Baby's First Guitar Wolf

Part I: boo interviews Guitar Wolf (Seiji)

The snow wafting from upon high that miserable February afternoon was every young boy's dream: malleable like clay and capable of sticking to anything. I had the sneaky suspicion I'd been Punk'd by god when I got stuck in heavy traffic just blocks from Narnack Records, but I was sure of it when I saw the street signs had all been whited-out. Lost under a gooey pizza dough-like mess of snow. Once I'd finally found the place and purchased batteries for my recorder, I raced up the stairs two at a time, and burst into Narnack Records: One minute to spare.

boo: You say you live in Japan but, which place is the band more active in?

Seiji-san: Both. Sometimes Brazil and Argentina, Or, you know, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, sometimes the USA. And of course, Japan.

boo: What about the rest of Asia?

Seiji-san: Once in Thailand.

boo: Ooo Thailand, that must've been wild?

Seiji-san: Sure was.

Things got a bit off topic here, and I was reprimanded with a thwack on the snout for venturing too far into Seiji-san's personal life. I must say though, Seiji was adorably protective of it.

boo: Who are your musical influences?

Seiji-san: Elvis Presley.

boo: The King! (a failed impersonation)

Seiji-san: There's a band called Carol, do you know?

boo: Just the name.

Seiji-san: Yazawa Eikichi. Yazawa, you know?

boo: Yeah, I've seen him on TV, he has that same husky voice as you.

Seiji-san: Yeah, Carol, Japan's super Rock n' Roll band with Yazawa, and Elvis Presley were big inlfuences on me. Oh and Link Wray and Punk Rock.

boo: Like The Ramones?

Seiji-san: The Ramones,Johnny Thunder, Joan Jett

boo: (pointing to the Joan Jett button on his leather jacket) I noticed your button.

Seiji-san: (beaming) Yeah, I love her.

boo: You love her... have you met her?

Seiji-san: Yeah. Last year we supported her on tour, one show. Last year when we came here, I visited her office and she took us all to dinner. The next day we had a show at CBGB , she came too.

boo: And at that time, did you tell her how you feel about her?

Seiji-san: No, no. Happy, because I'm just a big fan.

boo: Seems like it was a dream come true.

Seiji-san: Yeah, it was.

boo: When you were a child did you play any instruments? I mean, what made you want to get into Rock n' Roll?

Seiji-san: When I was sitting in History class during my Sophomore year of High School, suddenly I had a revelation like, "I'm doing what I want to do!". I just realized that out of the blue, in the middle of class.

boo: (laughing) Were you scolded by the teacher?

Seiji-san: Yeah. I stopped studying for all of my classes and from that moment in my high school history class is where all of this began. It's all tied to that moment.

boo: Do you regret quitting school? (I misunderstood his answer a bit)

Seiji-san: On no, I didn't quit.

boo: You didn't?

Seiji-san: No, I just stopped studying.

boo: Ah... OK! OK! I got it. So what did your parents think about all of this? Were they supportive?

Seiji-san: Yeah my parents had faith in me. They were quite worried about my younger sister, but not so much me. I guess I just had great confidence in myself and they saw that.

boo: Seiji-san, are you getting too old for this?

Seiji-san: (on the defensive) No! No! Never! I'm 20!

boo: 20?

Seiji-san: In the USA I'm 20. Is how I always answer.

boo: When you go out and drink are you mistaken for a teen?

Seiji-san: Yeah, I have to show ID every time.

boo: Is that sort of flattering or, more like a pain in the ass?

Seiji-san: A pain in the ass. "Trouble!"

boo: I'm a virgin Guitar Wolfer, I have your CDs but I've never been to your live show. What can I expect?

Seiji-san: Um... be careful.

boo: ???

Seiji-san: Be careful of infection.

boo: ????

Seiji-san: Infection from the Jet Virus.

boo: (at first I thought he said Jet Venus, refer to the picture at your left for charting of advanced stages of Jet Virus.) Aaah.

If you were to recommend one Guitar Wolf CD to a newcomer, which would it be. You know like "Listen to this CD and fall in love with us!"

Seiji-san: I'd say basically all of them but... well the easiest to get into is Jet Generation.

boo: Why is that? Is it softer... Is it...

Seiji-san: No, not softer... It represents my generation. The Jet Generation.

boo: How much importance do you put in your lyrics?

Seiji-san: Well, rock lyrics are, you know, very important.. there are many song these days where the song is the afterthought but, rock isn't like that. Rock is more like songs which, the moment they are sung, create a scene in your mind... For instance a Japanese song might be, "Tsuki ga deta deta" (The Moon is out, out tonight) or "Dekai Dekai Oboroge na Tsuki" (The Great big misty moon)... I mean, the moment the song starts it creates this scene in your mind. As for English songs, it's like "Love in vain" (starts to sing)

boo: Whose song is that?

Seiji-san: Robert Johnson. "The train comes to the station, suitcase in my hand" from the moment he sings that you can see the scene in your mind. You see, I think lyrics well, they have to carry the meaning, but they also have to mesh with the rock.

boo: So when you write the songs does the rock or the music come first?

Seiji-san: Same time. They have to come together with a snap.

boo: When you write songs how do you approach them? Do you write them outside in the rain, and then write about it raining?

Seiji-san: Uhhhhhhhhhh....... Alcohol.

boo: Alcohol! (Banzai!)

Seiji-san: Drinking beer or riding motorcycle. Or... you know, outer space.

boo: Right! Right! So where DOES that Outer Space (sound) come from?

Seiji-san: Everyone likes outer space, right?

boo: Do you have aspirations to outer space?

Seiji-san: I wanna be an astronaut. Maybe in the future...

boo: In the future? Is there life after Rock n' Roll?

Seiji-san: Of course.

boo: I heard they send private flights to orbit the moon. If you have the cash.

Seiji-san: Yup.

boo: So that's what you're in this for!

Seiji-san: (Laughter)

boo: I'm on to you.

boo: How did you feel about the attention the 5.6.7.8's received being in Kill Bill Vol. 1? I know you have history together... you must've been glad for them?

Seiji-san: Of course. We've been friends for a long time, and in turn, rivals as well. So that's why I'm completely overjoyed. A rival is someone who (comes up) at the same time as you... of course we have male band rivals as well, and together we sort of encourage each other to keep raising the bar to cool new heights. And well, that makes me happy.

boo: Was there a band, that if they hadn't been around, Guitar Wolf couldn't have come this far?

Seiji-san: There was one called Teengenerate, it was about ten years ago. That band was just so awesome, they were known all over the world. When they broke up, I was in complete shock.

boo: Do you know what happened to them after they broke up?

Seiji-san: They split up and joined or started other bands. But those members together were just unbelievably great...

Also, a band called The Devil Dogs. I thought they were so cool. When I met them in New York about 10 years ago, (I struggled with a Japanese word that I thought referred to "Copy Dog" but was something entirely different.) They beat us like bitches. That frustration, has shaped what Guitar Wolf is today. Of course, the level of awesomeness of the Devil Dogs, the shock was... "Lightning... in my body" (said in English with moderate levels of sexiness). And well, that sense of shame, is with Guitar Wolf today, in the music we make.

boo: (did not research enough) Won't you make a Music video for some of your songs?

Seiji-san: Oh, we make them.

I'll spare you the details of my conversation with GW's management. Suffice to say: MTV and Fuse aren't in touch with their inner goddamn Wolves yet. They get some public air time though.

Seiji-san: I play guitar on the Promotion Video for the Teen Titans Theme. Do you know, the Teen Titans?

boo: Really?

Seiji-san: That's right. You can see me. It's playing a lot of places, even Brazil.

After this I caught up with the video and it's really hard to miss him, he's on saturn or jupiter or something and it says GUITAR WOLF in big cartoony letters.

boo: So the theme song?

Seiji-san: Yeah.

boo: So Puffy...

Seiji-san: Puffy sings, and I play the guitar.

boo: So you collaborated with Puffy...?

Seiji-san: Yes.

boo: Ah.. When did you meet Puffy?

Seiji-san: Last year. They told me they wanted me to play guitar in the scenes with someone playing guitar.

boo: So are Puffy fans of Guitar Wolf?

Seiji-san: On Ocassion they come to see us play.

GW's management reminds me of their Guitar Wolf Tribute album cover of "Cananan Fever".

boo: Yeah they covered Cananan Fever, but with quite a different style.

Seiji-san: It's adorable.

boo: Do you like cuter styles of music?

Seiji-san: Girl!

boo: Right, OK.

boo: Do you listen to today's music?

Seiji-san: Not really. Like D4 or... I'm intrigued by bands doing things a little out of the ordinary but, there's nothing really that I absolutely fall in love with. (He trailed off a bit here...)

boo: What do you think of the current Japanese music scene? Is it good? Is it terrible?

Seiji-san: It's the best. Especially the rock scene. The indies scene, the underground. It's probably the best in the world.

boo: That's a big statement. Any bands in particular?

Seiji-san: Yeah, That is because Guitar Wolf is in Japan.

boo giant sweat drop (^ ^;;

boo: What is your most secret non Rock n' Roll habit or hobby? You know, like if you show us yourself at your most uncool, it in fact, becomes cool.

Seiji-san: (vexed) Uh... what could it be...there's something I'll mail it to you. (Management suggested that Billy would be better able to answer this question.)

boo: (pressing further a bit) Like golf or...

Seiji-san: I don't golf.

boo: How about swimming trunks?

Seiji-san: Yeah, of course (I wear them) when I got to the sea.

My parents live in Osaka's Shimano-ken (he goes on to explain Shimano-ken a bit.) I go diving in the ocean, get a shell, and spear a fish.

boo: Seriously?!

He nods.

boo: With a spear?

Seiji-san: With a spear. I aim my gun...

boo: Liar...

Seiji-san: No, seriously. It's like a gun that fires...

boo: Oh, a spear gun!

Seiji-san: Yeah, a spear gun, with like a rubber elastic. You pull it back, and let go with your finger. I'd spear a fish and then cook it right on the skewer. This is a true story.

boo: Yeah, it's amazing. So you're "A Man of the Sea"?

Seiji-san: Well, I do like the sea.

boo: But I'm guessing you don't wear a Speedo?

Seiji-san: No, of course not. I just, I wear the longer trunks.

boo: But it doesn't seem like you'd look good sun-tanned. (His female manager insists he would)

Seiji-san: I often do suntan. I mean I'm out in the sun... when I'm riding my motorcycle.

boo: But when I hear the words underground... I think of "a place the sun doesn't shine"...

My joke is unceremoniously dumped, and the stars are ready to move on...

boo: Are you working on any new material?

Seiji-san: I'm always making new music but, well there's not a whole lot of difference.

boo: That's sort of refreshing.

Seiji-san: "No Change. Just No Change but, Anytime, cool. Anytime new one... I can send everybody. Anytime new one. Rock for everybody."

boo: ???

Seiji-san: What I mean is, Nothing really changes fundamentally but, there's no doubt it's cool Rock n' Roll. And it's new so everyone can hear some great new Rock n' Roll. I'm looking forward to that.

boo: So do you think, Rock n' Roll doesn't have to change?

Seiji-san: Nope. Rock n' Roll shouldn't change.

boo: But isn't UFO Romantics a bit of departure from your other works?

Seiji-san: You think so...? That record... gleams.

boo: So it hasn't really changed, you've just polished it a bit?

Seiji-san: Yes, exactly.

boo: Last question: Do you have a message for the children of the future?

Seiji-san: Yes, as is the title of the album: Loverock. Love rock.

boo: Thank you very much.

Love rock indeed. The man exudes a love for all things rock. As the interview closes, he makes a point of telling me I have a lot of grey hairs. Clearly an act of vengeance for my earlier questions about his age. I inspect his head, and to my surprise there's not a gray hair to be seen. If his claim that he doesn't dye is to be believed, I can only assume that Rock n' Roll has kept him young. So, if you want to live forever buy a copy of Loverock and Rock n' Roll Etiquette right away. And if you have any left over Jet Generation.

But the story doesn't end here, my night was just beginning...