A circle of friends connected by gootouch! The radio program “GRAND MARQUEE” features the corner “FIST BUMP” in which people who live and enjoy Tokyo appear in a relay format.
On May 25, musician KOPY appeared on the program, introduced by hairstylist NANAKO AZUMA. We interviewed Mr. KOPY, who has been actively performing live in Germany, Belgium, and other countries, about the origin of his music activities, his inspirations when writing songs, and his specialties when performing live.
INDEX
The starting point was air guitar in the light music club in high school.
Celeina (MC): KOPY-san, since you are a musician, I would like to start by asking you about the beginning and origin of your musical activities.
KOPY: My starting point was the light music club in high school.
Takano (MC): What instrument did you play in the light music club?
KOPY: Guitar. Air guitar (laughs). I really wanted to be a vocalist, but there were two other vocalists, so I thought I’d pretend to play guitar just in case (laughs).
Takano: Pretending to play air guitar (laughs).
KOPY: We bought a guitar, but at the festival, we just pretended to play the guitar.
Celeina: So the whole band is not an air band, but just you?
KOPY: Yes: We already had one guitarist. It was like we didn’t need another guitarist (laughs).
Takano: I’ve been listening to some of your works, and your current musical style is “electronic solo project,” with synthesizers and a bit of noise.
KOPY: I’m using machine drums and so on.
Takano: It’s really dope and cool.
Celeina: What made you change from a band sound to a solo sound?
KOPY: The band was a fluffy band of five girls, like a regular shoegaze band. But along the way, it would become like the influence of my boyfriend ……, I guess (laughs).
Celeina: So, did you start to change your musicality?
KOPY: I like that too. I’ve started going to clubs and such. I could do track making by myself. And I thought, “I can do everything by myself. That’s fun! I was doing it in parallel with the band. And then the band broke up, so I started working as a solo artist.
Takano: How do you write songs?
KOPY: I write songs at …… randomly (laughs).
TAKANO: Like a session?
KOPY: I made drums by myself, put in something like a bass guitar, and something like a keyboard. I’m saying it in a random way (laughs).
TAKANO: It’s interesting to hear all the different sounds in there.
KOPY: It’s like you don’t know what you’re doing (laughs).
TAKANO: It’s like you don’t even know what you’re doing (laughs). (laughs). You cherish your inspirations.
Celeina: So you do things as you feel like it.
Takano: Pure creativity.
KOPY: No, I’m just saying that I have to work harder.
TAKANO: Do you get any inspiration for your songwriting?
KOPY: I often go to clubs and listen to techno music, and I like this song. I don’t listen to techno music at home. I listen to pop music at home. I listen to pop music at home, like Spitz.
Celeina: So you absorb music from various sources.
KOPY: I’ll just say that (laughs).
Celeina: Do you have any particular points of interest when you perform live?
KOPY: I want the audience to enjoy the live performance and go home. When I go to see a live performance, I am also moved by it. I want people to feel that way, so I try my best in every possible way, but I wonder what people think about it.
Takano: Are you conscious of the movements of your performance?
KOPY: I do my own movements. When I used to be in a band, I used to get really nervous and wonder how people would look at me. I used to think a lot about how I would look, or how cool I would look if I played the guitar like this. But as I get older, it doesn’t matter anymore. I think I move on my own, so there are times when I move in a strange way. Please come and see the show.
Takano: After listening to this, I think everyone is wondering about KOPY’s music.
KOPY: This song is released on a label called “TAL” in Dusseldorf, Germany, and it was remixed by a DJ named Elena Colombi, so it’s like a deconstruction of my song. It’s cool, so please give it a listen.
