Shunsaku live 
Ryo live 
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CCC: You seem to release singles very frequently. Do you ever feel pressure to come up with material so rapidly? Shunsaku: Oh definitely, I have strong feelings about this. In Japan a lot of artists are required to have their single released to coincide with a commercial, or as a theme song in a TV drama. That's the way to break a single in the Japanese market. So it's really difficult to meet the demands of the commercial or drama people who are waiting for the song. Tomoko: Also, we're a band, but these guys sometimes say- "Oh, we just want a vocal and piano line for this commercial so can you write something along those lines?" And we're like "Uh No. We're a band." CCC: So every single you've put out so far has been linked to a commercial or a TV drama? Shunsaku: Yeah, most of them. CCC: Have you received any crazy love letters from fans? Shunsaku and Tomoko: Oh yeah..... lots! Tomoko: It's pretty frightening. You see, we do a regular radio show in Tokyo, and once after the show a fan gave me a mini-disc that contained a 70 minute long message to me. But his message didn't say things like "I love you" or stuff like that- his message consisted entirely of him talking about himself and his life story! So every time we do the radio show, which is pretty much every week, he sends me a mini-disc. And once he even sent me a naked picture of himself! I think there are three weird guys like that. But hey, all our other fans are really sweet. CCC: I guess most women in the spotlight have to deal with crazy fans. Tomoko: Yeah, definitely. Also, once after the radio show ended and we were leaving the studio, the guy who had sent me the naked picture was waiting outside for me. So he walked towards me and as soon as our eyes met, he freaked out and ran away! Scary, huh? CCC: Yeah, that's awful. What about Shunsaku and Ryo? Shunsaku: No I never have to deal with that. Tomoko: That's not true- Shunsaku has lots of male fans! Shunsaku: Yeah, most of my fans are guys. And when we play live, there's always a group of die-hard fans chanting "Leader! Leader!" It's very bizarre. (Editor's Note: Since Shunsaku is technically the head of the band, many people address him as "Leader") Ryo: When we toured, all these male fans were watching closely to see exactly how Leader was playing bass. Tomoko: I've even seen some boys cry when they see Leader. Ryo: That's pretty scary. Tomoko: Ryo has one crazy female fan. Ryo: There is a radio show that is open to the public- with only a glass wall dividing us from the public. So when we did the show, this girl stuck her face right up against the glass and had her eyes glued to me, really intensely. Tomoko: And the entire audience was having a good time, looking happy, but this girl was just starring, totally seriously. I imagine that Britney Spears must have some crazy experiences with fans. I heard that it got so crazy that she decided to use a Britney Spears look-alike to go ahead of the real Britney. CCC: Tomoko, since you're the female front woman in the band, are you treated differently by fans and journalists? Do you mind the extra attention? Tomoko: When we are interviewed on TV, the questions are always directed at me. CCC: And how do you guys feel about it? Shunsaku: Well, since she is the front woman, there's really nothing we can do about it. Tomoko: But whenever there's a photo shoot, the photographer always insists that I stand in the front and the guys stand behind me, but I'm definitely not into that. We always refuse. CCC: Name one record that you can't live without. Ryo: My reason for deciding to join a band was The Sex Pistols, so I'd have to say Never Mind The Bollocks by the Sex Pistols. Tomoko: Actually I just bought this CD off the Yahoo Auction site (takes out a CD of Onyanko Club). When I was in junior high I totally loved Onyanko Club, so I wanted to get this record again. CCC: Did you have to pay a lot for it? Tomoko: No, only 200 yen. |
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