John Rennie, an ESL teacher and musician, discusses his experiences as an expat in South Korea, Thailand, Japan, and England, as well as his music project The Defector Frequency. Topics covered include the expat experience, the impact of COVID-19, currency values, crossing borders, a hospitalization in Bangkok, transitioning from teaching English, the challenges of performing at live venues, death metal subcultures, the challenges of using Zoom for music, and the challenges and rewards of pursuing music in the modern era.
Living as an expat musician brings challenges of constantly exploring new places and the difficulty of settling down.
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the ability to travel and explore, with different countries implementing restrictions and lockdown measures.
The guest expresses a love for Japan and a desire to possibly return in the future, highlighting the unique aspects of Japanese culture and the attraction of exploring different parts of the country.
The podcast discusses the challenges faced by musicians in the current digital era, including the devaluation of music and the need for multiple sources of income.
Deep dives
Experience of living as an expat and musician in different countries
The podcast episode features a guest who talks about his experience as an expat and musician in various countries such as South Korea, Thailand, Japan, and England. The guest shares insights on what it's like to live in England during the pandemic, as well as the challenges and adventures of being an international recording artist.
The freedom and addiction of traveling and exploring new places
The guest reflects on the addictive nature of constantly exploring new places and the difficulty of settling down in one location. He shares his perspective on the desire to keep traveling and experiencing different cultures, even after years of living abroad. The podcast delves into the reasons why some individuals feel a strong pull to continue exploring rather than settling down.
The impact of COVID-19 and the restrictions it has brought
The podcast episode discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly on the ability to freely travel and explore. The guest shares observations on the different approaches taken by countries, such as restrictions on border crossings and lockdown measures. Additionally, the episode touches on how the pandemic has affected the teaching industry, particularly for ESL teachers working abroad.
Fondness for Japan and the possibility of returning
The guest expresses their love for Japan and their desire to possibly return in the future. They highlight the unique aspects of Japanese culture and the attraction of exploring different parts of the country. While the future remains uncertain, the guest remains open to the possibility of returning to Japan and continuing their global adventures.
Being in a Band and Touring: A Musical Journey
I have always been passionate about music and pursued it as a career. From my early 20s to my time in South Korea, I was involved in various bands and musical projects. In Leeds, I was part of the band Spitfire Charlie, playing guitar. Later, in Korea, I formed the band Push Bike Army and played gigs in the local music scene. In Busan, I connected with talented musicians like Stu and Barry, and we formed the band Defective Frequency. We played gigs at popular venues and even won a competition, which led to us recording a demo. It was an incredible experience being part of a band in a foreign country, and it fueled my passion for music and performing.
Language Learning in a Musical Context
As a musician, I've always been interested in the intersection of music and language learning. In South Korea, I frequented language cafes, such as El Zone, where I taught English and participated in language exchange programs. I also collaborated with a Korean musician, Stu, who brought an electronic sound to our band. Through jamming and writing songs together, we explored the fusion of rock and electronic genres. The band played gigs and recorded demos, gaining recognition in the local music scene. This experience highlighted the power of music as a tool for language learning and cultural exchange.
Lessons Learned and Growth as a Musician
Throughout my journey as a musician, I learned valuable lessons about teaching, collaboration, and creative expression. Being part of different bands taught me the importance of setting goals and structuring lessons for effective learning and growth. I also experienced the thrill of performing and connecting with diverse audiences. Although my musical journey took different paths, I have always remained passionate about music and its ability to bring people together and transcend language and cultural boundaries.
The Defector Frequency: Making Music and Navigating the Tokyo Music Scene
The Defector Frequency is a duo that creates music with a combination of electronic programming and live guitar. They have experienced the music scenes in various locations, including Korea, Japan, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia. While in Japan, they found the Tokyo music scene to be unique and professionally run, but also expensive and oversaturated. The duo released an album called 'In Love with Machines' and are now exploring the option of releasing singles rather than full albums. They discuss the challenges of being musicians in the current digital era and the importance of maintaining engagement with the audience. The conversation also touches on the devaluation of music and the need for creative individuals to have multiple sources of income. You can find their music on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and Bandcamp.
I’ve known John for over a decade now since we met in South Korea when we both first started teaching. We were part of the same intake of ESL teachers into the South Korean government’s EPIK program that brought teachers from around the world into the country and were both sent to Busan to teach. Aside from teaching, we were both a part of the music scene in Busan, but it wasn’t until after the first year in the country that John would start his latest music project, The Defector Frequency, with another ESL teacher, Stu.
As the years passed, John has travelled throughout southeast Asia, stopping in Thailand to teacher for a year, back to England to complete his PGCE, and then, finally, over to Japan before the pandemic hit.
We reminisce a little bit about our times in South Korea, what it’s like to be an expat ESL teacher, and how it’s possible to keep the music dream alive even though travel takes us away from where we grew up. We also discuss the current pandemic situation as it unfolded across the world, particularly in our respective countries , Japan and England for John, and China for me.
We had a few technical difficulties towards the later part of the recording but, other than a few edits and stitches to make sure the audio sounds good, the whole interview is there. I hope you find it useful!
