ADSR Inspirations pod

Ian Lynam is the product of a life lived with post-modern art and endless curiosity. Originally from the small town of Averill Park, New York. He holds a BSc in Graphic Design from Portland State University and an MFA in Graphic Design from CalArts. Since 2005, he has led his Tokyo-based design studio, Ian Lynam Design, specializing in identity design, cultural research, and typography. Currently, he serves as faculty at Vermont College of Fine Arts and Temple University Japan, offering his experience and knowledge in art and design. Ian is also a prolific writer and co-founder of the critical cultural online journal Néojaponisme, which fosters creative dialogue and exchange on Japanese culture, society, art, and design. When you visit Sailosaibin in Sasazuka, Tokyo, you'll see some of Ian's creations coming to life alongside stacks of books and a carefully curated selection of handcrafted pieces and clothing from talented collaborators, all contributing to a collection that resonates with the contemporary zeitgeist.In the interview, James and Ian touch on his early days in upstate New York, his childhood passion for art and design, and the influence of the American West Coast and Asia on his design sensibilities. Ian's deep involvement in design education and his profound connection to mentoring young designers show how passionate he is about art, cultural affairs and developing ideas. Ian’s latest book “The Failed Painter” is a bite-size exemplification of his storytelling approach that combines design and writing in ways that are compelling and relatable for the artist in all of us.Connect with Ian:Studio Website // Instagram Follow us on Instagram @adsrpodMore from us ADSR Collective on Facebook Please show some love by rating our show!

Originally from sunny Australia, Will Robinson first came to Japan on a working holiday visa as a way to take a break from studying graphic design. Fast forward 14 years, and Will has established himself entirely in Japan. He dedicated himself to mastering the language and earned a Bachelor's degree in Arts. Will currently works as a freelance custom furniture creator and craftsman. He draws inspiration from Japan's nature and traditional craftsmanship. Over the past few years, his nomadic lifestyle has taken him from Tokyo to Southern Chiba's seaside, to Nagano's mountainside and currently to the enchanting Amami Islands. In each place, he has embraced a specific extreme solo sport like skateboarding, snowboarding or surfing that aligns with the local culture and geography. This diverse range of experiences has undoubtedly enriched his artistic perspective, enabling him to find inspiration in different aspects of Japanese life and nature while continuously honing his craft.In this episode, James and Will chat about what it took to gain a firm grasp on language skills in Japan and how Will got accepted into a Japanese art university. Throughout their conversation, they discuss essential turning points in Will’s life, his approach to art, as well as his current passion, woodworking. Will emphasizes the importance of preserving and honouring disappearing traditions and crafts, not only in Japan but globally. He discusses the potential of bringing a foreign perspective to Japanese art and how he wants to promote artisanal techniques and their stories. In this episode, Will subtly reveals how Japanese aesthetics influence his lifestyle and art.Connect with Will: Portfolio // Instagram // Food pop-upSome of Will’s mentors and lumber inspiration in Tokyo: 株式会社 京和木材 + 京和木材 加工場Follow us on Twitter + Instagram @adsrpodPlease show some love by rating our show!

Originally from Sweden, Mikael Senninge’s journey took him from mechanical engineering in Gothenburg to film school in Paris, where he kindled his passion for visual storytelling. Now based in Tokyo, Mikael has become an accomplished freelance camera operator, cinematographer and filmmaker. His specialty includes commercials, music, narrative, and documentary films. He has lent his expert eye to prestigious clients such as Adidas, Porsche, Google and Red Bull.In this episode, Mikael shares the inspiring story of his career transformation, taking calculated risks to pursue his artistic calling. From leaving a secure engineering path to embark on a meaningful career in film Mikael emphasizes the importance of embracing risk with responsibility and measured planning. James and Mikael explore his creative process, where he finds fulfillment in capturing emotions and different perspectives through his visuals. Mikael walks through critical moments in his career and acknowledges how building upon past experiences has provided opportunities for success and skill refinement. Connect with Mikael:Website //IG @msenninge //VimeoMore from us ADSR Collective  on Instagram @adsrpod

Joe Oliver is an adventurous designer and DJ. He was formally educated in Graphic Design at Nottingham Trent University. Shortly after schooling, Joe took the freelance route with his design skills and illustration. Working short-term contracts meant Joe could work, then travel for months through Europe, Australia, South America and Asia. Joe’s nomad lifestyle finally slowed down when he reached Japan’s megacity.In the present episode, Joe acknowledges the multifaceted opportunities that come with being a freelancer, enabling him to engage in diverse projects and cultivate his skills, leading him to venture into UI/UX design. He also talks about his bold move to Tokyo and the challenges he encountered while unexpectedly settling here, especially as a freelancer. Joe and James explore the inception of his music brand Yes Chef! hosting a monthly party series and his weekly radio show with Tim Lambourne aka Good Company Broadcast Group. The chat wraps up by looking into the future to discuss how Joe would like further serve the music community and how designing will always be part of his life.Joe's spirit radiates both adventure and creativity. He blends innovation, imagination, and a dash of design expertise to concoct remarkable experiences in his work and DJ pursuits. Find the secret recipe in this episode!Connect with Joe Oliver:Instagram @joeolivr // SoundCloud // Resident Advisor //Keakie RadioMore from us ADSR Collective on Facebook or SoundCloudListen to our music on Bandcamp Follow us on Twitter + Instagram @adsrpodPlease show some love by rating our show!

Born in Saitama, Japan, but having grown up in Singapore, Matthew "MZA" Sekiya has built a life immersed in music. MZA is a beatmaker, a DJ, a record label founder, a radio show host on HKCR, and a big part of the Japanese jazz blog ZŪJAGO. All of this is in addition to his day job as a vinyl and music lifestyle manager. While MZA's style initially paid homage to early 90s to 2000s American hip hop, Japanese rap, and downtempo, it has evolved over the years to include elements of house, techno, reggae, hardcore and jungle.In this episode, Matthew reveals an interesting tidbit about his label roster. Discover how he finds creative freedom by using aliases to distinguish his music projects. James and Matthew delve into his label, Yen Disco Soundsystem and discuss the driving forces that motivate him to keep pushing forward while juggling different roles. Matthew shares how he continues to find musical inspiration in vintage Japanese gear and instruments. The expanse of Matthew’s craft has no bounds to genre or space, but he continues to explore his roots in Singaporean culture as well as Japanese heritage in the process.Connect with MZA and dive into Yen Disco Soundsystem’s sound:Bandcamp / Instagram / Soundcloud / Spotify More from us ADSR Collective on Facebook or SoundCloudListen to our music on Bandcamp Follow us on Twitter + Instagram @adsrpodPlease show some love by rating our show!

Now residing in Tokyo, Toronto-born Demsky takes a lot of his inspiration from the chill instrumental, beat-making music scenes that he’s heavily involved in. Demsky's music is a unique blend of ambient soundscapes, trip-hop beats, and rock influences. Lessons of love, understanding, choices, perseverance, and adaptability are some of the themes in Demsky's sound. His music features the ambient and weaving formations of the layers in each track, which are representations of the elements of the environment around us.James and Demsky had an insightful conversation about the art of music production, finding balance in your life and tips for touring. They discussed various techniques for creating unique sounds and melodies, as well as ways to overcome creative blocks in the music-making process. They also delved into the importance of experimentation and taking risks in order to create something truly original. Connect with Demsky:Website // IG @demskymusic //Facebook // BandcampMore from ADSR Collective on Facebook // SoundCloud Follow us on Instagram @adsrcollectiveCheck out our music on https://adsrmusic.ca/

Lee Reeve, originally from Glasgow, has been living in Japan for over 20 years, mainly in the Yokohama region. He is the CEO and founder of inCider Japan, a marketing and creative consulting firm also known for publishing the only bilingual cider magazine in Asia under the same clever name. InCider Japan is dedicated to all things cider! In addition to being an importer, retailer, and maker of cider and cider-related goods, Lee also works as a consultant for various alcohol and beverage brands worldwide.In the episode Lee and James chat about Lee’s history with cider growing up and then how he came to reignite his passion for the drink upon living in Japan. The pair also get into how he first became interested in craft (beer) brewing and his eventual shift to cider, what it was that led him to start his cider magazine and then in turn his import business. Lee also outlines some of the difficulties he’s had throughout the past 5 years of running the business, particularly how he’s had to adapt and pivot through the pandemic. Lastly, Lee gives some great advice for entrepreneurs and future business owners about what it takes to keep going and find success. Connect with Lee and discover more about cider!Website: https://www.inciderjapan.comInstagram @inCiderjapanTwitter:@inCiderJapanFB: inCiderJapanMore from us ADSR Collective on Facebook // SoundCloud Follow us on Instagram @adsrcollectiveCheck out our music on https://adsrmusic.ca/

Mark Schilling is one of the world's leading writer in Japanese film. He’s been reviewing Japanese films for The Japan Times since 1989 and has reported on Japanese film since 1990, first for Screen International and currently for Variety. Schilling also serves as an adviser to the yearly Udine Far East Film Festival in Italy. He's been on juries for international film festivals, interviewed countless Japanese film icons, recorded numerous DVD commentaries and worked as a script adviser on 2003's “The Last Samurai.” Over the years, Mark has written, contributed to and translated several books. Some of his original works include Contemporary Japanese Film, The Yakuza Movie Book: A Guide to Japanese Gangster Films, No Borders, No Limits: Nikkatsu Action Cinema and more recently Art, Cult and Commerce: Japanese Cinema Since 2000. In today’s episode, Mark discusses what’s kept him passionate about Japan and Japanese film all these years. He also gives some advice for aspiring writers and film buffs as well as shares some personal stories of meeting some Japanese cinema legends. Connect with Mark on Twitter @moviefan55 This episode was recorded in 2021 when COVID19 was affecting drastic lifestyle changes and work.

Derrek Buston is originally from Seattle Washington, where he attended the University of Washington first majoring in music, then Japanese linguistics. His sophomore year in 2000 was also when he studied abroad at Keio University Tokyo. After graduating college and then working for a Japanese company in Seattle he soon found himself drawn back to Japan and settled in the Shizuoka area. Around this time, Derrek began to focus on design and architecture. This eventually led him to become a licensed architect and in 2013 established his own company: West Coast Design. After finding success with West Coast Design, including a commission in 2014 to make the Shizuoka Whiskey distillery, Derrek soon got the idea to get into the beverage industry himself. His entryway was first in 2017 with his bar, Twelve and then in 2019 with his brewery, West Coast Brewing. WCB has gained popularity over the past few years and now finds itself as one of the top craft beer brands in the country with Derrek at the helm. In this episode, Derrek offers advice for those looking to get into the design and architecture world in Japan. He speaks on what drew him into the world of craft beer and how he now balances his two companies. He talks about his roles as a CEO and how to stay relevant and forward-thinking in an increasingly competitive industry. Connect with Derrek on Instagram @dbuston and the West Coast Brewing team @wcbshizuoka !Brewery Website: https://www.westcoastbrewing.jp/Design Website: https://www.westcoastdesign.co.jp/ Design team IG  @westcoastdesign_team328 This episode was recorded in 2021 when COVID-19 affected drastic lifestyle changes and work. The hotel project Derrek talks about in this episode is now open! Check out The Villa & Barrel Lounge in Shizuoka.

Originally from Michigan, USA, Stuart Galbraith IV is a film historian, a critic and a respected author with expertise in Japanese film. A selection of his books includes: "The Emperor and the Wolf – The Lives and Films of Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune", "The Toho Studios Story", "Monsters Are Attacking Tokyo! The Incredible World of Japanese Fantasy Films", and "The Japanese Filmography". Stuart has also done extensive work as a home video Special Features Producer. He's recorded dozens of informative audio commentaries for Japanese films award-winning classics and plenty of obscure gems. In addition, Stuart is a prolific film reviewer who has critiqued thousands of films for physical and online publications. Stuart has recently been engaged in a more personal project, renovating a 200-year-old Japanese house. The dwellers of these traditional homes, Minkas (民家), were farmers, merchants and artisans.In this episode, Stuart shares his strong connection to Japanese cinema and Japan. He delves into his past as an archivist for the USC Warner Bros. Archives in California. Then, he gets into his process of researching and writing books on Japanese cinema. Stuart also shares some of his stories about Japanese cinema and famous filmmakers throughout the years. Connect with Stuart! Twitter @worldcinemaparaWebsite https://hanaseminka.wordpress.com/ This episode was recorded in 2021 when COVID19 was affecting drastic lifestyle changes and work.

Adonis "Doc" Saverson is a Tokyo-based illustrator, designer, brand coordinator, and artistic director. He is originally from Chicago aka Chi-town! He also lived in Illinois and Minneapolis. Doc specializes in streetwear, skateboards, vinyl figures, and branding. In the past, he's studied with some of the industry's most prolific and influential players. He's been in Tokyo making art since 2012, and then in 2017, Doc started his own company named Cloth－ an independent design studio and lifestyle brand. Last year, Doc was in Sapporo's "Where East meets West Artists" a mural campaign connecting worlds and influence in street art.In this episode, Doc shares how he was able to make it as an artist in Tokyo, and what it took to make the leap and move halfway around the world to chase a dream. Doc talks about some of his philosophies on life and art as well as his vision of success.Check out Doc's work and his lifestyle brand Cloth!IG @heyitsmedoc // Bio and PortfolioThis episode was recorded in 2021 when COVID19 was affecting drastic lifestyle changes and work.

Adam Esposito is a self-described creative collaborator and cultural explorer. He is also an English-Italian living in Tokyo. After completing his BA and Master's in design at the Ravensbourne University of London, he jumped into the field working for Gensler London, and eventually Gensler's Tokyo branch. Working for one of the industry's biggest design firms allowed Adam to work on different design projects in the corporate world, retail, education and even hospitality. Adam has been living in Tokyo for the past four years. In November 2019, Adam started his interior design studio in Tokyo: Espo Atelier. Inspired by people, culture & education Adam's main focus and passion are building strong relationships and creating artful spaces. Designing personal spaces is one of Adam Esposito's passions. He explores and reveals what he loves about it. Listen in and peek at his Tokyo captures on IG:@espoarch.This episode was recorded in 2021 when COVID19 was affecting drastic lifestyle changes and work.