"The philosopher Shunsuke Tsurumi said in an interview that, when you see something like a rainbow and feel moved by it, that moment is eternity," singer-songwriter Yuichi Ushioda tells me at the 3rd Stone Cafe in Tokyo's Shimokitazawa area. "I want to be able to notice moments like that. These moments of fragmented eternity in between day-to-day life."
Ushioda released his third solo release, "Mizu no Nai Umi" ("An Ocean Without Water") last week. The album is his first to receive a nationwide release. Ushioda however, is no amateur. He is already an established guitarist for the rock band Quattro.
Combining blues rock, psychedelica and 1990s Britpop, Quattro is known for its catchy hooks and genre-crossing pop songs. The band has opened for many notable overseas acts, such as Feeder, Oasis and the Kooks. The group also performed on the Red Marquee stage at Fuji Rock Festival last year.