Interview with Goggle-a, February 2005

NB - Please introduce yourself.
b1 - We are Goggle-A from Tokyo , Japan
Gaku: guitar,vocals
U-1 ACE: guitar,backing vocals
Eri: drums, vocals
Noriko Oilve: bass, backing vocals

NB - What means Goggle-A exactly?
b1 - "A" is read "ACE ". In the 60s, when GS (Group sound) was very hot, there were GS bands, had a name with "ACE". For example "4,9,1" (Four Nine Ace), "WAGON ACE", "BLUE ACE", etc. Goggles are glasses to put on when you ride on a vintage-motorbike!

NB - How long does Goggle-A exist and did you play in other bands before?
G - Original members met in 1994. The activity as "Goggle-A"started since 1998. Noriko (bass) joined the band since October 2004. She was before in Tiki Tiki Bamboooos (Germany).

NB - Is Sazanami your label? If so, can you tell me more about it (other bands released, distribution in Europe ...)?
G - YES! The Sazanai label based in Tokyo . Our Artists are not only from Tokyo, but also from all over Japan and the world.
In October 2004 we released "The best of 7-inchs" of the Woggles (USA).
In coming May we will release a album of THE MONSTERS (Switzerland).
Sazanami Label started since 2003. So it is quite new and our title number is growing every month!
Albums from our japanese artists are....
"EXOTIC CHARM" from THE SELLCANCERS (surf instrumental band) released on 25 JAN.
"THE PORTUGAL JAPAN" from THE PORTUGAL JAPAN" (girl's punk rock), released on 25 FEB.
"CHOCOMATES" from Chocomates (girl's pop) will be released 25th April.
"Dendeke Rock Combo" from Goggle-A.
We have also compilations, "Wild Sazanami Beat vol.1 and vol.2". We just put out the vol.2. Joined artists were Goggle-A's favorite bands from Japan, USA, Germany, and Italy. Till now those CDs are not distributed in Europe. But within this year it will happen! You can buy it on the website of Sazanami Label.

NB - Are there many bands in Japan that play garage rock'n'roll in Japanese? Here in Europe we only know bands like Teengenerate, Guitar Wolf, Fifi And The Match III, Jet Boys, ... but your sound is different, much more GS.
G - We are the next generation of those bands. We respect them a lot. But the music scene is diversified into various kinds. In Japan there are so many bands and not all of them are good. But there were definitely some REALLY GOOD bands in the garage rock'n roll scene. Try to get "WILD SAZANAMI BEAT"(vol.1 & 2) and you will be convinced for sure!

NB - Are there radio stations who play this kind of music?
G - There is no radio show, specially dedicated to the garage music. Pity!

NB - Can you tell me what are your songs about?
G - Various..... about love and bikes, what all the rock'n roller in the world sing about. We have several songs about the sun and fruits! Noriko (new member) gets confused sometimes , which fruit belongs to which song...)

NB - Last summer you toured Europe. How did you like it here? Any funny things that happened on gigs or during the tour?
G - Ohhhhhh! We had so much fun there. Happenings? We need a whole day to talk about.
We had a driver from Netherlands, his name was Daniel. He was really nice guy but sweet trouble maker! ( He was our driver during the first tour in 2003 ). This time he came to pick us up with his own track (bucket! It needed to be fixed more than one time!!!) We were stopped by the police so many times, because of this car with dutch number and full of designs on it... At last Police took away the driving-license from Daniel!! Gaku was the only one, who had a international driving-license and drove the van. This was one of the happenings....
There is a DVD from the first Europe tour. It is a quite funny road movie.....

NB - Is there lot of difference between European and Japanese audience?
G - Basically rock'n roll fans are same hot everwhere! But we found Dutch very friendly and open!

NB - Your 3 favorite bands?
G - The Spiders from the 60s, our good friends "The Woggles" from Atlanta. and Mr. Kenji Sazanami. He translated lyrics in the 60s. He was great translater and songwriter. His view of the world and tasts influenced us a lot. Our label's name we took from his name. Japanese lyrics of "Mr Twister" and " Long Tail Sally", which we covered, are wrote by him.

NB - What is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?
G - Feeding our dove, which we use for the Magic. He appears on our stage somtimes.........!

NB - Can you live from music, or you have jobs?
G - Our Jobs are Goggle-A and Sazsanami Label. So we could say that we live from Music.

NB - Your CD is called "Dendeke Rock Combo". What is "Dendeke Rock"?
G - Good question! Dendeke is the tremolo glissando, an example is the intro of PIPE LINE from the Ventures. In the mid-60s Eleki ( Electrick Guitar Sound) was catching on. It was called Dendeke or Teketeke . So the word " Dendeke" symbolizes the 60s in Japan.

NB - Your sound is some kind of garage rock'n 'roll surf. I don't know many Japanese surf bands. Can you recommend me some?
G - As a new comer we recommend you absolutely THE SELLCANCERS. THE SURFSCOASTER and Jackie & The Cedrics are great Japanese surf bands and quite well known overseas.

NB - When can we expect your new release?
G - We try to do the best to release it in coming summer!

NB - Are you planing to play in Europe again?
G - We want to come in summer!

NB - Anything you want to say to No Brains Readers?
G - We also introduce our crazy life in Japan in the BLOG page of our site. Please visit it and visit our live show when we come again in Europe!!
See you hopefully soon!