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Born in Japan, Yukari Fujiu first wanted to be a lawyer but found songwriting her true calling. Learning several instruments, she worked as a session musician & then songwriter for others before starting the girl band The Groopies. Teaming up with Alex Cox, Yukari is now the other half of the UK band, Cribabi.
One of the most interesting things I read about Cribabi was that you were called a garage band yet you recorded the tracks to you’re debut album Volume in a bathroom and in your kitchen. Not to mention that many of your songs were composed with your bandmate, Andy Cox, thousands of miles aways and through wav files over the internet. Perhaps you have stumbled upon a ‘new’ type of music label for the next generation of bands. Would you care to modernize the previous label of a ‘garage’ band?
The previous "Bathroom/Kitchen" band’s label is called Pony Canyon under the umbrella of Fuji Sankei Group. The contract was as a solo artist. And let me tell you something, we call the very first demo of the songs ‘Kitchen Demo’, kind of buzz word. Sorry if i broke your fantasy, but good to know at some stage, isn’t it?
Many of our readers are Americans, and I must admit, we’re a little blind to international music sometimes. You’ve had a successful career in Japan as a songwriter and as a member of an all girl Tokyo band, The Groopies. What else have you done?
Besides two solo albums from Pony Canyon, I used to work as a session musician and fuck around.
Is it hard to have to prove yourself all over again, this time in the Europe/US market? Despite having a glorified past in Asia, the rememberence of fame seems to be given to Andy because of his past musical involements with The Beat and Fine Young Cannibals.
Lucky me working with such a famous guy! No, seriously I wouldn’t care if Andy hadn’t been well-known. I can’t deny that it was one of the factors to get to know him, however. I’m so fond of his sound and musical sense - and his GSOH - that I’m working with him. Simple as that. And Ii’m always happy to see new world and take it into my stride.
What do your Japanese fans think of Cribabi? Will it be released in Japan?
Volume could be released there. We got some offers to consider. I probably sing some bits in japanese if it happens. To be honest, I think that the Japanese likes Japanese songs best basically.
Your record label’s site, Fidela, gives a few interesting facts about the start of Cribabi, including the tidbit that your first book on the English language, Cool Talk For Rock People, included a monoloque by Andy Cox. Was this merging fate? How did you both meet each other?
It’s about three years ago. I met him by chance while I was in london (at the time I was living in Tokyo) for a session with Dave Stewart. The English book story is true. The first time I met Andy, Ii didn’t reveal that I’d read his monologue. when I started talking about his old storys which were in the book, he seemed to be so surprised - or freaked out, I’d say - that he thought I was psychic. Anyway, I believe that the encounter was ment to be.
What inspired you two to start Cribabi. Afterall, you were both over 6,000 miles apart (with Andy in London and you in Tokyo).
How could we go in the teeth of that fatal wind?
Because you both had to construct songs via the internet, did you both develop a few tricks over time to overcome the disadvantages of writing through a different medium? Has it become second nature or do you face alot of problems getting the results you want?
I’d moved to London when we actually finished the album, but we did do loads getting our eyes squared in the distance. Funnily, the data always let me think about and build up the songs so coolly and faithfully to where they wanted to go. Although both of us surely know what we were up to, hearing some guitars and harp that Ii played in my kitchen from the speakers of the studio zero in London, was kind of transcendent. Moreover, because of the time lag, the music could be worked on for 24 hours. Say, I got response from Andy every morning and sent back the treated one before sleep, then Andy just got up and worked on it again. That way, we could save up the time and get it done more deeply. Know what I mean?
Why did you choose to cover The Carpenters' song "Yesterday Once More"?
Challenging. Hope it rocks you enough. We got the idea at the seafood restaurant in Paris.
If someone asked you to describe Cribabi's music in three words, what would they be?
Totally-Kicking-Arse
What does the future hold for Cribabi, Fidela and yourself?
"What the future holds is always hard to see", as I sing in "Somebody To Love" on Volume.
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