FEATURED INTERVIEWS

Polysics

A new blend of music with a new attitude and unlike anything you've heard before. Meet the Polysics.
By: Gian Erguiza - - November 21st, 2008 - 2:29 pm PST

Japan's Polysics have eaten the machine. Their latest release 'We Ate The Machine' is one of the most original albums to come out in the history of music. An amalgamation of out of this world electronic sounds, originality, creativity and rock elements, Polysics have found a sound that they've made all their own. The tinges of different genres and styles all thrown in a mixbag of sound is a clear statement that Polysics are here to change the way music is made. This is the Polysics interview.

Hey Polysics! How are you guys doing?

Polysics: We’re doing fine thank you!

Awesome, I’m doing good myself.

Alright before I throw out some questions your way, could you guys give me a run down of where you guys come from and what you guys are all about?

Hiro: We are Polysics from Tokyo Japan, two boys, two girls and we do new wave punk rock mixed with all different genres of music mixed with our music. We present new music that only we can do.

Thanks guys, okay, let’s see....You guys have a show tomorrow night in Los Angeles. How excited are you guys to be playing Los Angeles and how has the road been in general?

It’s actually the first show tomorrow night. We are looking forward to the Roxy tomorrow night and our last concert in Los Angeles was the Troubador and we were very excited and we had a great audience we had! We would like to create more of a buzz this time.

Alright, let’s talk a bit about ‘We Ate The Machine’ This album is full of energy, creativity, spazzed out tunes and massive fun. What was the most fun thing about recording this album and what was the main goal of finishing the album?

Fumi: For me, the most fun was writing the lyrics for our song, ‘Digital Coffee.’

Hiro: We actually accomplished a lot this time by mixing all of the different genres of music. Especially the fourth song, ‘We Ate The Machine,’ that one is actually metal. As Polysics, we actually enjoyed creating the music and playing it with the freedom that we can let our creativity just lead us. By playing freely, that was the most fun about making this album. I used to have a theme or motto of keeping it ‘New Wave’ but we actually broke that thought since we wanted to present something new and fun, so we actually achieved that part. By doing that, it’s actually a big achievement for us.

So has the album met or exceeded you guys expectations so far?

Hiro: Yes, we are satisfied at this moment. Because we re-released this album, we actually put more stuff in it and added more so we’re looking forward to it.

So guys, what’s the meaning or significance of ‘We Ate The Machine’ and how did you guys finalize the album title? I’m sure you had a few titles to pick from.

"If you come to a Polysics show, you can feel something that you’ve never felt nor imagine in your normal life. We also give high energy, high tension, high speed so if you’ve never seen a Polysics show, you’re missing something. So if you try to describe a Polysics show into words, even at 50 percent, you wouldn’t be able to put it into words. Come and see us live, feel it and then you’ll know who we are."

Hiro: This is the 12th year for us. We are now presenting something new and want to keep it fresh every time at every moment. We hear a lot of bands doing a lot of electro-mix and we’ve been doing this style for a long time so this is not new to us anymore. A lot of bands say that we’ve got this section that’s all machine or that a machine is a member of the band. Well, that’s old news to us. We wanted to show that we can actually eat the machine, digest the machine, and then it becomes our blood and our bone. We wanted to show the people that we can actually eat the machine. That’s how the concept came out so that’s how we came up with the title.

Okay? That is deep! I love it! Let’s chat about your look. Obviously your look is inspired by the 80’s and it’s definitely working to your advantage. How did people react seeing you guys in your jump suits for the first time and how long did it take for you guys to embrace the look that you guys have created?

Hiro: I’m sure it depends on the location or the venue but we never went into these jump suits for shock value, we never thought of that. For us these are costumes so we’ve been comfortable with them since they one. Sometime before, I’ve dressed up in the jump suit by myself so it’s definitely not for shock value.

Asian music from all genres, is somewhat overshadowed and overlooked at times no matter how good or how amazing the music maybe. Why do you guys think that it’s much harder for Asian bands to break into the U.S. market rather than, let’s say, latin music?

Fumi: Maybe the language or some of the rhythm of latin music is more adaptable for the American audience. Also, a lot of latin people are in the United States as well so maybe because of the gap in between? They’re also much closer to the U.S.

Okay this one for your beloved American fans! How do you say I love polysics in your language?

Hiro: Hon’in Aijou Polysics!

I got that! Alright, from the top of their heads, give me 5 albums that you guys have been listening to lately?

Hiro: Individually or as The Polysics?

As The Polysics.

Hiro: Devo’s first album, XPC’s second album Go To, third album would be Ramones - ramones mania, Scandal 4 - entertainment and Ministry’s live album.

I love Ministry! That’s a great answer! Cool, please tell our readers why they definitely need to come to see The Polysics and not miss your show?

Polysics: If you come to a Polysics show, you can feel something that you’ve never felt nor imagine in your normal life. We also give high energy, high tension, high speed so if you’ve never seen a Polysics show, you’re missing something. So if you try to describe a Polysics show into words, even at 50 percent, you wouldn’t be able to put it into words. Come and see us live, feel it and then you’ll know who we are.

What’s the best thing about going out there every night and playing your music onstage to potential new fans and fans alike?

Fumi: Simply, it makes us happy and that they appreciate us. Meeting new fans and seeing longtime fans at our shows gives us the energy to go on even at those times when it’s hard for us to keep going so quite simply, it really makes us happy.

Are you guys planning to do a live DVD anytime soon?

Hiro: In Japan, it’s actually been released but we’d love to release it here in the U.S.

We’ll be expecting that one for sure! What’s the biggest or some of the biggest misconceptions about Polysics?

Hiro: The biggest misconception would be that a lot of people think that we’re electro-pop or more electronic music but actually, we’re more like rock music, raw music.

So what’s next for Polysics going into 2009?

For 2009, we will be more active than right now. We’ll have more concerts, more touring and more new songs and more new killer songs. We will be keeping the energy, giving it 110%, going more all out.

And that’s what we wanted to hear! Do you guys have any other comments or shout-outs? ‘We Ate The Machine,’ this is our album and we’re very proud of it and it’s a really good album so please take a listen to it……must buy or die. About our concerts? Must come or die.

Cool! Polysics, thank you for doing the interview and I love it, I love it I love it! Can’t wait to see you guys and good luck out there on the road!

Thank you bye-bye!

Bye-bye!

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