Amahiru
Interview conducted on December 10, 2020
By Dan Locke
Amahiru arose from the friendship between Frédéric Leclercq and SAKI. Having gotten to know each other in 2015 when Mary’s Blood opened for Dragonforce in Hong Kong, they immediately hit it off — both personally and musically. After exchanging many ideas over the years, Frédéric finally traveled to Japan in March 2019 to finalize what soon became their debut album.
What is your upbringing? How did you discover music?
Frédéric Leclercq: I grew up in a musical family-none of my parents were professional musicians but both really loved music. So, there’s always been music around. I guess this is why I’ve always been very sensitive to melodies, chords. I went to a music school when I was 8 or so, to study theory and piano. And then when I was 12, I discovered heavy metal and started playing guitar 2 years after.
How did you start to write music?
Not too sure actually. I need to think. Because I remember learning music from others, Maiden, Metallica, Mötley Crüe… lots of M’s actually haha. Ok, now I remember. the first song I wrote was with a dear friend of mine (we played together in a bunch of bands) and it sounded veeeeeery Iron Maiden like. But it was cool. We were 15 at the time. And then I joined a band the year after, and had to start coming up with riffs. That’s how it started.
How did you get your first guitar, and do you still have it?
My first guitar was an acoustic guitar that my father brought home. A Yamaha. I still have it!
What is your guitar of choice now? Year, make and model?
I’m an ESP endorsee so that’s what I’ve been playing for 14 years now. My favorite has to be the custom they made me 10 years ago, an Antelope baritone. I use it for Sinsaenum.
How have you combined traditional metal with melodic with Oriental infused elements?
I guess once Saki and I decided on the « concept », which was kinda East meets West it was fairly easy to blend them together. I’ve always been interested in Japanese culture so I wasn’t forcing anything, and Saki has a natural interest in the other part of our mix so yeah, everything came pretty naturally.
What was your first meeting like?
It was cool. Saki’s band Mary’s Blood opened for my band at the time, Dragonforce. This was in Hong Kong. we spoke a bit backstage, and a few months after, I was in Japan and she was there, and we hung out and discovered we had common interests and that was it.
How did you get other members of your band?
I always want to play with people I connect with on a human level. so, I asked people I like. And obviously, if they are great musicians that’s a big plus haha
What makes a good songwriter?
I’m not sure. I love Desmond Child songs, with big anthemic choruses, catchy lines, but I also love Allan Holdsworth, and that’s more jazz fusion with very intricate chord progressions. what’s the common thing here? it has notes I guess, and it touches my soul. so, I don’t know. I don’t know what makes a good songwriter.
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
yes, that’s the song I was talking about earlier. it was called The Gust. I have it on a cassette tape somewhere.
Your album came out on Nov. 27th via EarMusic. Tell me about it.
we hope people will enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it. There’s everything we love musically, it has groove, melody, some technical parts. I believe it has the right amount of everything-according to ME haha.
How did you record your album during these times alone with having other projects going on?
We recorded the album in 2019. we started the recording sessions in late march and mixed the album end of June, so everything went pretty quick and smooth. We all have other bands indeed but when you want to find the time, you find the time.
Why did you release Hours as your first single?
We all thought it was the best song to be the first one people would hear from us. it has a great catchy chorus. It’s always difficult to pick the first single, especially when it’s a new band and people will identify you with that song. But yeah, we had to pick one and we kinda knew since day one it would be that song.
What is your favorite track on the album?
it varies from a day to another. so today, I’d say I like « Innocent » and the instrumental « Ninja no Tamashii ». but they’re all good!
How do you stay healthy while touring?
I don’t. haha. Well, I guess you try to eat healthy, cos there’s a lot of waiting and you can easily open a bag of chips and a beer « just because »… so yeah, healthy eating, exercise, and sleeping as much as possible.
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
I do it myself. It’s convenient so I understand why people do that. now, 10 euros per month on Spotify and you can listen virtually to aaaanything you want. it’s cool for listeners. it’s really cool. I also use Netflix, and that’s really cool, too. It also loves to have a 10 euros subscription to my supermarket and get everything I want/to need. that would be also awesome and fair!
Digital vs. vinyl?
Digital is easier, vinyl is prettier. I use both!
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
I’ve been writing music, we also recently moved into a new house so that takes a lot of time. so, I’ve not been bored yet.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
Not really-only if you consider that mounting furniture is a hobby, hehe. No, to me life is pretty much the same as before. I’m seeing less people, obviously, but that’s fine, too. I kinda see this as BIG break between 2 album cycles, when you sort of recharge your batteries. so that’s what I’m doing now. recharging my batteries.
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.
The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will includes [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.
How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?
yeah, I saw that. I don’t know because I’ve never really used FB like that, (and quite frankly I’m not really on Facebook anymore) but I just see that as pretty unfair. It’s already difficult for musicians right now, so it sucks to not be able to use these platforms. but like I said I’ve never done it so I don’t really wanna talk about it because I don’t have all the elements.
How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merch to them at the show?
It is very difficult in these days and age where it seems like an absolute necessity to be seen and heard at all times otherwise people might forget about you. I don’t know, I’m gonna sound like an old man, but I’m from a generation when you didn’t NEED to hear about X or Y every goddman day. I think you need to disappear sometimes in order to make a big comeback, as opposed to being present all the time, streaming, showing your face. I don’t know, that’s how I see things. But I’m probably wrong. In any case, I don’t have the magic formula to keep fans.
If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing?
How about quoting John Miles, « Music was my first love and it will be my last ». I don’t want to think about not being able to do music. I have my moments of doubts, sure, but at the end of the day, music is what I do best, and what keeps me sane.
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