{"id":75778,"date":"2011-02-01T00:00:32","date_gmt":"2011-02-01T00:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fukuoka-now.com?post_type=feature&p=9583"},"modified":"2017-06-13T12:59:44","modified_gmt":"2017-06-13T03:59:44","slug":"sinnocular-gaijin-rock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/en\/sinnocular-gaijin-rock\/","title":{"rendered":"Sinnocular – Gaijin Rock"},"content":{"rendered":"

On an average night in a Fukuoka live house, it\u2019s not common to see many foreigners in the crowd, let alone on the bill. You do get the odd member here and there \u2013 but a band composed entirely of gaikokujin? Surely not? Enter Sinnocular. The Kumamoto-based outfit have been playing all over Kyushu for over a year now and their anthemic brand of alt-rock is starting to attract attention both in Japan and overseas. Fukuoka Now caught up with the four-piece before a recent gig at Beat Station in Yakuin.<\/p>\n

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First thing\u2019s first: gaijin credentials. Drummer\/producer Edwin Huits hails from the Netherlands and has been involved in the professional music industry since his first gig as a session musician at the tender age of 14. Front man Anthony Coronado is a native of San Antonio, Texas, who first took to musical tinkering as a teenager, when he was left at home with plenty of free time, recovering from a major operation. Bassist Lander Sims comes from Montana in the States and, in true punk-rock fashion, had never even picked up a bass before joining the band last year (happily, though, you\u2019d never guess it). Finally, New Yorker Walter Scarborough plays 7-string guitar and, after honing his skills in a number of jazz and rock bands over the years, is more than\u00a0capable of unleashing some truly epic solos.<\/p>\n

Although they all came here initially to teach English, they don\u2019t like to discuss their day jobs. Walter elaborates: \u201cWe all came to Japan for different reasons, we all do different things on the side, but the one thing that we have in common is that we do the band. This is how I like to present myself \u2013 I play in this band and I\u2019m really proud of what I do. So we try not to let our personal day jobs or activities enter into that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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His reticence on the subject betrays the quiet intensity and sharp focus that drives the band. And, so far, their efforts have paid off well: an EP released, a full-length album due shortly, regular gigs, an online distribution deal and air-play in Japan, the States and Europe. Not bad for just over a year\u2019s work.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s it like, then, for a group of Westerners attempting to navigate the scene in Japan? According to Walter, \u201cthe biggest thing is that expectations are different. In America, I would never have to go a pre-show meeting with the technical staff or bow to the sound guy or politely request that he raise the level on my monitor. So it really changes things.\u201d \u201cA good way to say it,\u201d Lander adds offers, \u201cwould be, with the language barrier and everything, you have to constantly hit the ground running. Whatever happens, you have to think \u2018OK, just go with it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, the band\u2019s foreignness has its advantages too, according to the bassist. \u201cWherever we go, people are like \u2018kakkoii, something new!\u2019\u201d \u201cThey want to hear what we sound like,\u201d Anthony agrees and, with a self-effacing grin, adds \u201ceven if we don\u2019t sound great on the night.\u201d<\/p>\n

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As far as Edwin is concerned, their cultural and musical diversity gives Sinnocular a distinct edge on the competition. \u201cOne of the things that the owner of our distribution label said was that they liked us because we don\u2019t sound Dutch, we don\u2019t sound American \u2013 they couldn\u2019t put us in a pigeonhole. So, they liked the fact that we sound completely different from anyone else and I think that\u2019s an advantage we have here over Japanese bands.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s certainly not wrong in his assessment of their sound. Anthony\u2019s moody tenor brings to mind British indie-rockers Doves, while the rest of the band deliver songs that span a wide spectrum from atmospheric post-punk to ballsy stadium rock. On their debut EP, they veer from Elbow-esque, radio-friendly prog to snarling art rock (\u00e0 la A Perfect Circle) to snappy, Police-indebted new wave in the space of about 25 minutes. Importantly, though, they establish and maintain their own unique sound throughout, despite the eclecticism on display.<\/p>\n

On stage, all four members adopt wildly different, but complimentary, roles. Anthony is the sensitive, no-nonsense frontman. Lander is the light-hearted foil on bass, who reaches out to and engages the crowd. Walter is the self-assured lead guitarist, whose joyous fret-work is reflected in his various, ecstatic \u201cguitar-solo faces\u201d (worth the admission price alone \u2013 John Frusciante watch out). Finally, Edwin on drums is the rhythmic powerhouse that drives everything forwards.<\/p>\n

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Although it makes for great tunes, the band\u2019s wide range of musical approaches and influences can have its downsides \u2013 as illustrated when they make long car journeys together. \u201cWe have to take turns playing music because we all listen to different things,\u201d reveals Walter, who personally has a soft spot for a divisive combo of Megadeth and \u201creally girly\u201d J-pop.<\/p>\n

Time on the road has certainly led to a few scrapes, although not necessarily always for Sinnocular. \u201cThere was one weird situation that didn\u2019t really concern us but involved a different foreign band that we were meant to play with, Four Minutes Til Midnight,\u201d begins Edwin. \u201cWe watched them get arrested in front of us,\u201d picks up Walter, looking like he\u2019s still slightly shocked. \u201cWe don\u2019t know exactly why. We were really excited to play with them because they were a big band. We don\u2019t know what they did, but we watched their car get searched, we watched them get taken into a van and I assume strip-searched.\u201d To helpfully evoke a more vivid scene, Anthony adds that he definitely saw police officers donning gloves. \u201cAnd then they were all put in a car and taken away. We haven\u2019t heard from them since.\u201d Scary stuff, but at the end of the day, Sinnocular still got to play the gig, so it wasn\u2019t all bad news.<\/p>\n

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Beyond avoiding trouble on the road, the band have been putting together a solid body of recorded material. Their self-titled EP is available on iTunes and they are currently busy with the final recording sessions for their debut album, due in the early spring.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, though, regardless of how much hard work they put in, can a band so completely outside of the mainstream really hope to make it in Japan? On hearing this question, Walter straightens up and that look of quiet confidence and resolve returns. \u201cWhen you get down to it, I think it\u2019s very difficult to be a foreign band in Japan because it\u2019s really the untreated path. People don\u2019t really do it \u2013 but we do it. Sometimes it\u2019s tough and I wonder \u2018is this the end?\u2019 but here we are now and we\u2019re always moving forward. I think it\u2019s a really good thing how far we\u2019ve come and I\u2019m just so excited to see what will come next.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to get a taster of what\u2019s coming next for yourself, check out the extended online version of this interview for a sneak preview of new material from Sinnocular\u2019s soon-to-be-released debut LP.<\/p>\n

Sinnocular Online:\u00a0<\/strong>For up to date concert dates and band info, check out\u00a0www.sinnocular.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Sinnocular\u2019s New Song – Exclusive!<\/strong>
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