Confirmed to perform at the Unconfirmed Festival 2017 Finals! Interview with Shiga-based band QB and planets
Unconfirmed Festival 2017, the event that decides the top teenage up-and-coming band!
The bands advancing to the final stage have been announced.
As one of the pairs among them,10 Recommended Amateur and Indie Bands from ShigaAlso the names of the QB and planets that we featured!
We delve into the passion behind QB and planets!
Steadily rising to the top! A four-piece rock band of men and women from Shiga Prefecture!
Speaking of QB and planets, they’re a four-piece guitar rock band from Shiga Prefecture with a female vocalist and male members.
While based in Shiga, they also energetically perform live shows outside the prefecture.
And this time, they’re performing in the finals of the Mikakunin Festival!
We had the opportunity to interview them about those feelings.
QB and planets Official Twitter
QB and planets' passionate feelings
About QB and planets
Thank you for having me today. First, could you please introduce yourself?
Everyone: Please!
Satsuki: We're a band from Shiga called QB and planets!
Please introduce yourself to the members.
Satsuki: I’m the guitar-vocal from Shiga—no, I mean, I’m Satsuki (laughs).
Shogo Tahara: I'm Shogo Tahara on guitar.
Yusuke Otsuki: I'm Yusuke Otsuki, the bassist.
Yo: This is Yo on drums!
What is the average age of QBs?
Yo: Umm, I’m just 20 right now (lol).
So everyone is 20 years old, huh (lol).
All: That's right! We did it! (laughs).
How long have you been active?
Satsuki: We formed in July last year and started activities in September, so it’s been about a year exactly.
How did you come together?
Satsuki: The instrument section had originally been active in another band ever since high school. Then the vocalist and some other members left, and I just kind of popped in to fill the spot.
Where did you meet?
Yusuke Otsuki: My high school...
Satsuki: Right, right—since Yusuke, our bassist, and I went to the same high school.
Are you all at the same high school?
Satsuki: Ah, no, no, that’s not it!
Yusuke Otsuki: We all went to different elementary, middle, and high schools, um, yeah (laughs).
Satsuki: The bassist and I are friends in the light music club—it’s more like a proper club than a casual circle.
Yusuke Otsuki: Yeah, and then like, “whoosh” (laughs).
—Heh (laughs). Was there a decisive reason for choosing Satsuki as the vocalist?
Yusuke Otsuki: The deciding factor...
Yusuke Otsuki, Yo, Shogo Tahara: Instagram!
Instagram! Specifically, what do you mean?
Yo: It's a voice, right?
Yusuke Otsuki, Shogo Tahara: It's the voice, huh.
Satsuki: I was posting my singing-with-guitar performances on Instagram.
Ah! I see. So Yusuke from the same high school had never heard Satsuki’s singing voice?
Yusuke Otsuki: Because it's a guitar...
Satsuki: Right, I was just playing the guitar and not singing.
Yusuke Otsuki: Something like that.
Yo: That voice startled me.
Surprised?
Yo: Yeah, I was shocked (lol).
I love QB’s songs and listen to them a lot, but I feel the vibe is totally different from track to track. Who writes the lyrics and composes the music?
Everyone: Thank you!
Satsuki: The composing is all done by our drummer (Yo), and the lyrics and melody are by me!
About the 1st mini album “Diversity”
—Your record release is on 8/23, right? I’ve also had a listen to the new album “Diversity.” What kind of album is this for you all?
Yo: Since it’s our first mini-album, it has five songs in it, but before—Red Street LineWe did three songs, and like, the first three songs were just the entrance.
What exactly do you mean by “entrance”?
Haruka: The previous three songs were meant to get people to know QB, so with the five tracks on this album, we broadened our range and decided to go on the offensive.
How much are we being attacked?
Yo: Well, I'm being pretty bold here (lol).
Satsuki: I’m going full throttle (lol).
— Bang bang (laughs)
Yo: The big thing this time is that it’s five songs, and I feel like we were able to try out a variety of tracks.
Are there any memorable episodes from the production of this album?
Yo: We don’t really have a “killer tune.” We genuinely value each and every song. Like, every time we finish one, we’re like, this one’s the best, right? (laughs)
Yusuke Otsuki: Ah (laughs).
Satsuki: All of them are the best.
Yo: But if we're talking purely about the performance side, the song 'Inner deps' is really difficult.
Satsuki: Everyone did their best.
You: Yeah, it was tough.
How was the recording?
Yo: The recording period is kind of...
Yusuke Otsuki: Yeah.
Yo: I recorded it in a hurry, but still, I’ve gotta make sure to get the parts I care about right.
Satsuki: Without compromise.
Yo: Yeah, it felt like we did it without compromising. Well, the timeframe was short, though.
Satsuki: We had the same engineer who recorded us before work on this album too, and he said, “You’ve all really grown.” I’d thought ourselves that we should be getting better since we’ve been active all this time, but still, being praised like that when it actually happened made me really happy.
Yusuke Otsuki: It really sank in.
Yo: Yeah, yeah. I really felt like I got a lot better.
The road to the Unconfirmed Festival Final
—Regarding the Unidentified/Fresh? Festival, for which it was announced you’ll be appearing in the finals, was there anything in particular that prompted you to apply?
All: A trigger…?
Shogo Tahara: It’ll boost my name recognition… right?
Yusuke Otsuki: Since this is the last time, and given my age in terms of being able to take part. Personally, I’ve been listening to School of Lock for a long time, so I’ve always kind of looked up to it.
So it just naturally became, like, “Let’s participate,” didn’t it?
Something like, “Should I put it out?” or “Guess I’ll put it out!”
Satsuki: Yeah, that’s exactly how it feels! (laughs)
Do you also perform at other festivals?
Yo: I did participate in “eo Music try2017.”
What were your feelings going into the third qualifying round?
Oh, totally—absolutely, no doubt about it (laughs).
Yusuke Otsuki: Like, saying we’re the coolest—something like that.
Haru: Like, BAM! you know? (laughs) With the kinda vibe of “I’m gonna smack every last one of you,” so it really sticks in everyone’s mind… Of course I was dead set on making it to the final, no question. But more than anything, I really wanted to put on a show that would make everyone who came think, “Ah, that was great.”
So, how was the live show you went into thinking, “I’m really gonna beat them up!”?
To be honest, I really felt like it landed (lol).
Satsuki: Man, that was super fun, wasn’t it!
Yusuke Otsuki: I had a blast.
Shogo Tahara: I think that might have been our best live show.
I see! What did you enjoy the most?
Yo: Not really feeling it?
Satsuki: I enjoyed those ten minutes.
Yo: Our feelings were really riding on the performance. And you could tell everyone felt the same way. It felt like the audience understood it too.
Yeah, exactly.
Yo: I guess this is what a sense of unity feels like.
Satsuki: Yeah, exactly! Like, I think that’s what a sense of unity is!
Yusuke Otsuki: Usually there’s a clear separation between the stage and the audience—like a step or some kind of boundary. This was the first time it felt like there wasn’t one, and it felt really nice (laughs).
Yoh: Even after the live show ended, I felt like I was able to grow by several steps.
How did you feel when the fun third round ended and the finalists were announced?
Yusuke Otsuki: Heh heh heh (laughs).
Yo: This guy (Yusuke Otsuki) was so happy it was almost scary (lol). You know how when they announce it, it starts with ‘Shiga Prefectuuure…’? The moment that started, he was like, ‘Wooooooo!!!’ (lol). I heard a kind of scream I don’t usually hear (lol). Right? You were happy, huh?
Yusuke Otsuki: Yeah.
Were you all together when it was announced?
Satsuki: No, it just so happened these two (Yusuke and Yo) were together.
Shogo Tahara: So, I was with a friend too, and we just happened to be listening to the radio.
Just by chance (lol).
Shogo Tahara: In the car we were like, “Heck yeah!” and my friend was shouting too (laughs).
Satsuki: I was at home by myself and kept it pretty low-key. I was just like, ‘Yay’ (lol).
Haha. Like, I'm the only one staying calm, you know? (laughs)
Yusuke Otsuki: The line is like, “Whaaaaat!” you know? But everyone’s all like, “Yay!” and I’m like, huh? Why am I going, “Whaaaaat!” while everyone’s like, why? What? That’s how I felt (laughs).
Everyone: (laughter).
Yo: Well, we were all happy about it (laughs).
Shogo Tahara: We can go to Tokyo, you know.
Satsuki: Huh? There? (lol).
Please share your enthusiasm as you head into the final stage.
Satsuki: Let's see.
Well, I feel the same as Sanji after all.
Something like, “You want me to beat the crap out of you?” (lol)
Yo: (laughs) Well, I just hope it stays in the hearts of the people who come.
Satsuki: You know how the stages keep getting bigger and bigger. I’m sure the nerves and all sorts of things increase, but on the flip side, we want to make sure we don’t forget what hasn’t changed within us and put on the same kind of show we always do.
— I just heard something really nice (laughs). The finals are coming up, so do your best!
Everyone: Thank you!
Thank you very much, everyone!
Video comments
https://twitter.com/kawaramachi_rag/status/900545787783897089
QB and planets 「Diversity」Release Tour-
Aug 23, Hama-Otsu B-flat (Shiga)
Sep 10, Shinsakae SIXDOG (Nagoya)
Sep 25 Esaka MUSE (Osaka)
Oct 8, Shinjuku WildSideTokyo (Tokyo)
QB and planets Official Twitter
QB and planets Official Website
Lastly
Since you are a band from my local area, Shiga Prefecture, I had the opportunity to interview you, and I strongly felt QB and planets’ seriousness and heartfelt passion for music.
From the snippets of conversation, I could really feel the gratitude and love for the people involved and the customers, and this project let me witness firsthand the warm personalities of everyone at QB and planets.
Thank you so much!