In today’s world, following your instincts often feels like a lost art. With social media’s constant flood of opinions and algorithms steering our choices, it’s easy to slip into passivity or overthinking without even noticing.
Amid this backdrop, the collaboration between Japan’s the telephones and Taiwan’s PAPUN BAND stands as a shining example of what happens when creativity is driven by pure intuition. Their partnership reminds us that true joy and connection can transcend language, culture, and boundaries—united simply by a shared love for what matters most.
After meeting virtually in 2021 during the pandemic and hitting it off during PAPUN BAND’s first visit to Japan in 2023, the two bands brought their synergy to life by collaborating on each other’s songs. Their mutual passion for pop culture inspired two standout tracks: PAPUN BAND’s Dragon Quest-inspired “LV99 勇者” and the telephones’ TwinBee-inspired “Zan ‘讃,’” released in late 2023. The infusion of video game music into their work is a bold and uniquely charming touch.
As the two prepare for a joint tour spanning Japan and Taiwan in early 2025, a virtual conversation between the telephones’ Akira Ishige and PAPUN BAND’s Shiny revealed the depth of their bond—a friendship forged through music, games, and a shared sense of creative wonder.
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How PAPUN BAND’s Shiny and the telephones’ Ishige “AKIRA” First Crossed Paths
The two bands first connected at an online event in 2021. Can you share your initial impressions of each other?
Ishige: I got a sense of their alternative vibe and felt like we had a lot of shared interests, so I knew we’d get along right away. During the online conversation, we hit it off talking about our favorite bands and even joked about things like “Who’s the most popular member with fans?” [laughs]. It felt like we were chatting as if we’d known each other for ages. I remember being genuinely happy—it felt like making friends through music across borders.
Shiny: During the online discussion, we even talked about manga. When I first heard Akira-san’s name, I immediately thought, “It’s the same as AKIRA, my favorite manga!” [laughs]. While it might be a common name in Japan, it felt like fate to me. We also bonded over our mutual love for pop-punk bands like blink-182. Finding someone who gets me like that was rare—it was such a special moment. It really felt like we’d been friends forever.
As the frontman of the telephones, Akira Ishige has been shaking up the dance-rock scene since the band’s formation in 2005. Drawing inspiration from post-punk and the new wave revival, the telephones made their mark with electrifying beats and infectious energy, securing a major debut in 2009. In 2015, they celebrated their 10th anniversary with a milestone performance at Nippon Budokan, leaving audiences in awe.
Though the band entered an indefinite hiatus later that year, the story didn’t end there. the telephones roared back to life in 2019 with a triumphant comeback show at Zepp Tokyo. After bassist Ryohei Nagashima’s departure in 2023, the trio of Akira Ishige, Nobuaki Okamoto, and Seiji Matsumoto embraced a bold new direction—melding house, techno, and club beats into their signature sound to make audiences move like never before.
Now, with their sights set on leveling up, the telephones team up with Taiwan’s PAPUN BAND for the highly anticipated LV1 to LV99 Tour -GAME START- in January 2025. For Akira, it’s not just music; it’s a quest to bring pure joy to the dance floor.
Did you first meet in person when PAPUN BAND visited Japan in 2023?
Ishige: Yes, that’s right. The first time I saw them perform live, the experience was surprisingly different from what I had expected after watching their online performances, but in a good way. Shiny’s stage presence really reminded me of certain guitarists we both admire, and I felt a strong sense of connection. The way he raised the neck of his guitar, for example, felt like something we both shared in terms of guitar heroes. His effort to engage the crowd and get them hyped also struck me as something that aligns with what we do in the telephones.
Did you hang out together after the performance?
Ishige: Even though the telephones didn’t perform at that particular show, we did end up drinking together at the after-party. We clicked instantly because we had a lot of shared humor. We both love dark humor, like “BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD” and “jackass” [laughs]. That kind of humor is something that connects with the telephones too. We drank a lot and just had a laid-back, stress-free time together. Of course, there was the language barrier, but because we shared so many of the same interests, we were able to get excited and bond over that. Actually, Seiji (Seiji Matsumoto/the telephones drummer) even ended up staying in the same hotel where their drummer Lee was!
Amazing, you’re really good at communication [laughs].
Shiny: At that time, Akira was drunk and his face was bright red, but suddenly he got serious and started giving me lots of advice about the order of stepping on the effects pedals, performance, and areas where I could grow. It made me feel like he was really paying attention to me, and I was really moved. He could see both my strengths and areas where I needed improvement, and I felt like he was a really trustworthy older brother.
Ishige: I don’t remember because I was drunk… I’m glad you didn’t hate me [laughs].
Shiny: No way! [laughs]
Shiny is the guitarist and vocalist of PAPUN BAND, formed in 2007. The band gained significant recognition by winning the highly competitive “Tai-Ke Rock Carnival” with his band’s performance, marking their debut in a large-scale event. In 2008, Shiny and PAPUN BAND won the Ocean Star Award at the “Conlyao Ocean Music Festival,” which led to numerous opportunities to perform at major music festivals, university festivals, and other events across Taiwan. They have released four albums and one mini-album, with their music video for “Fish” amassing over 19 million views on YouTube. Other music videos such as “我沒有用,辦沒辦法給你想要的生活” and “月旁月光” have also garnered attention from fans worldwide.
Did you also talk about the music you both like?
Ishige: We did! I obviously love Japanese artists, and I think Shiny enjoys Taiwanese artists as well, but there’s something common in the way Asian musicians tend to admire the music scenes in America and Europe. Nowadays, I have plenty of friends with whom I can discuss these things, and my music taste has gradually evolved, but when I was a teenager, I didn’t have anyone to talk about this with. So, I was really happy to make friends across countries and share those interests.
Shiny, did you also create your music influenced by Western music when you were younger?
Shiny: Yes, that’s right. I grew up listening to Western music from a young age. The first artist I listened to was Michael Jackson, and after that, I got into Linkin Park. The bands that had the biggest impact on me were blink-182, SUM41, Weezer, Simple Plan, and Limp Bizkit. They really shaped the foundation of the music I create today.
