All about POET MEETS DUBWISE, the brand that brings SILENT POETS forward.

worn-out rice landThe release of the 7" vinyl version of "Tokyo": JAZZY SPORT was going to distribute the 7" vinyl, and they suggested that I make a T-shirt for it. I designed the T-shirts as a kind of promotional activity to coincide with the release of the record. Thankfully, the T-shirts sold out quickly, and we started to get more exposure as we put together our first album in 12 years, our first live performance with a full band, and a movie ("Silent Poets Special Dub Band Live Show the Movie") that documented the live performance. I felt like I wanted to try my hand at a full-fledged brand.

worn-out rice landPOET is me, DUBWISE is dub, the core of the music, and MEETS represents the nuance that SILENT POETS was started and that I met dub.

worn-out rice landIn my experience of designing, I tend to be subtle when I add the word "dub" (laugh), but it worked out well. Actually, I am conscious of dub in this way as well.

worn-out rice landI have had people simply ask for them, and I have sold out of them. When people ask for something, I want to make it. Another reason was that I wanted my friends to wear them, so I wanted to make them for them. I hope it will spread.

worn-out rice landI wasn't really conscious of what I wanted to wear because it was what I would call orthodox, so I wasn't really aware that it was for sale.

worn-out rice landMy music has made contacts with people around Little Nap, which has led to live performances with a full band. Having good friends is one of the directions that POET MEETS DUBWISE is heading.

worn-out rice landSince this is the first album, I chose something that people who listened to my music would recognize and directly relate to. The work of Shoji Uchida, who took the album jacket photo, is also easy to recognize.

worn-out rice landIt is true that I have been involved as a graphic designer, but I have basically never made clothes myself. Therefore, for "POET MEETS DUBWISE," I used ready-made bodies because I am not able to emphasize details such as materials and shapes. When I thought about what I could do, I wanted to make everyday clothes that could be worn casually. I don't think there are any rules that say, "This is a brand, so you have to do it this way.

worn-out rice landThat's right. I feel that I am outputting my taste in fonts as a graphic designer in a straightforward manner. What I do is very orthodox, and in a sense, I think anyone can do it. I don't do anything complicated, but perhaps that is the opposite of what makes it so difficult. Even though I land in an exquisite place, people may think that I am just putting letters and photos (laughs).

worn-out rice landI think it doesn't necessarily have to be the same as the spring/summer/fall/winter cycle of a fashion brand. We have an idea or concept, and we would like to be able to continue small collections on an irregular basis. Buyers might be troubled, but it might be okay to make an abrupt announcement. We could use old clothes for the body, and it would be interesting to present it in such a way that it is perceived as a remix or tune-up.

worn-out rice landThat's all I have. I think I can take a really free stance, so if I want to do something different, that's fine. I would like to do various things, including that. I would like to try various things, including that. That doesn't mean that I will start drawing patterns for clothes. Rather, I would like to see how my music and design can be applied to clothing. My old design unit, MINTOS, did stencil work, so I'd like to offer that kind of work in the future.

worn-out rice landThat's right. I'm grateful for this, too, because I've been able to do several film screenings and pop-ups around the country.

worn-out rice landThere are many films I have yet to see, but I watch 100 films a year. I am more influenced by movies than by music. Movies have a big influence on my songwriting. I am influenced by the music of that scene in that movie, and if it were me, I would make music like that for that scene. Movies are indispensable to me to the extent that I feel that way.

worn-out rice landMaybe "Where the Soul Goes" by Paul Schrader, the master director who also wrote the screenplay for "Taxi Driver". I like films that are poignant or funny, but I also like films that are heavy but have a bit of hope. As a musician, I also want to create something that people feel that way about.

worn-out rice landThe tone could be felt anywhere. Whether it is a live concert with a full band, the production and screening of a film, or the creation of branded clothing, everyone involved is working together as one. In the past, I used to think that as long as I made music and had good taste, nothing else mattered. But that is not the case. In the end, my works cannot be delivered without the involvement of various people. Even after all this time, I still think this is very important.

worn-out rice landIt's the kind of thing I hate the most (laugh). I think it is very important now that I can participate in pop-up stores and meet people. In the past, I didn't really like to get involved with people, and I used to reject it. But as I've gotten older, I've lost some of my edge, and I've become more interested in getting involved with people. I am daring to do things that I have never done before, things that I am not good at.

worn-out rice landThat's right. I think the worldview of SILENT POETS has changed after all. I used to take the cocky stance that people should listen to the music I created on their own, but I have finally come to realize that communication is important. When I met and talked with customers who came to see the film, I was amazed at how passionate they were.

worn-out rice landI thought it was right to keep it simple and stripped down and put SILENT POETS related graphics on the clothes. If what I do is communicated directly to the people who wear the clothes, it will come back to me as feedback and profit. When you get more exposure like this, you have more points of contact to reach the music, and that is also very significant.

worn-out rice landThat is for sure. The people who trust my music are the ignition point for POET MEETS DUBWISE, and I never want to betray them. That is why I want to do everything on my own. I hope that both parties will have a good relationship with this brand, which is run by people who make good music.

worn-out rice landI would like to release an album in the first half of next year. We have already started writing songs, and we would like to finish them by the end of this year. I think it will be an interesting approach in the sense that we can incorporate the album title and song titles into the clothing as well.

worn-out rice landI guess I didn't want to put myself out there, but now that I'm in my 50s, I guess I'm lonely (smiles). Still, I want to make this a project that can continue for a long time in order to move SILENT POETS forward.