My name is Tanaka, and I am the director/coder of the Coding Factory.
At Monosus, we have staff members who, in addition to working as employees, also pursue activities they enjoy or other jobs (in industries other than Monosus).
In this section, we interviewed Monosus staff,
What does it mean to "work"? How they wear their "two pairs of sandals"
We will think about this.
The first person to receive this honor is Kikunae Shinsuke from the Marketing Department.
Apart from Monosas, he is also the lead vocalist for the rock band The Crater.
He says that he is both an artist, working at Monosus and making music, but what does that look like? Let's explore Kikunaga's way of wearing "two pairs of sandals."
In the "gaps" of the mono suspension,
With help from Kikunaga
Kikunaga heads to a client's office.
Eight years ago, Kikunae joined Monosus because he was sought after for his experience and strong skills in telemarketing.
Since then, I have mainly worked on telephone-related tasks, but recently I have also been visiting various companies and writing reports on website operations.
There are also times when Kikunae acts for the good of others outside of work.
For example, Monosus recently replaced our coffee maker, but while the previous model was still in use, they discovered that it was broken and arranged for it to be repaired.
In addition, he cleans up cleaning tools that are left out and takes the initiative to sweep the courtyard in the morning. As mentioned in the December 2015 MVP article, even if it is outside of his area of responsibility, he is always ready to lend a hand if there is something he can do.
Kikunaga is not the type to be assertive at work, but he is known for his subtle consideration.
They are people who find gaps that no one else notices and take the initiative to try to solve them.
Creating "Happiness"
His face as an artist
This is another side of Kikunae.
That's the vocalist of the rock band " The Crater "!
The Crater is a four-member vocal rock band that will make you cry, laugh, sing, and dance, known for their solid performances and catchy pop melodies sung in catchy voices.
The band is based in Tokyo and is currently active throughout Japan, having performed at music festivals such as "Summer Sonic" and "MINAMI WHEEL", and coming in second place at "Red Bull Live on the Road 2013".
Along with his live performances as a band member, he also actively performs on the street, playing and singing along.
One day, I accompanied him on a street performance.
Near the nearest station to my house.
Even if Kikunae has a live performance or band practice scheduled after work, he doesn't bring his musical instruments to the office, but instead goes home to get them.
He was carrying a large guitar case, a bag with a microphone stand, and a speaker amp he had recently purchased on a carrying cart...
It's quite a large package, so it would be a hassle to go back just to get it.
Still, he says, "I do this to take my mind off work."
At the transfer station. "Well, I'm carrying a lot of luggage." While listening to the conversation on the train, he was considerate of those around him, checking how crowded the train was and deciding where to stand.
On the way to the street performance, I asked him how he decides on his songs.
"I think that street performances have a certain 'atmosphere'. Especially at night when everyone is tired, if there's someone who is whining and asserting themselves, it makes them even more tired. For me, a live performance is not a place to vent anger, nor a place to assert ourselves or try to protect our own world. I'm happy when I hear feedback from the audience like 'I felt positive, I was happy'. Because I think it's important for music to make everyone in the venue happy.
So I choose songs that make me feel like, 'I'll have more fun and try my best tomorrow.'"
As we were talking, we changed trains and got off at the south exit of Shinjuku Station.
A microphone stand and a speaker amplifier are essential items for street performances. This amplifier runs on six AA batteries.
Guitar, guitar case, microphone stand, speaker amplifier.
And a flyer for "The Crater" and a paper sign.
They rearrange the pieces again and again, carefully preparing tonight's stage.
When I tried to help set up, he said, "It's okay. In fact, I'd be in trouble if you helped me."
There, instead of the usual "Kikunaga-san," there stood an artist.
Sound check before the performance.
Once he starts singing, the atmosphere changes completely.
The sounds of guitar and singing echo through Shinjuku at night.
He continued singing, calling out "Thank you!" to passersby who stopped to listen.
Passersby even stopped to listen to the performance.
They played about 10 songs that day and the live ended.
Even after the show, the audience spoke to each other one by one, and there were times when they all laughed together, despite it being their first time meeting.
Thinking about "how" to do both work and music,
The creator is the artist
Kikunaga is on the phone with a customer. His work ethic is so good that he is known as "Kikunaga, the man for the phone."
As I wrote at the beginning, Kikunae is someone who is actively involved in the "gaps" within Monosus.
When asked why,
"Well, that's something I learned from Furuhata-san in the first place."
and began talking.
Furuhata is Kikunaga's senior in the same marketing department. She is the kind of person who picks up things in the company that need to be done, even if it's not decided who will do it, and who cares about others more than herself. (See member introduction " Thinking about Monosus-likeness from a Monosus-like girlfriend - Furuhata Yukari - ") Many people end up consulting Furuhata when they have a problem.
"Monosus is a company where you're given only the bare necessities to live and then thrown out into rough seas (laughs), but you can do whatever you want there, you can do what you like. They give you freedom. Basically, they don't reject what employees "want to do". That corporate culture at Monosus and Hayashi-san's presence are huge. I'm really grateful that I was allowed to pursue my music career freely. So I started to think that I wanted to contribute more to the company.
At that time, I saw Furuhata-san acting with the company and his colleagues in mind, and I thought that this is how it should be. And I began to think about how I should be involved with Monosus.
He says that when he first joined the company, he worked for music and to make a living, and just did what he was told, but through the time he spent with his colleagues at Monosus, his outlook on how to interact with the company and how to work gradually began to change.
"However, we have recordings, practice and live shows on a regular basis, and when the national tour begins, we won't have any days off because of travel. Inevitably, the time I can devote to the company and my work is limited. So even with each job I have in hand, I'm always thinking about how I can improve efficiency and produce good results, and whether there is anything else I can do for the company within the scope of my own responsibility.
I think that an "artist" is someone who creates something by devising new ways of thinking and methods, whether it be work or music.
For him, both his work at Monosus, where he finds gaps in the company and comes up with creative solutions, and his work at The Crater, where he creates music that makes people feel positive and happy, are the work of an artist. Whether it's work or music, he thinks about "how to do it" and creates it.
That is Kikunae's way of wearing two pairs of sandals.
Live Report
Finally, we will bring you the final performance of The Crater's nationwide tour to celebrate the release of their album "Live House is Paradise!", which was held at the live house Planet K in Kichijoji on Friday, March 4th.
Kikunaga (left) tunes his instrument while chatting with band member Hirano (right) in the dressing room.
The audience erupts in excitement at The Crater's live performance!
Their turn will be after 8:30pm.
Fans who had finished work also rushed over, and before we knew it, the venue was packed and the excitement was palpable!
Unlike street performances, they move around freely on stage and sing.
The approximately two-hour performance passed by in a flash, and the applause continued even after the final encore.
Kikunae responds to the cheers for the encore.
I, Tanaka, was also there to do some reporting, but I ended up forgetting my purpose and enjoying myself in the front row.
The Crater will release a two-song single on April 10th, and will hold a release celebration live show in Shimokitazawa on the same day!
Please come and visit the venue!
2016/4/10(Sun) Shimokitazawa CLUB251 ( http://www.club251.com/ )
Open 18:30 / Start 19:00
Advance tickets: 2,500 yen / Same-day tickets: 2,800 yen (Advance ticket reservations: http://thecrater.jimdo.com/ticket/ )
The Crater's latest music video "Goodbye"
TANAKA Natsumi