Guy Perryman Interviews

A conversation with Sarah Soetaert – ballet dancer, singer, actor from London’s West End stages to Tokyo for the musical Chicago in the role of Roxie. Soetaert tells why Chicago is a brilliant show for female performers, why she loves playing Roxie and how it feels on stage in the moment when everything aligns.

A conversation with Endigo – music producer, pink influencer and Ru Paul’s Drag Race Sweden contestant who loves spending time in Tokyo getting inspired by the city’s street fashion, game, and anime culture. Endigo shares the Drag Race backstage experience, why Tokyo has a sense of gender and fashion freedom, and reveals more about continuing the transition journey.

A conversation with Aaydium – fashion creative director and drag queen, who lived in Tokyo as a fashion store and dance floor star for a number of years and returned to participate in Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2024 and iconic LGBTQ+ The Ring party. Aaydium shares intimately about experiencing life as a man and a woman, the importance of coming from and creating a loving family, and designing their own n...

A conversation with Karen Hill Anton – journalist, writer, and novelist who has resided in Japan for almost 50 years, in 2020 published her riveting memoir The View From Breast Pocket Mountain and recently published her first novel A Thousand Graces about a young Japanese woman. Hill Anton shares stories from her life "unplanned but well lived", including moving on from tragedy, creating...

A conversation with Calum Scott – singer who shot to stardom after performing on Britain’s Got Talent in 2015, has toured as opening act for Ed Sheeran, performed at Windsor Castle, and was in Tokyo for a live show at Zepp Diver City (or Diversity!) in March 2024. Scott talks with great energy about his musical journey, honesty about the challenge of coming out in his teens, and passion about how...

A conversation with edbl - real name Ed Black - music producer, beat maker and DJ who creates very cool electro tracks with a vast array of guest vocalists, singers and rappers who was in Japan for sold out live shows at Blue Note Tokyo and a DJ set at Blue Note Place in March 2024. edbl shares stories from behind the decks and on stage, making edible decibels - music that is good enough to eat, a...

A conversation with Wednesday – country, grungy, dreamy indie rock band who were in Tokyo for a live show at Shibuya Club Quattro in March 2024. The four members talk about songwriting inspired by friends and family, admiring the stamina of festival-goers, and being nourished in Japan.

A conversation with Christian Saville, guitarist and Simon Scott, drummer from Slowdive – dreamy indie rock band who were part of Britpop culture of the early 90’s, had a 20 year hiatus and returned with new albums and live shows for the 21st century. Recorded backstage at Toyosu Pit Tokyo in March 2024 the two share their thoughts on the power of music overcoming negative press, and the joy of qu...

A conversation with Cherri V and Natalie Duncan - soulful singers, and vocalists with acid jazz legends Incognito who were in Japan for a run of sold out shows at Blue Note Tokyo in March 2024. The two share stories about their solo music, why they love performing and recording with Bluey of Incognito, and the power of music celebrating International Women's Day.

A conversation with Mark “Bax” Baxter – writer, music video and documentary filmmaker, and co-curator of From the Caribbean to Coventry - plotting the rise of 2Tone music exhibition at the Barbican Library in London. Baxter shares stories from his south London youth discovering the music that combined cultures and beat racism.

A conversation with Susie Vanner – singer, actor and Bond Girl starring with 007 Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977, who has just recorded her second album of very personal original songs and a very interesting selection of cover versions. The conversation took place at Vanner's Holland Park London home where I was invited to present her with a gold disc to commemorate three million...

A conversation with Izumi Thomas – Head of Programming Projects at Japan House London, who curates exhibitions and events at the High Street Kensington cultural venue. Thomas introduces us to what you can discover at Japan House London, and shares favourite destinations in Japan and the UK.

A conversation with Andrew Flynn – founder and designer of POTR Japanese origami inspired indoor plant pots with a sustainable hassle-free concept. Flynn talks about bridging Scotland and Japan through creative business, challenging the concept of "shipping air", and the joy of powder snowboarding in Japan.

A conversation with Lenne Hardt – mixed martial arts ring announcer, voice narrator, actor and singer whose spectacular voice and personality have been part of Japanese showbiz for decades. Hardt reveals how she created her signature powerrrrful announcing voice, shares a tip for people who want to succeed in showbiz in Japan, and selects some favourite music including a song that has the power to...

A conversation with The Japanese House - who makes blissful synthesiser, guitar vocal pop with personal melancholic lyrics who was in Japan for live shows in January 2024. We discuss the need to make music for selfish reasons, the joy of sharing the moment with an audience, taking your dog as a travel companion, and of course visiting a house while in Japan!!

A conversation with Elizabeth Bougerol and Evan Palazzo of The Hot Sardines – who remake vintage jazz and create their own snazzy jazz, with live shows that are a swinging good time made even more toe-tapping with a tap dancer. The two share thoughts on the dynamic New York jazz scene, connecting on a spiritual level through music, and the "art-making" harmony of Japan.

A conversation with Yuto Uchino from The fin. – who create atmospheric, dreamy rock, the ideal winter season soundtrack. Uchino-san talks about the band's two tours of China in 2023, what he's looking forward to in 2024, plus diving deeper into the power of music, what colour is music, and imagining talking with ancestors.

A conversation with Hector Fernandez – globetrotting game developer at Sony PlayStation, who is currently based in Tokyo. Fernandez talks passionately and deeply about the way games make you feel and how they can improve our lives, and shares how Japan has changed his view on life.

A conversation with Bluey from Incognito – who surprised my GPS radio show listeners when he stopped by the Tokyo studio live on air 22 December 2023. It was a festive season special edition of the show and we couldn’t have asked for a better gift. Bluey shares with us a health issue and why he came to Japan for healing, talks about the new Incognito album Into You, and announces the 2024 live dat...

Susie Vanner – Bond Girl starring with Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me; big screen and TV actor; and singer who has released her At Christmas EP. In a brief conversation for my festive season special edition radio show Vanner shares her 007 moment, other screen experiences and talks about why she loves the Christmas season and music.

A conversation with Mike Sunda - Managing Director and Strategy Director at Push Japan creative media agency who at the time of the interview in November 2023 had just produced the latest music video for musician Jacob Collier, and won Entrepreneur of the Year at the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) British Business Awards 2023.  Sunda talks about how Japan has informed his and his clie...

A conversation with Cody Jon - Sydney beach swimming, Broadway show going pop star who was thrilled to be in Tokyo for his first Japan live show in December 2023. Talking backstage at Duo Music Exchange Shibuya Jon shares his thoughts on the "real" or "actor" persona we all display, stage fright, and a twittering sound he noticed in Tokyo.

A conversation with Louis Borlase from Squid – Brighton post-punk electro group who were in Tokyo in December 2023 at the start of their Asia tour. Borlase talks about improvisation in the live shows, Glastonbury Festival, Brighton music scene, and what he thinks is the sound of Tokyo.

A conversation with Reg Clark – a true bridge between the UK and Japan through rugby since the 1970’s, owner of Rhino rugby training equipment and sportswear, and in 2023 recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays for services to rugby in Japan. Clark talks passionately about how the sport has benefited UK-Japan relations, how team sports can benefit our daily lives, and with c...

A conversation with Johnny Orlando – pop star, actor and voice actor who was in Tokyo in November 2023 for a one night show to kick off his Asia tour. Orlando talks with excitement about being in Japan for the first time and openly about the power of music to heal broken hearts and mental health issues.