interview ~ Ken (FAKE?): June 12, 2009
AnimeNEXT - Somerset, NJ
FAKE? made an appearance and concert at this year's AnimeNEXT. Ken, leader of the project, sat down with us to answer a few questions.
Can you please introduce yourself?
Ken, singer, FAKE?
FAKE? is made up mostly of support members; how did each of them get involved in the group?
Well, I basically just... I always have my antennas out, and every person I work with, I always ask, 'Who do you know that's good?' This is not just for my support members, it's cause I'm really interested in playing with people, and new people getting involved. Especially because FAKE? is... I try to make it a band, but it is my solo thing, I am the leader in it. So I'm lucky enough to be able to choose who I want to work with, or who I want to involved in a certain album.
I'm always just looking for people, that are good, that can bring a different vibe, different style. And with this band, with the new band, I basically just had my antennas out. Fire introduced me to the new guitar player, Mina. It's a lot of introducing: 'Hey, I know this guy,' 'I just worked with this guy, he's really good.' Kind of through conversation and talking, more than anything. I don't really go see bands live, so I don't really pick and choose people live. It's more like, 'Who'd you recently work in the studio with?' More studio things.
You say that it's your band, but do the other guys still give their input for the project?
Yeah, definitely. I only say it's my band just so it doesn't get totally out of control. If it's their first show, I'll tell them, 'Don't even think about this being my band, it's your band. You go in front, get the crowd going like it's your band.' I only say it's my band so it's not complete chaos, and so everyone knows who to follow, really. But everyone has their input. They'll bring in a riff, ideas, whatever.
FAKE?'s line-up includes a DJ, which is not very common with rock bands. Why did you choose to have a DJ in the line-up, and what do you think he brings to the band?
Well that's probably the exact reason we chose to have a DJ in the line-up, cause it's uncommon. Just because we want to do things that are not normal, you know? Just go against the norm, rather than just being guitar, bass, drums, singer. To add like a programmer or DJ in. The sounds that come out of that give FAKE? a little original twist. But he's key, the DJ in this band is really key. I know some people might think, 'No, a DJ isn't like a guitar player, bass player, or drummer.' But he's just as important, more important in a way, because the sound that he creates, only he can create. He's definitely a big part of FAKE?.
You have two bands, Oblivion Dust, and FAKE?. What would you say is the biggest difference between the two bands?
FAKE? is more experimental; Oblivion Dust is more proper rock band. I mean, we have a direction with Oblivion Dust, and there's a certain sound people expect from Oblivion Dust, there's a certain quality or sound vibe or whatever. With FAKE?, what I try to make it is, with every album, people don't know what to expect, and I'm usually pretty successful with that. But that's been FAKE? from the start, we always try to change with every album. And I think more now, we change more heavily, just because it's me. Before, it was Inoran and me, the two of us doing FAKE?, so the change was more slight. But now I have full control to swing the band around and take it in any direction I want.
Do you think your mixed cultural background influences the way you approach music?
Well, I don't neccessarily notice it, but yeah. I think, in the Japanese scene, at least, there's not too many people like me. And I only say that because that's what people tell me. I don't notice it; I think I'm pretty normal. I feel like I'm blending in, but apparently not. Apparently I stick out like a sore thumb. I guess my mixed culture has something to with it, but I couldn't tell you what it is, because I don't know, myself.
If you ever had to replace the question mark (?) at the end of your name with a different symbol, what would you use?
An exclamation point (!). Add that with the question mark, maybe.
You said your band is pretty experimental, so is that to help bring attention to that, that you're project is unique?
Some things that I do, lyric-wise, or song titles, have huge meaning to me, and some things are just off the top of my head. The question mark with FAKE? and the band name FAKE?, that was decided in two minutes. Originally we weren't even going to have a name. We were like, 'Hey, can we go without a name?' And the record company was like, 'How do you expect us to promote you? What are we supposed to call you?' So, the band name FAKE?, and the question mark, was like, 'Hey, we need to come up with a name. How about FAKE??' It was really simple, no real big meaning with that.
You've toured with several American bands. Who do you like touring with best?
Well, everyone's fun. I like festivals a lot, because there's lots of bands, and you get to meet a lot of different bands, and see a lot of different worlds. I don't know, I have fun. I'm pretty positive pretty much all the time, so I have fun with everyone.
How does touring in a festival compare to doing solo lives?
Well in Japan, most of the shows are just solo. They don't even have an opening act. That took a bit of getting used to, cause I was raised in England, where you have maybe two, sometimes three, opening acts. But the fans in Japan defintely just want to see the main band. They're hardcore fans. So that took a bit of getting used to. I guess festivals and touring is all a bit different and all unique and fun.
You get to meet everyone at festivals, on a tour you're by yourself, or just doing it yourself. All you have are the fans to give you feedback. I guess solo shows are more intimate, while festivals are more open, a big party vibe. I think it's the same everywhere, in the States or in Japan. I think with touring, each band has their own kind of world or atmosphere for each show, and the relationship with the fans is different for each band.
FAKE? was on haitus from 2007. Then you had a live show in 2008, before reuniting again this year. Why the initial hiatus?
Well, Oblivion Dust reformed, and I just thought it was a good time to just... get everything fixed that I wanted to fix. I'd been working FAKE? nonstop, and I needed a little break to get my footing again, know what I wanted to do, know which direction I wanted to take, and find my band. I just needed a little break, but I was still working with Oblvion Dust, so in a way I didn't really stop. But just being able to stop FAKE? gave me that break to fix things--almost like fixing your car. I got new seats, new tires, you know, that kind of thing.
What has the fan's reaction been to reforming and bringing the project back?
Well I always said that FAKE? never really stopped, I announced that we were just taking a little break. They're really happy that we're moving again. It's kind of funny, because if I start working on Oblivion Dust, the FAKE? fans get worried. And then when Oblivion Dust stops, and I start working on FAKE?, the Oblivion Dust fans get worried. But I'm going to try to make it so we can have a middle ground so everyone's happy and I can keep moving with both bands.
Do you think during your initial hiatus you might've lost some fans, or maybe even gained some new ones?
Well, yeah. Maybe a little bit. I definitely didn't expect to be off for three years, and after about the second year, I was like, 'Maybe this is taking a bit long...' I really wanted to get back and start working on FAKE? again. I think it really depends on the band. If the band's good enough, the fans will stay, so it's kind of a test to us.
Have your feelings changed for either project, going back and forth between the two?
Not much, I always have the same attitude. Give 100%, try and mess with as many people's heads as possible, experiment, and do things that aren't normal. Nothing's really changed, I'm still a pain in the ass that way. I haven't grown up.
Do your parents still frown on your career like they did initially?
I would not know that. They live in England, so I don't get to see them much. I think they kind of understand it a bit more, but we don't even talk about that.
What are your plans for FAKE? right now?
Well, do this album with FAKE?, and just tour, and hopefully we'll be coming over to the states. Definitely Europe, Asia... we're going to try to make this world. I didn't realize that people outside of Japan were listening to our music, and I recently understood that part, and it's given me a lot of motivation to move outside of Japan. Not just do things in Japan, hopefully we'll become more international.
Is that one of the reasons you chose London to record your new album?
Yeah. Basically...even with the people we work with, we want to make it international. Not just use Japanese people, in Japan, tour in Japan... FAKE? is just so open with everything, not just the music but the format, that it seems really stupid to be boxed in. So yeah, I guess working in London has a lot to do with that.
Being back in London to record, does it feel more homey to you? Do you feel more comfortable recording there than in Japan?
We haven't started yet. I don't know what it's going to be like. I'll know what's going on, though, because I lived there eighteen years. I'm not really too nervous about that.
Can you please give a message to our readers?
I'm really happy we're over here for this show, and hopefully there will be more to come. Thanks for listening!
interview by Matt; photos copyright FAKE?
Thank you to Ken for taking the time to answer our questions; thanks to Harry Lo of JHouse Rock and AnimeNEXT for making this possible.
links
FAKE? Official Website
JHouse Rock
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