Rock and Read 024
Uchusentai:NOIZ
Masato
Interview
Interviewer: Do you remember anything during your childhood?
MASATO: I remember some things from when I was a preschool. I would play with Seek(Mix Speaker’s Inc.) somewhere near my house.
I: Is there anything that left an impression on you?
M: hmm.. I remember at home there’s always music playing in the morning and it’s always Classical Music playing. Since both my parents are music lovers we even had a really big speaker. That’s the oldest memory I have during preschool.
I: During those times what kind of a kid were you?
M: A complete opposite of how I am today. I was the type who don’t like going home. I would attach training wheels on my bike and ride unbelievable distances, I would even end up to the neighboring town and go home after.
I: Alone?
M: Yeah alone, It made my parents worry and would scold me everytime. Then I removed my training wheels and started riding without them. Little by little I started getting used to riding the bike without the Training Wheels and I unconsciously started riding again to the neighboring town. I was a kid that by all means I would do everything by myself. I also liked going to places I don’t know, My preschool was at the foot of the mountain because of this we walk a lot. On the right of my school was the residential area and right is the trail to the Forest. If I go left I know that my friend’s house is there but if I what will I see if I turned right?
I: you have a rather curious mind...
M: Yeah i did, Even now I still think a bit like that and even now I would still ride my bike maybe around 10 Kilometers for about 2-3 hours, I would go around Temples and Shrines. I think that part of me hasn’t changed at all. It’s actually my hobby, riding on my bike feeling the wind as it blows to my face, going to places I’ve never been before, just like the old times.
I: So rather than being spoiled by your mom, you have a strong sense of Independence huh?
M:I don’t stay home much as a kid, since both my parents work, And my dad won’t even be home yet when I wake in the morning. My dad might get sad if he reads this but, there was even a period of time that he didn’t recognize me, like, when he got home I’d say “Welcome Home” and he’s reply “Who are you?” Now that I think about it.(Bitter Smile) It was around when I was in Elementary.
I: Just wanted to ask but do you have siblings?
M:I have a big sister, but since we didn’t really get along well, we rarely talk to each other and around when I was in elementary we didn’t talk at all.
I: The atmosphere with your Family wasn’t very ‘At home’ was it?
M: I don’t think our relationship was that bad though. It’s not like the usual Rockstar Story where I don’t get along with my family. Indifferent? I was a bit indifferent to my parents when I was younger. That was around when I was around 2nd, 3rd Grade Elementary. You see there was an Economic Bubble during those times. Even the I understood.
I: Even though you we’re still young?
M: My dad’s body is falling apart because of stress and my mom told me that because of the Economic Bubble the Company is not doing very good, since my dad was the hotel manager he have to take care of the rest of the hotel staff. I thought that it must have been difficult so somehow I understood.I thought we we’re going to be very poor, till that day we we’re living quite well but since then things became quite tough.
I: Is there any specific changes that happened in your home?
M: Since we we’re all living in one house, we started being frugal, we tarted cutting down on different places, we stopped buying some things, these are some things I understood through experience. But there is some good things too, before the Economic Bubble came my sister was studying piano o we had a piano at home. I never learned how to play but I would look at the music scores and would play with the piano. It was around that time when my dad asked me “So, You like Music?” we had this talk and then he got me a really good Morris Guitar. That was around 3rd, 4rd Grade Elementary.
I:Your dad loved music and when his son showed interest in music he immediately sensed it...
M: Probably. During that time Anime and Game music in classical version was pretty popular so I was already going around borrowing CD’s. While I listen to those CD’s I would put a mic on a stand, prepare to record it and I’ll have my own concert. Other than the game music I only have normal classical music playing. I would all of those on a tape and I this small speakers for kids and I would play the tape on that, I’ll continue playing it until the tape ends and when it does i would rewind it again and continue listening. Even now I wish to listen to my old tapes.
I: It left that much of an Impression on you?
M:I guess in terms of melody, that’s where my roots are. As a child I’ve always showed interest on things that doesn’t have a particular meaning with them. I didn’t exactly have ears with a perfect pitch so I don’t understand difficult music. My mom listens to CARPENTERS so I grew up listening to these amazing music.
I: Did you actually took lessons to learn any instruments?
M: Not at all, I’ve always hated those kind of things(lessons). Personally, I only do things that I want to do, till now that still hasn’t changed. Like, I don’t even want to be seen on TV(Bitter Smile), that part of me might have caused quite some trouble to others.
I: So, when you were in preschool and elementary you must have been bad with activities that requires participating in a group...
M: I was mostly left out. But during my preschool days I would even march at parades. My school’s name during that time was Angel Gakuen (laughs) and we would have parades on the school, and while playing Taiko I would be the only one who would walk in a different path from the group and the teacher would catch me and make me come back to the line. I was that kind of kid. I would think “ I wonder what that is?” even if I’m just thinking of something different i would just stop hearing what others are saying and start going my own pace or I would just space out completely. That also haven’t changed till now.
I: Are you also bad at making friends or meeting other people?
M: ahh... Yes, I might have been bullied because of that. When I was in elementary I was bullied to the point that I’d be bleeding. It might have been because I have a really bad personality or that I’m too frank and say too much or I might have that easily bullied aura on me. I have a very low self-esteem back then so I would easily cower away.
I:Isn’t it because you stood out or because looked conceited kid?
M: I don’t think so. At that time I always thought “ I wonder why is this kid bullying me?”. But he wasn’t very shrewd, but it’s not like he’ll hug everyone in the class.
I:It’s like the kid bullying you had a group?
M: Yeah, but always ended playing with that group. Maybe he was just sad.
I: Could he have been telling you to “Read the atmosphere”
M: I don’t think he was that smart. But, he’s was completely out of character, like ah this is the kind of kid he is. He would start quibbling. Logically speaking, I think I’m the type that thinks about merits and demerits. If you ask “ why would you do something like this?” I would say “ Because there are merits in this” or “ this are it’s demerits”. Even now I would say things in a way that makes people angry (Bitter Smile). But I think that’s the most Efficient and Logical way to say things and maybe I can coney my feelings that way but, I may have sounded conceited.
I: When you were in elementary did you have other interest than music?
M:I would do nothing but listen to music back then but I did have one more thing I was interested in i liked Drawing, Until now I still like drawing, whether it’s Manga, Watercolor, Oil Painting I liked everything that’s connected to drawing.
I: You have a image of a kid engrossed to fine arts huh?
M: You would think so right? But during my 3rd grade for some reason I was chosen to be part of the Baseball Cub I even became the Number 5 batter and I also pitched for the team.
I: And how did that came to that?
M: My friends you see, the same people that used to bully me before, when the bullying finally stopped we finally opened up to each other. I don’t think Baseball itself is fun but I wanted something to do together with my friends. Although that is my goal when I started to do my best in Baseball I feel really excited doing it. It didn’t feel like I was alone out there and during these time I really had fun playing. It’s a very strong team too, a team that can win West-Japan Competition. I also thought if it’s a strong team it’s much more fun. So from 3rd grade till the day I graduated, everyday, I was playing baseball. From Monday to Friday we’d have Baseball Practice on Saturdays and Sundays we have a Match that’s how I spend 365 days a year. When I did that I lost the time to watch TV right? My lifestyle completely changed. But even with that I still didn’t like Baseball. It’s just that I found it really interesting when I started to get really good at it overtime and since I had this skill and I’m going to do this then I want to do it seriously.
I: From there, when did you start immersing yourself in Music again?
M: When I entered Middle School I stopped playing Baseball. I wasn’t bullied anymore too so I so much free time. During that time I had a bad character(bitter Laugh) and I hanged out with yankees.I think that was during BOOWY and BUCK-TICK’s era, It’s a bit old though. My friends (Yankees) someone older than me would lend me tapes to listen to and around that time when I first met with GARGOYLE.
I:That means you came across ROCK when you were in Middle school.
M: I did meet GARGOYLE at that time and I started to change, i would bring a Piano and a Stringed Instrument. I was taken in to the world of ROCK. It’s a completely different of Musicianship as now but I was drawn to metal. I started listening to intense music. But back then I was more interested in “Rapid” music than “Heavy” So I was drawn to Punk. My friends would buy magazine called “Banya or Band yarou ze(Let’s make a BAND)” and we would go around reading them. When your a kid there are times when you definitely receive money right? On my case It’s the New Year’s but my Friends receive money on Children’s day. So when asked “what will you buy with the money?” our reply would be “ BOSE Overdrive” even though we don’t even on a guitar or we would buy a tuning fork even though we don’t have an instrument to tune.
I:How did you get to know about GARGOYLE?
M: I got to know them via magazine and word of mouth. I got to know about them through magazine and I thought “ahh bands like this exist!” what I didn’t understand back then is that there are a lot of bands that has this cool style. But truthfully I have never really heard anything like GARGOYLE’s Music. When I first met and listened to Gargoyle I thought they have a really strong personality. Their music is not only melodious but they also have a way with the beats on top of that KIBA (vo.) has a shocking way of singing that makes you want to listen to him. I was arounf 3rd High School at this time.
I: So the music values changed?
M: Yes, and since I liked TOSHI my cousin gave me a Bass Guitar. I didn’t buy a instuction manual for the bass because music scores are already on different kind of media like Banyaro. I wasn’t specially concerned on being all decent-like but, I did have a good ear for different kinds of music like Classic, Metal, Game Music, Rock and Pop. When it comes to pop I really liked Lindberg.
Note: Lindberg a Japanese Pop/Rock band.
I:Lindberg?!
M: Yes, since I was in 5th Grade. Lindberg is a really cool and well-informed when it comes to music. It feels good listening to them too. But at those times I also listen to songs I don’t like because even if I don’t like the songs I still love music and I think I will still learn something from them and If I only have one goal I wont go circling around it I’d just go for it. Just like on how I mentioned I don’t like appearing in TV. My personality during this time is getting closer to my current one.
I: Did you start doing Band Activities during Middle School?
M: I was in Baseball Club till I was in 2nd Year so after I quit Baseball I started writing songs. Even if I say ake songs It’s just the Double Cassette recording I did when I was a kid. I had a Monorail that can record Multiple Audio. When I was in 2nd Year I received a cheap Casio Keyboard and I make it with that. There’s a setting that makes the drum sounds and have a flowing rhythm that goes chintan chintan I’ll record that. Then I’ll record the bass parts with the keyboard, then the chords, then the melody. At around 3rd year I started writing and putting in Lyrics too.
I: Your growth from the a person listening to music to a person making music is rather fast huh?
M: Even as a kid I used to like doing music arrangement but I had only started making my own melodies at around 3rd Year Middle School. I thought I’ll start making Music seriously not as Job but rather I liked making it so I want to do it seriously. That’s when I got a Yamaha QY8 It’s my first Sequencer.
I: Even though you thought GARGOYLE was cool, you didn’t insist in the same instruments as them.
M: That aside, It’s really more about “Making Songs”, afterall I’m happy making music. My friends we’re doing a Hip-Hop Comic group and the two of them would rap. Now that I think about it, i was more of bandwagoning that time Scha Dara Parr was rather popular and I thought I wanted to hip-hop too so I made Melodies and I would adlib the lyrics and if it doesn’t fit I would do it again from the start.
I:You have such a Creative Impulse...
M: Middle School, Back at my Hometown when we had Cable TV I would always watch MTV or Space Shower. I would skip my Club Activities go straight home and start watching TV after the show I would be so inspired so I’d go to my room and start writing music. Then i would repeat it again this is what I did during my 3rd year middle school era and since I had my Yamaha Sequencer I could make music more freely. I couldn’t record any raw sounds it was that time I got an instrument called 127 and drums. It’s 127!! and as an amateur too. I thought I was invincible but the set up was totally aimed at kids, It had 5 strings and it was rather inconvenient but thanks to that I learned a lot!
I:Just to ask how was your studies at that time?
M: It wasn’t doing bad at school. Actually I didn’t think there’s any merit t studying since I wanted to build a bad in the future, then I started searching what do I need for that then I found out that I needed to graduate because I need to get a job so I can continue band activities and if don’t have a job I might not be able to make a band at all.
I:Have you never thought that “If the Band sells All will be good?”
M: I don’t have that much confidence. I didn’t want to take any shortcuts, I wanted to do it properly. Truthfully I didn’t want to attend High School at all I just want to make music everyday. But if I just made music everyday and didn’t go to high school at all then I wont get a job and if I get kicked out of the house and couldn’t get a job then I cant make music, so what should I do? I thought, If I have a good academic background it’s easier to get a job and If I have a job that pays well then I can save money and have more time to make music. So, that was my plan so from 3rd year middle school I studied really hard and I thought I would attend College too so I got my grades to go up steadily but it was around that time that the Great Hanshin Earthquake happened.
I: It was January 17 right?
M: Yes, I was at my last year of middle school at the time and most of us we’re in the middle of taking the exams. The schools my friends wanted to go to, disappeared and Applicants who we’re aiming to apply to only 1 school started applying to multiple schools. And the private school I wanted to apply too raised their standards it’s almost the same level as those really famous schools.
I: The number of examinees increased?
M: Yes, I thought it was really bad so I started studying like my life’s on the line, then when I passed, or some reason all the students who passed in the school was enrolled to an elevator course. So my high school era became boring, I’m not saying everyone is but almost the whole school including atleast half of my classmates were rather boring.
I:But, It became an environment that allows you to do music right?
M:When I entered high school I wanted to do LIVE’s I thought it was only normal at the time so i made my band and 1st year high school at around the summer break my band had it’s first LIVE and it was all original songs
I: not a cover?
M: No my first LIVE we played all original songs
I: We’re you the Bassist?
M: It was obvious wasn’t it, I really liked TOSHI and I also know his Bass Lines so I wanted to play the part too.
I: We’re your Original Songs that time Metal?
M: No, it wasn’t metal, I ondr what do you call it, Umm.. It was a kind of rock that has piano and a full orchestra music in it. The backing performance had a lot of speed and emphasis to the song and at the background you could hear some orchestra playing.Because I liked classic if I put it in it became like this.
I: But going for Original songs at your first Live is rather amazing
M:But, If it’s not original it’s rather difficult to continue. My old friends would also say they want to do original snogs but they’re not doing it and it was the time when the cover songs were fun for them.
I: Is that your friends from the same High School?
M: No, It was S (Mix Speakers Inc.) from a different school and he was the drummer. But the other members must have wanted to do a cover song afterall. So we disbanded the band.so from there I was asked if I could play drums for a band and that’s how my Drummer life started It was mid 3rd year Highschool.
I: Even though you were not a drummer why do you think you were asked?
M: They said because they thought I could do it. (laughs)
I: You accepted it just because they thought you could do it?
M: When I was making song I also make the drum parts so In my head I somehow understood the concept. Even though I haven’t played drums i know where the hat is or where should certain sounds come from, So if I practice I might be able to do it, Right after my 1st year of high school I started playing drums for different bands. Doing Live concerts is so fun I couldn’t help myself. At home I still write songs but I understood that in high school I can play original songs so for now I will keep playing cover songs as a practice and I saw the merit to that. We covered songs from artist like Judy and Mary and Nanase Aikawa even though the band I liked was Rancid and such. I started doing a lot of different things with my band and we don’t do it with just normal costumes, we would wear weird costumes and have weird hairstyles. It’s like our own personal style. When I was doing a Judy and Mary cove band some people would say “ahh.. their drummer is a little weird,” “why is there an umbrella at the drum set”. These kind of things have a very artistic feel.
I: Since being able to perform, did you feel that “you want to stand out” or you want to appeal to the fans”. You we’re doing a bunch of creative stuff till that time right?
M: Gradually I wanted to stand out. Back at my hometown’s high school my name is slowly getting known they say, “that guy whichever LIVE I go he’s there every week.” I was playing for around 10 bands at the time. It was almost like everyday I do music and everyday I attend rehearsals.
I: so you’re a drummer to all of them?
M: Yes.
I: It’s almost as if you we’re a studio musician but, you we’re attending high school at the time right?
M: I was, but slowly I was able to attend class less and less. Like,normally I would be in the class but during the lesson I would be at the back of the room in a futon sleeping.so I would get suspended in school. I did my best till I was in 3rd year High School but, when I reached my 3rd year I stopped.
I: In the end you did stop...
M: Yeah, It was around November, even thought I decided to do it till graduation, I was fired the reason was “I stood out too much.” During the school festival I was a drummer to all the bands that performed then, some people heard about it and I was investigated, even though I was caught many times suddenly smoking was restricted. All most as if I was being dropped out of school.
I: But smoking was just an excuse, right?
M: Yeah, but back then I was an idiot so I say things like “Yea, so you caught me!” But with after the investigation I was still able to graduate though communication with the school.
I: You wanted the proper academic background?
M: Thinking about the merits when I was sill part of the band I did things that I didn’t even want to do. I graduated at the same time as everybody else and I did have the qualifications. At that time I got a part-time job at the red-light district and from here my life just went on a dark road. I met and fell inlove with a woman there. I fell in love at first sight with a woman I’ve never seen before in the Live House. That person was already independent at the time and was living with her friend.
I: Was she older that you?
M: No, we we’re of the same age.
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I: It somehow became a dark story...
M: This is actually where the story gets more complicated. I wonder if I can tell it? You see I’m bisexual, I was just getting out of the closet. When I was in highschool, I fell in-love with a guy, actually that guy’s girlfriend was stolen from him but turns out he was gay.. and for some reason this time he started to like me and the girl living with this girl had a friend(girl) that also like me. So it’s a completely confusing relationship.
I: That’s a rather complicated relationship...
M: During that time, Those girls lost their apartments. I thought I should look out for them and I offered them a place to live. These girls wanted to save money so their dating activities didn’t stop. I’m getting involved with sinners...Then those girls happened to date some shady people and their identity was found out and I heard they we’re sold to foreign land and I never saw them again.
I: Even in that situation you we’re doing music activities.
M: It was the band I was in before Uchusentai. A lot was happening back then, I met Uchusentai around that time too but I was lost. I was thinking of quitting the music industry and marrying. I thought I need to protect this girl. Eventually this girl became my ex, but I was thinking what will I do after quitting the music scene. I met Uchusentai when my band was about to disband and I was invited to join.
I: Even though your we’re invited it was complicated, wasn’t it?
M: I was having second thoughts. I was emotionally unstable and in the end I felt like I wanted to die. I thought what should I do, but there’s not many things I wanted to do. But I know I cannot run away. Now that I think about at that time, I couldn’t walk around town, I couldn’t leave the house not to mention I had lost my job. I was thinking what should I do what should I do...
I: It’s difficult to imagine that that you felt that cornered...
M: But that was the time I was invited to join Uchusentai, they were heading to Kagawa City and I thought if I join them I would be able to run away from my daily life and everything else. When I first met Uchusentai in a VS LIVE in Okuyama and I was helping out at the event and from the side I saw them perform I started to cry and I thought how can they pull off such a wonderful performance. It’s not like they we’re cool or something. There we’re like 30~40 people there and somehow it felt they were one with the audience. When I saw the atmosphere when Leader sang I thought to myself “ Ahh I want to do something like this too” then when I was invited to join them I was able to run away from a lot of things. In a bad way I was completely dependent on music at that time.
I: So after that you join Uchusentai, right?
M: Yes, and from there after 2~3 months later my girlfriend died.
I: E? What was the cause?
M: Well it was an accident but, probably, it was an intentional traffic accident. You see the brother of the girl my girlfriend was living with was a bit dangerous and the brother died too and that girl barely survived, when I went to visit she keeps saying, “I will get killed” or “I want to die”. and the girls relatives came and kept apologizing and I just really didn’t know what to do....
I: That’s a very difficult experience
M: Nothing was resolved and everything just ended... from then on, the songs I write started to songs about strength. I thought even I was this weak and my lyrics contained nothing but weakness and strength of humans. The true essence of humans changes no matter what and this is also the reason why I couldn’t write a love song.... It’s really difficult for me to write one.
I: So you were awakened by the discovering your own weakness.
M: Yes, That’s way I thought I wanted to save people who are like me and the people around me won’t feel the same way. After all unhappy people gather... I heard this from both my friends and the fans. I kept thinking Is there a way to save people like me and the only way I know is through music. I was 20 back then and the first summer I was with Uchusentai.
I: It looks like the reason you make music complete changed.
M: It did change. What I used to make music changed. And I was performing it with Uchusentai and the things I want to say went in a different way. It thing I want to convey in LIVE’s and using the CD as textbooks is also okay, I didn’t have to sing and I didn’t have to do anything difficult too. We needed a persuasive LIVE and I was able to think about what I really wanted to say. So I put all my energy and put all of them in to my music and lyrics.
I: By the way, when did you start using the guitar, you entered Uchusentai as a guitarist but you weren’t able to tell us anything about being a guitarist.
M: A! (LOL) When I was in highschool I was doing both covers and original songs and I met a really good vocalist and I thought if we would do it together I can’t do drums, and the bass is a bit difficult. So I thought using the guitar would be nice. When I joined Uchusentai I’ve only been using the guitar for about a year.
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