Since the early 90’s [Kazu Makino](https://www.instagram.com/kazu.makino/?hl=ur) has been a vital part of the experimental noise scene that fueled the worlds of alt rock and carried on the storied narrative of the New York underground scene. Working with the twins Amedeo and Simone Pace, Blonde Redhead would expand from the noise driven sounds of their early work to flourish with the release of _Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons_ an album which held a weighted depth pronounced by negative space and nuances provided by production from Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto.
In more recent years the band has cultivated a sound that was melody driven and distinguished by soft senses and hard deliveries of emotional cadences. Though at 49 years old the Japanese musician has taken it upon herself to envision a musical path that is all her own from sound to vision. We recently spoke to the musician before her performance at the Lodge Room to see how important graphic design is, her new album, and those tabis.
**Your album Adult Baby just came out. It’s been great to see and hear you explore this new direction on your own. The way your album was constructed meeting this minimalism that moves into such lush sounds and percussions was this a vibe you had wanted to explore with Blonde Redhead too or was it for your solo work?**
It started minimal because it was solo and then I had the producer. It was so new to me and to this situation that we kept pushing the envelope a little bit, but also I was surprised because those were simple songs that I wrote on my own. The more you do the more it had muscle to it, which was a surprise to me. It has a pretty sick core which more than I expected.
**For the visuals you were exploring these very internet and digital fonts. When I first saw them I was so unprepared for them. It was such a far departure from your work with Blonde Redhead. How did that come about?**
This is by this genius graphic designer [Alexander Gelman](https://www.instagram.com/studio_glmn/). He is really famous in Japan, but he is Russian and lives in Japan. He helped me with _23_ artwork and it was a really great experience with him that I didn’t feel like I deserved it or something. so this time around since I put so much into this music, I wanted somebody really special. I didn’t think he would say yes but I asked him and he said “of course! Sure.“ He was so generous. When I showed him the image, he came back with that font. I was like “WOW!“ that’s sick I didn’t expect that but I tried so many other things, but I just couldn’t go past beyond it. That font was so
**The cover and design fits this albums music so well because there is this sense of the innocence of you hanging on the beach. That was something nice to see you after all these years it feels lighter with you in your bikini it’s such a strong statement after so long with the band and the boys.**
Yes I am like. I don’t think I consider myself a hippie but often really naked, barefoot and I love the sun and the sea.
**You often perform wearing Margiela tabi’s, I love that! How did you find them, what made you want to perform in these?**
Somebody who worked for Margiela as a publicist gave them to me and I was like “Wow these are the most incredible boots.” It’s crazy the reaction you will get. When you go to like Texas I’ve heard people saying, “she’s a devil.”
I lost a pair because they travel with the equipment. I couldn't find them so urgently buy them in Italy, but thank god I was in Italy, I called the headquarters and they got me a pair at a reasonable price. Then after my original pair showed up, now I have 2 pairs, They are really important to me.
.jpg)
