DIGGIN'THRU JAPAN
DAMIEN AND GAUTIER BARRAS TAKE US DIGGIN’THRU JAPAN
Diggin’Thru is the exploration of musical cultures seen through the lens of record stores and artists that gravitate around them. On May 10th will see the release of Diggin’Thru Japan, the brother’s first take on the subject. It will be a four part documentary series providing the viewer a unique look at some of Japan’s underground scenes. Tune in May 10th.
So guys, why Japan, some highlights, what most inspired you there?
We decided to film it in Japan because it seemed like the most far out country to us. We knew about their passion for records and the culture has always been a fascination. Luckily, we knew people who live and are from there. In fact it really came through thanks to our friends Shingo Suwa who was our host for the occasion and who introduced us to a world that none of us knew existed, and Jeremy Rubier who shot the documentary.
Japan is incredible and the passion they have for music goes far. The attention to detail is of course like no other and the communities are tightly knit. The fight for survival was also a strong theme. Every scene we documented have been under constant pressure from the fueiho law.
Is this going to be a continuous series of documentaries, if so where next?
Who knows? It definitely was an amazing experience and we got to learn a lot in the process.
Why did it take 5 years to make?
Haha, well... Lets say things took an unexpected turn and then life took over. We finally decided to release it during these hard times we are all facing because we all feel the need to escape and travel. We hope it inspires people to stay creative.
Musically your greatest inspirations or influences?
Lately we‘ve been listening to a lot of music and enjoying the sounds of Ernest Ranglin, Rhythm&Sound, and Arthur Verocai.
We are influenced by a wide range of music and the documentary’s soundtrack is a good testament to that i think. Every track in the documentary has either been found during the trip or is from one of the artists we interviewed.