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Religious Knives: The Door
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Offend Maggie
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Some Racing, Some Stopping
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A Dying Tradition - Halloween mix CD
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Justin Nozuka
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Article
written by John S
Apr 1, 2007.
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The new kid on the block, Justin Nozuka, has just released his debut album, “Holly”, on Outcaste Records. I caught up with him after his March set at the 12 Bar Club in London’s Tin Pan Alley where we talked about being naked on stage, ex-girlfriend’s influences as well as finishing school…
SoundsXP: So, the album came out on the 19th [March], you’re 18 years old, how are you feeling?
Justin Nozuka: I feel great man, really, really great.
SoundsXP: And is the CD what you hoped it would be?
Justin Nozuka: Yeah – it’s like I had no idea what the recording would be like. I mean it’s crazy to look back and be like “holy smokes, I have these songs, those are my songs”, but it’s like just happened so quickly, so naturally.
SoundsXP: Do you think you’ve caught the essence of what you are on stage on the CD?
Justin Nozuka: It’s hard to judge yourself on a CD. It’s really difficult, but there are times when I try to stand back and be like a different person and it just goes up and down. Sometimes I’m like this is shit, I hate this but other times I love it, I’m really happy with it. So it just switches, but I mean I trust it and I was there in the room and we created it together and it felt magical and I guess it’s all you can really hope for
SoundsXP: So how do you go about the song writing process?
Justin Nozuka: It just rolls on inspiration for me personally. So I finish a line that I really like and it fires me up for the next line. It just keeps firing off and it’s like that, really. But it comes from different places always, you know, sometimes it’s a song and I go into it not knowing what the song’s about, end the song not knowing what it’s about, sing the song two months later and be like “I know what this song is about!” I’m like how the fuck did this song come about?! If I’m inspired I wanna write a song whether it be because I’m depressed as fuck or whether I’m excited or whether I’ve just seen the best show of my life or saw a wicked movie and I love that story, it’s like different inspirations you know.
SoundsXP: When you first started writing songs were they mostly about things that you were feeling or had happened to you?
Justin Nozuka: I used to write songs that mimicked other songs that I would hear as a kid, cos I was 12 years old when I was writing those, right. And you hear a radio so all I’d write about was [sings] “hey girl, look at you”, you know what I mean. I think that even doing that made it easier for me to write non-personal songs because, from a kid, I never wrote personal songs, they were always like mimicking. And now I’m just trying to understand my writing and where it’s coming from.
SoundsXP: You mention on your Myspace page about breaking up with a girl that you’d been in quite a long term relationship with – was that when it started or did that just happen to be almost a turning point?
Justin Nozuka: That was at the start of my real writing. There were a few that were really truthful and Supposed to Grow Old is really truthful to what it was like. We used to say that we’re gonna grow old together and it was real, you know what I mean. Songs like that come so easy because it’s just like right there. Other songs come easy as well, but it’s just feels more personal.
SoundsXP: Towards the end of Criminal you sing about spending time moving to Mexico…would that have anything to do with the fact that it was Mexicans that taught you how to play guitar?
Justin Nozuka: Yeah, I think so. It was a little joke, but I never told my Mexican friends. I keep in touch with them periodically, but I don’t tell them much about my music and what’s happening.
SoundsXP: There’s a self-assuredness and almost a steely intent with how you come across on stage, so where does that confidence on stage come from?
Justin Nozuka: I don’t know man. I think that watching artists, soulful artists, they get into it. It’s always the way I perform, so when I’m on stage I just try to get into it – I’m in my own world. That’s the whole thing about the stage, it’s like a sacred place. They’re [the audience] watching into the different world, right, so it’s like you see performers and they’re in the same room, so it’s a different vibe. Sometimes it’s great, but I try to separate it, you know, I wanna separate it ‘cos otherwise I feel naked. It just feels natural.
SoundsXP: So the stage is almost like a shield, like a cloak?
Justin Nozuka: Totally…totally.
SoundsXP: How is all this fitting in with your schooling and more to the point, seeing as you named the album after your mum, what does your mum think?
Justin Nozuka: No, it’s all great man, everyone is really supportive. I go to an art school, so it’s all about, OK we’re sending you off to the professional world…now that you’re doing it, it’s like do your thing man. We’ll take care of your school work, we’ll do all the homework for you!
SoundsXP: Laughter…Life is good sometimes…
Justin Nozuka: Nah, you know, they send me all my homework, I do all the homework.
SoundsXP: So you do it on tour?
Justin Nozuka: Yeah, I only got a couple of months, so I was like I’m just gonna fucking sprint it out, then it’s done.
SoundsXP: What are your plans UK wise for getting out and about and getting your name heard?
Justin Nozuka: Really just going with the flow, seeing what happens with the CD and radio and all that, but next step is coming back in May and bringing some players with me as well.
SoundsXP: Are you going to be back with a band?
Justin Nozuka: Yeah, doing some more promo stuff, you know what I mean, doing some shows, I gotta finish school right!
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