Interview with Shun

Shun (guitarist of NEiN and Vasalla; ex- “the FUZZ”, “JILS”, and “C4”) turned 50 this June.
He is respected as a guitarist and music creator. He is also known for his beautiful lyrics and charming singing voice. His songs from 10 to 20 years ago feel absolutely timeless. Shun is truly a “music creator who transcends time.”
Through this interview, we hope he will be able to share his talents with many and inspire others.

■ Could you please introduce yourself?

Part: Vocal & Guitar (for the band the FUZZ)
Born: June 5, 1975
From: Fukuoka Prefecture
Blood type: A
Height: 168cm
Favorite drink:  I like all kinds of alcohol.
Favorite cigarettes: I don‘t smoke.

■ Could you tell us a bit about the band you’re currently in, as well as any other music activities you’re involved in?

Shun: Currently I am active in a loud & metal band called NEiN.
I also perform with Vasalla (覇叉羅), (at least) once a year.
Most of the time, I am working on music composition and production.
※I am always open for commissions! (´﹃ `)

──You don’t call NEiN a visual kei band? 

Shun: Well, I’m the only one who’s barely still got that visual-kei vibe, none of the other members really fall into that category anymore ^^;
(Kenta and Takuma used to be V-kei, but nowadays that influence is pretty much gone…)
To be honest, I don’t really want NEiN to be pushed as a V-kei band. When we first started, I kind of liked the idea of being “the weird one” in the group.
Over the past 10 years, we’ve tried different things, but we’ve come to the conclusion that NEiN just isn’t V-kei. Actually, I don’t even think we need to be put into any specific category at all. Of course, we can’t control how people choose to see us…

■ Your name is written with the kanji 舜 as name and not with the kanji of your real name 俊介? Is there a reason for that? 

Shun:I started out as Shun (舜).
No, wait, that’s a lie. lol
It was actually SHAM (紗夢) first, lol.
So it went from: SHAM (紗夢) → Shun (舜) → Shunsuke (俊介) → and back to Shun (舜). At one point, I chose “Shunsuke” to express my true self as is, but I realized that when I’m on stage, I want to become someone different, so it has to be Shun (舜). Apparently, it’s also the name of an ancient Chinese emperor (´﹃ `)

■ Please tell us your favorite Kanji and the reason why you like this kanji.

Shun:Definitely 「休」(„yasumi“ – Rest).
I always want to take a break. If possible, I’d rather not work at all (´﹃ `)

■ Your cat is really cute. Is it a female or male cat?

Shun: My cat is a female american short-hair ♀
She just turned 12 this year. 

──Oh an American Short red female cat?！That’s rare, you are really blessed with luck.

■ So his/her name is really Shacho? If so, why did you name him/her so?

Shun: My job is doing songwriting and recording, but I’m just an ordinary employee. I work my ass off for Shacho (Shacho, means Boss). Whenever an amazing singer comes to my home for recording, Shacho always swings by to say „Hi“, every. single. time. lol.

■ Why did you decide to become a guitarist?

Shun:Maybe it’s ’cause I’ve always loved HIDE? A guitarist who totally outshines the vocalist? That’s seriously cool! There aren’t really any guitar heroes left these days… And not many people want to be one either…But yeah, I still wanna be one myself.

■ HIDE-san was also a great vocalist himself, right? Do you think his SOLO is even more amazing than XJAPAN?

Shun: Hmm… I’m not sure I can say one way or the other. Both of them always put on amazing performances and whatever they do, they just look cool!

■ Which artists influenced and inspired you to start making music?

Shun: It’s kinda the same answer as before, but yeah, definitely HIDE. Though, honestly, when I was in elementary school, I was totally into Ace Shimizu from Seikima 2 (´﹃ `).
I only really realized how amazing his precise and beautiful guitar style was after I grew up.
And he was originally a drummer too… crazy, right?

■ Would you mind telling us about a motto or saying that is important to you?

Shun:Definitely: “For All Next Generation!!”
You can even see that I wrote it on my guitar, right?
I have always thought about  “for the next generation” since my early days.
But honestly, no guitarist has really come along to properly carry on my style. haha.

■ Do you speak any other languages besides Japanese? If so, are you confident to speak those?

Shun: I’m very confident in speaking cat language.

── How so? What kind of things do you talk about with Sacho-chan in cat language? w

Shun: I usually just repeat whatever Shacho says, but I think it still counts as a conversation. At least I like to believe it does. haha. Most of the time, she’s either saying “Give me something.” or “Pay attention to me.” But when it’s mealtime, Sacho actually speaks human language! If I ask, “Dinner?” he’ll reply with a very clear “N-han!!”

■ What’s the happiest moment in your life?

Shun:Maybe it’s when everyone at the live show screams, “Kyaaa!!!” (´﹃ `)
↑ and I mean that in a good way. haha.
I just want to keep performing forever.
On the other hand, if everyone goes all quiet the moment I step on stage, I already want to go home right then.

■ I’m glad NEiN fans really love to scream loud. But I also saw many shows from bands where fans are just “silent”… But have you ever been to a show, where you really felt “I’m glad if this show is over”? 

Shun: There was one time before a live show when I almost collapsed and during that performance, just standing on stage was already tough. So yeah, I did wish it would end quickly then. But aside from that kind of situation, I’ve never really wanted a show to be over early.

■ Is there anything you regret in your life?
Shun: There are too many to mention anymore. 
I think it’s enough that they’re all packed into the lyrics.

──  I guess I should start to translate the lyrics?

■ What is the biggest hardship you faced in your music career? 

Shun: In NEiN, I’m the only songwriter. When I wasn’t getting much reaction no matter what I wrote, I honestly felt like killing everyone. haha.
There was a time when I just couldn’t write any songs and even when I begged “Please, just give me something to work with”, no one did anything. I’ll never forget that. But when I brought it up again this year, suddenly everyone started writing songs. haha.
A bit late, right? (´﹃ `) But thanks to that, we’re gonna have an amazing album!

──  I’m really looking forward to the album

■ I’ve heard that visual kei back in the days had a slightly edgy atmosphere, but was that actually the case?


Shun: I was really scared, but I hid behind my big brother (Dr. K-suke from Vasalla), so I was okay!

■ If possible I really would like to hear stories about that scary time.

Shun: Well… I better not comment on that. haha.

■ Please tell us something more how it was to meet 石川俊介? 

Shun: To be honest, I hardly even remember what I said anymore! I just went off like a machine gun, pouring out everything I wanted to say. haha. Afterward, I was in a daze for a while, totally blacked out…
But one thing I do remember clearly is that I told him: “I seriously love the bass solo in ‘Moai’ (Track 3 from Seikima-II’s 3rd album From Hell with Love)!!” 
These days, bass solos are all about flashy slapping and tapping, like “Look what I can do!” But that solo? It’s GENIUS. It might sound simple, but getting that groove? There’s no one, no, not even a demon can play like that.

Should I keep going?
Oh..am I done…?

■ Are there any musicians you would like to meet or perform on stage with?

Shun: I’ve already achieved most of the things I wished for… But if I could say one thing, I really wish I’d had the chance to meet HIDE in person…

■  Have you ever been abroad? If so, where did you go to and were there any culture shocks?

Shun:The only place abroad I’ve really been to is Guam, but honestly, you can get by with just Japanese there, so it wasn’t hard at all. haha.
Well, Kyushu is basically a foreign country! You need a passport to get in, you know? (Just kidding!)

■ Well, I know many musicians from Kyushu, and the Japanese they talk to each other really sounds like a different language (laugh). What is your favorite Kyushu sentence, which is hard for Tokyo people to understand? 

Shun: „なんちかきさん、よかろーもん！(Nan chi kaki san, yokaro~mon!)“
Meaning: Chill out man, it’s not a problem!

■ What are your favorite manga and anime? And why do you love these series?

Shun: “The fivestar Monogatari” there’s just no other choice. I first got into it back in my first year of junior high and it’s been almost 40 years… and there are still only 18 volumes. LOL
And to top it off, the entire setting got reset once. There’s no other series that demands this much effort from its readers! If you’re not willing to try to understand it, you’ll never get it. That’s exactly why I love it.

■ I really love that you like Gunpla! I like it as well. Please tell us what’s your favorite build and please if possible show us a photo!

Shun: I like pretty much any Gundam, but at the end of last year, I built the RG Strike Freedom! Still, I really love Zeta Gundam, so I definitely want to build the PG Zeta someday (´﹃ `)

■ What do you think you learned from your time with “The FUZZ”, Vasalla and JILS? How have those experiences influenced your current creative endeavors and musical journey?

Shun: Nothing in my music career has been wasted.
With Vasalla, I learned how to perform on stage.
JILS taught me about music attitude and sound-making.
The FUZZ was where I put it all into practice. That all lives on in me now.
NEiN’s wide sound range comes from mixing all those experiences.
Usually, “I can do anything” ends up messy, but for me, it turned out really cool, no one can copy it.
20 Years ago, Yukiya (JILS vocalist) said this to me “I think MARIKI (JILS guitarist) would nail his own style before Shun-kun. He was right, because I still had lots to learn back then. However right now I can do anything and still be unique.

Feels like a prophecy… kinda creepy, right?

── It’s almost like a prophecy. I think Yukiya’s words have supported Shun. Mariki-san has already retired, but Shun is still running, facing music sincerely.

■ When you started The FUZZ, you were also the guitarist for JILS. What made you want to take on vocals as well?

Shun: Because I love singing. And, well… I’m better at it than most people (´﹃ `)
(Though I have to admit, I was really bad on the first album… or rather, I just couldn’t express myself properly yet.)
It didn’t take me long to realize that instead of spending all that time looking for a vocalist, it’d be faster to just sing the songs myself. But being a vocalist isn’t just about being good at singing, you know…

■ You are interesting. (laugh) Now I want to hear it from you. What makes a vocalist a good vocalist? 

Shun: I think it‘s someone who has that kind of aura when they‘re on stage. It doesn‘t really matter whether they‘re technically skilled or not. It‘s more like „I don‘t even know what it is, but wow, they‘re AMAZING!“
That kind of vocalist, you know??

■ Could you tell us why The FUZZ disbanded? If you’re comfortable sharing, we’d love to hear about it.

Shun: I think I just wanted to draw a line when I turned 40. I even seriously thought about retiring…But honestly, I’m so glad I didn’t!! If I had retired, I never would’ve met NEiN.

── That’s right, I’m also very happy about that. 

■ After 10 years after the disbandment of “the FUZZ”, you decided to re-release some of the albums digitally. Was it something you wished for yourself or did you also receive requests from fans to wish to listen to your music?

Shun: It’s been exactly 10 years since we wrapped up activities, so I wanted to leave the FUZZ in a way that everyone can always access it. 

Also, gotta make a living. haha. (← I know, kinda brutally honest)
So please, everyone, buy it! (´﹃ `)
The sound quality has gotten amazing!
Webshop URL shun-thefuzzbox.stores.jp

■ From the albums you’ve re-released, which one is your personal favorite one and why?

Shun: Definitely “音の凪の向こうに。(Oto no Nagi no Mukou ni.)”
Since it’s the last album, it feels the closest to who I am now. I can see what I want to do going forward and it has all the best parts from before. 
It’s both a best-of and a new release.
“Otonagi” is also like a “coming of age” album. It’s about graduating from one era and making music as an adult… 
Though honestly, even at 50, I’m still not really an adult. haha.

■ You wrote about your song  [Primal feelings] that the song feels embarrassing now. But why so? Even if we listen to it so many years later it feels like a wonderful song. So why be so “unsure” about it?

Shun:Back then, I was really inspired by GREEN DAY’s song “American Idiot”… I wanted to make something like that! But honestly, all I ended up with was some really cheesy kid’s punk, haha. 
“Primal feelings,” really taught me that the simpler the song, the harder it is to make it sound cool. (´﹃ `)

■ Ah, it’s GREEN DAY (laughs). I certainly felt a little bit of influence from Japanese rock. For example, bands like The Rockers and The Roosters (laughs). Did the “Japanese rock bands” I mentioned earlier have no influence on you? Or, other than HIDE and Seikima-II, are there any Japanese rock bands that you particularly respect?

Shun: Of course, I love LUNA SEA. When I was a kid, I listened to BUCK-TICK, BOØWY and Kamaitachi a lot. But if we’re not just talking about bands, the person who probably had the biggest influence on me is my older brother. Without him, I don’t think my music journey would’ve even started.

■ I also notice a kind of “rock beat” in your music, which I don’t really hear in nowadays visual kei music. I think it gives a timeless feeling. But do you have an idea why this “rock beat” isn’t really used in nowadays music?

Shun: I don’t really know much about the current Visual Kei scene and I only listen to popular music here and there for study. But I think every era has its own performers and fans, each with their own tastes. Everyone just takes what they like and makes it their own, right? I like it, but maybe younger people don’t as much. I don’t want to deny anyone’s style, and I don’t want mine denied either. 

So honestly, everyone should just be passionate about what they love. That’s what matters. 
Whether it fits the times or not is a different story and for us it’s a big deal, but if I suddenly started doing only trendy music, that wouldn’t look cool, right? Haha.
I’ve seen a lot of people quit because they were forced to do stuff they didn’t like and I’ve seen plenty succeed doing that too. No one really knows what’s “right“, so life’s too short! Just do what you love! That’s fine with me (´﹃ `) 

But don’t get me wrong, I totally ride the trends when it comes to work. haha.

■ Your song “Irritated” really reminds me of older rock bands. Somehow the song really sounds familiar to me, so I would be happy if you could tell me more about the inspiration of this song.  

Shun:Back then, besides GREEN DAY like I mentioned earlier, I also liked GOOD CHARLOTTE.
I’m sure those bands influenced me, but now when I listen back, I can definitely hear some HIDE vibes in there too. haha. Maybe that’s what your question was getting at. Honestly, I listen to it a lot… you can really feel the love!

■ I’m really surprised that you wrote a Hatsune Miku song for the game 「初音ミク Project DIVA Arcade」. Did you apply for “game” writing yourself, or were you asked to write songs for the game?

Shun: There was an audition.
I just happened to find it and applied for it. I never thought my first Vocaloid song would actually get picked! After that, though, I didn’t hear from them anymore.  
But it was a really great experience.
I was desperate to create melodies and lyrics that wouldn’t easily be able to sing for a human being. 
However, I heard from one of the people who did choose the songs that there were quite a few opposing opinions, but somehow my song pushed through. Haha.

…Honestly, what reason could it be that some didn’t like my song? 

■ What is the origin of your nickname “Shun13”? Why the number “13”?

Shun:There are tons of people just named “Shun“. haha.

I just picked 13 randomly. lol.

It felt kind of spooky and cool, kind of hits that edgy, middle-school vibe, so I thought why not.

■ How do you actually always get the great ideas to write songs? Whenever it’s NEiN, Quiet Rain, your solo, or other band. Each song you write has that “timeless” feeling. 

Shun: Oh, Quiet Rain!!! Haha
You really know your stuff… (I’m impressed!)
By the way, Quiet Rain has tons of great songs. You can find them on Apple Music and stuff. As for secrets? None at all! I just do whatever I feel like doing at the time, however I want!

── I checked itunes, but it seems sales have ended.  Quiet Rain has really great songs, I hope they will be resold someday if possible for those who missed it! 

■ Have any of your past works received special attention? We’d love to hear a little about them.

Shun: I’m not really sure if any specific song got a lot of attention. 
Everyone has different tastes, right? 
Even just within NEiN, fans all seem to have their own favorites.
If you’re asking whether there’s any other song that got as much attention as  ‘Black Note ni Oboresasete‘, then no, there isn’t any song I could think of..

Saying that kinda makes me sad.
Come on, give us more attention!! (´﹃ `) 

Oh! Maybe  “Passage” from Vasalla? 
We got to shoot the MV in an amazing location, believe it or not, that was the lobby of Haruomi Hosono’s studio! 
It was huge!

■ Looking back on your time in the previous bands, what do the songs and albums from that period mean to you now?

Shun:They’ve definitely helped me grow.
Back then, I sometimes hated them or didn’t even want to listen, but now when I do, I see there’s always something to learn. Everything has become a part of who I am today.

■ Looking back on your past works, are there any that you now see differently?

Shun:About the FUZZ, all the songs were just me being real at that time. No pretending. I put everything out there, the good and the bad. 
That’s what made it the FUZZ, and that’s how I want to keep it. Basically, music that’s controlled or told what to do by someone else? No way. My mindset hasn’t changed at all. 

…And yeah, gotta say it again, creating music as a job (for others) is a whole different thing!

■ Could you introduce a few works you feel confident about? Which ones are you especially proud of and why? Also, is there any particular piece you’d really like people to listen to?

Shun: Right now, I’d say NEiN’s RESONANCE.
Though honestly, I’m not too happy with the mix anymore. haha. 
I could definitely make it sound way cooler now. 
So yea, please don’t think that album shows the full extent of my skills. 
That’s why I’m seriously excited for the next one. Please look forward to it!

As for the FUZZ, definitely the remastered version of  “音の凪の向こうに。(Oto no Nagi no Mukou ni.)” Because the sound is insanely cool!
Now I realize how much I can change something just by remastering it.

──Which song did you remaster the most of that album? And what didn’t you like about the original version?

Shun: There wasn’t any one song I focused on more than the others, but since I usually start mastering from the first track, “運命の選択を (Unmei no Sentaku wo)” the intro excluded, kind of became the standard for everything else.
It’s not like I was unhappy with the original version or anything. Of course, I was doing my best to make it great at the time too, but in terms of sound quality, the balance is much better now. I think it’s a lot easier to listen to.

■ I was really sad when Quiet Rain suddenly came to an end. It was such a project I loved deeply, so I’m truly glad I got to see the final live. I remember saying hi to Keke after the show and he seemed a little down. That really stuck with me. If it’s okay to ask, could you share what led to Quiet Rain ending so suddenly?

Shun: You’d probably have to ask Keke about that. I honestly don’t know myself (:3 」∠)
I guess he just had other things he needed to do. But if I had to say, I think I got treated like Gaia from the Black Tri-Stars (Gundam character). 

■ Even eisuke-san from NEiN made a compliment on the sound and lyrics you wrote. How does it feel to get such a great compliment from a bandmate? 

Shun: Getting great feedback from the band members is a given. Anything else usually ends up in a fight. It’s not just me, but every member only wants to put out stuff that we all seriously think is awesome!!!

■How can you actually maintain a good relationship with your band members? I often see band members quitting or breaking up due to fights. I know the younger generation might not be so keen to listen, but I’d love to hear any advice you have for the younger generation.

Shun: I think arguing is totally fine. If you’re putting your life into something, you’ve got to clash head-on sometimes.
Of course, it’s best if there’s no trouble, peace is always the best. But if you want to keep a band going for a long time, you’ve really got to talk things through. Share your goals, what you’re aiming for, what you want to do, make sure everyone’s on the same side. If that gets out of sync, the band can easily fall apart.
When I left Vasalla the first time, it was because I didn’t take the time to check in on how everyone else was feeling and I didn’t really try to face things together with them.

And if there’s a hierarchy within the band (which kind of naturally happens with NEiN), then the ones on top need to always be looking out for the others like, “Are they overworking themselves?” or “Maybe they’re holding something in?” If you show that kind of care, it makes it easier for the others to speak up.
Also, it helps to just mess around, joke about stupid stuff, make a big fuss over nothing and enjoy good times together. That kind of fun goes a long way.

■ Some bandman say not much has changed in the music industry, but I cannot imagine, nothing big has changed. What are some things you think have changed? 

Shun: It‘s definitely harder to live in this world isn‘t it? 
There are so many newer visual kei bands out there, but I get the sense that it’s becoming harder to sell music based purely on sound. It feels like a lot of bands are being marketed with extra gimmicks or appearances rather than the core of their music. And even though there are tons of bands making really technical, amazing music, they don’t always get the recognition they deserve. 
That said, I don’t think it’s just about having good music either. If a band is selling based on visuals alone and it’s working, then there’s clearly a reason for that, and it should be acknowledged too. I just really hope people will give every band a proper look and listen, really pay attention with both their eyes and ears.

■ I think the current visual kei scene has changed a lot. For example, 2-shots aren’t free anymore. A much bigger distance is created between “fan and bandman”. And lots of older bandman totally “dislike” the current scene. But what are your thoughts about it?

Shun: Isn’t the distance between fans and artists actually too close these days? 
With SNS, everyone knows what you’re doing in real time. If you don’t use SNS or aren’t good at it, it’s almost like you don’t exist. 
Back in the day, the only way to learn about someone was through books and I liked imagining things like, “This person’s probably mumbling in a dark room with a candle!”. That kind of mystery was cool, you know? Haha. 

Taking photos together was such a rare miracle that charging for it didn’t even make sense, the whole vibe was just different. 

Right now, I’m probably closer to my fans than ever in my life. haha. 
I always try to treat them like royalty! 
People who knew me back then would be like “No way!!” (´﹃ `) 

Especially to all the NEiN fans, I love you guys \(´ω`)/ 
Even if NEiN suddenly blows up and gets a crazy number of fans, I’ll still love you all!! 
It’d make me so happy if the band, the fans and everyone could just hang out and enjoy live shows together!

── However that’s exactly what I mean with “more distance between fan and bandman”. The older generation treats fans like royalty. Some of the younger generation feel more like a “host”.  So even if it feels “closer”, there is still a “huge distance”. 

■ Is there a chance that you will sing a song yourself again? I think even if just once, a reveal concert would be a huge success. 

Shun: That’s a…Secret!! But look forward to it, okay? \(´ω`)/ 
I finally feel like I might actually be able to sing properly at a live show again.

── “Look forward to it?” That’s a spoiler! But yes, I cannot wait!

■  Is there any message you would like to share to younger bandman giving them advice?  For example how they can be a “selling music composer”. 

Shun: I’m really not in any position to be giving advice! 
I’m always trying to keep learning and improving. There’s so much to learn from younger artists, too. Sometimes the methods I’ve used don’t work anymore. But if something feels good, I want to make it my own. 
Everyone should just do what they love, the way they love doing it! 

That said, don’t forget to follow the basic rules of being a decent human being!

(※Though the real issue is how many people actually understand what that means…)

■ What are your dreams for your future?

Shun: I just want to live a happy life.
I don’t need a ton of money, just enough to get by is fine. What really matters is spending the rest of my life having fun with the people I love: my friends, my bandmates and all the amazing fans.

■ Please give a message to your fans and readers. 

Shun: Thank you so much for supporting someone like me. I’m not trying to put myself down too much, but honestly the fact that there are still people cheering me on after all the selfish and free-spirited ways I’ve lived… It feels like a miracle. 
That’s why I truly want to treasure the people around me now. 

Even when I get angry, say unreasonable things, or have a bit of a mental slump, I still love everyone who sticks with me. 
↑Okay, that part’s mostly directed at my bandmates. haha. 

And thank you too, Ryu-chan!
I know a few people who’ve come all the way from overseas and honestly, every single one of them has been so kind and wonderful. I’m beyond grateful.

As long as I’m alive, I want to keep creating music and live shows that bring people happiness.

So here I am and doing my best!

Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart!!

── Shun-san, thank you very much for answering this long interview!