Interview w/ Xinlisupreme
By Nick Caceres
Published 12/24/2024
During the early 2000s, the internet was beginning to open up music discussion, laying the groundwork for what directions of experimentation certain genres would take. This changing tide of publicity was both a positive and negative for the Oita-based artist, Yasumi, with his 2002 debut, “Tomorrow Never Comes” under the artist name, “Xinlisupreme," receiving critical acclaim from Pitchfork and beloved by music fans at the time. Yet along with praise came a surprising amount of online harassment from unnamed users and musicians alike, likely through the message boards and email providers that dominated pre-social media.
However, this component of Xinlisupreme’s history does not cancel out the impact it’s had on 21st Century Shoegaze and Noise Rock, taking the classic wash of feedback from The Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine, thrusting them into vicious territory with explosions of IDM and Noise, similar to how Boredoms created abominations of Psych Rock and Krautrock. However, Yasumi’s work under Xinlisupreme tends to be brought up with his talents being intentionally geared towards political friction, whether it’s the United States’ occupation during the Iraq War or the late Shinzo Abe’s censorship across Japanese media.
Recently, Yasumi has delved into experimenting with Hip-Hop through using vocal samples from anime in a fashion likely never seen before. Just like with the entire Xinlisupreme discography, the album is staunchly rebellious, not just in its content but how the internet is discussing it.
The following interview took place over email in December where we discussed Yasumi’s recent album, “Anime Hop,” struggles amongst the zeitgeist of the 2000s underground Japanese music scene and his relationship with politics throughout his career.
Promotional artwork for Xinlisupreme by FatCat Records. Used for the defunct British Magazine, Sleaze Nation.
Photo Courtesy of Yasumi
Nick: Who are you…Xinli?
Yasumi: Yes, I am not Shinzo Abe. My name is Yasumi. I'm Xinlisupreme.
Nick: How’ve you been lately?
Yasumi: After releasing the initial version of “Anime Hop” this November, I took a short break. However, since I announced at the time of that release that I would put out an upgraded version of “Anime Hop" in the spring of 2025, I’m now busy working on that upgrade. I might release everything as singles rather than as an album, so I need to prepare plenty of cover art for them. On top of that, I’m also creating new tracks, which means I’ve been working late into the night every day. I’m not entirely sure I’ll make next year’s spring deadline, but I’m doing my very best.
Nick: Tell me about this new album of yours. According to your website, it relates to childhood among other aspects of your life. What were the origins of “Anime Hop” that occurred deep in the past?
Yasumi: During my childhood, alongside Dragon Ball, there was another anime called Kinnikuman that was extremely popular among Japanese children. The protagonist, Kinnikuman, is usually clumsy, weak, and not exactly cool, but together with his fellow Justice superhuman allies, he wrestles against the Devil superhuman villains who are plotting to conquer Earth. The Kinnikuman anime’s theme song included the lyrics:
"Ah, but if the love is not there in your heart,
Then, you sure ain't no superhero!"
I loved these lyrics and even as an adult, I sometimes find myself humming them.
Nick: How come you didn’t rap on this album and instead used vocal samples? Do you think that would have strayed away from the main point of the project?
Yasumi: People often ask me if I sampled voices from TV anime to create the rap, but aside from the rap in the third track, “The Rap of Longinus,” all of the rap vocals in "Anime Hop" were recorded and produced solely for this album. I even went into debt—$1,500 in total—to achieve this. Why did I need such high-quality rap vocals? Because I wanted to challenge the world with the message: “Ah, but if the love is not there in your heart, Then, you sure ain’t no superhero!” And I would rather die than create the kind of authentic rap music that would win praise from music fans. I first learned about the existence of anime audio dramas when I was in middle school, through anime magazines. Back then, anime fans were heavily discriminated against, so I had to secretly buy anime magazines at bookstores and quietly listen to anime audio dramas on the radio, hiding my love of anime from those around me. Since anime audio dramas are recorded in Japanese, I believe people overseas still haven’t experienced them. The rap vocals in “Anime Hop” take the style of the anime audio dramas I listened to back then, replace the voices with those of modern anime, and transform that style into rap vocals. Because long passages of dialogue, like those in audio dramas, don’t fit well with music, I turned them into shorter rap lyrics. Also, complex rhythms would restrict the voice actors’ expressive freedom, so I deliberately chose a simple rhythm for the rap. This is the new style of rap vocals I created for “Anime Hop.”
Nick: What equipment or programs did you use to make this album? Did you have to recycle certain instruments or equipment, previously used for your Noise Rock and Shoegaze work?
Yasumi: I did try out some noisy performances, but they just didn’t fit with “Anime Hop.” However, I’m currently working on a new version of “Anime Hop” and I might bring back some Noise Rock or Shoegaze-like sounds in a few of the tracks.
Nick: Since this was your first time experimenting with Hip-Hop, were there any Hip-Hop artists or producers that you pulled inspiration from when putting together this project?
Yasumi: The story of "Anime Hop" began in February of 2015, when I first listened to a remarkable album called “INDOPE_MSS” created by an unknown Japanese hip-hop artist named MSS Sound System. MSS seemed troubled by the lack of recognition for his work, so I showered the album with praise on social media and actively promoted it to those around me. It seems that MSS Sound System was happy because I posted multiple times, praising his music greatly. A few days later, the Vocaloid rap masterpiece, “初音ミクの証言” (Hatsune Miku no Shōgen), to which he had contributed as a beatmaker, was released. He appeared lacking in confidence regarding “初音ミクの証言” (Hatsune Miku no Shōgen),” so to encourage him, I was the first to praise this Vocaloid-based rap masterpiece highly on social media, promoting it to those around me and to music fans. At that time, MSS Sound System had personally coined the term “Miku Hop” for Vocaloid rap music and was striving at the forefront to establish a scene for it. Various unknown artists who resonated with this Miku Hop ideal gathered, and “Hatsune Miku no Shōgen” was born. However, I was taken aback by the Hip-Hop scene’s cold attitude toward Miku Hop. Within the hip-hop world, Vocaloid rap was considered “fake rap.” Then, a few months later, after the various uproars surrounding “I Am Not Shinzo Abe” in late 2015, I became disillusioned with everyone involved in the music scene and began living apart from music. Subsequently, the Miku Hop scene centered around MSS Sound System also came to an end. Yet now, Vocaloid-based rap and music have become naturally accepted by underground music fans and within the hip-hop scene worldwide. Music fans who pride themselves on their knowledge once looked down on Vocaloid music, yet now they act as if they’ve always held it in high esteem. I will never forget how Japanese Hip-Hop fans and music writers initially ignored and belittled Miku Hop. Even those who were earnestly creating Vocaloid rap—like the Miku Hop artists—were labeled “fakes” and looked down upon by arrogant music fans. I alone still remember this fact clearly. As soon as Vocaloid music became too popular to ignore, underground music fans shamelessly changed their tune, pretending they had been supportive from the start. The unshakable truth I witnessed is that these so-called “knowledgeable” underground music fans were the very ones who first looked down on Vocaloid music. That’s why, even now, I ask myself from the bottom of my heart: Are “real rappers” really that great? Are the assessments of “knowledgeable music fans” truly so correct and admirable? That’s exactly why I take pride and feel honored that “Anime Hop" is criticized by music fans. Furthermore, I declare that I will never create the kind of “proper, authentic” Hip-Hop or music that would earn high praise from music aficionados. Although “I Am Not Shinzo Abe” is now well-regarded, I still vividly remember all that happened around its release in 2015. That’s why I have absolutely no trust in underground music fans anymore. What I’m going to do next is take revenge for Miku Hop against all the arrogant music fans around the world through “Anime Hop.” Back then, I paid hundreds of dollars for plane tickets and travel expenses just to buy a single $10 Miku Hop CD in Tokyo. Because I witnessed Miku Hop’s rise up close and in real time, I’m now giving the finger to all music fans and have created the lowest, worst kind of “fake rap” with “Anime Hop.” To me, that is the greatest and most genuinely authentic form of hip-hop.
Nick: If you were to make music videos for this album, which songs would you choose and what types of visuals would you generate out of them?
Yasumi: Since anime audio dramas are at the root of “Anime Hop,” I want to try creating a music video composed entirely of a single still image and subtitles.
Xinlisupreme - "Anime Hop" (2024) album cover
Image courtesy of Xinlisupreme
Nick: Before switching the “Anime Hop” story over to your debut album. Where did you grow up and what was your relationship with music as a kid?
Yasumi: I was born in Kumamoto and raised in Oita. Until I graduated from High School, I had no interest in music at all. My family wasn’t very well off, so I couldn’t afford to buy CDs. However, I was apparently considered somewhat stylish and it seems a few girls in my High School formed a fan club for me, which made me a bit popular. Because of that, some classmates invited me to be the vocalist in their band. But I was too shy to sing in front of people, so I turned them down. At that time, they lent me a bass and a guitar for a short period, and that became my first experience touching a musical instrument.
Nick: When did you decide to form Xinlisupreme? Where did the name come from?
Yasumi: After graduating from High School, I started living alone in Fukuoka. I had no hobbies and no friends, so I spent every day with nothing to do. That’s when I decided to buy a computer and either create anime or music. As a child, I had dreamed of becoming a manga artist or animator and had tried drawing, but I wasn’t very good at it. Additionally, there was prejudice against anime fans at the time, so I decided to focus on making music instead. I took out a loan to buy a computer and a synthesizer. Around that time, I heard the music of Barbee Boys on TV, which led me to buy their CD and become a fan. I took out another loan to buy a guitar and a soprano saxophone and I joined a Barbee Boys cover band as a soprano saxophonist. Later, to repay my debts, I moved to the Tokyo area, where wages were higher. There, I participated in a ska-punk band as a saxophonist and spent my time buying cheap used CDs in Tokyo. One day, I found John Coltrane’s “Meditations” at a second hand CD shop and purchased it. When I listened to it, I thought, “I want to create music like this.” Initially, I planned to combine the Chinese word “Xinli” with the English word “Meditations” to form “Xinlimeditations,” but I found it too long and difficult to read. So, inspired by John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme,” I took the word “Supreme” and began calling myself “Xinlisupreme.”
Nick: Where and how was the album, “Tomorrow Never Comes,” recorded and mixed? Was it in a studio or did you guys decide to take a more DIY approach in a more private residence? What time frame did this occur?
Yasumi: When I was living in the Tokyo area, I bought a Roland VS-880 and started recording at home. Over the next two years, before returning to Oita, I created a demo tape for what would later become “Tomorrow Never Comes,” although it didn’t have a title at the time.
Nick: Where did you know Takayuki Shoji from? What’s a common misconception regarding his involvement with Xinlisupreme that you’d like to set the record straight on?
Yasumi: Before the release of my debut album, I received an offer from FatCat to go on a live tour. I quickly started searching for band members, and that was when he, who was playing post-rock-style music in Oita, ended up joining Xinlisupreme as a live member. He was officially announced as part of the band, but suddenly, out of nowhere, he said, “I’m going to make Xinlisupreme mine.” It seems he was planning to replace me and take over Xinlisupreme for himself. After that, he even joined local musicians in bullying me. Additionally, I had a unique improvisational saxophone style where I played single tones for unusually long durations, but even that style was stolen by local improvisational musicians. I’m confident in my ability to always create new music styles, so even if everything is taken from me, I’ll be fine. However, I’m certain that not a single Xinlisupreme fan would want to listen to its music without me as a member. I truly think the local underground musicians are incredibly foolish people.
Nick: Going back to your initial ascent, I found a Xinlisupreme thread on the message board, IlXor, in which the earliest conversation, dating back to August of 2002, discussed the correlation with your sound and the location of the label that signed you, FatCat Records. Here’s the quote:
“i think the japanese thing is a red herring, too, because i really don't think xinli would have fit so well on, say, cosmic kurushi monsters or a tokyo flashback or shock city shockers. there is a very british strain - which i don't think is so much invented by the media as picked up on - running through their work, which might explain why they're on fat cat and not psf. there's no pigfucking - that i can hear - in xinli noize, and it's curiously asexual to boot. (not "neutered" because that's a gender-determined value judgement...there was "real mans rock" here at one point, blah.) there is posturing, of a sort yeah, but i don't hear any willful wackiness (cf. boredoms and offshoots) or garage shlock (cf. guitar wolf, teengenerate, etc.) at the same time, i'm not 100% convinced that yeah, they really "mean it"...it's a pretty "bleak" album, whereas i've rarely encountered japanese music (at least japanese rock) that wasn't cut on some level with a bit of ridiculousness. (maybe the heavy handedness of the titles?) (it's a bit like how the most melodramatic manga will have bizarre sight gags at inopportune moments.)”
(jess (dubplatestyle), 2002)
With this in mind, is it true that you pulled from a lot of British Rock motifs and was that possibly the reason why you were originally signed with FatCat Records?
Yasumi: After returning to Oita, the first thing I did was send demo tapes to Japanese labels. I think I sent them to Cornelius’s label and PSF, but I didn’t receive any replies. With no other option, I sent my demo to several overseas labels, and I received responses from FatCat and Asian Man Records. Asian Man had Potshot, a band I loved, and as a big fan of Ska Punk, it was a tough decision. However, I was impressed by the diversity of music FatCat was releasing and the enthusiasm they showed for my music, so I ultimately decided to sign with FatCat. I liked British music, but I didn’t particularly categorize music by country when listening to it. That said, since I was living in Japan, I did have a desire to release my work through a Japanese label if possible.
Nick: As promised, you mentioned in the “Anime Hop” story that you received a lot of negative buzz in the local music scene regarding “Tomorrow Never Comes” even though a Pitchfork writer gave it an 8.1. Apparently the social pressure got to a point where you stopped doing live shows. If you’re comfortable answering, how exactly did the bullying take form at the time, considering this was pre-social media and you were essentially anonymous?
Yasumi: There was a female Xinlisupreme fan with a slightly masculine appearance. She came to watch a live performance I was playing at, not knowing that I was the person behind Xinlisupreme. At the time, I was playing drums in a band. My drumming was unique in that I completely disregarded rhythm and played at an unusually loud volume, and it seemed to catch her interest. She declared herself a fan of Xinlisupreme, but I was too embarrassed to reveal my identity, so I kept quiet. Then, in front of me, a local musician suddenly touched her groin. He laughed and told me that he did it to check whether she was a man or a woman. He knew she was a Xinlisupreme fan and still did that right in front of me. In that moment, I realized that it would be impossible to perform Xinlisupreme shows in Oita. This kind of malicious harassment happened repeatedly. I was asked, “When are you going to quit music?” or mockingly called a “pet dog.” False rumors about me were also spread online. Later, I learned that it wasn’t just in Oita—underground musicians across Japan at the time seemed to be jealous of me. That’s how influential FatCat was back then and Xinlisupreme’s music and existence were so different and incomprehensible to most people in the Japanese underground music scene, except for a select few. Perhaps that perception hasn’t changed even now.
Nick: By the way, that track, “All You Need Is Love Was Not True,” is absolutely superb in its blend of shoegaze and noise rock. I know that it was originally released as a single around November of 2001. What’s the meaning behind the song exactly?
Yasumi: I loved the quietness of rainy days. At the time, I was dealing with heartbreak. These are the lyrics that reflect that state of mind.
Nick: Why did you decide to choose that style of muffled vocals?
Yasumi: Because I have a gloomy personality, haha. My personality is the complete opposite of my musical style—I’m usually quiet and reserved.
Nick: How did those liner notes written by Andrew Weatherhall Come about?
Yasumi: FatCat was distributing promotional CDs of Tomorrow Never Comes to various music industry professionals, and I heard from FatCat staff at the time that Andrew Weatherall had sent liner notes after listening to the CD. I didn’t know who Andrew Weatherall was back then, but the excitement in the email from the FatCat staff made me realize he must be someone important. The liner notes he wrote were incredibly unique and full of humor, and I absolutely loved them.
Xinlisupreme - "Tomorrow Never Comes" (2002) album cover
Image courtesy of Rate Your Music
Xinlisupreme - "All You Need Is Love Was Not True" (2001) single cover
Image courtesy of Rate Your Music
Nick: FatCat also uploaded not one but two distinct music videos for the opening track, “Kyoro,” half a decade later on YouTube. Who was behind the materialization of those videos and how do they tie into the sound of that track if at all?
Yasumi: I later learned about the existence of the Kyoro music video. So, I don’t know the detailed story behind the Kyoro music video either.
Nick: While we're on the topic, what’s the story behind “Kyoro?” How did you manage to go all in on that vicious Noise Rock?
Yasumi: After buying my first guitar, I went to the biggest music store in my town to purchase a guitar effects pedal. Being a complete novice with no knowledge of instruments or effects pedals, I asked the store clerk, “Could you give me the loudest guitar effects pedal in the shop?” The clerk handed me a distortion pedal designed for Death Metal. Some time passed, and I started working on “Kyoro.” My initial plan was to make it sound like Melodic Punk. I began by recording the drum part, the bass part, and the rhythm guitar part. Finally, it was time to record the distorted guitar part. I connected the distortion pedal I had bought back then to my guitar. Not knowing how to use the pedal, I turned all the knobs to their maximum levels and stepped on the pedal while listening to my playing. What came out of the guitar was a wildly distorted noise. With that, I completed all the parts and “Kyoro” was finished. So at first, I intended Kyoro to be a warm and refreshing Melodic Punk track, like something from sunny Southern California. However, because the store clerk sold me a Death Metal distortion pedal, it turned into a Noise Rock track that sounded like a blizzard from the far north—definitely not refreshing. I thought, "Oh well," and moved on to recording the next song.
[Fatcat Records]. (2007, March 15). Xinlisupreme - Kyoro [Video].
[Fatcat Records]. (2007, March 15). Xinlisupreme - Kyoro 2 [Video].
Nick: Not long after the release of “Tomorrow Never Comes,” you dropped a follow-up EP under the name “Murder License.” I’m curious as to why you decided to lean more into the noisier aspects of your sound.
Yasumi: Originally, I wanted “Murder License” to be released as a single. However, FatCat told me that budget constraints made it difficult to release it as a single. While I could have added one more track to make it a full album and sell it at a higher price, I ended up making it a seven-track EP, driven by my frustration at not being able to release it as a single. The other tracks besides “Murder License” weren’t originally planned, so I recorded them freely, just playing around. That’s why they turned out to have a noise-based sound.
Nick: It’s pretty transparent that this EP was inspired by the activities of the United State’s invasion of Iraq in the wake of the war on terrorism. What were your thoughts of it at the time and how do you see this now with the context of present day politics?
Yasumi: At that time, Iraq was indeed a dictatorship under Saddam Hussein, but I couldn’t understand why the United States and other countries would send massive troops and wage war to occupy Iraq. I want to express my heartfelt condolences to all those who lost their lives in Iraq, whether they were Americans or Iraqis. That’s all I can say for now. For example, if we were to reflect on and evaluate the Iraq War, I believe that it is not my place to do so; it should be up to the Iraqi people themselves to think freely and make their own judgments.
Nick: In hindsight, did this EP ever feel like foreshadowing of what was to come as a political musician?
Yasumi: I don’t consider myself a political musician. I think it’s just that some of the political music I’ve created happens to stand out. In my everyday life, I’m just playing games, reading manga and sleeping, without giving any thought to politics at all.
Xinlisupreme - "Murder License" (2002) EP cover
Image courtesy of Rate Your Music
Nick: I really need to know the context behind this. In between, “Tomorrow Never Comes” and “Murder License” you had an interview with Barbara H from the now defunct online music blog, Only Angels Have Wings. Now as I’m writing this set of questions, I have no idea how you’re going to reply and for all I know it could be in a similar manner but what in the world were those answers? I’ve never seen a more unpredictable dialogue.
Yasumi: At the time, I thought of myself as a punk rocker, so I believed that seriously answering interview questions wasn’t something a punk rock musician would do. I’m truly sorry!
Nick: What inspired you to make “Neifurturer” and only have it accessible through a free MP3 on your website?
Yasumi: It was the same with “Murder License,” but even afterward, I wanted to release singles rather than albums. At that time, I had this idea: what kind of track could I create if I poured all the time and ideas meant for a full album into just one song? I wanted to craft the ultimate track. That strong desire later led to the creation of “Seaside Voice Guitar,” which I released independently on my website after parting ways with FatCat. However, FatCat told me that releasing singles would be difficult due to budget constraints. As a result, I reluctantly ended up creating many tracks for an EP, just like with “Murder License.” But my strong drive to create the ultimate track eventually led me to leave FatCat. I believe it was the right decision for FatCat to decline the release of singles. “Neinfuturer” is a collection of unreleased tracks that I originally created for EPs during my time with FatCat.
Nick: Are there any archives existing of your website during the time that album was available?
Yasumi: I don’t have the data from the old website I created. Back then, the Xinlisupreme website was just a place where I played around, posting mostly meaningless images and content. Most of the information on the site was entirely false. At the time, I considered myself a punk rocker, and I thought creating a serious and well-organized website wasn’t something a punk rock musician would do. I truly apologize for that!
Nick: Would you ever consider doing a reissue for “Neinfurturer” through a label like Longinus Recordings or Topshelf Records?
Yasumi: I believe Longinus Recordings is destined to become one of the most cutting-edge labels in the world, like FatCat. I hope they continue to release remarkable works that are essential to the music world. Moreover, “Neinfuturer” is a collection of unreleased tracks, most of which were created in a playful manner. I don't feel right about taking money from listeners for something like that. Even if the opportunity for a record release arose, I would probably decline.
Xinlisupreme - "Neinfuturer" (2005) album cover
Image courtesy of Rate Your Music
Nick: How exactly did the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami influence your first EP in a decade, “4 Bombs?”
Yasumi: Other than “Seaside Voice Guitar A.D.,” the songs were created before the Great East Japan Earthquake, so musically, the earthquake didn't have much of an influence. However, the album title might have been affected. The Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami are unforgettable memories, not just for me, but for many Japanese people.
Nick: I know that “4 Bombs” was produced by World’s End Girlfriend. How did you end up working with them for “4 Bombs?” Were you a fan of theirs before actually working with them?
Yasumi: He listened to “Seaside Voice Guitar,” which I had uploaded to my website and YouTube, and that led to the release of “4 Bombs.” I knew his name, but since his musical style was completely different from mine, I had hardly listened to his work.
Nick: I know that around the time that “4 Bombs” was released, Shinzo Abe came into power. In what ways did having Abe as the prime minister of Japan affect the arts?
Yasumi: Many Japanese artists besides me also released works critical of Shinzo Abe, but most of them faced massive online backlash and criticism. For example, Southern All Stars, one of the most popular bands in Japan, released a song critical of Shinzo Abe. However, it caused an uproar online, leading to widespread criticism and ultimately forcing the band to issue a public apology. It wasn’t limited to art—many journalists who were critical of Abe during that time ended up losing their jobs. Explaining these phenomena to people from other countries can be challenging, but to put it simply, it reflects certain aspects of Japanese national character. Recently, there was criticism in Japan regarding a South Korean female politician who attempted to seize a weapon from the military during a coup led by the South Korean president. What might seem puzzling is that in Japan, the criticism was not directed at the coup-initiating military but rather at the actions of the politician who tried to take the weapon.
Xinlisupreme - "4 Bombs" (2012) EP cover
Image courtesy of Rate Your Music
Nick: Walk me through when you decided to create and release the protest single, “I Am Not Shinzo Abe,” and when your contract was terminated. How did all of this unfold at the time and did that contract termination make you feel uneasy or vindicated in your initial decision?
Yasumi: In Japan, there was a time when criticizing Shinzo Abe was considered taboo and during that period, I created the song "I Am Not Shinzo Abe." However, this song was not accepted by the label. Both he and the people around him were, after all, typical Japanese. As a result, I attempted a more indirect expression with "The First Train," but disagreements with the label continued. When I blocked their SNS account, they panicked and began publicly slandering me. I then informed them that I was leaving the label and asked them to recall the CDs. They happily complied and made a public announcement on SNS, emphasizing that it was "at Xinlisupreme's request." On the surface, it appeared that I voluntarily took back the CDs, but no one believed the label’s version of events. I will never forget how so many music fans turned a blind eye to the fact that "I Am Not Shinzo Abe" was being recalled. Because of this, I no longer trust underground music fans at all. Just like how invaders don't openly declare, "I want to take everything from you and trample you" when they start a war, the label tried to eliminate "I Am Not Shinzo Abe" through various means. When I raised doubts, the label started making various excuses. I particularly remember them claiming that "I Am Not Shinzo Abe" was a "denial of the individual." When I heard that, I couldn’t help but laugh. Then, they suddenly started criticizing me, saying the music was boring or that I was rude. He and the people around him were incredibly weak and foolish.
Xinlisupreme - "I Am Not Shinzo Abe" (2015) single cover
Image courtesy of Rate Your Music
Xinlisupreme - "始発電車 The First Train" (2015) EP cover
Image Courtesy of Rate Your Music
Nick: How did you manage to release the album or compilation of sorts, “I Am Not Shinzo Abe,” in 2018. Was it self-released or did you receive support from an external, more independent label?
Yasumi: When I asked the label to "return the rights to the album," they dismissively told me, "Since we didn't sign a formal contract, you can do whatever you want with it." As a result, I ended up holding the rights to the album. However, after being subjected to various forms of slander, I distanced myself from music completely after uploading an upgraded version of "I Am Not Shinzo Abe" to YouTube. But later, someone I met encouraged me, saying that I had special musical talent and that I shouldn't quit music. Motivated by that, I decided to re-release the album on my own.
Nick: What's the origin behind the album art for “I Am Not Shinzo Abe” and “The First Train?” Who’s the model?
Yasumi: The photography and modeling were done by Masami Isobe herself.
Nick: What are your thoughts on the assassination? Did this event reignite interest in the record?
Yasumi: : The assassination was an incredibly tragic event. While our political beliefs were completely different, I sincerely believe that Shinzo Abe was a great politician who represented Japan. I still carry deep sorrow over his death. Immediately after the assassination, one of the supporters of the Japanese label rejoiced, saying "This is the end of Xinlisupreme," and hurled mocking words at me on social media. I braced myself for "I Am Not Shinzo Abe" to be heavily criticized, not only by people in Japan but by internet users worldwide. For seven years since the initial release of "I Am Not Shinzo Abe," I endured countless slanders from music fans incited by the Japanese label. But when the assassination became global news, I too resigned myself to the end of Xinlisupreme. The label, its supporters and local musicians eagerly awaited "I Am Not Shinzo Abe" to be criticized by people worldwide, hoping for the end of Xinlisupreme. However, a miracle happened. Instead of being criticized, "I Am Not Shinzo Abe" spread worldwide as an interesting song and was embraced positively. Supporters of the Japanese label hastily deleted their defamatory posts and local musicians, who had been preparing to celebrate the album's demise, found themselves stunned by the miracle. While many artistic works discussed Shinzo Abe, "I Am Not Shinzo Abe" stood out for its title, message, and exceptional entertainment value. For example, RYM, where "Anime Hop" is currently facing intense criticism, also saw the comment section for "I Am Not Shinzo Abe" flooded with posts immediately after the assassination, leading to a massive uproar and the eventual shutdown of the comment section. However, this incident became a topic of fascination among internet users, spreading widely and further boosting the reputation of "I Am Not Shinzo Abe." After the assassination, many critics of Shinzo Abe in Japan faced severe online attacks. Since "I Am Not Shinzo Abe" was sung in English, it was expected that the slander would not only be domestic but would also come from internet users worldwide. However, that did not happen. In the end, what saved Xinlisupreme from the brink of death was its captivating musical style, which was different from typical political music, and the unwavering message that endured despite facing numerous criticisms and slander. This ultimately captured people's hearts and saved Xinlisupreme.
Nick: Will you ever consider returning to political or protest music?
Yasumi: I haven't thought about what I will create in the future. I just hope for a peaceful world.
Xinlisupreme - "I Am Not Shinzo Abe" (2018) album cover
Image courtesy of Bandcamp
Nick: Would you ever consider performing live?
Yasumi: I created music on my computer, so I couldn't perform live. On top of that, I faced harassment from the local scene, which prevented me from gaining any live performance experience. Now, I can no longer even imagine myself performing live. I want to sincerely apologize to all the fans who were looking forward to a live performance from Xinlisupreme. I'm truly sorry.
Nick: Any final thoughts to leave us on?
Yasumi: I have always wanted to convey everything through music, so I never actively talked about Xinlisupreme or its musical style. In today's world, with the spread of social media, it's considered proper music journalism for typical music journalists to join the music fans in expressing negative opinions when negative reactions arise towards music. In the past, "I Am Not Shinzo Abe" received strong negative reactions due to friction and backlash. And now, "Anime Hop" is facing similar negative reactions from music fans due to friction and backlash. But you were interested in these negative reactions and interviewed me with questions full of curiosity. I believe that light can only emerge from places where friction and backlash occur. I really enjoyed meeting you. Thank you for the great interview.