INTERVIEW TO SUGIZO
Sep 26 2008 Metro venue, Chicago IL trascribed by Joey Papan (J-revolution)

NOTE: Because was a delate in the time for the interview, we make it with our patners and friends: J-Revolution and Jrock Event USA, for this reason all us have the same interview

How is playing with Juno Reactor different than playing with other bands?

I’m just a guitarist. Juno Reactor is just music. We don’t need music genres; bands that defy them are so much better than bands who just stick to them. Luna Sea is not typical Japanese rock. Luna Sea is just a Japanese rock image, but they aren’t just music. 

How did you first get involved with Juno Reactor?

Nearly 3 years ago, I wanted to mix rock with Juno Reactor. It was the first time we talked. In Tokyo, we met for a magazine interview and felt really good. The third time, we played at a Tokyo Techno Festival. And we just kept working together.

The music of Juno Reactor is very different than the music you normally play. Did this present any kind of challenges for you?

Just yesterday, I got the answer to your question! It’s a lot like speaking English. My English isn’t that good. I need to use the tools, be it my vocabulary or guitar to express my spirituality. I’m just a guitar player. I can’t play Flamenco, I can’t play Bossa Nova, but I can play my own style, and that is what is most important. For example, this band is a Jazz Band, Jam Band, Techno Band, etc. Any music is great for me, great for my musical style. It mixes very interestingly. I hope my answer isn’t too selfish! The other Luna Sea members don’t know Juno Reactor well at all. They don’t know techno. My relationship with other Luna Sea members is very good. A few years ago, our communication was very bad, very complicated. But the last 7 years, our relationship has been very good. (Looks around the room) It’s so noisy!

Will there be more solo music after Cosmoscape?

This is my first step, I think. My solo work is of course a compilation of my life works. I have so many projects. I dun no why I am so busy. Maybe someday, somewhere, Luna Sea can revive, but I don’t know. I mean, I have Luna Sea, X Japan, S.K.I.N., Juno Reactor and Solo. It’s crazy busy, but my solo work is my life work, and I will continue with it until I die.

Speaking of SKIN…(laughs)

We want to continue it. But, everyone else is really busy, too. Maybe our mind for music, our mind for SKIN, is innocent. A few years ago, we meet for SKIN it felt nice. We want to continue it, maybe next year, we can continue, play again.

(Smiles) InChicago? 

I hope so..!

How do you feel about the recent influx of Japanese music in America, and how do you think you can contribute to it?

I think it is a good situation for Japanese artists, but I think it is sort of a trend. The most important thing about music is a musical mind, sense, and skill. Not movement, not just visual appeal. Of course, they are important elements, I mean, I love (X) Japan and other similar bands. But I think spirituality is most important. I think just now, Japanese music in America is kind of a trend. The bands that will survive are the ones that are genuinely talented. For example, SKIN, Luna Sea, we play things and mean it. The great thing about music is that race, religion, and culture don’t hold us back. I love America, I love Europe, I love the Middle East. The fact that we cross so many borders is proof of that. So many politicians want to fight wars through miscommunication. We have so many problems with communication, especially with communication. We as music fans, though, don’t have that problem.

Is that part of why you like Juno Reactor so much? Because it is such a perfect mixture of everything? 

Exactly, yes. I’m Japanese; we have four great South African men, a man from England, a great American drummer, and a great man from Jamaica. I think it’s beautiful. We are a happy family, and our music takes on great forms. All of us play styles from our own country. We have a huge energy, and just a beautiful union. I think Juno Reactor’s most important message, is their style. Our music has no real style, but our important message is our mixture.

Where would you like to go?

I would like to go to South Africa.  For example, Brazilian music. Brazil is one of my favorite countries. João Gilberto. He is an amazing Bossa Nova player, and my most important music influence. I would love to go to Peru, I must see Machu Picchu. 

Did you ever thing you’d achieve the fame you have now?

Me? No way! I’ve never changed; I’m still just a boy. I started playing music when I was around 3, it very natural for me, like the ocean or air. I had no idea I’d be like this; it’s just my lifestyle, very natural for me. Of course, I wanted to play in other countries, now I want to be a bridge for all these music styles I love.

When did Spirituality become so important to you? Did music help you discover it?

When I was 18 years old, I read a very important book, Out On a Limb, by Shirley Maclaine. It was a very big picture for me, but a lot of it, I felt like I already knew, since a little kid. Music is a very big part of spirituality, our culture. It means a lot to a lot of people in spirituality. It has so much power; it can send so many messages, in my point of view.

If you had the chance to collaborate with anyone in the world, who would it be, and why?

London Symphony Orchestra and Miles Davis. He’s one of my favorites. Prince is my hero, too. I’m also a very big fan of Stanley Kubrick. Film music is very interesting for me. I want to make very good film music.

How about the film you did?

It was a great experience for me. It’s kind of a crazy film, but genius. I love his sense, ad his skill. The music is so difficult for me. I had to write the music before the film was even shot. Usually, the music is made after shooting, and a composer can see the film and use it. The film is strange, and the director needed it before shooting. All I had was a script. It was a very interesting job, and some of the songs are my most important music. Is the movie (Soundtrack) in english at all? I have no idea. The film needs subtitles. 

Would you ever put your music in Guitar Hero?

No. But I mean, if they want Luna Sea or my music, it wouldn’t be bad for me. I stopped playing games. When I was a junior high school student, I was a huge game junkie, it was a huge problem for me. I was amazing at a single video game. When I hurt myself a few years ago, all I did was play games, Star Wars, Gundam..I realized I needed to stop. It’s very dangerous for me, (laughs). I need to stop playing games, never gamble..for my work, for my life, for my music.

Is there anything in your career you haven’t done yet that you would like to achieve?

Nuclear war is a big thing, and very important to me. We don’t need nuclear war. The American election is very important. The American people need a change for better communication. Not war, not business, not power. I like Barack Obama very much. McCain is a danger. He is very famous, because he is a war hero. His mind is very old styled. We live in the 21st Century, the way of the future, not past. We should stop thinking like the 20th Century, too. The American people have such power, especially young people. And they have the power to do it. This is good timing for my kind of message. I can play so many countries, and communicate to so many people, so many races. It’s very good for this world. Music is very special to everyone.

 

Thanks so much to Einsof Marketing Group and Jrockrevolution.com for bring us the chance of have this wonderful experience!.

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