Fujiya & Miyagi member Matt Hainsby

Not until I had interviewed him via email did I discover that bassist Matt Hainsby, perhaps better known as "the ampersand" (according to Wikipedia) of English band Fujiya & Miyagi, is a bit of a taciturn fellow. He answers my questions succinctly and pithily and not-much-else-ily... which, in hindsight, is not all that surprising, considering the nature of Fujiya & Miyagi's music. Enjoy the interview.

Let’s start at the beginning and all that: how did you guys start making music together?
My invitation to join the band came after a game of football. Every Monday night David, Steve and I would play 5-Aside football, and my memory of that night is maybe a little rosy as I recall we won the game, went top of the league and then David and Steve popped the question. Our team name was possibly the best/worst team name in the history of modern football - ' Dude where's my car FC'. Please note that David named the team.

Whence did you derive your band name?
David really had a knack for naming things.

You’ve reported influences as disparate as The Karate Kid and Lolita. What's your relationship with pop versus high culture?
If you are looking for it you can take inspiration from anything, it’s like seeing faces in garish wallpaper or in wood grain.

Your videos feature such things as Legos and childlike drawings. How does the idea of childhood influence you?
Just for the record the "Ankle Injuries" video directed by Wade Shotter is made entirely out of dice and not Lego. David’s lyrical net is cast wide and childhood things are just one aspect he writes about. Video directors obviously pick up on the childhood references, which might say more about them than us.

What’s your reaction to having mostly gained your notoriety in recent years, given that you’ve been around for the entire decade?
I'd rather things built up slowly than explode and fizzle out.

What’s your opinion of Pitchfork?
It is one of many internet sites that I visit regularly to read reviews of new music, there I've said it…. that's quite a bombshell I've dropped.

They’ve actually described the sound of your song “Dishwasher” as “Serge Gainsbourg making love to a kitchen appliance”—how do you feel about that description?
He would be flirting with the toaster whilst making eyes at the kettle.

What do you consider your major musical influences?
Synthesizers, drums and guitars.

Tell me a story—any story.
My friend lives by the sea and harbours the dream of being a pirate. At home he occasionally dresses like a pirate, but on leaving the house he sadly puts his pirate things away and looks like a regular person, the only concession he makes to being a pirate on the streets is to carry a telescope in his satchel, this comes in useful for helping to tell old ladies at bus stops what number bus is coming from a distance.

Check out their music on their MySpace.