USGKZ Interview Chapter1. INTRO (The Night Before Band Activities)
▶ I've been a fan of your band sound for a long time, and my first question is about the fundamental origins of it. I saw online and in magazines that you're from Onomichi City in Hiroshima Prefecture, and that you have an older brother who is a skilled guitarist.
USGKZ: Yes, that's right. Even now, my older brother, who is four years older than me, is better at guitar than I am.
▶ Did your older brother also engage in band activities?
USGKZ: When my older brother lived in Osaka, he was in a band. He played at live houses, and I went to see him perform once. Now he's back in our hometown, married, with kids, and working. Just a regular guy, you know.
▶ What kind of music did your older brother's band play?
USGKZ: It was guitar rock influenced by UK bands like The Beatles and Blur.
▶ Not hardcore punk?
USGKZ: No, not at all.
▶ So, your brother isn't interested in the music you're playing?
USGKZ: But it seems he keeps checking on my activities. With IdolPunch, for the past few years, I've been doing year-end live shows with Takkyu Ishino (the member of DENKI GROOVE), and after it's done and I go back home for the New Year, he asks, "How was Takkyu's show?" So, he knows. My brother was into DENKI GROOVE.
▶ Was your start in music influenced by your older brother during your childhood?
USGKZ: Yes, I think so. But that's not the whole story.
▶ When do you remember having your musical awakening?
USGKZ: Around fifth grade in elementary school. There was an outdoor event called Japan Pop Hill, and it was being televised. I was really fascinated by bands like LÄ-PPISCH and Unicorn who were on the show, and it made me want to start playing an instrument. Around fifth or sixth grade, it was more of a longing, and I actually started playing the guitar around my first year of junior high. The biggest obstacle for me in starting to play the guitar was acquiring one. Nowadays, instruments are affordable, but back then they were expensive. Even the cheapest one was around 30,000 yen.
▶ It's not something you could buy with New Year's gift (お年玉).
USGKZ: I had a cousin who had a few guitars, so he gave me one, and from there, I practiced songs by Unicorn.
▶ Did your older brother teach you when you first started playing the guitar?
USGKZ: No, I didn't even ask him.
▶ Not at all?
USGKZ: Yeah, not at all, because it was adolescence (laughs). I was influenced, but we weren't close. It annoyed me to be taught something by him (laughs). My mom could play the guitar a bit, so she taught me the basic chords CDEFGAB. Once I got the basics, I bought a book with Unicorn's chords, and I was practicing with that around my first year of junior high.
▶ When you're in 7th grade and your sibling is 4 years older, it's understandable that you might not talk much.
USGKZ: Exactly, he was in the middle of adolescence, and it was also when I was just beginning my adolescence.
▶ So, you didn't discuss music much between siblings?
USGKZ: Not too much. But when I went into my brother's room, I saw Doll and Takarajima(宝島) magazines. He seemed more culturally advanced than me. He had CDs I'd never heard of, like The Flippers Guitar and The Pees.
▶ Was your older brother open to lending you CDs or showing you books?
USGKZ: No, it was a secret (laughs). When my brother was out playing, I'd sneak into his room, take some CDs, and record them onto cassette tapes in my room. I had to listen secretly because he'd find out if I played them openly, so I'd use my Walkman and headphones (laughs). Also, there was a CD rental store called "Reikodo"（れいこう堂） in Onomichi that played a big role.
▶ It was a rental store?
USGKZ: Yeah, they also sold CDs. I don't know why, but Reikodo had a strangely sharp selection.
▶ I heard that Reikodo was featured in a documentary film before.
USGKZ: Yeah, that's right. It became a documentary film. The store owner was an amazing person. Reikodo had a truly all-encompassing selection. The owner was into artists like Kazumi Nikaido and EGO-WRAPPIN', but he knew all kinds of music. Their selection was adventurous across all genres. Even though it was a rental store, they sold stuff too. They had some interesting items for sale in Onomichi, like U.G MAN's 8cm CDs. It was like, "Why?" (laughs).
▶ Back then, with no online shopping, you'd see the advertisements inside CDs and call to make purchases, right?
USGKZ: Yes, that's right. Also, during high school, I used mail-order services from Disk Union. Since there was no internet, I had to call and order. I'd ask for "this and that," and they'd send it to me. At that time, they told me if I spent over 10,000 yen, the shipping would be free. But I was a bit short, and I hadn't planned on buying more, so I asked them to include a recommended CD from what I ordered to make it over 10,000 yen for free shipping.
▶ That's quite clever (laughs).
USGKZ: During high school, I worked at a greengrocer, and I spent most of my earnings on CDs and stuff. Also, in terms of musical influence, there's a guy named Yoshiki, who was about three years older, that I knew from when I used to practice Judo. He played the guitar and was really skilled. He introduced me to stuff like Nirvana's "Bleach" era before "Never mind" and Pixies during "Doolittle," when I was around middle school age. His presence was significant. He was really strong in Judo and was great at the guitar—cool all around.
