Thanks so much to Koichi for the interview! Not too long ago I had interviewed Koichi (and Miki) about the great Japanese band Bitter Cherry Jam and today I thought it would be nice to present you the first band that Koichi was in, Chain Letter. It was a great band, with lovely releases in different labels and compilation appearances. These days Koichi and Miki are busy with yet another pop band, The Vegetablets, which I urge you to discover!
++ Hi Koichi! Thanks so much for being up for this interview after doing the Bitter Cherry Jam not so long ago. How are you doing? Are there any news with your current band The Vegetablets?
We did a gig in July with The Caraway, Three Berry Icecream and Red Go-Cart in Nagoya. We really enjoyed playing songs and the performance of other bands were also wonderful. Osamu of The Caraway is my old friend, and we played my old songs together.
++ I want to get things in order, was Chain Letter your very first band or had you been in other bands before it?
Chain Letter was my solo unit. And yes it was my first music unit.
++ When did Chain Letter start as a band? It wasn’t really a full band but more of a one-man band? It was just you, right? Why did you prefer it that way?
In 1993 I started to make songs for Chain Letter. Yes, Chain Letter was a one-man band because I preferred making songs and recording them by myself. I got a Fostex R-8 multitrack recorder, so it became possible.
++ Why the name Chain Letter?
I took the name from a song by Todd Rundgren. And I preferred weird name.
++ How was the creative process for this band? Where did you usually practice?
In my room. I listened to my favorite records, and figured out how they were playing. I became to be able to understand how music were made, and began to play music with my own style. Sometimes Osamu Shimada and Nobuaki Fuaktsu, the original member of the Caraway, were there. We were rock geeks.
++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?
Todd Rundgren, the Ramones, the Velvet Crush, Teenage Fanclub, BMX Bandits, The Pooh Sticks and many more. I was listening to so many songs then.
++ With the band you released a few 7″s and an album, the first one being the “Oldfashioned Song EP” 7″ released in 1996 on your own Tulip House Records.Was this record the main reason to put together the label?
Yes.
++ Had been there any other releases, perhaps demo tapes, before this record?
No, but a cassette tape Tulip 000 came with the early copies of the 7″. That included 6 songs.
++ Then in 1998 a label called Left Bank released your next 7″, “How Long Can I Be With You EP”. Who were Left Bank Records and how did you know them?
Msaki Yamaguchi was the owner of Left Bank label. I think he discovered my first 7″ and contacted me. Left Bank also released the records of some other bands like Bobbie’s Rockin’ Chair and 101 Dalmatians, a unit by a member of Johnny Dee.
++ In this record, I noticed in the credits, that Misaki Yamaguchi is credited as director of the record. What did he do for you?
The songs were recorded myself, but he invested for the record, collected able people and I think he contacted record shops to sell it. I think he did what I couldn’t do.
++ Then your mini-album came out this same year, the “Théâtral Musical”. It was your only CD release. So two questions. First, what do you prefer, CD or vinyl? And second, why only a 6 song mini-album? Why was there never a proper Chain Letter album?
In fact I regret that I released CD then. At that time making CD was not so cheap, and vinyls were becoming popular. I didn’t have enough time and energy to make a full album. And still I think it is not important that records include many songs. Records should have good songs.
++ R0ver Records released in 1999 a two song 7″ called “Prelude to Cherry Letter EP”. I suppose by this time you were already in Cherry Letter and this was a posthumous release? If that is so, why did you all decide to release these songs if Chain Letter was no more?
I married Miki and started Cherry Letter. But before then I already finished the song and alreadly sent it to Kenji Sekioka, the owner of Rover label. And of course Chain Letter was more popular then and people wanted to release Chain Letter’s records. But for artists, current bands are always more important.
++ And who were Rover Records? How did you end up working with them?
Kenji Sekioka was the owner. He also contacted me because he liked my first 7″ I think.
++ The last release by Chain Letter was a split with Jenny on the Planet that was released on your own label. Who were Jenny on the Planet? Were they good friends of yours? Did you play often gigs with them?
Jenny on the Planet was a good band in Osaka. And Masafumi Hiramatsu, he was a bass player for my live performance, planned to release the split 7″. Yes, especially Masafumi knew them better. We played with them in Nara.
++ There are a few compilation appearances by the band, for example you appear on “Picnic Basket”, the classic compilation on Shelflife. All your other songs were released in Japan, so I wonder how did you end up in a US CD?
I don’t know well, but maybe the owner of Shelflife wanted to make a compilation of bands all over the world.
++ Then you appeared on the “9 Pieces of Brownie”, “Fallen Leaves” and “Trolley Bus Music Tour” compilations. Am I missing any other ones?
“Fallen Leaves”… It’s so long ago, so I don’t remember well. Yes I appeared on “9 pieces of Brownie” and “Trolley Bus Music Tour”. It’s so long ago, so I don’t remember well…
++ Going through your records, I noticed you liked having different people to take care of the artwork. All of them having it’s very own special style, something I kind of do at Cloudberry. How important were the looks, the aesthetics of your records? Did you art direct them or did you let the designer have full control?
Yes, I think the looks of records are important. But once I trust designers, I don’t want to control them. Because as an artist, being controlled is sometimes frustrating.
++ “How Long Can I Be With You” might be my fave Chain Letter song. Any chance you could tell me the story behind this great song?
We were living in the plastic age. Many things were made of plastic. Even our toys were made of plastic. The song are about a dream, but even in my dream I see plastic.
++ If you were to choose your favourite Chain Letter song, which one would that be and why?
Maybe “How Long Can I Be With You”. It is catchy and powerful.
++ And where did you usually record your music?
In my room.
++ What about gigs? Did you play many? What was the farthest you played from your town?
Not at all. I was living in Nara, and we only did a few gigs in Nagoya,
Nara and Osaka.
++ I saw a video of the band playing a gig in Nagoya’s “Club Rock N Roll” in 1998 on Youtube. Looks so cool! Was this an important club for you? What other venues did you usually play at?
It was a normal live music club.
++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?
I think it was the gig you saw on Youtube.
++ And were there any bad gigs at all?
Most gigs were not satisfying…
++ When and why did the band stop? When did you start Cherry Letter?
In 1999, I married Miki and started Cherry Letter with a bass player Masafumi Hiramatsu.
++ Did Chain Letter get much attention from the radio or press?
I don’t think so. But some records shops really liked my songs, and helped me a lot.
++ You told me in the previous interview you make video games for old consoles? Are these available somewhere? I’d be curious to see some!
I made two Famicom/NES games so far, ILEVAN and VEGETABLETS GO. You can just google them.
++ Did you follow the Japanese football team in World Cup? Did you like the participation of the team? Who would be your favourite Japanese football player?
No, I’m not interested in football.
++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?
Releasing Theatral Musical CD was the biggest highlight.
++ Thanks again Koichi! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
No. Thank you very much for being interested in my music!
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