Interview with Generich.

・ Please introduce yourself based on your past activity.

Kazuma (一真): This is Kazuma from Generich. My position is various, but my main position is on guitar and I am also the main composer. Actually I don’t have a past which deserves a special mention. I was a member of a visual kei band that was active in Sendai in the 2000s, but I was only in the band for about a half year and after that I completely stopped my music activities…
As I still had a bunch of connections with various bandman, I resumed my activity from May 2021 with all earnestness. However, having not done anything for 22 years is a big gap and there are many things I don’t understand anymore… so I am struggling with stuff. I really feel like a newcomer!

Yasu (泰):  Nice to meet you. I am Yasu. My position is songwriting and arranging. I also occasionally work as a mix/mastering engineer. As for my history, In 2014 I was in a band which was active for 4½ years. In 2015-2016 I also released two songs as a unit called NILSTARE and after that I became a sealed person. I’m just a dressed in dark person who likes visiting cafes.

・ Please tell us how Generich. was formed.

Kazuma: I was thinking of starting my activity as a soloist, just based with a concept of “life“. So the main theme is “life and death“, which is the eternal theme of living things. So I thought about adding various art elements linked with music with a unique worldview, which was the start of Genrich. At the beginning Yasu was invited as a guest vocalist for our 1st EP. But our desire to continue working together overlapped which lead us to decide to formally start the activity as a unit.

Yasu: I guess about a year ago, on twitter I wrote that it would be nice to do something with someone together again. And then I received an invitation message from Kazuma which made me decide to participate in the 1st EP. During my own blank period I also wanted to do something new with music, so this was so to say just the right timing. (laugh)

・ What were your first impressions of each other?

Kazuma: My image was that he had a cool and dark impression from his music, his vocal style and appearance. So I imagined him being dark and quiet, but when I actually talked to him, I was surprised at how friendly and upbeat he was. It’s really a big gap.

Yasu: Well, you didn’t imagine it that wrong, I can be dark and quiet as well.
My first impression of Kazuma was…That he has a good taste after I listened to his music which he released as emonchhichi before. Also he is highly vital and communicative.

・ What music influenced you?

Kazuma: My favorite genres are JPOP, visual kei, post-hardcore, screamo, piano and just emotional music. I think I am influenced to some extent by those genres. Back then when I was a student, I mainly listened to Mr.Children、GLAY、LUNA SEA、BUCK-TICK、La’cryma Christi、Laputa、Yngwie、MICHAEL、Skid Row、Radiohead etc… I guess there where my roots come from.

Yasu: MALICE MIZER at their peak. But my roots are deeply rooted in the 90’s vkei. Also I was influenced by game music (Final Fantasy and Zelda) and Ghilbli music.
Other music such as pop, classical, metal, electronica, ambient, anime songs, etc…
I’ve a wide range of what I like, so I am always influenced by music that I think is good regardless of the genre.

・ What kind of books have influenced you?

Kazuma: When I was a student, I liked reading novels. There were a lot of movies and dramas which were original novels, so back then I even wanted to have a job related to books in the future. Even Mangas such as “Ushio and Tora” and “Berserk” are the bibles of life. I often write my lyrics as a story, but I think that anime and manga have a big influence on extraordinary and fantastical things.

Yasu: On the contrary, I’m not really good at reading, so I don’t read novels at all. I do read manga, but I don’t really have any particular titles that have influenced me. But I still get a lot of inspiration from various anime and games. The song calls for the direction and content of the lyrics, and the rest is a journey to find the right words for it.

・ What was the first instrument you played?

Kazuma: I wonder what it was? hmm, wasn’t it a vertical flute? A Pianica, or a Castanet? I think most of us played such instruments for the first time… well joke aside, as a band member, of course, it’s the guitar. My first guitars were just a classical guitar, later I bought a cheap electric guitar from a friend. From there I bought various instruments, I even can play the drums a little.

Yasu: The Keyboard I had at home…. Ever since I was in elementary school, I have been copying the melodies of my favourite game songs. I guess I played the guitar after that. An Epiphone white Les Paul Custom that was given to me by a friend of my sister’s. It was heavy. I will never forget the excitement I felt when I connected it to a Marshall amp and played it for the first time.

・ How do you work together from a long distance? (Yasu lives in Kumamoto and Kazuma in Miyagi)

Kazuma: Well, the main struggle is that we can’t perform live. It’s hard to schedule. However, we can continue our activity just at our own pace and concentrate to produce good songs. Anything which might be hard to play live can be created without the need to keep that in mind, so we can create whatever we want. Even though we live so far away, it never bordered me.

Yasu: It’s creating an “individual” room because of the distance.
It may be a strange analogy, but it gives a space where you don’t know what you’re getting.  In terms of production, except for deadlines, we have a lot of freedom, so it’s easy to work with, even though it’s a special stance.

・What do you value the most when making music?

Kazuma: For Generich., I try to incorporate Yasu’s ideas as much as possible.
I don’t want to make our scale smaller by my own standards, so I try to be flexible and incorporate ideas. Even if it is not my policy or taste, I like to try it out first. Otherwise, there is no meaning or reason for the two of us to work together. Above all, I trust Yasu’s musical sense.
Of course, I can do whatever I want as a solo artist.

Yasu: With Kazuma’s music, I try to mix my own colours and brush them up to give the song its own charm.
I’m always conscious of the final balance of the song when listening to it as a whole. I always pay good attention if everything flows beautifully.
My songwriting is about how far I can realize the image I have in my mind.

・ Could you tell us which Generich. song you are particularly proud of and why?

Kazuma: It’s “Journey”. Because of this song, I was able to start Generich. It’s a song that’s melodic, pop, friendly and loved by men and women of all ages.
As you can notice from the lyrics, I created this piece as a musical letter to my dear passed away loved ones. It’s a precious and beautiful story where you can feel the beginning and the end of everything.

Yasu: I also wanted to say “Journey”, But I will say “Mother”!
In a sense, it is another beginning, since I started to be involved with this song from the very beginning, including the arrangement. The production process was quite difficult, but it did teach me a lot.

・ Let’s talk about your 2nd EP “MOTHER”. The well-crafted music with a beautiful sensational world view.

Please explain each song to us.
M1.Mother
Kazuma:This song was written based on the concept of “a fetus drifting in a sea of amniotic fluid,” and is a sequel to the instrumental song “Drifter” from the first EP.
When I imagined a mysterious and cool song in my own way to match the dark lyrics, it turned out like this. I think it has a different charm from “Journey,” which is pop and friendly.

Yasu: This song’s demo phase was simple. However we Added a dramatic arrangement to the essence of the decadence that sinks into you. Despite its grand scale, it has a compact finish. It’s a special composition that doesn’t have the same backing section. It is easy to listen to because it feels very tight. Distortion and beauty. It’s a song about a chemical reaction between the two.

M2.NaiaS
Kazuma: In contrast to “Mother,” this song was created by using simple chords (consisting almost exclusively of Am and Dm) and because of its unhurried progression it takes the sense of dullness even away.
The song has an exotic feel because of its accents of sitar and other ethnic instruments, but the backing guitars are arranged in a pop style, which gives the song an original taste. I dare to say proudly that I am the best at creating such kinds of music. It’s truly a “Kazuma” one of a kind.

Yasu: The song is straightforward, yet has a unique atmosphere with subtle changes.
The title “NaiaS” refers to the nymphs that existed in the rivers and springs of Greek mythology, and there was a legend that drinking the water there would cure illness (in the lyrics, it means that your wish will come true), but in return, you will pay the price for it.
A story about not being able to accept the “death” of a loved one and seeking the forbidden power of “rebirth”. For example, the song also says “Can you (feel) love without having a heart?”. The theme of death and rebirth is similar to that of “GAIA” on the compilation album.
The N and S are capitalised to indicate the direction of the compass, and the “aia” between them, when aligned vertically, looks like a needle, so it is expressed in the jacket design of “MOTHER” as a compass in the center of the pupil.

・The compilation album “SYNERGY-resonant-” was released on June 30th. What made you decide to create this album, which is filled with the charm of each artist?

Kazuma: I decided to produce it, because a junior gave me the idea. We were talking on the phone and in the flow of the conversation he said “I want to do something interesting with everyone, Kazuma-san, please let’s do it”, I thought it surely would be interesting to try it out. And so I started to create a compilation album. It was already a long wish to produce such an album together with another artist, so it was a nice opportunity to make it really happen.

Yasu: I always wanted to do a project like this myself. And just when I proposed it to Kazuma, he was just planning to do the same thing (laugh). So the timing was perfect.

・ How did you come up with the title 「SYNERGY-resonant」?

Kazuma: Yasu chose  「SYNERY」 and 「resonant」. I just added the “-” between both words.

Yasu: I thought it would be good to have a synergistic meaning for everyone who participates, and I had a few ideas, but…It simply became “SYNERGY” as it is.
People who liked an listened to Generich, would now have the opportunity to discover about artist they didn’t know yet and might would go like “Oh, nice!” “I want to know more!”.
The reverse is also true, Those who don’t know Generich. might think  “Wa, what’s this?”, I would be happy if people would think that as well.
The strength of an omnibus or compilation album is that it can reach a segment of listeners with whom you may otherwise not have the opportunity to encounter.

・What was your impression when you listened to the songs of the artists on the compilation album?

Kazuma: As soon as I heard the music we received from the participating artists, I was convinced that this would be a tremendous compilation CD. It was fun to listen to the songs through the collection of splendidly different types of music. Everyone who listened to the album had the same impression. It turned into a wonderful compilation album that works as a single album.

Yasu: I don’t mean to sound like a big shot, but…all the artists and bands seem to have a solid axis and core. Each has its own solid colour and brilliance. I think that it has become a compilation album that many people can find new “favourites” by listening to it. btw Hal. (春月) – Asagiri (朝霧) and Jingai Shouten from Megami Ren (人外商店 from 巡神蓮) – En (縁) are composed by me.

・Please tell us about your plans for future activities.

Kazuma: Generich. will enter the third phase. Since the concept has been completed, we are gradually proceeding with the production of music and concept art. As an individual, I would also like to focus on solo activities and providing music to artists. We have also begun work on a second compilation. Please look forward to the future development.

Yasu: We are starting toward a movement that is already set for the future.
When it comes to personal activities, I may or may not do something… That’s what I said! Because it’s a whim…
First of all, I’m in the process of producing the second Generich compilation, so I hope you look forward to it.