Photo:
Jay Jao |
Whether it's on a quiet theatre stage, in a
deafening club in San Francisco, or at a busy Financial District
plaza during the lunch rush, you can find Goh Nakamura
among tangled cable wires, telling a story of personal triumph,
unforgettable memories, and deep heartache. But behind all the
cable wires hooked up to various percussion machines and effects
pedals, the real magic of Goh's music comes simply from the raw
beauty of the singer's voice and his trusty acoustic guitar. In
this interview, Goh shares his thoughts on being a singer/songwriter
in today's music scene, the conversational quality of life performance,
and the personal side revealed in his latest cd, "Daylight
Savings."
When did you start getting interested in
music? Was it at an early age?
Yes, it was quite early, although I wasn't
classically trained on any particular instrument. My mother was
classically trained on piano though. Some of my earliest memories
are of her playing Chopin waltzes into the night after she put
me to bed. I can remember hearing all of those beautiful melodies
and harmonies seeping through the walls as I was drifting off
to sleep. Another important thing was that she was really into
Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell, so she played the acoustic guitar
in that folk style quite well too. She gave me my first lessons.
She introduced me to the Beatles and Motown. Damn, I should just
make this an essay on my mom. She rules!
What was the first piece of music, album
or song that made you want to start making your own music?
I guess that I would have to trace it back
to the Beatles record that I played nonstop on the family turntable
when I was 6 or 7. I remember listening to songs like "Strawberry
Fields" over and over, it was more like an audio cartoon
to me than a pop song. Later, in my teens and early twenties I
got caught up in trying to be a virtuoso electric guitarist ala
Eddie Van Halen, so I pretty much forgot about songs and lyrics.
It wasn't until I heard Elliott Smith that the songwriting bug
bit me seriously.
It says in your bio that you started out
in Boston, what made you make the trip from Boston to the San
Francisco Bay Area? How would you compare the local music scenes
in those two areas?
Due to my dad's job, I moved back and forth
between California and Massachussetts 3 times. I spent the majority
of high school in California, but moved to Boston to go to music
school for college where I played in a funk band. I don't really
know enough about what's happening in Boston musically right now,
but when I was there last the "grunge" sound was in.
I felt pretty lost.
Let's talk about the album "Daylight
Savings", what was it that drove you to make this album?
I think that some of it came from a dark place
and I needed some hope. I was at a point where I felt that I hadn't
really accomplished anything meaningful in my life yet. The other
place it came from was a more loving feeling of paying tribute
to my musical heroes and not being afraid of wearing my influences
on my sleeve.
You've said that the songs in "Daylight
Savings" are "from the deepest reaches of my heart."
How difficult or easy is it for you to share such personal feelings
and reflections through your music?
I kept a blog for about 2 years before I was
writing these songs. It's a lot of silly stuff, but there's a
lot of painful and personal things there too. It was strange because
I think only a handful of my friends knew about it, but every
now and then I'd get random readers. I think that blog kind of
prepared to being able to dive deep into the dark and come back
to share my experience. I think it heals a part of me to be able
to share and relate some of these things. The sharing part of
it is easy. Getting the right combination of words to tell the
story and keep it exciting is what's difficult.
When you perform live, there is almost a
quiet conversational atmosphere between you and the audience.
What are your thoughts of performing live? What do you like or
dislike about it? How intimidating is it for you to perform by
yourself on stage?
It can be real hit or miss as far as making
it through the song, let alone creating and maintaining a connection
with the audience. There are certain parameters and conditions
of the performance venue that need to be met in order for my songs
to get across. I feel if I create a kind of conversational atmosphere
between me and the listeners, it kind of clears the air and makes
it easier for the music to flow naturally. The majority of the
shows I've played were situations where I felt like I was
strangling the song- trying to belt it above the noise of an indifferent
audience in a noisy sports bar. Those situations are rough, but
I figure at least one person is listening. I try to play for that
one person. In the past, I had always been a sideman in various
bands. It was comforting to be able to melt into the ensemble
but at the same time could be frustrating if I didn't like the
music. I feel very free playing solo, I
can improvise and get as silly as I like to. I absolutely love
playing with other people though, currently I am playing with
a band called The Invisible Cities. It's an extra treat for me
because I am a huge fan of them as musicians and people!
I'd like to learn more about your songwriting
process. How do you begin? Where do the influences for your songs
usually come from?
I'm still trying to figure it out. I do it
the same way that I would sketch a picture I guess- start with
basic shapes, then fill in the details. Sometimes I think I know
exactly what I want to draw, but it ends up looking like something
else. I can remember when I was a kid, I'd lie awake at night
and create words to other songs. Ridiculous songs like the "Count
Chocula" cereal commercial theme... I don't know if anyone
remembers that melody. Anyway, I'd take that rhyme scheme and
make up songs about my friends and enemies and keep them ready
just in case I needed to sing them.
How much of an impact does the solo guitar
element (as opposed to the accompaniement of a full band) have
on the style of your music and the way you write your songs? In
other words, do you write your music specifically with the solo
guitar in mind?
It leaves a lot of space for my voice and the
words. I am hugely influenced by the first few Elliott Smith and
Nick Drake albums that are predominantly guitar and voice. I know
alot of people are. Also, I write the songs that way because I
am limited to 6 to 8 tracks on my recording machine.
What part of the music process do you like
the best and why? Songwriting,
recording/producing the album, or performing live?
They all feed off of each other, and they all
suffer if I neglect one of them. Kinda like kids if I had them.
I love them all equally.
Could share what current or future projects
that you have planned or are in the works?
Playing and recording with The Invisible Cities,
possibly a project with my sister who is currently playing in
Scrabbel, and some new songs for another album. I am also working
on a movie score due out sometime next year.
If you were in a music store and some stranger
asked you what CD should he/she buy, what CD would you suggest?
I don't talk to strangers! I'd point him/her
to a Hootie album and run. Actually, I'd suggest the first The
Finn Brothers records, anything by Ron Sexsmith, and Either/Or
By Elliott Smith.
If you had a choice, what would rather be
doing right now at this moment?
Eating curry.
