【THIS IS THE ALBUM OF A BAND CALLED ADEBISI SHANK!!】
アイルランド出身のMATH-ROCKバンド、ADEBISI SHANKがマスロック先進国ことここ日本でTELA MELOSなどと共に注目を集めたのは２００９年の事でした。 BATTLES,DON CABALLEROとHARDCORE/PUNKを掛け合わせたようなアグレッシブなサウンド、来日公演でみせた狂気すぎて弾いてねえ時あるぜパフォーマンス、「完全に一人見た目がヤバすぎる・・・」などの理由により強烈な印象を残したのではないでしょうか。現在注目を集める日本の若手マスロッカーで影響を受けた人も少なくないかもしれませんね。
その彼らの新作「電球マッチョマン」こと”This Is The Third Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank”が３年ぶりにSARGENT HOUSEから発売となりました。2ndアルバム「シマウマ」でELECTRONICAへの扉を開いたADEBISI SHANKの最新章はさらにその方向性を推し進め、成熟させた作品となりました。最早1stアルバムで見せたようなトリッキーさは存在しませんが彼らのクリエイティビティーは健在です。 DAFT PUNK的ダンサブルなサイバーロックからELO,MIKE OLDFIELDのようなソフトで情景豊かなサウンド。加えて日本のゲーム音楽のような8-bitまで詰まったおもちゃ箱のような素晴らしいアルバムだと思います。”This Is The Third Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank” is exactly “This Is The Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank”!!!
あの覆面ベーシスト、VINCENT MACCREITHに解説してもらいましょう。
【ABOUT ALBUM RELEASE】
Q1:Your new album”This Is The Third Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank” has just released. How is the reaction?
【Vin】:Reaction is really really positive which is nice because we worked harder on this album probably than anything else we’ve ever worked on in our lives! It seems like people are really into it. It makes us so happy to see people embrace it so fast. It’s the first time that’s happened for us.
Q1: 新作”This Is The Third Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank”がリリースされましたね。反響はいかがですか？
Q2:You take a ‘say what you see’ approach to naming records, this time too. Please talk about that approach.
【Vin】：We like to keep things simple! We also feel like the feeling of each album being a step forward from the last. And it should be obvious to people which is the newest album.
Q3:Why did you contract with Sargent House Records?
【Vin】：We loved Cathys attitude and passion and we loved all the bands on the roster. We knew it was the right home for a band like us who are kinda crazy sounding but still want our music to be heard by as wide an audience as possible. We knew she could help. We didn’t know she would become one of our best friends in the process! It’s a family atmosphere and that is so important for us.
【ABOUT ”This Is The Third Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank”】
Q1:How have you progressed from “This Is The Second Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank”?
【Vin】：That’s a great question! Firstly I think we’re technically more proficient, both on our respective instruments and from a production standpoint. Secondly we’re more confident about what we want sonically and how to get it. Thirdly and most importantly, I think we’ve all become better songwriters and are more determined than ever to make each song unique and special.
Q1:前作”This Is The Second Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank”からどのような部分が進化しましたか？
Q1:I think you have a lot of aspect of music. Cyber Metal/Rock, 8-bit like Game Music, Dance, Math/Post Rock,Prog(I think especially German Prog), and Jazz. This is only a part of your music. What is the suitable expression for your music?
【Vin】：I don’t know! I would sum it up by calling it rock music. I think rock is a broad term in that it should make you want to move your body. Beyond that I think genres are just restrictions. I’m happy to let other people figure out what we’re doing, in the meantime I’ll just keep making it! We do love cyber music though.
Q1 ：Adebisi Shankの音楽には様々な音楽的要素が入っていますね。Cyber Metal/Rock, 8-bit like Game Music, Dance, Math/Post Rock,Prog(I think especially German Prog), Jazz・・・これでも氷山の一角ですが。我々はなんと呼べば良いでしょうか？
Q2:And do you think you are involved in the movement of Math Rock?
【Vin】：I don’t think so. To be honest I’m not even sure what it means!! But I see it mentioned a lot beside our band. Again I’m happy for people to call us whatever they want but it has no effect on what we do.
Q3:You’re three piece and almost instrumental band. Is that style important for you?
【Vin】：Definitely being a power trio is important to us. Any more than 3 people and it gets too hard to organise things. 3 is important because there can be a disagreement but always a majority, 2 to 1. So things move forward.The last track on our album is called (trio always). Three is a magical number for us. It’s not so important for us to be instrumental. We love the human voice and the robot voice.
Q1：Ireland have a lot of good musicians, like U2(off course), My Bloody Valentine, Van Morrison, The Cranberries…Are you influenced a lot by them? And what is the identity of Irish music?
【Vin】：They’re all outstanding artists that you mentioned and I’m sure they all influenced us in different ways, particularily early U2 records, but what I find more inspiring at the moment is the bands currently in Ireland – such as Sunken Foal, Heathers, Solar Bears, No Spill Blood, Jape, Adultrock, Le Galaxie, Spies, The Gloaming, Chequerboard, Girl Band, Tvvins and Speed of Snakes…there are literally so many amazing acts in Ireland at the moment and none of them sound anything like each other. The music scene has never been stronger than right now and we’re proud to be part of it. The Irish identity is therefore one of differing styles but a very high level of musicianship throughout.
Q1:アイルランドはU2, My Bloody Valentine, Van Morrison, The Cranberriesといった偉大なミュージシャンを産出しています。彼らからの影響はありますか？
【Vin】：君が挙げたアーテイストは皆偉大だし当然様々な面で影響を受けているよ。初期のU2からは特にね。ただ今現在よりインスパイアされるのはアイルランドに今存在するバンドなんだ。Sunken Foal, Heathers, Solar Bears, No Spill Blood, Jape, Adultrock, Le Galaxie, Spies, The Gloaming, Chequerboard, Girl Band, Tvvins and Speed of Snakes…アイルランドには今現在素晴らしいバンドが沢山存在するしどれ一つとして似通っていないんだ。ここまでシーンが大きくなった事はないしその一部になれた事を誇りに思うよ。アイルランドのアイデンティティーは様々だけど特筆すべきは高いレベルのミュージシャンシップじゃないかな。
Would you tell me 5 albums that changed your life? And recently what are you listening to?
（人生を変えた5枚のアルバムと最近のお気に入り）
Ah great question! In no particular order I would say –
Prince: Sign o the Times
Fleetwood Mac: Tusk
Smashing Pumpkins: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Oingo Boingo: Only a Lad
The Cure: Disintegration
Recently I’ve been listening to Alan Menken, Hudson Mowhake, Planxty, Rush and Haim.
【MESSAGE FOR JAPANESE FANS!】
Q: Do you hear Japanese music and play Japanese video games?
And finally,Message for Japanese Fans!
【Vin】：We play far too many video games. I love the Silent Hill games. Also Hideo Kojima’s games like Snatcher right up to the Metal Gear Solid series. I love the atmosphere and excitement of Yu Suzuki’s work. And Final Fantasy VII. We love Japanese bands such as our good friends LITE, Rega and of course Casiopea, Cornelius, Mad Capsule Markets, Zazen Boys, Perfume, and my all time favourite Yellow Magic Orchestra 🙂
Message to our Japanese fans —> TOMODACHI! Mata Nihon ni kimasu! xx
Q:Your new album “Nothing More” has just released. How is the reaction?
【Jonny Hawkins】:The reaction has been amazing – it has surpassed our expectations. One of the coolest things about it is hearing personal stories from people we meet on the road about how one of the songs got them through a difficult situation in their life. We met a guy who lost his wife and was left as the only parent to their 2 young boys – he said that all he did for the month after she died was blast “God Went North.” It helped him through the uncertainty of his wife being gone and not knowing what to do being a single parent.
Q:新作”Nothing More”がリリースされましたね。反応はいかがですか？
【Jonny Hawkins】:素晴らしいよ。完全に予想以上だね。ロードで会った人たちから僕らの曲のおかげで彼らがそれぞれの困難な状況を切り抜けられたって話を聞けるのは最高にクールな事だ。
妻に先立たれて二人の男の子のシングルファーザーになってしまった人に会ったんだ。彼はこう言っていたよ。「妻が亡くなってから一ヶ月間やった事といえば”God Went North”を爆音で流す事だけだったよ」とね。妻を亡くした不安とシングルファーザーとしての心配事からこの歌が彼を救ったんだ。（”God Went North”は恋人、妻を病気で失う歌）
Q:Please tell me why did you contract with Eleven Seven Music?
【Jonny Hawkins】:This is our first label in our long history of DIY work – they stood out to us because of their sheer passion and love for their bands. At the end of the day money and a reputable name and a big building can all go away – but the thing that remains is the passion with which the label works.
Q:Would you tell me the origine of band’s name Nothing More? And why did you titled your band name on this album?
【Jonny Hawkins】：When we set out on this journey as a band, we were testing out if the experience of being a working musician was for something for people of privilege, or if it was something we could create from our limited resources. We discovered that you can do whatever you want, if you are passionate enough about it. We want all our work to point back to the fact that we are nothing more than human beings like everyone reading this. Success is not a testament to things out of your control – you can achieve your dreams. We made that the name of our album to reinforce that point.
Q:How have you progressed from “The Few Not Fleeting”?
【Jonny Hawkins】：“The Few Not Fleeting” was my first experience as a singer – having been a drummer for many years, singing was a bit foreign to me at first. The Self Titled release that we have out now is really just a coming-of-age / maturation for me as a singer and the other guys as writers and musicians. This record encompasses a lot of things we always wanted to communicate and sound like. “The Few Not Fleeting” was more of an experimental process.
Q:前作”The Few Not Fleeting”からどのように進化しましたか？
【Jonny Hawkins】：“The Few Not Fleeting”はシンガーとして初めての作品だったんだ。何年も僕はドラマーだったからね。最初歌うことには少し戸惑ったね。このセルフタイトルの新作で僕はシンガーとして成熟しているし他のメンバーはそれぞれライター、ミュージシャンとして成熟しているよ。このレコードには僕らがこんなサウンドにしたいと思っていたものが入っているよ。”The Few Not Fleeting”はもっと実験しながら作った感じだね。
【MUSICAL INFLUENCES】
Q：I think you have a lot of aspects of music. Metal,Alternative,Prog-rock,Djent,Dubstep…But in the same time,You have strong and beautiful melody. Is that important for you?
【Jonny Hawkins】：Melody and lyrics are really at the heart of all of it. If you don’t have those done right it doesn’t matter how you dress it up. We go through phases of music that we are listening to that span a variety of genres but the thread throughout them all are strong melody and a real story. Without that you might as well be an instrumental band.
Q:Do you hear bands of new generation like Periphery,Karnivool,Chevelle?
【Jonny Hawkins】：YES! We love all of those bands. Periphery and Karnivool (along with many others we listen to) are at the forefront of what the new generation of rock is going to be.
Q:Would you tell me five albums that changed your life? And recently,what are you listening to?
（人生を変えた５枚のアルバムと最近のお気に入り）
Life-changing albums, in no particular order…
Tool – AENIMA
Brother Ali – THE UNDISPUTED TRUTH
Karnivool – THEMATA
Rage Against The Machine – EVIL EMPIRE
Ben Folds – ROCKIN THE SUBURBS
Listening to right now …
Soliloquist of Sound – NO MORE HEROES
M83 – HURRY UP, WE’RE DREAMING
【ABOUT JAPAN】
Q:Most of Japanese likes melodic rocks. And we still buy more CDs than any other countries. Do you think Japan is going to be important market for you? And do you hear some Japanese musics?
【Jonny Hawkins】：We played with a Japanese band called CROSSFAITH at DownloadFestival in England this year and they were excellent. We also toured with a band called SUPE some time ago and we are goodfriends with a guitar player who was in OPUS DEI. He really peaked our interest in playing Japan. We have been discussing the market with him and the feasibility of us getting over there. It is absolutely in our sites. We would love to learn about other Japanese bands – tell us about YOUR favorites!
彼らは明確にライブとアルバムを区別しています。と言うよりもJambandという枠だけに彼らの才能が収まりきっていないと言った方が正確でしょうか。 Steve Reichのようなミニマル・ミュージックの要素に、バンド全員が影響を受けたというTORTOISEのような実験性。Pat Methenyを敬愛するギタリストはジャジーでサウンドスケーピーなフレーズも奏でます。
特に近年はジャム、インプロはライブでといった考えが顕著なようでアルバムは非常にキャッチーでカッチリと仕上げている印象がありますね。と言うことで彼らの作品の中から自宅で聴くのにオススメなアルバムを紹介します。
ケイト・ブッシュの嵐が丘をオリジナルキーで歌いこなすこの男こそTOEHIDERの中心人物Mike Millsです。どうでしょう、頭もしぐさも涼しさ満載ｒｙｒｙｒｙｒｙｒｙｒｙ。男性でここまで自然に彼女の歌を歌いこなせる人物が存在したでしょうか。アンドレ・マトスも真っ青です。しかしながらこれは彼の才能のほんの一端、氷山の一角を現しているに過ぎないのです。（音源はこちらからFree download可能です。マライアのAll I Want For Chrismas is Youもありますよ・・・）
このクソ暑い中重い音楽ばかり聴いていては確実に体を壊します。熱中症まっしぐらです。たまには涼しいポストロックでも聴いて体を冷やしましょう。でもポストロックって似たような感じのものが多くて刺激がないんだよなあ・・・とお嘆きのあなたにはこのバンドをオススメします。ノルウェー出身の５人組で先頃EPをリリースしたTHE SAMUEL JACKSON FIVEです。
このアートワークも美しい新作”Seasons In The Hum”は２０１１年にリリースされた”Mid-Fi Winter Wonderland EP”の曲をアレンジし直して再録音したものと未発表曲を合わせたもので企画版のような側面があります。ただそれ故中途半端な内容かと言えば決してそうではありません。むしろ異なった時期に書かれた曲を集めた事で彼らの特徴である奔放性、多様性を際立たせる結果となりました。サイケ、プログ、アンビエント、ジャズにフォークと彼らの音楽家としての素養の深さが存分に味わえる好盤です。
