INDEX
From the “STYLE BAND TOKYO” connection to Tempalay
Takano: You are currently in charge of artist management at Space Shower, right?
Suga: I’m in charge of management and production for MONO NO AWARE, Tempalay, “Ayato Obara and the Franchise Owners,” whose song was also played on the program yesterday, and another artist called “Emputei,” so this is my main job now rather than events.
Celeina: This is connected to the live events you started in 2007, isn’t it?
Suga: That’s right. I still work with directors and filmmakers I met at those places, and many of them are active behind the scenes, so encounters are significant.
Takano: You were also discovering newcomers at P-VINE, weren’t you?
Suga: That’s right. I wanted to be involved in the fundamental aspects of music, such as production, rather than events, so I started working for the P-VINE label around 2015, discovering newcomers and doing A&R work. I met Tempalay when I was going to live houses at that time.
Takano: How was it when you first met Tempalay?
Suga: When I first met them, there were only about 10 people in the audience at Shinjuku Marz, but the atmosphere on stage was clearly different from the others. So I went to talk to them right after the show, but the band members were drunk as a skunk (laughs). When I was about to leave, I happened to meet Ayato Obara, the vocalist, and gave him my card, and he said, “Let’s go out for sushi because I want to discuss something with you.
Celeina: Was that your first contact?
Suga: It was the first contact (laughs). He said, “I’ll buy you a drink, let’s go to sushi.” But he didn’t look like he had any money, so I turned him down several times.
Celeina: So you turned them down (laughs).
Suga: But we went out for sushi, and the conversation got going, and we decided to release the album.
Celeina: Sushi is a keyword? (laughs)
Takano: That led to the release of Tempalay. Interesting. I would love to hear more, but let’s interrupt for one song. I asked Mr. Suga to choose a song that he would like everyone to listen to together on the radio at this time. What song would it be?
Suga: “Beetlebum” by Blur.
Takano: Here it comes! Why did you choose this song?
Suga: It was the first song I was exposed to, or rather, the song that got me hooked on music. （Of course, I went to “Summer Sonic 2023” (where Blur performed for the first time in 20 years). It was like I was a young boy again.
Takano: Let’s listen to one song and talk about it.
Suga: Yes.
Takano: “Summer Sonic” was great, wasn’t it?
Suga: It was great, I almost cried 5 times.
Takano: I know! Where were you watching from, Mr. Suga?
Suga: I left my friends who had come with me right in front of the PA booth and went in alone.
Celeina: So much love!
Takano: Graham Coxon was great, wasn’t he?
Suga: Well, that was cool. I was about to cry, or rather, I was crying.
Takano: I was also crying the moment Graham started playing the intro of “Beetlebum. I was like, “Wow! Thank you for choosing the song.
Suga: No, no, I’m just saying to Blur, “Thank you for coming to Japan.
