Sisterhood of Convoluted Thinkers
Interview
This interview by Naoto Uryu appeared in "Wake Me Up" fanzine in Japan
Jeannine Sishood:I had a student in Japan who was also named Naoto. He was one of my favorite students. He was 3 years old. My nickname for him was "Pigpen" because he was always dirty. He was like the character Pigpen in Charlie Brown comics. He was also really fun and smart.
Naoto: First of all, I know that you had been in Tsuyama Japan for one and half a years. (I have been there twice to play soccer at a meet in Tsuyama. Why did you choose there to live there?
Rob Sishood: Really, we didn't choose Tsuyama. I was on the JET Program (monbusho). We asked to be in a medium-sized city. The JET Program chose Tsuyama. We really liked Tsuyama because the people we met there were very very nice and friendly.
Naoto: Your new album "Ume Sour" is filled with your memories of your life in Japan I think. Then what is the most important memory in Japan?
Jeannine Sishood: Maybe this isn't the most important, but one day in the summer my friend, Hiroshi came over. He said he had a present. He opened up his tennis bag and brought out a giant beetle (kuwagata mushi). He had found it under a light and he gave it to me. He was my favorite, special pet. We don't have beetles like this in America. I learned how to take care of him. I thought he was the greatest thing. Only Rob didn't like him being in the house because it reminded Rob of a cockroach (gokiburi).
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This is what my beetle looked like! |
Naoto: "Ume Sour" includes a lot of nihongo (Japanese). I think nihongo had influence on "Ume Sour" more pop than your last album "The Sisterhood ..." What do you think about it? And if you think so (more pop), why?
Rob Sishood: This album has more Jeannine, so it's more cute and more pop.
Jeannine Sishood: I think being in Japan gave the music more pop flavor because everywhere we went in Tsuyama (for example yubinkyoku, shoutengai), pop music was playing.
Naoto: I think your singing in nihongo (Japanese) has a more gentle sound than actual Japanese people singing. What do you think about language of nihongo.
Rob Sishood: I hope Japanese people can understand what we're singing! We like making songs in Japanese, but it's not always easy. We make many mistakes in grammar and pronunciation. We'll keep trying.
Naoto: When you lived in Japan, did you have any shows as the sisterhood? If you have any shows, please tell me your memories about that.
Rob Sishood: We played one show in Tsuyama with our friends and it was really small. The second show was in Hiroshima with our friends from America, True Love Always, and our English friend, Steward. It was a really fun show, and the audience was great. The Japanese audience was way more excited than the American audiences usually are. They were singing and dancing. We will always remember them!
Naoto: What band do you like or sympathize of music in the world? And why?
Rob & Jeannine Sishood: We really like Steward (555 Recordings), Mark Robinson (Teen Beat), The Halo Benders (K Records), HollAnd (Pulcec) We really like all of these bands because they love what they do. Their personality comes through in the music.
Naoto: Do you have another job except for musician?
Rob & Jeannine Sishood: Jeannine works for Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in New York. She does research for the Japanese government. Rob records other people's music in a studio (recording engineer), and sometimes works for public radio.
Naoto: Do you have a plan to visit Japan again? If you are yes, please tell me about your visiting plan (when, where, what to do you want, etc).
Rob & Jeannine Sishood: We want to return in 2002 to see our friends and to see the World Cup Soccer. Jeannine's favorite Japanese celebrity is Nakata. We would like to come and play more shows in Japan.
Naoto: Please give your message for your fans in Japan.
Jeannine Sishood: Dear Japanese fans, thank you for listening to us! Please write to Jeannine. She likes e-mail. You can write to her in Japanese, but she'll have to write back to you in English, or draw a picture. Her address is jeanninex@hotmail.com
Naoto: Final question. What kind of cocktail do you like? (I think it is Ume sour!)
Jeannine Sishood: Really, Rob's favorite drink is Grapefruit Chuuhai. Jeannine's favorite is Ume Sour. In America we like to drink "white russians" and "Absolut mandarin & tonic"