After their first show in August, together with Luzmelt, in Utrecht the fool return to Europe to continue their exploration of the continent. And even though it has only been a few months since the last time we saw these three frogs, the first interview had to be cut short in all kinds of ways, which felt like I didn’t have enough time to ask either vocalist about their projects. And while I can’t redeem myself with Luzmelt this time, I can do so with the fool.
So let’s get started!
From the previous interview we already know who the vocalist of the fool is, but what about the two guitarists? Can you guys introduce yourselves one more time?
Goo: I’m Goo!
TACA: And I’m TACA.
Gunji: And I’m Gunji, but you already knew!
So, this is your second time in Europe. You barely left and set foot in Japan and you took a U-turn back for Europe already. Last time you could only see Bonn and Utrecht, so is there something you’re looking forward to seeing during this tour?
Gunji: We actually really wanted to go into the city when we were in Brussels (Belgium) the other day, but it was way too cold! We’ll be arriving in Paris (France) on December 4th, so we’re really hoping we can look around there if the weather lets us.
You’ve named this tour “Crazy frogs around the world”, so you’ve probably guessed by me bringing this up already: I’m a little curious about how you got to this name…
Gunji: As a three-member band we see each of us as a “crazy frog”, so the first part is about us. We’re currently doing a world tour, meaning we’re not staying in Europe this time. So we’re all around the world. If you put these two parts together you get “Crazy frogs around the world”.
Just like your support band that’s opening for you guys tonight, you also don’t have a drummer. the fool exists out of two guitarists and a vocalist. Isn’t it really challenging to play with only three members?
TACA: In Japan we do have a support drummer and a support bassist, but for the world tour right now it’s just the three of us since we have such a good feeling together.
Goo: In Japan we do have a support drummer and bassist on stage with us, but outside of Japan we perform as a three-members-band only.
Speaking of that triangle of three people, how did you guys meet each other? How did you end up in a band together? I know Gunji and Goo are brothers, but what about TACA?
Gunji: Goo is my brother, you knew this already from the last interview we did in August. (laughs) But TACA was my student when I was still playing the guitar. We had a really good feeling between the three of us so it was almost natural that he joined us when we started this band.
Let’s steer back to the live shows for a moment. What do you look forward to the most on a day you get to play a show? Is it the enthusiasm of the audience, or is there something else?
Gunji: We try to get the audience to form one group and follow our every move, so I can eventually dive off the stage as a stagedive. But when we play in different countries than our home country of Japan we get to see all kinds of different cultures as well as differences between the fans themselves. We always look forward to that.
Last time I asked Gunji what he would like to do if a career in music didn’t end up working out for him, and he told me he’d like to be a vet. For cats, specifically. But what would Goo and TACA? What would you guys be doing if music wasn’t there for you?
TACA: I just want to be a happy grandpa. (Everyone bursts out laughing.)
Goo: I would like to be a teacher for young children. At a kindergarten or elementary school.
Everyone has something that makes them fall in love with music. Again, last time Gunji told me he got interested in music because of Goo playing guitar when they were younger, but are there any artists you look up to nowadays?
Gunji: (After a really long pause to think) I look up to Goo and TACA. (Everyone starts laughing) It’s a cheap answer, but it’s true! (Everyone is still laughing about this)
Goo & TACA: We can only agree! (Still laughing)
After that noble answer… Is there anything you look forward to? Do you have any dreams for or with the fool?
TACA: A second European tour!
Goo: We’ve recently been to Mexico, and that was one of our dreams. But we get new dreams with every tour we do, so they always get bigger!
And what about this tour? Did you have any nightmares or bad dreams perhaps?
Goo: A few days ago we were in Montpellier (France), and while I was asleep I saw myself in my dream. I lost my nose piercing and I couldn’t find it anymore so I was getting all stressed in my sleep!
TACA: I was actually in the same room, and I woke up from him stressing out in his dream. I just watched him, and he eventually woke up, reached for his nose immediately, felt his piercing was still there and he calmed down instantly!
Goo: Thank god though… I was so scared!
I only have one more question, and you probably saw this one coming: do you have a message for everyone reading this interview?
the fool: We really, really will try our best to come here for a third time, so please come see us then!
Extra information
We also took photos of their performance at P60 (Amstelveen, The Netherlands). You can find these photos on our photography portfolio, Arlequin Photography, by clicking the image below!
(In 2021 Arlequin Photography was officially changed into a full photography portfolio, while all interviews and news were moved to a new domain called Arlequin Magazine. At this time the fool were no longer active in the music industry. This is why there is no social media section for this article.)
雪 (Yuki) is the owner and driving force behind Arlequin.
She originally started the project in 2009 as a photographer under the name of Arlequin Photography, but developed an interest in journalism and translation ever since. Because of these interests interviews and reviews were added to the project, until it eventually hit the limits as a "photographer" in 2021, and Arlequin Magazine was added to the mix.
雪 (Yuki) is a native Dutch speaker with a graphic design degree, which means she is also the main person behind Arlequin Creations.
After all these years she is still the main person who does interviews the interviews and live photos that you see on Arlequin, but also a large chunk of the reviews and behind-the-scenes work and communication goes through her.
She speaks Dutch and English on a native level, but also understands Japanese and German.