INDEX
Playing in a band while working
Takano: What caught my attention was that I am also an artist, but I am a DTM. The reason for this is that when I started to play music after I became a working adult, I thought it would be difficult to get together and practice with a band. How did you coordinate such things?
Miki: It is hard to get together. We have six members now, three in Osaka and three in Tokyo.
Celeina: Oh my.
Miki: So we sometimes practice with three members at each location, and sometimes we come in the day before a live performance and spend a few hours in the studio.
Takano: So the three of you get together at one of the locations for live performances?
Miki: Yes, that’s right.
Takano: But it’s still a lot of work, isn’t it?
Celeina: We have to move around too. At that time, when you were working at Konami and playing in a band, how was your work-life balance organized?
Miki: Even at that time, there were other members who were also working at the company, so I had heard before I joined that basically we would only play gigs on weekends. So we would work during the weekdays, and on weekends we would often play live shows or practice.
Celeina: It may be important to have a good routine.
Miki: Yes, it is.
Takano: Among the listeners who are listening to this now, those who are working and busy and don’t have the courage to play in a band may get courage after listening to Mr. Miki’s story.
Celeina: Indeed. And now that you are independent from Konami, you are working as a freelance visual designer, and your Instagram is really cool. Are there any jobs that left a lasting impression on you or made you happy?
Miki: I have always loved music, so I was very happy when I was asked to do the jackets for ELLEGARDEN’s distribution.
Celeina: Wow! That’s nice.
Takano: You yourself are also involved in music, and it’s great to be connected with a graphic designer, isn’t it?
Miki: Yes, it is.
