Qs from Cosmos

Cosmos asks:

“Hey Jimmy, here's the question: what do the band thinks about people from another countries discovering the bands through "illegal" mean, like mp3 rips?”

First off, it’s Jimi! :-P

Secondly, I’ll stop beating around the bush and just come out and say it: I’m all for it. I encourage it. I want people to listen to it and tell me what they think! I think kids these days understand that bands need to have their product purchased in order to keep putting out music (and to, you know, pay rent, feed our families, feed ourselves), so I don’t mind it being leaked. Those that are simply hoarders aren’t going to be long-term purchasers anyway, so I don’t mind letting them hear music I’m proud of for free. If they don’t like it and keep it, it’s a waste of their hard drive space, not mine. Those that are riding the wave of change in the way the business as a whole is run will mostly likely listen, and then purchase. Some of them were probably going to buy it anyway. They will stick with us in the long-term, I believe.

The other members will be a bit vaguer, but on the whole we definitely want people to be able to try before you buy. That’s why we put up sample clips on YouTube and on the website. The higher-ups are obviously more hesitant, but I hope more Japanese bands start bucking the trend.

One thing I do not understand, however, is why people would take a video from the official channel and upload it onto their own channel. I mean I’m all for getting the word out to people who might not otherwise hear it, but bands sort of rely on those numbers of hits and plays and such. Ah well, I guess if one had enough time they could comb Google and just add it all up for proof!

Basically, just listen to it any way you can, but I highly suggest purchasing the actual product. Gotta pay back the loans. :)

“And how do you guys feel knowing that people from countries like Brazil are really in love with your music?”

We love it! At first I was scared that people would dump on us because there was a white dude in a Japanese band (which they are free to do, though it has absolutely no bearing on any of the actual possible reasons to hate us), but I’ve gotten messages and shout-outs and lovely words from cool people all over the world. Makes me feel a little less lonely. :)