Skream! x Baitoru Interview
Interview by: Yoshiba Saori, Photos by Ishizaki Sachiko
Hosted by Japan’s largest part-time job info site “Baitoru”, and Skream’s “Intense part-time taaalk!”. Our guest this time are the people who released the new single “Polaris” in 11/28, and who are to release their awaited new album “HOWLS” in 2/27, it’s Hitorie. Their present regime began in 2012, onward, with their own sense of language and what could be called their own original melodies and sounds, they scoop out thoroughbass-esque emotions. They’re a quad of irreplaceable existences. These four who never forget the essence of experimentation as they go along, were asked what sort of student life they lived and what sort of part-time jobs they’ve done along the way. Also included is the work of the project “Dream Part-time” who chose a special someone to have an unordinary life experience; the college student, Hagiwara Kouya, is participating as a Skream! editor. Of who, will fling heated emotions and questions at the four.
What type of part-time jobs have you worked?
Shinoda: Back when I was a student I worked delivering for the post office.
wowaka: You’re kidding.
ygarshy: I never got to hear about that story, huh (laughing).
Shinoda: I swear! I drove a red car, I carried people’s golf bags and delivered and stuff. I also had a post at posting.
Yumao: I worked at Bamiyan (a Chinese restaurant chain) in high school, then at a pharmacy in college.
wowaka: By pharmacy, does that mean a drug store? Wouldn’t you need qualifications for that?
Yumao: Qualifications are needed only for some medicines that can only be sold by pharmacists. When someone wanted to buy those, it was mandatory to contact the pharmacists so, you didn’t really need qualifications if you were only part-time. The drug store was interesting in a lot of ways.
wowaka: I’ve only ever done one part-time. That’s when I was in college, I worked tutoring at a cram school.
What subjects did you teach?
wowaka: I taught just about everything. Japanese, math, English, science… Though I didn’t teach social studies. Besides that just about everything. I taught middle and high schoolers, my students were accepted into Hitotsubashi University.
That’s something to be proud of.
ygarshy: The pride as a teacher.
Yumao: How many students did you take care of?
wowaka: For one season I took care of about 6, I worked for about 2 years and a half, so about 15 people I think.
ygarshy: You saw that many out ho (laughing). I did a pizza shop. My name was never removed from their roster, which let me stick around for about 4-5 years. On and off.
Yumao: From what I’m hearing, you were a veteran so you were never removed right.
ygarshy: Even if the other employees were swapped out, I was there first so, even if I didn’t clock in for a while the staff would just question “Who is this?” and leave my name. I bet I could even go work there now (laughing).
wowaka: Like a senior who continues being in their club even after they graduate college.
When did you do the delivery job Shinoda?
Shinoda: I think I did it during college.
It comes in handy to have your designated area engraved in your head, and to remember the roads for that job, right.
Shinoda: Yeah but, I suck at that stuff (laughing). I’m someone with bad memory.
wowaka: So you had to research every location, every time?
Shinoda: Of course there were areas which I did have mesmerized but, when I didn’t know I would look at a map as I drove along.
wowaka: 10 years ago there wasn’t smart phones and such huh.
So you got wrapped up into a part-time unsuited for you.
-
Shinoda: People in the end, learn their strengths and weaknesses through doing eh.
wowaka: Then, you realized you were unsuited and quit?
Shinoda: I mean, I realized I was unsuited (laughing).
Yumao, how long did you work as a student?
Yumao: At the time, one reason for taking on a job was for the sake of being in my band. When you’re a college student, it’s normal to think “I want to play and do things”. Yet I didn’t have any money at all so, I worked quite a bit. Yet then I didn’t have the chance to play around much so, ultimately I didn’t do much anything fun besides play with my band.
Was your daily schedule band, work, school?
Yumao: That’s right. During the day I went to classes, then clocked into work at 6 in the evening, worked until about 10 and a half, then practiced at the studio from 11. Being in the band was hard, the work was hard, I sort of slept at school. That’s why I didn’t get to enjoy my student life. Even being in a club was impossible.
wowaka: Your band wasn’t with any club friends after all.
Yumao: I wanted to join a club but, I had been in a band first before even entering college. So when I would propose “I’m in a band but I’m looking for a club which will permit that.”, I was told “Then maybe you shouldn’t join a club.” My “Enjoy ~ Campus ~ Life” was gone.
wowaka: Was there any option to join a club unrelated to music?
Yumao: None. I never got to go out drinking or such with a club. I would huddle with other fellers who weren’t in a club but, I have no idea why we never reached the level of going to an Izakaya and clanging our glasses together. We would go do things, like go to karaoke or such maybe but, we never went out drinking together.
A bit different from the model college life.
Yumao: Completely different. All it did was simply pass by. Part-time work time took up most of the ratio.
In exchange, did you get along well with your coworkers?
Yumao: Since the time I spent working was equal to the time I was at school, I was super friendly with the pharmacists there. It was a place where we could all communicate in frankness.
wowaka: Were there many people the same age as you?
Yumao: Like 2 or 3. Though, the store wasn’t that big so, not many part-timers were ever hired simultaneously. That’s why I would chat the most with the staff. Also, there was an anti-shoplifter agent at my shop.
Shinoda: Hoo.
Yumao: So when I went to supermarkets or other stores, I would be recognized, with people saying “That guy is the shoplifter agent”.
You had a special ability (laughing). wowaka, how did you manage your time for music, work and school?
wowaka: I moved to Tokyo for college but, I didn’t have money so I stayed in my university dorm. There was two people in the dorm who were in the same class as me, hence I became friendly with them foremost. When the question “How are you going to manage?” popped up, with some sort of connections those two found an employment opportunity for me; that was as a cram school tutor. By invitation I was introduced. In that same time period, I joined the college’s light music club. All we really did was covers of other songs but, a senior there took a liking to me, with them as the president at the time, we formed a band within the club. That was the first time I ever did guitar and vocals. My senior had praised me “You have the talent for guitar and vocals”.
I don’t know how so much of my current actions are going to play out in the rest of my life but, by always putting in desperate efforts, I think I’ve changed quite a bit (wowaka)
Shinoda: That’s crazy.
wowaka: Thinking back, that may have been the spark for me to start singing and performing in front of people. As a result I later became the president of that club, and the club started to become even more fun than school. I began to neglect classes, and as I giving attention to the club and part-time, the idea to make original songs as a band emerged. We proceeded to do a few shows in Shimokitazawa and Kouenji but, personally it wasn’t clicking with me, I was in distress. That was when a friend in my class introduced to a thing called Nico Nico Douga. There I found Hatsune Miku songs which were so cool to me. At some point I found myself at Yodobashi Camera in Kichijouji, buying the Hatsune Miku software and a computer and an audio interface. That led to the VOCALOID songs of the future.
So that’s the story.
wowaka: Following, Vocalo became my main interest reigning over everything else. From club, to classes, to work, it was interfering with everything (laughing). For about a year and a half thereafter, my mind was constantly captivated by Vocalo. In the end, I quit the part-time, graduated from the club, started a band and reached the present.
Yumao: Didn’t you said you had “about 15 pupils”? If any of them knew that their tutor of the time was now the vocalist for Hitorie, wouldn’t that come as such a surprise? If I was a student I would be stunned.
wowaka: I’m sure they would be stunned. From my appearance down to my aura, I’ve transformed in every way since then.
Yumao: “That teacher is a star now?!” sort of?
wowaka: I sometimes hear rumors of one person who has figured it out though (laughing).
Did you ever mention to them how their teacher is actually in a band?
wowaka: I would mention music. There were some who said they liked music, so I would fill them in on my happenings. About how I was playing guitar and singing in a club.
That must have been an ice breaker. What about you ygarshy, how did you manage music, work and school.
ygarshy: When I was a college student my only activity was band also. In between classes I would work, then band in the gaps. I took means to work as little as possible, I wanted to only have to go about 3 days a week. To earn money in the shortest amount of time, I wound up in the pizza shop.
wowaka: Which had favorable circumstances.
ygarshy: If you were recruited before the Lehman Shock, your salary would stay high. On top of them letting me remain theme for a long amount of time. I also received many tips back then.
wowaka: Woah~!
ygarshy: It was in a region where many foreigners lived so, for a 2,200 yen order of pizza I would be given the change of a 5,000 yen bill. I had the desire to rotate around as much as possible (laughing). Strangely enough, I could receive more money from tips than my daily wage.
Was there any skill or such from your job that you carried over to your current social life, any experience that still remains?
Shinoda: None for me.
wowaka: Hahahaha (laughing). None huh.
Shinoda: I feel like I learned nothing useful. Even social skills… surprisingly nothing (laughing). I had no senior-like senior to look up to either. I was introduced by my college classmate but, due to bad timing they couldn’t join the job along with me. We talked at school when we wanted to talk anyway.
wowaka: That means your part-time job only consisted of delivery service.
Shinoda: Yeah. Right before I quit, there was an old man who finally opened up his heart to me. He approached asking “So I heard yere out in a band? What kinda music you doing?”. At the time I was doing kinda alternative English songs, and had no idea how I would explain so I told him “Uhh, we sorta do rock.”, which he responded “Is that like a kinda English song?”. It was a minor interaction but (laughing). I do wish he would’ve spoken to me sooner.
Then do you have any good memories from the job?
Shinoda: I drive the truck alone for this right. My designated area was wide with fields, so when I took a slow drive it felt like I was immersed in a country song (laughing).
wowaka: Indulgence from the driver perspective (laughing).
Shinoda: “I’m a hecking postman right now”, it would hit me - During those times I would think about a lot, or more, think about nothing.
wowaka: That sounds quite kin with nothingness (laughing).
Shinoda: It was. I also joined a band and stuff, so I often got obsessed with the idea that I gotta be a star. The was driving got me completely detached from my thoughts was good for me.
So in return it became time for you to cut yourself off from your troubles.
Shinoda: That’s true. Also like being pressured to deliver something sometime before noon. Though there was situations where I couldn’t even complete that but… (laughing).
wowaka: As a college student, right, you weren’t flourished as a person, and in work you didn’t have a proper goal in mind.
Shinoda: Yeah, I didn’t.
wowaka: Even things that got you through the day, everything felt sort of makeshift right.
There’s experiences which you only understand once you’re older huh.
wowaka: That’s how it is.
Our guest from Dream Part-Time, Hagiwara, is also currently a college student, so I’m sure he would have good input on this subject. I’m going to pass the baton over to him for questioning.
Hagiwara: I’m a 2 year at college, pleased to meet with you. I like Hitorie, and now that I have the chance to make contact with you directly, there’s something i have always always wanted to say. I’m in college now but, entry exams were rampant with stressful things. Hitorie’s songs were what helped me through the days. I was always listening to Hitorie’s music. So thank you.
Shinoda: Thank you too.
wowaka: The songs you listen during exam season are unforgettable, I swear.
Hagiwara: Yes. So even when I hear you perform live, I have flashbacks of that era and it’s emotions, I often cry at the show.
Hagiwara said they have been listening to Hitorie since middle school.
Hagiwara: I found wowaka’s Vocalo music on Nico Nico Douga, then followed all the way since Hitori-Atelier times (*Hitorie’s initial form). I fell in love since the first time I listened. Hitorie was the gateway for me to get into many other bands also. It feels like a dream come true, being selected by Dream Part-Time and talking to you.
Shinoda: Those words make me feel proud we’ve done this. Well cause for me, the bands my generation listened to in middle-high school were like Number Girl, THEE MICHELLE GUN ELEPHANT, yet they broke up by the time we all reached high school.
Hagiwara: Through Hitorie I’ve made friends, and in high school I hit it off with a girl who liked Hitorie who later became my partner (laughing).
wowaka: We did it baby (laughing). It’s amazing that our songs can have such impact.
Hagiwara: Seriously, seriously, I’m thankful for you.
ygarshy: Good, good.
Hagiwara: I think I’ve transformed a lot since the beginning of Hitorie. What about you, do you feel anything has changed, or do you have any comments about transformation?
wowaka: Back to the topic of jobs earlier, when I worked as a cram school tutor in college, I had mainly did it because my friend introduced me and the pay was good. However, after all that, when I reconsider what I did or what I gained, I get the sense those experiences are still lingering on in my body. Well, Shinoda said he has none of that but (laughing). As a cram school tutor, I talked a lot with middle-high school students, by listening to them I would remember my old trains of thoughts, or realize things I stopped paying attention to, they would teach me also.
Hagiwara: I see.
wowaka: Every last second of my life I’m putting in my best effort, with music I’m constantly dead serious. That’s why now I’m still considering how to apply experiences to the rest of my life; how to give the world back what I took. However with every last coming second in which I’m desperately tackling everything, I come to notice how I’ve changed a bit. It’s a never-ending cycle, that’s maybe turned me into who I am today. On the other hand, the unchangeable parts of myself are what move the axis, that’s why I’m like this. They don’t change, more like they cannot change. Every second, I try to pursue myself untwisted, yet ultimately I change, and then I reach who I am now.*
Shinoda: Me, I feel like I’ve become capable of more. Simply because my personal level of skills have leveled up. If I put it bluntly I’d say my range of music has expanded. When I peek at my old recordings they’re fairly good but, it’s only natural to feel I could make them a bit better now. I strive to throw a full power pitch with every song but, it’s inherently impossible for our past selves to create “Our current sound”. I’ve been updated in that sense.
Hagiwara: Thank you.
Yumao: Subjective and objective, I feel I’ve found those two. In contrary to only seeing subjectively before, in recent years I’ve come able to observe everything from a broader view. That’s my most drastic change. I’m unsure if this is directly correlated also but, I’ve been under the impression that I’m truly affecting other people, especially during live shows. I’m able to gain confidence within myself as I play. This is quite the complicated idea isn’t it. In using formless music as my expression - the recordings may remain but, shows are about the memories of those moments, it’s like a salesman who says “it’s good” to something when they can’t actually discern what was good or bad.* People have come to say “That was good” to me, I certainly sense it. Where I once felt “Am I doing this?”, I now feel “I’m doing it”.
ygarshy: I think I may have become more refined than before.
wowaka: You yourself?
ygarshy: With music. I guess that’s life. So there’s refinement. *
Hagiwara: Yes, I feel it too.
ygarshy: I said that because I thought you would understand (at Hagiwara).
Shinoda: What’s that supposed to mean y’all (laughing).
Hagiwara: (laughing) On to the next question. Now that you all perceive some sort of evolution, is there any goals you have for the future?
wowaka: We mentioned this a bit before, we’ve recently been reflecting back on ourselves… As Yumao said, I’m also someone who can’t see the objective side much. Despite that, when I look back on myself, I’ve grown. With how I approach things or how I interact with people, with shows or songs, I’ve felt a flurry. Personally I’ve become able to do things I was unable to do before. Through grinding and grinding, I want to become super amazing, sort of thing (laughing). That’s how I’ve always been living. *
Yumao: This is complicated question. How do I answer.
wowaka: You could keep it simple, y’know? Such as “I want to buy this”.
ygarshy: Ah. This is from a few days ago but, I bought new gig gear, and changed the pedals near my feet. I’m so excited to test them in action.
Shinoda: That was pretty recent.
ygarshy: It may be very small but, for me right now that’s what fills my head. I don’t think about anything else. Such may be the core of happiness.
Hagiwara: Will I be able to hear that new gear in upcoming lives?
ygarshy: Yep, as long as it isn’t dissatisfactory with everyone else.
Yumao: I’m sure we won’t even notice the difference (laughing),
ygarshy: Yep, none of you have noticed a thing. Even though there’s a revolution enacting within me. Actually, I did test them out during the recent Kuusou Iinkai in Morioka (*The 2018 November 25th show “Kuusou Iinkai Taika no Kaishin Matsuri Hen ~Morioka Jihen~”).
Yumao: Since then!?
ygarshy: That was when I first started to experiment-
wowaka: Look, everyone really ain’t notice a thing.
ygarshy: Ain’t you the one who asked me after the show ,“You were a bit different from usual?”
wowaka: Ahh, I did!
ygarshy: Your reaction wasn’t all that bad. So, I took it up a notch, and it’s reaching some revolutionary sound.
wowaka: That’s when another revolution took place.
ygarshy: That is though. It’s pretty insane.
wowaka: I do remember talking about how your tone sorta changed. We did all notice eh (laughing).
ygarshy: That was because I had approached you first though (laughing).
Hagiwara: (Laughing), Shinoda and Yumao, do you have any goals?
Shinoda: A goal huh. I feel I’ve roughly become the person I want to be, right.
ygarshy: So cool.
Shinoda: I’m out to polish myself even further.
Yumao: That’s pretty fantastic. I myself want drums which are conspicuous like crazy. I’ve always bought the drums I’ve wanted up until now yet, I was never able to choose the color. That’s why I’m considering pink this time around. Or a color equally bold, but they’re fairly expensive. I’m fighting that problem right now.
wowaka: Which color do you want?
Yumao: What I genuinely want, is the pink with glitter. Or a wood pattern with a gradation changing from green to blue, that one is cool. I’m wondering which is better.
ygarshy: Hagiwara-kun, which do you think is good?
Hagiwara: What, me!?
wowaka: You make the final decision (laughing).
Yumao: In any way I want the pink with glitter. Or, the one with the gradation, which.
Hagiwara: I, like the color pink so…
Shinoda: Alright, it’s decided. The pink with glitter. Decision out.
Yumao: Pink is my favorite too.
Hagiwara: Thank goodness (laughing). On to the next question. The melodies of course pique my interest with Hitorie but, the more I listen the more I get addicted to the lyrics. Each and every line has come to overlap with one of my memories. Since they saved me during my painful exam season, my memories will be resurrected at live shows. I have a simple question, how do you come up with your lyrics or catchy melodies?
wowaka: I stress an absurd amount every time when I write the songs and lyrics. I stress and test a lot. Searching for whatever feels good, whatever is pretty, even if it isn’t very jamming it may have the power to draw you in somehow, I do about 500 laps contemplating every nuance every album. The finished songs are the surviving runners of that race. However, there’s also moments when a door will snap open while I’m working, and in one hour I’ll finish all the lyrics like a burst.
Hagiwara: Do you make the conscious decision to start writing the lyrics when you do?
wowaka: I’m the type who cannot pull myself together unless,I sit down at my computer and declare “I’m gonna do this”. Ideas don’t often pop into my head simply from talking a walk outside, or taking a bath, or going shopping or such. Lyric writing is me extracting my current situation. More than having anything specific to put into words. There may be a unique theme for each song but, that theme is more like a hint of what I’m currently exposing.
Hagiwara: Thank you. I really like your lyrics, so I was always curious.
wowaka: Thanks. I like Japanese, so going back to the topic of entrance exams, my favorite subject is contemporary literature. The flow of the composition, the arrangement of the characters, the big picture leaves me saying “This sounds so nice”. That’s incorporated in with my experiences as a cram school tutor of course but, whatever I thought was nice is still living on with me today, I feel.
Hagiwara: Well then, the last question. I’m currently a sophomore at college and, it’s the time for one to begin deciding on their career path. If I have a dream then I should take what I want to do, or maybe I should properly get certificates, it’s difficult figuring out which is best. Is there any thing in college you wish you would have done, or maybe wish you had spent differently?
Yumao: Working towards certificates or studying, makes it sound like you’re doing it because it’s mandatory.
Hagiwara: I am. I was raised in an environment where my parents often ordered me to do this or that.
Yumao: I see, I see. That’s complicated. I don’t think I could answer (laughing).
wowaka: It’s like an everlasting problem huh.*
Hagiwara: I understand that pursuing music is difficult but, I want to try it out. That’s why Hitorie, who live off the music they love, are super duper cool. Though I’m sure there’s difficulties involved even when you’re pursuing what you love…
Shinoda: Yeah. Though I don’t think it’s necessary for you to force yourself to decide right now. In Japan there are many successful rock stars who were a businessman at one point.
wowaka: (*While browsing the 2018 December volume of Skream! magazine) ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION are exactly like that also.
Shinoda: So even if you can’t decide, in the long run it’s gotta be just fine to get an employment job. I don’t know how much liberty you have but, compared to the past I think music has become much more simple to make. You can even make it on your smart phone these days.
Yumao: Out came a real legitimate statement. That’s exactly it.
Even if they may disagree with your dreams, as long as you do properly then you’ll come to compromise. You have to put in effort if you want to convince them
(Yumao)
Yumao: That’s pretty fantastic. I myself want drums which are conspicuous like crazy. I’ve always bought the drums I’ve wanted up until now yet, I was never able to choose the color. That’s why I’m considering pink this time around. Or a color equally bold, but they’re fairly expensive. I’m fighting that problem right now.
wowaka: Which color do you want?
Yumao: What I genuinely want, is the pink with glitter. Or a wood pattern with a gradation changing from green to blue, that one is cool. I’m wondering which is better.
ygarshy: Hagiwara-kun, which do you think is good?
Hagiwara: What, me!?
wowaka: You make the final decision (laughing).
Shinoda: Considering what would be most advantageous for your life and acting on that, may be the best.
Yumao: Then even if you’re having problems with your parents such as you said, you can still convince them that you’re properly doing what you have to. I swear you can convince them. You have to put a lot of effort into convincing them or else it won’t work. You may start to hate the things you once loved but, if you seek enough it will work itself out. The simple reason why people have to find a job is because it earns them money. So turn the tables such that you can earn money doing the things you wanna do - I mean, it sounds simple, but it’s not.
Shinoda: Pretty much.
Yumao: But with that advice, if you’re able to overcome this now then surprisingly enough, your problems with your parents will all be solved. Of course different cases vary though, like with inherited businesses and such (laughing).
Shinoda: That’s the sort of thing you just can’t tamper too much with.
Yumao: Yeah, though I think there is passion to be conveyed.
Hagiwara: Thank you. That was really digestible.
ygarshy: Keep in mind that it’s wise to put in practice while you’re still a college student. Improving with an instrument for example, actually takes a lot of time, and there’s not many shortcuts around raw practice hours. Start now rather than later.
wowaka: That’s true. I personally had a huge fight with my parents when I decided I was going to pursue music. They raised me until high school for the sake of sending me off to college, supported me in so many ways… Then long-awaited, I was supposed to be their prided child who they sent off to Tokyo, but… (laughing). When I joined a band and said I was going to pursue music, for about 3 years we were stuck in a cold war. Like Yumao said earlier, maybe if I had confronted them… the people who understand me are sure to understand me. If you have someone like that, then it’s good to treat them with care. So if you’re worrying, then I think it’s good to worry.
Yumao: I think so too.
wowaka: Worry and contemplate, but since life still goes on as you contemplate, find a job, continue playing music at the same time… If there’s something which captivates your heart then, even if you try to let it go, as normal people it will still naturally you hook you back. So carry that captivation with you into the arena of questions, and I think you’ll be fine.
Hagiwara: Truly, thank you for such a wonderful discussion.