Hedigan’s Reflections: The Art of Coexistence

The Creative Force Behind Extra Effort

“Chance” is truly an amazing album, and I think we’re getting to that time of year when people start talking about ‘Best Albums of the Year,’ and I feel like this is definitely a must-have on that list. Do you all feel the same way about the response?

YONCE (Vo, Gt): Yeah, definitely. We were constantly saying, “This is incredible, this is incredible,” while making it.

After about a year and a half with Hedigan’s, what would you say Hedigan’s music is all about? While each of you is also involved in other bands, how do you feel about the uniqueness of Hedigan’s as a band? Could you each share your thoughts on this?

Shoji (Gt): Hedigan’s is a band that can do anything, musically, live, or in any other way. One of the specific triggers for this recording was the lead track ‘Saisei’ (Rebirth). This song is quite different from the style we showed on our first EP 2000JPY—it’s pop and very Japanese, and it’s a song with lyrics. At first, I wasn’t sure how it would turn out if YONCE sang it in Hedigan’s style. But we can do this kind of song, and at the same time, we can also play intense blues and rock ‘n’ roll. It really feels like we can do anything. It’s about doing whatever we like,””that’s the vibe.”

It wasn’t that Hedigan’s started with a specific music genre in mind. It was more about the importance of making music with these five people.

Shoji: Yeah, that might be it. With Hedigan’s, we don’t really have to overthink our intentions. There are many different types of band relationships and styles, but I think Hedigan’s, with its comfortable, friend-like dynamics, is a unique style in itself. If we can continue like this, I think that would be the most ideal. I never thought I’d be in a band like this after turning 30. If you try too hard to force fun, it can become tough, but that hasn’t been the case at all. It feels comfortable, both with the five of us and with Terry, the engineer, and all the staff. It’s been about a year since we formed, but it already feels like home. This is a band I want to keep going with.

How about you, YONCE? What kind of place has Hedigan’s become for you?

YONCE： As Shouji said, it really is about feeling comfortable. How should I put it… I feel like I’m becoming more and more free, like I’m gradually opening up more. The dynamics of the band, as well as our relationships with Terry the engineer, and even with our management and label, have all become more relaxed. Of course, we still have to tighten things up where needed. I think there are still plenty of things we need to do on the business side, but that’s just something we’re not so attuned to yet.

Even with all that, we’ve been able to maintain a relaxed and natural approach, and right now, there’s this overall harmony that feels really comfortable. That’s why I’ve been able to enjoy things without worrying too much. I’m really satisfied with the current situation, and it’s a really happy thing to just focus on ‘making better things’ and ‘things will get more fun.’ That’s how I’ve spent this past year.”

For example, instead of aiming for conventional success like becoming successful, it sounds like you’re focused more on how can these five people have more fun? or how can we make music that we enjoy even more?

YONCE： That’s really what it all comes down to. We’re constantly capturing those moments like ‘this is fun’ or ‘we had such silly conversations.’ As for the music itself, it’s not like there’s no intention or goal, but we all bring a little bit of our own mischievousness into our parts or arrangements. At the same time, though, there’s a sense that the time we spent together, where we went, what we did, all those memories are intertwined with the music. And I think that’s a healthy thing. So, Hedigan’s music might be considered ‘healthy music.’

What struck me, and made me feel like it belongs on the ‘Best of the Year’ list, is exactly that. It feels like a record of the time the five of you spent together, the atmosphere, the ups and downs of your emotions. There’s no right or wrong in music, but this feels like an ideal example of what a band’s sound could be.

YONCE： Yeah, it’s not a lonely piece of work. Everyone came together intentionally, exchanged opinions, even had moments of frustration—all of that together. And within that, there are plenty of laughs and trivial conversations sprinkled throughout. This is the kind of thing that can only happen when you’re with other people.”

The Power of Connection: Discovering Yourself in Others

How about you, Yusuke?

Yusuke (Key): I still don’t really understand what kind of band Hedigan’s is. I don’t really want to think about it too much. Our goal is just to keep enjoying ourselves and continue, and there’s no specific ‘where we want to go’ in mind. I also don’t really know how this album will impact people, or if it will have any impact at all. For me, I find the areas where things don’t go as I expect to be more interesting. Since it’s a band, we’re not creating on our own, and I think what’s interesting is how each of our intentions come together and result in something unexpected. So, I might not be thinking too deeply about it on purpose.

Is that the same stance you have with Glider, the project you’re doing with Shouji? Or is it something specific to Hedigan’s?

Yusuke: It’s especially the case with Hedigan’s. With Glider, Shouji and I have similar tastes, and we do more conceptual work, so it feels more like a ‘project’ than a ‘band.’ It’s more like, ‘we’re coming together to create this specific piece of work.’ With Hedigan’s, it’s a bit more casual, like we all gather and think, ‘It’d be great if we could make something interesting.’ While there are differences in style, the underlying factor is just ‘we want to do something fun,’ so in that sense, it’s the same.”

I found it interesting that you described working toward a certain goal as a ‘project.’ So, for Hedigan’s, it’s really about continuing to spend good times together as a band, with the five of you, right? How about you, Takuma?

Motomura: Since the other three have already talked about the external aspects, I’ll share my personal perspective. I feel that Chance became a work that really reflects what I was thinking. There are times when you realize something about yourself not by thinking about it directly, but when the other person acts as a mirror. When you’re talking with someone, you may unconsciously say something, and later realize, “Oh, this is how I think in situations like that.” I feel like that’s what happened with this album. In terms of both the actual words used and the unspoken parts, it’s a work that involved a lot of communication, and that’s what made it special.

Listening back to the album, I also realized that my own understanding has deepened. I put my heart into it, and now I can see how much I opened myself up during the process. In that sense, I think this is a work that really makes you feel a strong sense of ‘connection.’ It helped me gain a clearer understanding of what it means for people to be together.

‘Connection’ is a term that’s often used, but I think it’s beautiful to describe how, through communication with others, you can face your own inner self. You’ve played in various bands, including Yūran-sen; what do you think it is about Hedigan’s that brings out this kind of ‘connection’?

Motomura: I don’t think that the other bands I’ve been in, or the ones I’m in now, didn’t have that kind of connection, but I think it’s also a matter of timing and age. After turning 30 and going through various experiences, I feel like I can observe what I’m doing now in real time, while also using the lessons I’ve learned from the past. When we were recording, I used to be so absorbed in it, but now I can look at things from a different perspective, like, ‘This moment is special, so let’s do this seriously!’—I was even standing with my arms crossed, watching myself do it [laughs].

Yusuke: I can’t believe you were like that [laughs].

Motomura: I was even standing in the corner of the studio, [laughs]. I really feel the strength of timing and fate. For me, and for the other members, everything—timing, environment, mental state, health—just happened to align perfectly, allowing us to come together. I’m just filled with gratitude.

Fuji Rock and Baths: No Hierarchy in What Matters

“From those feelings, there’s a strong desire to cherish this moment, and I think that’s why we were able to create a sound that captures the essence of the moment.”Now, we’ve kept you waiting—how about you, Take? You’re involved in seven bands, so I’d love to hear what you feel about Hedigan’s.

Ouchi (Dr.): Not just with Hedigan’s, but especially in rock bands, you get to understand your music through the sound you play and the live experience. This year, making Chance while doing a lot of live shows really raised the resolution of this band for me. Of course, I thought the band was already in a great state when we were making 2000JPY, but… how should I put it… 2000JPY felt like “soup without ingredients.” It was like everyone poured their individual ideas into one music, and it turned into a smooth, refreshing drink.

YONCE: Like a soup stock.

Ouchi： That’s right. In contrast, Chance feels like it has ingredients. It’s like, “Oh, there’s Mocchan’s (Motomura) organs in this,” or “I can feel Shoji’s arms in it” (laughs). It feels like a human body. I think that’s because we went through the live experiences together. There’s a nuance in the music that wouldn’t have emerged if we hadn’t played our own songs in front of an audience. And I think that’s an essential part of being in a rock band. So the first thing I feel is, “Thank you for letting us play so much.” In Chance, we made so many wonderful songs, and I think it turned into ten tracks that, without aiming for anything specific, were made simply by creating music innocently.

What I also think is that the important things have increased, and there’s no level of difference between them. For example, the time we spent performing at FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL might be the greatest joy for others, but I also remember the time we chatted briefly at a service area on our way to STUDIO DIG, or the air of that moment, or the time after we struggled with the mixes and then all took a bath together, falling asleep like we were dead. There’s no sense of which one is more important. I even remember days that seem like they don’t matter much. It’s not that “this day was good because of this,” but rather, I feel like all of those moments, combined in order, are what made this album possible.

This album captures the good vibes and good moments, and it’s not about thinking “this is a good day because of this.” It’s simply about being aware of what we feel in our hearts.

Ouchi： This ties into how I feel about the band, but when I think about what “everything is important” means, I believe it’s about wanting to truly believe that “the time we’re spending right now is incredibly meaningful.” I think that’s the wish I’ve put into Hedigan’s. This is true for all bands, but especially for Hedigan’s. It’s like we’ve reaffirmed our shared understanding of wanting to create the “ideal life” together as this group of five.

Another big change is that through performing live, I’ve come to realize that the people we call “audience” are “human beings.” It’s like there are creatures like me right in front of me, and there are so many souls we can share. Our tagline is “soul-friendly-music,” but the experience of feeling the souls of our listeners has accumulated, and I think this will raise the level of our dedication to live performances even more.