INTERVIEW ~ YMCK: February 15, 2009
Katsucon ~ Arlington, VA
YMCK, an 8-bit sound band, made an appearance at Katsucon 2009. After their performance, they sat down with us to answer a few questions.
Let's start easy by introducing yourselves to our readers.
Yokemura: I'm the composer and producer, Yokemura.
Nakamura: I am the visual creator and sound producer (composer), Nakamura.
Midori: I'm Midori, the vocalist.
I'm curious. You guys are a pretty unique band...how did you meet each other?
Yokemura: Nakamura and I were in the same band so that's how we met. To be more specific, there is a bigger band than YMCK and us two are members. That's how we came together to form YMCK.
Where does the inspiration for YMCK, an 8-bit sound band, come from?
Yokemura: My original idea was to create a techno band using jazz music. However, my idea of the techno music isn't what we think in general. So, my idea was to use a more cheap sound.
So, do you have any personal influences for this "cheap sound" you created?
Yokemura: Mostly any jazz music.
Do you have any favorite jazz artists?
Yokemura: Mmm....John Coltrane. (giggles)
Nakamura: The Beatles....
What about video games? Do any of you have any favorite video games you take inspiration from?
Yokemura: Super Mario!
Midori: Metroid.
Nakamura: All types of games.
That's great! (laugh) What are your favorite game consoles to play on?
Yokemura: (laughs) Definitely the famicon.
Oh yea, famicon! That reminds me, was that a real famicon you used as the body of your guitar or was it fake?
Yokemura: The famicon was the design but my guitar is made of wood.
Manager: (English) It's a real guitar. One and only, hand made!
What company made it for you?
Manager: (English) It's kind of a long story. Midori was checking the internet and found a photo of a guy that makes guitars for a hobby! He is from Nagoya. So, we sent him an email that said we were really impressed and his guitars are so beautiful. After that, he replied to us "Oh, I know YMCK! I have big respect for you guys so I will make this guitar for you for free." (laugh) We are so lucky! He was so nice.
Wow, lucky! (laugh) Going back to video games, I'm wondering...do any of you have a specific favorite soundtrack you like performing. For example, Super Mario, Legend of Zelda....
Yokemura: Preferably old famicon music.
Midori: We like to play music that is famous and everybody knows so everyone can enjoy it as well.
Nakamura: I'm not sure, I'm just very interested in the music.
Do any of you ever attend 8-bit festivals as an attendee as opposed to attending as a musical act?
Midori: I have attended some performances of a friend of mine.
Manager: (English) There are a lot of events in Tokyo, like chip tunes, and we have a lot of connections there.
Yokemura, how long have you been programming? You're pretty awesome at it.
Yokemura: Since elementary school! I have always had a personal computer at home. So, I've learned little by little.
The performance last night was incredible. Everyone there thuroughly enjoyed themselves...
YMCK: Oh, thank you!
No no, thank you! (laughs) I know this isn't your first time here in America. Do you like it better this time around or was it better during your first few trips here?
YMCK: The first time we came here was at a club in New York City. It was only focused in 8-bit music and was a really small capacity. We were here for three days. Everything was so underground. The second time, we had a job from the Japanese foreign ministry and came to perform in the John F. Kennedy Center at a Japanese culture event. So, that was a different experience. Each event we are able to attend, we are excited for everything and meeting new people. I guess we can't really say if one time has been better than the other because it's always so different. We just love coming here.
Yokemura: This time, though, there are a lot of anime fans. We performed the Dragon Ball theme and everyone was so excited about it! (English) I feel so excited, too! (laugh)
Would you ever like to come back to the US for another anime convention sometime in the future?
Midori: Sure!
Yokemura: Yes, of course.
How about an actual venue? Would you consider perfoming at a live house or maybe even do a tour?
YMCK: We're really interested! It's just the cost of it is so expensive.
Yeah, I can understand. Well, have you been able to do any sight-seeing here in the area yet?
YMCK: We have been locked in our hotel room!
(everyone laughs)
Hmm...you guys know about the website Nico Nico, right?
Yokemura: Oh, yes!
Do you like it? Do you visit it often? I know many people into Japanese culture here like to go on there because they get to see all Japanese content, similar to American YouTube.
Yokemura: We never upload videos but we provide live feed.
YMCK: It becomes like a live TV show. Like, ten thousand people can watch at the same time. We like to call it an "internet Budokan." (laugh) It's really fun.
Yokemura: It's not only a live streaming performance. People can leave comments on the videos.
YMCK: Yeah, you can share your opinion while looking at the video. It's all real time. It's so much fun. Oh, but sometimes the reactions and comments from the fans are really rude and eccentric. They leave things like "I hate YMCK! I hate YMCK!"
(everyone laughs)
Yokemura: There are even some videos that fans have created for us.
Do lots of fans create things for YMCK?
Midori: Some people make movies out of our music.
Yokemura: There are some where people create moving pictures in like photoshop or something.
Manager: There is one where a guy tries to draw a real cake. They show us the process of it. It really looks like a real picture, like a photograph! It's so beautiful!
Yokemura: So, pretty much, they provide the moving pictures and we provide the music.
Manager: Oh, and there are some people who like to do the mash-ups, too. Like, YMCK remixes. Of course, it's out of the copyright, but we don't care. (laughs)
So then, speaking of remixes, do you know of a website called OCremix.com?
Manager: What is OCremix.com?
Well, for example, they have a lot of video game music on there and it's all remixes by fans.
Yokemura: Ooh...it sounds fun. I'd like to check it out sometime.
Will you please give a message to our readers and your fans who will be reading this?
Yokemura: I created the music for a game for the new Nintendo DSi, the new version of Tetris. So please check that out.
Manager: It's a really cool game. The DSi will be in America in around September, I think, so please go buy it.
Midori: I really enjoyed performing live here in the states, so I would like to come back.
Nakamura: If you can watch sumo on NHK, please watch it.
Manager: Yes, if you have Japanese TV, please watch it. Nakamura is a big sumo fan.
Midori: Yea, Yokemura and I have a hard time because he is such a big sumo fan. He is so extreme about it! (laughs)
interview by Kei; images courtesy of AVEX
Thanks to YMCK for taking the time to answer our questions; thanks to AVEX and Katsucon for making this possible
links
YMCK Official Website
YMCK Official MySpace
Download YMCK's music on iTunes
BACK
