YAKUZA (Eng.)
– Hi, thanks for your time. What are you currently up to? How is everything doing right now with YAKUZA?
Pretty busy. Right now in the airport about to take off catch up with a tour im doing with my new band corrections house.
– First off, how did you come up with the band’s name?
Jim staffel came up with it. Came from his interst in eastern culure.
– You have just released your latest album, «Beyul». What are your expectations on it? And how is its feedback being so far?
Don’t ever have any expectations going in. happy with the results. The feedback has been generally positive. Don’t pay attention to all that so much positive or negative.
– I personally think «Beyul» is the album that has opened more new horizons to the YAKUZA’s history, with a sound that almost reaches your climax in experimentation terms but, what are your thoughts on this? Do you share these feelings?
Again we don’t go into this with the intention of being “experimental” or any of that. This band works very organically .
– I’d also dare say is your most varied record to date, which I guess it’s something you have always strived for but, do you have any musical limit?
Don’t stirve for anything. We just do what sounds natural to us. We no limits with anything involving this band.
– You use saxo, clarinet and several other instruments besides the usual ones for a Metal band, creating complex compositions. Due to this I would like to know how do you craft your songs, how’s the songwriting process.
We start with a melody and build on that. Then we take a pretty well worked out structure in the studio. For myself I have gernal idea of how I will approach the music but overall I let what is already dicate where I go. All in moment.
– And what are the main musical influences for YAKUZA?
Everything and nothing. The light and the dark. Tranquillity and chaos.
– Lyrics on the album, as well as the music, are full of contrasts, dealing with life and death, providing dark and light. Would you mind to share some light on the album’s concept and the lyrics on it?
Lyric themes vary. As we get older we have more personal experiences to work with. Most of our lyrics are deeply personal.
– The cover artwork has also caught my attention, as it’s quite simple but effective. Could you please tell us what does it represent and how did you work on it?
Jim does the art work. It’s a satillilte shot over a mountain region in Tebet. Where beyul is believed to exist.
– Once more you work for the production with seasoned Sanford Parker, your usual producer, so I guess it may be something positive for you working with him as he may know what you are looking for. Did he got the sound you wanted to get?
I understands this band both sonically and compostionally. Very easy to work with. We get our best results with him. Why fuck up a good thing?
– All this about «Beyul» being said; how could you describe it in just 3 words?
Conlfict, reflection, future.
– Justin Baron has filmed a documetary about the band and its sound, «Be that as it may: Yakuza’s Seismic Consequence». Could you tell us how did everything arise and what can we expect on this documetary (set to release later this year)?
Hes still working on it.,
– You’ve been around for over 13 years now. How do you think the band has changed or evolved since then?
Of course. We are more comfortable with ourselves and each other.
– And what could you say have been both the best and worst moments with/for YAKUZA to date?
Best-Yakuza arkestra show chicago show 2010. Worst-the day we stop.
– Finally, what are your near-future plans?
Another recording.
