After a smoking hot show to kick off Friday night at A-Kon, I had opportunity to speak with NSDP near the end of the convention. They had just returned from exploring Dallas. Ryo-Hey showed off a box of brand new sneakers while Ash sported his new cowboy hat. Along with YUI, KEIJI, and SHUE, they reminisced about the fun they’ve been having all weekend before settling down. It was obvious that they were making the most of their time in Texas.

What inspired the band’s concept of “breaking all walls into doors”?

Ash: One thing maybe is I got bullied a lot as a kid. If people didn’t bring me here, I’d probably pass the people I’ve met this weekend by. That’s a wall that makes me not do stuff. I’d like to think that you can go through all doors instead.

Outside of going to concerts, what would you say is the best way to create or maintain this door between two people of different cultures?

Ash: This is my personal opinion. I don’t know much English and they don’t know Japanese, but a lot of things you can communicate through body language. If I have the passion to communicate, I can go beyond language. Even if you’re speaking the same language, if you don’t care, the message never gets delivered. For me, a door might be created through passion.

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Listening to: “Moonlight Roulette” by Cyntia