Interview: I Don't Like Mondays.
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I Don’t Like Mondays. (IDLM.) is a four-member rock band based in Tokyo that was founded in 2012. The band focuses on introducing high energy dance compositions with unforgettable choruses and creates as light feeling that would take away the burdens of everyday life, including the dreaded ‘Mondays’ that are inferred in their name. The band members are YU (vocals), CHOJI (guitar), KENJI (bass guitar), SHUKI (drums). We had the honor of interviewing them on the cusp of the release of their album RUNWAY!
Be sure to check out all the versions of the track “Summer Ghost” which is located throughout the interview below, along with their official website here!
Ken: First of all thank you so much for letting us do this interview, we are huge fans and had originally done a write up about you in our “Music Corner” write up back in October of 2019. We absolutely love what you bring to the Japanese music industry and congratulations on the release of the album RUNWAY!
IDLM: Thank you so much for having us!
K: What made you choose a path in the music industry? Who had the most inspiration on you and led you to choose this path?
YU: The members of the previous band set me on this path.
CHOJI: I was most inspired by Tak Matsumoto from B’z. I chose this path because I had nothing else I was good at.
KENJI: I started playing in a band when I was 14, after being influenced by a senior classmate’s live performance that I saw at my school festival. I think my unfounded confidence has made me what I am today.
SHUKI: I was influenced by my brother, he’s 5 years older than me and started playing drums first. He also has a career as a professional drummer.
K: Which artist would you say is your biggest inspiration? Also are there any international artists that inspire you guys as well?
YU: As a band, we had common inspiration from groups such as The Killers. As for newer artists, we always keep an eye on The Weeknd.
This album is quintessentially “I Don’t Like Mondays.”
K: Can you walk us through the creative process for your latest Album and what themes or messages were you trying to convey with this release?
YU: This album is quintessentially “I Don’t Like Mondays.” Following our concept of making enveloping music, we want to present our band’s story through RUNAWAY.
K: What was creative process for “PAINT” and how did you guys feel when you found out that it was going one of the theme songs for the anime ONE PIECE
YU: I just couldn’t believe it. When it actually aired, I still thought it was fake until I saw “PAINT” on the screen.
I didn’t really think deeply when I was making this song…LOL. I was carefree and having fun making it…
K: On your track “LEMONADE”, how did you come up with the concept? Such as writing the lyrics, creating the composition?
CHOJI: I didn’t really think deeply when I was making this song…LOL. I was carefree and having fun making it, then I happened to realize that the song was finished.
K: The track ”Beautiful Chaos” has a good mixture of English in it. The lyrics are very resonating. How did you come up with the lyrics and composition? Is there a story behind it? Was this as a group or an individual member?
YU: As for lyrics, I got inspired by the climactic part at the end of the track. As for the melody, we wanted a song that would be good at the end of a concert, so we made this type of song.
K: What is it like teaming up with ESME MORI and DPR CREAM? Were you familiar with their works before?
SHUKI: Of course! Two of them were artists I’ve loved for a long time. It was our second time collaborating with ESME MORI since 2020, but it turned out to be a song even better than last time. As for DRP CREAM, we all went to watch them perform when they came to Japan, but we never dreamed we could collaborate with them.
K: What has been the most challenging song to produce so far?
SHUKI: I think “DO YA?” was challenging.
KENJI: It was a genre we weren’t really familiar with, so it took a lot of effort to make it.
As for the bass, we made it in the style of a well-known phrase that seems to exist already. LOL
K: For international fans, how they usually find out about J-pop is through anime. First, do you guys watch anime, and if so what would you say is your favorite?
YU: Recently, it’s “Jujutsu Kaisen” and “HUNTER×HUNTER.” I used to love “Dragon Ball” before, too.
K: Is there a venue that you performed at that you’ll never forget? Also is there a dream venue that you would like to perform at?
CHOJI: An unforgettable venue was the live house in Shibuya, Tokyo, with a capacity of about 100 people. I used to perform many times before my debut, but at that time, only people I knew came to watch.
SHUKI: I want to perform at Aloha Stadium in the future!
K: Do you have a message for your international fans?
YU: Although we can’t meet that much, we would love to have more opportunities to perform overseas, so please listen to our songs, watch our videos, connect with us through social media, and look forward to the day we can meet!
Ken: Once again, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule and we look forward to your upcoming releases!
IDLM: It was our pleasure!
