The world of ENDON is one of constant evolution and revolution. The Tokyo-based ensemble of Taichi Nagura, Koki Miyabe, and Taro Aiko have made a name for themselves with their relentless exploration of sonic extremes in the vein of artists such as the Boredoms and Merzbow.
Their commitment to evolution carried them through the recent departure of their drummer Shin Yokota and the tragic death of brother and band member Etsuo Nagura in 2020. Where some might have tried to replace members, ENDON’s core pressed forward with an autobiographical work exploring these changes and the shifts in their lives. Honest and raw, Fall of Spring is a thrilling tidal wave of sound and raw emotions born of the psyche of three individuals musically congregating into one tumultuous voice.
FACTS
1. Don’t look at me.
2. This is punishment, Time does not heal.
3. Everything is substitute.
1. What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
Miyabe (M): An intuition and a regret.
Aiko (A): I am more inspired by a sound itself rather than music. The sound I make, the one another member does, even the one that I can hear in my daily life.
Nagura (N): The thing that’s about to be weakened and vanished.
2. How and when did you get into making music?
M: I wanted to be in the band and to play music but I realized I couldn’t learn songs that someone else wrote nor play anything.
A: I was in the band in my teens, then being alone during early twenties I tried to write music with Max and PD. Unfortunately, I was not able to compose anything with it, I could only make a sound and single note. The first song I could write was when the app GarageBand was released.
N: It would be more accurate to say that I am playing cheap drama rather than playing music. To quote from an actor’s line from a famous kabuki actor on a movie by a Swiss director, “to transform a time and space to another.” That is pretty close to what I am aiming for. If it would work as “ENDON’s music” it is probably thanks to a contribution from other members.
3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time?
N: It would not be practical to pick five albums from each of our three members, so let us show you the list from Miyabe, who is a major force of song writing of us. As you may be able to guess, an album format would have an affinity to a specific sub-genre and an era. By the way, when someone asked one of our ex-members what is the best noise music album, he said “noise is not for listening use, it is just for discharging to others.” I know that was a performative comment but it would work as a reliable answer.
-CONFLICT “Employing All Means Necessary!”
-JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE “Electric Ladyland”
-DEPECHE MODE “Music for the Masses”
-BLITZ “Second Empire Justice”
-BORN AGAINST “Nine Patriotic Battle Hymns for Children”
4. What do you associate with Berlin?
M: Pilsner.
A: Club Music.
N: Tresor, DJ HEARTSTRING, “Bildnis einer Trinkerin” by Ulrike Ottinger, “Der Himmel uber Berlin” by Wim Wenders.
5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
M: I wanted to stop by Berghain.
A: Flughafen Berlin-Tempelhof and SchneidersLaden.
N: None.
6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
M: A conversation without words.
A: I would be a manga comic book writer.
N: I don’t answer the hypothetical question.
7. What was the last record/music you bought or listen?
M: HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS “2””3″”10″”12″
A: TOM JARMEY “Swing Through Spaces”
N: MARIA CALLAS “Madama Butterfly by PUCCINI” (SACD hybrid, newly remastered by Abbey Road Studios)
8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
M: Anyone who won’t ignore anything.
A: Anyone who can keep going.
N: As you can see answers from those two, ENDON’s current trio formation has been based on a kind of mutual collaboration among us, with a tense atmosphere. To compare with our previous quintet formation, we have been more cohesive these days, and also more flexible as a collective and solo artists at the same time. Personally I think each member would collaborate with other artists outside ENDON, whether we would be conscious to tag with ENDON there or not. It would be unlikely for us to invite some collaborator to our albums right now.
9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
M: I don’t feel comfortable being in a busy place, so there are very few opportunities for me to attend a live show. When I worked for BOTCH as a tech person at their show in Tokyo last September, that was one of the best shows for years.
A: I can’t remember anything at all.
N: When my elementary school days I got a role of Selinuntius in “Run Melos Run” and was forced to sing a song called “A Song of the prison”.
10. How important is technology to your creative process?
M: Indispensable.
A: Very important stuff, but I am trying to be creative with or without it. Let me say it is useful as far as I can get it. Not absolutely necessary.
N: Among various kinds of music, it’s pretty difficult to pick up a certain evolution that has no privilege of technology. On my creative process in ENDON, technology is not essential for me, I have left it for other members and they can work on it during post production.
11. Please tell us about the making of your new album “Fall of Spring”.
M: I was trying to create an organic music with an inorganic material.
A: At first I was unsure what ENDON should do after a drastic line-up change. Once we worked on writing, then things were getting easier than we thought. Totally got relaxed and smoothed out, we could explore several ideas and songs were shaped up accordingly.
N: Looked like I would successfully be on a developmental stage of language acquisition.
