Interview with GO!GO!7188

Please introduce yourselves to our readers who may not know you yet.

YUU: I am the vocalist and guitarist.
AKKO: My name is AKKO; I’m the bassist and I also write lyrics.
TURKEY: Drummer; I am TURKEY.

The band was formed when YUU and AKKO were classmates in high school. What made you decide to start a band?

AKKO: I asked YUU to make a band with me. At first there were five members and we played for three years. After we graduated, we split up because the two of us wanted to continue the band. Later, TURKEY joined as the drummer.

In high school, was it difficult keeping the band together?

YUU: No, in high school we just enjoyed being in a band.

At that time, how did you manage both schoolwork and your passion for music?

YUU: We thought of being in a band as a sort of club activity. We didn’t care about studying, so we just concentrated on the band. (Everyone laughs.)

How did you two meet TURKEY?

AKKO: When we went to Tokyo to produce our music, our drummer at the time couldn’t join us anymore. So our producer brought TURKEY into the band.

TURKEY, before you joined GO!GO!7188, where you already in the music industry?

TURKEY: Before joining, I was in an Indies girl-pop band.

How would you describe GO!GO!7188’s music to someone who hasn’t heard it before?

YUU: That’s difficult.
AKKO: We think our lyrics and melody are the most important and then adding a rock sound to it.

What inspires you when you develop the music composition and lyrics for your songs?

YUU: As AKKO writes the lyrics, I can imagine the melody. So they're both written at the same time.

Are there any Japanese or American artists that have influenced you? If so, who?

AKKO: I was first influenced by Chage and Aska.

YUU and AKKO, you both had solo projects in 2002, how was that?

AKKO: When I was doing my solo work, I was able to see GO!GO!7188 from a different prospective. I was able to gain a lot of experience from that and now my vision for the band is going up.
YUU: When I temporarily left to work on my solo work, I was able to see the band from the outside. Then I knew what I wanted to do and what I wanted to play in GO!GO!7188. So I gained a lot of experience from it.
AKKO: We changed a lot because of our solo projects. Because of the experience we gained, we were able to respect each other more.

Do you still have your solo projects along with GO!GO!7188?

AKKO: We haven’t decided yet.
YUU: If I get a chance, I want to do it again, but right now I don’t want to.

TURKEY, do you have any solo or other projects you’re working on?

TURKEY: I’m always asked this same question. (Everyone laughs.) No, I don’t. (Again, everyone laughs.)

You have performed in New York and Chicago, how were those two shows for you?

YUU: It was our first time performing in New York. I had an idea of how many Americans listened to our music since we get a lot of emails, but it wasn’t until we actually performed that we realized how many fans we actually do have in America. So, it was very exciting for us.

So this is your first time performing in the USA?

AKKO: Yes, it is.

Throughout the tour, you’re performing with other Japanese bands; does that make touring in the USA easier for you?

TURKEY: Yes, it’s easier. We can make many friends since they can speak Japanese, so it's more relaxing.

How does it feel to be in the USA?

YUU: Even though we’re here, it really hasn’t hit us that we’re actually in the USA.

Do you have any new expectations now that you’re in the middle of your tour?

AKKO: After a couple performances we’re starting to feel more relaxed, so now we want to challenge ourselves and try new things. We want to try new ways to take our band higher.

Since you’re at the SXSW music festival are you going to check out any other non-Japanese bands performing?

AKKO: Yes, we’re going to today.

Do you plan to tour the USA again after this tour?

AKKO: We’d like to record here and make other songs.

Would you ever like to tour Europe?

YUU: No. (Everyone laughs.)
AKKO: We want to. (Again everyone laughs.)

What do you think of the USA so far such as people, food, cities, etc.?

AKKO: We like the country side. We also like Austin [location of SXSW].

Has there been anything surprising here that you didn’t expect to see such as culture, food, etc.?

YUU: Everything is big! Also, the people who work in the stores are more polite in Japan.

Is there anything that you’ve eaten and liked best that you have not had in Japan?

TURKEY: We had Greek food.

Was it good?

AKKO & YUU: (Nodded their heads.)

Is there anything you’d like to do or see in the USA that you haven’t had a chance to yet?

TURKEY: I want to go to the [New Year] countdown at Time Square [in New York City].
AKKO: I want to see Michael Jackson. (Everyone laughs.)

Can each of you please give us a message for your international fans?

AKKO: I’ve finally come to the USA and being here is very exciting. I would like to go to many other countries.
YUU: I know many words that I didn’t know before; I want to go to many countries also to spread GO!GO!7188’s music and I also want to meet many people.
TURKEY: Same thing. (Everyone laughs.)

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Many thanks to GO!GO!7188, their management, and the organizers of the Japan Nite Tour for making this interview possible; and Nao Iwasa for translating.