"I didn't stop playing bass when I started playing." -JIRO

-Before you played bass, you played the guitar.
JIRO: Yes, I was influenced by a friend who had a guitar. I got along with him and he wanted to play the keyboard. So I borrowed his guitar and played.
-Was his guitar electric?
J: Yes. I played guitar until I became a senior highschool student.
-You have a long experience with the guitar. What kind of music did you play?
J: I played some copy music. When I was a highschool boy, I played BOOWY. I wanted to play the guitar when I saw a video of Rebecca. But the guitar wasn't important for their music, [it was] the keyboard. The guitar phrase was not interesting in their music. But now I think their music is good to learn. But at that time, I couldn't play their music. I was interested in playing solo.
-Guitar solo. So did you play Hotei's music?
J: Yes.
-His guitar is interesting to play.
J: Yes. I copied all of his songs. Backing and arpeggio.
-It is good to learn. Did you listen to hard rock?
J: Not yet, it was highschool.
-I see. Why did you start playing bass?
J: During the winter in my highschool at second grade, I started playing bass. My friend's band needed a bass player. The band was popular among us. I was in a band as a guitarist but I didn't think that the band would be successful.
-You mean it wasn't great.
J: Yes. When I was a highschool boy, I didn't think I would become a professional player-I was planning to work. So I played in that band for my memory. I decided to quit the guitar and become a bass player in a popular band. That's all.
-The band was a Visual band?
J: Yes.
-You turned into a bassist. I don't think that you could play the bass well at first.
J: But I played bass sometimes when I was in second grade of highschool.
-You did not have any trouble playing the bass guitar. Bass is simpler than the guitar. What did you think of bass?
J: I did not take the bass seriously. I didn't think that I was playing bass. It's these days that I think about bass seriously.
-Bass has a lot of meaning. What kind of music did you play at the time?
J: I just played it wildly. I did not stop playing. I just played the bass without stopping.
-You played wildly. You played original songs in the band. How did you make the bass line?
J: We already had songs so I just arranged it.
-Did you have any favorite bassist at that time?
J: Not since I started bass. But before that, I copied X (Japan's) which was so fast. I played their songs when I was in the first grade of highschool.
-When we are young, we usually try to play loud music.
J: Yes. I liked loud music when I was highschool. The musicians who were called "Visual" were (thrash). The bigger the head, the more cool. We liked that.
-The purpose of the band for you was to enjoy and not to take seriously.
J: Yes. I haven't changed that idea.
-That is your fundamental. You've become a serious bassist since then?
J: Yes, these days.
-You never change.
J: No, I never change.
-You just wanted to play wildly.
J: Yes, ever since I was an amateur.
-So, what was the role of the bass player in the band for you?
J: I thought that the bass is low. I just liked the heavy music band. I never thought about the rest.
-Did you ever think that the bass is the best instrument?
J: No, no. I never noticed that until these days. I've never thought of the bass as a rhythm instrument. Ever since I met Sakuma, I started thinking about the rest notes.
-So since then you became a professional. You came to Tokyo in a Visual band?
J: Yes. But the drummer got married so we didn't take him here. We tried to find somebody to replace him but we broke up.
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"I learned a lot from GLAY." -JIRO

-You joined GLAY after a while. What did you think when you heard GLAY's sound?
JIRO: At the time, I liked EXTREME and Skid Row. Hisashi was different from how he is now. His sound was like "UK" (British). His sound was not heavy but very clean. It's a big difference from now. Takuro was as loud as he is now.
-At that time, Hisashi liked clean sounds. I think you had a hard time getting used to GLAY's music because you were a hard rocker.
J: That's right. I was thinking that I would just stay in GLAY and when I find another band, I would go there.
-So you were a helper.
J: Yes.
-So you just joined GLAY.
J: Yes.
-Were you bored?
J: No. The band was so serious. I had to think about my bassline. In GLAY, we had to use our brains to make the songs better. I learned many things from them. They were so serious about songs. I became a fan of GLAY.
-I see. Takuro said, "Jiro helped me a lot." What do you think about that?
J: I don't think it is about the music. Or is he talking about the time the drummer quit? Akira (ex-drummer) was partly an arranger who made [GLAY's] songs at that time. We thought that the band would be damaged by him. So I thought I had to arrange the songs. We tried together. The music I listened to was different from the music that they listened to. When we wanted to make cool songs, I was in charge of it. Love songs are for somebody else, but cool songs are for me.
-The music you brought was new to them. I've heard that you have been aggressive onstage since you were an amateur.
J: Yes. I didn't want to be a normal bassist.
-Did you study singing?
J: Not really.
-You just got wild on the stage.
J: Yes. I basically haven't changed since then. But now I know when I have to be wild and when I have to be cool onstage.
-The phrase of a bass is limited. You keep playing as a rhythm and never have a solo.
J: Yes. I want to be a guitarist. [Laughs]
-You did not want to play only for the live.
J: I make the bassline for the recording. I imagine that I am onstage when I am recording but I never think about how to play on the stage.
-When recording, you want a perfect bassline for the record.
J: Yes. I try to think that I can make another bassline. I can't put up with easy basslines for GLAY's songs. We don't allow ourselves to play bad lines.
-You always play great basslines. I can (find out) what the other members think. You recorded [Hai to Daiyamondo] when you were an amateur. What were you thinking of at the time?
J: I did anything I wanted for that song. I really liked Guns n' Roses at that time. I brought their CD to a mixer and asked him to make the same sound. The sound was loud, heavy, wild. Since the debut, my sound has changed.
-You use the "middo" (mid) sound.
J: Yes. They don't allow any mistakes. I feel that this is professional.
-Why did you change the mid sound?
J: We have two guitars. When we recorded [Hai to Daiyamondo], one of the guitar sounds disappeared due to my heavy bass sound. To make a clear sound for the songs, I have to use mid sounds for bass.
-So you started thinking about the GLAY sounds.
J: Yes, but the first time, I did not understand it. When we made the single [Manatsu No Tobira] with Tsuchiya, he made the sound for me. But I did not understand why the sound he created was good.
-I see. If you like heavy sounds, you think mid sound is behind the time.
J: Yes. I like the sound (made) with pick-ups more than the old-type of sound.
-In addition, it is hard for you to play with a different sound.
J: It was hard to play with THAT sound.
-But after recording, you were satisfied with that sound...?
J: No, I didn't understand it at that time. Even when I played with Sakuma, I did not understand the sound of bass. I preferred Jazz Bass to Precision Bass.
-Sakuma makes the songs clear even though the sound is heavy. What did you think of him when you worked with him?
J: [Kanojo no "Modern..."] was the first job with him. He did not complain about how to hold a pick.
-It is an "inverse-angle fingerpicking." The album produced by him [Sakuma] was different from [Hai to Daiyamondo].
J: I think it is because the drummer quit. He was serious about arrangement. When we had concerts, he sometimes suggested some changes in the songs 5 minutes before the concert.
-Did you have any different feelings when your songs became simpler?
J: Yes. I had at first. I thought, "Is it okay to become so simple?" But the most important thing is to take care of the songs. So heavy sounds don't matter. When we made [HOWEVER], there was no heavy sound.
-We think it is hard to let people understand simple songs.
J: Yes. My bass is so boring in [SPEED POP] when I listen to it now.
-Really?
J: It's elementary. The bassline is so BORING. I have improved my bassline since then.
-GLAY has been growing rapidly since the debut. I remember that you stood in front of the bass amplifier without any movement when you made your debut.
J: I think at the time, I lost confidence. At that time, the drummer was not professional. I thought I had to cover him. So I didn't concentrate on the stage. In addition, many magazines criticized that GLAY isn't rock music. That made me play perfectly and I couldn't rely on the drummers. I had to play like a professional.
-Did you get frustrated?
J: Yes. But when Nagai was the drummer, I was relieved.
-You and Toshi played together and you are in charge of many parts of the band?
J: No, I rely on him. We made [SPEED POP] with soul. He was a busy man. We made basic songs and let Sakuma listen to those songs. Sakuma arranged those songs and wrote the notes. And then we played them together. We didn't like this procedure. We asked the producers in the office, "We want a drummer from the beginning of the songs" and we insisted, "We want to have a drummer who can go with us to concerts." Teru and Hisashi said, "The drummer playing with [Kyosuke] Himuro is good." I knew him so I would bring him.
-So Toshi had an impact on the band?
J: Yes, and D.I.E. too. D.I.E. has an influence on our stage.
-Because of Toshi and D.I.E., GLAY's sound has more impact.
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"After [HOWEVER] and [Kuchibiru], I understood what bass is." -JIRO

-Later, you started recording [BEAT out!]. The bass for that is technical and hard.
JIRO: That's right. I was worried about what people said, (that) "GLAY is NOT rock." I tried to show that GLAY IS ROCK. In addition, I wanted to attract the kids.
-The kids who play music?
J: Yes. I wanted to attract them. The song contains an understandable melody and phrase. I tried to adopt those basslines.
-If you are an amateur, you must be attracted by the bassline. In the interview for [BELOVED], you said, "I am interested in bass lines which have an impact on songs."
J: After [BEAT out!], we were accepted as rock music[ians]. The bass in [BEAT out!] is nothing so I wanted to play more intelligent basslines. I want to play clean basslines.
-That album is the highest grade. I thought you had changed your mind?
J: I would go for a different goal. I played bass in [BEAT out!] for the kids, but [BELOVED] for the members and Sakuma. I wanted a good result from them.
-Did you get the result?
J: Not yet. I asked Sakuma for advice.
-You had a hard time with some songs.
J: Yes. There were 3 songs with the same chords. I had a hard time making different basslines for those 3 songs with the same chords.
-Some people use the same chords for songs but YOU can't use it.
J: If I use it, it means that I gave up.
-That's Jiro. You wrote and sang in (the album) [BELOVED]. Why was that?
J: I wanted to increase my role in the band. I heard that Takuro had a hard time with [Kiseki no Hate]. But I didn't have it because all I had to do was make the basslines. I didn't like it. I thought I could have the same trouble when I write songs.
-Is there any change in you after making songs?
J: Not at all. But I had a problem making a bassline for my own song. In particular, the bassline in [Kanariya] is BORING.
-Not true. You sang in [SHUTTER SPEEDS no Teema].
J: That song is not for CDs, (it's) for concerts. At the first concert in the Budokan, I had to release my song but the song was not completed. The other members wanted more impact so they let me sing in that song. And I ended up singing the song for the CD.
-The song reflects your character. How was the recording?
J: At first I tried to sing it with a clean voice. But Sakuma didn't like it. After I sang it many times, my voice became hoarse. Sakuma liked the voice. That voice was used for my song.
-You are the bad boy in the band. After singing the song, you established a position in the band.
J: Yes. The song was almost abandoned.
-You were lucky to sing in it. You played a nice bassline for [BELOVED]. In particular, the bassline in [HOWEVER] is played in an adult mood.
J: I don't know. I think I played too much for that song when I listened to it after the recording. But I played the bassline how I wanted.
-You think you should have played less?
J: Only for that song. I noticed what the bass should be when we were recording [Kuchibiru]. I could use the rest notes, which I never used before, in those two songs.
-I see. Bass is a rhythm instrument as well as (a) melody (instrument). You found it interesting that bass is rhythm.
J: Yes. How important the rest is. Sakuma always says that I DID understand it, but I couldn't play it. Sakuma did not complain in two songs, [Kuchibiru] and [HOWEVER]. I was expecting him to say something about my basslines in [HOWEVER].
-You are now not satisfied with that bassline. You have been changing your taste. But you might be losing something important...?
J: (I have) no worry about that. In [I'm Yours], I realized that I didn't think too much. I just played wildly like I used to. I don't think it would have been interesting if I had used the rest notes in that song.
-I am relieved to hear that. It is great to play sophisticated basslines and wild basslines.
J: I think so. The acoustic concert [GLAY UNPLUGGED '97] influenced me a lot. We did not have much time to arrange GLAY's songs in acoustic style. If the songs were a medium tempo, it might be easier to re-arrange them in a slow style because all you have to do is change the guitars. I don't like that. Maybe the audience would expect that. But I didn't want to play that. The songs, which are great in concerts, have to be arranged differently into songs that nobody can imagine. And I started re-arranging [Kanojo no "Modern..."], [Cynical], or [LOVE SLAVE]. I suggested that this song should be simple and asked [Toshi] Nagai to play it simply. So Nagai played in any pattern we wanted. And I could ask him how to play the bass with his drums. And after several trials, I could find the best basslines. We mustered this technique while re-arranging the songs into acoustic style. It was really nice to us. So we could complete [HOWEVER].
-It was great to arrange another pattern. And you are great because you are always ready to accept new techniques.
J: Yes. Maybe some people don't accept some arrangements for some songs. But Takuro is generous. He likes to change (into) something interesting.
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ACT@2 BACK TO THE BASS STYLE

"If you want to be a loud musician, I want you to learn from me. Put seals onto the bass guitar." [Laughs] -JIRO

-Since then, I have felt GLAY's "musician ship." I've noticed that you always think of a theme when you make songs and show many different styles of basslines. I am impressed.
JIRO: I don't know. After [BEAT out!], I came to like recording. Now I am looking forward to recording again.
-That's nice. There are many bands that don't like to record. Although bassline is simple, it plays an important role in making songs. What do you think of it?
J: Yes. I like the basslines after I repeat listening to the songs. When I listen to the songs, I feel great with the basslines.
-There are no songs without bass. What kind of bassist do you want to be?
J: Difficult question. My basslines are still conventional. So I want to improve it. Later on, I want to be a bassist playing out of the band if I can. Now I have to concentrate on GLAY. I can't play in any other band. I can understand Takuro's songs.
-That's good. If you grow up like this, many kids can learn lots of things from you.
J: Yes. If you want to be a cool bassist, you should put seals on the bass guitar. It's important when you start playing bass. To play the bass is very simple, but it's important to convert simplicity into loudness. You have to have this idea.
-Yes. When you play bass more and more, you will find it interesting soon. We have to play bass until we find the bass interesting.
J: Yes. The choice of the bassist whom you want to be influences your basslines. If you choose me, you might have trouble reading the rest notes. If you choose a decent bassist, you would be able to read the notes. If you want to be a loud bassist, you should choose me. [Laughs]
-That's good. [Laughs]
J: In addition, I suggest (that you) "Don't think that bass is (just) bass. Use effectors!" I did it when I started. Play with the bass guitar for fun. You will understand what the bass should be later on when you continue playing it.

"Now I take care of how to hold picks ('picking')." -JIRO

-Please tell me how to hold a pick.
JIRO: I held a pick like this when I was an amateur. It was like holding a guitar pick.
-Using the thumb and the index finger, and the rest of the fingers don't touch anything.
J: Yes. Now I close all fingers. When I was an amateur, I played like playing the guitar.
-So you have changed. So you use an inverse angle?
J: Yes, for the recordings. But you play up-down picking, you can't use an inverse angle picking.
-An inverse angle picking was recommended by Sakuma. Did you have trouble with that?
J: Yes. I had to correct my posture first.
-And your bass is located below because of a long strap. I think it is hard to play an inverse angle when you have a concert.
J: Yes, but I try to play an inverse angle. I'm concerned about the location where I play with a pick. When I was young, I played it near the bridge, making a hard sound. Now I play on the pick-up.
-Playing there makes a middle sound. When you are picking, do you use the list snap?
J: Yes. The picking is strong. It is natural.
-We can hear your bass even though there are two guitars. You don't only play strongly.
J: No, play like this.
-It is loud. You use the list. You stop picking when it hits the strings. What kind of picks (do you use)?
J: It's a triangle. I always break normal picks. I use this pick.
-It's made from polyester. That material is good-it doesn't wear out, but is it soft?
J: Yes. I used to use thick picks but I changed to medium-firm picks.
-But it is 1mm.
J: Yes. I think I should use soft picks for lovesongs (like [HOWEVER]), but I don't like the feeling. I play all the songs with this pick.
-How about playing with fingers?
J: I only played (like that) for acoustic concerts. When I use my fingers, I have to change the settings for finger play. Otherwise, the sound is not so great. For this concert tune, I wanted to use my fingers but I couldn't play well. The form is like this.
-You stretch your fingers beautifully. So you use your finger tips to play?
J: No, I use the middle of the finger tips. Sometimes, my nails hit the strings and that's not great. I have to be careful. In the acoustic live, I made a lot of mistakes so I changed to playing with picks.
-You like playing with picks.
J: Yes, of course. But recently, I use my fingers to pick when I make the basslines. I use the rest notes when I'm using my fingers. I wrote [HOWEVER] with fingerpicking.

"I check the position of the bass guitar in a mirror." -JIRO

-Can you tell me the position of your right hand?
JIRO: I don't think I am good at using my right hand.
-That's not true.
J: Souru said that I should use the hand parallel to the fret. But I can't do that.
-Each time I see your concert, your hand position is beautiful. We might pull the strings downward when the position of the bass guitar is low. But you don't pull the strings downward.
J: I don't pull the strings downward. I put the fingers right above the strings. I also use finger cushions for the right hand.
-It is very important to put the fingers right next to the fret.
J: I am careful about that. I try to put the fingers right above the fret without force.
-If you put too much stress on the fret, the sound becomes sharp and the fingers become numb. What can one do if he has a small hand?
J: Just practice. If they are girls, they'd better use a short-size bass guitar.
-It is a pity if they give up after practice. Do you train the finger to make it stronger?
J: I do before concerts by using the guitar neck to open the fingers. I do this several times before rehearsal.
-You try to relax your fingers? Where is the thumb position?
J: I usually put it on the center but the position varies. When the concert becomes exciting, I grip the neck.
-But the position is normal and natural. You have good posture when playing.
J: Really? I check my posture in a mirror before concerts. I am usually round-shouldered. So I corrected it.
-The position of the bass was low since the old days?
J: Yes. I match the position of bass with clothes.
-Low position is cool. How do you decide the position of bass?
J: It should be the lowest position where you (can) still play the best. I sometimes raise the position for some songs when I want to play clearly. I tried several positions. Now the position is higher than in the old days.
-It's higher than in the old days. It was very low when you made your debut.
J: Yes, and I played poorly.
-A very low position might be bad for some reason.
J: I think so.
-It's not good. Is there anything you have to be careful of when you play?
J: It's posture. I try to close my armpit when I use a low position. When the neck is in a low position, I tend to open my armpit but I try to raise the neck up so that I can close my armpit; otherwise, my position is not cool.
-I see. It's fundamental to close the armpit.
J: Yes. I care about leg position. I put my weight on the right foot. When I put weight equally on both feet, it is not cool. So I have a shorter right foot. When I went to the hospital, I was told that my right foot is 3 cm shorter.
-You have to correct it immediately. We can see your posture in the video [HIT THE WORLD].
J: Yes. I want you to see me when I was excited in the last half (of the video). I changed my picking form for some songs.
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ACT@3 BASS COLLECTION RETURNS

"Rock bassist? Loud EAGLE and EB-III." -JIRO

-When you were starting out, you used to use a B.C. Rich EAGLE BASS.
JIRO: Yes. I played all the songs in [Hai to Daiyamondo] (with that guitar).
-You liked a sharper sound?
J: Yes. When I was in highschool, my friend had it. He let me play it. I saw myself in a mirror-it was really nice.
-The EAGLE is small so it matches a small body.
J: Yes, I thought it was nice. I used a Mockin Hard until highschool. I painted it several times. So I left it in Hakodate. I really wanted to have an EAGLE when I came to Tokyo.
-B.C. Rich is expensive.
J: No, mine was $1000~$1100, it was a cheap guitar. The feeling of the neck was so nice. The shape of the neck was ideal. The neck joint was bolted on.
-I didn't know that. That bass was good for you when you were an amateur, loud bass.
J: Yes. But after a couple of years, I didn't think that that bass was so good for me.
-In the first concert at Shibuya Kokaido [94.11.30], you used the main bass.
J: Yes, I bought a Gibson in LA but it doesn't fit GLAY so I used the EAGLE.
-What kind of bass do you use in recording after the debut?
J: When we went to LA, a bass technician brought a bass so I used it. With [Manatsu No Tobira], Tsuchiya brought a bass. When Sakuma joined the recording, he brought a white bass.
-So you borrowed bass guitars for the recording. Did you want to use your guitar?
J: No, I did not. I just wanted to know professional works.
-It's amazing to use somebody else's bass for recording. Do you still keep this EAGLE BASS?
J: Yes. It's the only one I left at home. I wrote [SHUTTER SPEEDS no Teema] using this bass.
-That's a good story. The second bass guitar you chose was the Gibson EB-III. That's a mature choice.
J: I didn't care about any choice. I just had a feeling that I should buy a bass. And I went to a guitar shop in LA. I didn't want to have an old-type of bass. I admit, it has a nice sound, but the shape was not so great. When I saw the SG, I really liked it. There is a picture in which Lenny Kravitz holds an SG guitar in front of a mixer-that picture was really cool.
-That guitar was a '72 model and long scaled (EB-III is usually a short scale model. Long scale models are rare). So you bought it?
J: I was with my president. The guitar we found was the rare model. So I bought it.
-You made a good buy. EB-III is very different from a B.C. Rich.
J: Yes. I tried to become more professional. I wanted (to be a) rocker, I think.
-As you said before, you couldn't use it very often.
J: No, I could not. I used it in the promotion video for [Kanojo no "Modern..."]. And I used it in some livehouse. And I used it for [Freeze My Love]. But it wasn't great. Please forget it. When we had an acoustic guitar event on FM802 in Osaka, I used the EB-III. The event is in the compilation album [FM802 Hit Radio 802]. My bass sound was so good. I am looking for an opportunity to use it again.
-That bass is good for you. I want to see you play that bass (guitar) again.

An encounter between two people who know how good being orthodox is.

-After that, you obtained a Top Dog JAZZ BASS.
JIRO: Yes, I heard that Sakuma makes bass guitars. There was a SHIMA-CHANG SCANCH bass in the studio. It was exactly the same as the bass I am still using. It's cute. I wanted to buy the same bass. I asked Sakuma to make the same bass for me.
-So you fell in love with that bass. What impressed you most about that bass?
J: I don't know. I think I got used to it. I can't tell how good old basses are. But the sound of that bass is in the highest level. I think the most impressive thing is its clear sound.
-A heavy sound as well as a clear sound. It must have impressed you when you first played that bass?
J: The sound of that bass has become more impressive over the years. It became sophisticated.
-So you asked Sakuma. How was the bass compared to the rented basses?
J: Well, the sound of the Top Dog is not the old-type. It's an ordinary sound.
-That's right. I think that Top Dog is one of the best bass guitars.
J: Yes. Unlike the bass guitars sold in public, the Top Dog has a clear sound.
-Many parts are made by hand. After that, you got the Precision type bass.
J: I didn't want to use the JAZZ BASS for recording. So I asked Sakuma to make a PRECISION type. I want to use both types. According to Sakuma, my Precision type guitar is the best that he ever made in his life. He didn't want to give it to me.
-When did you get it?
J: I think when we released [Yes, Summerdays]. I don't remember it well.
-I think so. Both guitars were made from the same material?
J: I don't know. When Sakuma asked me what kind of bass I wanted to have, I just said, "I want to use it for concerts." The next question was "What is the color?" I told him what kind of sound I wanted. When the Precision Bass type was made, I told him "I want a mild sound unlike the Jazz Bass" and "I want the sound which is good for GLAY."
-The sound is important. The Precision bass does not have a pick guard. Did you request that?
J: At first I wanted to have the same type as Duff (McKagan's. He's Guns n' Roses bass player). I wanted it black but everyone has a black bass guitar. So I decided to have it in blue. It's a simple reason.
-Simple reasons are good. The Top Dog has a thin neck. Did you want a thin neck for the Precision Type?
J: I forgot to tell him about the thin neck. Or he didn't have a thin neck at all. So I use the Precision type just for recording. It's hard to play that bass for concerts. It's very different from the JAZZ BASS.
-The Precision type has the pick-up where you pick. You used the Precision type for half of the songs in [BELOVED].
J: Yes. It was shown in GiGS (pg. 34 of Jan '97 issue). I used the Precision type more in [BELOVED].
-I want to ask you again: When recording for [BELOVED], you used one of two bass guitars after you made the decision of which guitar was best for the songs?
J: Michael Zimmerling (GLAY's recording engineer) and I talked together. When [SHUTTER SPEEDS no Teema] was recorded, I already decided that I would use the JAZZ BASS and "sanzu" amp.
-So you made an image for that song.

"(There's) no reason. Pick up the bass which makes you play more." -JIRO

-After that, you used Bacchus. Why?
JIRO: The Bacchus company wanted to sell a bass which has great sound quality. So Sakuma asked me if I wanted to use it. I answered "If you're OK (with it), and I'm OK (with it)." I wanted to have a JIRO MODEL bass guitar at that time. After they completed the Bacchus BJB-JIRO, I realized it was good for concerts.
-It's great that we can buy high quality bass guitars under $1000. By the way, when you started using Top Dog, you said that you wanted to use an orthodox bass at first, and then you want to use your own bass.
J: Yes. Now I have my own stickers. I cover my orthodox bass with stickers.
-That's Jiro. You have a Fender Mustang Bass.
J: I bought it because Hisashi bought a Gibson Flying V. I wanted to have a different bass image. I just found it when I went to a music shop. I thought it was cute. But it's too light. I only used it once in a concert.
-What kind of sound does it have?
J: It's quiet. That guitar is good for finger play. So if we make Blues songs, I'll use it.
-That bass looks great. When you choose a bass guitar, what do you care about? Do you care about the sound?
J: I care about color. I care about blue.
-It's nice to choose a bass by color. What kind of guitar do you recommend for beginners?
J: Well... I want to spread blue-colored basses. When they are beginners, they care about the shape of the bass. It's over when they give up playing it. But if they choose somebody else's model, they might not give up. For example, when you buy a BUCK-TICK model, I believe that you will continue playing until you master some songs. You should choose a bass for this reason.
-You will have knowledge about the material or sound later on. But first, you just choose the bass that you like.
J: Yes. My first bass, YAMAHA RG-X, had a great head and was cool. So I chose that guitar but it was expensive. It put pressure on me. I paid a lot of money so I had to play a lot. You have to choose the guitar which makes you play more.
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ACT@4 JIRO'S SELECTION 10 ALBUMS

He selected 10 albums from the point of view of the bass. Listen to these 10 albums, concentrating on the bass.

[FOR ALL FUTURE BASSIST]
1. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
2. Guns n' Roses - APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION
3. Elastica - Elastica
4. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE - Evil Empire
5. Radiohead - OK Computer
6. BLUR - BLUR
7. Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way
8. Blankey Jet City - Shianase No Kane Ga Narihibiki
9. The Beatles - ABBEY ROAD
10. Guitar Wolf - Planet of the Wolves

-First, the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
JIRO: It's not good for GLAY but it's good for me. I learned how to use scales from this.
-Flea is a good chopper? ("Chopper" is a bass technique. ~aciel)
J: He has a strange bassline because he has experience with Jazz and Funk.
-So you were influenced by that.
J: Yes, strange basslines come from Jazz music, and usage of the rest comes from Funk music. He's good at making basslines. If you want to hear chopper, you chould get the previous album.
-Next, Guns n' Roses.
J: This affected me when we made [Hai to Daiyamondo]. I copied these songs. I can almost play them.
-After copying, you think it is interesting?
J: I think the basslines are for rock. Those [basslines] influenced my mind. Duff McKagan is a punk. But he has a beautiful bassline.
-Your basslines are similar to his.
J: Yes, mine is similar to his.
-Duff is a great bass player.
J: Next, I like Elastica. It's overall a girl's band except for the drummer. The bass player uses a heavy sound and effected sound.
-It sounds (like the) old Jiro.
J: The guitarist has a heavy sound too. And the drummer is tight. So the bass playing is attractive. I feel the spirit of rock even if their music is poor.
-You listen to their music.
J: They are attractive because of their poor music. Their music is punk but nice (and) clean. The singer is also good.
-Next, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE.
J: This is my favorite band these days. At first I didn't like them because the singer is poor.
-Yes, he sings like a rapper.
J: The guitar solo is interesting. He (RATM's guitar player, Tom Morello) makes a very strange sound for the solo. They are American but the sounds are similar to UK. His guitar solo is loud. It sounds like DJ Sukurachi. The rhythm is simple. They have the ability to change an ordinary song to an extraordinary song. It's like a "band-sound."
-When you worked for pictures, you were listening to their music. That made you work harder.
J: Next, Radiohead. They used a very strange bassline for the first song. The rest (notes) are strange.
-You care about the rest notes. You like the rest notes.
J: Yes, sometimes. The music which impressed me was the bassline. I did not understand what kind of rhythm he used. It's like, "One, two, three, four, start." I did not understand it.
-The interpretation of rhythm is strange.
J: If there is no singer for that song, I would never understand the song. I don't know how they made that song. I assume they made the bassline after they completed the other instruments. The song does not have a variety of chords so it is possible to make songs like this. The approach to bass is very odd.
-You are really a bass player. Usually, people don't listen carefully.
J: I am interested in basic arrangement and strange phrases.
-Bass is the best instrument for arrangement.
J: Yes. We had a 7/8 solo in [Kuchibiru]. That was my idea.
-Really?
J: I wanted to adopt some tricks in songs. You might know that trick when you copy the song. Hisashi did a good job with that song. If he didn't, the song would be boring. I chose BLUR's album because they have strange basslines in the first song. It's called "Beat Album." They use an odd rest pattern.
-Next is Lenny Kravitz.
J: He played all the instruments by himself. It's sophisticated. The phrase is so cool.
-He did not play complicated music but it is cool.
J: Yes. The rest notes are the point. I believe he could be a good bass player. He has a great sound. He collected vintage instruments for the recording.
-Are you interested in vintage instruments?
J: Me? No. I just enjoy the band.
-Blankey Jet City's [Shianase No Kane Ga Narihibiki].
J: It shows the enjoyment in the band. (They are) the ultimate "torio band". It's one of the best albums by Blankey. I went to many of their concerts in Japan. That is, 4 or 5 times.
-Do you feel any difference in bass styles from Terui?
J: No. This man is the perfect bass player. It was the bass guitar he started playing since the beginning. They are real musicians but they are also bad boys. They're cool.
-Their music is great even if they are bad boys.
J: Yes. They are perfect. Terui uses a melodic bassline. He used it for the opening song in the album. It is natural.
-Next is the Beatles "ABBEY ROAD." Was there any reason for that?
J: The Beatles are the textbooks for a musician. The bassline in ABBEY ROAD is interesting.
-I know about that. "When you made this album, your band was in a crisis," Takuro said. It is a memorial album when you are in a crisis.
J: Yes. That was the reason. I didn't listen to the Beatles because the image of the Beatles was only glorious. I thought that it was not exciting. People around me liked them. That made me listen to the Beatles. I asked Takuro which one was the best. He recommended ABBEY ROAD. After that I learned that when they recorded ABBEY ROAD, they were about to break up. And I tried to listen to it.
-Amazing story.
J: Interesting. I like "I Want You (she's so heavy)." (It's my) favorite song. I like Blues songs.
-That song is related to their mental condition?
J: Yes. I was surprised that they wrote those kinds of songs. The bassline by Paul (McCartney) was also interesting. I copied some songs.
-Their music is sophisticated. The last album is Guitar Wolf.
J: We just listen to Guitar Wolf without words.
-Not only music, but also spirits.
J: Yes. It's a boy's mentality. It's like, "I don't like practice but I like standing onstage." I contemplated this but their fundamental is "Guitar Wolf."
-Amazing.
J: I am happy to hear this kind of band. Onstage, the bass wolf and guitar wolf went to the highest platform. And they looked over the audience. The bass player made his hair neat with calmness on the stage[?]. I liked that. When I was an audience member at a BOOWY concert, I wanted them to play [NO N.Y.]. I was satisfied with that song they played even though they repeated the same song. We as the audience enjoyed it.
-When you become a better musician, you forget that idea.
J: A musician is not an actor, but an artist. As an entertainer, we need to keep that in mind.
-Like Toshi as a musician on the stage?
J: Something like that. [Laughs]

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