Osaka Brand Center

Named in a bit of a controversial way, Rogue’s Gallery was formed in 1993 by Yasuhiko Hamachi and Yukihisa Nakase. Both Hamachi and Nakase were senior high school students when they first met four years earlier at the summer school of Osaka University of Arts. Connecting to each other by talking over music, the two entered the college together, became members of the same music club, and devoted themselves to exploring art, music, and movies. They were strongly attracted to something that was not categorized in conventional genres or explainable with ordinary words; Survival Research Labs (SRL), which is known for fierce fighting performances between hand-made robots, or so-called noise music played by BOREDOMS, are among such radical expressions that particularly appealed to them.
One day, Hamachi and Nakase made a significant discovery while they were driving a car. As they were checking a used FM transmitter that they had just bought from a used parts shop, it made a howling noise, which seemed to change the view from the car window. Inspired enough by the finding, the two eventually created a unique style of experimental performance, in which an audience rides in their car (Citroen XM-X), which is carrying high-quality audio equipment, and listens to various machine noises from the car that are enhanced with added effects through the equipment. Calling it “Gasoline Music & Cruising,” the two officially started the performance in 1994.

  The cruise is conducted like this: after meeting the two at a certain place, the audience gets into the rear of the car. Hamachi drives the car, while Nakase performs mixing. The maximum number of audience members is two per cruise. As the car continues on a planned course and increases speed, a loud enhanced sound of machine noises, namely engines and turn signals, surrounds the audience. As the streaming views from the windows, booming sounds, and vibration from the car seat are combined, the mere driving sensation transforms into an artistic experience of the unseen world, which the audience is allowed to glimpse through speed and sound. The duo has conducted approximately 300 driving performances for 600 people thus far. They also perform in a parked car, titled “Demonstration,” and also an installation project, “RESIDUAL NOISE,” outside the car using only the audio equipment.

Currently, Hamachi and Nakase are on their national tour, titled “Gasoline Music & Cruising Across Japan Tour 2006-2007.” The tour started in Hokkaido in September 2006, has visited Aomori, Aichi, Kanagawa, Kagawa, Wakayama, Hyogo, Hiroshima, Kochi and Okayama, and will also cover Yamaguchi and Kyushu. As the name of Rogue’s Gallery has become known nationwide, more people in Osaka should realize and be proud that our community has created this super-unique artist group.