Joey Carbone
When our webzine owner, May Pang, suggested that we do a story on Joey Carbone for AMIN, we were excited. I got the luck of the draw. May and Joey have been long time friends. Not many people know this man from Brooklyn, New York but he is a major figure in the music world in Japan. Joey Carbone was the musical director and theme composer for the TV show “Star Search” for 10 years. During his time there Carbone produced the music for future super-stars such as Destiny’s Child, Britney Spears, Alanis Morrisette, Usher, and Justin Timberlake. He started coming to Tokyo to work with various record companies. Carbone is one of today’s most accomplished music producers in Japan. Here is our exclusive interview with Joey for our Asian Media Internet News webzine. [hidepost]
Jessica: Can you please name some of the artists that you have worked with in the past from around the world.
Joey: In Japan I’ve worked with KAT-TUN, Crystal Kay, Hey Say Jump, Tsuchiya Anna, SMAP, etc. I’ve composed over 1,000 songs for the Japanese market and have worked with many artists of different genres. In America, I have worked with such artists as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Little Richard, Joseph Williams and Bobby Kimball ( from TOTO), Alyssa Milano, Irene Cara, Rick James, Tiffany, etc. I was the music director and theme composer of the long running hit TV show, “STAR SEARCH“. I have more than 70 gold or platinum awards for my music.
Jessica: What first brought you to Japan?
Joey: I went to the Tokyo Music festival competition with an artist I was producing named John O’Banion. I was producing him in the USA ( with my lifetime pal, Richie Zito) and we were invited to perform. We won the grand prize with a song that I composed called “I Don’t Want To Lose Your Love” ( this song later became a # 1 hit in America for singer Crystal Gayle). We did a tour of 5 Japanese cities and I fell in love with Japan. Tokyo, being a metropolitan city, reminded me of New York, the city where I was born and raised. In Kyoto I got to see the traditional, cultural, spititual and beautiful temples and shrines of Japan. I was impressed with both aspects of Japan, and I asked my Japanese music publisher to get a project to bring me back. The following year I went to Japan twice. One of the trips I composed the music for a Japanese movie that became a big hit called “Satomi Hakken-den”. The theme song from that movie was called “I Don’t Want This Night To End” was sung by John O’Banion and became a number one song on the international music charts, and a top 10 hit on the Japanese domestic charts. The other trip was as a keyboardist for rock superstar Yazawa Eikichi‘s concert tour ( 3 members of the Doobie Brothers were also in the band).
Jessica: Did you ever imagine being one of the top composer/producers in the J-Pop industry? For example if someone told you at the age of 15 that you were going to be fluent in Japanese and working with many Asian artists in the future would you believe them?
Joey: I would have thought they had escaped from a mental asylum or something ! At 15, and growing up in Brooklyn, New York the world was so small for me. I had no idea I would even go to a place like Japan, let alone establish a career there.
Jessica: You have worked with many Asian artists in the past. What is your view on Asian pop stars crossing over into the US market?
Joey: Many musical artists look up to the USA. Even The Beatles were excited to come over to America to perform even though they were already a hit in Europe. Because being successful in America meant the ultimate success to them. So of course, there are many Asian artists who are also interested in reaching that goal. A lot of artists from Korea such as BoA, the Wonder Girls, Rain, and Se7en (who I have worked with), have attempted to make it in the USA as well as many Japanese artists. Recently, Utada
Joey Carbone with Japanese boy band KAT-TUN
Hikaru released an album in the U.S. and this was her 2ndattempt. There are many reasons, if you analyze it, why these artists have not been super successful in the USA, but it would take a several hour long discussion. Many people have talked about discrimination. Somebody told me that they thought to be black or white is cool in the music world, but a lot of people do not look up to Asians for music. I don’t think that’s true because I have heard and respect many incredible singers in Japan and also in Korea and I think that they are very worthy of having success in the USA. It’s very unfortunate until now they really haven’t. I wish that it will change soon.
A lot of Japanese visual Kei music has gotten exposure in the USA. Artists like X-Japan and Miyavi have been very well received by fans.
Jessica: I assume a lot of it comes from the Anime culture?
Joey: From my observations, the Visual Kei explosion, as you say, comes from the anime culture. If you go to anime expos, the kids that are into Anime and Manga seem to be attracted to the Japanese artists that are of the Visual Kei type. Some of it includes make up and dressing up and these fans seem to be attracted to.
Jessica: Do you think it’s the right time for an Asian artist to cross over? How do you feel the American market will receive them?
Joey: Now probably is the best time. Of course, it remains to be seen that maybe 5 years from now is a better time. In the future, when we look back, we will be able to point to this time as a time when Japanese artists came to America and made great inroads with their efforts, and helped set the stage for the next wave of artists. I think it’s going to be a gradual process.
Jessica: Who do you think will have the most success?
Joey: One thing I have noticed is that when Asian artists attempted to be successful in the USA, most of the time something changes about them. It could be the look, the sound, the kind of songs they sing or all of the above. And that’s probably because they are getting advice from some American record company who is telling them that in order to be successful in America they have to change something about them. In most cases they are changing something about themselves that is exactly the reason why they are successful in other territories.
When Utada released her first album in America something changed about her. I was very disappointed in her album because it seemed like there were some American record executives telling her that she had to change her sound. To me, what she was doing didn’t seem real. When I listen to her Japanese releases like “First love” and “Automatic,” to me those are very real, emotional, and passionate. Her American release lacked that honesty and soul ( in my humble opinion).
If the artists concentrated more on retaining their originality, I think that they would have a better chance of success.
Jessica: Who do you suggest should enter the American Market and why?
Joey: There’s an artist in Japan who I have worked with called Crystal Kay. I think that she would have a great chance at being successful in the USA. She’s beautiful, and an incredible singer and performer, perfectly fluent in English with no accent. She’s still very young and has had tremendous success in Japan. I think that she could fit in here perfectly.
In the visual kei arena, I think that MIYAVI has the best chance because of his style, talent, uniqueness, look and English ability.
Jessica: What are some differences between working with Japanese artists versus US artists?
Joey: Well of course the language but, the type of music that’s successful in Japan, J-pop, J-rock, and J-hip hop has a little bit of a different flavor than American music. The Japanese take the essence of foreign music, but add a Japanese “taste” to it. The most important thing in Japanese music is to have something called “mimi ni nokoru” ( in English we say “the song is catchy”). The Japanese invented karaoke and they like songs that they can remember easily and sing. So I find that the most important point for Japanese music is that it needs to have a very strong melody.
"Skippy"
Jessica: How long does it usually take to write a song? What is the process you go through to write a song?
Joey: Sometimes it happens very quickly and sometimes it takes days. About 50% of the songs that I compose, I compose by myself and the other 50% I compose with many talented co-writers that are Korean, Japanese or American. I enjoy the collaboration process instead of writing songs by myself because it’s a combination of my co-composers’ musical influences and talent plus mine and we come up with something a little bit more unique than if we had written a song by ourselves. Plus, it’s more fun and interesting than staying in a studio by myself and creating alone. You know, make some music, drink some tea, talk about various things, and have a few laughs. It’s a nice balance of working, creating , and enjoying life. The songs that I think turn out the best somehow seem to be the ones that were easiest to write.
Jessica: If you weren’t producing music what other profession do you find suitable for yourself?
Joey: Well I’m only 5”6’ so I couldn’t be a pro basketball player, so that’s out. I wish that I could play 2ndbase for the New York Yankees baseball team! That would be my dream, but no chance of that, either. I love photography, so maybe I could have been a good photographer. My whole life I have been very fortunate that I have been able to make a living from only music.
Jessica: If you were reincarnated into an animal what do you think you would be?
Joey: That’s easy, a squirrel! All my friends know that I’m crazy about squirrels. I have many of them living in my backyard. I call them all “Skippy” and I feed them nuts, apples, and grapes. A lot of my friends give me squirrel goods as presents. Maybe if I come back in another lifetime I would be a squirrel.
Jessica: What tips would you give to someone who wants a career in producing music?
Joey: I would say first of all, study the craft. Study music, learn keyboard or guitar as a basis to be able to write songs on. Listen to the great composers and producers and study their works. Don’t just listen to the music that you personally like. You have to make the distinction between music as a hobby, and the music business. They are 2 different things. If you want to get involved with music as a business then you have to study different kinds of music to try to make yourself more of a well-rounded composer. It takes a lot of time and hard work and the most important thing is to never give up.
If you would like to contact Joey Carbone, you can e-mail him at: joeyc123@earthlink.net
Check out some of the songs Joey has worked on over the years!
“Signal” – KAT-TUN
“I-ZA-NAI-ZUKI” – N.E.W.S.
“Dream World” – Crystal Kay
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