Rock Impressions
 

INTERVIEW WITH ADACHI KYODAI, replied by So Adachi (italian version)
by Giancarlo Bolther

Can you tell us about the songs from Xianshi and the story behind the title, please?
Our new release Xian Shi is a Chinese word which means Pebble, held in a bird beak.. I found this word in a novel (written by Mr. Chin Shunn Shin, a Chinese author), which means.....
In Chinese myth, a daughter of Yandi, a God of Fire and Luxuriance, was drawned in the eastern sea. In her next life, she was born as a bird, but couldn't forget the spite against the sea. So, she took pebble holding in her beak, to drop in the sea to bury the water.
From that story, the word xian-shi turns to be a meaning of endless efforts which seems silly... But I felt something similar to our brother's making music. Because since we were small, we were extremely clumsy comparing to the other kids, and quite useless to the society too... and we may still be the same, if we do not play music. So I named this album, xian-shi.

How do you go about the process of composing songs?
My brother and I are almost blind to musical score, so, I make line, record it, I change the line, record it, my brother remember it, I make the harmony, record it... OK, Stop me!! Oh how xianshi, WE ARE!
On the other hand,when I play with AUSIA, two colleagues of mine, Akihisa Tsuboy and Yukihiro Isso remembers, what I make on their first attempt, without writing anything!!! Last night, I had a gig with AUSIA, and it was just fantastic!

Can you tell me more, please?
We had two performances as AUSIA in last ten days, it makes me really tired, but those were just fantastic!!!! Tsuboy is getting better & better. Isso had a big concert last month at the national theatre with various musicians like Natsuki Kido or Tokyo philharmonic orchestra. He kept a enormous tention, so, he did great too.

In your opinion, which are the hitpoints of the new album?
Compairing again with the 1st ADACHI KYODAI, listners might have accustomed to what we are doing, so, if liked us, I thought people could be more patient to our long song too. HARD LINE or IN THE HOWLINGWOOD are rather longer, because of the improvisation part when we play in concert.

Usually artists were never totally satisfied with their works, what would you like to change in yours or they are good enough as they are for you?
I am not good at playing in studio, because there is no audience to give us much more heat. To be nervous about making mistouches often causes loss of thrill too. But the place where we could reach in xian shi made us feel alright.

Which are the main differencies between Xianshi and the previous album?
We could enjoy the circumstances of what we are doing, sense what we ought to do, and guess what we are required to be, through the experience of making the first album ADACHI KYODAI.

Which are the main differencies between working/playing/composing/recording with Adaki Kyodai and Ausia?
The thrill and excitement I try to put in music is almost the same. In ADACHI KYODAI, I have two, in AUSIA I have three incredible colours on my palette to draw. ADACHI-tight, strong & wild, no rest, blood and instinct. AUSIA-one more voice for harmony, more improvisation, different blood, incredible unexpecting response between the players.

Do you have got other projects?
I can only manage ADACHI KYODAI & AUSIA for the moment, Only these two, three years, I could become to enjoy taking solo in both bands. I wish to form a electric versions of those two units, as we used to do too.

Your technical ability is very impressive, but how much important is the technical ability in your sound?
Language to talk, paint to draw, It is just a vocabulary for what we want to do.

Don’t you think that too much technical exhibition may affect the pleasure for the listener?
To say the truth, we play music mainly for our own pleasure. Listeners who first see us usually upset, because players in both units are little bit different in playing speed and their strong existence. But gradually people are involved, and begin to enjoy the heat, if they do not leave.

What does it mean for you to play with your brother in Adachi Kyodai and there was some kind of competition between you?
My musical abillities are made and shaped up to support and to show Ryusuke's outstanding guitar playing to the audiences. If you are asking me, we fight or quarrel about music?... Yes, we do a lot!!!

Can you describe to us your meeting with Tsuboy and when is born your artistic collaboration?
Isso and I were looking for a violin player, after the rest of the band (Ryusuke: guitar, Keisuke Ohta: violin, Masaki Yosimi: Indian percussives...) left AUSIA in 1997, we had a little gig in Tokyo, We have found there played another band with a violin player. That was K.B.B. When they were rehersing, Tsuboy played the violin. But his main instruments are the electric guitar and keyboards. At that time he only had a cheap electric violin. I liked that kind of attitude! So, I caught him in the tiny dressing room, threatning JOIN the BAND, OK?.......... and so he did.
Natsuki Kido the guitar player of Era, was also thretened by Isso, and began his professional career with Isso's band, giving up his stable occupation, twenty years ago... Did you know?

What kind of person is Tsuboy as a man and as an artist?
He is the youngest in the band, naive, does not sleep or eat a lot, commputer nurd...

If you could have the possibility, which are the artists you would like to play with and why?
Unfortunately I don't have perfect pitch, and I can't read scores so I can only play what I can play. That means I am not good for jamming. Though I always wish to do something which has strong tension, like what King Crimson, Jimi Hendrix, or The Doors did.

What is that caracterize your live performances?
A Happening, only occur once or can be experienced once in lifetime.

How do you prepare the set list for live performances?
It is almost always up to the weather or feeling of the day.

When you listen to a guitar player, what is that you like and what do you dislike?
I am intrested in something different from the others, or I can easily identify the player's characters.

Which is your fave guitar model and why?
Old Gibson Les Paul model, standards, black beauties, gold tops, flat tops, jazz guitars, semi accoustics, Fire birds, Flying V, SGs, Fender Guitars, Rickenbacker, Gretch, D'Anjelico, too many attractive American guitars in the world! Especially Epiphone or Guild jazz guitar and Dread naughts, made in '50s are just fantastic! Now I am mainly using a domestic nylon strunged classical guitar, made in late '60s. Italian EKO Rokes bass is my favorite too because of its outstanding design.
After all, if I have to choose one, I go to spain and try some good spanish guitar, because of their lightness, ballance and big sound. Or a light Les Paul standard '57-'60 with hambackers and thin neck.

How many time did you spend to reharsal?
Once or twice a month.

What kind of music do you listen to? What are your favourite bands actually and what are your inspirations from the past?
Besides ours, recently I still often listen to Shakti with John Mclaughlin, Giuseppe Gaccetta 24 Caprise. In the past I was inspired by Jethro Tull, King Crimson, John Maclaughlin, The Beatles, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, J.S.Bach, N.Paganini, Ruggiero Ricci, ARVO PÄRT, Akira Ihukube, EL&P, CSN&Y, also Italian Paintings, Fine Arts, Japanese Paintings, Accesaries, furnitures, gardens, European buildings, Korean pottery, American animation, Films, Indian music, and so on...

What can you tell me about the musical scene in your country?
I don't really know what it is like... But, singers from Okinawa, the southern islands of Japan, are quite unique and sometimes very impressive.

How culturally connected are you to your native land?
I tremble my body stirring sometimes to see temple gardens, paintings, colour of nature, Kimono, combs, or tasting food, but sometimes I am really ashamed to be a Japanese, when to see thoughtless national characters, helpless social phenomenon nower days, and to hear introverted and selfish criminals.

These seem to be very dark times. What do you believe about this period, do you are optimistic or do you fear the future?
Yes, I fear tomorrow I'll be crying......... NO! People from various countries accept ADACHI KYODAI and AUSIA so warm, and to see foreign audienses in concerts makes us very glad. There is no border to music or arts I believe. Too many difficulties all around the world. But still The world is worth bothering about yet!

GB

Review (in italian): Adachi Kyodai; Xianshi

Related Artists: Ausia

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