"We want people to make-out to our music. To fall asleep. To feel more alive" Adam Forkner
			One midnight, I was listening to Internet radio, reading a book. Suddenly I felt an electric shock went through my body. I closed my book and focused on the music, coming out from the speakers. Within a few seconds, I felt as if I were floating in the other world. This song was tearfully beautiful, a synthesis of drone-oriented psychedelic melodies and trip-hop rhythms. That is a Portland-based group, Yume Bitsu, whose name enigmatically appeals to me as well. @Shimokitazawa Shelter,Tokyo Soon after I found an amazing news that Yume Bitsu were doing a Japan tour with their close friends, Hochenkeit（they are Road Cone's label mates of Califone!）. Was it a coincidence? Maybe, but so what? I hurried to get a ticket and went to Shimokitazawa Shelter in Tokyo to see them. It was 3rd of August and awful sticky summer around there. They take improvisation play into their music and create soundscapes of ambient swoon and floating space-rock. It's like they extend psychedelic jams on stage. We can feel gentle wavering and soothing relaxation from their cosmic piece, which repeated endlessly. But all of sudden, their trance-inducing crescendos dramatically explode in the depth of serene, beautiful chaos. They are much more than post rock band and the spiritual vibes of their music are deeply impressive. They released the new album "The Golden Vessyl of Sound" from K Records this　spring and it's a brilliant sound form with their art creativity. You should not miss it! Take it to your side and feel their dream world. Adam Forkner talks about his philosophy of Yume Bitsu music. He is quarter Japanese and a very spiritual person.

				Could you tell us about your musical background? Adam Forkner：I was born into a musical family. My father plays jazz music at local bars and restaurants in Monterey, California. What were your first influences? Brian Eno, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Pavement, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Velvet Underground, FLUXUS Art Movement, etc etc etc etc etc!!! Which instruments did you play first? Trumpet as a kid, then bass and stand up bass, then guitar and drums. Also I play knobs, lots of knobs! I heard your band name Yume Bitsu means Dream Beats in Japanese. That sounds very unique! Franz had a dream in the dream the word "Yume" kept appearing. "Bitsu" can mean "beats" or it can be like "Kome Bitsu", rice container and really Yume Bitsu can mean "Mean Hitsu", like a dream container. Well, I actually associated Yume Bitsu with Kome Bitsu when I first heard their band name... I get a point! By the way, what is your ultimate dream beats? Deep relaxation, the sea is open, the seasons are changing, I feel the emptiness of time passing, I am alive and this is our time.
				I heard that your third album "Auspicious Winds" which refers to the Japanese High Tea ceremony. Could you tell us about it more? That is not necessarily true... In tea ceremony ("urasenke" tradition), you give a poetic name to the tea scoop at every tea gathering. These names usually come from Zen poems or scrolls. One traditional name for a tea scoop when used in the middle March, when spring is new and the wind is bringing good weather, is "Auspicious Winds". Well, I'm a Japanese but you know about Japanese culture much more than me…As for Japanese culture, what attracts you? I'm 1/4 Japanese and my grandmother has always kept my Japanese roots very strong. In America, I feel Japanese more than I feel white. I have darker hair and am short compared to most people in America. In Japan, I feel very very white! Franz studied Japanese language and culture in college and spent a year in Japan (1999-2000) in the JET program in Japan, teaching English. How about American culture? It goes both ways!
				Why did you sigh with K Records? Do you have a great relationship with them? There is no sign, no record deal. K (Records) is very loose. We are all friends. Calvin Johnson is my very good friend. He lets me use Dub Narcotic Studio and I help him record sometimes. Sometimes I stay at his house for weeks at a time listening to records and having fun. It's great! Your latest album "The Golden Vessyl of Sound", did you do recording it at Dub Narcotic Studio, didn't you? Yes, I recorded it in Dub Narcotic Studio. Calvin, Phil Elvrum (The Microphones) and Khaela (The Blow) all use the studio to record our music. It is like a family gathering place. Everyone is always coming through like a hippy commune or Andy Warhol's Factory! What were you inspired by when you were creating "Golden Vessyl of Sound"? We were inspired by the studio, the vibe there of family and together-ness. We were inspired by each other and how long we have made music together. We were inspired by the weather changing from summer to autumn. Why don't you put song titles on "The Golden Vessyl of Sound"? That album title is the name of all the songs together. We want the album to be heard all at once. What does the album title "The Golden Vessyl of Sound" actually mean? "The Golden Vessyl of Sound" is part of a mythology that we have created about a land called Dryystn. It is a tree city. The vessyl of sound is an instrument that can only be played by the people of dryystn all at once together in peace and understanding. What is your ideal of music? We want to make people remember that they are alive. We want people to fell better. We want our music to be like medicine that makes people remember to prove each other. We want to make peace music. We want to create a vision of a more peaceful future filled with love and understanding. We want people to make-out to our music. To fall asleep. To feel more alive.
■http://www.yumebitsu.com ■ Yume Bitsu information				How did your Japan tour with Hochenkeit come true? Franz used to live in Japan. Half of Hochenkeit live in Japan now. Nissie(their Japanese friend) and Hochenkeit set up the tour during their vacation (golden week!). We flew out and Nissie came along for the whole tour. It was so much fun! Did you enjoy playing in Japan & playing with Japanese bands? What was your impression of Japanese bands? I love Japan! Japanese local bands are way way way better than local bands in America. Because in America everyone is in a band. It's not so serious. People don't try as hard in America. In Japan, to be in a band is very important, very serious. Tokyo is good and bad. It's so big and so many people! You were invited to play in Atlanta GA on the 4th of July with Steve Malkmus and the Jicks, J Mascus, and Issac Brock's Ugly Casanova? What kind of show was it? What was your impression of the show? That show was very very bad…No one came! Everyone was at home doing BBQ! [laughter]Could you tell me about The Blackbird in Portland? I heard Yume Bitsu played with John Zorn, Quasi, Jackie-O Motherfucker & Hochenkeit in July and it was free! It's really interesting! Is it very common to do this sort of shows in Portland? John Zorn did not play. It was a composition by John Zorn that he wrote in 1981. An improv game. All the bands in Portland were invited to play. The Blackbird is a great club for Portland bands. Portland is the best city for music in America! I live in a house called "the birdnes". Other band that live at the birdnest are Little Wings, Bobby Birdman Peace Harbor, the Graves there are so many bands in Portland. Everyone has a band here! What are you doing at the moment? Yume Bitsu is going to make a BOOK! With a CD too! Pictures, stories and music together. I play electro music at clubs with my friend from the band The Badger King. Our band is called Y.A.C.H.T./((VERSION))_s_t_e_p_s_ Also I jam with Little Wings and Bobby Birdman. Also I run the collective called The Vessyls.

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