Music
is not the only star in rock group Big
Japan
By
Matthew Wilkinson
Summer Forty-Niner
Assistant Diversions Editor
Nathaniel
Castro is missing one thing in common
with two of his band members - he has
never been on an episode of FOX’s
hit show “The OC.” The Northern
California singer and songwriter is the
centerpiece of Los Angeles indie band
Big Japan, but is not its main attraction.
With series star Adam Brody on the drums and former “Grounded for Life” star
Bret Harrison on the guitar, Castro has to prove there is more reason for people
to come to the show other than stargazing.
The group played the Jumping Turtle, a bar in San Marcos, Calif., is far from
the Bait Shop, the bar where all the bands play on the show, but is harboring
half its principal cast. Rachel Bilson, who plays Summer Roberts, and is Adam
Brody’s main squeeze both on screen and off is sitting on the steps outside
helping her little dog cure itself of its newfound fleas.
After sound check, Castro caught up with this reporter outside. He is shorter
than his band members, with dark, chiseled features. He seems excited to talk
about his band’s first West Coast tour. After all, this is the band’s
first time playing outside LA, and it will play more shows on this tour then
they have in total.
The band came together when
Castro met Harrison through a roommate
in Portland, Oreg. Castro decided to move
down to LA and shared a room with Harrison.
Harrison was a roommate of Brody. Castro
had his own solo project where he wrote
music and played it too. The three were
always together and decided to start a
band.
“It started off really slow,” said Castro. “Obviously they
have their acting that keeps them pretty busy. It’s their primary focus.
We’re just friends having a good time.”
Castro put some early recordings out through his own independent label. Things
started getting a little more serious, but the band was having trouble finding
a steady bass player. Some phone calls were made and Cal State Long Beach music
major Brad Babinski stepped up.
Big Japan was now complete.
Castro started writing more for Big Japan, but also started feeling more pressure.
Having the TV stars in the band is great publicity, but also puts pressure
on the band to be good right off the bat.
“The actor-band thing
has its preconceived notions,” Castro
said. “You can’t get away from
it. A lot of people are going to come because
of Adam, and hopefully they will like the
music. I hold a huge responsibility in
the fact that I really want to try and
make quality music to the best of our ability.”
Brody seems to handle his fame well. He never objects to talking with fans
or taking pictures, but does eventually settle down in the corner with his
family and Bilson. Castro sits comfortably at the bar. The two seem to have
a good understanding and respect for each other, and that’s going to
become increasingly important as the band gets bigger.
The future isn’t something that Castro seems to talk a lot about. They
will do some more recording when they come back from the tour, but they have
no immediate plans to sign with a major label or do any more touring.
“Right now we are having a really good time doing what we’re doing,
and wherever it takes us is wherever it takes us,” Castro said. “We’re
not trying to press anything. We’re just having a good time.”
And as Big Japan took the stage, that’s exactly what it looked like -
a bunch of friends having a good time. The crowd wasn’t complaining either,
many of them dancing like they were in a club. The band raged through an eight-song
set, mostly consisting of new tracks.
“A lot of the earlier stuff was very much stuff that I had written acoustically
in my room,” Castro said. Trying to translate that into a full band ends
up sounding like just that…an acoustic song translated into a full band.
Where as we, together as a band, try to write stuff a little more upbeat and
moving.”
The band finishes to a big applause. They stay on stage to load out their stuff.
Even Hollywood stars have to break down their own gear.
Castro is all smiles after the set. It’s clear that he is doing something
that he loves. When asked about a possible guest star role on “The OC” he
shoots it down immediately.
“I respect acting as an art form immensely,” Castro said. “I
think it’s amazing, but I’m a musician.”
The band loads up its gear into its van and trailer and gets ready to bring
a little dose of Hollywood up the coast. Castro gives me a handshake and a
few words of wisdom.
“Keep an eye on this band,” he said. “Hopefully, they will
be some good things coming out of us. May be, kinda, sorta, we plan on may be
doing something cool.”
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