Interview: The Fadeaways (Tokyo) - Debut Aotearoa NZ Shows

Who better to track down in-the-red Tokyo rockers The Fadeaways for a chinwag than Aotearoa's very own CLEAN DiRT? Read his hugely informative conversation with The Fadeaways' Toyozo, Assman and Ozzy below plus don't miss the Japanese trio live on our shores for the first time ever this November, blasting local punters in Ōtautahi and Tāmaki Makaurau...

UnderTheRadar proudly presents...

From Tokyo, The Fuzz Busting FADEAWAYS

Sunday 16th November - Space Academy, Christchurch
Monday 17th November - Whammy Bar, Auckland

Tickets on sale HERE via UTR

Tokyo students of sixties fuzz The Fadeaways speak with CLEAN DiRT via morse code...

CLEAN DiRT: Kia ora Fadeaways!!! Great that you are coming to NZ — thank you!!! What messages do you have for NZ?

Toyozo: Hi! We’re so excited for playing in NZ! And if you have any favourite record store in NZ let me know!

What NZ bands do you know?

Chants R&B!!! Purple Hearts!! La De Da’s!! I knew these wild '60s bands from compilation called Ugly Things!

What are your favourite NZ bands and why?

Assman: I really love a 1960s band from New Zealand called The Blue Stars. Their songs 'I Can Take It' and 'Social End Product' are absolutely killer — I’m sure the club would explode instantly if a DJ spun them.

Back when I was collecting '60s garage punk compilations, I first heard The Blue Stars on LPs like Wild Things and Transworld Punk Rave-Up. I’ve been hooked ever since. If I ever come across their 7-inch, I’d definitely buy it.

Toyozo: Tom Thumb!! 'You’re Gonna Miss Me' cover is killer!!!

Do remember Cindy — good friends of the King Bros... they played with The Fadeaways in Japan?

Toyozo: Ohhhhhhh. Of course I like their sound but we haven’t shared the stage in a while. I hope it’ll be happen in near future!

Why is Assman called Assman?

Assman: The truth is, I always have to go to the bathroom a lot. On tour, that often meant making the other two wait for me at airports or on the highway. They’d always be annoyed like, "We’re waiting for this guy’s bathroom break again."

So at first they started calling me things like 'Unkoman' ('Poop Man'). Pretty cruel, right? Later, when I kept joking around like, "My ass hurts, wahaha," one of them shouted, "You Assman!"

Somehow I liked the sound of it, and started using it as my name. One day I searched 'Assman' on Twitter, and found a bunch of Western accounts — I thought, "Hey, that’s me!"

Assman has a kyller fuzz sound — what is the set up? Secret?? Do you guys ever play any vintage Japanese equipment, Teiscos???

Assman: Thanks for liking my guitar sound! Since 2016, I’ve been using a pedal by JHS Pedals called the Muffuletta. It’s a tribute to the Big Muff, and you can select different legendary Muff sounds from various eras with a switch — Rams Head, Russian Muff, The Civil War, and so on.

I switch it depending on my mood or the amps I’m lent while touring. For recording, I also use a handmade pedal a friend built for me that recreates the Roland AF-100 BeeBaa from the 1960s (Japan-made). Vintage gear almost never shows up on the market, and when it does it’s insanely expensive — if you buy it and it doesn’t suit you, it’s the worst. Plus, they’re big and heavy! I think being able to choose affordable, compact gear is a real advantage of living in the 2000s.

Toyozo - how many bands are you in at the moment? We love Angel Face!! (Angel Face singer performs handcuffed to mic stand!)

Toyozo: Thank you! I’m playing in three bands now. Fadeaways, Angle Face and Falling Sugar. Falling Sugar sounds are like bubblegum pop, soft rock, garage-y pop. All my bands sounds are based on the rock ’n roll but different approaches. All of my bands are pretty great I think!

In Australia you will play four shows in three days... will you survive before coming to NZ?

Toyozo: No problem!! We love busy things cause we’re Japanese, haha!

Please tell us what is the Japanese '60s scene like in Japan at the moment? Are there many young bands playing this style?

Toyozo: It’s not big scene in Japan now. And not so much for young '60s style band. Young generation might be feedback it with different approaches. Oh no, finally we’d be old-school band!

Many Japanese bands have been to NZ... Guitar Wolf , The King Bros, The 5.6.7.8's, Boris, and many more... what stories have you heard from NZ??

Toyozo: I heard how NZ great is for playing rock ’n roll from Guitar Wolf. Sure I know we’re not great like them but we hope all audiences enjoy our show!

Is there a food you look forward to trying while you are here?

Toyozo: I heard there’s a sweet called Hokey Pokey in New Zealand, and since I’ve got a sweet tooth, I’m really curious about it.

Please tell me what you are listening to at the moment?

Toyozo: I'm still into obscure garage and freakbeat as always. Lately, I’ve also been listening to a lot of psych and soft rock—only stuff from the '60s though. I haven’t really been keeping up with newer music, but I think bands like Gnome and The Unknowns from Oz are great!

Ozzy: The Dwarves

Will you look forward to seeing the Stage Door in Christchurch where the Chants R&B use to play? And also in Auckland the Top 20 club where The Pretty Things performed and The Dark Ages!! The late '70s club Zwines is above the Top 20.

Toyozo: Yeeeees! I’ve been dreaming about someday I can see it in NZ! Love Chants R&B! Also I read a lot of stories of Pretty Things NZ tour on Ugly Things Magazine. Love all those stories!

OK — thanks for your time — we look forward to seeing you in NZ...

Toyozo: Thank you too! See you there!!!