OG by OLIVER GOLDSMITH" releases new eyewear that takes the traditions cultivated in the U.K. and gives them a modern interpretation. While maintaining the functionality of eyewear, the appeal of OG by Oliver Goldsmith is its fashionable creations unique to the United Kingdom. We asked Kenta Hamano, a.k.a. Hamaken, the frontman of the band "Zainichi Funk" and also an actor, to wear items from this brand. What role do glasses play for Mr. Hamano, who has been an expressive person since he was a high school student? And how does expressing oneself and wearing glasses affect him?
After playing an active role as a member of the instrumental band "SAKEROCK," he began his acting career in 2005 with the film "Honey and Clover," and in 2007 he formed the band "Zainichi Funk," of which he is the front man. Currently, he is expanding his activities in a wide range of fields, while dividing his time between music and acting.
. I didn't start the band because I wanted to play music.
When was the first time you played in a band, Mr. Hamano?
Yokohama. when I was in high school. . those are the roots of my expression. . but I didn't form a band because I wanted to play music.
Is that so?
YokohamaI just wanted to be popular by being in a band (laughs). (laughs). The high school I went to had a very liberal school culture, and we often held live concerts.
What kind of band were you in?
YokohamaI happened to be asked by a friend to join the band because they didn't have a vocalist. At the time, punk, mixed-media, and ska were all the rage, but our band played a copy of Eric Clapton's "Change the World" at our live shows, which was surprisingly well received. Surprisingly, it was well received, and we were like, "You guys are funny! (laughs). (laughs). I remember that was a great feeling.
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It was surprising that the desire to stand out was more prevalent.
YokohamaAt the time, it was a means to an end, the band (laughs). (Laughs.) I didn't start the band because I wanted to be popular.
. but I think we all felt that way when we were in high school.
YokohamaI don't know . I think it's a desire to expand myself. I think it may also be a desire to entrust myself to someone else. I don't have the ability to self-produce, or rather, I tend to expose myself honestly and leave it up to others to evaluate me.
Is it a "hit and burn" kind of thing?
YokohamaYes, it is.
Do you still feel that way?
YokohamaI don't have a definitive image of what Hamaken is like. I don't have a definitive image of what I want to be. That is why I am going to be more careful from now on. I think if I do that, I will be able to sell more (laughs).
I think there is an impression that you are like a popular person with everyone, playing in a band and putting a lot of effort into your acting career. I think many people think that is what makes Mr. Hamano so attractive.
YokohamaI would be happy if you could love that.
Do you still want to be popular and stand out, as you did in high school?
Yokohama. I think I need to do something about that feeling. I also feel that there is nothing I can do about the fact that my uncle still just wants to show off... (laughs). (laughs) But I feel that my sensitivity has become richer because I have continued to be that way. I cry easily when I am moved. That is my saving grace.
It's not like you can lie more, You can play out your part.
When you are on stage with "Zainichi Funk," it is impressive to see you performing with all your might. Yet, in a sense, it seems as if you are playing something, but do you have a sense that you are fulfilling some kind of role?
Yokohama. that may be anywhere, not just during "zainichi funk". . in fact, I wrote a paper like that when I was a college student. According to one sociologist, everyone plays some kind of role.
YokohamaRecently, however, I have been thinking, "I'm not quite ready to be the front man of 'Zainichi Funk' yet. . I could lie more, or I could play my role more fully.
So you are still in a transitional period?
YokohamaYes . Ten years after we formed, that was one of the new discoveries. There was a time when I thought that nothing would come out even if we dug. There was a time when I thought nothing would ever come out even if we dug, but this new work gave me the feeling that we can still do it.
Did returning from a major label to your old home, Kakubarizumu, allow you to settle down and work on the project?
YokohamaYes, we do. . It is not so much our own strength, but the support of the staff around us. Both the manager and the representative, Mr. Kakubari, know us well, and they sometimes support us, and when we are lazy, they scold us. In this way, I was able to understand various aspects of the band. We were surprised to find aspects of ourselves that we didn't know, and we were able to immerse ourselves in the production process as if we were on a treasure hunt.
The members look wet and goofy.
You made your debut as an actor in 2005 and have been doing music and acting ever since, do the two influence each other?
YokohamaThere are . . maybe we often interpret acting in the language of music. The director is the bandleader, and the main actor is the melody . Just as music and bands have their own parts and members, I feel as if I am creating a play together rather than on my own. This way, it goes more smoothly.
Conversely, is there anything that acting gives to music?
YokohamaI am sure there is. . Even if it is not directly, I think it has some kind of vague influence. When I get into a role, I sometimes get quite passionate about it. That's what I find strange.
What exactly does that mean?
YokohamaEven when creating a single piece of work, I shoot a scene in a snapshot, regardless of the time line, or the lines to be spoken are fixed, but I really feel like I am in sync with the role I play. When a grown man tries his best to tell a lie, and it becomes real, it is a very moving experience.
I see
YokohamaI thought that I could feel the emotion and energy of acting in this way, and I thought that I could feel it more through music. I thought that I could still increase my sensitivity.
By acting out the role as an actor, you were able to get a bird's eye view of the band.
YokohamaI realized that since I could feel so good as an actor, I could feel even better as a musician. I think it is important for today's "zainichi funk" to have the feeling of "making oneself behave by oneself. I sent an e-mail to the band members saying something like that. I even sent an e-mail to the members saying something like that. I had been thinking only of active things, but I thought it was necessary to feel passive things and be comfortable with them. . Otherwise, we will be sex machines forever. Otherwise, the eternal rotation of the sex machine won't continue! . (laughs).
He said that if you don't enjoy yourself, you can't entertain others.
YokohamaAre you guys feeling it? Are you wet? . like that (laughs). So recently I've seen band members playing with wet faces, and that's what makes me giggle.
Eyewear that makes you realize a side of yourself you didn't know existed.
Mr. Hamano, do you have a switch in your mind that switches between being an actor and being in a band?
YokohamaNo, I don't think so. The environment and the field will take care of it. . If I go there, I have a role to play. For example, when you go to a class reunion, you feel as if you are back in your old class, rather than as an old man or woman. . That's how I naturally switch back and forth.
One of your icons is a pair of glasses, but you don't wear them when you are in "Zainichi Funk", do you? Is there a conscious difference between when you wear them and when you don't?
YokohamaI move around a lot during "Zainichi Funk," so I don't wear lenses because I don't think it would look cool if they fog up or slip out of place (laughs). I don't think there is any conscious difference between the two, since I wear them more often than not. . However, I may feel protected by wearing glasses.
Like wearing a mask?
YokohamaYes, yes, that's how I feel . I am getting older and my wrinkles are increasing (laughs), and wearing glasses gives me a sense of crispness.
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Do you have a preference for eyeglasses?
Yokohama. In fact, I've gone through many changes. Just like wearing out a pair of shoes until they are worn out, once I get hooked on something, I wear it all the time.
At what point does that change?
YokohamaThat's when I can afford it. I think, "Can I have at least one more? I can afford to have another one. That's when I find a new one.
I think that glasses change the expression of your face. Do you feel that the items you wear change you as well?
Yokohama. I totally do. For example, I think the Aussie by Oliver Goldsmith glasses I wore today gave me a bit of a badass look (laughs). (Laughs.) Square frames like these have a unique atmosphere, don't they? They have a sense of intellectualism, but at the same time, they can be interpreted in different ways depending on who wears them.
. that also respects the individuality of the caller.
YokohamaI think that is also true. Especially, there is a clear difference between this item and ordinary square glasses. The rounded corners, for example, I think are unexpectedly rare in this kind of shape. I like that. It adds a nice spice to today's crisp look.
You actually tried on several items from Aussie by Oliver Goldsmith, what was your impression of the brand?
Yokohama. there's a delicate beauty to it. I wore mainly metal-framed items, and the color of the metal frames, with a hint of white gold, made me feel sexy and elegant. I felt like a grown-up (laughs), and I was happy to feel like a good old man. Eyewear shows a different side of a person's face, doesn't it?
What role does eyewear play for you?
YokohamaI want you to change yourself infinitely. I want you to change yourself infinitely. I want people to realize that they can change themselves infinitely. That's why I felt great potential today.
. that it is a tool to find a new you.
Yokohama. Yes, that's right. I would also like to see them accentuate their own attractiveness when they take off their glasses. Like, "I'm amazing even when I take them off" (laughs). (Laughs.) The best glasses are the ones that give that impression. Aussie by Oliver Goldsmith" has that kind of feeling, doesn't it?
Finally, do you have any goals for your own activities in the future?
YokohamaRather than trying something new, I am currently doing well as an actor and as a band, although I have some challenges, and I hope to continue to grow without losing momentum. I hope to continue to grow and develop without losing momentum.
