In the Zen Buddhism pantheon, Hotei is a popular figure. He is chubby and unruly, roams the countryside barefoot with a sack and staff, and entertains children with his carefree laughter. In the Japanese music scene, Hotei the guitarist cuts a somewhat different figure. Even though he is a superstar and performs around the archipelago, like his divine namesake, the musician is flamboyant, slim and stylish – he wears Yohji Yamamoto coats and Christian Louboutin shoes – and plays a mean electric guitar.
If you’re unfamiliar with Hotei (the musician), you might know his composition, Battle Without Honor or Humanity, featured in the trailer of Quentin Tarantino’s film, Kill Bill. The song’s electrifying riffs and pulsating beats also memorably accompanied Lucy Liu and her minions as they shuffled towards a deadly confrontation with Uma Thurman. In 2011 he also arranged the theme to Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.
Hotei sees himself more as an “electric samurai” rather than a fat and disheveled god, wielding his guitar as a powerful sword – he called his 2004 album Electric Samurai (The Noble Savage). The sounds he generates are raw, edgy and sometimes jarring, like heroic battle cries. A track from the album, ‘Kill the Target,’ was recently used in the trailer of a Tarantino-endorsed action film, The Man with the Iron Fists, directed by Robert Fitzgerald Diggs (aka Rza) and starring Russell Crowe and Liu.
Born Tomoyasu Hotei in 1962 in the Gunma prefecture of Japan, Hotei began his career as a guitarist with the Japanese rock band BOØWY (pronounced Boy) in 1981. In 1996 he performed at the Atlanta Olympics – with American composer Michael Kamen as conductor – and later worked on Kamen’s album, Guitar Concerto (1998). In 1988, Hotei became a soloist to produce his own albums and collaborate with musicians such as David Bowie, Roxy Music, Jesus Jones, INXS, Blondie, Joni Mitchell, David Sanborn, Chicago, and others. In 2010 he performed with Roxy Music at the Fuji Rock Festival and contributed to Lee Ritenour’s hit jazz album, 6 String Theory.
In 2012 he moved to London with his wife (singer and actress Miki Imai) and their daughter – and Lurie, his beloved dog – for a quieter life. In an interview he tells the BBC, “In Tokyo, I’m too tall and people recognise me. It’s not a bad thing but I’m always kind of hiding. But in London, nobody knows me. I feel free. I feel I can do everything, which is a big difference. After I found success, I lost something: a normal life.”
If he’s seeking an ordinary existence in London, he doesn’t seem to be trying very hard. Since moving to the city, he has performed at the Roundhouse and Trafalgar Square, appeared in Virgin Atlantic’s video campaigns, created tunes for the Serpentine Gallery’s Musicity app project, played at the Hyper Japan festival in Earl’s Court, launched a global website, gave a surprise performance at The Monarch pub in Camden, and he’s now about to rock the O2’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire music hall and the Highline Ballroom in New York.
Why did you walk away from your glamorous life in Tokyo?
Since the time I was a teenager, I had always dreamed of becoming a musician and travelling the world. I realise I am not so young anymore, but you only have one life and I believe you should enjoy it, and I really want to continue to challenge myself. Tokyo is a very comfortable and perfectly organised city, but actually I can grow a bit tired of living somewhere that is too perfect.
What do you like the most about your new life in London?
Because no one recognises me in London, I really enjoy just walking around the city, taking the bus and subway, and people watching. Compared to Japan where I stand out quite a bit, it’s a relief to be somewhere where there are many people taller than I am! In Japan I couldn’t really go out to a café by myself, so somehow I felt a bit invisible, but in London I feel free.
Is the move also a plan to establish your name in the West?
I realise that being “famous in Japan” doesn’t necessarily translate overseas. There are so many excellent artists and musicians in the world. With a career of thirty years I believe I’ve really come to understand how to play the guitar, but now I want to observe and absorb many new things. In coming to the UK, I have the chance to do things differently. I can choose so many colourful socks to wear, and I don’t need to carry an umbrella on rainy days. This is a time for me to learn and to grow.
Can you describe your long-term strategy for “conquering” the West?
To conquer is not actually my objective. Rather I want to challenge myself. I believe that you have to enjoy the journey, not just the result.
What have you learned as a superstar in Japan that can help you in London?
I am proud of my success in Japan but it isn’t something that I flaunt. I don’t live my life thinking of myself as a superstar. More importantly than that, I feel confident in my abilities as a guitarist. This is thanks to the fans in Japan who have joined me in accepting this challenge of mine. I have learned how important it is to cherish this humble feeling.
Do you agree with Robin Denselow of The Guardian that you need to include traditional Japanese instruments into your performance?
I see what he is saying. But I don’t intend to play music in the traditional Japanese-style that may meet Western expectations. I think that Japanese rhythm, melody, and philosophy are always present within me, without my having to make this a conscious effort. Until now, when I was in Japan, I didn’t really give much thought to my being Japanese, but now being in such a diverse city as London where such a mixture of people and cultures co-exist has definitely made me think more about my own identity.
You have collaborated with some of the world’s famous musicians and written soundtracks for iconic films. Do you find it frustrating that you’re not more famous than you should be in the West?
Although nearly everyone seems to know the Kill Bill theme song, they don’t know my name. But the fact that people around the world know my music does make me happy. I have to thank Tarantino for this. After my show in London last year, I heard someone say “ ”That was a great cover of the Kill Bill song!’ and I said ‘That’s my song!“ ” I feel from now on this is the game and the challenge for me.
Hotei – checkmate
How has the British music scene has influenced you?
I’ve always been inspired by the British music scene and by British artists. Growing up, I listened to all kinds of music. I really loved funk, and British punk, glam rock, and new wave. It was after seeing a poster of Mark Bolan in a music shop that I really decided I wanted to play guitar, and I wanted to play around the world. I’ve always loved London and the scene here. It still inspires me.
Could you share with us some other career highlights?
In 1996, Michael Kamen asked me to play guitar at the Atlanta Olympics closing ceremony. That was really amazing. I also made the soundtrack and acted in Hiroyuki Nakano’s film Samurai Fiction. That was a great experience. And after the terrible earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011, I performed a charity concert for 100,000 people. I really felt blessed to be part of that, and together with so many people.
Tell us about your live show at the 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire.
I’ll be playing a really special show. It’s going to combine both music and amazing visuals. We’ll play updated versions of some of my songs like Battle Without Honor of Humanity. My good friend Zack Alford, who is the drummer for David Bowie, will also join my band, along with bassist Tony Grey, and Steve Eto and Toshiyuki Kishi from Japan. I’m also collaborating with Yohji Yamamoto, one of Japan’s top fashion designers. He’s my favourite designer because he too is challenging the world with the heart and spirit of Japan, and I have great respect for him.
Do you think fashion is crucial to your music and identity?
Yes, absolutely! David Bowie, Roxy Music, the Sex Pistols, Paul Weller. These were always role models for me in bringing together rock n’ roll and fashion.
Hotei is the god of contentment and happiness. Are you content and happy?
I’m not satisfied, but I am happy. I do want to live in a way so as to become satisfied with my own life.
Why is your alter ego an Electric Samurai?
Instead of the sword of a samurai, I carry a guitar. Like striking with a sword, I want to shock people with the power and electricity of my guitar.
By Peter Yeoh