[trans] Nell: 20081215 IZM
There were rumours you were releasing an album with Tablo?
JW: That's something we've been saying for the past few years. When I get to rest after activities end, there will be a lot of time not only for Nell but also personally. Then I think I'd find the mental composure to do it.
Please DO NOT repost this anywhere.
Link back to this page instead. (:
Thank you!
Comments are very appreciated.
Enjoy!
2008.12.15 IZM Interview
Early December, the time alive with the festival atmosphere of year-end award shows, Nell, a rock band amongst others who have gathered much success over the past year with "Walking Through Memories," have abruptly announced the suspension of their promotional activities. The group closed their schedule with the Golden Disc Awards that took place on December 12, and, with drummer Jung Jaewon's December 11th enlistment, they've temporarily suspended their activities together.
The day of the interview was December 8. It was three days before Jung Jaewon's enlistment. Although it isn't directly before their noses, the other members will soon have to leave for the military, and so suspension of activities seems unavoidable. It seems they've already known and have been preparing for this. Even Jung Jaewon, who enlists in three days, when asked how he felt, replied, "I feel peaceful," with a laugh.
It seems they've been aware that this long-term suspension was an established fact, so, even though it hasn't been long since the studio album Separation Anxiety was released, a new album has come out. It is The Trace, and it's a box set with a mini-album with four newly published tracks and a DVD, photo album. First, I asked about the details and working process behind the release of this new record.
The new album THE TRACE is out. Share something about the circumstances that led to the making of it.
JW: Because we might not be able to release any music for now. It's an album that's like a sort of service we're giving the people who like our music.
It's not a formal studio album, but are the songs previously unpublished or newly made?
JW: "Part 2" is a song that already had a melody. It was arranged at this time, though.
But it feels a little like a winter song.
JW: We found that surprising, too. Because our manager said it gave off a very wintry feel. From some angles, it could also be that it's because it's become winter. The truth is that there isn't much summer in Nell's songs. [laughs]
What about "Part 1?"
JW: It's a song whose musical track we'd already recorded while working on last time's Separation Anxiety. We just recorded the song this time and wrote the lyrics, too.
"Part 1," "Part 2," "Act 5" -- the titles are quite unique.
JW: "Part 1," "Part 2" have lyrics that connect. But, for example, first we attached titles, "Stay (Part 1)," "Stay (Part 2)," but, because it was weird, instead, it seemed better just to say "Part 1," "Part 2." As I was writing "Act 5," it felt like a scenario. So, because, if there were a film or story like it, content-wise, I thought that it might be around the middle or end ... but, even so, it didn't seem like the last scene. Because the other titles are "Part," I thought this could be "Act 5," so I named it that.
By scenario, what sort of content did you capture?
JW: For the most part, the lyrics I wrote thus far prioritize feelings or experiences, but this song had a question mark. If you like someone so much, it's possible to go in the wrong direction. There are many films like that, and, in reality, there are stalkers and murderers like that. I was curious about these people's thoughts. If they were in a position where they had no idea they were doing something wrong, if they did so only because they grew up in that sort of environment, then would it really be a sin? They did it because they really liked that person and wanted to keep her by their side ... Of course, I'm not speaking for them. I wrote it because I was curious.
When you released Separation Anxiety, you said that it'd be good if the programming and harmony of unrequited love were done more spectacularly and that you'd try to do so in the future. Do you still feel that way now?
JW: I still have those thoughts. To be more natural. I think it'd be nice if music were heard as music. Of course, from a producer's viewpoint, there are thoughts like "this song is amazing because of this," but, from a listener's standpoint, music that sounds like good music is good. That kind of music, for the most part, has no bias toward the programming or the acoustics used; it merely sounds like music naturally. "This is mixed with this and this ..." without raising these sorts of thoughts ...
There's something I'd like to ask Junghoon. The bass is the point closest to the song but is, simultaneously, the person farthest away, so, from that point, if you were to assess Jongwan, who composes almost all of Nell's songs, and his songs?
JH: How very burdensome. [laughs] First off, the songs released are all songs we basically worked on enthusiastically, and we started them because we honestly liked them. Although there are songs that we stopped recording halfway through. I also really like Jongwan's creative talents, and, if there were a track that made me think, "I don't like this," Jongwan would already know that.
Jongwan isn't the style to be stubborn about the tracks he picks?
JW: "For this song, with this arrangement and this king of mixing, it'll turn out like this" -- there are some tracks with that clarity, then there are cases where I start vaguely with only the chords and melody. For the former, I'm the type to say, "It seems we should do it this way," but the members' tastes come out in the ambiguous tracks. "Everyone doesn't like it." In those cases, because it feels we're working without a clear image, we'll set it aside.
How did you feel about the new tracks?
JH: I like them so much.
JJW: Should I say, when I first heard them, it felt like it flowed? I just liked them.
The price of the DVD package is becoming a problem. There's a lot of talk that it's too expensive.
Manager: The company itself marketed it at around 45,000 W, but, as it circulated, margin costs kept sticking. It added more than we thought. We'd been thinking along the lines of the cost of a CD ...
It must be burdensome to Nell's fans that it's so expensive.
JW: The thing that frustrated me was that that was why we'd taken preorders on our homepage. We can't do anything about the margin costs, plus this was the first DVD we were showing the people who like our music. So we opened up preorders on our homepage, but there were people who misunderstood that. That honestly was the reason for the preorders, but people seem to see it differently. "The preorder is limited; it'll sell separately on the street ..." we posted, but it seems the message didn't go through.
"Part 2," as compared to "Walking Through Memories," doesn't wrap as easily around the ear. The melody is rather spread out.
JW: There is something like that. That it keeps flowing on. But, usually, when I'm writing a song, I don't usually compose after saying, "Here is this hook."
With enlistment coming up, you thought you might have been chased by time.
JK: If we're going to make something hastily, I think it's better not to do it at all. As a musician, that's something disgraceful. Keeping with time.
The new tracks are three. Isn't that so regrettable?
JW: I know, but we couldn't find the time. Recording takes three months, but, because Jaewon's going to the military, that sort of time wasn't possible.
Jaewon, how do you feel about going to the military?
JJW: After postponing constantly, I'm finally going. I regret that we couldn't perform much this time. But, because I have to go at some point, I feel peaceful.
So there are no year-end performances?
JJW: We can't.
I thought you'd hold a concert for the end of your promotion; it seems too sudden.
JW: Because you have to decide on a venue long before an end-of-the-year performance. Whatever happens, because we're at a certain age, we thought we'd go either by the end of this year or around next year. You don't know when your enlistment date will come, so, if we just said we'd have a performance and a member went to the military, it would be a cruel thing to do to the people who waited when we said we'd do it. Also, two years isn't a long time. Healing Process was an album that took two years to release. And it isn’t like we'll be doing music for the next one, two years, either. And we're thankful to everyone who's waiting for us.
There were talks you were advancing into Japan; what happened to that?
JW: We're still in the midst of talks, but, usually, I generally think that singers, if they go to Japan, don't simply go but that there are many cases where they go in the framework of "Hallyu." They go and perform a little, then perform a little in Korea, and, although I know that there's a fixed target in Japan, I didn't want to go like that. So, we're being more cautious about it, and several places have contacted us. While we've been talking, we've said many times, "We don't want to go like this. If we go, we'd like to do as we did in Korea and perform in clubs."
So you don't want to ride superficially on the Hallyu boom?
JW: Yes. We don't want to go as the "Korean band" Nell but as the "band" Nell. That's why we're moving forward slowly.
Isn't a promotion style like Gumx's good?
JW: That's good. Gumx does about three months, then leaves, but, if we were really to go, then I'd want to keep touring for one, two years. (When I asked if advancement to Japan can only be possibly after the military problem has been resolved, he answered, "That's true.")
Jaewon, who's about to leave for the military, when you look back as you're leaving now, how do you feel about spending all your twenties as a member of Nell?
JJW: I've become very proud of having spent my most vigorous years as Nell. I feel very good. I think I'm looking more forward to when I'll come back. Whether musically or personally. I think it'll just be a good experience.
Jongwan, what do you want to do once promotion has ended?
JW: I have to rest. 'Cause my body's not in good shape.
There were rumours you were releasing an album with Tablo?
JW: That's something we've been saying for the past few years. When I get to rest after activities end, there will be a lot of time not only for Nell but also personally. Then I think I'd find the mental composure to do it.
You won for best rock artist at MKMF; how did you feel when you stood up there?
JK: Of course we were happy, but we weren't overflowing with joy. What I grew up watching was like the Grammy's, and, when I watched foreign bands receiving their awards, to be honest, they were rather whatever.
You've closed the year with the popular success of "Walking Through Memories," but what kind of band do you think the band Nell is?
JK: A band that showed something while doing only what they liked doing. This year.
Like we did something we liked but made it?
JK: Yes.
JH: I feel the same, and I feel like we're the most honest band in our country. I think we're a band who always shows who we are 100% of the time. Even in the future, while making music like that, to be number one with the public ... is important. [laughs] But, instead of that, I want to show people more than that. To put it one way, I want us to be a band that goes abroad and really tours at least a year. And, if we only set our hearts to it, we could do a fun domestic tour in our country. If we just keep trying as we are now, won't it be possible in our thirties ...?
It's normally a reality that even international bands like the Strokes are short-lived, but Nell are continuing for a relatively long time.
JW: Honestly, I think that luck followed us a lot. To put it one way, we released Separation Anxiety, then "Walking Through Memories" as a single, and it's possible that something bad could happen. I think it's good that nothing like that happened.
If you think about it, it's been nine years for your band lifestyle.
JW: The truth is, since we were twenty until now, we released seven albums, performed constantly, worked on albums, recorded in a recording studio -- that's basically been nine years. The truth is we talked about that even before talks of the military came out. If we count only the songs on our albums, there are about sixty, seventy songs, and we recorded before then, too. It feels like we've passed nine, ten years doing only that. It seems like there wasn't time to talk calmly with each other away from it. If you look at it now like a staircase, I feel like we've come up just one level, just one step. So, though people always say, "You were a band for nine years; you did it a long time," I feel like everything's that's happened up to here has been preparation for the start. At any rate, while in preparation, we've come to understand each other and gained more know-how.
Jaekyoung, when the four of you gather again safely, what form what you like to be in?
JK: The one thing I want is, of course, that the members return upgraded. Musically and mentally as well. This is just something we talk about amongst ourselves, but there's a side to us that's still lacking something that fits mentally perfectly.
I'd like to go around and hear each person's goals.
JJW: I want to come back as someone who's matured musically one more step with a more experienced image.
JK: I hope that passion continues to rise. I'd like it if it rose until the end, and I just died at that moment. Although it feels like music listeners ha e forgotten a lot of passion for music, there's so much even a music listener can feel. I'd like to live, learning how to appreciate what I've learned in the past. I've thought like this before. We don't know from the beginning that breathing is important. But we learn after going to the oxygen bar once. [01] Because we can hear music with one click, I think we don't know how precious it is.
JW: I think what Jaewon said is the perfect response for Nell. I wish that people who do music can enjoy it to the point of forgetting that "this is hard." Nell also had many hard times, too. Although you couldn't tell on the surface. Because we're all people who do music in reality. I think we were able to forget all of that because we love music. But constantly watching foreign bands that do better than we do, we foster our dream, and we were able to believe that we could do it. I'd like it if we could be a little of that help. Saying, "They can do it, too ..." I think, instead of thinking, "Why do I do music?", it's necessary not to be lazy and even seek out difficult situations.
JH: Whether its two years or ten, I need to study music hard, quietly, happily. Of course, even if I study two years, I'll never be 100% perfect, but I want to be someone who becomes more perfect, and I want to show how I've grown in my attitude toward music. It can be hard or it might not, but, if it's hard, I hope there's nothing I dislike.
[01] I think he means "oxygen bar." I'm not exactly sure what the Korean word "화생방" is.
JW: That's something we've been saying for the past few years. When I get to rest after activities end, there will be a lot of time not only for Nell but also personally. Then I think I'd find the mental composure to do it.
Please DO NOT repost this anywhere.
Link back to this page instead. (:
Thank you!
Comments are very appreciated.
Enjoy!
2008.12.15 IZM Interview
Early December, the time alive with the festival atmosphere of year-end award shows, Nell, a rock band amongst others who have gathered much success over the past year with "Walking Through Memories," have abruptly announced the suspension of their promotional activities. The group closed their schedule with the Golden Disc Awards that took place on December 12, and, with drummer Jung Jaewon's December 11th enlistment, they've temporarily suspended their activities together.
The day of the interview was December 8. It was three days before Jung Jaewon's enlistment. Although it isn't directly before their noses, the other members will soon have to leave for the military, and so suspension of activities seems unavoidable. It seems they've already known and have been preparing for this. Even Jung Jaewon, who enlists in three days, when asked how he felt, replied, "I feel peaceful," with a laugh.
It seems they've been aware that this long-term suspension was an established fact, so, even though it hasn't been long since the studio album Separation Anxiety was released, a new album has come out. It is The Trace, and it's a box set with a mini-album with four newly published tracks and a DVD, photo album. First, I asked about the details and working process behind the release of this new record.
The new album THE TRACE is out. Share something about the circumstances that led to the making of it.
JW: Because we might not be able to release any music for now. It's an album that's like a sort of service we're giving the people who like our music.
It's not a formal studio album, but are the songs previously unpublished or newly made?
JW: "Part 2" is a song that already had a melody. It was arranged at this time, though.
But it feels a little like a winter song.
JW: We found that surprising, too. Because our manager said it gave off a very wintry feel. From some angles, it could also be that it's because it's become winter. The truth is that there isn't much summer in Nell's songs. [laughs]
What about "Part 1?"
JW: It's a song whose musical track we'd already recorded while working on last time's Separation Anxiety. We just recorded the song this time and wrote the lyrics, too.
"Part 1," "Part 2," "Act 5" -- the titles are quite unique.
JW: "Part 1," "Part 2" have lyrics that connect. But, for example, first we attached titles, "Stay (Part 1)," "Stay (Part 2)," but, because it was weird, instead, it seemed better just to say "Part 1," "Part 2." As I was writing "Act 5," it felt like a scenario. So, because, if there were a film or story like it, content-wise, I thought that it might be around the middle or end ... but, even so, it didn't seem like the last scene. Because the other titles are "Part," I thought this could be "Act 5," so I named it that.
By scenario, what sort of content did you capture?
JW: For the most part, the lyrics I wrote thus far prioritize feelings or experiences, but this song had a question mark. If you like someone so much, it's possible to go in the wrong direction. There are many films like that, and, in reality, there are stalkers and murderers like that. I was curious about these people's thoughts. If they were in a position where they had no idea they were doing something wrong, if they did so only because they grew up in that sort of environment, then would it really be a sin? They did it because they really liked that person and wanted to keep her by their side ... Of course, I'm not speaking for them. I wrote it because I was curious.
When you released Separation Anxiety, you said that it'd be good if the programming and harmony of unrequited love were done more spectacularly and that you'd try to do so in the future. Do you still feel that way now?
JW: I still have those thoughts. To be more natural. I think it'd be nice if music were heard as music. Of course, from a producer's viewpoint, there are thoughts like "this song is amazing because of this," but, from a listener's standpoint, music that sounds like good music is good. That kind of music, for the most part, has no bias toward the programming or the acoustics used; it merely sounds like music naturally. "This is mixed with this and this ..." without raising these sorts of thoughts ...
There's something I'd like to ask Junghoon. The bass is the point closest to the song but is, simultaneously, the person farthest away, so, from that point, if you were to assess Jongwan, who composes almost all of Nell's songs, and his songs?
JH: How very burdensome. [laughs] First off, the songs released are all songs we basically worked on enthusiastically, and we started them because we honestly liked them. Although there are songs that we stopped recording halfway through. I also really like Jongwan's creative talents, and, if there were a track that made me think, "I don't like this," Jongwan would already know that.
Jongwan isn't the style to be stubborn about the tracks he picks?
JW: "For this song, with this arrangement and this king of mixing, it'll turn out like this" -- there are some tracks with that clarity, then there are cases where I start vaguely with only the chords and melody. For the former, I'm the type to say, "It seems we should do it this way," but the members' tastes come out in the ambiguous tracks. "Everyone doesn't like it." In those cases, because it feels we're working without a clear image, we'll set it aside.
How did you feel about the new tracks?
JH: I like them so much.
JJW: Should I say, when I first heard them, it felt like it flowed? I just liked them.
The price of the DVD package is becoming a problem. There's a lot of talk that it's too expensive.
Manager: The company itself marketed it at around 45,000 W, but, as it circulated, margin costs kept sticking. It added more than we thought. We'd been thinking along the lines of the cost of a CD ...
It must be burdensome to Nell's fans that it's so expensive.
JW: The thing that frustrated me was that that was why we'd taken preorders on our homepage. We can't do anything about the margin costs, plus this was the first DVD we were showing the people who like our music. So we opened up preorders on our homepage, but there were people who misunderstood that. That honestly was the reason for the preorders, but people seem to see it differently. "The preorder is limited; it'll sell separately on the street ..." we posted, but it seems the message didn't go through.
"Part 2," as compared to "Walking Through Memories," doesn't wrap as easily around the ear. The melody is rather spread out.
JW: There is something like that. That it keeps flowing on. But, usually, when I'm writing a song, I don't usually compose after saying, "Here is this hook."
With enlistment coming up, you thought you might have been chased by time.
JK: If we're going to make something hastily, I think it's better not to do it at all. As a musician, that's something disgraceful. Keeping with time.
The new tracks are three. Isn't that so regrettable?
JW: I know, but we couldn't find the time. Recording takes three months, but, because Jaewon's going to the military, that sort of time wasn't possible.
Jaewon, how do you feel about going to the military?
JJW: After postponing constantly, I'm finally going. I regret that we couldn't perform much this time. But, because I have to go at some point, I feel peaceful.
So there are no year-end performances?
JJW: We can't.
I thought you'd hold a concert for the end of your promotion; it seems too sudden.
JW: Because you have to decide on a venue long before an end-of-the-year performance. Whatever happens, because we're at a certain age, we thought we'd go either by the end of this year or around next year. You don't know when your enlistment date will come, so, if we just said we'd have a performance and a member went to the military, it would be a cruel thing to do to the people who waited when we said we'd do it. Also, two years isn't a long time. Healing Process was an album that took two years to release. And it isn’t like we'll be doing music for the next one, two years, either. And we're thankful to everyone who's waiting for us.
There were talks you were advancing into Japan; what happened to that?
JW: We're still in the midst of talks, but, usually, I generally think that singers, if they go to Japan, don't simply go but that there are many cases where they go in the framework of "Hallyu." They go and perform a little, then perform a little in Korea, and, although I know that there's a fixed target in Japan, I didn't want to go like that. So, we're being more cautious about it, and several places have contacted us. While we've been talking, we've said many times, "We don't want to go like this. If we go, we'd like to do as we did in Korea and perform in clubs."
So you don't want to ride superficially on the Hallyu boom?
JW: Yes. We don't want to go as the "Korean band" Nell but as the "band" Nell. That's why we're moving forward slowly.
Isn't a promotion style like Gumx's good?
JW: That's good. Gumx does about three months, then leaves, but, if we were really to go, then I'd want to keep touring for one, two years. (When I asked if advancement to Japan can only be possibly after the military problem has been resolved, he answered, "That's true.")
Jaewon, who's about to leave for the military, when you look back as you're leaving now, how do you feel about spending all your twenties as a member of Nell?
JJW: I've become very proud of having spent my most vigorous years as Nell. I feel very good. I think I'm looking more forward to when I'll come back. Whether musically or personally. I think it'll just be a good experience.
Jongwan, what do you want to do once promotion has ended?
JW: I have to rest. 'Cause my body's not in good shape.
There were rumours you were releasing an album with Tablo?
JW: That's something we've been saying for the past few years. When I get to rest after activities end, there will be a lot of time not only for Nell but also personally. Then I think I'd find the mental composure to do it.
You won for best rock artist at MKMF; how did you feel when you stood up there?
JK: Of course we were happy, but we weren't overflowing with joy. What I grew up watching was like the Grammy's, and, when I watched foreign bands receiving their awards, to be honest, they were rather whatever.
You've closed the year with the popular success of "Walking Through Memories," but what kind of band do you think the band Nell is?
JK: A band that showed something while doing only what they liked doing. This year.
Like we did something we liked but made it?
JK: Yes.
JH: I feel the same, and I feel like we're the most honest band in our country. I think we're a band who always shows who we are 100% of the time. Even in the future, while making music like that, to be number one with the public ... is important. [laughs] But, instead of that, I want to show people more than that. To put it one way, I want us to be a band that goes abroad and really tours at least a year. And, if we only set our hearts to it, we could do a fun domestic tour in our country. If we just keep trying as we are now, won't it be possible in our thirties ...?
It's normally a reality that even international bands like the Strokes are short-lived, but Nell are continuing for a relatively long time.
JW: Honestly, I think that luck followed us a lot. To put it one way, we released Separation Anxiety, then "Walking Through Memories" as a single, and it's possible that something bad could happen. I think it's good that nothing like that happened.
If you think about it, it's been nine years for your band lifestyle.
JW: The truth is, since we were twenty until now, we released seven albums, performed constantly, worked on albums, recorded in a recording studio -- that's basically been nine years. The truth is we talked about that even before talks of the military came out. If we count only the songs on our albums, there are about sixty, seventy songs, and we recorded before then, too. It feels like we've passed nine, ten years doing only that. It seems like there wasn't time to talk calmly with each other away from it. If you look at it now like a staircase, I feel like we've come up just one level, just one step. So, though people always say, "You were a band for nine years; you did it a long time," I feel like everything's that's happened up to here has been preparation for the start. At any rate, while in preparation, we've come to understand each other and gained more know-how.
Jaekyoung, when the four of you gather again safely, what form what you like to be in?
JK: The one thing I want is, of course, that the members return upgraded. Musically and mentally as well. This is just something we talk about amongst ourselves, but there's a side to us that's still lacking something that fits mentally perfectly.
I'd like to go around and hear each person's goals.
JJW: I want to come back as someone who's matured musically one more step with a more experienced image.
JK: I hope that passion continues to rise. I'd like it if it rose until the end, and I just died at that moment. Although it feels like music listeners ha e forgotten a lot of passion for music, there's so much even a music listener can feel. I'd like to live, learning how to appreciate what I've learned in the past. I've thought like this before. We don't know from the beginning that breathing is important. But we learn after going to the oxygen bar once. [01] Because we can hear music with one click, I think we don't know how precious it is.
JW: I think what Jaewon said is the perfect response for Nell. I wish that people who do music can enjoy it to the point of forgetting that "this is hard." Nell also had many hard times, too. Although you couldn't tell on the surface. Because we're all people who do music in reality. I think we were able to forget all of that because we love music. But constantly watching foreign bands that do better than we do, we foster our dream, and we were able to believe that we could do it. I'd like it if we could be a little of that help. Saying, "They can do it, too ..." I think, instead of thinking, "Why do I do music?", it's necessary not to be lazy and even seek out difficult situations.
JH: Whether its two years or ten, I need to study music hard, quietly, happily. Of course, even if I study two years, I'll never be 100% perfect, but I want to be someone who becomes more perfect, and I want to show how I've grown in my attitude toward music. It can be hard or it might not, but, if it's hard, I hope there's nothing I dislike.
[01] I think he means "oxygen bar." I'm not exactly sure what the Korean word "화생방" is.