Warning: There are some profanities in this post.
PART 1
http://club.cyworld.com/52172895115/74978403
Guckkasten in my views…..
by: Guckkapahng 2007.10.12 16:11
When I finished high school in early 90s, I applied for college of physical education, but I was not admitted and I was just lost..
Music came to me then…. I can still remember losing myself in music and devoting all my life…. In late 90s, when I was most active in music, I tried to form a music group in Ansan… so I went around and posted flyers on walls…. Internet wasn’t a common form of communication at that time, so I had to go around with glue and flyers…. I was running a music institute with bands that were formed every now and then, so I had no trouble in finding a place for music gatherings and practices…. the studio we had was just downright awesome…
The name of the music group was “Eum-sah-mo” (Korean word, short for ‘group that loves music’) – cheesy, right? I recall we had quite a lot of members…. As each members pursued different styles of music and played different instruments, our staffs had counseled each members one on one.
Then, by a strange fate, I came to spot a rather young looking boy in 11th grade, dressed in military style t-shirt and shorts (military look, you’d call now!), squatted down and leaning on one foot in front of our music institute. That bastard was none other than Hyunwoo Ha… At that time, I hadn’t the slightest hint that we’d come this far…
I got up to him to talk...
Me: Hey, kid, what grade are you in?
Hyunwoo(HW): I’m in fucking 11th (he was a rude little shit then as he is now)
Me: What can you do?
HW: I’m one hell of a singer!!
I bring my guitar and speak with Hyunwoo in a little room that’s used for practicing piano.
I make Hyunwoo sing.
He sings ‘She’s gone’ by Steel Heart… and this bastard sings better than Steel Heart’s vocal…
Or was the song something else? B612’s song, ‘Your looks that only I know(나만의 그대 모습)’? It’s confusing because it was too long ago….
Then Hyunwoo asks, ‘Hey, do you know any rock bands with vocals similar to my voice?’..
Skid Row was hot at that time, so I introduced ‘18 And Life’.
The next day, Hyunwoo goes into a record store….
Hyunwoo says---
Sir!!! Can I have ‘Skid Row’ by 18 And Life………….
Idiot!!!!! He got the band and the song’s name mixed up…
I spent my days with Hyunwoo like this… I remember trying to talk him into enrolling for ‘College Singing Contest’ when he goes into uni… (All colleges students in Korea can try out for College Singing Contest and it used to be one of the gateways to start professional music career. Crom Haechul Shin also made his musical debut by winning 1st prize in this contest)’
Soon after, I go lost again due to numerous failures in public exams, economical and money issues.. I naturally lose contact with Hyunwoo… Why? I wasn’t very friendly with this kid…..
I give up on music and study mechanics….. After becoming a certified mechanic, I work at a mechanics shop next to a gas station for about 2 years….
One of the colleagues and I become good friends and he asked me to teach him guitar… I go to a store with him and we shop for an electrical guitar, amp, tuner, distortion, and I give him lessons after work…
My colleague tells me that one of his friends is an excellent singer and he said he would introduce this guy to me someday.. But as I have not seen anyone who can sing better than Hyunwoo, I think to myself…. ‘He won’t be as good as Hyunwoo’. It’s been several years since I last saw Hyunwoo…. I suddenly miss him… I knew nothing about his whereabouts……
But it turns out my colleague’s friend was that son of a bitch, Hyunwoo…
We get together immediately and we plan to try out for College Singing Contest, so we record our song in my place and enroll. I wrote the song and it was brilliant… but we didn’t make it…
While I was meeting Hyunwoo, he said he will introduce his friend… someone who cannot live without music and a crazy psycho…. I tell him I’d meet this guy at once… because I am the lord of all psychos….. I meet this fellow at Chung-Ang-dong of Ansan…
And that guy is Gwang-gil….. (aka Jung-gil, the drummer)
Me, Hyunwoo, and Gwang-gil, us three got along so well….. then was it me or someone else, said we should form a band…. Everyone says okay almost right away…..
I was close to 30 at that time….
We look for a guitarist through the Internet…. After all twists and turns, we find our guitarist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And that is Gyuho!!!!!
Gyuho was a brilliant guitarist then, too……….
I quit my job…… find ways for us to do music….
I go to college……. because I was able to do music without doing anything……………
Mr, Jung-gil, Gyuho, Hyunwoo form our first band……
And I start sketching the blueprint of my future with these boys….
My relationship with them started here………………
1st part over!! 2nd part ----- later…
COMMENTS:
Gribouill: “it turns out my colleague’s friend was that son of a bitch, Hyunwoo”… hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha gosh… this is so moving, bro~!!! Almost brought tears to my eyes~! Brings back lots of memories~~ hehe (13 Oct 2007 09:15)
Gwang-gil: Ahaha~~~!!!!!!!!!!! Sir~!! This is such a drama! Hahaha (13 Oct 2007 11:29)
PART 2
http://club.cyworld.com/52172895115/75251119
Part 2
by: Guckkapahng 2007.10.14 22:34
I still love these kids,,,,, and another thing,,, that I can certainly say is, even then and until now,,,, the musical passion and something that makes my heart swell is still the same now as it was before................. not being able to do music,,,, and the fact that I’m aging,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, matures me more and more...................................................
Going to a college to do music at 30 years of age?
Downright crazy…. and the school was far out in the country side,,,,,,,,,,,, the reason behind this is my family thought I was just studying...........................
I didn’t study at all,,,, I went out to the suburbs just a day before the matriculation ceremony….
I went on the 23:30 train to Jeolla Province after performing at a club in Hongdae area.
Pierced eyebrow,, pierced ears with some earrings,,,,, long hair,,, with bass guitar,,,,,,,
People saw me as a girl in the suburbs,,, haha
Myself, Gyuho, Jung-gil, and Hyunwoo got together… Now is the start//
“Please remember
New Un-balance, for the new clash to this world….”
This is what Hyunwoo said.
We spoke with our eyes,,,,,,, there was no tomorrow for us,,,,,, we were just happy in the moment that four of us were together..
Before I went to college I had earnings because I worked at the mechanics,,,
To Hongdae, Hapjeong,,,,,, we went to studios and practiced,,,,,,,
I took care of all the expenses,,,,, I couldn’t do a lot for these boys because my earnings weren’t that big,,,
I could cover just studio rental fees and meals, perhaps?
We were just too happy,,,,It was a crazy thing to do something that did not guarantee future at age 30,,,
But I was able to let go of everything because I had these friends,,,, even my family,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,!!!!
Hyunwoo is such a fantastic singer,,,, he’s the best vocal in this country,,,
Gyuho had brilliant musical sense, being able to copy and play most of songs the moment he hears them,,,,,,
We started off with copied music,,
Guns N’Roses, Blackhole, RATM, Limp Bizkit.............................................
Going around in Hongdae,,,,, we searched for clubs that would have us,,,,,,,,,
After we practiced for an hour,,,, during the break we suddenly realize,,, we don’t have a name for our band.. GEEZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We thought a lot,,,, on the band’s name.................
Gwang-gil(Jung-gil) suddenly breaks silence,,,,,,,,,,,,,
How about 'Feet Stench'? He suggested 'Feet Stench' for the band’s name,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
It wasn’t received so terribly but that name was put off,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, then all of sudden,,,,,,we spot Jung-gil with New Balance shoes!
Yeah, we’re not New Balance but New Un-balance,,,, said somebody.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
!
Something which we pursue that goes against the world,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, something that cries out to this friggin’ world!!!!!!!!!
New Un-balance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From now on our band will be known as New Un-balance,!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Part 3 to be continued.........................
COMMENTS:
Gribouill: hahahahaha It wasn’t received so terribly hahahahahahahahahaha (16 Oct 2007 13:43)
Gwang-gil: Stupid grown-up. Hyunwoo suggested Feet Stench and I suggested New Un-balance when I saw my shoes -_- Hahaha (16 Oct 2007 15:36)
PART 3
http://club.cyworld.com/52172895140/143476361
Guckkasten biography part 3 – the final
by: Guckkapahng 2011.01.26 15:55
I thought a lot on whether I should upload this or not……………..
This post is about how Guckkasten was formed…..
It’s a long story ,,,, and because it’s so long, you can skip if you feel you can’t read it///
Read if you are interested……. and read well………. because I put lots of efforts into this………..
Before you read this, I suggest you read the 1st and 2nd part of the Guckkasten bio that I wrote before……. It will make your understanding better…
That, too, is a long read….
This is part 3, the final part of the biography..
Although there are lots more to say, I’ll tell you in another time………….
As the 1st and 2nd part of Guckkasten’s history had good feedbacks, I’d like to wrap this up nicely..
I know I should filter some words
but I’m going to use them just as they were used to give you the kind of sense that we shared at that time…..
So, now, I’m going to start part 3 of Guckkasten’s bio………..
Let’s travel back to that time in 2001!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our first performance was held in Slugger..
We rented the place. Well, no one really asked for us, and the ‘club culture’ wasn’t as active then as it is now. I thought Jung-gil had the recorded video of that performance but he told me he lost it.
We finished our first stage successfully. It was a historical moment.
The set list was 100% covered singles. Haha.
I was in a college then, and I made an excuse to my family and told them I had to stay in the suburbs during school break because I was busy. I sneaked out food and all other stuffs from home and went to Gyuho’s place in Seoul and not where I told my family I would be. Haha.
Every day I spent with Gyuho and Jung-gil, we would eat, sleep, practice, and practice…
drink and get wasted, work our asses off, beat up and harass Jung-gil the bastard………. each day was another same day but we were extremely happy.
As we were in Jong-am-dong(Gil-eum), we could go to Hongdae without having to change the bus.
Hyunwoo would come time to time when we had to practice and had other band matters.
(When I started my graduate school in 2006, I had to fight back tears. I knew Kookmin University was in Gil-eum, but I didn’t know the school was so close to the place that I lived with Gyuho and Jung-gil before. I often walked around Gil-eum Station before going to class.)
We performed and went on stage seriously.
When we auditioned for Jammers Club, we were over the moon. We passed the audition…
Not just Jammers but we were recognized more and more in Hongdae. We went on stage anywhere and everywhere in Hongdae. Making songs and copying songs were just exhilarating and ecstatic.
The only problem we faced was the financial problem……
One day, I packed instruments and equipment with Gyuho and Jung-gil and met up with Hyunwoo in front of a club and the four of us were just chatting and chilling out… We hadn’t eaten then but we were broke.
One of the bands there had a full time employee as their member and so they could stroll into a canteen and stuff themselves with yummy instant noodles with a bowl of rice. But we were starving.. Hyunwoo and Jung-gil had just turned 20 and Gyuho was 22~23 something.. I couldn’t help but let these boys go hungry when their appetites were at peak. I didn’t care if I couldn’t eat, but..……
I think I had just one KRW 1,000 note with me (approx. US$ 1.00) then.
The street hamburgers were sold at KRW 1,000 back at those days (you can still find these burgers).
I bought one hamburger with that and the four of us each took a bite.. Jung-gil the bastard bit off the biggest chunk………
We lived like that…… there were no future….. but we had the world with a bite of a hamburger.
I had Gyuho, Hyunwoo, and Jung-gil beside me. Nothing was to be afraid of when we were together.
Last performance of New Un-balance………….. (27 Oct 2002)
After a year, and another year, I suddenly think about the despairing future.
What was I doing?!
I was 32! But Hyunwoo and Jung-gil were ignorant 22 year old babies that didn’t even complete their military service.
I could feel the end drawing in.
Gyuho was lodging in a rooftop room at Sanglocksoo so we crashed there.
The four of us got together in a small café somewhere in Jung-ang-dong of Ansan.
Winter of 2003…………………….
I could not be in Seoul during weekdays because I had to attend classes.
Hyunwoo thought we should devote everything into the band regardless of weekdays and weekends.
I was standing at a crossroads…. would I put everything in music or would I continue studying for my future…..
I went to bed early that day at Gyuho’s place
and early next day I quietly went off to the suburbs with my bass guitar without saying a word about my choice in studies (college)
I can still remember what Gyuho said to my back half asleep in that early morning.
Gyuho: Bro, where are you going?
Jina: …………………
I think I didn’t want to show my musical pride to these kids.
At that time I was determined never to see these kids again for the rest of my life… and hopped on the train…
At this point, I find it such a shame… why? There are two things.
One, I went back to school and I’m living just like this (as at 2011).
Two,
if
if I had stayed and focused only in music with these kids, would I be the bassist of Guckkasten now… I think not.
It is because the boys went to serve military… there was a break period then, and before the boys formed Guckkasten and made their debut, there were more years of another break period…. I wouldn’t have stood those times…… haha… not as an unemployed music freak…………
Anyway
I broke off contact with them for about a little over 9 months. But I was able to catch up on their news through the Internet.
They seemed to have forced themselves to find a bassist………… and they went on stage as The COM and went on Ssamzie Rock Festival as the Hidden Whiz…
Well, it was only natural…. Who else would go on stage if New Un-balance didn’t……… don’t you agree…..?!
I was teaching students at that time at a mechanics training school in Suwon.
I was working day and night….
One evening when I was hanging out with other teachers there and looking for the next place for 2nd round of drinks
I get a call from an unknown number..
Jina: Hello..
Hyunwoo: It’s me..
Jina: (eyes naturally welled up) Yeah, let’s catch up someday…
From then on, I met up with them a lot…….
They told me they were going on stage of Ssamzie Rock Festival….. I was so happy for them….
3rd October 2003 at Ewha Women’s University, they performed proudly as the Hidden Whiz of Ssamzie Rock Festival.
A thought ‘it should have been me on that stage as the bassists’ flash passed but it was a dangerous delusion(thought)… It’s because the members were planning to dismember and go to serve military..
Photo below_ 2003 Ssamzie Rock Festival (the red cap at the bottom right corner is Jina)
If The COM had continued their band life after this stage, they would have become a superstar……
Band like Rumble Fish, Pia, Nell, Loveholic………….. were active then….
But the military service………………………..……………………….. what a pain in the ass…………
I started searching for institutions to get the boys treated as an exception and finish their military service at a national defense….
I took Hyunwoo and Jung-gil to an institute for craftsman electricity…. And get them enrolled….
They attend the class earnestly(?) but an unbelievable case of Jung-gil passing the exam for craftsman electricity license and Hyunwoo failing, occurs…….. you crazy shit!
Jung-gil serves at a cement factory in Yeoju and works there for a little over a year and moves to a factory in Banwol industrial area (This place is near Ansan) and is discharged there.
For your info, Jung-gil’s supervisor at the company he worked for, was my very old friend….
Another interesting fact is that his name is Jung-gil (Kim) as well… this Jung-gil Kim knew I was doing music and he knew that Jung-gil (Lee) was playing drums, but he didn’t know that we were in the same band.
What a small and funny world………… we got to find this out at my wedding… (Nov 2007)
There’s much more to say but I’ll wrap this up here…..
Next, Hyunwoo went to serve military… because he failed in acquiring certified license…. Crazy shit….He spends more than 2 years in a military camp near Anyang or Myunghak………..
I kept in touch with Hyunwoo from time to time
And he comes out for a holiday
Because he was having too much fun with his friends (girls?) he calls me just as he was going back in…..
Hyunwoo: Unky, I’m going back to the camp…. Sorry……. Let’s catch up at my next holidays. I’ll call you….. my precious one and only unky!!
Jina: You fucking bastard
I went to visit Hyunwoo when he was in military, but there was nothing I could do to help….
I hung out with Gyuho at his place and we did guitar ensemble when we got bored….. drank every day when we had the chance…. Gyuho did a bit of band activity with an underground band in Hongdae…….
Time passed like that…
The four members of New Un-balance all walking on different paths…..
There was something that I told each one of the other members whenever we went out for drinks…
(Though I will be out, you three must get together for music, you must, must, must, must…………)
But who could guarantee the future for us………… Hyunwoo makes a comment……
Jina: You son of a bitch, you really must get back on the music scene after you’re discharged, you can be the best, you guys must get together
Hyunwoo: Fuck, whatever
One day I went for a drink with Jung-gil and crashed as his place when he was working in the cement factory near Yeoju IC for national defense service..
The place he was in was probably the worst I’ve ever seen….. we were talking and drinking and fell asleep after a cig.
I told Jung-gil as well
Jina: You fucker, you really must get back on the music scene after you’re discharged, you can be the best, you guys must get together
Jung-gil: Fuck, whatever
In early 2006, Hyunwoo gets discharged……………. I was so happy for him….. Now that he’s a civilian he can focus solely on music for the rest of his life…..
Gyuho had gone back to Dunnae in Gangwondo where he grew up by this time….
Like salmons that return to their natal streams…………
After getting discharged, Hyunwoo had prepared himself to go to Dunnae………
In Dunnae, Gyuho and Hyunwoo worked themselves to death in making music, practicing, working at a bar in the evening, making music, practicing, drinking, and making songs again and again……….
Jung-gil was discharged from national defense 6 month after Hyunwoo did…. I think it was late in summer of 2006..
Gyuho, Jung-gil, and Hyunwoo made music while they were running a bar named “Chun doong buhl guh soong I”.. (It means reckless amateur, simpleton, in Korean)
Song like ‘Mirror’, ‘Vitriol’………… these songs were made then…
FYI, I don’t like ‘Mirror’.. just my personal opinion……..
I won’t say about this anymore…
I went to Dunnae regularly to see these boys….
At that time I was working for a company in Incheon and as the starting and finishing hours were very well kept, I had no trouble in being a member of a band.
I’ve been with a hardcore band in Incheon, “Hammering” for several years……….
And I was also in a band “ The Soul Engine” in Seoul…..
I just played in a band that wouldn’t interfere with my company life…
They were all good friends…… haha
Then Hyunwoo tells me..
The name of the band is “Guckkasten”…………………. Jan/Feb of 2007 he calls me out of the blue.
He told me that Guckkasten needs to be on stage but they’re missing a bassist….
From Feb 2007 to 2nd week of May 2007, I go to Dunnae, Gangwondo every week.
We play together again for the concert …………….
I have more memories for drinking and getting blacked out than practicing… haha
I think we were just too damn happy together..
On the evening of Friday of 3rd week in May 2007, everyone got together at my place in Incheon.
Saturday next day was the day that Guckkasten would perform for the very first time.
We soared once again as Guckkasten and not as New Un-balance.
Saturday of 3rd week in May 2007_Guckkasten’s first performance
Guckkasten had its first performance in Ssamzie Club.
It was a historical moment… I would used to fly across the stage when I was playing in New Un-balance… but all of us including myself were rather nervous that day.
Because it’s been several years when we last went on stage…………….
For me, this day is especially unforgettable.
It’s because I passed by a lady
Who took photos of Guckkasten in front of me
I just played on stage.
This lady is my wife……….. as we speak.
My wife is a photographer… for your info, my wife took the photos in Guckkasten’s 1st album.
She is the president that runs a photo studio in Chungdamdong haha
I take her out for a meal in June 2007 and I marry her in November of that year
and go on a honeymoon to Europe……….
How time flies…………………………
Now, it’s January 2011 and so much time have passed. I’m close to my forties.
One thing for certain is that we haven’t changed a bit. The way we think…. Always fun when we’re together…. still ignorant…. FYI, my mental age is probably younger than Jung-gil….
I got together with these boys after some years and we drank through the night
Something that I find relieving is that Kibum, who is far better than me, is playing the bass at Guckkasten….
He is no doubt the best bassist in Korea in skills and visuals….. but I’m more handsome than him…. Hahahaha
Kid, you gotta admit the truth!!!! Haha
But you gotta fix that cheekiness of smoking behind the grown up….. watch out kiddo……
They will now become the music tycoon in Korea………..
I have one thing that I long for……….
These boy may be too young to realize this, but…………..
It may be impossible for them to hold Guckkasten as their profession in their 40s and 50s.
Because they are in Korea.
Because I know this so well, I want to walk with them in their musical path…
Not just for them, but for me as well…
I hope one day that I would join them in their world tours in their private jets………….
I now wrap up Guckkasten’s biography here……………
