FLOPPY is known for using technology as their primary musical instrument, creating unique electronic songs inspired by 80's pop music and video games. The duo released the album
Deus ex machina last fall and will release a new album,
PROTOSCIENCE, in March.
SHARAKU and
TODA sat down to answer our questions about their background, new releases and future plans.
For our readers who aren’t familiar with FLOPPY yet, can you please introduce each other?
SHARAKU:
Hiromu-kun is in charge of synthesizers. He is a mood-maker and he gives out exciting energy.
TODA:
Sharaku-san is the singer. He's a pretty nice guy who sings. But he's also sort of a tough guy, too.
How did the two of you meet? What was it that made you decide to work together?
TODA: We performed at the same event as members of different bands.
SHARAKU: We were at the same event, and I asked him to work together because he makes good music.
TODA: I felt the same way, so I said yes.
Both of you have the role of "technology." How is the composition process divided between each of you?
SHARAKU: We make our own songs independently.
TODA: For the most part, it's a separate process until the songs are ready for the finishing touches.
FLOPPY started out as a side project. How did it come to be your major project?
TODA: I never thought of it as a side project.
SHARAKU: I started
FLOPPY as a main project from the beginning.
TODA: And I don’t like to sing, so…(laughs)
What was it about electronics and games that interested you? Was it something you were interested in as a child or something you grew to love as you got older?
SHARAKU: There was a boom for Famicom (the first Nintendo) when I was a kid, and I became really interested in that.
TODA: I was playing with an electronic toy calculator since I was about 3 years old. Technology is interesting to me because technology is always thought of as being perfect until it gets trampled on by newer technology.
FLOPPY has a few songs that have been used on a various different games. Are there any particular games or types of games you’d like to write the music for?
SHARAKU: A role-playing game
TODA: Role playing game. A shooting game would be fun, too.
Continuing with games, you wrote a song for the video games "IDOLM@STER" and "otomedius G." Were these songs already composed before the opportunity was presented to you or were you told about the games and then composed them based on that information?
SHARAKU: We were contacted through e-mail, believe it or not.
TODA: It was that simple. We received offers from the person in charge of music for each game, and it just progressed naturally form there.
You had a new album that came out this past fall called Deus ex machina
. Why was this title chosen and what does it mean to you?
TODA: I wonder why… (smiles)
SHARAKU: Because of the theme of "machinery" - a situation that's finished or resolved by a machine.
What was the biggest challenge about creating this album?
SHARAKU: For me, the fact that there were so many songs.
TODA: Time. It's always time.
Do you have a favorite song from the album?
SHARAKU: I like every one of them. I can't choose.
TODA: I like all of them because I worked hard on them.
Why did you choose everything
to be the band's first PV?
SHARAKU: I think it sounds like a single.
TODA: It’s catchy.
SHARAKU: When it was time to make the decision, that was my gut feeling. So I went with that.
Considering both of you have the role of "technology," what kind of input did you have with the video? Did you put it together yourselves or work with someone else?
SHARAKU: It was a collaboration between the two of us.
TODA: Hard to say exactly who did what.
SHARAKU: I'm kind of like the director…
TODA: I did a lot of the shooting.
The song pike
from your first single and latest album is a cover of the older new wave band Hikashu. What made you want to cover it?
SHARAKU: No particular reason. It just happened.
TODA: I wonder why… (smiles)
SHARAKU: It was a natural idea to do that song. So we didn't think too much about it.
You have covered songs from other artists before. Which other songs would you like to cover some day?
SHARAKU:
U2,
TOYDOLLS.
TODA:
The Fifth Dimension,
Louis Armstrong.
You have another album coming out in March called PROTOSCIENCE
. What can fans look forward to from this album?
SHARAKU: We're trying new things.
TODA: The songs will have some different styles.
SHARAKU: There will be sounds you've never heard from
FLOPPY before.
Many of your releases are only available at your live performances. What are the reasons behind this?
SHARAKU: It's not really on purpose, but it's easier.
TODA: It's fast. We can give the new songs to our fans right away.
How do you prepare for a live show?
SHARAKU: I stay relaxed. I go with the flow without thinking about anything.
TODA: We decide the songs to play, we decide the layout of the equipment and we rehearse. It's a simple process. But this is how we make sure we're ready to give the best show.
Where do the ideas for your costumes come from? How about the ideas for SHARAKU's microphones?
SHARAKU: It’s the image of the uniform of the future. I thought the microphone was just interesting and funny.
TODA: The Famicom microphone is our vision of a future mankind.
You have teamed up with JapanFiles.com who make releases more readily available to overseas fans. Are you interested in performing overseas? If so, which places would you want to perform at?
SHARAKU: I want to go to countries where the fans are learning Japanese.
TODA: Any country where there’s electricity. And internet.
To end this interview, please provide some insightful words to our readers.
SHARAKU: Thank you for reading about us. Please don't forget us!
TODA: Stay healthy and work hard.
We'd like to give a special thanks to FLOPPY and to JapanFiles.com for making this interview possible.
Interview translated by JapanFiles.com. Support the artist! Releases from FLOPPY are available at JapanFiles.com.
