Interview With Guitar Wolf
On Saturday, March 5th, a sonic blast of Rock N’ Roll energy exploded from the Magic Stick sending shock waves that could be felt all across southeastern Michigan. Guitar Wolf had landed and at once conquered all who fell within sight of their black shaded eyes and leather clad forms.
I had already bought my ticket the month before I was asked by MCR to write a few words about the Guitar Wolf show. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. The MCR crew would be unable to attend due to the Blowout festivities, and I was all too happy to write about one of my favorite bands of all time. I decided to go one step further and set up an interview with the band.
In case you don’t know about Guitar Wolf http://www.guitarwolf.net, for a good introduction go check out a movie called Wild Zero. It’s a Rock N’ Roll, Zombie, and Horror, Love story that stars GW! Kind of like Rock N’ Roll High School meets Night of the Living Dead.
I had met the Wolves before back in 03’ in Chicago so I knew what I was getting into. Seiji (Guitar Wolf) is the quiet soft-spoken lead singer/guitar player. Put him on a stage with his guitar and he’s like a nuclear bomb going off in your face. Billy (Bass Wolf) is the friendly, swaggering, tattooed bassist. He keeps the rhythm tight with Toru (Drum Wolf) on drums, the sober man in all the GW madness. Together these two keep the train rocking along so that Seiji can let lose with his screeching overdriven guitar and shrieking vocals. GW is the real deal. Raw, dirty, high energy Rock N’ Roll that burns so hot it’ll melt your face off! When you see them perform you know it’s not an act. They don’t break character on or off stage. That’s because they actually are who and what they clam to be! Not only one of the best-dressed, hardest working rock bands EVER, but perhaps the most intense live Rock N’ Roll band on the planet!
That evening I arrived around 7:45 with Lady T. and Sean just as GW was beginning their sound check, at which point the fuse in Seiji’s amp blew. After locating a replacement fuse and a quick bite to eat it was time to sit down and talk with the guys.
Chris – How was the show in Cleveland last night?
Seiji – Good. Very good.
Billy – Exciting.
Chris – Are you excited to be playing in Detroit since the last time was with the Cramps in 1997?
Seiji – Yes, of course. We want to always play here in the Motor City.
Chris – What are some of your favorite bands from Detroit?
Seiji – Of course, MC5, Iggy Pop, and Mitch Ryder.
Chris – What is your favorite beer of all time?
Seiji – Beer…
Chris – Any beer? You don’t have a favorite?
Seiji – Ah, Japanese beer.
Chris – Sapporo?
Billy – Yes Sapporo!
Chris – What about you Toru?
Toru – I don’t drink.
Chris – You just stay with the soda?
Toru – Yes.
Chris – What about Favorite American beer?
Seiji – I don’t know very well… um Pabst?
Chris – Do you have a favorite manga?
Toru – Baki.
Chris – Never heard of that one.
Toru – You don’t know?
Chris – I’ll have to look that up. I’m a fan of Lone Wolf and Cub. You know the samurai executioner?
(Whole Band) – Ahhh, yes.
Chris – If Rock N’ Roll was a food what would it be and how would it taste?
(This one stumped them for a moment)
Billy – Pussy!
(Laughter)
Toru – Pussy… yeah, hahaha.
Chris – Are you guys going to do another movie soon? Maybe Wild Zero 2?
Seiji – Maybe. Yes. We have a tour in New Zeeland and Australia after this so maybe after that.
Chris – Any plans to make Guitar Wolf action figures?
Seiji – I have already. Someone made for me.
Chris – That’s awesome. You guys should make an action figure line like Kiss. People would love it!
Seiji – Ah, good.
Chris – I hear you guys are playing SXSW possibly with the Woggles?
Seiji – Yes we are excited to play. We have many times toured with the Woggles in Japan and US. Very good friends.
Chris – What do you guys like to do when you are at home and not playing shows?
Billy – Jacking off.
Toru – Me too.
Chris – Do you guys practice a lot when you aren’t on the road?
Toru – Practice for jacking off?
Chris – Well that’s about all the questions I have. Do you have any parting words for the people of Detroit?
Seiji – We love Detroit the Motor City, Rock N’ Roll!!
After the interview we hung out with Billy and Toru and had some beers. Seiji disappeared for a while. GW ended up needing a merch person so Lady T. was kind enough to volunteer. When the doors opened the Magic Stick filled up pretty quickly and the GW merchandise was almost sold out before they even played one note.
I chatted with Tim from Human Eye, who being a big GW fan was excited to be sharing the bill with them. We talked about the first time we had seen and heard Guitar Wolf and how it had inspired us to rock! As Human Eye took the stage, costumed people marched around the audience playing woodwind instruments. When they started into the first song I knew they were a good fit for this bill. They play loud, noisy, art rock, with a big beat, droning bass lines, rock riffs and snarling vocals, which was a good intro to the night. It was my first time seeing them and I dug it.
Up next were the mighty Hentchmen. The hometown heroes were in fine form and delivered a great set that kept the audience energy on high for what was about to come next.
Some friends and I went right up to the front center of the stage to prepare for the upcoming rock assault. When the Wolves finally walked out onstage the crowd went crazy. Seiji gave his guitar a blast and let it ring out into feedback mixed with the bass and drums crashing from behind. Then the Japanese spaghetti western music kicked in and Seiji downed a beer while Billy and Toru combed their hair. Throwing his now empty beer can into the audience; Seiji along with Billy chanted the crowd up into a screaming frenzy “Hey! Hey! Hey!” and then they launched into the opening cords of the first song and all hell broke lose. I wasn’t prepared for the human smashing machine that was the front row. It was almost unbearable if not for the awesome amounts of Rock N’ Roll sound that I was being bombarded with from only a few feet away. Due to the weight of the people crushing me into the front of the stage I had to escape after nine or so songs, but not before I saw several young women get crushed badly against the front of the stage. The bouncers weren’t much help since every time someone crawled out onto the stage to escape getting crushed the bouncers would throw them back in. It was brutal. At one point Tim from Human Eye came flying over my head. People were getting crazy!
“Kick Out Jam Motherfucker!” Seiji yelled, and they broke into a speed demon version of the MC5 classic. In the middle of the song Seiji reached down into the mass of people in the front. I knew that this was the part where Seiji pulls someone up to play guitar and I tried in vain to meet his grasp, yet I failed due to bouncer interference. Instead he pulled some guy in a cowboy hat onto the stage. Seiji then handed over his guitar and demanded cowboy hat guy to ROCK! The poor guy didn’t seem to have a clue what to do. Seiji tried to help him, but after a minute or so the dude was thrown back into the crowd and the band brought the song to a dynamic finish. Feeding off the energy of the audience and sending it back double strength, Guitar Wolf put on one heck of a show. Seiji climbed to the top of the PA speakers all the way to the rafters and jumped off TWICE! At one point he walked a few feet out into the throngs of people and they held him aloft as he played a one-note ear splitting solo. They did two encores. After the lights came up and people started to leave, Seiji came back out alone with his guitar for a third and final encore and performed his now signature ballad “I love you OK!” from their 2003 release “UFO Romantics”. It was the perfect closer for an amazing night of Rock N’ Roll! I hope they come back around soon but I know it won’t be soon enough!
ROCK N’ ROLL! – Chris Taylor
Chris “Box” Taylor played guitar with the Avatars and bass with Powertrain.
Color photos by Christopher Chouinard. Black and white photos by Sean Carroll.