Those of you who have had the opportunity to hear K. K. Null, whether live or through his many albums with Zeni Geva, A.N.P., and as a solo performer, already know of the bludgeoning power he is capable of unleashing through his guitar. Those of you who haven't can only begin to imagine the sonic terror.... Null, a tireless kind of guy (see the discography further below), is currently most visible through his solo efforts (often released in collaboration with other noise/experimental artists such as Jim O'Rourke and Jim Plotkin) and his most recent band, Zeni Geva.
After working in bands like A.N.P. and YBO2, Null formed Zeni Geva in 1987, who subsequently released their first album HOW TO KILL on Null's own label, Nux Organization. Second guitarist Tabata came on board in 1988, just in time to release SKULLFUCK LIVE and VAST IMPOTENZ; in the following couple of years, during which the band released several new albums and toured the US with the Pain Teens, the ever-changing lineup finally solidified when Eito joined in 1991, just in time to record TOTAL CASTRATION with Steve Albini (Big Black, Rapeman, Shellac, producer to the stars and not-yet-stars) in charge of production.
After much touring, including a 1991 U.S. tour, the band released NAI- HA in 1992; a tour of the U.S. in August with support on various dates from Pain Teens, Dazzling Killmen, Ed Hall, Crash Worship, and the Mudwimin apparently primed them for the recording fury that would see an avalanche of releases in 1993: LIVE IN AMERIKA, DESIRE FOR AGONY, and two singles, in addition to several solo releases by Null.
So what is the hardest-working guy in Japan up to now? DEAD ANGEL was fortunate enough to speak with him and find out. Read on:
DA: When did you start playing guitar? What inspired you to start?
NULL: Before I started my music career, I didn't expect that I would be an artist (musician), I just loved to isten to the music, and I wanted to be a novelist or poet when I was in high school. But the Pink Floyd changed my life! When I was 19 years old, I went to see the WALL show in London, and then I was knocked out. Maybe you will get a big laugh at this story, but this is a fact.
DA: You collaborate with other musicians a lot. How do you choose who to work with?
NULL: Just working with those whom I have interest in their music and personality.
DA: Do you have a favorite among the albums you've done?
NULL: It's hard to say which is the best, since I love all albums I've done, of course. Well, recently DESIRE FOR AGONY has been in the CD player many times.
DA: A NEW KIND OF WATER is a brilliant album. Do you have any plans to work with Jim O'Rourke again?
NULL: Yes, actually I'll go to Chicago in June to record another project band called Yona-Kit with Jim O'Rourke, and now I'm working on the next guitar collaboration with him, too. The Yona-Kit album will be released by Nux and Skin Graft next year and a guitar collaboration album (including also a duet with Fred Frith) will be out on Nux late this year.
DA: Is it frustrating to you-- or your fans-- to have your albums released on so many different record labels?
NULL: Basically I want to release my recordings from my label Nux Organization, but it's almost impossible for financial reasons. And another reason is that I'd like to work with other people/labels and spread my music over the world.
DA: How was the last American tour?
NULL: We played at 37 cities in 7 weeks. The shows in big cities almost always went well, ; on the other hand, some of the small city shows went bad. I guess people in a big city have had more of a chance to know about Zeni Geva, to get our albums before we play live in their city, than people in a small city. But I was happy to find out most of the people loved Zeni Geva after the show. We sold out more than 350 copies of the T-shirt and 100 singles and CDs on the tour.
DA: Did you like America?
NULL: I like that Americans are very honest to express their feelings and thoughts. I don't like that they're not punctual and sometimes they're rude. And I have only one favor to ask a manager in all the clubs -- please keep the rest room clean!
DA: You've worked with Steve Albini on several albums. Have you enjoyed working with him? Will you work together again on future albums?
NULL: Yes, of course we enjoyed working with Steve. He's always doing his best to give us the best sound, with his respect to Zeni Geva. We'd like to work together again on the next album.
DA: When was Nux Organization formed and why?
NULL: I started Nux in 1985 to produce and release my own recordings by myself, because I've been living and making/playing music independently and I always want to be independent.
DA: How difficult is it for underground bands in Japan to make a living and gain acceptance?
NULL: I think basically Japanese people don't have a "history of tradition of rock music" in their backbones. Most of the Japanese [scene] is just following American/European rock music still. And it's too bad the media (TV, radio, magazines) has been controlled under the major capital; there's no independent media like a college radio [system] in the USA.
DA: How would you describe the Japanese underground scene?
NULL: First of all, I want to make sure [you understand] that I don't like the word "underground." I don't think my music is "underground" at all, I think my music is the best for myself. "Underground" sounds like a kind of discriminative term. Don't you think so? So I prefer "alternative" or "independent." Well.... There are very few really good bands [over here] in the meaning of "alternative" or "independent." Most of the bands don't care to be "underground" and they're just dreaming to sign on a major label some day. But it's OK, that's their life, not mine, I don't care at all.
DA: Are there any independent Japanese musicians you would recommend?
NULL: I recommend to you Space Streakings, Melt-Banana, Funhouse, and Spearmen.
DA: Where did the song "When I Was On Horseback" come from? Is that a military song?
NULL: "When I Was On Horseback" is one of my favorite British traditional songs.
DA: Where did "Kettle Lake" (on ...BASTARDS) come from? It's not on any of yours or Steve's albums that I know of.
NULL: Steve brought "Kettle Lake" first at the recording session in Tokyo at the same time we did the NAI-HA album. Zeni Geva and Steve recorded this song together and it will be included in a compilation from NG soon.
DA: The military and war appear frequently in Zeni Geva's lyrics. Were you ever in the military? Are you for / against the military?
NULL: How do you think so? Basically I'm against the military. As for myself, my grandfather and grandmother were killed in World War II and now there's an ATSUGI base (US Navy and Marine) near my house and the fighter- jet is flying as if he owns the sky almost every day and night. It's reminding me that Japan lost in the war and Japan is not an "independent" nation still now. And if you look around, you can see there are many wars on the earth now. Actually, we're exposed to the menace of the attack from North Korea. Horrible!
DA: Can you tell us about your new solo album ABSOLUTE HEAVEN?
NULL: In fact, this is not a new recording. Most of the parts were recorded in February, 1991 and other parts were recorded in 1993. I've been wanting to release them on one CD, and now the chance is coming. I think ABSOLUTE HEAVEN is not a so-called "noise" album, as like NEW KIND OF WATER and AURORA. However, just enjoy and feel free as you like.
DA: Can you tell us more about the Melt-Banana and Yona-Kit projects?
NULL: Melt-Banana consists of guitar by Agata (singer of Te No Kanshiyoku; you can listen to two pieces [by them] on the DEAD TECH 3 compilation CD), drums by Sudoh, bass by Rika Chang ( a lovely girl), and a female singer, Yasuko. They will have the first 7" single released from Charnel House very soon. And also they will do a split 7" single with God Is My Copilot for the Japanese label H.G. Fact.
Yona-Kit is my new project band with Darin Gray (bass) from Dazzling Killmen, Thyumme Jones (drums) from Cheer Accident, and Jim O'Rourke (guitar). Most of the songs were born naturally while I've been making songs for Zeni Geva. I think, myself, that they're different from Zeni Geva songs, but I don't know how the song would be finally.
DA: What are some of your musical inspirations (especially guitar)?
NULL: It's hard to say... I get an inspiration almost while I'm playing a guitar, but I don't know where it's coming from.
DA: What bands have you been listening to lately? What do you like when you listen to music?
NULL: In all these years I've hardly listened to "rock" albums. I have much interest in and love the traditional music, especially European traditional, like Steeleye Span, Alan Stivell, Muzsikas, and Marta Sebestyen -- she's my favorite female singer in the world.
DA: Will MAXIMUM LOVE AND FUCK or SKULLFUCK LIVE be released in the U.S. anytime soon? Any other old material being released?
NULL: MAXIMUM LOVE AND FUCK is included on the MAXIMUM MONEY MONSTER CD already. For the present, I don't have any plans to release old material.