01Profile
A Yurina Lily Photo
Yurina Lily
Photographer/Director — Tokyo
03Interview
Name
Yurina Lily
What do you do?
Film Photographer and the director of MISS YOU UK.
Where are you from?
Tokyo/London
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
James Blake at the Field Day 2016. The pouring rain stopped as he went on the stage as the headliner. I recall him saying "Thanks for staying till the end". The rain stopped, then he started singing. I got the chill that I’ve never had before.
Which sub-cultures have influenced you?
Films. It’s pretty common but 'Trainspotting', 'Bridget Jones’s Diary', 'Love Actually', the '007' series and the 'Harry Potters' etc. Not that I had it in mind back then but films that I liked from childhood are often set in the UK. I must have been influenced by these films both linguistically and understanding different cultures.
Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
The Moth club in Hackney, where I used to live, then there’s the Shacklewell Arms in Dalston where my friend lived. Tickets are sold at a decent price in London compared to Japan and I like how you could just go see a gig in a snap of fingers. Music seems to be very accessible in that sense.
If you could be on the line up with any bands in history?
I’d love to dance on the stage with Freddie Mercury.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Capturing David Bowie while chilling out at his house. It would be interesting to see how his odd eyes would come out on the film camera.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
I would say Florence and the Machine should get more recognition in Japan as I’m sure everyone must have heard her songs but not her name.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
'Bigmouth Strikes Again' by The Smiths. I found the track through the radio when I was a student but I couldn’t catch the track title. I must have sung to the staff at a record store if I remember correctly!
A song that defines the teenage you?
It’s the Smiths’ Bigmouth Strikes Again’ once more. I’ve started listening to British rock and punk music through fashion labels such as Vivien Westwood and Dr. Martens. Back then I had the pleasure to find out that the Smiths were from the UK.
One record you would keep forever?
'Heroes' by David Bowie. The song is used during a great scene in the film 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'. I could cry just to recall the scene, even still.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
Talking about the David Bowie’s track 'Heroes', I like it when the lyric that goes "We can be heroes just for one day" which uses simple English words but has a profound meaning to it.
Best song to turn up loud?
'Hello' by Adele. It’s a challenging song to try out my ability.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'Nichijyou' by Bo Ningen. I’ve only started listening to Japanese songs since I met the guitarist, Yuki, in London and their Japanese lyrics went straight into my head. The melody, the cool sound. My favourite track.
Any new musicians you are listening to now?
Blood Orange. I found the artist through the song 'Champagne Coast' in the playlist but it was coincidently used as a soundtrack for 'Palo Alto', a film that I watched by chance. I felt a curious fate.
What is the concept behind your playlist?
It’s a selection of the tracks I listened to when I was living in London. I didn’t mean to but the majority of the picked artists turned out to be from the UK. BO NINGEN, by the way, is a Japanese band based in London. I set a rule to walk for any journey if it takes less than 130 minutes by foot so it’s essentially a two-hour long playlist to go home with. I had to cut it down to a few gems though.
03Interview
Name
Yurina Lily
What do you do?
Film Photographer and the director of MISS YOU UK.
Where are you from?
Tokyo/London
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
James Blake at the Field Day 2016. The pouring rain stopped as he went on the stage as the headliner. I recall him saying "Thanks for staying till the end". The rain stopped, then he started singing. I got the chill that I’ve never had before.
Which sub-cultures have influenced you?
Films. It’s pretty common but 'Trainspotting', 'Bridget Jones’s Diary', 'Love Actually', the '007' series and the 'Harry Potters' etc. Not that I had it in mind back then but films that I liked from childhood are often set in the UK. I must have been influenced by these films both linguistically and understanding different cultures.
Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
The Moth club in Hackney, where I used to live, then there’s the Shacklewell Arms in Dalston where my friend lived. Tickets are sold at a decent price in London compared to Japan and I like how you could just go see a gig in a snap of fingers. Music seems to be very accessible in that sense.
If you could be on the line up with any bands in history?
I’d love to dance on the stage with Freddie Mercury.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Capturing David Bowie while chilling out at his house. It would be interesting to see how his odd eyes would come out on the film camera.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
I would say Florence and the Machine should get more recognition in Japan as I’m sure everyone must have heard her songs but not her name.
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
'Bigmouth Strikes Again' by The Smiths. I found the track through the radio when I was a student but I couldn’t catch the track title. I must have sung to the staff at a record store if I remember correctly!
A song that defines the teenage you?
It’s the Smiths’ Bigmouth Strikes Again’ once more. I’ve started listening to British rock and punk music through fashion labels such as Vivien Westwood and Dr. Martens. Back then I had the pleasure to find out that the Smiths were from the UK.
One record you would keep forever?
'Heroes' by David Bowie. The song is used during a great scene in the film 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'. I could cry just to recall the scene, even still.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
Talking about the David Bowie’s track 'Heroes', I like it when the lyric that goes "We can be heroes just for one day" which uses simple English words but has a profound meaning to it.
Best song to turn up loud?
'Hello' by Adele. It’s a challenging song to try out my ability.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'Nichijyou' by Bo Ningen. I’ve only started listening to Japanese songs since I met the guitarist, Yuki, in London and their Japanese lyrics went straight into my head. The melody, the cool sound. My favourite track.
Any new musicians you are listening to now?
Blood Orange. I found the artist through the song 'Champagne Coast' in the playlist but it was coincidently used as a soundtrack for 'Palo Alto', a film that I watched by chance. I felt a curious fate.
What is the concept behind your playlist?
It’s a selection of the tracks I listened to when I was living in London. I didn’t mean to but the majority of the picked artists turned out to be from the UK. BO NINGEN, by the way, is a Japanese band based in London. I set a rule to walk for any journey if it takes less than 130 minutes by foot so it’s essentially a two-hour long playlist to go home with. I had to cut it down to a few gems though.