Shock Enlightenment

Early Boredoms albums have a lot of screaming which some people think is irritating. But to not scream is like throwing eggs at stones -- the eggs will break; and you will too. Eye Yamataka says to scream is very important in Japan. "In ancient times in Japan, necromancers trance to screech to communicate a different dimension and now we screech to find ourselves."

The Boredoms have recently released Super Roots 6, a departure from their trademark "My Ass Is On Fire" Jazz/Thrash sound. Imagine if John Zorn put Valium in the Beastie Boys' Malt Liquor and then forced them to perform a piece he composed for the "Boob Slasher Part 6" soundtrack. It is a strange range of sounds that curve, meander, noodle, whimper, distort, drag and flow like a mountain stream down to the Nile Of Thrash and Disco. A must have for late-night trippers and kids who REALLY want to annoy their parents -- as well as being a spicey footnote in the annals of the current musical avant-garde.

The Boredoms very talented vocalist Eye Yamataka's voice can alternate between sounding like a punk rock poodle being skinned alive, to a Gregorian monk pooping out a watermelon, to Daffy Duck going bonkers all in about 1/24 of a second (more or less). He has also screeched and gurgled on many of John Zorn's Naked City albums, and is respected pioneer in the genre of Irritationalism. Unfortunately no duet album with Mike Patton have been announced but if enough people send encouraging letters perhaps we could be blessed with such an event in the future. Mr. Yamataka was very kind to communicate with the Goblin through the infinite space of the internet.

Goblin: Was John Zorn a good master? Did he strike you when you forced your posture? Is your music now flowing in sync with his Tao?

Eye: Relationship with John is somewhere in other dimension. It did not give much influence to Boredoms but I, personally, did get lots of influence by him from my previous lives.

Goblin: Have you heard Mike Patton's new album, Adult Themes For Voice? How do you think his hysterical vocal style compares to yours?

Eye: I love Mike Patton's new album!! He recorded in his hotel rooms when he was touring!! His style is very unique and you better not to compare with anything else.

Goblin: Is your music more creationist or traditionalist?

Eye: Both, I guess, my music it seems new and unique but there's always something traditional behind it.

Goblin: I follow Japanese noise-thrash with zeal and devotion. Yesterday morning I was really enjoying Melt-Banana when the monitor (the subervising monk) starting striking me with the Kyasuko. Why is this noise-thrash scene intending to be so confusing?

Eye: It's not really a scene. There's some musicians doing individually at the same time. Maybe it link to Japanese culture. Since I do not consider myself a noise musician, you need to ask others to their intention but I think they do noise to free themselves.

Goblin: What singers have helped show you the way?

Eye: Tiny Tim, Vo of Residents, Chipmunks, Steven Taylor

Goblin: What does the album "Z Hawaii," that you did with Ween sound like?

Eye: Gas Stand Sound.

Goblin: What do you think of Mangas (giant comic books) that are pornographic and violent and so much a part of your culture? Do you see any similarities between them and your music?

Eye: Manga is everywhere in Japan. There's Manga only for kids, only for adults, only for teens, and so may others. Manga world is very deep, very wide, very narrow, very shallow,... Some magazines sold millions copies every week, but there's also fanzines. It's very difficult explain what Manga is in words. Not only our music, much is impossible to understand and talk about it in words. So is Manga.

Goblin: Is there a tradition of screeching in Japanese culture? Or is It the product of a new subculture?

Eye: A little of both.

Goblin: What is the significance of the popularity of Karaoke? Why do they always sing My Way?

Eye: Karaoke Box is a magnetic field of madness. They sing MY WAY same reason Sid Vicious sang MY WAY.

Goblin: Do you wash your mouth when you say the name of the emperor?

Goblin: Are you a reaction against homogenized Japanese culture?

Eye: Never think about it.

Eye: Was the Naked City album, Absinthe a major influence of Super Roots 6? The description, Hard-Core Ambient Water Music comes to mind for both albums. Eye: l don't remember Absinthe, Super Roots 6 did not influenced by Naked City, but I agreed with Super Roots 6 is H.C.A.W.M. (Hard-Core Ambient Water Music), but to me, Super Roots 5 is more H.C.A.W.M. And also project band with John Zorn call NANI NANI's song Bad Hawkwind is very H.C.A.W.M.

Goblin: Are you nothing something maybe Zen or touching free and flowing loud and blowing --what?

Eye: We are Flowing and Blowing....

Goblin: What is more important to you - Improvisation or composition?

Eye: Both. There's, always, composition in improvisation and superb composition is always include improvisation.

Goblin: Are you part of a genre in art that's sole purpose is to irritate with the goal of keeping people from becoming complacent? What do you hope to achieve artistically through irritation?

Eye: Is there any musician who wants to only interested in irritate people? We do not intend to irritate people, we like to make people happy. We are very sad to see question like this is given to us, this question shows you think we like to irritate people which is totally opposite from what we like to do. Our goal is always changing and we do not know what our goal is but it's absolutely not irritate people.

Goblin: Do you see yourselves as the ultimate bug-your-parents band?

Eye: We hope not. But my parents hate what I do. But Yoshimi's parents and her grand mom are big fan of Boredoms.

Goblin: How would you rate yourselves as musicians?

Eye: I never think myself as a musician. If there's any part in me which is a musician, like to be very spontaneous.

Boredoms change. Boredoms adapt. Boredoms happy. Boredoms sad. The Boredoms are like a moon on a lake. Only there is no moon and no lake. Only Boredoms. So do not talk as if there is an actual things called Boredoms-Nature.

The student asked his master, "Do Dogs like the Boredoms?"

"Mu!" Replied his master.

"Why do I find the Boredom's music difficult to listen to?"

"You are a dried piece of shit."

"What is the sound of shit happening?"

"The mud elephant
wading through the Sea
leaves no tracks . . . ."