Japanese For Hope are a Texan band made up of two guys, Thomas and Adam. Using keyboards, drumloops and guitars they create music using dance-music software extraordinaire Fruity Loops. Our man Andrew sat down with them to ask them a few questions.
ScenePointBlank: First please tell us your name, the name of your group and what you do for the band.
Japanese For Hope: My name is Thomas and sitting behind me is Adam. We are Japanese For Hope.
SPB: How many people are behind JFH? What do they do?
JFH: It's just the two of us. Everything is co-written. None of the elements of any song is written by just one or the other, everything is done together.
SPB: Is there a system to the way JFH writes songs? Do you guys use a formula, any themes? What goals do you have in mind when writing a new song for JFH, and if you don't really have a general goal, can you describe a time when JFH was working on a song with a specific direction?
JFH: Our song writing structure is based around the idea that there should be no song writing structure. We just get together and write music until we think it sounds good.
SPB: In the song "Sordid Sunday Evening", the line "Everything's gonna get much better" is repeated in sedated manner over a persistant but quiet drum beat. It's like an oxymoron inside a song. Can you tell us if that was meant to be as ironic as it seems, or what the band was trying to do at that point in the song?
JFH: I don't think we meant it to be ironic so much as we were trying to convince ourselves that everything really is going to get much better.
SPB: Does JFH have any plans for the near future? How about long term? Shows? Website? Label? Tour? EP or full length? Are there any labels you would like to work with in particular? If so, why?
JFH: We plan on putting out an EP sometime early next year, more than likely in Febuary. Hopefully a full length by next summer. As for labels we'd like to work with I think Feeling Faint is an awesome record label with a hardworking staff that makes sure their bands get the recognition they deserve. It would be a dream to get signed to Fatcat or Merge...but...yeah.
SPB: Haha, let's hope someone from Feeling Faint or Fatcat runs across this interview then! What equipment does JFH use to create your unique sound and how?
JFH: We utilize two keyboards, a Korg and a Yamaha (circa 1989). The drums are programed using Fruity Loops Producers Edition. We record the keyboard, guitar and vocal tracks live on a hunk of shit Dell computer. Hopefully we will be recording on a G5 sometime in the near future.
SPB: What are some of JFH's influences? Not just musically but also in general? What other musicians inspired you? What life experiences? Drugs? Sex? Death? Daily occurences? Why do you feel the need to make music?
JFH: I think to try and peg influences would be a near impossibility as we both are pretty much influenced by everything we see and hear.
SPB: Is there anything else you want readers to know about JFH? Anything or anyone you want us to see, hear, checkout, or visit?
JFH: Adam has a band he sings for called Calendar. Everyone should check them out.. purevolume.com/calendarmusic.
SPB: What about your material? Where can readers preview your music currently? And where can JFH be contacted until a full functional website is launched?
JFH: Right now you can hear a few of the songs we've completed on the Japanese For Hope MySpace page.
And, we can be reached here: japaneseforhope@gmail.com
SPB: Thanks alot guys, best of luck to JFH and keep in touch. We will be watching for new songs in the future.
Interview by Andrew P.
