Interview with CATSUOMATICDEATH

We were given the opportunity to interview Acekay, the charismatic and open-minded leader of the 'occult grunge rock' band CATSUOMATIC, and his support members Yuka and Hikari both at the beginning and the end of their German tour.


Why did you name yourself after a fish menu at a sushi bar? That’s probably one of the most innovative ways to name a band!

Acekay: First of all, I like eating katsuo, that's a fish. Second, we wanted to be like katsuo. You know what katsuo is?

It's bonito fish?

Acekay: Yeah, it's bonito. And they tour the Pacific Rim all the time - they go after the plankton. They're always touring the Pacific Rim, and we wanna be like them. We respect fish, we're big fish eaters. And that's why I named my band after the fish. They always go after the black current to get more plankton - we're touring after people.

You wear some very unusual costumes. The top hats and the kimonos, are they somehow linked to the Japanese Meiji Period? (editor's note: 1868-1912)

Acekay: Yeah, pretty much! That was the Japanese exploration of the west. Back then people didn't know what to do, but they knew that hats and shoes were really cool. So they were wearing silk hats and boots with kimonos. We feel the same way, so we're wearing what's in our heads. But we're wearing a special kind of kimono, which is a mourning kimono; we wear this at weddings or funerals. I'll tell you what CATSUOMATICDEATH means: Every gig is a funeral where we try to thrash ourselves to summon our new selves, so after every show we're someone new. If we can't do that - it's a failure. That's why I whipped Hikari. We're going to die on every stage, so we're wearing mourning kimonos. It's a funeral and at the same time it's a birthday party.

You call yourself an occult grunge rock’n’roll band. What’s so occult about you?

Acekay: I heard it somewhere, I think while I was sleeping there was a voice saying "o-o-occchhh", I think that was occult... There's really no reason, just basic instincts.

You are inspired by mysterious voices while sleeping?

Acekay: Oh yeah. In fact, when I was so broke I couldn't even buy a guitar I heard god, the god of rock'n'roll. He told me "Acekay, go to Germany," and then I called Yuka and told her, "I heard a voice while sleeping on the train." She was very excited, and I said, "I met god and he told me to go on a journey." Really, it's a true story.

You say you are very ‘indie’ - it means that you come up for any costs that arise. How did you manage to come to Germany for such a long tour, isn’t it hard?

Acekay: You know what we do? We just come, throw in everything. There are always Japanese indie and major bands, even a major label asking us, "How do you go there? Join our label and help us get there, too." I tell them, "You know, it costs a lot." But they won’t help - because it’s too expensive. So we just come. When I go back, I won't have anything. I don't know exactly how much the tour costs ‘cause I don't wanna know. Maybe I won't have a car or my house when I go back - I don't care. I have my band. We're probably the only indie band that's here by themselves. We don't get help from anyone, we don't want help. Because that's the only way to become mature. But many individual people help us, my band mates and my friends. That's why I'm here, because I have trust in these people.

Why did you choose Germany as your touring country for the second time?

Acekay: What do you think? (laughs) Last year, we just heard some rumors that there was a country called 'Deutschland' and we just kind of sneaked in. This time we got a big ship and we are at a stage of exploration and exploring new worlds. We come from a really far, far away country…

Called ‘Nihon’…

Acekay: Yes, we got on a really large bird and we flew here, it took us a long time! We flew over the Silk Road when we got here, it was a long trip. Yes, and we're from this kimono land (laughs). But this time we're having a lot of fun, it's our first gig, feels like it's already the last one. We had a good gig, everyone was having fun. Everyone is wearing black like us, you guys are with us.

On your homepage you mentioned some other European countries where you want to tour, but this time it’s only Germany. Why is that?

Acekay: I heard some rumors (laughs) in a far, far away country that we're very similar. We're good makers, we make good things. We're really not after anything but making good things, we get excited making cool things and I like that mentality. I now have my best friends here and they're supporting me - I didn't feel like going to other countries.

Please explain, what does the tour name ‘Age of Exploration’ really mean to you?

Acekay: Historically, people like Columbus, politicians and generals explored the world. But I think now it's time for the bands to go overseas. Well, that kind of movement has been going on in the major market for a long time, but we have a different meaning: Now it's the real indie people, like those who wanna go and put in their own money to buy their own ships, bring their people and then go overseas. And if this works out, it means a lot for all the indie bands in the world. We are like pioneers of this whole indie world. That's what 'the Age of Exploration' means.

If we can break even or make money or just keep coming here every time because we make enough money that means you guys can also come to Japan without big support - we're testing whether an indie band might have a chance. You don’t have to be a superhero to be able to tour, all you need is good understanding, people and your strong will. If you really want something, people will understand, like you right now. And that's the whole musical exploration.
I think music is one of the most effective means to surpass the wall between people - and that phenomenon should not depend on major label’s money. We want to make people come closer and become one...well they don't have to be one but we have a mutual understanding, so you have to go there and meet people and really mean what you say. They'll understand you although they don't speak your language. And that's politics. I'm a politician of rock'n'roll myself. We're like diplomats here through music, so what I'm doing right now is cultural exchange.

We have a lot of goals in this age of exploration. If I come here with a lot of money and support from my label, that's not like a real exploration, that's a job. We are trying to do everything by ourselves. Maybe in the end I'll have 10€ for myself so I can buy German cigarettes to show "I went there!" But this tour is possible and the Age of Exploration has now begun.

We went to all these little villages you won't even know like Wasserburg and Augsburg, Obermarchtal, Habach - and there was a place called Bad Endorf, a little town, and our show was packed. The venue was for 100 people and there were 140 or 150 of them. Really crowded!!! It was so hot I couldn't even breathe and after one song I couldn't wear my kimono anymore, so we had to open the windows. So, it's happening. You don't need a big venue if you really wanna do something. You don't need support, label, contracts, you just go.

You also got the opportunity to tour through China/Hong Kong, how was the reaction from the audience?

Acekay: Hong Kong was so cool, it was like the whole world in one place! There are English, Chinese, Cantonese and French people, it's all mixed up. And we felt really comfortable because we have a western head and a Japanese body. And in China! There were all these kids surrounding us and we couldn't hear the monitors. It was so loud, like "AAAAH!" "YUKAAAA!" and they wouldn't go back until they had pictures of us. But a lot of them bought our CDs so I guess they had a lot of fun. If I had brought some photo copies of my CDs maybe they would've bought them, too.

You listed some German bands in your links on your official home page, did you meet them personally on your last tour?

Acekay: I have made contact with bands we played with. There's a band called SHE-MALE TROUBLE, they're a rock'n'roll band, and we played at the Munich Free And Easy festival last year, and there was Mouse on Mars on the other stage. We weren't on the main stage and we had a lot of techno dance with this outfit. And we were like ‘OOMPH-OOMPH-OOMPH-‘(shouts) ... it was really fun. And we met demon wax, the metal band, Emile Bose and so many other bands. We keep in touch. And this time when we played at Kaiserkeller in Hamburg, there was a band called Supercrush and they asked us to play with them.

You’re also, as you say on your homepage, linked to several famous Japanese bands such as POLYSICS and Guitar Wolf. Do you have a special relationship? Ever thought of touring with them?

Acekay: That may happen if they forget about the money. Yuka has been playing with Guitar Wolf and POLYSICS, she's really good friends with them. When the vocalist of POLYSICS, Mr. Hayashi, had a wedding she was there. We're really good friends, but if we're gonna play together they need to have a really nice contract with us… But we'd need to bring them a truckload of dollars, and I don't like that. (laughs)

Hikari, you are also a member of the famous band ACMA, like some other former Catsuo support members. Is there a special relationship between your bands, or is there another reason why so many of ACMA’s members have been involved in Catsuo?

Hikari: Yes, really a lot! That's because we're good friends, I introduced Acekay to the others!
Acekay: Hikari's friends are good musicians, he's well-linked to all the big ones... He used to play with X Japan a long time ago, he's my senpai. I like his music and he has friends such as Sugizo, L’arc en ciel and others. He's my idol and a great guitar player, that's why I asked him. All ACMA members have been helping and supporting me in the past but I like Hikari the most. (laughs)

You were featured on a major-omnibus album few years ago. How did you get on that album, and why do you make jokes about it on your site?

Acekay: Because there were all these moneymaking people from Universal Records that were just out of college and didn't know what would make money, what is good or whatever, so they just picked a whole bunch of indie musicians and it was a whole mistake. They misunderstood the scene – the bands were underground but they released it in the major scene.
The company people just thought “there is a hype - let’s put money on it!” and they spent a lot of money and pressed many CDs and tried to sell them at clean stores and nobody bought them. That makes me laugh how the neck-tie and suit people totally misunderstood us.

You like the great Yutaka Ozaki, how much are you influenced by him?

Acekay: The first time I played a Japanese song it was one by Ozaki. He's basically the Japanese Bob Dylan. He plays a folk guitar and shouts and I used to take a guitar to the park and sing there until the police came and forced me to bail. And then I went to the US and still sang Ozaki there. People liked it, but I got into X-Japan and then played rap... and now I'm playing occult grunge rock'n'roll! Ozaki’s works aren't lyrics, they are poetry. The same goes for mine, that's why I have that weird rhythm.

Do you have one or two favourite songs of him?

Acekay: Oh yeah. I love you is good, Birth is good, Jûgoreru is good, Seventeen’s Map is good - every thing's good. It's a good way to learn Japanese, too, because his lyrics are straight.

Acekay, you have been studying philosophy at the Columbia University of New York. Does it influence your music or your lyrics?

Acekay: All the lyrics are consequences of G. F. Hegel and Nietzsche. My senior thesis was on Hegel, I wrote on the history of philosophy. After that I went to graduate school at the University of Tokyo and during the Ph.D. program I was also studying German philosophy. But I also studied American literature for fun and then I ended up lecturing American literature everywhere. And this is part of my lecture, it's the consequence of what I learned through all this. It's a wild mixture, so you could call it 'world literature'.

You have a song called 'Kyrie Eleison’, this name is linked to Christian religion. Are you religious?

Acekay: I believe in the god of music and the god of rock'n'roll. They always help me. Sometimes I only have the god of rock'n'roll but sometimes I get to meet the god of music. When both come together, we succeed.

Yuka, you’re one of the very few female drummers. Why did you choose drums as your instrument?

Yuka: That's because I lost Stone-scissors-paper when I was fifteen. We wanted to form a band and I wanted to play keyboards, but I lost. And that's how I began. In the beginning I didn't think it fit me, but when I was played people kept telling me that this was my instrument. Since then, playing the drums is fun for me and now it's my instrument. I am happy with drums because you can translate the energy so well with it and it is really close to the body, without amps and stuff.

What made you decide to join Catsuo?

Yuka: Before I joined Catsuo I was playing with bands using sequencers and I missed the human rock'n'roll aspect. Catsuo's music is very lively and emotional, without clicks and stuff, so I took that as a challenge.

What about you, Hikari?

Hikari: Well, I was asked to come here... (laughs)

What is the difference to you between ACMA and Catsuo?

Hikari: These bands are completely different. ACMA is my band where I do and decide everything. Here, Acekay's the leader and I’m the one who helps to put into action what he wants to do. It's very interesting. It's the first time for me to do such a thing and I learned a lot from this situation.

Catsuo toured a lot around Germany - please tell us about your experiences, what did you like most?

Acekay: Food, water, air...every thing's really good, but what I found most fascinating was the people. All the German bands had just real fundamental power. When you play in a venue in Japan, most bands are like "I need the monitors, I need this and that" and they just bring their guitar, that's all, the rest they rent from the venue. Here, some bands like Helldriver - they are in their late-thirties, forties, a sexy band, old rock'n'roll people - they would bring their whole PA system! Mixers, amps, microphones, everything! They'd set up the whole venue themselves and do a big show. We had lots of people in Hamburg and I thought, "The sound is much better than in the venues we play in Japan." They make everything by themselves. One time someone from the audience held the PA speakers for me because it was crashing down and he said "I love you, I'll hold it for you" and he had it on his head for the whole concert so people could hear my voice! I think people here believe more in rock'n'roll and that power was just great. People in Japan don't really believe in rock'n'roll anymore, all they say is "do you make money with it?" So many people are misled, because they just think of it as a genre you can't make money with, but here, a lot of people seem to think it is a worthy life and I can tell that from head to toe they haven't done anything but rock'n'roll (laughs). And they're not just musicians - they're big fans, like supporters of a soccer team. That's what I was surprised at. They're all these people who commit themselves to rock'n'roll. If they like it, they'll go mad - although no one would say it, they will come. And that helped us a lot. When we played in inner cities, people were shy and not moving, but these rock'n'roll people were head-banging and dancing, they really helped the rest of the audience to participate.

Acekay, I know you are a big rice-eater, but what about German food?

Acekay: Every time we went to the venue, we'd get a typical German meal and everything fit really well and had a lot of nutrients. I feel that the land has a lot of good worms (laughs) and they'd give you a lot of good food. Nothing is complicated, the food is really simple, but it gives you a lot of power. The sparkling water is good, potatoes are really good - I never thought potatoes were that energy-giving. And the meat is good because there is a lot of grassland and the cattle eat good grass.

That's why German people are so energetic at concerts...

Acekay: Yeah! And the beer, you get a lot of vitamins from it.

Please give a final message to your fans!

Acekay: If you want something - go forth and thrash. Just move forward, thrash everything and start from scratch. If you really want it, believe in yourself and you can do it.


A warm thanks from JaME to the band and to organizer "onkel booking", as well as to Wanda Proft who provided the pictures.