Different from the rock and roll look with sparks flying when holding drumsticks on stage, Funky Sueyoshi Kakuzu in real life is a kind elder who has just entered his sixtieth year. One day in December 2019, a screening of the character documentary "Hello, China" created by Future TV was being held in a Beijing hotel. The white-haired Sueyoshi was wearing his iconic headscarf and leaning on the sofa in front of the TV. , watching his musical life flowing out on the screen, sometimes lowering his head in contemplation, sometimes raising his head and laughing.
As the drummer of the Storm band who was once a household name in Japan, Funky Sueyoshikaku was known as the "Asian Drum King" for his superb drumming skills. Since coming to Beijing in 1990, Mo Jijue has witnessed the rise and glory of many Chinese rock musicians such as Black Panther, Tang Dynasty, Zhang Chu, and has worked with Xu Wei, Wang Feng, Han Hong, Li Huizhen and many other famous domestic singers. Taking advantage of the launch of the "Hello, China" documentary with the theme of "Foreigners in China", a reporter from the Beijing News finally had the opportunity to chat with this legendary Japanese drummer who loves Chinese culture about his "adventures in China."
I feel good at the end. Photo provided by artist Fang
When he first came to Beijing, he happened to meet Zhang Chu, Black Panther
Former lead singer of Black Panther Luan Shu said, "Lao Fang (Funky Suo Yoshijue) came to China with a desire and exploration."
1990 , Sueyoshikaku, who traveled to China for the first time, has already achieved success in the Japanese band Storm. Walking in a foreign country, Sueyoshi couldn't help but wonder: Does this city also have rock ?
The answer was not revealed until the last night in Beijing - under the introduction of a restaurant waiter, Sue Yoshikaku came to the legendary karaoke hall that is popular among young people in Beijing. There, he met another A young man dressed in a very punk style. The young man told Sueyoshikaku that there happened to be a rock music performance at Maxim Restaurant in Beijing that night. "Why is the rock show in the restaurant? Is it a liar? Should I go?" After struggling for a moment, Sueyoshikaku still agreed. Decided to follow this young man to have a look. He quietly told his friends that the performance would end at about four in the morning. If he didn't return to the hotel by five o'clock, he would quickly notify the embassy to rescue him.
After arriving at Maxim's Restaurant and pushing the door open, Sueyoshi's hanging heart gradually fell back into his stomach. The rock youth with long hair and the blasting distorted guitar on the stage announced the existence of Chinese rock music. Sue Yoshikaku also remembered that there were a few young people on the stage and sang a nice slow song. Later, this slow song called "Don't Break My Heart" became popular all over China through the Black Panther band composed of a few young men on the stage. The young man who took him to the show was later Zhang Chu became one of the three heroes of Demon Rock.
In a sense, this night also changed Sue Yoshikaku's life.
got to know the civilian band and loved national music
At that time, although Sueyoshi Kaku had achieved great popularity in Japan, he did not feel happy in his heart. Born in Shikoku, Japan, he was influenced by old European and American rock music since he was a child and determined to be a "rock god". But as Storm became more and more famous and rich, daily TV show interviews, radio show recordings and various announcements took up most of his daily life, "Is my life rock and roll? What do I want to do?" ? I don’t know any of this anymore, I just know that I’m very busy every day.”
When he met young Chinese people like Zhang Chu and Black Panther who were still playing rock music underground, a corner of his heart was awakened. "I remembered my dream when I was young. Later I married a Beijing girl and lived in Beijing."
In Luan Shu's eyes, Sue Yoshikaku has been trying to adapt to China. From learning Chinese through daily conversations with friends to performing drums with many musician friends, Sueyoshikaku took off the halo of stardom and returned to a pure drummer identity, and gained the respect of everyone with his superb skills.
In 2005, while preparing the "Gift" album dedicated to Zhang Ju , Sueyoshi got acquainted with the young civilian band through the production of "Sing for You".After that, he moved into the courtyard and began to help the Buyi band write songs and make music. In Buyi's subsequent albums, Sueyoshi participated in most of the drum recordings, and in Buyi's most popular songs such as "I Love You Dear Girl", "Mutton Noodles" and "Departure", Sueyoshi was the drummer. One of the main creators.
Ji Jue and Wu Ningyue, the lead singer of Buyi Band. Photo provided by the artist
"I particularly like Chinese national music elements." Sue Jijue often listens to Wu Ningyue, the lead singer of Buyi Band, telling him stories about his hometown of Ningxia, and is particularly willing to learn about traditional Chinese national instruments such as pipa and guzheng. "I I should be the one who is best at Chinese national musical instruments among Japanese arrangers, and after I digest Chinese national factors from a foreigner’s perspective, it will be easier for more foreigners to understand and accept Chinese music.”
epitaph. To write "My Favorite Chinese Rock"
Nowadays, Sue Yoshikaku, who has just entered his 60s, still likes to play drums and make music in China, and considers himself a Chinese. He likes to tour various parts of China and eat local food. Once, when Mo Jijue took Wu Ningyue to eat Japanese sashimi at a high-end restaurant in Guomao, Beijing, Wu Ningyue said that the taste was very similar to the finger meat from his hometown. Mo Jijue didn't believe it at the time. It wasn't until he actually went to Ningxia to eat finger meat that he finally realized the miraculous similarities between the two diets.
During his thirty years in China, Sueyoshijue traveled around and brought his musical talent to every corner of China. Luan Shu remembered that one time, Mo Jijue took his daughter to a place to perform. Even though it was snowing heavily that day, Mo Jijue still enthusiastically performed on the open-air stage to dozens of people in the village, sharing the joy of music with everyone.
Along the way, many Chinese rock musicians who have been helped by Suo Yoshikaku have expressed their gratitude to him, but Sue Yoshikaku feels that Chinese rock means more to him than what he has done. “In fact, it is Chinese rock music. Saved me, because if I hadn’t encountered Chinese rock music at that time, I would have been living in Japan all my life, and I would never have been able to imagine what I was doing now. I told Luan Shu that after I died, I would write a sentence on my grave: The last. I love Chinese rock. What changed my life is Chinese rock, so for me, I am particularly grateful to Chinese rock.”
Today, Sueyoshikaku still maintains a frequency of 200 performances a year, although he said that he is old and has no physical strength. on, but still radiates enthusiastic energy every time he steps on stage. Off the stage, Sueyoshi joked that his top priority was to pass the Chinese Proficiency Test. As for his future with Chinese rock music, he continued to smile and said in Chinese with imperfect grammar:
"People who are very successful don't need my help, people who are in trouble need my help. People who are very successful sometimes, sometimes Just drink.”
Beijing News reporter Yang Chang
Editor Tong Na proofread Zhai Yongjun
