NAS 10 Questions with Tokyo Garonne

This time on The NAS 10 Questions, we get to know Tokyo Garonne, a three-piece rock band with japanese influences as well as the classics such as Led Zeppelin, Van Halen and Black Sabbath

Vocal & Guitar : miki

Guitar & Cho : Z.O

Bass & Cho : ikeda

Drum : Tarcisio

The songs are written while the members are jamming together.

Lyrics are written by miki

The track "祭囃子" is featured on NAS Playlists.

Link To New Artist Spotlight Playlists:

https://www.newartistspotlight.org/playlists 

1. Tell us a little about where you are from and what you are currently doing.

We are active in Tokyo. We currently perform 3-6 times a year.

Our band was formed in 2009. Since then, we have been active without any change of members.

2. What inspired you to start playing and making music?

Vocalist miki first started playing in a copy band after listening to the Beatles.

Guitarist Z.O. started playing in a band after listening to Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, and Japanese indie bands.

Bassist ikeda started playing because he likes Black Sabbath and garage rock.

Tarcisio on drums started playing music after listening to Led Zeppelin, Sheena Ringo, and Van Halen.

We originally formed another band with miki, Z.O., and Tarcisio, but in 2009, we invited ikeda to form Tokyo Garonne in order to form a better band.

𝟯. Who are your biggest musical influences? How would you describe your style or genre?

We are influenced by various artists such as the Japanese bands “Yurayura Teikoku”, “Sonic Youth”, and “Led Zeppelin”.

We consider our style to be basically alternative rock.

4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?

Our goal is to create a better work of art and to continue to play live. If possible, we would like to play in different countries.

5. Tell us about your creative process when you make new music.

The way we write music is that we never start with a song written by a member.

We go into the studio together and jam freely.

Or, if one of the members suggests, “Can we write a song like this?” we all turn it into a song.

However, the lyrics are written by miki.

6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?

発光体 by Yurayura Teikoku

7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music? 

One of the most memorable pieces of musical advice I have received is, “Once you play a note, you can't pretend it never happened. When you play, you must take responsibility for every note you play.

"There is no dissonance. If the sound is what I want, there is no mistake” was also great advice!

8. Proudest accomplishment?

That the members have remained the same for 15 years.

I think that is the best. I don't think we have accomplished anything else amazing.

To put it another way, I have never been able to put out three albums with any of my bands. But with this band I was able to do it.

9. Just for fun! What's been your most embarrassing moment so far?

I was having a drinking party with a few dozen of my music friends, but we were kicked out of the bar for being too loud, so we went to a karaoke bar.

I was so drunk that I proposed to my wife. My wife is the vocalist of this band.

𝟭0. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.

The worst part was that during the performance, the batteries in the bass with active pickups ran out of power and no sound came out!

The best part was that the audience sang along to songs that we had not even recorded!

Stream "祭囃子" now

https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/track/6FmJMfBnsMCkK6zeYj4aQh?si=6295cd00c6e84f96

and follow their socials

https://x.com/Tokyo_Garonne

https://www.instagram.com/tokyo_garonne/

https://www.facebook.com/TokyoGaronne

https://www.youtube.com/user/tokyogaronne

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