Ootsuki Kenji (Kinniku Shoujotai) X Isshi (Kagrra,)
A clash of talented musicians who also write short stories!
A dialogue of "Having two trades at once?!"
Many of you may be thinking, "A dialogue between two people who differ in musicianship and age?!"
On the contrary, here's Ootsuki Kenji, who debuted as an author while also being a musician, and Isshi, who has 7 short stories included at the end of the recently released photobook "Sacra"(*1). What they have in common with each other is that while they're heavily involved in music, they also have a hand in literature.
Well, do you expect that music and stories are compatible with each other?
Here's an incandescent talk battle about how it is for musicians to also be authors and the difficulties and interests that developed from that.
A dialogue of "Having two trades at once?!"
Many of you may be thinking, "A dialogue between two people who differ in musicianship and age?!"
On the contrary, here's Ootsuki Kenji, who debuted as an author while also being a musician, and Isshi, who has 7 short stories included at the end of the recently released photobook "Sacra"(*1). What they have in common with each other is that while they're heavily involved in music, they also have a hand in literature.
Well, do you expect that music and stories are compatible with each other?
Here's an incandescent talk battle about how it is for musicians to also be authors and the difficulties and interests that developed from that.
Ootsuki: I've read your stories, Isshi-kun. A lot of them were deeply touching stories. There are a lot of Shochiku-style stories of human nature, but why is that?
Isshi: I like mysteries, so in the beginning I wanted to write stories like that. But when I started writing it came out like this.
Ootsuki: When you tried to write, it kind of came out a little like Yamada Youji's stories.
Isshi: That's right. Mysterious isn't it?
Ootsuki: In what way do you write?
Isshi: Only on my computer. At first I thought I'd start by focusing on form and tried writing them out by hand, but I noticed partway through that my penmanship wasn't good so I switched to writing on my computer.
Ootsuki: There's a story with a person who works for a company but was that from your imagination?
Isshi: Since I started music as soon as I graduated from high school, I don't know the usual life of a company employee. Therefore, it's all my imagination.
Ootsuki: Around what portion of these stories are fiction?
Isshi: 80% fiction. For the first story titled "Shiro", we've actually always kept dogs from the time I was born, so I've had a lot of experiences like that, but otherwise it's mostly fiction.
Ootsuki: Hey~ Have you read a lot of books in the past?
Isshi: I've always liked reading books, and someday I hope to write my own, but I've also read yours called "Linda Linda Lover Soul".
Ootsuki: Really? I'm happy~
Isshi: But,when I decided what I would really write, I set my hand to a historical novel.
Ootsuki: That's amazing! A historical novel for your first time? I can't write that at all. (laughs)
Isshi: I want to write a historical novel, or rather, a scifi-like novel that steadily alters ancient history. I've started to write short stories adapting the person known as Sakanoue no Tamuramaro as a diviner protagonist doing various things, and have up to 10 chapters planned, but I stopped for 3 years midway through Chapter 1. (laughs)
Ootsuki: Me too, I absolutely can't write when I don't have a deadline. Writing on my own, I can't take it to the editors. Instead, when I can make a deadline for myself, I can't help but write and before I know it it's become a book.
Isshi: It's exactly the same for me too.
Ootsuki: Was this series a book?
Isshi: No, I stopped writing it. When we were first planning the photoalbum, I was talking about what kind of story I'd write for it. And then I decided that although I haven't written one, I'd do 7 short stories with a sakura theme. I wrote those 7 stories over 2 months.
Ootsuki: Ohhh, that was difficult wasn't it?
Isshi: Gathering the subject matter was difficult. When I went to my parents' home and said to a friend, "I'm writing stories with the theme of "Sakura" but I don't have any contents" I was told "There's nothing here" and we just went drinking. (laughs) Toward the end I did nothing but sit at my computer.
Ootsuki: I don't think there are a many musicians who also write stories lately, but there were more in the past. Around the beginning of the 90s, each month musicians wrote and released short stories in 'Kadokawa' magazines, and there was a boom of musicians who wanted to write books, but when I noticed it others had already retired. Whatever the case, it seemed to be because those other people became more popular with music as their core business. Because it was hard to write books in addition to being in music.
Isshi: That's right, isn't it?
Ootsuki: It's difficult! And try doing it every month!
Isshi: That might be too hard.
Ootsuki: And before you know it, it becomes every day! I'd die! (laughs)
Isshi: I also liked when I started to write with a different theme, but I think it's difficult to do that along with music.
Ootsuki: There are people like Kou Machida and Hitonari Tsuji who became authors after being musicians. We use our heads to write books, but at lives we use our bodies, so I think it turns into a good balance. It's when that balance collapses that it's hard.
Isshi: In your case Ootsuki-san, do you even complete the manuscript before the deadline when you're busy with your band?
Ootsuki: Every time. At first I had planned to write "Shinkou Shuukyou Omoide-kyou" on 20 sheets of manuscript paper, then I didn't know how I'd write it so I wrote it some in a sketchbook too.
Isshi: Eh, on paper without a grid?
Ootsuki: Because I didn't know what I was doing. In one line of blocks I wrote "boku" but that was an error. (laughs) When it was pointed out by the editor, I was a little bit embarrassed. But, it seemed like that was okay and my plan to finish it turned into making it a series. It's a good story. I don't know why I had such difficulty writing it, when I was told simply "It's good."
Isshi: Will there be a conclusion to that story?
Ootsuki: Well, it's difficult to link the stories together. (laughs) When I wrote the second and third stories, they were nonsensical. I remember that although everyone was riled up after the Yukimatsuri live on my birthday, I went to a hotel by myself to write the manuscripts and felt lonely. At that time I was thinking "I'll stop now," but I'd be happy to finish the copy so I kept going. After that I won a sci-fi prize and became a contender for the Yoshikawa Eiji Prize, but it was a time when Kinniku Shoujotai was awfully busy so I could only dream. I was inflated with wild ideas like being a writing instructor who wears Japanese clothes and shops in Ginza, you know? At that time I still had a strong impression that being a rock musician was being a careless person, so if I became a writing instructor I could meet my relatives proudly. (laughs)
Isshi: That's a different model of Ootsuki-san than in "Gumi Chocolate Pine"(*2) isn't it?
Ootsuki: The Ootsuki Kenzou of the Gumi compilation is a model of me, but the character grows in the Choco compilation, and in the viewpoint in the Pine compilation which I wrote when I was already 30 years old I'm perfectly the protagonist's older brother. Therefore these are stories completely separate from Ootsuki Kenji.
Isshi: Ah, is that so?
Ootsuki: It's a story much like "Linda Linda Lover Soul" which you read.
Isshi: Ehhh!
Ootsuki: Various people appear with their real names but it's mostly literary creation.
Isshi: What, really?! No way. I completely believed it was all real.
Ootsuki: So it made everyone angry.
Isshi: When I read it, I thought 'This couldn't be very related to band XXX you can meet anywhere, can it?'
Ootsuki: Well, you're not wrong... (mumbling)
Isshi: The one who suddenly hit the maker was Kittaka-san? Things like that.
Ootsuki: No, that's wrong. Do you know the manga "Karate Baka Ichidai"?
Isshi: I know it.
Ootsuki: That's an original manga written by Kajiwara Ikki, about the life of a karate practitioner known as Masutatsu Ooyama, but 80% is literary creation. I was influenced by that and write with Kajiwara Ikki's method of 30% fact and 70% literary creation, so it's easy to write. That's how I started "Gumi-choko" in the beginning. But, when I started writing it, it was difficult~
Isshi: I like mysteries, so in the beginning I wanted to write stories like that. But when I started writing it came out like this.
Ootsuki: When you tried to write, it kind of came out a little like Yamada Youji's stories.
Isshi: That's right. Mysterious isn't it?
Ootsuki: In what way do you write?
Isshi: Only on my computer. At first I thought I'd start by focusing on form and tried writing them out by hand, but I noticed partway through that my penmanship wasn't good so I switched to writing on my computer.
Ootsuki: There's a story with a person who works for a company but was that from your imagination?
Isshi: Since I started music as soon as I graduated from high school, I don't know the usual life of a company employee. Therefore, it's all my imagination.
Ootsuki: Around what portion of these stories are fiction?
Isshi: 80% fiction. For the first story titled "Shiro", we've actually always kept dogs from the time I was born, so I've had a lot of experiences like that, but otherwise it's mostly fiction.
Ootsuki: Hey~ Have you read a lot of books in the past?
Isshi: I've always liked reading books, and someday I hope to write my own, but I've also read yours called "Linda Linda Lover Soul".
Ootsuki: Really? I'm happy~
Isshi: But,when I decided what I would really write, I set my hand to a historical novel.
Ootsuki: That's amazing! A historical novel for your first time? I can't write that at all. (laughs)
Isshi: I want to write a historical novel, or rather, a scifi-like novel that steadily alters ancient history. I've started to write short stories adapting the person known as Sakanoue no Tamuramaro as a diviner protagonist doing various things, and have up to 10 chapters planned, but I stopped for 3 years midway through Chapter 1. (laughs)
Ootsuki: Me too, I absolutely can't write when I don't have a deadline. Writing on my own, I can't take it to the editors. Instead, when I can make a deadline for myself, I can't help but write and before I know it it's become a book.
Isshi: It's exactly the same for me too.
Ootsuki: Was this series a book?
Isshi: No, I stopped writing it. When we were first planning the photoalbum, I was talking about what kind of story I'd write for it. And then I decided that although I haven't written one, I'd do 7 short stories with a sakura theme. I wrote those 7 stories over 2 months.
Ootsuki: Ohhh, that was difficult wasn't it?
Isshi: Gathering the subject matter was difficult. When I went to my parents' home and said to a friend, "I'm writing stories with the theme of "Sakura" but I don't have any contents" I was told "There's nothing here" and we just went drinking. (laughs) Toward the end I did nothing but sit at my computer.
Ootsuki: I don't think there are a many musicians who also write stories lately, but there were more in the past. Around the beginning of the 90s, each month musicians wrote and released short stories in 'Kadokawa' magazines, and there was a boom of musicians who wanted to write books, but when I noticed it others had already retired. Whatever the case, it seemed to be because those other people became more popular with music as their core business. Because it was hard to write books in addition to being in music.
Isshi: That's right, isn't it?
Ootsuki: It's difficult! And try doing it every month!
Isshi: That might be too hard.
Ootsuki: And before you know it, it becomes every day! I'd die! (laughs)
Isshi: I also liked when I started to write with a different theme, but I think it's difficult to do that along with music.
Ootsuki: There are people like Kou Machida and Hitonari Tsuji who became authors after being musicians. We use our heads to write books, but at lives we use our bodies, so I think it turns into a good balance. It's when that balance collapses that it's hard.
Isshi: In your case Ootsuki-san, do you even complete the manuscript before the deadline when you're busy with your band?
Ootsuki: Every time. At first I had planned to write "Shinkou Shuukyou Omoide-kyou" on 20 sheets of manuscript paper, then I didn't know how I'd write it so I wrote it some in a sketchbook too.
Isshi: Eh, on paper without a grid?
Ootsuki: Because I didn't know what I was doing. In one line of blocks I wrote "boku" but that was an error. (laughs) When it was pointed out by the editor, I was a little bit embarrassed. But, it seemed like that was okay and my plan to finish it turned into making it a series. It's a good story. I don't know why I had such difficulty writing it, when I was told simply "It's good."
Isshi: Will there be a conclusion to that story?
Ootsuki: Well, it's difficult to link the stories together. (laughs) When I wrote the second and third stories, they were nonsensical. I remember that although everyone was riled up after the Yukimatsuri live on my birthday, I went to a hotel by myself to write the manuscripts and felt lonely. At that time I was thinking "I'll stop now," but I'd be happy to finish the copy so I kept going. After that I won a sci-fi prize and became a contender for the Yoshikawa Eiji Prize, but it was a time when Kinniku Shoujotai was awfully busy so I could only dream. I was inflated with wild ideas like being a writing instructor who wears Japanese clothes and shops in Ginza, you know? At that time I still had a strong impression that being a rock musician was being a careless person, so if I became a writing instructor I could meet my relatives proudly. (laughs)
Isshi: That's a different model of Ootsuki-san than in "Gumi Chocolate Pine"(*2) isn't it?
Ootsuki: The Ootsuki Kenzou of the Gumi compilation is a model of me, but the character grows in the Choco compilation, and in the viewpoint in the Pine compilation which I wrote when I was already 30 years old I'm perfectly the protagonist's older brother. Therefore these are stories completely separate from Ootsuki Kenji.
Isshi: Ah, is that so?
Ootsuki: It's a story much like "Linda Linda Lover Soul" which you read.
Isshi: Ehhh!
Ootsuki: Various people appear with their real names but it's mostly literary creation.
Isshi: What, really?! No way. I completely believed it was all real.
Ootsuki: So it made everyone angry.
Isshi: When I read it, I thought 'This couldn't be very related to band XXX you can meet anywhere, can it?'
Ootsuki: Well, you're not wrong... (mumbling)
Isshi: The one who suddenly hit the maker was Kittaka-san? Things like that.
Ootsuki: No, that's wrong. Do you know the manga "Karate Baka Ichidai"?
Isshi: I know it.
Ootsuki: That's an original manga written by Kajiwara Ikki, about the life of a karate practitioner known as Masutatsu Ooyama, but 80% is literary creation. I was influenced by that and write with Kajiwara Ikki's method of 30% fact and 70% literary creation, so it's easy to write. That's how I started "Gumi-choko" in the beginning. But, when I started writing it, it was difficult~
Isshi: I understand. I write serial stories too, but I state fiction as fiction.
Ootsuki: Yes! When I write something interesting once, I can't really say "That was a lie" as it rapidly expands the story. People who write things are just liars.
Isshi: Ah, good. I'm relieved as I was thinking "It can't be just me." Do you ever mix reality with the fiction you've created yourself?
Ootsuki: I do.
Isshi: I get anxious, thinking "Was that something that really happened?"
Ootsuki: I take responsibility for forgetting the episodes I've written as essays. I think everyone who writes has a warped complex. Generally, I think such a complex is lost when emitted at lives, but I think the people who don't lose it have something in their heart they focus on. And when you notice it, that focus can't escape in the act of writing, so there's no choice but to keep writing all alone. Even when you've finished writing you're just waiting for a finalization mail from the editors, so before long they're demanding more from you. It's lonely. (laughs)
Isshi: Is that so? I think it's the same with music, but what are good ways to raise your motivation for writing?
Ootsuki: I wonder if it's not just the deadline? Generally with music, it's your body that gets tired, but with writing it's your stomach. So if your stomach hurts, you can still somehow struggle past that.
Isshi: That's a conflict for me too. Although I'm a rock musician, I think things like, isn't it not rock if I don't go drinking on days when I have a bad stomach? If I overdo it to the point I vomit blood, whether I'm drinking, or writing, or singing, it has the strange image of 'rock'.
Ootsuki: In my personal opinion, writing is shadow. Music is light. I think that's the difference. There are difficult things with music, but when you compare the difficulty of writing it's exceptional. After all, writing is subdued.
Isshi: About that, it's not that you have two jobs Ootsuki-san, but more like three or four jobs, isn't it?
Ootsuki: And as you'd expect I have yearning and a complex too. I keep going just with the feeling that I want to be recognized~
Isshi: Well, how do you write now?
Ootsuki: I write with a pencil and eraser on manuscript paper, and make editors cry. Despite this, I don't have a fax machine at home. Because when I fax late at night I'll run out of paper. The editors are all like Antonio Inoki in that they have an attitude like they'll challenge anyone at any time. At 2 in the morning I'll get a mail like "What is that line there?" So, now, it may just be me but I think somewhere in Japan there should be a part time job of making appointments with editors and delivering manuscripts.
Isshi: It's a simple problem, but when you write on manuscript paper what do you do or kanji you don't know?
Ootsuki: For kanji I don't know I'll look them up on my phone. Where do you write?
Isshi: Entirely at home. To give myself motivation I bought bookshelves for one wall, made all of them in one day, and lined up all my books there one by one. And then I got in the mood.
Ootsuki: You really started with the form didn't you. (laughs)
Isshi: Even when I call my parents saying "If it's okay could you send some books?" they'll send a lot of the things like complete works and illustrated books they bought me when I was a young child, and I'll line them all up on that one wall. When I look at that, I think with satisfaction "This has become like an author's room" and I can start writing words, and sentences, but I get tired of it too.
Ootsuki: Being confined in a hotel room, isn't that like being a writing instructor?
Isshi: I'd attempt it, but if I don't have my materials I know it won't be any good, so I do it solely at home.
Ootsuki: I've had times when I've gathered my materials to write thinking seriously that I'll write, but gradually running out of materials I thought is it ok to keep writing like that? I wasn't writing things like the date. And therefore I had a massive failure some time ago. When I was writing a scene of singing "The Stars and Stripes Forever" with President Roosevelt like in Doraemon, my proofreader noticed that "The Stars and Stripes Forever" wasn't composed yet at that time, and I panicked late at night to rewrite it.
Isshi: You were certainly writing from a vague recollection, right?
Ootsuki: The scary thing is that writing a model of someone would make that person angry.
Isshi: Was there a situation like that?
Ootsuki: There was~ the first scary thing was when I wrote something humourous with regards to a certain merchant. When I went to that merchant after so many years he was extremely angry. He first threw a spoon at me, and even sprinkled salt, he was really scared. But it wasn't my intention to have written anything bad like that.
Isshi: Was it a restaurant?
Ootsuki: Yes. Afterward, in "Linda Linda" I had the problem of "do I write the person's real name?" And I was frightened when a certain musician said to me, "If you keep going like this, your friends will leave you one by one and before long you'll have nobody."
Isshi: Because generally readers will believe it to be 120% real right?
Ootsuki: But, I absolutely don't write true things about anyone.
Isshi: Is that the way it is?
Ootsuki: That's the way it is! Therefore, I'll say that writers are liars. But even the story "Idol" I wrote, had a musician over 30 years old as a 15 year old idol...
Isshi: That was also a great story!
Ootsuki: I don't believe anyone even when they say "Ootsuki-san, this is great" and "That's a good short story". Generally people believe too much in what was written. Being an author is just like being a liar~ What will you write next, Isshi-kun?
Isshi: I think since I've always liked ghost stories, I want to write something like "100 Ghost Stories".
Ootsuki: Wonderful! In your case, Isshi, you give the impression of a different kind of life than usual, so that would be a good thing to write. But after that, something like a love story.
Isshi: There are a lot of things I want to write, but realistically you know...
Ootsuki: It's no good when people who write can't clear that up! I think it's the same with music, but laying yourself bare is important.
Isshi: That can surely be a conflict too.
Ootsuki: Conflict is essential, so I want you to work hard at singing and writing even when you're worried!
Ootsuki: Yes! When I write something interesting once, I can't really say "That was a lie" as it rapidly expands the story. People who write things are just liars.
Isshi: Ah, good. I'm relieved as I was thinking "It can't be just me." Do you ever mix reality with the fiction you've created yourself?
Ootsuki: I do.
Isshi: I get anxious, thinking "Was that something that really happened?"
Ootsuki: I take responsibility for forgetting the episodes I've written as essays. I think everyone who writes has a warped complex. Generally, I think such a complex is lost when emitted at lives, but I think the people who don't lose it have something in their heart they focus on. And when you notice it, that focus can't escape in the act of writing, so there's no choice but to keep writing all alone. Even when you've finished writing you're just waiting for a finalization mail from the editors, so before long they're demanding more from you. It's lonely. (laughs)
Isshi: Is that so? I think it's the same with music, but what are good ways to raise your motivation for writing?
Ootsuki: I wonder if it's not just the deadline? Generally with music, it's your body that gets tired, but with writing it's your stomach. So if your stomach hurts, you can still somehow struggle past that.
Isshi: That's a conflict for me too. Although I'm a rock musician, I think things like, isn't it not rock if I don't go drinking on days when I have a bad stomach? If I overdo it to the point I vomit blood, whether I'm drinking, or writing, or singing, it has the strange image of 'rock'.
Ootsuki: In my personal opinion, writing is shadow. Music is light. I think that's the difference. There are difficult things with music, but when you compare the difficulty of writing it's exceptional. After all, writing is subdued.
Isshi: About that, it's not that you have two jobs Ootsuki-san, but more like three or four jobs, isn't it?
Ootsuki: And as you'd expect I have yearning and a complex too. I keep going just with the feeling that I want to be recognized~
Isshi: Well, how do you write now?
Ootsuki: I write with a pencil and eraser on manuscript paper, and make editors cry. Despite this, I don't have a fax machine at home. Because when I fax late at night I'll run out of paper. The editors are all like Antonio Inoki in that they have an attitude like they'll challenge anyone at any time. At 2 in the morning I'll get a mail like "What is that line there?" So, now, it may just be me but I think somewhere in Japan there should be a part time job of making appointments with editors and delivering manuscripts.
Isshi: It's a simple problem, but when you write on manuscript paper what do you do or kanji you don't know?
Ootsuki: For kanji I don't know I'll look them up on my phone. Where do you write?
Isshi: Entirely at home. To give myself motivation I bought bookshelves for one wall, made all of them in one day, and lined up all my books there one by one. And then I got in the mood.
Ootsuki: You really started with the form didn't you. (laughs)
Isshi: Even when I call my parents saying "If it's okay could you send some books?" they'll send a lot of the things like complete works and illustrated books they bought me when I was a young child, and I'll line them all up on that one wall. When I look at that, I think with satisfaction "This has become like an author's room" and I can start writing words, and sentences, but I get tired of it too.
Ootsuki: Being confined in a hotel room, isn't that like being a writing instructor?
Isshi: I'd attempt it, but if I don't have my materials I know it won't be any good, so I do it solely at home.
Ootsuki: I've had times when I've gathered my materials to write thinking seriously that I'll write, but gradually running out of materials I thought is it ok to keep writing like that? I wasn't writing things like the date. And therefore I had a massive failure some time ago. When I was writing a scene of singing "The Stars and Stripes Forever" with President Roosevelt like in Doraemon, my proofreader noticed that "The Stars and Stripes Forever" wasn't composed yet at that time, and I panicked late at night to rewrite it.
Isshi: You were certainly writing from a vague recollection, right?
Ootsuki: The scary thing is that writing a model of someone would make that person angry.
Isshi: Was there a situation like that?
Ootsuki: There was~ the first scary thing was when I wrote something humourous with regards to a certain merchant. When I went to that merchant after so many years he was extremely angry. He first threw a spoon at me, and even sprinkled salt, he was really scared. But it wasn't my intention to have written anything bad like that.
Isshi: Was it a restaurant?
Ootsuki: Yes. Afterward, in "Linda Linda" I had the problem of "do I write the person's real name?" And I was frightened when a certain musician said to me, "If you keep going like this, your friends will leave you one by one and before long you'll have nobody."
Isshi: Because generally readers will believe it to be 120% real right?
Ootsuki: But, I absolutely don't write true things about anyone.
Isshi: Is that the way it is?
Ootsuki: That's the way it is! Therefore, I'll say that writers are liars. But even the story "Idol" I wrote, had a musician over 30 years old as a 15 year old idol...
Isshi: That was also a great story!
Ootsuki: I don't believe anyone even when they say "Ootsuki-san, this is great" and "That's a good short story". Generally people believe too much in what was written. Being an author is just like being a liar~ What will you write next, Isshi-kun?
Isshi: I think since I've always liked ghost stories, I want to write something like "100 Ghost Stories".
Ootsuki: Wonderful! In your case, Isshi, you give the impression of a different kind of life than usual, so that would be a good thing to write. But after that, something like a love story.
Isshi: There are a lot of things I want to write, but realistically you know...
Ootsuki: It's no good when people who write can't clear that up! I think it's the same with music, but laying yourself bare is important.
Isshi: That can surely be a conflict too.
Ootsuki: Conflict is essential, so I want you to work hard at singing and writing even when you're worried!