Keigo Oyamada, aka internationally renowned Japanese musician/producer Cornelius, loves the movie Planet of the Apes. So much so that when the former member of Japanese pop duo Flipper’s Guitar went solo back in the early nineties, he chose that pseudonym in tribute to the character in his favorite movie. Not only that, but after he and his wife, fellow musician/collaborator Takako Minekawa (who he married in 2000), had a son, they named him Milo because that’s the name of Cornelius’ son in Planet of the Apes.
Had Planet of the Apes never been made, however, Oyamada might instead have chosen Derek as his on-stage moniker. That’s the name of the main character in one of his next favorite movies, Bad Taste, the so-bad-it’s-good 1987 horror movie directed by and starring Peter “Lord of the Rings” Jackson. Oyamada shared this with me when we spoke recently—with the help of his Japanese manager/translator Ricky D—which provided an insight into Oyamada’s love of film and visuals; something that is evident in his music videos and also in his live shows.
Oyamada plays the fifth and final date of his brief U.S. “The Cornelius Group’s Sensuous Synchronized Show” this week. “It involves not just the performance but the images and lights,” he says. “Other visual effects are important in the live show since I sing in Japanese. So having the visual aspect expresses what I want to [say] more.”
Those who have attended previous Cornelius concerts will notice how he also remixes in visuals from past tours as well as images that are closely associated with his most recent album, Sensuous, which effortlessly melds pop sensibilities with electronic tones and samples of voices, nature and other sound sources. Although released in 2006, the album is still considered current, and he has also just released Gum—an EP based on the hypnotic track of the same name on Sensuous—which includes new contributions from Petra Haden, Prefuse 73 and Ryuichi Sakamoto.
With music sales at an all time low, file-sharing at an all time high and music companies disappearing, the former Matador recording artist maintains an almost Zen-like outlook on the current state of the music business. “I don’t think of it negatively ... There may be bad parts,” he says, “But I think it’s good in that way that the music is heard by many. Music is originally not some material [thing] but something to share and enjoy together. I think if someone really likes any of the tunes, they may come to a show.”
Jan. 26, Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St. (betw. 3rd & 4th Aves.), 212-353-1600; 8, $25.
Had Planet of the Apes never been made, however, Oyamada might instead have chosen Derek as his on-stage moniker. That’s the name of the main character in one of his next favorite movies, Bad Taste, the so-bad-it’s-good 1987 horror movie directed by and starring Peter “Lord of the Rings” Jackson. Oyamada shared this with me when we spoke recently—with the help of his Japanese manager/translator Ricky D—which provided an insight into Oyamada’s love of film and visuals; something that is evident in his music videos and also in his live shows.
Oyamada plays the fifth and final date of his brief U.S. “The Cornelius Group’s Sensuous Synchronized Show” this week. “It involves not just the performance but the images and lights,” he says. “Other visual effects are important in the live show since I sing in Japanese. So having the visual aspect expresses what I want to [say] more.”
Those who have attended previous Cornelius concerts will notice how he also remixes in visuals from past tours as well as images that are closely associated with his most recent album, Sensuous, which effortlessly melds pop sensibilities with electronic tones and samples of voices, nature and other sound sources. Although released in 2006, the album is still considered current, and he has also just released Gum—an EP based on the hypnotic track of the same name on Sensuous—which includes new contributions from Petra Haden, Prefuse 73 and Ryuichi Sakamoto.
With music sales at an all time low, file-sharing at an all time high and music companies disappearing, the former Matador recording artist maintains an almost Zen-like outlook on the current state of the music business. “I don’t think of it negatively ... There may be bad parts,” he says, “But I think it’s good in that way that the music is heard by many. Music is originally not some material [thing] but something to share and enjoy together. I think if someone really likes any of the tunes, they may come to a show.”
Jan. 26, Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St. (betw. 3rd & 4th Aves.), 212-353-1600; 8, $25.
