My old boss and an older buddy found this for me while I was getting ready for this year's PMX. In the process of giving the site an upgrade, I decided to archive here. As originally published on Planet Exile.
PMX 2004 Report - T.M. Revolution and Nami Tamaki Press Conferences
By: Pedro Rodriguez - Sunday, June 6th, 2004 (12:50:09 AM)
Planet Exile got a chance to attend the press conferences for J-Pop stars, T.M. Revolution and Nami Tamaki at Pacific Media Expo 2004. Here is an edited transcript of the Q & A session from both press conferences:
T.M. Revolution Press Conference Q & A
Q. Will your design "Defrock" be available outside of Japan soon?
A. At this point no. Right now it is website only. I will be opening up my first shop in Tokyo later this year.
Q. What did you think of last night's (Friday) concert?
A. I wanted to thank all the people for coming, and enjoying it. I heard that the L.A. audience has a good ear for music and is very critical about music, but the audience was fantastic and am thankful for the standing ovation.
Q. What do you think the difference between the Japanese audience and the US audience?
A. I think they are the mostly the same; both groups come to enjoy the concert. The key difference between the two is that the Japanese audience unite and enjoy it as one, while in the American audience, each person enjoys it their own way.
Q. Where do you get your inspiration for your outfits?
A. For last year at Otakon, I wore the kimono to show my Japanese heritage, and for this year since I was in L.A. with the big city, Hollywood and the movies, I wanted to go with something Sci-Fi, so my inspiration came from Star Wars.
Q. Describe (your album) 7th Heaven to American Fans.
A. The key difference between 7th Heaven, and all the CDs before was that 7th Heaven was done after my first American concert. After the concert, I rediscovered myself. That was the key difference.
Q. How much are you involved in your music videos?
A. I am the producer for all the videos I make so I am very involved in all of the aspects like directing, writing, etc..
Q. Tell me about your involvement in song writing.
A. After I did a concert fot the first time in the U.S., I wrote about my honest feelings in 7th Heaven as opposed to others.
Q. When you make your costumes, do you draw your own designs first or do you consult with staff members what you want?
A. I draw my pictures by myself at first, but I also consult my staff members; it's a group effort, and a fun process.
Q. Since 1988 how do you look back at his accomplishments?
A. Having performed at Budo(?) was a highlight for me; it's a special place for artists even though there are bigger theatres. It is where the Beatles first performed when they came to Japan.
Q. What do you like most about visiting the U.S.?
A. Meeting people is what I like the most. I hope to see new people in the visit.
Q. Do you look to other musicians for inspiration?
A. There are a lot of American artists that I look for inspiration; it is hard to pick one. My inspiration comes mostly from MTV from America. I hope to do the same for American groups.
Q. When did you start learning music?
A. Before singing I had no idea what I was going to do, and had no way to express my feelings. Then when I joined a band in middle school I found a way to express myself. Also, the place I lived in was a rural area and there was no other form of entertainment.
Q. How did you come to play the music for Gundam Seed?
A. The director has been a fan of my music, when he went to his concert, he appointed me to write the music for the (first) opening theme.
Q. How about Rurouni Kenshin?
A. The same situation, the director for that show was a big fan of my music and he came to me to do the closing music. Usually, a closing sequence is retired after three months; "Heart of Sword" was used for six months.
Nami Tamaki Press Conference Q & A
Q. Do your friends treat you differently since you do work for anime (music)?
A. The way my friends treat me is the same way they treated me before, and since I've moved to Tokyo I'm living a normal life.
Q. The singing industry is a competitive one, how do you feel about the pressure of competition?
A. When I'm singing my songs I just enjoy what I do, so I don't feel the pressure about the competition.
Q. When you wrote the lyrics for the Gundam SEED themes, were they based on the story much?
A. The music I did for Gundam Seed were based on the story, but the song wasn't just about the story, they are lyrics that anyone can relate to.
Q. You dance very well; there aren't many Japanese singers that can. Is dancing on stage exhausting?
A. During the rehersal was really tiring, especially at first, but when I see the audience I don't feel so tired.
Q. How does your performance affect school life?
A. It doesn't change; I'm just a normal high school girl.
Q. Any musicians you look up to?
A. Janet Jackson, Madonna and Britney Spears.
Q. How do you feel about being dubbed as the "Japanese" Brittany Spears or Hilary Duff?
A. I'm often compared to Hillary or Brittany, which I like, but I want my own name, and not just be associated with other singers.
Q. When it comes to traveling what do you when you're killing time?
A. I always listen to music wherever I go. If I don't listen to music for more than three hours, I start to feel insecure.
Q. Who would you like to work with?
A. Aaron Carter.
Q. What did you think of the reception of the event?
A. I was really happy seeing the reaction of the audience. I was also nervous, but I was happy about the enthusiasm.
Q. Tell us about your family?
A. Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, and I am the youngest, and of course forget my pets: a yorksire terrier, and three cats I rescued. My family hasn't taken the full grasp of my new found fame. Their prime concern when I go out is, "Don't forget to lock the door to the hotel room."
Q. About your tattoo... is that real or fake?
A. It's fake. The butterfly on my left arm is my logo; on the wings are my initials (N&T).
Q. Do you watch Gundam Seed?
A. I've been watching it since the beginning, even before I recorded it. When I was asked to do the opening music, it was a surreal feeling, like here I am watching the series and now they want me to do the opening music.
Q. Before you became a singer what did you want to be?
A. I wanted to be come the opening dancer for the parade at Disneyland, and a ballerina.
Q. With the success in Japan and US, are you ready to take on other countries in Asia?
A. First, I want to establish my grounds in my home country then move onto America. I want to come back here and perform, but I want to perform at my own concert rather than being an opening act. Also, I have made an appearance in Hong Kong.
Afterwards, all that attended the press conference had wished Nami a happy birthday as it was approaching within a few days (June 1).
These Q & A sessions were provided courtesy of Pedro Rodriguez, contributor for Planet Exile.
Please note that these are not fully accurate, however, edited transcripts of the press conferences.
Please note that these are not fully accurate, however, edited transcripts of the press conferences.