Pochakaite Malko

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Pochakaite Malko is a Japanese band who emerged from Tokyo in August 1996. The name they took is Bulgarian for "just a minute". The origins of the band can be traced to the meeting of Shigekazu Kuwahara (bass) and Kazuo Ogino (keyboards) in a previous band led by Tatsuya Yoshida called Magma Copy Band in 1995. 

I and Keishiro Maki got in touch with the band for their story. Kazuo
Ogino answered our questions.

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Your biography has been covered in
your ProgArchives profile so let's bypass this and go straight to the
meat. Your band have a connection to Bulgaria on the other side of
the world for some reason. Please explain this strange connection. 

In the early days of our band,
Shigekazu (Kuwahara) and I have been much immersed into Bulgarian
traditional music.

With regard to myself especially, I
have learned how to play Kaval (a Bulgarian pipe) or taken a short
course in Bulgarian dance music & rhythm.

Consider, as a result, Bulgarian
traditional music could exert much influence upon our music style
(e.g. changeable rhythm, melody line) in our beginning.

Currently we have been more influenced
by various conventional music all over the world (especially India,
Arabia, and Asia) or classical music history (in ancient Greek or
Europe), obviously.

Please give us your long or brief
afterthoughts on..........

Pochakaite Malko from 2001

A work stuffed with all we wanted to
do from beginning to end.

In this sense our debut album might be
crowded with full of power, and simultaneously lacking in balance or
unity.

Laya from 2004

A violin-based creation after
replacing some members.

We tried to play more naturally than
the previous album dyed with violent soundscape.

"Laya" was recorded in the
studio near Yamanaka Lake, where we camped and gigged together in
winter ... this atmosphere might relax our music style in this work.

Doppelgänger from 2006 

Dramatic alternation of sound
technology or situation around us had come and produced this album.
Most impressive for me, honestly.

What is the latest update on
Pochakaite Malko and what is your plans for this and next year ?

Now under preparation for some gigs
in Japan. Others have not been decided yet.

How is your writing and creative
processes ? 

Always complete final arrangement via
rehearsal, with some demo tapes previously arranged by each member.

Our original demos are sometimes
drastically altered, and sometimes played as a complete arrangement
with very little change.

Just to give those of us who are
unknown with your band a bit of a reference point or two: How would
you describe your music and which bands would you would compare your
music with ?

POCHAKAITE MALKO's soundscape is
"heavy, dark, violent, and beautiful music with various music
essence, broken & reconstructed by rock rhythm energy continuing
from 70s till now" ... in my own words.

How is life in Japan these days and
how is the gigs situation for your band ? Is music your main
occupation or do any of you have daytime jobs outside the music scene
? 

Now cannot gain enough profit for us
to make a living, but who cares?

All around the world are lots of
artists like POCHAKAITE MALKO, playing in progressive rock scene and
making an honest living.

And believe me, whatever happens, our
fans and supporters can encourage us to make an effort toward
high-quality performance for all.

That's all I wanna emphasize. 

Which other bands and projects are
the Pochakaite Malko members currently involved in ?

As you know, Akihisa (Tsuboy) has
been more renowned and versatile in KBB et al., Junzo (Tateiwa) has
been very active in classic, folk, or pop music scene, and as for
Shigekazu (Kuwahara), his band ZLETOVSKO (no official release yet)
can be appreciated by POCHAKAITE MALKO freaks I'm sure.

Thanks for your interview ... Kazuo
Ogino

Thank you to Kazuo for this interview

Their PA profile is here and their homepage here