interviews

Interview with Kawada Katsuhiko

This is a rare 2005 interview with Chef Kawada of "AU BON VIEUX TEMPS" in Oyamadai, Tokyo, who is still active as of 2023.

This is a reprint of an interview I planned with Mr. Kawada for the employee recruitment page of NTT Com, a Japanese telecommunications company, which I designed. (This site no longer exists.)

Artifaith:
Well, there are quite a few young people here, but it seems that your approach to work is quite different from when you were young and studying in Paris. What do you value the most?

Kawada:
It's taking risks for what you've decided for yourself. It's about having a firm sense of self without being swept away.

Artifaith:
I think Japanese people of your generation worked hard. Aren't the working conditions in this industry tough?

Kawada:
We only work 40 hours a week here. It's important to make the most of that limited time and working more than 8 hours doesn't yield better results. We close the kitchen in the afternoon, and the rest is our own time. Doing nothing but work isn't necessarily good. You can't create anything great if you're constantly pushing yourself too hard.

Artifaith:
I've been observing young people these days, and it seems they struggle with interpersonal skills or have communication issues. What are your thoughts on that?

Kawada:
That's certainly true.

Artifaith:
On gourmet-related online forums, it's said that the staff at "Au Bon Vieux Temps" are unfriendly.

Kawada:
If you worry about that, you won't get anything done! But isn't it better to do something about it? Isn't anonymity a problem? I think people should express their opinions with their real names. You can also write that our cakes aren't delicious if you think so!

Artifaith:
I agree that excessive slander in anonymous comments is a problem, but on the other hand, there is also a self-purifying aspect, like whistleblowing. It has both positive and negative aspects, in my opinion... I wonder if you're intentionally not creating a friendly image as part of your branding strategy as a renowned establishment?

Kawada:
It's not like we don't do that, but taste is the most important! I believe that if you make delicious food, customers will come!

Artifaith:
How do you come up with ideas for cakes? Do you have meetings with your staff to decide, for example?

Kawada:
I decide everything myself. There can't be more than one commander! Some places might decide things through discussions, but we don't do that. If we did, we'd only end up with something chaotic!

Artifaith:
Are you strict with your staff? I heard stories about chefs during your apprenticeship, and it seemed like a very tough world.

Kawada:
Well, it is tough. We have K1(Note1) starting here! (lol) I didn't ask anyone to come here. They came to us and asked to be used, so if they don't like it, they can quit! However, I do give appropriate recognition to those who can perform. In the professional world, I think professional recognition ultimately comes down to money, so I give appropriate recognition to those who deserve it! Just praise isn't enough in the professional world.

Artifaith:
Thank you for taking the time for the interview today. Your insightful and interesting stories were much appreciated.

Note1: K1 is a martial art that was popular in Japan at that time, but in this context, it's a joke.

The New Year Bubba Kadane Interview

This is a re-post of my 2005 interview with Bubba Kadane of American indie rock band The New Year.
Photo: courtesy of The New Year

Why is it that there are six members of a band?
Artifaith:
It usually over dubbing a guitar with four members, but why is it that three guitarists in six members?

Bubba Kadane:
We need six people to play almost all of the songs live.
In the studio it may be four or five members, but always six of us for live shows.

What is a meaning of "end" of an album title?
Artifaith:
Is there any special meaning in "end" common to two pieces of albums?

Bubba Kadane:
They aren''t really connected to each other in apremeditated way. The songs came before the album titles in both cases.

Whose idea is promotion video of "DISEASE"?
Artifaith:
I like promotion video of "DISEASE" very much. It is the reason why it is too simple but camera work and editing are unusual, and it is superior.Whose idea is this?

Bubba Kadane:
Thank you very much. It was originally my idea, but was fleshed out by the director, Keven McAlister. The director of photography, Lee Daniel, is a fairly well known cinematographer in the US. He deserves a lot of the credit too.

A shadow of the Iraqi War.
Artifaith:
I think present American music takes a gloomy feeling in comparison with 70''s and 80''s. Is it influence of 911 terrorism and the Iraqi War?

Bubba Kadane:
A little bit of the cultural and political climate surely has some sort of effect.

Why do you own a shop in an official site?
Artifaith:
You sell a CD and an LP to own site having a shop, but what kind of difference is there with being sold in Amazon and iTunes Music Store?

Bubba Kadane:
There are a few reasons. First of all, it allows us to make a little extra money throughout the year when we aren''t playing shows.
Secondly, we sell things that aren''t available anywhere else, like t-shirts, posters, and vinyl LPs. Also, we sell the CDs at a lower price than quite a few other on-line stores.
Thirdly, quite a few fans like to buy directly from the band for all of the above reasons and to support the band rather than a large corporate entity.

You released an LP, but is there special intensity of feeling?
Artifaith:
As for me, there are special feelings in analog vinyl, but please tell the reason why you release an LP besides a CD.\r\n

Bubba Kadane:
More expansive sound, its proven archival superiority, and because we grew up with it.

What kind of impression do you have for Japan?
Artifaith:
I memorize it when you said Japan by an interview before, but what kind of image do have about Japan?

Bubba Kadane:
I have an image that is, of course, formed by the pictures, movies, and articles that I have seen about both the big cities and rural areas of Japan. I''ve seen a lot of Europe, but never been to Asia. Japan tops my list of places that I want to visit. I''ve always been interested in Japan and Japanese culture. It would be great to get The New Year over there to play.

Artifaith:
Thank you very much.

The Interview

Interview with ​Kawada Katsuhiko

The New Year Bubba ​Kadane Interview

Interview with Kawada Katsuhiko

The New Year Bubba Kadane Interview