Def Tech's Yuki "Micro" Nishimiya and Shenan "Shen" Brown greet me with an "Aloha" as I walk into their small office in Harajuku to discuss their 10th anniversary and new album, "Howzit!?"
The Hawaiian-Japanese duo was one of the country's most well-known musical acts a decade ago, and they both seem as close as ever, but Micro tells me that if it hadn't been for the birth of Shen's baby daughter in 2009, Def Tech probably wouldn't exist today.
"Our first album sold millions, bringing us fame and money," Micro says, speaking confidently in English. "After that, our egos came out. We hadn't necessarily changed, but the environment was different. There were cultural issues as well so we decided to split in 2007. I pursued a solo career, Shen went back to Hawaii and we had no contact for three years. Then I heard about his baby and tried to get in touch. The problem was his phone was always engaged!"