By APA Staff
Pop star/anime aficionado T.M. Revolution tells APA about East vs. West (coast, that is), Disneyland, and how he plans to spark the next revolution.
Superlatives are often used to describe an artist's distinct sound. Cutting-edge. Intense. Evocative. Maybe even revolutionary. In the case of Takanori Nishikawa, however, the artist is the revolution. And while such a claim may appear to be unsubstantiated and reeking of shameless self-promotion, Takanori Makes Revolution, or T.M. Revolution, for short, may not be too far off the mark. After all, here is a man who sold 2 million copies of his third album Triple Joker; who fills stadiums not only in all of Japan, but in Asia and beyond; whose knack for crafting infectious hooks and memorable lyrics has made him the poster boy for Rurouni Kenshin and Mobilesuit Gundam Seed, two of Japan's most ballyhooed anime series. Mitsuo Fudaka, the director of the Gundam series, was so enamored with the musician after hearing his chartbuster "Thunderbird" that he designated another of his hits, "Invoke," as the show's official theme song. "Heart of Sword-Yoakemae (before dawn)," the third single from his debut, was given the same royal treatment for Rurouni Kenshin.
Also included in his astoundingly prolific catalogue is a best-of compilation (last year's B*E*S*T) and his most recent studio effort "Coordinate," which is accompanied by a DVD titled "T.M.R. Live Revolution '02 B*E*S*T Summer Crush 2002." Both are now available in the United States.
More than just another pretty, polished pop star, T.M. Revolution hosts a radio show, where he is lauded for his sparkling wit and candor. The show continues to be a success, even well into its eighth year of existence. -- Chi Tung
Interview by Wendy Wang
May 30, 2004
Transcription by Jennifer Chong
Click here for Korean translation by Bongha Shin
Click here for Japanese translation by Fumie Nakamura
TMR: Hi this is TMR. My name is Takanori Nishikawa.
APA: Your first U.S. performance was last year in Otakon. How did that experience compare with your performance at the Pacific Media Expo on Friday. Did you feel like you were more welcomed?
TMR: Last year, I was invited as a guest performer within the program of the whole convention. But this time, although I was part of the convention agian, part of PMX, the tickets were sold and people actually bought the tickets and came to the show, meaning that we had more resopnsibilities as a performer to play at the concert - that was the big difference. So this time compared to last year, any participant of the convention could have seen our concert. But this time, people actually had to purchase the tickets meaning that they all came to see me, and that is a really, really appreciative thing for me.
APA: At Otakon last year, guys wanted to hug you and I believe one of them wanted to kiss you as well. Did you get the same treatment this time?
TMR: I wanted to do the same thing as last year with lots of hugs and kisses from everybody, but considering that it's the West Coast and that there are a lot of Asian and Japanese communities and a lot of people from Japan, the staff surrounding me became a bit sensitive. They said maybe we should reserve it this time. In the end, I actually really wanted to do the same as last year to everybody. [gestures hugging.]
APA: Since you mentioned the West Coast, do you find a difference between West Coast and East Coast audiences?
TMR: For the West Coast people, I guess there might not be as many opportunities to see a Japanese culture or event that they could have been more enthusiastic. I think they were probably more enthusiastic about the whole thing. But with the West Coast, I guess with so many opportunities to see Japanese animation or any Japanese culture on TV, maybe it was a bit cooler; people looked cooler.
APA: Is there any signifcance behind your album cover for Seventh Heaven? There seems to be a theme of dwelling, is there not?
TMR: Right before the album Seventh Heaven, there was a release of a single called "Albireo;" that track was included in the album. The concept was for a "double star," meaning that there is a star that when seen from the earth, you could only see one, but it's actually two stars. For the album, I try to explain that it represents black and white, yin and yang, positivity and negativity. All of this means that human beings are not so complete. This imbalance was the whole concept for the album.
APA: Your latest album Seventh Heaven was great. I listened to it and it was awesome. You have mostly fast-paced dance numbers on the album but then I hear a sudden change in musical style with songs like "Wheel of Fortune," "Engraved on the Moon," and "Zips," where we get that heavy metal guitar rift. Why this drastic change?
TMR: I'm not intentionally trying to do something different but we don't always want to fall into the routine of doing the same thing over and over again. I always want to be telling something for every album that I make. With this album, I used to be in a rock band so I'm getting more of the rock band feel that I used to do a long time ago. Secondly, the mixture of dance beats and guitar rifts is being expressed on track tips which I really like. We're especially trying to have more of a live sound. For instance, yesterday at the autograph session, people said that they really like the live set. It really has a band feel.
APA: So do you think for your future albums you'll have more of that - incorporating a live feel? A more rock influenced type of music?
TMR: Although I like the rock style, I really want to keep the dance beat, digital, traditional TMR style approach. Next year will be my 10th anniversary since my debut. I really want to enjoy what I've been doing with TMR, but at the same time, not just on TMR side, but on a personal side, I want to do some approaches in a balnaced style, or a unit, or even a solo, and for that I might adopt this rock style. But at the same time, TMR itself is actually a solo. [Laughs.]
APA: Do you think of the U.S. simply as a fun sight seeing trip or are you pretty serious about promoting your music to American audiences?
TMR: Of course I'm serious about music. I hope that this will turn into a good opportunity for people here to realize and notice Japanese culture and Japanese people. For instance, not many Asian or Japanese artists have had an opportunity to be introduced here and have not had the success of being introduced properly. If I can, I want to make a revolution.
APA: Very Nice. It seems to me like your West Coast fanbase is made primarily of anime fans. Is that the strategy you are taking - having your music appeal to anime fans and then working around that to eventually having fans appreciate your music at face value?
TMR: PMX was actually the first big step for me to work in America. As I said, compared to last year, last year was a free concert - anybody could have seen it if they wanted to stop by and wanted to see the show just for the heck of it. But this time, people have actually noticed me. They purchased the tickets and they came. This is something - a really big step. I do appreciate the animation fans becoming my fans initially but eventually I do want to establish myself as an artist and as a musician in hopes that people will recognize me as TMR, T.M. Revolution, and as myslef.
APA: What are your thoughts on Nami Tamaki? Do you see her as competition at all?
TMR: I actually don't see her so I don't know. [Laughs.] Although I couldn't see it this time, last year there was a event in Tokyo for Gundam Seed and we performed together. Since then she's been really sincere and cute and has been coming to my concerts. I do wish her the best of luck.
APA: Have you been to Disneyland yet, since we are in Anaheim?
TMR: You know what, I actually just now went to Disneyland to do some photo sessions for a Japanese magazine. Just now, I came back.
APA: Did you like it?
TMR: Yes. It's good to not have so many Japanese around me. [Laughs.] It's more relaxing. The Disneyland here, we don't see that many Japanese. If I was in Disneyland in Japan, I'd be photographed anywhere I went.
APA: Thank you very much for your time. UCLA thanks you.
TMR: Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart to you.
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Interview with TM Revolution
Korean Translation
By Bongha Shin, Ph.D.
Published: Friday, July 23, 2004
