I still can't make something I'm not satisfied with.

Congratulations on the 25th anniversary of your debut. Looking back on your activities, how do you feel?

worn-out rice landI made my debut in 1992, and after that, I released albums consistently, but the pace slowed down after I became the only member of the band. Well, there are many reasons for that, but now that I have finally released an original album, I feel that I have a response that is appropriate for the 25th anniversary.

Have there been any changes in your 25 years of activity?

worn-out rice land: Hmmm... what is it? The environment surrounding me may have changed a lot. I am now the only member. Other than that...I can't think of much else.

What is the one thing that has remained the same?

worn-out rice land: Yeah, I guess so. What I like has never changed. In music, too, I cannot create something that I am not satisfied with. I don't create music because it is currently popular or for any other reason.

What is the secret of your 25 years of continuous activity?

worn-out rice landI also do graphic design work, so perhaps I was able to work while considering the pace of my activities. When you are only doing music, you have to release music consistently. If you are only doing music, you have to release music constantly, which can be overwhelming, and you have to do things you don't want to do.

So you were able to balance your output between design and music.

worn-out rice landI have had an environment where I did not have to force myself to make something, which is a big thing for me. There were times when I thought about quitting, and there were periods of inactivity, but I was supported by various people at the right time, and that is how I got to where I am today.

The year before last, you released "Tokyo feat. 5lack". Did the pace of your activities gradually increase around that time?

worn-out rice landI had been wanting to write a song for a long time before that. I received an offer at the right time. When I released it, it was quite well received, and I got the feeling that if I could follow the trend, I could do it again. We were also approaching our 25th anniversary.

Last year you performed at the Fuji Rock Festival.

worn-out rice landI had no idea it was such an offer (laughs). Actually, I had never been to Fuji Rock, and it was my first time. We performed at the Pyramid Garden stage, which was a very relaxing place, and it was great to perform there. It felt great.

Sometimes scenes that remained in my head acted as I was working on them.

The recently released "dawn" was produced for the 25th anniversary?

worn-out rice landYes, it is. We started production just about a year ago.

How do you feel now that you have finished all the work on the album?

worn-out rice landI am happy that we were able to release it anyway. I am satisfied with the content and we were able to complete the project. I am relieved, that is my honest feeling right now.

I feel that this album is more scenic than your previous works. Was this a conscious decision?

worn-out rice landI don't think so. I didn't do it consciously. It just came naturally. However, in the past, I used to think of the album as a total, but this time, since there were many featured artists, I concentrated on making each song more complete. That is what makes it different from the past.

You mean you don't look at the album as a whole?

worn-out rice landYes, that's right. We did not think about the totality of the project and say, "We have this song, so let's add other elements to it," but rather focused on what we could create for the guest musicians. I concentrated on what I could create for the guest musicians.

I see.

worn-out rice landI was worried about the order of the songs when all the songs were completed. That was probably the most difficult part (laughs). (Laughs) Since the songs were all in pieces, I wondered how I could bring them all together. (Laughs). But we kept switching them around until the very end, and in the end, I think it all came together well.

What were your influences during the production process? For example, music.

worn-out rice landI love movies, and I have been watching about 100 movies a year for a long time. I spend more time watching movies than listening to music, and that has had a great influence on me. During the production of this film, whenever I got stuck in my head, I would watch a movie to take a break, and it had a positive effect on me.

Is it old or new?

worn-out rice landI think it's mainly new stuff. There were quite a few times when I saw a movie in the theater and came back to find that the atmosphere of the song had completely changed, or the arrangement had changed.

Are there any works that have stayed with you?

worn-out rice landI have also been influenced by the following films: "Blade Runner 2049," "Moonlight," "Manchester by the Sea," and also Jarmusch's new film, "Patterson." I was quite influenced by these films.

Do ideas come to you while you are looking at a work of art?

worn-out rice landI would think, "Oh, maybe I can get into that scene," and then I would go home and work on it. While watching the film, I would think, "Oh, that song might go well with this scene," and I would go home and work on it while remembering that.

When I listen to your music, I feel a sense of narrative in addition to scenery.

worn-out rice land: Thank you very much. That may be largely due to the influence of movies. I'm also influenced by soundtracks and such.

I could listen to that guitar loop forever.

I see that "Tokyo feat. 5lack," which you mentioned earlier, is also included in this album.

worn-out rice land: That song was written by a client who gave me a theme for the song. He gave me some direction, saying that he wanted it to be a song that would inspire athletes for the Olympics.

Were you already planning to perform with 5lack?

worn-out rice landI think so. What do you think? I was asked, and since I had always liked it, I answered, "It's good.

Did you meet and record together?

worn-out rice landHe is based in Fukuoka, so he came to Tokyo only for recording. It was very nice. He was a simple person in a good sense. He was popular at the time, but he didn't show it.

You have released a 7-inch version of the song, and the current version is called "Tokyo feat. 5lack [Extended DUB]".

worn-out rice landThe year before last, I re-edited it based on a recording I made the year before last. I made it a little longer. It's hard to start rapping (laughs).

The strings seemed to stand out more.

worn-out rice land: I had a guitarist named Jin Oki play it for me, and it's really great. I could listen to that guitar loop forever. I really like it.

Did you come up with the phrase itself?

worn-out rice landYes, that's right. I make a demo by typing, and then I have various musicians play along with the demo and insert live sound.

How do you decide who to choose?

worn-out rice landBasically, I asked people whom I simply liked and wanted to work with for this project. I also asked the staff for their opinions and looked for people who fit the image I had in mind.

Are there any guest performers who have had a strong response to the show?

worn-out rice landI'm really grateful for that. I am really grateful for that.

The song is called "Simple.

worn-out rice landI had never added Japanese vocals other than rapping, so this was a first challenge for me. Naturally, Sakuragi-kun's singing was wonderful, but I was surprised at the unexpectedly large response I received.

I feel that Silent Poets and D.A.N. have something in common.

worn-out rice landI had heard D.A.N.'s music before we started working together, and I felt that he was an artist of great taste among the younger generation. I read the interview with D.A.N., and I felt a lot of sympathy for their approach and the direction they were aiming for.

What other music do you listen to most often?

worn-out rice landI hardly listened to any music during the production. I was so influenced by music that I ended up listening to similar songs. I would occasionally listen to music that caught my attention in the film, but I never really sat down to listen to it.

Did you ever go to live shows or anything like that?

worn-out rice land: I've never been one to go to that many live shows to begin with. I did see Bjork, Bonobo, and Major Lazer the day after Fuji Rock. Those were really great performances.

What is important to you when creating music?

worn-out rice landI want to make a song that will make people ask, "What's this song about? I would like to create songs that will catch your attention and make you wonder "What is this song about? I want to write songs that naturally draw you in, or songs that change your scenery when you listen to them while walking around. I like songs like that myself.

If we could do a live show with a band set.

What is the last thing you would like to tell us about your future?

worn-out rice land: We are planning to release the second single from the album on 10" analog in April. Also, we may, possibly, release an analog version of "dawn". This is not yet decided, so I can't say for sure.

Is there a reason why you stick to analog?

worn-out rice landI am of that generation. In my mind, analog is the norm. In fact, I would like to release all my works in analog format (laughs).

What are your plans for live performances?

worn-out rice landWe are still in the planning stage, so we haven't decided on any details yet, but we are planning to do it. I am hoping to have a band set up. But we are still in the planning stage, so I don't know how it will turn out, but we definitely want to have a live concert by the end of this year, no matter what form it takes.