Minoru Uemura, editor-in-chief of the music magazine “HARD BOP!! MAGAZINE”, values the power of action to start when you have an idea.

Riding a 90-year-old Harley for 30 years

Celeina (MC): Mr. Uemura was the third editor-in-chief of the Harley-Davidson magazine “VIBES MAGAZINE” before launching the rock magazine “HARD BOP!! MAGAZINE”. What kind of content is included in “HARD BOP!! MAGAZINE”?

Uemura: Mainly photos and interviews.

Celeina: I’m looking at the magazine right now, and it looks like it’s all about rock.

Uemura:The theme of the magazine is “RIDE, SHOUT, ROCK&ROLL” next to the title.

Celeina: This “RIDE” is, of course, from Harley?

Uemura: Yes, it is. I was brought up by “VIBES MAGAZINE,” a motorcycle magazine, so it is an extension of that.

Takano (MC): What kind of magazine was the original “VIBES MAGAZINE”?

Uemura: It will be a lifestyle magazine that introduces bikers who are Harley riders, what kind of life they lead, what kind of work they do, what their family and hobbies are like, and what kind of custom Harley they ride.

Celeina: I see. It is a magazine for bikers, made by bikers.

Uemura: Exactly.

Celeina: Of course I had seen Harleys before, but I didn’t know anything about them, so I had never even approached one. I’m interested in them because they look so cool when I see them.

Uemura: Now that you mention it, let’s go get your driver’s license tomorrow and buy one right away (haha).

Celeina: When did you first become interested in Harleys, Mr. Uemura?

Uemura: When I moved to Tokyo to find a job, I felt that the traffic jams were so bad that I could not foresee when I would arrive at my destination. I didn’t want to be dependent on the last train, so I decided to use a bicycle or a motorcycle rather than a train. As for bikes, I thought Harleys were still cool, so I became interested in them.

Celeina: You didn’t go for the sports type, but went for a Harley right away?

Uemura: It was Harley right away.

Takano: How many Harleys have you ridden so far?

Uemura: Only two.

Takano: What is the one you are riding now?

Uemura: I have been riding a Harley for almost 30 years, which was built in 1937, about 90 years ago. It is normal for a Harley to run for a long time, and it is a very good boy. That is one of the reasons why I recommend Harleys.

Takano: I have an image that they are hard to take care of.

Uemura: To some extent, I do it myself, but it’s not too difficult. The store is well organized, so after-sales care is also very good.

Traveling with Harleys in America and Europe

Takano: So you leave it to them? It’s fascinating that one Harley can be a partner that stays with you for your whole life, isn’t it? By the way, Mr. Uemura, we heard that you also ride Harleys overseas.

Uemura: In August, there is an event in a town called Sturgis in South Dakoda, USA, where bikers from all over the world gather. We are immersed in motorcycles from morning to night for a week, so it is a great opportunity for Harley lovers.

Celeina: When you go abroad, do you transport your own Harley to ride?

Uemura: A friend of mine keeps it for me, so I borrow it. In the U.S., I ride from Kentucky to South Dakoda, which takes about a week.

Celeina: So you own your own Harley in the U.S. as well?

Uemura: It is company-owned.

Celeina:That’s amazing. I heard that you traveled not only in the U.S. but also in Europe on your Harley.

Uemura:I became good friends with a German guy through our interviews, and he lends me his Harley. This is something that doesn’t happen very often, so we continue to do this every year.

Takano: Where do you travel in Europe?

Uemura: We start in Germany, where our base is located, and go as far as we can. We have also been to Russia, Greece, and Spain, and we have traveled quite a distance.

Takano: Do you have any memorable trips?

Uemura: There are many, but I strongly remember going to Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, and St. Petersburg in Russia when we drove through Eastern Europe. It was a great trip because the people were so kind and caring. Then the Russian invasion started, which was a shock.

Celeina: You actually went there and interacted with the local people.

The charm of Harley is that it adapts to the rider.

Takano: Once again, what do you think is the appeal of Harley?

Uemura: It’s difficult to say. I think it is the feeling of being possessed by the rider. There is a feeling that once you ride it, you can’t get away from it.

Takano: You mean that Harley comes to you?

Uemura: Yes, that’s right. I think Harleys are not as complete as Japanese cars or other bikes. There are a lot of margins and there are still many parts that can be modified by the rider. That’s why I don’t get bored any time soon, and I can ride the bike of my first choice that I want to ride.

Takano: That’s good. I think it’s important to have margins.

Uemura: I think that’s not very common nowadays.

Takano: The more time you spend on it, the more it becomes your own spec.

Celeina: It is truly a partner. Now, I would like to play you a song here. I asked Mr. Uemura to choose a song that he would like everyone to listen to together on the radio at this time. Please tell us the reason for your song selection.

Uemura: I think there were unfortunately many obituaries in 2023. Despite that, The Rolling Stones are still active and released a new album. I chose this song because I thought I had never been so full of hope. I chose “Angry” by The Rolling Stones.

I started the magazine because I wanted to rock and roll

Celeina: Is there anything in particular that stands out in your mind while creating the magazine?

Uemura: Rather than a particular interview, I sincerely feel that the people I interviewed have been rock ‘n’ roll for a long time in some way, even if they don’t make a living from music. This is connected to what I said earlier about the Harley, but I thought that if you want to play the guitar, you should play it right away, and if you want to sing, you should write lyrics and put them on the chord.

Takano: It is important to take action immediately. Mr. Uemura, what was it like when you launched “HARD BOP!! MAGAZINE”?

Uemura: It was like something that had been building up had erupted. I had only had input for a long time, and while I was looking for output, I decided that I wanted to do rock and roll, even though I had only done Harley magazines up until then.

Takano: Mr. Uemura, have you always been a musician?

Uemura: No. After starting “HARD BOP!! MAGAZINE”, I started a band called THE HARD BOPS. Because “VIBES MAGAZINE” was a magazine made by people who rode Harleys. I felt that starting the “HARD BOP!! MAGAZINE” and not being on stage was not convincing enough. So I started doing it, and it was fun.

Takano: You had never played guitar before?

Uemura: I had hardly ever played. I still do it with feeling.

Takano: That is a great story. It gave me the courage to take a step forward.

Celeina: It is important to take action. Even if you have an idea to move forward, it is sometimes difficult to make it happen. Let’s do it!

Takano: Let’s do it!　Let’s get a big license and buy a Harley!

Celeina: Wait a minute. I’ll take it home with me (haha). Today we welcomed Minoru Uemura, editor-in-chief of “HARD BOP!! MAGAZINE”. Thank you very much.

GRAND MARQUEE

J-WAVE (81.3FM) Mon-Thu 16:00 – 18:50
Navigator: Shinya Takano, Celeina Ann

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