CATSUOMATICDEATH Press Conference at Japan Expo

After their smashing concert on July 6 at J.E.'s Live House, CATSUOMATICDEATH, a band with a real Rock&Roll spirit, gave a press conference. Vocalist ACEKAY was very talkative and spoke in excellent English.


First of all, we’d like to know your influences.

ACEKAY: There is a genre called enka in Japan; it’s a Japanese folk/country kind of music that’s a part of us. We can’t get away from it. We try to incorporate western rhythms but it's just an interpretation, the Japanese soul is still there in our music. It might sound like American rock but it’s not. It’s Japanese folk.

During your concert, you said you had no real place to stay, that you were between Japan and Europe. Why was that so?

ACEKAY: I had to say it. Let’s call it a geographical problem. We are Japanese but we listen to a lot of western music. We are used to the English language, thanks to computers, but we also speak Japanese. We eat Japanese [food], but we also wear western clothes everyday. As a matter of fact, we wear disguises. We tried to get back to the roots of Japan, but they have disappeared. It’s not Japan anymore. We can go anywhere in the world or come back to Japan, but it’s impossible because the old Japan is gone. The new Japan is confused but we love that confusion. We live occidental lives and we live for occidental music, but our bodies are Japanese. That’s what we’re trying to show with our costumes. It’s a blending - well not really a blending - but something that we can’t get away from. To conclude, Kyrie Eleison is a word I learned in college; it’s a Christian song, something that led me on the way to occidental modern music. At the same time, it’s something pretty far from us, it’s not our country. But I can feel it myself. If I need God’s help, I pray to the god of Rock&Roll.

Do you believe in this god of Rock&Roll?

ACEKAY: Yes, we are hardcore believers in the Holy Church of Rock&Roll. We toured in Europe, and sometimes we slept in shabby places, but it’s a battle. We are good believers so we never stop. Today was a nice show and we had a good audience.

Did you enjoy it?

ACEKAY: Oh! Yes, very much. I think I even enjoyed it too much. (laughs)

On your website, you write a lot of philosophical quotes, such as those of Michel Foucault recently. What is the position of philosophy in your music?

ACEKAY: Good question. Well, I think our music is a construction, something very political. We’re not just doing it just for fun. We’re trying to do something useful; whether it be cultural exchanges between young peoples, or between countries, or else with those who can understand our music. I would like to save the people who know that there aren’t any limits and that there should not be any. That's why music is made. And I quoted Michel Foucault because he was pretty much like us, he didn’t belong to a place. He was an enemy of France for a time, he was gay, he wasn’t really related to any society and he fought against authority. Yet, he was also a professor at the College de France in the past... I read his books - although I don't speak French, I can read it. I like the way he wrote.

What is the Age of Exploration? What do you explore?

ACEKAY: We are an indie band, we are self-produced and we play all over the world. This project is like a quest, an absolute one for a new world. And because we are a self-produced band, we do everything by ourselves, we don't get any support, we sell our own goods, we play at festivals, and we tour all by ourselves. But it’s a quest for everyone! I mean that if we can do it, anyone can do it. So we have to be successful. If we fail, that would mean that no other band can be completely successful if they’re alone.

So you think you can be an example for other bands?

ACEKAY: Yes. The indie world is huge, but it’s left aside because people in it don’t want to lose their life. They want help from other people like the labels, the management companies, the sponsors, but us, we don’t need that. We can go anywhere. It’s also a way to explore the world, and that’s what I mean when I speak of the Age of Exploration. I think that a lot of indie bands from Germany, Japan or France are watching how far we will be able to go. We made it here, today we gave our first concert in France; and we will be distributed by JMD and Virgin, around September, I think. So, I think that’s good news for the indie bands: if you really want something, you can do it. Our band has good members, it’s really hard to keep a band together if something isn’t right. For example, we have our own shop CATSUOMATICDEATH, with T-shirts, merchandising, because that keeps us alive. But all our of products have a cost; we spent so much money to travel outside of Japan. We wanted to bring along of all these with us and we were told, "You need official papers from the Japanese government to prove that these are Japanese goods" or whatever, and I said "OK", even though it takes time. But we came regardless. I think that is... I think that we had difficult times, but we will be back. That’s how we get stronger. I respect all the musicians, even those that are helped by sponsors, labels and companies, and also those who do their own stuff; it’s the way they work. But we try to govern ourselves, to make decisions, the good ones, and, so far, it has worked, I think. Actually, it’s our fans who recommended us to come, otherwise we would not have asked and we would most likely not be here. We’re not into visual kei, we’re more of a rock band.

Did you ever play in a visual kei band?

ACEKAY: No never, we never played visual kei. I think that in visual kei, bands are a lot younger than us - much younger - and that they have a different point of view. We have a political message.

So the difference would be in the lyrics and the message that is in your music?

ACEKAY: Sure, but I think that there is one thing that really makes us different: it’s that we don't try to look cool, you know. In fact, we’re trying to look stupid (laughs). (He winces while saying "Yeah" and points his finger). Like that, you know. I don't like rock stars, I like people who come on stage and do things like that! (He winces again while doing some more onomatopoeias).

I think that’s really cool! (Laughs)

ACEKAY: Oh! Did you see our three new musicians on stage?! We would have loved it to go on forever. Oh! Sorry, I speak too much, you must have other questions. (Laughs)

I read that you created CATSUOMATICDEATH while you were studying American literature, and that you also loved Iggy Pop. Did you start with occidental music and then move towards literature? Or was it the other way round?

ACEKAY: Good question. You know, as a lyrics writer, I think that writing lyrics or literature or, even, studying literature - it’s the same thing. Let’s say you’re a professor, and that’s what you are, of course! What do you teach? (laughs) Well, I think that’s the same thing, when you’re studying, you copy things, and then when you have assimilated, you teach it to others; that’s cool, you’ll give public conferences, etc... But with music, when you do your own work, it’s something else, the method is different. You must learn rhythm. I think music is a lot easier to transmit. Because when you want to transmit energy through an academic work, you can’t really do it. But with music, you have that electricity, that rhythm! Of course, if you’re a specialist and you don’t speak well of rhythms, people won’t understand.

Your line-up often changes. Do these changes have an impact on your music?

ACEKAY: I never really tried to choose the band’s members. I have several friends who want to play with us. People who can cope with my speed. For example, YUKA has played with me for twenty months; she has been in the band for a long time. We had nearly 25 to 30 different members, a bit like X JAPAN. Oh! You know, the members of X JAPAN are friends, PATA and michiaki are good friends; they had a lot of support members at their beginnings. And also, I have to do it, for the love of music; but music is no laughing matter, it carries a message. I could just be happy, and say, "Hey! You’re a nice guy, play with me!" But I ask a lot from my members. "OK, let’s do this, but you must commit yourself. I can help you but I need your willpower and your energy, I need your leverage to get it." We’re on the same boat, and I respect my musicians for that. But the problem is that I meet a lot of musicians that are looking for a way of life in music; for example, a lot of musicians risk their life. In this case, it’s all right. But afterward, they say that it’s too risky, that they can’t do it. But I tell them, "What do you have to lose? Let’s do it! If you lose something, it's now, when you don’t try!" For example, YUKA is probably one of the best drummers in Japan. I’m very happy to have her as a member. YUZO played bass and did dance music, a mix between The Chemical Brothers and Guns N' Roses. YUKA is also a good support member. She played for Shiina Ringo. I think she loved to do national tours and play on TV. She’s also playing for a band called Metalchicks, which is a really nice dance metal band. Actually, I’m one of their fans. I asked her to play with me, and she said yes. I have a lot of respect for her.

Is the fact that you ask so much of your members the reason why they all say they hate you on your website?

ACEKAY: (laughs) Yes, yes! Actually, last time I asked too much, I came and said, "OK, we’ll do some recording, then we’ll do a concert. Maybe we’ll go to France in one month, OK? Let’s go!" And they all said, "Oh my God! But if you want to do it, do it! Let’s go!" That’s why people hate me. But they’re ready for it, they’re great.

Can you tell us how the band started and how you met?

ACEKAY: As a matter of fact, we already all knew each other. We didn’t meet before, but we all knew each other by name, as musicians. You know, Tokyo is a rather small place, but there are nearly eight thousands bands. Only a few of them make it to the top. But YUKA is really popular, so I already knew her. She played in a band called DMBQ, a heavy psychedelic band in Tokyo. I admired her a lot. We played together, and then I asked her to join me and she simply said, "All right." I think they all test me a lot, in different ways. But I always give the wrong answer and mistreat them. But somewhere, I try to make ends meet. I think they’re convinced. But they all want leave. (He looks at YUZO.) YUZO wants to leave as soon as possible. (laughs) But he’s looking for a good way to leave the band. (YUKA says something in Japanese to ACEKAY.) Oh! YUKA also wants to leave the band. She’s also looking for a good way to leave. But she hasn’t found it yet (laughs). It’s hard to find a good way.

YUKA, you’ve played with several bands with different styles, like OOIOO, for example. How do you adapt to the music of CATSUOMATICDEATH?

YUKA (translated by ACEKAY): An old kind of rock'n'roll was what she had in mind, but my own style of rock'n'roll was totally different. She tried to find a middle ground for our music. And the style of CATSUOMATICDEATH came just like that. But it wasn’t her style. She never thought of playing hard rock or rock. It’s more that she didn’t want to, but now it’s all right. (YUKA says something more) Each time we have a new bassist - and since YUKA came into the band, we had five in twenty months - every time, she had to change her accentuation and style. And she does it very well.

You say that as an indie band, you try to detach yourselves from the constraints of contracts and money. What’s your position on music downloading?

ACEKAY: We try to spread our music to people who love it. Not to everyone. I don’t care about "everyone" - I’m looking for people who want more of my music. For the first time, we’ll be distributed digitally by JMD, and then by Virgin Megastore. But I don’t know when physical CD sales will start. We don’t think about it for now, because we’re also manufacturers. We’re a label and we do it like this: "YUKA, do this! (He mimics how they share work.) YUZO, do that!" We have a lot of fun, you know. We like to do things by ourselves. It’s a part of the Shinto spirit. For example, the other night, we packed CD's until six in the morning. (He mimics the working chain.) That’s part of the fun. YUKA, YUZO, and I all have the experience of being in a label with that kind of manager that takes cares of the correspondences and then takes all the money. And you, in the end, being unable to play music. Ok, work for me and you’ll get paid, but we can’t pay you. We need to play music everyday. We can’t be under the control of a manager. We need to govern ourselves, that’s why we’re trying to have fun while making our own CD's. I even draw the posters and the CD covers. I have very good friends who help me do all of this, but this time, for the Japan Expo, it was a lot of work. You know, I even hand wrote the credits. It’s anachronistic, people don’t do these kinds of things anymore, but in the old days, that’s how it was done.

I guess you have a second job?

ACEKAY: YUZO plays with other bands. YUKA is also a drummer for several singers. We’re professional musicians, so we earn money. But I also have a side project, and I used to be a teacher at the University of Tokyo. Now I teach in a private institution. That’s what I’m interested in. I love to transmit energy to an audience, and, through music, it’s even better. So, before coming here, I told my students I was coming to a conference in Europe. I teach English and American culture.

Who is your favorite author?

ACEKAY: There are a lot of them, but to name one, I love Bret Easton Ellis, the author of American Psycho. It may sound shallow, but actually, it’s very deep. There are these mirror effects. I love that, there is a lot of mystery. You can’t say if he’s stupid or a genius.

Do you ever imagine being an inspiration for someone else?

ACEKAY: You mean, if I’m inspired by someone? Oh, the opposite! Actually, I don't really think so. What we do is very different from 99.99% of the other bands, who are looking for labels to sign a contract, etc. But there is a band that did a cover of us at a festival. I heard it on the radio, it was a girl that played my song Charly Vs Sammy - it was really cute. One day - I’m sure of it - one day, I’ll take her as a support member. Or maybe we’ll play in her band and do the cover band, wouldn’t that be funny? (laughs) We met with Ra:IN just before, we talked about if we could do a tour together in Europe. We’d be delighted. That’s the news for the day.

Who is Charly?

ACEKAY: Actually I wrote the lyrics of this song (Charly Vs Sammy) when North Korea was sending missiles over Japan (he makes the sound of a missile), and Bush protested. Bush contacted Kim Jong-Il, but it was a Japanese problem. But Bush was saying, "OK, now we’ll start the war," and Kim Jon-Il answered, "OK, we’ll eat you with our Russian friends." Whatever! It was like Vietnam? Hô-Chi-Minh was Charly, and the American president was Sammy. I always use metaphors, but nothing of what I say is really what I mean. I try not to write exactly what I mean.

Don’t you think that Japanese words mean more than English ones, concerning metaphors?

ACEKAY: I think that the Japanese language doesn’t go along well with rock'n'roll. You know, there is no rhythm. CON-STI-TU-TION, ta-ta-ta-ta! It doesn’t exist; if you write in Japanese, you get something like (in an unvarying tone), 5-7-5-5-5. I don’t like Japanese, but if I have to write for a Japanese audience, then I’ll write in Japanese - but it’s going to be enka.

You wrote on your website that you had time on July 7th for parties and birthdays, and that you would bring the cake? So, what's the flavour going to be?

ACEKAY: (laughs) We’re going to steal a lot of the chocolate cakes that are in the room in the back and rock the house. So if you want a happy birthday, call us! We like to do non-commercial jobs.


JaME would like to thank CATSUOMATICDEATH.