CFDL: It’s Easy to be a Punk in Japan

Takeshi, singer of Japanese thrashing punk band CFDL was interviewed by Nick and Emily for the first issue of Mangelslakt zine in 1999.

When did CFDL form and how did you meet?

Takeshi: CFDL formed somewhere in 1990. At that time we had another bassist and we were all together in a band called Attitude of Shit (AOS), which I, Takeshi, played bass. Our original bassist sang and the rest of us did the same instruments as CFDL it was the reason of how we met for CFDL and surely we were all together good friends before we formed AOS by the way.

Why did CFDL change its acronym from Crazy Fucked up Daily Life to Chaotic Formidable Destructive League? For fun?

Takeshi: No it was not just for fun, we had some reasons to change it if it was pretty trivial. Well I tell you some reasons, first lots of people called us just “Crazy”, I was told sometimes “You’re Takeshi of Crazy!” and it’s sound in Japanese like you’re the Crazy Takeshi, I’m not crazy and I didn’t want to be called crazy, ha!

Second, I’ve lived in England for a year and learned English, my teacher was a very kind woman and I talked to her some about my band and she couldn’t say the word fuck which was used for our name, so I decided to change our name. Third, I couldn’t make up a cool logo with Crazy Fucked up Daily Life, ha! Forth, blah blah. Anyways don’t forget our name is now Chaotic Formidable Destructive League. Oh, it means, we are, of course!

What has CFDL released and what are upcoming releases you are planning?

Takeshi: We released two demos, split 7″ with Dischange on MCR, official live 7″ on Overthrow, a split 7″EP with Spazz on Slap a Ham in there, and appeared on some comps so far. And just now the split tape with local noise-core band called Denial.

As for future release, we already recorded and sent a master tape for a split 7″EP with Regeneracion, it’ll be out soon on Cryptas in Mexico (Never happened – N/E). Also a split tape with SNA will be out soon in Peru (Ditto – N/E) and soon we’ll record for a split 7″ with someone on Overthrow (Ahem – N/E), and also a split 7″ with BOD (Okay this is sad now – N/E). We have some plans to do split EPs but I can’t say much about it.

What bands influenced CFDL?

Takeshi: I can’t say what bands influence us cause there’s too many you’ve already heard of.

Is it hard to be a punk band in Japan? What do you think of Japan?

Takeshi: No, it’s very easy to be a punk band here in Japan. Everybody could make punk bands if they want to and can find people who love punk-rock, and could play instruments and scream a lot. I think Japan is a boring country if I’m not in a band, ’cause you know life in Japan is all hard work Monday to Saturday, and then you just spend some boring time in the weekend. I think/hope most people are not pleased with it, but they have to do it for their own life, I’m sorry about it.

Do you do any DIY projects?

Takeshi: No, none of us do any DIY projects but I make and distribute our split tapes with Denial as I said before, if that can be called a DIY project, I can say I do. Oh, I also help translating stuff for Japanese punk as fuck zine called Drunk with Party, if you care.

Do you think Japanese punk is getting more popular?

Takeshi: Do you mean for overseas or in Japan? If it means Japan, I’d say no because Japanese scene is so small compared to a few years back, it’s pretty underground, but if it means for overseas, then I think it is getting more popular because lots of Japanese punks have started to correspond with punks from overseas. Also most of the Japanese labels and bands are starting to distribute their stuff for overseas, however I am not so sure if it’s going to make Japanese punk more popular overseas.

Favorite Japanese punk bands?

Takeshi: Too many to mention here, but I love old bands like The Swankys and Confuse, also SDS. Other favorite bands are: BOD, Chaos Ch., Addiction, Life, Collapse Society, Abraham Cross, Gloom, Disclose… local bands Denial, An Apology Nature Arise, and Order.

Okay that’s all Takeshi, thanks for doing the interview! Any final comments to the readers?

Takeshi: Thanks a lot for the interview and cheers for everyone who reads it!