To promote the release of the Bloodstains Across Chiba CD which is now available to order from the Private Scandal shop, I'll be interviewing some of the people involved with the bands featured on the CD.
The Volume were a really short-lived band led by Tokumaru (guitarist of the Mr), one day Tokumaru sent me the tracks from The Volume demo tape and I loved it, so of course, it had to be featured on the Bloodstains... CD. So big thanks to Tokumaru for letting us reissue it and thanks again for his time answering these questions.
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| The Volume demo tape. |
An Interview with Tokumaru (The Volume)
PS: Hi Tokumaru, the Bloodstains Across Chiba CD is available now, and I’d like to talk about The Volume. Kichi has tried his best to make a family tree documenting the Chiba Punk scene but there were so many people were involved in so many bands, that it gets a little confusing haha... Please correct me if I am wrong, but after the Mr broke up you started a band with Kengo (the C&C) called The Snipe. The Snipe went on hiatus, and it was during that hiatus period that you formed The Volume (Kengo formed The Brain Tarantulas), but The Snipe started back up again shortly after, is that right?
Tokumaru: That's right. Right after The Snipe went on hiatus, I wanted to form a band, so I contacted Kondo (the bassist of The Volume) who was working at Chiba LOOK (a live venue), and we formed a band. The Volume only lasted a year... I was feeling like I'd hit the wall, so I asked Kengo if he wanted to start The Snipe back up again.
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| The Volume. |
PS: The first time I saw the band name “The Volume” was when I looked at the liner notes from the Kick The Bollocks CD. Nira (aka No.6) wrote “Thanks to Kengo (Brain Tarantulas), Tokumaru (The Volume)” - so I had heard the name, but I didn't put two and two together and realise it was your band until much later. The Volume was only active for about a year, right? It’s funny that despite the fact that The Volume and Brain Tarantulas were only active for a short time, Nira documented those bands in the Kick The Bollocks CD liner notes.
Tokumaru: The Snipe actually invited Nira's band and The Scantys to play with us at a gig at Koenji 20000V during the first generation of The Snipe. Before that, he invited us to play in Nagoya and we became good friends. Whenever he came to Tokyo he would stay at my house.
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| Tokumaru (The Volume). |
PS: Despite only being active for a short time you recorded a demo tape, it’s a really good demo. Personally, I think it’s a little more rock and roll influenced than the other bands you did up until that point (Cinnamons, the Mr, The Snipe), would you say that’s the case?
Tokumaru: Thank you. We actually recorded the demo pretty quickly after we formed the band. At that time, I was really into American Garage Punk, especially The Rip Offs, I actually saw them at Shimokitazaw Shelter when they toured Japan so that was a big influence.
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| Kondo & Tokumaru (The Volume). |
PS: When the Mr performed at Private Scandal Party back in March, Marky (Vibrate Two Fingers) got in touch and told me that you asked him to join The Volume when you were looking for a drummer, but he declined, is that true?
Tokumaru: I think that was Kondo who asked him, rather than me. The Volume never really had a full-time drummer, so it was just Kondo and myself. At first, we asked Bet Sasaki (the Mr) to join. If Marky has joined the band, things might have been different and we might have been around for longer than a year.
PS: As we mentioned before, The Volume was only around for a year. The Snipe quickly reformed. After The Snipe you started a band called COS. I'm really curious about this band because it's so different to what you were doing before. Can you talk a little about COS? What were your influences, it's more 90's alternative than punk, right? COS is almost like Chiba's equivalent of The Smashing Pumpkins.
Tokumaru: Right, The Volume was only around for a year, as I said before... I had hit the wall. I think it was good that we did The Snipe again. In terms of COS, you've hit the nail on the head. I've always loved alternative music... The Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Stone Temple Pilots etc... I like a lot of different bands, and I always wanted to be in a band like that. COS was around for about for three years, so I think it's the band I've been in the longest.
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| COS. |
PS: Fast forward to 2025, the Mr is active again, you're playing again in January and you're also playing in a band called the THURS, would you like to say anything about the THURS?
Tokumaru: First of all, regarding the Mr, I've got nothing but gratitude to you, you re-issued our tape on CD, and invited us to play at Private Scandal Party and get the band back together. I'd always wanted to be in a punk band again so I was really happy that happened.
As for the the THURS, I'd known all the members for a while but we'd never been in a band together, I'd like to think that it's almost an continuation of COS. Our debut release is available on streaming services so please check it out.
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| the THURS. |
PS: Finally, do you have any comments for people who will be discovering The Volume for the first time? I think it’s worth noting that the original DAT master was almost destroyed, but we managed to repair it, and the sound quality is really good, so I think people will enjoy The Volume songs on Bloodstains Across Chiba.
Tokumaru: Again, I'm really grateful to you. I think The Volume is a punk band with a strong rock feel. Sorry again about the broken DAT tape haha, I'm glad we could fix it.
I'd just be happy if people were reminded that bands like this existed back then. Thank you!
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| The Volume DAT tape. |
V.A. - Bloodstains Across Chiba CD (PSCDR039)
- Record Shop BASE (Japan)
- PUNK AND DESTROY (Japan)
- Killers (Japan)
- Record Knox (Japan)
- F.O.A.D. Records (Italy)
- General Speech (U$A)
the THURS debut release "#1" is available now on streaming services.
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| the THURS - #1 (pilot rock records). |
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