This is the interview of Japanese skinhead KAIGA! Since forming their band in 2004, the Fukui prefecture skinhead band, KAIGA has been vigorously performing mainly at their home town. The members are the following: Vocal Opu, guitarist Hiro, bassist Heko, and drums Itchan. Until today, they have released a CDR demo including three tracks, a compilation CD [sons of skinhead Vol.2](2006, BRONZE FIST RECORDS) and their own full first album [ISHIN DENSHO](2010, BRONZE FIST RECORDS). The Fukui prefecture has always had Punk and Hardcore bands with strong individuality, but this band which sends forth a sound of great originality has been energetically been the main planners for their independent live event [PROTEST STATEMENT]. Hiros metalical guitar is the core to their overflowing, driving sound, and the recognized heavy tank-like vocal overwhelms all that hear them. Keep your ears tuned to these growling lions! Q. Tell us details about how KAIGA was formed. OPU: I had really been into hardcore, but when I saw the STRONG STYLE and TETTSUI, I thought this is it! The next day I shaved my head. Soon after I got to know these guys and the next year we had our first gig. I am the only original member. Q. Sound- wise, what direction do you have in mind? OPU: Our guitar, HIRO has a strong metal taste, so I guess you would say we are metallic. Each member, especially HIRO and I have a very different musical background, so we often have a conflict when making songs for KAIGA. Q. About your album [ISHIN DENSHO] released in 2010, tell us if you had any difficulties while recording. OPU: Previously in the compilation [sons of skinhead Vol.2] we got a lot of help from Mr. Hideki from BRONZE FIST RECORDS, and he offered us this chance. There are a lot of bands in Fukui that have some sort of connection with Mr.Hideki. What we found difficult was that when the recording continued past midnight, the atmosphere got pretty irritated. There was so much that we did not know and so we kept going, trial and error. I think it was a good opportunity for us to come face to face with our ability as a band. Also, making a jacket for this release, and what have you, was all new to us so we had a hard time with everything. Okazaki who did our jacket went through quite a lot, I think. HIRO: What we found most troublesome during this recording was that we had to arrange the old songs from our demo and compilation album. We ended up arranging while actually recording the songs. We were boxed up for hours and there were many tiresome hours after midnight, but basically I enjoyed this recording. Personally I feel that we could have had a more energetic album. HEKO: What I had the most trouble with was OPUs character. Despite his looks, hes pretty hard to please. Just joking; what we had to be careful of was that we could not be fraudulent. I am a very bad player. Looking back, I think that prickling atmosphere around dawn was a laugh. Q. What does the album title [ISHIN DENSHO] mean? OPU: The album title was ex drummer, YAMAs idea. According to him, it comes from the Japanese word [ISHIN DENSHO] , but our souls (shin) and life (sho) , again, live (nama) comes into the picture. Q. Tell us about your event gig [PROTEST STATEMENT] that you have been organizing since you formed the band. OPU: The title stands....because its cool! As for the contents of the event, we have hardcore, Oi and skins bands from other prefectures to take part, and also our favorite bands from home. We still have to brush up some parts of it, but we stand strong with the title of the event and have no plans of changing it. Q. How would you describe Fukui prefecture? OPU: I wasnt born and bred entirely in Fukui, but what I can surely say it that its rural! Its a fine place to live if you like the countryside. There is still much to improve concerning the scene, but everyone is doing the best they can to liven things up. Q. So, what are the merits and demerits of performing mainly in Fukui? OPU: The biggest demerit would be that its hard to get bands from other prefectures to come during the winter! As for merits, there are quite a few venues, so its not that inconvenient in that sense. Q. In July 2010, you played in Bangkok for [sons of skinhead BANGKOK meeting], organized by BRONZE FIST RECORDS. OPU: We were invited by Mr.Hideki from BRONZE FIST RECORDS from which we will be releasing our album. I had not had the slightest idea about playing overseas, so I was pretty excited. But right after we said we would go, there happened to be a riot...Even so, Mr.Hideki kept on sending us mail after mail that the live would be carried out. We could tell he was really intense about this event. I had never been overseas, so I collected my countryside guts and grit and went for it ! Q. And how was it? OPU: I went thinking that things will go as they go, and they did, so I guess I could enjoy it. I had not had any idea what the Thai scene was about, but I found they were all full of zeal. Everyone really had pride in being a skinhead. There is no way I could not enjoy playing in front of such a crowd. HIRO: In short, it was fun. It was my first time having a gig overseas, and also the first time for me to see a gig overseas, so I was a bit anxious. But once we started playing, it was like the old crowd we were used to. I really felt that music is definitely a universal language. If only I could speak English, it may have been even better....I will work on that. HEKO: My impression of this gig was that it was a great experience. I will remember the taste of Tomyankun and Danny the cab driver for the rest of my life. The blind, tattooed punk dude at JJ Market, a friend of Mr.Hideki, left a great impact on me. At the gig, people from various countries came to chat and they were so energetic, I was really impressed. I was really thankful. I think we are strongly bonded as a band since our trip to Thai. Recording our album, a chance to play in Thailand, touring....I am extremely thankful to Mr.Hideki and Opu, really from the heart. Q. KAIGA is a Skinhead band, right? I realize it is difficult to descibe in words, but could you tell us about your pride in being a skinhead? OPU: I really enjoy listening to and seeing hardcore bands, but I will never change my style as a skinhead. My ideals have not changed since junior high. It is the music and lifestyle that fits me most. Whatever anyone says, KAIGA IS JUST A SKINHEAD BAND! Q. Tell me about good point and bad point that you play at underground music scene in Japanese local area like Fukui. OPU: Good point...can revitalize our local scene with sitting loose to musical genres and a liberal view. I dont know about bad point. HIRO: I think there are fellow feeling highly in our local scene. The bands by music lovers come together for the gig and whenever we play there, we can expand connection of fellow. After then repeat playing for the gig and can expand it again and again. I dont know about bad point, too. HEKO: We can get along well without worry about the difference of the genre in our local scene. In spite of that I had stopped playing music and had not been in gig place until recently, everyone who I meet at gig place willing to get along well now. Bad point...there is some collusion between us on our local scene. Q. Do you have anything to say for Malaysian people? OPU:I wish many people come to see our show even if people may have likes and dislikes to such a metalic sound of ours. HIRO:I wish people being outside of Japan can understand our lyric and words we sing. Of course I know its difficult... ITCHAN: I tell this first...now I feel uneasy to play drum with Kaiga on a technical level because I started playing with them lately. But I am attracted to their spirit and their way of life and I decide playing with them at last. Im unconcerned about music scene and technical level. There are people unconcerned about music genre, gender and age as same as me in my local area and when they come to our show, I hope they can enjoyI think there are same situation all over the world music has no border. So I hope everybody who come to our show enjoy and I want to enjoy, too. Even if I cannot understand what we are saying each other, I may talk to anyone. HEKO: I wish people who comes to the show get sense of unity then. When we play at rehearsal studio, we can realize matching or mismatching of our perform there without any words among members. Thats true charm for us. If our audience also can feel this with us, its really good! Q. If you have anything left to say, go ahead. HEKO: KAIGA is a band which continually develops. And I believe it will continue to evolve. Above all, I hope that Opus character changes for the better ...hee..hee. HIRO: Maybe everyone thinks this way, but I hope to be a band, and guitarist that everyone thinks is COOL!!! OPU: We had not been performing for quite some time, but now we are playing a lot at our home ground, and we have an album out, so please, come see us at our gigs!
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 15:38:27 +0000
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