?
ST: Maybe no. He's nice guy. And he (Pandatone) makes great music.

CMG: What are the worst Western movies for mis-representing contemporary Japan?
ST: All Western movies is mis-representing. But, I like to see that. I like an image of the ideal of Japan that the Western people thinks about.

CMG: What's the most falsely-promoted stereotype though?
ST: Falsely-promoted thing is the culture in the country of various Asia mixes. All Asian country has pride for each own culture. It's very complicated.

CMG: How long did it take to record L.S.T.?
ST: About six months.

CMG: How are you going to be promoting it? Will you have a video?
ST: I don't know how. But, I will. I want to make a video.

CMG: Does L.S.T. stand for "Love Shugo Tokumaru?"
ST: That's funny one. Some guy says LSD? Or Last Song Tokumaru? Landing Ship Tank? Local Standard Time? Large Scale Telescope? I can't say real meaning. "Local Standard Time" is nice one for my CD.

CMG: OK, but if it was "Love Shugo Tokumaru" - would that be a command, or a salutation?
ST: Yeah, kind of command. "Love Shugo Tokumaru!!"...sorry.

CMG: To make girls chase you.
ST: Forget about that!

CMG: How many instruments did you use on L.S.T.?
ST: I can't count. Maybe, more than 100? Hmmm, not so many. I don't know.

CMG: How many musicians played on the album?
ST: Only me. No sequencer.

CMG: So, do you ever get people smacking you in the head, saying things like "your're ridiculously talented and both of your albums are brilliant and you live in Japan where there's like 100 million people and you only sold 1500 copies of your album worldwide what's wrong with you?" like, kind of getting angry with you?
ST: About music business things? Please ask to shop, label, distributor, journalist, TV station, government, and your friends. I want 100 million people to listen my music. But, you know, I am NOT because of making my music for 100 million people.

CMG: Is there a traditional type of Japanese music that is represented on the album? Or any traditional Japanese instruments?
ST: Hmm, sometimes. But, I don't like to exaggeratedly use it for my music. Shamisen, hichiriki, taishougoto, etc. I like instruments of Gagaku (traditional Japanese music). You can learn more here.

CMG: When you sing, what do you sing about? Can you translate a couple of your lyrics for me?
ST: I can't translate. You need good translator. I sing for nothing. I know lyrics is important, but, I don't have the thing that wants to appeal by my song. All lyrics is from my dream diary.

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