Reo Banzai
For my second project, I chose to create a fictional band called Reo Banzai that creates music that retells the stories of their relatives' time in internment camps! My work for English was to research and create a set of biographies and interviews for all four of the band members, including the band itself. I spent a lot of time relearning what I knew about interviewing and making my writing for this more personal based off of my research. Because it was so much information to consider, I barely finished my first interview with the lead singer! However, learning about this was really interesting. My goal with this work was to set the scene with all this information in order to provide the audience direct context about my project and what exactly Reo Banzai is all about.
My work for Social Studies was to generally connect my band to the foundation of a connection to Japanese Internment Camps, and how the band interprets the events firsthand from their family members and turns it into a motivation for a musical group. I completed pages of character designs, names, and specific information that went into creating their backstories. I also storyboarded a website to host information what allows the viewer to take from the context that this is a musical group, as well as being able to view lyrics that are stylized retellings of firsthand stories related to Japanese internment camps.
My work for Social Studies was to generally connect my band to the foundation of a connection to Japanese Internment Camps, and how the band interprets the events firsthand from their family members and turns it into a motivation for a musical group. I completed pages of character designs, names, and specific information that went into creating their backstories. I also storyboarded a website to host information what allows the viewer to take from the context that this is a musical group, as well as being able to view lyrics that are stylized retellings of firsthand stories related to Japanese internment camps.
Concept Art
Concept art of Reo Banzai's members and aesthetic; an exploration of the members' looks and narratives!
Interview Preview
An excerpt of one of the fictional interviews I wrote for this project!
Interviewer: MTV Personality/Music Journalist Anne Cathaway
AC: Good morning, Toby. I know we’ve spoken before for a full band interview, but my job wouldn’t be done properly if I didn’t come back to do another round to dive into the real meaning behind Reo Banzai and its members. Judging from how cheerful you seem, I take it your morning is going well?
TN: Every morning is a good morning, if you ask me! But yes, it’s going well. I’m happy to be here.
AC: That’s great to hear. So first things first, we’ve got to know. Where was the birthplace of this band, Reo Banzai?
TN: Reo Banzai was actually born in the garage of my grandparents’ house, about two years into college! See, when I was young, I was athletic but I was never really passionate about anything. Nothing really came to me like it did for my friends. I had to discover my gift the hard way. Sure enough, I took a soccer ball to the left ear, and so sports kind of went off the table after that.
AC: What happened? Did you suffer an injury?
TN: I’ve never really looked at it as an injury; I see it as more of a sign. I got hit pretty hard in the ear on the field: I got a concussion and I had to sit out of the game. My parents didn’t think anything serious happened to me other than that, so when hearing exams came around, by bad scores rocked their socks. Basically, my left ear became my dreamer ear. All I can hear from it are things like, “Keep going!” or “You can do it!”.
AC: It’s really interesting that you took an injury like hearing loss, that would normally be unacceptable for a musician, and you turned it into a key factor in your motivation.
TN: Yeah, I guess it really did motivate me. I know I’ll never hear the music we made quite as crisp as our listeners, but what matters is that the music speaks to others; it’s already spoken to me.
AC: So when did you start getting the idea what you wanted to start a music group?
TN: Well, like I said, I never knew I would become a musician until late into my teenage years. I started getting the idea probably my senior year of highschool, in that garage I mentioned earlier. I really started thinking a lot and searching for a meaning, because I was really finding my footing with music. I was thinking about it because I didn’t want to drop out of highschool and be like everyone else and make a band all about broken hearts and one night stands. New bands these days are all about their own time in the present, but I really wanted to create a voice for past generations. Even though I spend most afternoons in that garage with Brenny, the idea just kind of came to me one day. I just kind of finally understood what I wanted to do and why...
Lyrics
Na-na na-na-na-na-na, na na na na na-na(x4)
[Verse 1]
I’ve searched and searched but there was nothing I have found
The line that keeps us sounding like a siren through the clouds
No one can keep me here because of what I am
But yet I woke in this bed again
Na-na na-na-na-na-na, na na na na na-na(x4)
[Verse 2]
I’ve searched and searched but there is nothing I can find
I’ve put my heart and soul for this and still I get divide
My sons and all my daughters, there is nothing they can do
We should be pointing fingers back at you
[Chorus]
That ink is bold
Story untold
I know my place
But yet you sit in a high chair and slap us in the face (whoo!)
Na-na na-na-na-na-na, na na na na na-na(x4)
[Verse 3]
Our mother, oh our mother, she has told us how to be
She told us that this home was built on man’s equality
Our mother she has guided us and she has set us free
But here I am living hypocrisy
[Verse 4]
The lines that brought us closer were all burnt out through the night
I walked and walked for miles and did not put up a fight
I live here with my soul in hand! I was born and taught and raised!
What you think I empathize is simply ‘cause you’re crazed!
[Chorus]
That ink is bold
Story untold
I know my place
The people who were fighting you fought us too, you old haze!
[Bridge]
Ah, and the problem
What’s the problem?
Something’s wrong?
Ah, no one died here
No one died here!
So what’s wrong?
So what’s wrong! (x16 measures)
[Chorus]
Let it unfold
Story untold
I know my place
You carved it out in letters and then you all let it stay!
I’ve overstayed
I’m face to face
I know my place
You never thought about it, since
[Verse 1]
I’ve searched and searched but there was nothing I have found
The line that keeps us sounding like a siren through the clouds
No one can keep me here because of what I am
But yet I woke in this bed again
Na-na na-na-na-na-na, na na na na na-na(x4)
[Verse 2]
I’ve searched and searched but there is nothing I can find
I’ve put my heart and soul for this and still I get divide
My sons and all my daughters, there is nothing they can do
We should be pointing fingers back at you
[Chorus]
That ink is bold
Story untold
I know my place
But yet you sit in a high chair and slap us in the face (whoo!)
Na-na na-na-na-na-na, na na na na na-na(x4)
[Verse 3]
Our mother, oh our mother, she has told us how to be
She told us that this home was built on man’s equality
Our mother she has guided us and she has set us free
But here I am living hypocrisy
[Verse 4]
The lines that brought us closer were all burnt out through the night
I walked and walked for miles and did not put up a fight
I live here with my soul in hand! I was born and taught and raised!
What you think I empathize is simply ‘cause you’re crazed!
[Chorus]
That ink is bold
Story untold
I know my place
The people who were fighting you fought us too, you old haze!
[Bridge]
Ah, and the problem
What’s the problem?
Something’s wrong?
Ah, no one died here
No one died here!
So what’s wrong?
So what’s wrong! (x16 measures)
[Chorus]
Let it unfold
Story untold
I know my place
You carved it out in letters and then you all let it stay!
I’ve overstayed
I’m face to face
I know my place
You never thought about it, since