Since being deeply inspired by the music and work ethic of hardcore punk bands like The Minute Men and forming in 1992 at Tokyo University, they’ve released eight full-length albums of hyperactive punk and perfected their frenzied live show by touring the world over. They even recorded with Steve Albini, of, you know, Nirvana and Pixies fame, at one point. This November, they’ll be releasing MELT-BANANA Lite LIVE: ver.0.0, a live album of new music they’ve been making using drum-machines and sequencers. DT Weekend spoke with MELT-BANANA’s vocalist] Yasuko Onuki.
DT Weekend: What caused you to begin writing material as Melt-Banana Lite?
Yasuko Onuki: The beginning was kind of an accident. We overbooked a show. I mean, we booked a show and our support drummer already had another show scheduled. We needed to play something, though. At that time, I had some idea that I wanted to try something different from a more traditional band style. So it was a good chance to try it. That’s how it actually started.
DT Weekend: Why do you refer to it as being ‘lite’? Do you eat/drink ‘lite’ products?
YO: I don’t eat or drink so-called ‘lite’ products. First, we were using a drum machine and we thought this style would be easy to move around, so we called it ‘lite’. But after all of that, we now have a drummer and there is almost the same amount of equipment to play MELT-BANANA Lite version, so it didn’t actually become ‘lite’.
DTW: What have you been listening to recently?
YO: 1976, who we met in Taiwan when we played there; Worst Taste and Fluid, two young Japanese bands; Paintbox, which is a Japanese hardcore band; the Melvins, I liked their latest album.
DTW: Your music seems to reflect how chaotic the world has become. Do you feel your music would be as fast-paced if you had been born 200 years ago?
YO: I am not sure... but actually, we are not necessarily trying to make fast music or to play fast. We just play songs with a speed that we feel good about. So maybe even if we had been born 200 years later, it would possibly be the same or even slower. It changes with how we feel.
DTW: What do you miss most about Japan when you’re on tour?
YO: Japanese food! When I am at home, I usually have Japanese food for every meal. I especially miss rice. The rice we usually eat in Japan tastes different from rice that we get in the US.
DTW: Do you really love cheeseburgers as much as it looks like in the video for Sick Zip Everywhere?
YO: I enjoy hamburgers in the USA, but I guess it is not love like in the video. It was a drummer at that time who loved hamburgers.
DTW: Is there any place you’d like to perform at that you haven’t yet?
YO: We would like to play in Asia more. We have played in Japan, Korea and Taiwan so far, but we have never been in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand or China. We sometimes get contacts from people in those countries, but we have never been there. Also, we would like to visit Russia.
DTW: Your live shows are legendary. This isn’t a question, I just wanted you to know that.
YO: Thanks! It is nice to hear that. We always try our best and enjoy playing music. We basically just do what we want to do and we want to share the feeling with everyone who sees our show!
DTW: Do you feel that the spirit of the deer you hit with your tour van is at peace since you named the album Bambi’s Dillemia after it?
YO: I hope so! Well, actually, after that accident, ‘deer’ or ‘bambi’ became important keywords for both MELT-BANANA and myself. So at least he/she still exists in us.
WHAT: Melt-Banana
WHEN: Saturday, 5:15 p.m.
WHERE: Black Stage
Download this track: “Chainshot to Have Some Fun”
Be the first to comment on this article!