The Nod begins the Japanese musical outreach phase of its career

The Nod is known around Madison as much for its easily accessible rock music as it is for its prowess in letting everyone know about it. Seemingly secure with its rep here at home, the band has targeted its PR machine for Japan by releasing a new single (“Night Sky After The Rain”) sung in Japanese and securing an agent in Japan to help spread the word. The A.V. Club spoke via e-mail with Brett Newski and Eric Maloney about what inspired their recent shot at recognition in the Land Of The Rising Sun.

The A.V. Club: How long has your appreciation for Japanese culture been brewing?

Brett Newski: I have family in Japan, so I was able to visit last year. It was easy to grasp a fascination for the culture. Here’s why: The Japanese don’t lock their bikes; no one litters; there is virtually no crime. The country is one big, well-oiled machine that has a peculiar obsession for America, specifically American rock ’n’ roll.

While I was in Japan, I would play guitar on the streets or in the hostels, and Japanese people would walk by, point, giggle, and clap. It’s just the novelty of the whole thing, a gangly gringo belting out songs at the top of his lungs on a street corner in Tokyo. They were pumped about it. There aren’t many foreigners in Japan, so the Japanese are incredibly warm, welcoming, and excited about westerners bringing art to their country.

Eric Maloney: For a long time, all I knew about Japanese culture was that they made really cool baseball jerseys and had a funny looking symbol to represent their money. Brett talking about his travels and the subsequent recording of this track has really opened my eyes, at least, to Japanese music culture and how cool and encouraging it is for foreign acts.

AVC: Why did you choose to cover “Night Sky After The Rain?”

EM: “Night Sky After The Rain” is an old Japanese song by an influential band called RC Succession. This particular song matched the energy of our live show, so we went with it. I got to rock some saxophone on the track, and Brett got to hammer out really fun Japanese vocals. Overall, a great time.

BN: Have you seen Most Extreme Elimination Challenge? That’s exactly the mentality of Japanese rock ’n’ roll: fearless and ridiculous. Anything goes.

AVC: Has The Nod gained recognition in Japan?

BN: We have an agent shopping the video/single around to some labels. The PR wagon has just begun to roll.