We spoke to Satori and Love Unlimited Shimadan about how YIKO came together, their musical roots, their commitment to live performances and their future prospects. (Hereinafter referred to as Satori and Shimadan)
Background and roots of your formation
— First of all, please briefly introduce yourself.
Satori: ‘We started working as a band around January 2024. Our first live show was about a year later, in January this year. I had originally formed a band called Healthy Dynamite Club with members close to YIKO, but we were inactive. After that, I had some time on my hands because of the Corona Disaster, so I vaguely thought ‘I’d like to start a band’ and made some demos of songs, and the idea of making songs with female vocals at the core came to me, but from there it was as if I had been putting it aside for about two years without making any progress. Then at the end of the year before last, I had a change in my life and I had a bit of spare time, so I wanted to play in a band again! I started to think ‘I want to play in a band again! So I invited Monari, who I had been in contact with for a while, and we started writing songs with twin vocals at the core. Shimadan hadn’t joined YIKO yet at that time, but around last spring we had a drink in a park and talked about ‘Let’s do it again’, and that’s when I asked him to join as a member.’
Musical roots
— Can you tell us about your musical roots?
Satori: ‘I always liked bands with a guitar sound, such as UK rock. That’s how I came across rap music, and I was really struck by ‘Ie no Niwa’ by Shito CHIYORI LOSTRAINS (in which Shimadan also participates on guitar). It was after listening to that work that I originally wanted to work with Shimadan. In terms of Japanese band music, I’m influenced by warm music like Clammbon.’
Shimadan: ‘I actually started playing guitar because I admired Hotei Hotei. When I was in high school, I played rock music, but from there, my main influences were black music like jazz and reggae.’
Shimadan: ‘I was hardly involved in the composition stage of this EP, but I made the demo for the song “Chotenjiku” around the time of Healthy Dynamite Club, which I mentioned earlier, and I feel that soul music is also an important root for me, with Bill Withers as a reference for this song. I feel that soul music is also an important root for me. But YIKO is just a rock band, and that’s the axis I want to insist on. I don’t think of us as a soul funk band. But I do want to use music to express words that are usually hard to say, like ‘love’. I used to work at the Disc Union, and my experience there really helped me to develop my ear.
Thoughts on the music scene
— What do you want the music scene to be like?
Shimadan I: ‘I think that the number of cool and unique bands is definitely increasing. Some of them are selling well and I hope there will be more of them. I think listeners are changing the way they listen to music too.’
Satori: ‘I think Nanao Tabito said in some interview that music is about to go back to the way it used to be because distribution is at its peak. I think it’s good that social networking and music distribution have made it easier to access the artists’ intentions, and that this way of listening is fuelling a greater interest in music among listeners. I think it’s bringing us closer to a more pure way of enjoying music.’
Influences from non-music sources
— What non-musical influences have you been influenced by in your production?
Satori: ‘The first song we wrote as YIKO was called “Dokashiteru”, which has one of the brightest melodies in the band, but the lyrics are really angry. But I also think that somewhere in there is the expression of a person who can’t give up on love. There are dark social situations and hurtful social networking sites, but I wrote the song with the idea that we can’t be united, including these. When I write songs, they are usually based on negative emotions, but I feel like I sublimate them into music by taking various influences from my daily life.’
If you were to put together a fictional event, what would it be?
— If you were to put together a fictional event, what kind of artists would you like to work with?
Satori: ‘I would like to play with ZAZEN BOYS, for the simple reason that they are artists I like from my own roots. At first glance, I wonder what kind of atmosphere we would have as a pairing. I personally like events where the combination of the two is like, ‘What kind of atmosphere will it have as a pairing? Last year, the landlord invited the Pillows as guests for an independent project, and I was able to go and see them perform. I think that’s great. I think that’s great.’
Attention to live performance
— Satori: ‘Is there anything you are conscious of when it comes to live performances?
Satori: ‘I want to make the floor a happy space. The soundtrack and the live performance are different, so I’m conscious of how to convey that. We aim to make our live performances enjoyable for both people who know us and people who are listening to us for the first time. We also change the lyrics. When Billy Joel changed the lyrics of ‘Piano Man’ from ‘They gathered at the bar’ to ‘They gathered at Tokyo Dome’ at the Tokyo Dome concert, I saw a video of the crowd getting really excited. We are very conscious of that kind of special feeling that only a live performance can have.’
Shimadan: ‘In the future, there will be times when the venue is packed and times when there is a small audience. Even if you incite the claps, it’s a hurdle for bands you don’t know. I know this because I have seen many bands. That’s why I want to emphasise a sense of togetherness.’
Goals as YIKO
— What are your goals as YIKO?
Satori: ‘Not as YIKO, but personally I want to play at Fuji Rock. As a band, we’ve only just started, so we want to move forward while not rushing. We’d like to add more songs and make more use of our male and female vocalists.’
YIKO is trying to establish a unique position in the music scene in the future. While maintaining their focus as a band, I strongly felt their willingness to challenge new ways of expression that only twin male and female vocals can offer and expand their musical range. In the future, the band will further refine their live performances and provide a space where they can share a sense of unity with the audience. It will also be interesting to see how the musical roots and personalities of the individual members will influence YIKO’s music. It will be interesting to see how YIKO evolves through its music.