Bill from Japan

"Bill from Japan"

In this episode Bill and I talk a lot about how it is to be an expat, but also about music, metal music in particular. Bill, American born in Germany, has been living in Japan for almost three decades. Bill is also a part-time musician in the band Harappa. We talk about culture, music, bands, metal music , parenthood as an expat and how it is to be 6’ tall in Japan ;) 

https://soundcloud.com/harappaband

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdt9YJjY7MmXryScwQb_A9Q

https://www.facebook.com/harappaband/

Songs in this episode: 
Harappa - Prison of the Flesh

Harappa - Koyaanisqatsi

Transcript

Anna Cei: 0:04

Hi, welcome to "What Matters Most to You?" In each Hi, good morning, Bill.

Bill Jokela: 0:35

Hello, Hi good to talk to you.

Anna Cei: 0:36

Welcome to what matters most to you. I'm so

Bill Jokela: 0:40

Well, thank you for having me.

Anna Cei: 0:41

So I said good morning, but here in Mexico is

Unknown: 0:48

Well, I'm in Tokyo. That's about 1130 in the morning

Anna Cei: 0:52

So you don't have a very heavy accent though,

Bill Jokela: 0:57

No,no, I don't

Anna Cei: 0:58

Where are you from?

Bill Jokela: 0:59

I'm American. And you know, it's, it's a little

Anna Cei: 1:10

But you are in Tokyo right now. And in Japan, right?

Bill Jokela: 1:13

Yes, yes, I'm in Tokyo.

Anna Cei: 1:15

So before we dive in and talk a little bit about what

Bill Jokela: 1:26

Oh, I've been here. Let's see coming up on 28 years

Anna Cei: 1:32

28 years?

Bill Jokela: 1:33

Yes.

Anna Cei: 1:35

I'm surprised. I thought it was like 20, maybe

Bill Jokela: 1:41

And almost. Yeah, it sounds like a long time when

Anna Cei: 1:44

Three decades. Yeah.

Bill Jokela: 1:45

Right.

Anna Cei: 1:45

So what do you do for a living? You obviously then

Bill Jokela: 1:49

Yes, well, I'm an IT guy. I mostly work on network

Anna Cei: 2:01

for the first two years, you were a part of the

Bill Jokela: 2:05

Yes. Actually, for four. I, I extended my stay here getting married. And, you know, here we are, still here.

Anna Cei: 2:25

So that was in Tokyo. You were in the military service

Bill Jokela: 2:30

No. Yeah, Tokyo whole time.

Anna Cei: 2:33

And so do you still work for the military? Or what

Bill Jokela: 2:37

My job is associated with them. I'm not

Anna Cei: 2:42

so you don't have to speak Japanese during the

Bill Jokela: 2:45

No, not at all. kind of the point my job is it

Anna Cei: 2:55

have you done that job since you started working civil,

Bill Jokela: 3:00

Not the whole time. But I've been doing this for a

Anna Cei: 3:02

If you don't mind me asking approximately how old are

Bill Jokela: 3:06

I am 50 years old. I just turned 50 this year.

Anna Cei: 3:09

So it means like 20 some years, your first 20 years,

Bill Jokela: 3:14

Correct. Correct.

Anna Cei: 3:15

Where did you grow up? You said it was all over the

Bill Jokela: 3:18

Yes. I was actually born in Germany, because my

Anna Cei: 3:30

Did you ever imagine that you were going to end up in

Bill Jokela: 3:36

No, I really, I really didn't. Because, you ended up, but here in Japan, and again, you know, I didn't try to

Anna Cei: 4:03

And so what's the best part? I mean, if you have to

Bill Jokela: 4:13

Wow. There's a lot to appreciate. I really do like

Anna Cei: 4:27

So you say you appreciate the music scene in that is a vast variety or that it's inexpensive or that you get

Bill Jokela: 4:51

Let's see it scales from you know, local gigs where

Anna Cei: 5:06

Yeah, Club Citta is pretty big. So are you a hobby

Bill Jokela: 5:14

That's a good question. I'd say probably

Anna Cei: 5:23

what kind of music is that?

Bill Jokela: 5:24

various forms of metal. The main thing I'm

Anna Cei: 5:29

Can you spell that forus?

Bill Jokela: 5:31

Sure. H, AR, A PPA. And it's named after an ancient and like the lyrics,

Anna Cei: 5:52

So is it something like Folk Metal?

Bill Jokela: 5:55

um, I don't know if I use the term Folk Metal, but

Anna Cei: 6:00

the only Indian metal band I know. And it's like, I

Bill Jokela: 6:07

Okay.

Anna Cei: 6:07

They're really a hilarious band, they use

Bill Jokela: 6:13

right. We got to play with an Indian metal band

Anna Cei: 6:22

they just happen to come from India. They don't have

Bill Jokela: 6:27

Right. Right. That seems to be the case.

Anna Cei: 6:30

So was this kind of like a dream since you were a

Bill Jokela: 6:34

I don't know if it was really a dream, but my fun singing, And eh.

Anna Cei: 6:52

so what do you do in the band? Now? What instrument

Bill Jokela: 6:55

I play bass and I do some vocals, as a secondary

Anna Cei: 6:58

Like chorus stuff, or Yeah?

Bill Jokela: 7:00

yeah, some backing vocals. But I do sing lead

Anna Cei: 7:04

Mmm. Cool.

Bill Jokela: 7:05

But I'm not the primary vocalist. That's Girish helicopter flying around in here? No, it turns out Yeah, he

Anna Cei: 7:24

drone is that an Indian instrument?

Bill Jokela: 7:27

Yes. Yes.

Anna Cei: 7:28

I don't even know what that is. And I thought I knew a

Bill Jokela: 7:33

Yeah, well, the instrument is Tampura. think

Anna Cei: 7:37

How do you spell that? Because I don't know what that

Bill Jokela: 7:42

tampura

Anna Cei: 7:43

tampura, like almost like the Japanese dish tempura

Bill Jokela: 7:45

almost like that yes.

Anna Cei: 7:46

Tampura, Mhmm. Okay, so that's an a classic. Is it

Bill Jokela: 7:49

It is a stringed instrument. But the way you play

Anna Cei: 8:06

Ah,and how many strings does it have?

Bill Jokela: 8:08

Three

Anna Cei: 8:08

Hah

Bill Jokela: 8:09

we normally play with the with just a recording

Anna Cei: 8:16

So is it a little bit like the Japanese instrument

Bill Jokela: 8:19

It kind of resembles that it's a little

Anna Cei: 8:21

in Polynesia, too. They have a lot of those three

Bill Jokela: 8:26

right. Well, the idea behind this is you're not

Anna Cei: 8:35

and can you plug it in electronically then I mean,

Bill Jokela: 8:39

right no we're using the reason sampled tones

Anna Cei: 8:48

I think we need to listen to some of this

Bill Jokela: 8:50

Sure

Music - Harappa - Prison of the Flesh: 8:50

------

Anna Cei: 13:16

Yeah, that was really cool. So like when did you said

Bill Jokela: 13:25

Yes. Trying to think aside from singing. I

Anna Cei: 13:40

Why did you gravitate towards that? I mean, you say of

Bill Jokela: 13:44

Well, my my taste in music. I'm thinking you know,

Anna Cei: 13:55

Did your parents listen to Heart? Did they listen

Bill Jokela: 14:01

My my dad listens to a lot of rock stuff. My mom

Anna Cei: 14:11

Oh,he had good taste.

Bill Jokela: 14:15

Or does I should say, Yeah, he still does.

Anna Cei: 14:17

Hmm. When you were were 20 What did you listen to listening with other army dudes?

Bill Jokela: 14:36

Well, that's um, yeah, that's a funny thing. 90s were a big transition for heavy music in general and

Anna Cei: 15:02

Did you keep on playing the whole time? So you

Bill Jokela: 15:08

I was in a couple of bands with with military guys

Anna Cei: 15:12

Did you play bass on the base? I had to ask.

Bill Jokela: 15:16

I'm thinking, um, I don't think I did. I played in a of Japanese guys and in fact here, let me tell you this, too.

Anna Cei: 15:48

I'm not too familiar with Japanese thrash. So can you

Bill Jokela: 15:52

Ritual Carnage. And again, I'm just a footnote. I

Anna Cei: 15:57

But you were there from the beginning.

Bill Jokela: 15:59

I was Yeah, I was there. In the beginning, a guy together. But I had gotten serious with my girlfriend, and

Anna Cei: 16:28

Wow,

Bill Jokela: 16:29

that was good fun.

Anna Cei: 16:30

Was that thrash metal or what kind of?

Bill Jokela: 16:33

I'd say mostly thrashy. Harsh vocals. So a

Anna Cei: 16:45

Oh, Swedish.

Bill Jokela: 16:47

Yes, yes.

Anna Cei: 16:48

I know, I happen to know a little bit that you have

Bill Jokela: 16:54

Yes, yes. Well, let me think about that those guys

Anna Cei: 17:05

So they we're in influenced by Scandinavian

Bill Jokela: 17:15

I wouldn't say that they had many Japanese

Anna Cei: 17:22

American?

Bill Jokela: 17:23

American or, you know, maybe generic European, favorite guitar duo ever given, you know, probands or not?

Anna Cei: 17:44

Have they kept? Is it that you left the band or? And

Bill Jokela: 17:51

Yeah, I left the band. And the guy who came in to

Anna Cei: 18:05

Right, right. So you were still at this time? Some 10 or 20 years ago? You

Bill Jokela: 18:13

Yes.

Anna Cei: 18:13

What did you listen to?

Bill Jokela: 18:15

Oh, wow. I have to think about that. Lots of stuff.

Anna Cei: 18:28

I also recall, correct me if I'm wrong, that you like

Bill Jokela: 18:32

Oh, yes. Big Opeth fan.

Anna Cei: 18:34

I mean, it's like if I think about you, that's a band,

Bill Jokela: 18:40

I really do. "Morning Rise" is if it's not my

Anna Cei: 18:47

you consider yourself a metal head. I mean, you

Bill Jokela: 18:53

I'd say I'm a metal guy. I that's not the only thing player. And singer. I don't know. I get around a bit.

Anna Cei: 19:13

And how about Japanese music? I mean, you've been

Bill Jokela: 19:20

Yeah, yeah,

Anna Cei: 19:21

Or are they just not familiar outside of the Japan?

Bill Jokela: 19:25

Let's see. I like I like "Sigh" a lot. And I like that, man. They just turned into something wild and crazy, So it's always cool to hear what those guys are playing.

Anna Cei: 19:59

So if somebody is listening to this and they don't

Bill Jokela: 20:09

Sigh is a great place to start. Because you

Anna Cei: 20:25

Japanese weird, is that like, emblematic for Japan

Bill Jokela: 20:31

Well, not necessarily. But yeah, it's hard been doing that. I don't know how many years?

Anna Cei: 20:47

Quite a while, I think

Bill Jokela: 20:49

yes, yes. So at least 20 years, probably. What

Anna Cei: 20:58

Our friends in PUNiK?

Bill Jokela: 21:00

Yes,

Anna Cei: 21:00

yeah. Now we know a little bit about you. And we are

Bill Jokela: 21:12

Well, that's something that I really don't

Anna Cei: 21:17

as long as it's your answer,as long as it's yours.

Bill Jokela: 21:20

Sure, sure. Well, part of it is people I care her she was able to grow up in one town, she's had a stable set

Anna Cei: 21:42

What's that something you wished for considering your

Bill Jokela: 21:46

I thought it was, I thought it was a good thing to lasting relationships that way. And I think that, you know, we want to be able to support her if we need to.

Anna Cei: 22:17

How about your own parents? I mean, they, they're

Bill Jokela: 22:23

That's true. They're, they're still in the

Anna Cei: 22:26

That's another sacrifice you did for your

Bill Jokela: 22:29

That's true. And part of this is like, every time to go see everybody or, you know,

Anna Cei: 22:46

Yeah, I know.

Bill Jokela: 22:47

or pick a place and say, Hey, this is where I'm

Anna Cei: 22:51

Yeah,yeah, yeah, yeah.

Bill Jokela: 22:52

Again, you know, I've got brothers and a sister

Anna Cei: 23:01

Oh, okay. So there is no one else but her.

Bill Jokela: 23:05

Right. This is just us. mother in law. Also, you've

Anna Cei: 23:16

I'm in Mexico for a reason, not in the States.

Bill Jokela: 23:20

Right. What definitely don't mind having

Anna Cei: 23:25

So family matters a lot to you?

Bill Jokela: 23:27

Yes, yes.

Anna Cei: 23:28

And your own family? Because that's also your chosen

Bill Jokela: 23:33

Yes. So I've had people joke before if somebody

Anna Cei: 23:42

Mmm.

Bill Jokela: 23:42

Although I don't really act Japanese either. So

Anna Cei: 23:45

so being part of a Japanese family even though

Bill Jokela: 24:03

No, they were actually pretty open to all you're basically just learning the language, right? But if

Anna Cei: 24:24

Well, as a non native English speaker, I beg to

Bill Jokela: 24:40

Oh, definitely. And I tell you, it was a bit of an adjustment getting around

Anna Cei: 24:51

How tall are you?

Bill Jokela: 24:52

I am Uh, I'm six foot tall. We're about 183 know, there's still places if I'm not paying attention at all,

Anna Cei: 25:12

Did you learn the language? Or did your wife speak

Bill Jokela: 25:17

Um,

Anna Cei: 25:17

I mean, I'm curious about the whole and I'm sure

Bill Jokela: 25:23

Sure. That was, um, we communicated mostly in was speaking in English

Anna Cei: 25:40

Well already here. My experience. I mean, for her age

Bill Jokela: 25:52

I don't know if I would say they were particularly like, yeah, if any Japanese person has been to the United

Anna Cei: 26:10

Yeah, yeah

Bill Jokela: 26:10

that's like the first place they go. One because

Anna Cei: 26:15

a big population there.

Bill Jokela: 26:16

Right, right, right.

Anna Cei: 26:17

40% of the population in Hawaii is actually Japanese

Bill Jokela: 26:22

right

Anna Cei: 26:23

Which is almost half, you know, a lot of people,

Bill Jokela: 26:25

ya know, I think my first trip to Hawaii, I remember

Anna Cei: 26:33

family is very important to you. Is that

Bill Jokela: 26:38

Yeah, yeah.

Anna Cei: 26:38

Family Values?

Bill Jokela: 26:39

Yeah, of course. I mean, can't do a family by

Anna Cei: 26:57

Your daughter, so she has a Japanese mom, she grew up

Bill Jokela: 27:16

Well, I think it skews more towards the latter. Japanese. Her English could use a little bit of work sometimes.

Anna Cei: 27:38

Is she also into metal like her dad?

Bill Jokela: 27:40

He he Not so much.

Anna Cei: 27:41

Not so much.

Bill Jokela: 27:43

Yeah, she, she does play music though. She's, she's

Anna Cei: 27:58

So music has been a big part of her life?

Bill Jokela: 28:00

Yes.

Anna Cei: 28:00

Even though metal hasn't necessarily been too big

Bill Jokela: 28:04

Right. And, you know, I don't know I feel kind of like a remnant or

Anna Cei: 28:15

Well, I mean, you've spent now more than half your

Bill Jokela: 28:19

Yes.

Anna Cei: 28:20

So when you go back to visit like your family here, you

Bill Jokela: 28:29

right

Anna Cei: 28:29

Does it make you feel like it's strange when you come

Bill Jokela: 28:41

Yeah, well, there's, there's always things

Anna Cei: 28:53

Utopia.

Bill Jokela: 28:54

Right, right. But, um, that's just not how it is.

Anna Cei: 28:58

Mmm,

Bill Jokela: 28:58

and you know, people talk about being Tokyo or

Anna Cei: 29:05

you agree?

Bill Jokela: 29:07

I,uh, can't complain about the food here.

Anna Cei: 29:10

And Japanese food in Japan is way better than

Bill Jokela: 29:17

Oh, of course. Yeah. And I I've got a rule if

Anna Cei: 29:22

Right. Right. Right.

Bill Jokela: 29:23

So..

Anna Cei: 29:23

I learned that the hard way too a couple of times

Bill Jokela: 29:28

Yeah, I and I've had people tell me things like, But if I'm outside of Japan, I'm gonna eat other stuff. I think,

Anna Cei: 29:52

So is Japan home?

Bill Jokela: 29:53

Ah, Yeah, it

Anna Cei: 29:55

or is it that that's where your family is, and home

Bill Jokela: 30:00

I mean, yeah, my family's here. So that is home,

Anna Cei: 30:15

And I think for a lot of non Americans as a European, hamburgers, or the barbecues are the same,

Bill Jokela: 30:35

right

Anna Cei: 30:36

The culture, the behavior, the food is really You know what I'm saying?

Bill Jokela: 30:53

Right. Well, if you look at a look at it on a map,

Anna Cei: 31:01

Yes,I know. That's a that's another thing with the

Bill Jokela: 31:11

Right.

Anna Cei: 31:11

So you said a family's something that's really correct?

Bill Jokela: 31:29

Yeah. Yeah, that's, that's pretty accurate.

Anna Cei: 31:31

And you also said that there are some other things that

Bill Jokela: 31:37

Yeah,

Anna Cei: 31:38

maybe I put you in a tough spot now?

Bill Jokela: 31:40

Well, um, I don't know, in a sense, there's still still wake up and I wonder, you know, what I want to be when I

Anna Cei: 31:57

Mmm.

Bill Jokela: 31:58

So

Anna Cei: 31:59

was that part of the sacrifice you said, you made by

Bill Jokela: 32:07

a little bit. Yeah, I've got no complaints about would have to leave and go somewhere else. And you know,

Anna Cei: 32:24

Why's that?

Bill Jokela: 32:25

Uhm just because

Anna Cei: 32:26

is that the Japanese culture limiting you that you're

Bill Jokela: 32:32

it's not the Japanese culture, it's more the better spend elsewhere. So a lot of the a lot of this type of

Anna Cei: 33:00

like you do traveling a bit for work as well,

Bill Jokela: 33:06

I do. I do. You know, I, I got lucky. I think I

Anna Cei: 33:18

business trips?

Bill Jokela: 33:18

Yeah. Yeah, it was a it was all business. But you do that. And I remember too I remember trying to order like, what are you doing? And like, I don't I don't even know.

Anna Cei: 33:58

In Japan. They're not that many immigrants. I mean, at

Bill Jokela: 34:07

Right.

Anna Cei: 34:07

Have you How have you maintained your own identity? Do

Bill Jokela: 34:19

Well, no, Idefinitely maintain an American

Anna Cei: 34:36

So music in itself has also helped you maintaining your

Bill Jokela: 34:41

Oh, very much so. And you know, music is part of

Anna Cei: 34:45

Mmm. So music is part of your identity?

Bill Jokela: 34:49

Yes,

Anna Cei: 34:49

it plays an important role in and you think it's gonna And how did you guys meet? I mean, Girish is

Bill Jokela: 34:55

Yeah, I think so. When I left "Bereaved", I went a No, he's he's from the UK, but he's a ethnically

Anna Cei: 35:31

Anti-Knock is a venue just adding that. Yeah.

Bill Jokela: 35:34

Yes, yes. So I met Girish there. And we talked and cool. Well, let's, let's get together and see what happens.

Anna Cei: 35:49

And here you are so so what his Girish is doing in

Bill Jokela: 35:55

He's done a couple of things. And I think he's, I know he's taught some English here and done a few things.

Anna Cei: 36:11

When did you guys hook up? When was it that you met?

Bill Jokela: 36:14

I want to say three years ago, three and a half

Anna Cei: 36:25

Oh Just, the two of you?

Bill Jokela: 36:26

In early 2018. Yeah, just the two of us. We guy named Joe. He's working out pretty well. He never played

Anna Cei: 36:44

That doesn't sound very Japanese either.

Bill Jokela: 36:46

No, no, he's also from the UK. He had never played

Anna Cei: 36:58

And how often do you rehearse? Is it easy to find

Bill Jokela: 37:05

Oh, yeah. There are a ton of studios in Japan, under

Anna Cei: 37:15

What are your plans for Harappa? Like, are you going

Bill Jokela: 37:25

Well, we're trying to get some stuff recorded. Now.

Anna Cei: 37:27

Shall I book you here?

Bill Jokela: 37:28

I'd enjoy that. But I don't know if that's...

Anna Cei: 37:31

I mean, what's it? What's your plans? Where Where

Bill Jokela: 37:34

Right now? We're just trying to get some stuff

Anna Cei: 37:45

So in Japan, and Tokyo particularly, do you find that

Bill Jokela: 38:01

I don't think it's, I don't think it's hindered us your average person is going to hear and say, Oh, yeah, I really play out more. But I think right now, we're just thinking

Anna Cei: 38:44

so for Western people hearing this, that sounds pretty you think you would recommend other people guys? Or women come

Bill Jokela: 39:13

Yeah, you know, I'd recommend it. I mean, this is, steer the vehicle.

Anna Cei: 39:29

I mean, it sounds to me like you have the perfect travel, you work for an American employer. And so you get to

Bill Jokela: 39:56

Yeah, all of that

Anna Cei: 39:57

and good food at the same time. Like, hey, yeah, it

Bill Jokela: 40:03

Yeah. All of, that is great.

Anna Cei: 40:04

That's got to be a spot in the sun. What's the

Bill Jokela: 40:13

Well, you know, I wish I had a little bit more

Anna Cei: 40:16

that's in physical space?

Bill Jokela: 40:17

physical space. Yeah. You know, in the last year or so I've been doing more trying to cook things that aren't Japanese, then well, it's

Anna Cei: 40:37

Japanese kitchens are made for cooking Japanese food.

Bill Jokela: 40:40

Right. Right. I definitely won't be doing a

Anna Cei: 40:46

but can you get turkeys and American food and

Bill Jokela: 40:52

Yeah, you can't get everything. But sure there are places like there either.

Anna Cei: 41:09

Are you vegan? Because then You surprise me.

Bill Jokela: 41:11

I am definitely not.

Anna Cei: 41:13

If you have become vegan since I met you because

Bill Jokela: 41:19

No, no, no, no, I really, really love meat. So

Anna Cei: 41:33

You mentioned a few holidays like Christmas and Does your daughter know what Thanksgiving is?

Bill Jokela: 41:50

Yeah, mostly, but

Anna Cei: 41:52

kind of difficult.

Bill Jokela: 41:53

Yeah. But of course, you know, going to But they they do celebrate it. You may or may not be aware that

Anna Cei: 42:13

Right Right.

Bill Jokela: 42:14

For Christmas.

Anna Cei: 42:15

Yeah. And strawberry cakes, which was kind of

Bill Jokela: 42:22

Yeah,yeah, those are, those are pretty popular.

Anna Cei: 42:25

But overall, it seems like when you talk about Japan,

Bill Jokela: 42:38

right! Everything about this to me is is normal.

Anna Cei: 42:50

so you have American work hours and American vacation

Bill Jokela: 42:55

Yes, that's, that's about it. And even on top of

Anna Cei: 43:05

It's more result or that kind of thing?

Bill Jokela: 43:08

Yeah, I don't have to go into an office every day

Anna Cei: 43:14

I mean, cuz I had this mental picture of you taking the

Bill Jokela: 43:28

not my typical day. No! I do ride the train a lot to

Anna Cei: 43:34

But I really appreciate your time. And I'm so band in the future. And I really just want to wish you all the

Bill Jokela: 43:56

Well, thank you so much. I really enjoyed being on

Anna Cei: 43:59

We'll check back with you when Harapp does their world

Bill Jokela: 44:04

Hope so! I'll keep you posted.

Anna Cei: 44:05

OK Bye bye.

Bill Jokela: 44:06

All right Bye!