Luv Rokambo play with passion. I met Toru Yoneyama in Morioka this summer, and since have been working on his releases on my Public Eyesore label. This is an email interview of Toru and his bandmate in Luv Rokambo, Osamu Kato. bryan: Where are you now? Toru: vomitting with sea sickness in Morioka. Osam: Ha ! ...... drunkard? ...... I'm in the eastern Tokyo...... typical downtown. b: How did you get interested in unconventional forms of music? O: mmmm......after learning the basic chords, I came not to be interested in playing the guitar clearly with fast finger, but to be interested in the sound and the method...... in cause of...... maybe...... in my adolescent day, the punk manners plainly seemed to confuse the usual music value and to open the door to another value...... that meant no rule. At least, at that time, it was kool for me. In short, I was the average child of that generation. T: I saw Toshinori Kondo, Kiyoshi Matsutakeya and many japanese blues, punk musicians. b: Give us a brief history of your music? When did you start performing? T: age 16. I used the guitar as the sound tool. I sang my original songs when sitting a chamber pot at aged 2 or 3...... maybe it's my first. I like giving voice. O: We were charmed by NY scene and afro american groove. First time we played together was our high school days ending. We crashed Larry Williams apart. I got the feel like becomin' Jody Harris. Toru screamed, whose shy face masked with colourful vinyl tape like as the visage of AEOC. That's the way ! ...... Luv Rokambo originated from this day. b: How did you two meet? O: We met at our pre-tricycle age. Toru was my neighbor & my first friend. T: 33 or 34 years ago. b: When did you start Luv Rokambo? Who's Idea was it? O: As entering university in Tokyo, naturally we started our irresponsible responsibility. We two tryed to improvise with the mad rythm box that got out of Toru's order, and processed mainly 50's or 60's classics like Bo Diddley with our way. T: about 15 years ago. O: So we remembered great I.C.P. Orchestra and stimulant Golden Palominos' 1st that we held the members more and more...... at the peak, our band had ten members involving 2 rythms, 4 horns, 3 guitars and a bass. Mostly our style was that other ones generated Toru's idea (existing one phrase or atmosphere) with looping the refrain and misunderstanding of each one own. That's the wall of the vexing error sounds. T: Each other's idea. O: Sure? ...... Well, now we two recall the original shape the whole improvisation...... our balance is 50:50. b: I must admit when releasing the first album I thought Luv Rokambo was the album title. How did you come up with the name Luv Rokambo? O: Hahaha...... our band had no name at first. We called us some neglectful names as joining in the several gigs. But gradually we needed to fix our name. And one day Toru said "ROKAMBO". T: In those days I liked 50's R&R and mambo. I wanted to mix both togather. O: And what's Luv?...... we appreciated Roger Vadim's folly film "Barbarera". The characters in it said "Looove" instead of "Hello"...... we bursted out laughing...... that's the irony for the hippy culture...... With favoring this idea and including the respect for Psychederia, we chose "LOVE". And I changed a discription to "LUV" arbitrarily at several years ago. b: How long have you lived in Morioka? T: 18 years plus 6 years. O: till my pre-high scool years. still my family in Morioka. b: Tell us about the Morioka music scene and how you are involved? T: That's a small circle chained naturally. b: Morioka is a fascinating city both historically and artistically, how has living in the area affected your music? T: We have good friends fortunately. b: I find the major attraction of your music to be its defiant combination of minimal blues guitar, wailing vocals, and electronic/toy based experimental skree. What can you tell us about your musical philosophy? T: Nature. O: ...... Ok. I follow up...... dare to say...... I think our expression is a kind of folklore. There are not hollowed branch, beast's bones and skin but the electric instruments and the toys near us...... "Band"...... I think this word as primitive and collective society. It means "effecting each other for one object with each difference". This way needs deference for the other's play and it's not easy without belief. For that reason, I define Luv Rokambo is band, not duo...... after all, we are sleepy two fools...... fakin'...... Toru, How is this? b: I saw Toru's solo performance in July and what truly amazed by the stark yet theatrical performance, what influences have shaped your nihilistic approach? T: I had too many gods. I was so tired. That's a reason why. b: Tell us about your recording session in Tokyo and the significance of your new work "Maze" O: mmmmm......"Maze" session confused me so much for various reasons. I titled this session for its labyrinthian feeling...... well, I can only say some tracks suggest our next shape...... probably more hypnotic. T: I wanna go to a quiet place. b: What other bands/projects are you involved with? O: I tried to play with other ones but it's difficult to me to keep same tension as Luv Rokambo. I should play solo acoustically if I might try another project. T: A-Ho-Bune...... means ship of fools. b: Toru, could you tell us about your new band? T: Block head punk blues. b What is your dream musically and otherwise? T: I don't know. O: only keeping on. b: What are your future plans for Luv Rokambo? T: I don't know. O: Oh, no future? buddy...... Anyway, Luv Rokambo will continue to fake! Hahaha. b: What was your first concert(visited, not performed) O: Toru, what's our first visited? T: ashamed. b: What are your top 5 albums? T: Joiˆ/Caetano Veloso, Aloha Polydor/Fishmans, Y/Pop Group, 1969 Velvet Underground Live/Velvet Underground, 3 Dozen Super Numbers/ Bo Diddley O: not in order and tomorrow I'd list up other ones...... Kafka (cassette only)/Yuji Takahashi, Miller's Tale/Tom Verlaine, Natural Boogie/Hound Dog Taylor & The House Rockers, Last Date/Eric Dolphy, Solomon's Seal/The Pentangle...... b: I know you are both avid music collectors, any new finds? T: Original Love...... Japanese popular song group, Pottery Pie/Geoff & Maria Mulder, Sweet Potatoes/Geoff & Maria Mulder, Insect and Western Insect Attracter/Eugene Chadbourne...... O: Sapphie/Richard Youngs, four principles on ireland and other pieces(1974)/Cornelius Cardew, Solo Guitar Vol.1/Derek Bailey, Fuck Shit Up/Marclay,Ranaldo,Moore, Chris Thompson/Chris Thompson......