Nagan Server

Musician — Tokyo

01Profile

A Nagan Server Photo

03Interview

Name, where are you from?
NAGAN SERVER, Mihara city, Hiroshima.

What do you do?
Rapper/Bassist.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Four Tet at a club in Osaka called SAZA*E in 2007. I was shocked by his DJing around the time of his transition from breakbeats to techno. I still remember it vividly.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
When I was in middle school, my influences back then were the Sex Pistols. I had posters and stickers in my room. I remember being influenced by the visual aspect of the band before the sound.

Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
The most recent would be the Naeba Shokudo at Fuji Rock and Zenkankaku Festival Osaka both in 2019. During 2018, I was repeating that I wanted to perform at those two festivals next year, so those would go down in my own history in terms of being a statement.

If you could be on the line up with any bands in history?
Massive Attack without a doubt. I'd love to be featured as a rapper. If I were to say an album, it would be around the time of 'Mezzanine'.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Chitchat with Brian Eno on a bench in my favourite local spot with a good view of both the ocean and the mountains. Ambient fits in with that location.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
13 & God, a US band that was formed by rapper Doseone, who is on the Anticon label. Unfortunately, the band became inactive without creating much of a buzz. I'm mentioning this just in hopes of hearing their new work.

 

04Playlist Notes

The first track you played on repeat?
'Everything In Its Right Place' by Radiohead.

A song that defines the teenage you?
'Obscured By Clouds' by Pink Floyd. I used to rap over this song live when I was a teenager. At the time, there was no one around to play live with the essence of progressive, ambient, and electronica, so no one understood it, but then the style became a little basic and that is where I am today. I chose this song as a "challenge by the young teenager".

One record you would keep forever?
Four Tet's 2LPs from the 'DJ-Kicks' series on the iK7, featuring the ten best tracks selected by Four Tet with full swing, from Mad Villain to Gong to Julian Piester (Julien Priester Pepo Mtoto). Definitely the best of all.

A song lyric that has inspired you?
"The revolution will not be televised. The revolution will be no re-run, brothers. The revolution will be live."

From 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' by Gil Scott-Heron. 

Best song to turn up loud?
'Everybody Loves The Sunshine by Roy Ayers.

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'YUMEGIWA LAST BOY' by Supercar. I got to know this Japanese track from the movie ‘Ping Pong’ and I still get really excited when someone drops this track in a party.

Any new music you are listening to now?
Ezra Collective. Then there's the US bassist, Sam Wilkes.

03Interview

Name, where are you from?
NAGAN SERVER, Mihara city, Hiroshima.

What do you do?
Rapper/Bassist.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Four Tet at a club in Osaka called SAZA*E in 2007. I was shocked by his DJing around the time of his transition from breakbeats to techno. I still remember it vividly.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
When I was in middle school, my influences back then were the Sex Pistols. I had posters and stickers in my room. I remember being influenced by the visual aspect of the band before the sound.

Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
The most recent would be the Naeba Shokudo at Fuji Rock and Zenkankaku Festival Osaka both in 2019. During 2018, I was repeating that I wanted to perform at those two festivals next year, so those would go down in my own history in terms of being a statement.

If you could be on the line up with any bands in history?
Massive Attack without a doubt. I'd love to be featured as a rapper. If I were to say an album, it would be around the time of 'Mezzanine'.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Chitchat with Brian Eno on a bench in my favourite local spot with a good view of both the ocean and the mountains. Ambient fits in with that location.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
13 & God, a US band that was formed by rapper Doseone, who is on the Anticon label. Unfortunately, the band became inactive without creating much of a buzz. I'm mentioning this just in hopes of hearing their new work.

 

04Playlist Notes

The first track you played on repeat?
'Everything In Its Right Place' by Radiohead.

A song that defines the teenage you?
'Obscured By Clouds' by Pink Floyd. I used to rap over this song live when I was a teenager. At the time, there was no one around to play live with the essence of progressive, ambient, and electronica, so no one understood it, but then the style became a little basic and that is where I am today. I chose this song as a "challenge by the young teenager".

One record you would keep forever?
Four Tet's 2LPs from the 'DJ-Kicks' series on the iK7, featuring the ten best tracks selected by Four Tet with full swing, from Mad Villain to Gong to Julian Piester (Julien Priester Pepo Mtoto). Definitely the best of all.

A song lyric that has inspired you?
"The revolution will not be televised. The revolution will be no re-run, brothers. The revolution will be live."

From 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' by Gil Scott-Heron. 

Best song to turn up loud?
'Everybody Loves The Sunshine by Roy Ayers.

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'YUMEGIWA LAST BOY' by Supercar. I got to know this Japanese track from the movie ‘Ping Pong’ and I still get really excited when someone drops this track in a party.

Any new music you are listening to now?
Ezra Collective. Then there's the US bassist, Sam Wilkes.

 

05Videos

NAGAN SERVER | Re:Mind Pro.1Co.INR (2020)

COCOLOROOM WEDNESDAY#1 | NAGAN SERVER + Ken T trio (2019)