When American musician Scott Murphy first came to Japan in 2001, he could only say a few phrases in Japanese.
"I learned how to say little things on stage, like みんな、楽しんでる？ (Minna tanoshinderu, 'Are you guys all having a good time?')" he says. "When you say it on stage the kids just go crazy. So I thought, the next time we come I want to be able to speak a little more Japanese."
The singer and bassist has come a long way since. While he relocated to Japan permanently in 2014, in the last decade the Chicago native has released a number of successful albums of both covers and original music in Japanese. Known for being part of American pop punk outfit Allister and the only non-Japanese member in Japanese rock quartet Monoeyes, he is also one half of the duo Scott & Rivers, a collaboration project between himself and Rivers Cuomo, singer and guitarist of U.S. rock band Weezer.
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