Guy Perryman Interviews

A conversation with Lisle Wilkerson - AKA Lisle Weapon, Blonde Geisha - former Tokyo and now Los Angeles based radio DJ, voice actor, game & animation convention MC, and red-carpet reporter. Wilkerson shares the time we first met as in-store DJ's in Tokyo back in the 90’s, plus moments as a pioneering bi-lingual radio broadcaster, showbiz moments with Prince, Shaggy, Glenn Close, Christop...

A conversation with Chris Mosdell – poet and lyricist who has written for a vast array of musicians including Yellow Magic Orchestra, Michael Jackson, Sarah Brightman, Tatsuro Yamashita and many more, and in 2023 was honoured with Japan's Classics Day Cultural Foundation Prize, presented by a member of the Imperial family. Mosdell shares the process of writing words for music, the story of wh...

A conversation with Plush – all female rock group from the US on a mission to bring rock back to the forefront of the music industry, who were in Japan for the first time for live shows in October 2024. All four members talk about the joy of being in a band and getting inspiration from each other, supporting some legends in rock including KISS and Slash, and what from Japan they want to take back...

A conversation with Timmy Byrne – dance music lover, DJ and owner of dance music radio station Kiss FM in Melbourne Australia who was in Japan in July 2024 to talk, walk, go clubbing and dance. Byrne expresses his love for the shared communal experience of listening to radio and being on a dance floor, and delight of being in Japan for the first time after studying the language and culture back in...

A conversation with Jimmy Mullins – music loving teen student at the School of Rock in Portugal who is discovering the joys of becoming a future rock star and was in Japan for summer break in August 2024 together with his parents eating their way around the world. Mullins talks about why music is such a powerful way to make teen life and the world happier and healthier and spontaneously sings a ba...

A conversation with Maisy Kay – singer inspired by fantasy worlds, the oceans of our real world, and emotions of the heart including challenging teen years moving from rural England to the hub of showbiz Los Angeles, who was in Japan for live shows in August 2024. Kay shares her thoughts on why adults need a little more whimsy, why we all need to take care of our oceans, and enjoying a spicy bowl...

A conversation with Jordan Dobson – stage / screen actor and musician whose Broadway debut was as the standby in the role of Tony in West Side Story, and movie debut was in Maestro the story of Leonard Bernstein West Side Story’s composer, and was in Japan in August/September 2024 starring in the role of Angel in the Broadway and Japanese production of the stage musical Rent. Dobson shares serendi...

A conversation with Mikah - singer born and raised in Hawaii who moved to Japan after being scouted for boyband Intersection, then to China for audition reality show and joining the group Into1, now pursuing a solo career and was in Japan to perform live at Summer Sonic music festival in August 2024. Mikah shares thoughts on his musical journey so far including facing a stadium audience when being...

A conversation with Stephen Sanchez - singer inspired by the music of the 1950's & 60's with the swagger of Elvis to match, who was in Japan to perform at Summer Sonic music festival in August 2024. In our allotted five minutes (standard for music festival press) Sanchez shares his thoughts on performing with Elton John at Glastonbury Festival, why music, and indeed the world, needs...

A conversation with Olivia Dean – soulful singer/songwriter who creates some beautiful smooth soul, was named BBC Music Introducing Artist of the Year 2023, and was in Japan to perform at Summer Sonic music festival in August 2024. In our allotted five minutes (standard for music festival press) Dean shares thoughts on her favourite theatre musical, how songwriting is about finding understanding b...

A conversation with Ricardo Bacelar - composer and multi-instrumentalist who has collaborated with an array of musicians and released a number of albums inspired by the vast range of Brazilian music who was in Japan for a series of live shows in July 2024. Bacelar talks passionately about how composers "feel" music flow, why the first take when recording is the best, and recommends some...

A conversation with Joao Caetano and Francis Hylton - percussionist and bassist respectively with legendary acid jazz group Incognito and side project Citrus Sun who were in Japan for shows at Blue Note Tokyo in July 2024. The two discuss how performing with Bluey's two major music groups has given them the chance to see the world and build a global community, provide them with a platform to...

A conversation with Kitty Liv – one third of sibling music trio Kitty, Daisy & Lewis who released her debut solo album Easy Tiger the same week as her live show at Fuji Rock Festival in Japan in July 2024. Kitty shares thoughts on her solo venture, music festivals, why she loves Fuji Rock and how a bad relationship can inspire good music.

A conversation with Carlos O’Connell guitarist of Fontaines D.C. – UK chart-topping, Brit Award-winning Irish rock stars who were in Japan for Fuji Rock Festival 2024. Three days before their Red Marquee set at the festival O'Connell shares his favourite music festival moment, thoughts on purposely not looking at the band's global tour schedule, walking up stairs in Japan, and a lucky ho...

A conversation with Mark Johnson – co-founder of Playing For Change, a foundation and global collective of musicians who offer education and opportunities through the power of music. Johnson shares human success stories from his travels and how music is used not only for education, entertainment and healing but also in an African village for conflict resolution, something the world could learn fro...

A conversation with Ai Futaki – Guinness World Record holding free diver, speaker, documentary maker and oceans advocate who talked at a World Ocean Day 2024 event at the Canadian Embassy Tokyo and in summer 2024 has an exhibition creating an ocean in an inland town in Japan. Chatting on the beach at Hayama, Kanagawa prefecture near Tokyo Futaki shares her observation of sea lions being like littl...

A conversation with Nick Wood – musician, composer, music producer and SYN Studio in Tokyo founder who has created the audio for a vast array of projects and collaborated with artists including Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran, Julian Lennon, Maxi Priest, Bebel Gilberto, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry and more. Wood shares stories of the joys and challenges of the creative and business sides of music, a &qu...

A conversation with Margaret Glaspy - singer/songwriter inspired by a wide range of American music including blues and folk, and stories inspired by life experiences who has released a number of critically acclaimed self-produced solo albums and EP’s. Backstage at Blue Note Tokyo before two live shows in June 2024 Glaspy shares stories about writing music that takes her to a vulnerable place, enjo...

A conversation with Rob Dickinson – singer/songwriter with 90’s Brit rock band Catherine Wheel plus solo projects, and founder of Singer Vehicle Design a company that remodels and re-imagines Porsche 911’s. Dickinson shares experiences on songwriting inspired by the ocean's horizon to escape a small English town, literally walking away from a pop career at it's peak, and creating act two...

A conversation with Mami Kikuchi – City Pop singer / songwriter who’s 1982 albums have been re-released in 2024; TV commercial singer; TV show host; and interpreter for international stars visiting Japan. Kikuchi shares stories about working with music legends including Mick Jagger, J-pop legends including Akiko Yano and experiences as a woman in the Japanese music and media business.

A conversation with Cautious Clay – singer / songwriter / multi-instrumentalist who makes soulful music, had the courage to quit his day job and pursue music full time, has collaborated with John Mayer and been sampled by Taylor Swift.  Backstage at Duo Music Exchange Shibuya Tokyo during soundcheck in May 2024 Clay shares thoughts on why he couldn't ignore his passion for music, creating a t...

A conversation with Jungle – all three core members Josh Lloyd-Watson, Tom McFarland and Lydia Kitto – who make the smoothest dance music and coolest accompanying videos and were in Japan for sold out shows in May 2024. The three discuss the best and worst of a live show,  the latest album Volcano long-form music movie with spectacular choreography by Shay Latukolan, and choosing a famous cartoon...

A conversation with L’Rain – singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and curator from New York who was in Tokyo for live shows featuring the unique dreamy, rhythm driven music at Billboard Live in May 2024. L'Rain shares thoughts on how performing music and dance makes her feel, how there are no bad ideas in creativity, and how live shows are all-encompassing multi-sensory experie...

A conversation  with Leslie Kee – Singapore born photographer based in Japan for most of his career who has photographed a vast array of Japanese and international stars of fashion, film, music and the arts, also creating pioneering shoots with the LGBTQ+ community together with global brand collaborators. Kee talks candidly about his childhood, how he built his career in the face of doubters, and...

A conversation with Jose James - "jazz artist for the hip-hop generation", singer, songwriter and all-round cool dude who was in Tokyo in May 2024 to talk about his new album [1978], inspired by his birth year and all the amazing music of the era. James shares on-stage and in-studio stories from New York and Los Angeles to people in Tokyo who have inspired his creative journey.