Hamasaki (TRASMUNDO) Interview

OWN (hereinafter, O): First of all, for those who don't know you, could you please give us a brief introduction about yourself?

Hamasaki (hereinafter referred to as H) : I'm the owner of a shop called TRASMUNDO . I run the shop by myself.

O TRASMUNDO is a mysterious place. It doesn't have a website and there are many mysterious aspects to it. What kind of shop do you think it is?

H: I think a lot of different people have a lot of different perspectives. But to put it simply, I guess it's a " culture shop. " It could be the underground scene of the people I've met, the cultural aspects through used books, videos, and clothing, or about 10 years ago, when I met Miyata from the music label MUSIC CAMP,INC , I had the opportunity to introduce Chicano culture at TRASMUNDO . So I think it's a culture shop. Music may often be the starting point, but by learning about the culture behind it, you can fall in love with the music even more, or vice versa, and learn more about the background.

O Was that something you were conscious of from the beginning?

H: I think I had that kind of awareness from the beginning. When I first opened, I started selling a lot of my personal belongings in the store. It wasn't just music, I also had books, movies, and clothes, so you could say the basic structure hasn't changed. From there, I started selling works by people I sympathized with, and that's how the store's style developed into what it is today.

What year did the store open?

H : It was in 2002 , so it's been 20 years now. For example, I think Ochiai-san started coming to the store because of hardcore punk, but some people started coming because of hip hop, and others because of techno. People who have been dropping by the neighborhood for a long time also come in looking for books. Some people come to look at clothes, and I think each person has their own interpretation of TRASMUNDO . In that sense, I think it's a culture shop, and I think it interacts with people from all walks of life.

O What criteria do you use to select the items you sell at TRASMUNDO ?

When it comes to new releases, the first and most important criteria are whether I know them or not , and whether we have a relationship. Of course, there are people I'm interested in who don't have their products in my store. But the important point is whether there's a connection between me and them. For example, I mainly carry releases and introductions from people I've trusted for a long time, like Marcy from WDsounds , who runs the label, and Souta ( ATOSONE ) from RCSLUM , who often come to my store and whom I understand. That was also the starting point for me to start carrying new releases. The people who introduce me are really important to me. I know that if they ask me to talk, it's a sure thing. I think it's important that we have a relationship of trust as individuals and share the same sensibilities.

I see. You might even make new connections through your referrals.

H : That's right. One of the charms of the underground scene is that you can release music at your own pace. Then, when you get excited about something and think, "This is interesting, this is cool," new connections are formed. I've seen that happen many times, and some people have even gone on to become big names. For example, it's hard to know whether artists from the old Chicano scene were actually hugely popular in real time. Of course, they were stars in their local communities. But 7- inch records released in the ' 60s and ' 70s were later discovered and rediscovered by the next generation, leading to the current Chicano soul movement. It's fascinating to see this constantly happening among people you've connected with, and to feel the new trends taking on new meaning. Later, younger generations will dig up your old works and rediscover them. I think it's important for culture to continue.

O TRASMUNDO is not a place that is difficult to enter, but rather a place that is highly trusted by both customers and artists.

H: That's great. I feel really blessed that artists and label people are always releasing and bringing me great works. I think that relationship of trust was born because I kept pushing that in my own way at TRASMUNDO . But, I guess even though it's a different profession, I think that kind of thing happens in a lot of places. For example, even in restaurants, there's a rumor that "that place is incredibly delicious," and that word spreads locally, and people who know about it are always hanging out there.

It's a primitive way of spreading, in a good way.

H : That's true. TRASMUNDO does primitive things, but I try to present my own way of doing things while being conscious of the times and what's happening now. So it's not exactly what people think of it as just a stubborn old man running a shop. Well, I guess I am stubborn ( laughs ) .

O I see (laughs). Now, speaking of the music scene, the trend towards streaming and subscription services has been around for years now. As a company that sells physical works, do you have any thoughts on this?

H: Nowadays, people can release things to the world quickly on their own without having to create something physical, so I think it's only natural that this trend will continue. But physical works definitely remain in a tangible form, and there are certainly many artists who want to create physical works and people who want them, so I don't really care about that. Also, this might be because I'm getting older, but with streaming and subscription services, I find it hard to " digest " something internally. I check it because it's easy to check, and I understand that it's convenient, but it's like my body can't fully digest it. If I burn something that's been streamed onto a CD-R and listen to it in a store, it sounds different. Well, in the end, I guess I'm just old-fashioned (laughs).

I totally understand that. I stopped using subscription services because I couldn't remember the song titles or covers and couldn't fully enjoy the music.

I'm really curious about how you check out music, how you organize information in your head, and how you enjoy it. Even just the way you approach it feels like it's on a whole different level.

Another major feature of TRASMUNDO is that it carries a large number of DJ mix CDs .

H: That's true. In fact, the number of young people who have never been exposed to this MixCD culture has been increasing over the past few years. This is something I've come to realize through occasional conversations at the store. That's why I want to spread the word more about it. These are works by important DJs and musicians from Tokyo and other cities.

Being at O ​​TRASMUNDO makes me feel numb, but there are a huge number of MixCDs being released.

H : That's right. I find this quite interesting myself. It's what you might call CD-R culture. I sometimes think that around the time I first opened the store, or a little before that, Ishida-san ( ECD ) started selling CD-Rs called "Recent Live Performances," which was a pioneering example of this trend. I think it was around 2001 or 2002 ? Maybe even a little earlier. Then the first RAW LIFE event happened, and young DJs active in the underground scene started releasing a lot of DJ mixes . I think the number of releases has decreased a bit since then, but artists I'm close to continue releasing mix CDs . I think a lot of people like to release mix CDs, and it's a format that I'm very attached to. You can also hand them out to people as business cards.

There are mix CDs that symbolize that era .

H : That's true. I think the music they choose reflects what they were thinking and feeling at the time, so you can really feel the atmosphere of that era. I personally love listening to mix CDs made by other people. Even though they're made up of songs written by someone else, it's fascinating to see the interpretation and way of perceiving music that only the person who made the selection could come up with. DJs who create stories based on the quality of the songs, the weight they carry, and the message they convey are really cool. I wonder what the DJ was thinking when they selected these songs? I guess they like works where you can sense the thoughts and feelings that went into them. It's fun to listen and imagine all sorts of things. If I'm being honest, I might be called a romantic (laughs). But I think everyone has this feeling.

O I think you're definitely a romantic (laughs). Also, the Chicano soul movement has been a big trend in TRASMUNDO in recent years. What led you to start dealing with Chicano soul?

HTo put it very simply, it was because of Miyata-san of MUSIC CAMP, INC . Miyata-san also values ​​Chicano culture as a culture and has a desire to properly introduce it in Japan. Miyata-san is from the West Coast Chicano culture, while I'm from Tokyo, and I'm introducing local underground culture, so although we are from different regions, I think what we do and how we feel are the same. I've talked about this with Miyata-san before, and we respect each other. This was very important.

O Hamasaki and Miyata-san felt that they had something in common, which is why they were able to create excitement together.

H : That's right. I want to play a role in connecting the Chicano culture that Miyata-san introduced me to with people close to me and my customers.

Chicano soul culture has been in the spotlight for the past few years among artists and audiences who are close to O TRASMUNDO . Since then, artists have started to reflect this in their work.

H: I think that was probably the case. I simply thought that the music was great and that people would respond to it. Also, there's something in common between the Chicano scene and the scenes around me. It's like we're from different places and environments, but we see the world in a similar way. We all really value the culture around us, the presence of our friends, and we all have similar thoughts about society today based on the situations we find ourselves in. I think it's because we have these commonalities that it resonates so much more with us.

O I totally agree. So, I'd like to know if there's anything that makes you happy about continuing to run the shop.

H: It goes back to what I've been saying, but I think it's the people I meet. Running a restaurant limits my ability to go out, but even so, I'm really happy that I still get to meet interesting people.

After all, meeting someone requires a place.

H : That's true. In that sense, I think I'd like to keep the place. Also, for example, if I were to introduce someone to Ochiai at TRASMUUNDO , that could lead to something new happening later on.

In my case, there are already a few (laughs).

It 's really nice to see people connecting in this way. Also, it's really gratifying when customers start coming to TRASMUUNDO and become interested in new music and culture.

Who are the long-time regulars at O ​​TRASMUNDO ?

Yokose-kun from H SUNDAYS BEST . Of course there were times when I hadn't seen him for a while, but I've known him for about 20 years, since the shop first opened (laughs).

Oh , I see! I didn't know that, so I was surprised (laughs). Oh, by the way, we haven't talked about OWN yet, so can you tell me a bit about it?

HThat 's right, it's going to be featured on the OWN website (laughs).

O That's right (laughs). Hamasaki-san contributed a column to the OWN lookbook and also participated as a DJ at the launch party. From your perspective, how did you feel about OWN launching?

H: I've known Ochiai-kun for a long time, and it's always nice when someone I know starts something new. I want to help out in any way I can, and get everyone excited together. Also, personally, I'm thinking about making reading glasses with OWN frames. Lately, I've been finding it even harder to read books and emails, and I've been getting really tired more and more often (laughs).

Let 's definitely make it (lol). Finally, if you have any information, please let us know!

H On September 18th , we will be holding a screening of Chicano short films at "Haretara Sora ni Mamemite." Miyata and I will also be doing a talk and DJ set, so if you have time, please come.

【 INFO 】

If It's Sunny, Throw Beans in the Sky Film Festival Special Edition

TOKYO SCREENING

Short films " ATOMIC CAFE " and " SOUL OF LIMCOLN HEIGHTS "

Two untold stories set in Los Angeles' music and culture, Little Tokyo and the Chicano Barrio (subtitled)

September 18th (Sat) OPEN 17:30/SCREENING 19:00

Admission 2,000 yen / At door 2,500 yen

If it's sunny, throw beans into the sky 03-5456-8880

MUSIC CAMP, Inc. 042-498-7531

TRASMUNDO

4-46-6 Akatsutsumi, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

03-3324-1216