In February, 2000, Sony International and J!-ENT, a Japanese entertainment
in English website (http://home.inreach.com/asunaro/)
gave PUFFY fans all over the world the opportunity to ask Ami and
Yumi several questions:
Q:
Outside of Japan, many Japanese music fans put PUFFY at the top
of the list along with other high-profile names such as Hikaru Utada
and Namie Amuro. How does it feel to have many fans who are non-Japanese
listening to your music.
YUMI: I feel very, very happy about it. I will try and have
more people listen to our music.
AMI: I'm glad. It feels a bit strange too, but I'm very proud
of it.
Q:
How do you feel about performing in the United States?
YUMI: The whole thing is beyond my imagination, and I'm thrilled
because of that.
AMI: I can't begin to imagine what it's going to be like.
I'm really looking forward to it.
Q:
Is there a possibility you will perform in California and New York
anytime soon?
Would you ever consider doing
a full tour of the U.S., or even a partial one like Dreams Come
True did?
YUMI: I'd like to play our music at more places if we could.
AMI: I would love to, but we don't have such plans for now.
Q:
In the video, "RUN! PUFFY! RUN!" you traveled all around
the United States. Did anything unusual happen during your filming
for that video? Do you have any certain feelings after making that
video?
AMI: It was real troublesome when the car broke down.
YUMI: America was really big, as huge as I had imagined.
Q:
Ami, I was wondering if you studied English in the United States
before because on your video "RUN! PUFFY! RUN!" your English
is very good.
AMI: I went to a language school to learn English.
Q:
What is the difference between PUFFY Japanese fans and PUFFY fans
outside of Japan?
AMI: The languages are different. I guess our fans overseas
appreciate our music in a pure way, beyond words.
Q:
Did you girls feel weird singing a Chinese version of "Kore
ga watashi no ikiru michi"?
YUMI: It was pretty hard, more difficult than weird.
AMI: The recording was pretty tough because the pronunciation
was so difficult.
Q:
What is your favorite place to visit around the world?
YUMI: New York is my favorite place.
AMI: I want to decide after visiting more places in America.
Q:
When girls started to copy your hairstyle and fashion, how did you
feel?
YUMI: I'm glad if they think it's pretty.
AMI: I just kept wondering if they were really copying us.
Q:
Your dances are so cute and simplistic. Do you come up with them?
Are the dances purposely simple to make the audience feel at ease
and free to dance along?
YUMI: We have a dance instructor. But we couldn't quite do
what she said and it had to be a little bit simplified for our levels,
which is why it has turned out this way.
AMI: Our dance is choreographed by a dancer, not ourselves.
Q:
Do you prefer to perform at a big stadium concert or at small public
performances?
YUMI: I like both, though they are completely different.
AMI: Each has its own attraction.
Q:
When you were growing up were you a big fan of Tamio Okuda's group,
Unicorn?
YUMI: I've liked them since I was in a junior high.
AMI: Yes, I was.
Q:
What is your most embarrassing moment?
YUMI: I was nervous and embarrassed when I got on stage for
the first time.
AMI: When I found some lipstick on my teeth.
Q:
I know that Rodney A. Greenblat (responsible for the character designs
for the popular Sony Playstation game "Parappa the Rapper"
and "Um Jammer Lammy") created the designs for the PUFFY
CD singles. Is there any chance for PUFFY fans to see a PUFFY video
game like "Parappa the Rapper?"
YUMI: I like that idea.
AMI: I wish there were.
Q:
Where do you see yourselves five years from now?
YUMI: I'm not sure about the future. But I think I'll be
enjoying myself.
AMI: What do I see...I don't know? I believe I'll be doing
something fun.
For more information on the South by Southwest Music Conference,
please visit the website at: http://sxsw.kdi.com/htmlindex.shtml
For
more information on PUFFY, please visit their SONY website at: http://www.sme.co.jp/eng/ES/Puffy/
PUFFY
Discography
ALBUMS:
(1) AmiYumi [July 22, 1996], (2) SoloSolo [August 6, 1997],
(3) JET CD [April 1, 1998], (4) FEVER*FEVER [June 23, 1999] and
(5) PRMX [December 31, 1999]
CD SINGLES: (1)
Asia no Junshin [May 13, 1996], (2) Kore ga watashi no ikirumichi
[October 7, 1996], (3) Circuit no Musume [March 12, 1997], (4) Nagisa
ni Matsuwaru Et Cetera [April 16, 1997], (5) MOTHER [December 12,
1997], (6) Ai no Shirushi [March 14, 1998], (7) Tararan [August
29, 1998], (8) PUFFY de Rumba [December 12, 1998], (9) Nichiyoubi
no Musume [April 1, 1999] and (10) Yume no Tameni [June 9, 1999].
VIDEOS: (1) RUN!
PUFFY! RUN! [December 1, 1996], (2) TOUR! PUFFY! TOUR! [September
21, 1997] and (3) JET VIDEO [June 10, 1998].
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by Dennis A. Amith
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