Hedigan’s Reflections: The Art of Coexistence

Living Life with Purpose, Not Ease

Are you the main lyricist for the songs, despite the credit being listed as “Hedigan’s”?

YONCE： Yes, that’s correct. Songs like “Fushigi” and “Saisei” were written by me. I asked Shoji, “Could you put music to this?” and he immediately created something for it. For “Mission Sofa feat. Shinya Inoue,” I gave the lyrics to Yusuke. This time, it was interesting to collaborate in that way.

I think what you’ve just mentioned connects to the themes of the songs on the album. There’s this idea of what we should value in a world that’s become overly civilized, and the suggestion that we could reconsider certain things.

YONCE: It’s like saying, “This is an ideal way of living.” My life and the lives of those around me are fortunate and going well, but I’ve recently been paying more attention to situations where that isn’t the case. I guess that’s what I was trying to express through the songs. I’m a bit particular about how people live.

Ouchi： Living Style Sommelier [laughs].

YONCE： “Mansion” is like a ranting old man’s rumba. It’s a song from the perspective of “the caretaker of the Earth” or “the caretaker of social life,” but it’s kind of pompous.

-No, “Mansion” is all about the punch line.

Yusuke: I really like YONCE’s lyrics. I don’t think they’re singing bright messages for the future, but in songs like “Mansion” and others, there are parts that really encourage me. It’s not just dark and prickly lyrics; there’s a lot of tenderness too.

YONCE： My stance is that I’m trying to write from a positive place. Because I believe the process matters, it wouldn’t make sense to just jump straight into the bright side. It’s like saying, “You have to eat the whole fish, even the liver.” You can’t just eat the tasty flesh. Animals, not just humans, are also eating the bitter stuff, so we all have to do that together. It’s a message of not trying to take the easy route, not living an easy life. …That’s why it’s like a ranting old man’s rumba. It’s like, “I’m about to lecture you!” but doing it through music [laughs].

I think that’s a very important stance for a rock band, and I believe YONCE’s message, shaped by his experiences and his perspective on humans, nature, and the Earth through farm work, is something only he could express. And as you’ve mentioned, with the sound of Hedigan’s and the time spent with the five of them, the words naturally flowed, so the message isn’t detached or preachy. It’s not preachy music at all. I think that’s what makes this album so special. So, why did you decide to title the album Chance?

Ouchi： The word that came naturally really fit in so many ways.

Shoji: We’ve been friends for a long time, grown into adults, formed a band, made music, toured… this is nothing but “chance.”

Motomura: Not “success” or anything like that.

YONCE: It’s more like “just being alive is a win.”

Ouchi: “Chance” is often used in the sense of “a stepping stone to success” or “something you have to seize,” but for me, it’s more like a fleeting moment that arises by chance, that’s what I think “chance” is.

Yusuke: If you really dive into the lyrics, there’s also a more satirical, ironic sense of “chance.” Like the “last seat in the race of elimination” in O’share — the “chance” for those people competing for it is different from our “chance.”

I think the title Chance conveys the idea that it’s not about outsmarting someone, but about recognizing unexpected moments that arise while spending time with someone. The final track, Fushigi, is also a new form of pop for Hedigan’s, and the lyrics are amazing.

Yusuke: I get it, Fushigi almost makes me want to cry.

Motomura: I cried too.

I’d like to ask what kind of feeling this expresses.

Yonce: I wrote this when I was seriously trying to sleep at a service area. I think I was feeling a bit down. I have a lot of friends, but within that circle, there are those I want to see no matter what, and those I only need to meet once a year. They’re all important, though. There are times when I can’t respond to them as I’d like, and times when I can. I think I was reflecting on that.

I’m really looking forward to the tour starting in January and what kind of experience it will bring. What do you prioritize in your live performances right now?

Motomura: In the last month or two, the setlist has changed, and I’ve realized that there are different ways to approach the flow of a live show. I don’t fully know yet what kind of live show it will be, so I’ve come to understand that I still want to lose myself in it.

YONCE: Steadily, our playing and performance humor sense is quite high right now.

[laughs] What does Hedigan’s mean by “humor sense”?

YONCE: It’s the kind of thing that makes you laugh in a good way.

Ouchi: Yes, things that only happen live.

Shoji: More like, we’re just laughing on our own. [laughs]

Yusuke: Right now, the biggest thing is simply enjoying making music with these five people. I think it will get even more fun as we add in the joy of communicating with the audience. If those moments where we feel like we’ve connected with the audience increase, I think something new will emerge on top of the joy of making music with these five people.

Motomura: It’s not the kind of live performance where everything converges into one single feeling, or where everyone ends up feeling the same way at the end. We also don’t know exactly how the live performance will unfold. Like Yūsuke said, we want to communicate with the audience—not in terms of “call and response” but in a way where we try to understand each other. I hope we can do that kind of communication, especially during the tour.

YONCE： I want to promote music itself. I want to keep saying things like, “Isn’t the guitar amazing?” or “Isn’t the band awesome?” all the time.

Hedigan’s Chance

November 20, 2024 Distribution release

1 地球(仮)
2 マンション
3 その後…
4 グレー
5 再生
6 Mission Sofa feat.井上真也
7 But It Goes On
8 O’share
9 カーテンコール
10 ふしぎ
https://fcls.lnk.to/Chance

CD
January 15, 2025 release
3,950 yen

[DISC 1]
1. 地球（仮）
2. マンション
3. その後…
4. グレー
5. 再生
6. Mission Sofa feat.井上真也
7. But It Goes On
8. O’share
9. カーテンコール
10. ふしぎ

[DISC 2 “Live at SPACE SHOWER MUSIC Presents “EPOCHS Music & Art Collective 2023″”]
1. 夏テリー
2. LOVE（XL）
3. サルスベリ
4. 説教くさいおっさんのルンバ
5. 敗北の作法
6. 論理はロンリー

CD pre-order link
https://hedigans.lnk.to/Chance