When and how did you start composing your own music ? What have been your musical training ? Why did you come to music ?
world’s end girlfriend : When I was 13 years old. I’ve been studying by myself. I’ve never taken any professional musical trainings.
One day when I was 10, I was wondering what happened after that famous introduction in Beethoven’s 5th Symphony and listened to the record we had at home, and was blown away by the power of the music.

Is World’s End Girlfriend your first musical project or have you been part of other ones before ? Is World’s End Girlfriend your only musical identity today ?
Yes, it’s my first project without world’s end girlfriend. I also act as world’s end boyfriend in romz records, as wonderland falling yesterday in cubic music.

"Yes", the opening track of Farewell Kingdom, seems to be the synthesis of your music on Farewell Kingdom Why did you choose it as the first track of this release ?
I don’t particularly think that “yes” is a synthesis of my music. What I can say about “yes” is that it is linked to “you”. These two songs were originally one song that over time split and broke apart over time, and in between there are a lot of other songs.

There are several guests on your discs. How did you manage to get those guests on the disc ? Have they just been executors or did you collaborate with them ?
I give the guest musicians sheet music (a score) and have them play. I give more specific requests (play this more quietly, play this note a little longer) as we record. I don’t give the musicians any images or the title of the piece.

How do you compose ? Do you compose all alone with a computer, recording by yourself the analogical sources you use in your songs, and then treating and collecting them with your computer ? Do you try to reproduce the music inside your head ? What are your sources of inspiration (everyday life, dreams, movies, paintings, nature...) ?
I compose all alone. I make basic of song using PC,guitar,piano,etc..
There are many recorded performances that have not been edited at all, and there are some that have been treated so much that the original performance is unrecognizable. I change the tempo on purpose or use the part for a different song, and use the recorded performances in many ways. I don’t really know where music comes from, but I am not just trying to reproduce the music in my head. my sources of inspiration are many several things. good things, bad things, lovely ones, and hated ones...

Is the music of World’s End Girlfriend the result of your musical tastes (pop, post rock, electronica, rhythm’n bass...) ? What are your musical tastes ? It seems you have some common points with other japanese artists (like COM.A, Yoshihiro Hanno, Joe Hisaishi or Asa-Chang & Junray). Do you feel close to them, musically or humanly speeking ? From which artists do you feel musically close to ? Do you feel close to Piano Magic or This Mortal Coil ? Are you influenced by other artists ?
Of course, I like a lot of music that is superficially very different from my own. Also I like and hate a lot of the music that is similar to mine.
I like anything that makes me react somehow.
I think there are parts that we have in common, but I can say the same thing about a lot of other musicians. I don’t think that the Japanese artists that you mention are especially similar or close to me.
I don’t think they are similar but I like Victor Erice, Theo Angelopoulos, Michael Ende, Truman Capote,Tove Jansson, William Shakespeare... etc.
I like “This Mortal Coil” but I don’t think such 4AD stuff is close to my music. I understand why people say it is close, but I think my music has a more “human smell” or, expresses ugliness as well. 4AD music has a mythological clean-ness to it, but doesn’t express mythological cruelty. Of course, i am. I don’t think there is any creator that is not influenced consciously or sub-consciously by others.

Can you introduce your new album The Lie Lay Land, which is very dark ? What was your idea making it... ?
Hmm. It’s difficult to put in words. I can explain parts but it will be hard to grasp the axis or space of it... Anyway to explain it in parts, in the first song there are tens of thousands of moths creating a gate. The moths’ wings are hitting each other and there is a lot of ‘scale’ floating in the air. It sparkles like a fog, and sticks on the skin of people who pass through the gate. By becoming covered in the ‘scale’, a threshold is made between us and the world, and at the same time, you enter another world. Once you pass through the gate, that world is covered in the sparkling powder, and continues on that way... Also, I don’t think this album is that dark. For instance, the 5th song is partially about night in a deep forest and is dark, there are sounds that come from the animals or grass and leaves on the trees, so it seems quiet but you feel fulfilled some how. And if you listen carefully, the child’s screaming that you hear is not from fear or pain. The child is excited and enjoying that the forest is so dark and that there are many sounds surrounding him, and is playing. It is the same as the animals not fearing the darkness of night.

Does Farewell Kingdom or The Lie Lay Land tell a story ? Are they musical descriptions of your very own personnal universe ?
If you can call it a story, then it is. In the world that I depict the time and space axis are mixed, so it is slightly different from a story with a plot.

Do you think that there are elements in your music that are typically japanese, maybe in your way of "thinking the music" or performing it ?
I am sure there is. But it is not something I consciously do or restrict, so I can’t pinpoint what part. But even Japanese people often tell me that it sounds Japanese, so there must be something coming through.

What’s the relationship between World’s End Girlfriend’s music & World’s End Boyfriend’s music ?
world’s end boyfriend has more comical element than world’s end girlfriend. I named world’s end boyfriend for a joke.

You don’t want to read your real name in World’s End Girlfriend’s reviews. Is it a way to keep a distance between you and your music ?
I just felt some discomfort with “world’s end girlfriend” = “my name”. WEG is not myself, but a world that I am depicting.

Farewell Kingdom or The Lie Lay Land are distinguishable by their passion, lyricism and romanticism. Is it something you’re conscious of ? Do those characteristics come from you ? Are you that kind of person ? According to you, what characteristic of your music is the nearest from your nature ?
Romanticism.

Are your lps transposable on stage ?
Now i’m practicing of band by eight players organization (G1, G2, B, Dr, Vn, Vc, Sax1, Sax2). it’s really good.

Today, what are your musical projects ? Is it a new album from World’s End Girlfriend coming up ?
Right now we’re rehearsing the band formation and arrangement. I am also doing some research and study for the next album. There is no schedule for the completion yet so I don’t know. I’ll release it when it’s done.

thanks a lot for asking me many question ! i’m really sorry my answer is too late.
i hope someday i’ll play in your country.
finally, I want to extend my warmest respects to Louis-Ferdinand Celine, his gentle soul.
world’s end girlfriend

interview stephane
by email
2005.05