Interview with PLUNKLOCK

This May, PLUNKLOCK went on their second European tour, titled Justart episode 1. Just like their first European tour last year, this tour started with a concert in Moscow, Russia. JaME met the band after the show and got to know many interesting things.


Although this is your second European tour, it’s your first interview with JaME. Can you please introduce yourselves?

Pinky: Hi, my name is Pinky. I’m the drummer.
Haruka: I’m Haruka on bass.
Halo: I’m Halo, the vocalist.
Seishou: My name is Seishou. I’m on the guitar.

You’ve spent a lot of time together, especially while on tour. Please tell us some interesting facts about each other.

Halo: Pinky is funny.
Haruka: A real comedian.
Pinky Not a drummer! (laughs)
Haruka: He is the mood-maker of the band!

By the way, Pinky, you’re always so happy! What is your secret?

Pinky: I just don’t think. (laughs)
Halo: He is a fool. (laughs) As for Seishou, usually he is cool and calm, but when he’s drunk he starts to riot.
PLUNKLOCK: (laughs)
Pinky: Halo is cool.
Haruka: I’m like a father for PLUNKLOCK.
Pinky: He takes care of all of us.

What does the name PLUNKLOCK mean?

Halo: ‘P-l-u-n-k’ is like guitar strumming.
Haruka: ‘Lock’ is like ‘locked music’, and we have a key! We can open this music.
Halo: And ‘klock’ sounds like ‘clock’.
Haruka: The name PLUNKLOCK consists of different words, and that’s why it has many different meanings.

How did you decide to form a band?

Haruka: It all started from Pinky. It was his idea to create a band. He suggested that Halo and I join him, but at first we refused. We answered that we didn’t want to!
Pinky: They broke my heart!
PLUNKLOCK: (laughs)
Haruka: But then we decided to perform together for one time only. Then, suddenly we realized that the idea of forming the band was great. That was the moment everything began.
Halo: Last December when our previous guitarist left the band, Seishou joined us. Haruka brought him. He said that Seishou was the only one for us.
Haruka: I met Seishou in a club. We talked about music, and I found out he’d fit us perfectly--we had a lot of things in common and have the same perspective towards music. After all, we needed a guitarist!

Did Seishou bring something new to your music, or did he help to preserve your style?

Seishou: I didn’t intend to preserve anything! Furthermore, I brought a new style to PLUNKLOCK’s music.
Halo: A new rhythm! We really like it!

What is the main idea of your music?

Pinky: Freedom.
Halo: If it’s cool, it’s okay with us. We write songs,and if they’re cool we take them.
Haruka: No rules.

What song would you recommend for those who have never heard your music?

PLUNKLOCK: Justart!
Halo: Our new mini-album Justart is really good. It’s our new style, the new us. Please listen to it!

What do you expect from this tour?

Halo: We have a new style, and we want to show it to all our European fans. We hope that a lot of people will come to our shows. This is our main desire. Moreover, we have a new band member. We are a new PLUNKLOCK!

What did you like the most about your previous European tour?

Halo: It was wonderful! And there was a lot of delicious food!
Pinky: We all got fat!
PLUNKLOCK: (laughs)

What is the difference between the first and the final concert of the tour?

All: After the final concert it becomes sad.
Halo: We feel nervous before the first show, but at the same time we are looking forward to it! And the final concert, just as we said, is a little bit sad.
Haruka: While touring we become closer to each other, and by the final show we all become one. We can feel it.

And how do you choose songs for the encore?

Pinky: We have many songs. We just change them. (Writes imaginary set list): “This one is fast, that’s why it goes here, and that one goes there.” (laughs)
Haruka: Today the last one was Breakout. It’s the most well-known song in Europe--that’s why we perform it at the end.

What is the difference between European and Japanese audiences?

Halo/Haruka: A great one!
Halo: In Europe people are very expressive and straightforward. And vice versa, Japanese audiences are rather shy. In Japan I say what to do, and everybody does it. Everybody moves synchronously. Here in Europe, however, people rock. They do whatever they want--but both ways are great. I love all my fans!

Tell us, please: why did you choose visual kei?

Halo: Because it’s great!
Pinky: I used to listen to X JAPAN and wanted to be YOSHIKI. (laughs)
Haruka: It was long ago. I got to know that visual kei was rather popular in Europe and Asia. Also, I wanted to perform overseas. That’s why I decided to give it a try. That’s why I chose visual kei.
Halo: I really liked GACKT, HYDE, T.M.Revolution, etc. MALICE MIZER was my favorite, and I wanted to be like them. That’s why I began to sing. Then three years ago we formed our band.

By the way, Halo’s voice is rather unique. Did you do some vocal training?

Halo: No, no special training. As I said, I just used to listen to GACKT, T.M. Revolution, etc. I trained in karaoke. (laughs)

Seishou, what’s your story?

Seishou: I don’t know. It happened on its own. My friends were never interested in this genre. Before joining the band, I didn't like visual kei either--but now everything has changed, and I’m here.

Image is very important for visual kei artists, isn’t it? Who creates your style?

Halo: It’s me. And by the way, PLUNKLOCK’s emblem, which was on the stage, was also designed by me.

Please leave a final message to our readers.

Pinky: We’re back in Europe! Please support us!
Haruka: Thank you very much for your support. We will do our best.
Halo: We’re working hard to bring our music to people, so please support us!
Seishou: I’ll be the ‘number one guitarist’ in the world!

And now for the final question: since this tour is named Justart episode 1, will there be an ‘episode 2’?

Halo: As the matter of fact our first tour was called episode 0, so it was like a promise to all of our fans that we will come back. Now we are hoping to get to 'episode 2'.


JaME would like to thank PLUNKLOCK, J-Concert Agency and Kanzen Music for making this interview possible.