Alright, here we fucking go! This is something I’ve been excited about for a really long time, and here I am bringing you an interview with the Japanese chaotic hardcore band, Vanishing Twin. I’ve been a fan of these dudes since day one, and they released their debut EP some time last year. I’m also really stoked to announce that I will be releasing this EP in the US, hopefully in June.
Hello everyone! Thank you for taking the time to do this interview with me. What I’m looking to do here, is to try and connect you guys with the rest of the worlds listeners. I hope that this interview sheds some light on you guys!
Strange Tales:
Vanishing Twin’s lyrics seem deep, angry, and intense to me. I feel like they touch on a lot of subjects, from when you’re a child to being a working adult. What is your inspiration? Are these from your own personal experiences, or are these things that every 20 to 30 year old Japanese person feels?
Satoru Iwakami: Thank you for the interview! Since Kouki is the person who wrote the lyrics, he should start off answering I think.
Kouki Aoto: While writing these lyrics, I thought about “This person is the worst!”. For the anger, all of these experiences are something everyone has dealt with, from absurd bullying to feeling hopeless. This is what I’m thinking about when writing these lyrics.The lyrics and song titles are from when everyone is talking about how we can’t stand these people. If I think something is good, I’ll remember it and use it later. As well, I’ll also write about my own experiences with these shitty people I’ve met.
ST: Ah, I see. So, Vanishing Twin’s songs are written about being a salaryman? In the same vein about the lyrics and song titles, where did the name “Vanishing Twin” come from?
Toshiki Aoto: I got the name from the movie.The name actually has no real meaning at all haha.
ST: I hear that answer a lot haha. I’m always curious though.
TA: I just wanted to have a cool name.
Also, right now in Japan there is a trend of having a long name like “~ of” that I’m not a fan of, I wanted to avoid naming my band something that Japanese people would immediately connect to the emotional hardcore genre.
KA:
For the song’s progressions and atmosphere, we wanted something unlike usual Japanese names. This is something we talked about when we first started Vanishing Twin.
ST:
A lot of the lyrics are about working life, but the lyrics are self-deprecating. The first I think of is “Forgive me, I am trash.” The entire song has a really vain feeling. From that song, what is the “Endless repeating boring load game”?
KA:
That’s right, for sure the lyrics are primarily focused on work and life itself. “Forgive me, I am trash”, while being self-deprecating, is singing about people who don’t want their pride to be destroyed. For those that only talk about themselves, but don’t listen to others opinions or are way too prideful.
The Endlessly Repeating Boring Load Game, is about my own never-changing life. If life is a game, the “same shit, different day” feeling is what I’m writing about.
ST:
Oh yea, I know that feeling as well. When I first started working two years ago, I had a ton of days that always felt the same. Before that, I was always broke in college but I felt free. My work life is wake up, go to work, leave work, eat dinner, go to sleep. Every day. I thought “Is this all? This life sucks!”
Isn’t pride interesting? It’s good to have pride, but having too much can make you selfish. Infallible pride can become your own worst enemy.
SI:
That’s right, after all I think most people have the same emotions. People that don’t have these feelings are happy people that think, from the bottom of their heart, their job is challenging and worth doing.
To break out from the load game, I play in bands. You use your label and distro as a way to express yourself.
Endlessly repeating boring load game is a pretty good line I think! Haha.
Happiness isn’t ironic, that’s what I truly think.
KA:
I don’t want to confine the lyrics but, “I don’t want life to become like this!” is also something I write about. At my job, everyday can be boring, but I want to be playing music.
But society also has people that aren’t like that. You can’t help it that work is busy but you can cheat yourself by wanting to drink it away after, just bad mouthing people and doing nothing yourself. Insofar as these people have too much pride to do anything else.
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The song title, “Forgive me, I am trash”, is writing about those that might be conceited.
In addition, Vanishing Twin is also talking about politics, and shouting about life around us. About stories of neighboring countries and their politicians, and people that aren’t happy with their current living situations. I think it’s easier for people in these situations to imagine.
ST:
Both you and Satoru make some interesting points. I never thought of my label as a way of breaking out, but now that I think about it, it does make sense.
“Beating your Grandchildren” is a really depressing song. Unfortunately, child abuse due to poor grades happens all over, but I feel like it’s more emotional. My friend is a teacher, and he has told me stories of parents with passive aggressive reactions to poor grades. “Well, unfortunately he/she is bad at that subject.” or “He/she isn’t fit for doing that subject.” These comments are entirely malicious, but not physical. Is physical violence due to bad grades normal in Japan?
TA:
Violence has a lot forms.Through words and behavior. Direct and indirect. However you look at it, it is all violence in some way.
I believe that all forms are awful. An appropriate effort has to try and be made though I think.
School and work as well, in reality a lot of this structure hasn’t changed. I think that there are two positions to talk about this. Before in Japan, I think there was a good balance that was being maintained. But now, that balance has been offset, and currently which way does the burden fall I wonder? There is a feeling of stress in the work environment now.
While playing shows this stress comes to mind for a moment, but that moment disappears during shows because I enjoy being in a band.
Talking about child abuse is a long and shitty conversation so I think it would be better to stop here with that.
ST: Ah that was my mistake. I agree that abuse takes up many forms, but “Beating your Grandchildren”’s lyrics are really severe, I feel they paint a picture of physical abuse.
Vanishing Twin’s live shows are hyper intense! Are you guys letting go of all your stress during shows?
TA:
I really fucking hate hard-headed people. I absolutely despise adults whose brains are like a worn out sponge. These lyrics are lashing out against the type of elders I hate.
ST:
A little before you said that there was a good balance being maintained, but that now it has fallen out of favor. What do you think the main cause of this is?
With the balance being in disarray, is this something accepted among the Japanese, or is this not talked about at all?
TA:
That question is really difficult to answer I think. There is a lot of symptoms from the workplace that can attribute to this I think.
ST:
Ah, that question is a little shitty. Now that I read again, it’s pretty loaded so let’s skip it. Sorry!
KA: This looks like its becoming a gloomy conversation!
“Beating your grandchildren”’s lyrics. This might be a little too real but, I think some of Toshiki and I’s personal experiences were included here. They really are cruel lyrics. But I think this is something that I deliberately wanted to write about.
TA:
Thinking carefully, the kid who is beaten is more angry, you know? To some extent maybe it’s time to grow up, you think?
It could be defiant or rebellious, but it’s different from revenge don’t you think?
For both “Forgive me, I am trash” and “Either one”, these are common sayings from the minorities complaints.
KA: “Either one” is about the days of a man who doesn’t take a job.
ST:
Vanishing Twin’s live shows look super intense! In the “Rotten Lunch” video, Kouki is jumping all over! Haha. How have people reacted to your shows?
KA: Thanks for watching our video! I am doing some really fucking crazy moves hahaha! The response from the people watching? Or, what do we think about our shows?
ST:
The audience, but “live show guests” sounds sort of weird, no? I have no idea how to say this in Japanese haha.
KA:
How so? But at least to us, the reaction from others has been really good and positive.
People have said that we sound like we’re influenced from San Deigo hardcore. We agree with that.
ST: I also agree! Vanishing Twin reminds me of 90s Southern California hardcore.
KA:
Thank you! I wonder if our shows are like those times?
ST:
I think so! I’m watching a Jenny Piccolo video right now as well, and Vanishing Twin matches. But in Japan, a lot of live houses have stages. During Vanishing Twin shows, how do you guys connect with the audience?
In the Jenny Piccolo video, the audience is directly next to the band. When I was in Japan, one show really struck me. I went to see a show and they had a railing between the band and the audience. For a hardcore show, that was pretty weird to me. It felt like an unnecessary wall between the band and I.
KA:
That video is the fucking best! At our shows, some people are really feeling it I also see people getting into the moment! I really look up to the atmosphere of 31G, Gravity, and all other bands during that time.
Most of the live houses in Japan are divided between the stage and the audience, and there is a distance from the audience. In reverse, while watching shows from overseas there is almost no distance at all. You can really see the passion in these close situations, being so direct and close looks like a lot fun. About not having a stage, this might be connected to some cultural reasons. However, we should talk about this some other time!
Because from when I first started bands there has always been a stage, I have never really felt that it is out of place. I don’t think the audience really notices not being directly next to us.
However if we’re playing hard live, I also want that craziness to be circulated amongst the audience. Just like Jenny Piccolo, The Locust, Angel Hair live shows that look badass, I also want our shows to have that feeling. I don’t think that there is a lot of wildly enthusiastic people right now.
ST:
Ah, I get what you’re saying! Even though it’s difficult to feel close to the band in Japan, The people at Vanishing Twin shows definitely look like they’re into it! You can really feel everyone’s energy in the music video!
Do you guys have any last words?
KA:
I want to plan various things to spread this enthusiasm. I want to work on even more songs, and little by little I want to have even more shows. I want to cherish the moments of explosive energy during our live shows.
And mostly, I want to be rebellious till’ the end. I don’t want to our shows to be calm, and I want my feelings to explode at all times. I don’t give a shit about reading the mood, I want to do what I want to do. And like Dillinger Escape Plan’s Megastore 2005 show, I want to lay out all of my feelings.
But of course, this isn’t physical violence hahaha!
Well, you know how you thought you did something, and then you come to realize you totally haven’t fucking done it at all.
Yea that’s what happened. Either way, 2 weeks ago I released a tape for a one-man project out of Hokkaido called “ito project.” It really is an incredible tape, I’m happy that I even had the chance to be apart of something like this. You can check it out and buy it on bandcamp or you can also pick up the tape from my store along with many other great releases!
Theres also some cool stuff in the pipeline as well, you’ll see them I’m sure!
Either way, I’ve got some hot shit for you to get down with. It’s a band called “sassya-” from Tokyo. Fronted by husband and wife Satoru and Megumi Iwakami, they’re exactly the kind of music I love, fucking rocking 90′s post-hardcore. They definitely fall in line with a lot of my favorite bands: the angular, noisy post-hardcore of bands like Unwound, Fugazi, and Shellac. Actually a shit-ton like noisier parts of Unwound.
You hear it there don’t you? Driving bass, great drums all over the place, and of course the angular guitar and shouted vocals. It’s the kind of music that has stuck with me the longest. Shit man, just listen the guitarist pull off an insane amount of fucking noise on his guitar in this video.
I mean shit, if that isn’t going to get to you I don’t know what will in today’s wild and wacky world. So far, sassya- seem to have 2 EPs released, and I’ll see what I can do about getting them available for you, the reader.
If you want, you can read more about the band on their website or their twitter.
New MV out! This is one of the songs on my new release, coming out next week, ito project’s “亡失の書”. The song is called 蒙昧の都邑. Check that shit and get stoked on it because yea the song is pretty damn awesome.
Well, I’m trying to make good and actually post about bands more, so I’m gonna start with two bands I learned about not too long ago.
First band is Tatara. From what I can tell, they’re a relatively new band, with a Facebook page only starting in July. I’m definitely into the sound they have going on right now. Lots of clean guitars, but still very chaotic sounding. They even have some of the same bounciness going around that bands like Birth are doing. If you are into the Japanese screamo band Birth, you will definitely be into Tatara. A good band to check out if you’re looking for some new screamo (and who isn’t?).
The second band I just figured out about a couple hours ago. Honestly I’m not sure how even I got to the point of finding out about them, but stuff like that is a continual mystery.
Either way, Nikka shares members with the band Vanishing Twin (I posted about them recently? You remember don’t you? You should remember.). Either way, it’s thumping female/male vocal indie rock. I definitely get a sweet 90s vibe from it, from the bouncy slightly awkward verse portions of 午前二時 to the straight-forward rocking portions of the chorus. It sort of finds the nice sweet point between all of the 90s bands like Fugazi, Don Caballero, and others and also with the rocking parts of bands like Archers of Loaf. I’m not very good at writing things out, but if you’re into post-hardcore/indie music, I definitely think that Nikka is a band worth your time.
I was supposed to post this yesterday but as it turns out being out all day makes it hard to do things. I announced it on Facebook and Twitter though, so at least that’s something.
Either way, this is my first solo release, and I’m super super happy to release this beast upon the world. I’ve listened to ito project for a while, and I took a shot asking him if he would like to release something through my label. He said yes, and after a year of him working on tracks, I will be releasing this on 10/25 on cassette.
Ito Project is a one-man band out of Hokkaido, most shocking to me is that all of the music is original. It’s shocking because all of his songs are so fucking good. Take a peek to his current output from his bandcamp here: https://diadiadia.bandcamp.com/. These new songs are not something you want to miss though, so stay tuned for more bits and pieces being released in the coming weeks!
At some point in time I forgot I’m supposed to do stuff to promote my label. There’s a ton of new shit, but anyone who reads this probably follows the facebook page already. If you don’t, then check the store for new shit.
Another thing that I should probably do, I’m gonna start posting about new bands I find as I go along in life. There is a brand new hardcore/screamo band out of Tokyo called Vanishing Twin that is starting to play shows. Pretty cool band with a Swing Kids influence. Has the guitarist of Fredelica as well. They have two songs on bandcamp here: https://vanishing-twin.bandcamp.com/ and also a live video that just came up from a show they did with Atari, Sto Cosi Cosi, and Turning Center.
It’s #4 and probably the last. I planned on posting a lot more but I am one seriously lazy sack of crap.
I’ve known about Excuse to Travel for one whole week now. I was immediately hooked on them before hearing a note. Naoki of Kowloon Ghost Syndicate posted a photo that included the phrase “sounds like 1000 Travels of Jawaharlal,” and that means you don’t even have to listen to know it is good. Before this becomes me typing an essay explaining why 1000 Travels is one of the best bands of all time, I’ll stop here. If you’ve never listened to 1000 Travels before, for the love of all that is good listen to their full length.
Excuse to Travel, a new band from Kyoto, definitely carry over the melodic punk sound that 1000 Travels played. It makes me happy to see bands playing music in this vein, because other than Infro, I can’t think of any other band that is carrying the 1000 Travels flag. Since I’ve found out about them, they’ve become the number 1 band (for me) to look out for.
Some dude that loves Japanese music and has decided to release and distro it out of his apartment. Some say the strangest tale of all is one of constant self-depreciation.