A few weeks back, MediumAtLarge.net announced we'd be interviewing J-Pop Superstar T.M.Revolution but because we're nice guys (or are too overworked) we decided to let you, his fans, ask the man the questions. We received close to a hundred questions for T.M.R and sent our favorites over to Japan. And now, I'm very pleased to present T.M.R's answers.
YuffieBunny: When traveling, is there anything personal you always bring with you that you just can't leave behind?
TMR: My PC. The PC is a CD and DVD player in one. I'd be in trouble without it.
Heero: When did you first become a fan of Gundam? What drew you to the saga? What keeps you a fan?
TMR: I watched Gundam since my childhood. In the anime I'd seen before, the bad guys were simply bad from the beginning to end and the heroes were always right. Gundam was different. In Gundam, everyone is fighting for his or her personal interests, creating drama, grief, and divisions. Gundam showed me the misery of war, the huge wounds caused by it and the human horror.
Romy: You are successful as a solo artist and also with abingdon boys school. What keeps you going and keeps you seeking new challenges?
TMR: With abingdon boys school, I can express a personal part and the roots of my music while T.M.Revolution is the place where I can challenge myself as a vocalist. Both projects are in balance and are positively influencing each other. This symbiosis is essential for me and my driving force.
KitsuneKaya: You've worn very many beautiful outfits when performing live. Do you have a favorite?
TMR: The clothes I wear during concerts are not only costumes. What I'm wearing and everything on the stage has to be in harmony. Everything together develops a story. Taking this aspect into consideration, I like my clothing during my UNDER:COVER tour in 2006 the most. It was a very difficult challenge.
Violetcloud: You've recently performed in musicals in Japan. What is your all-time favorite musical? Which would you love to perform in?
TMR: I like Spring Awakening and Legally Blonde, both of which I have seen recently.
The musicals I've acted in -- Little Shop of Horrors and How To Succeed -- were both comedies, and I'd like to do something serious someday.
Karen: If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?
TMR: I want to go everywhere I haven't been before. It would be great to have an ability like in the movie Jumper.
Anonymous: What music do you listen to to unwind?
TMR: It sounds really strange but I sometimes listen to my own music before going to sleep. This might be the thing that helps me unwind the most. Of course, I listen to all kinds of music. I'm quite omnivorous. I'm listening to hard rock right now, but since I have seen gotten into musicals, I also consume their soundtracks and even listen to country.
Anonymous: Do you admire any American musicians?
TMR: Oh, there are too many, and I know I won't be able to list them all. I can say Van Halen was the inspiration for my first band, and I learned the diversity of the guitar and was largely influenced by the hard rock scene of the 80s.
Anonymous: If you didn't become a musician, what do you think you'd be doing today?
TMR: What would I do? I really like drawing. So probably I'd like some to have some job in the art business.
Liya: What are your favorite anime and manga?
TMR: When abingdon boys school produced the opening for the anime DARKER THAN BLACK, I was invited by the staff to watch its production. It's very good. I recently watched Cowboy Bebop again, and it's fantastic. I also watch Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex again and again. I also love the hard boiled touch of Black Lagoon. As for comics, I can't keep up with them. I need to know what is popular right now in America.
Anonymous: How do you spend your days off? Do you have days off? What do you do when you're not singing?
TMR: I actually don't have real holidays. I'm always doing something even if I'm staying at home. Even when I'm reading books or visiting museums, everything becomes a hint or a new idea for a song. I never really have time off.
Buffykwon: It's been over 10 years since you first starting performing as T.M.Revolution. How have you and your music changed in this time? What do you have in mind for the next 10 years, and where do you think you and your music will be 10 years from now?
TMR: Japan is a small country far away from the rest of the world, but people all over the globe have come to know T.M.Revolution -- which is a really great thing. I never even dreamed of having international fans supporting me like this back in my early days. But here I am. I and my music have grown and will continue to grow. As I come to America now, I want to take this visit to meet as many fans as possible.
