INDEX
Influence of GRAPEVINE and Radio
You mentioned that you listened to GRAPEVINE a lot during your middle school years.
Oishi： I have a tendency to focus intensely on something once I get hooked, whether it’s comedy or music. After discovering GRAPEVINE, I listened to their music over and over again until the CDs were worn out. When I was in elementary school, I used to listen to anime songs, drama theme songs, and popular bands like ORANGE RANGE, but I think I was drawn to GRAPEVINE because they had a more mature vibe.
Was there a specific GRAPEVINE song that first caught your attention?
Oishi：I think it was singles like “Slow” and “Hikari ni Tsuite.” The lyrics had a kind of ambiguity that I couldn’t fully understand at the time, which made them even more intriguing. It was like, “I don’t quite get it, but maybe that’s okay.” I used to get really excited with my friends who were also into GRAPEVINE, saying, “It’s just so amazing!”
The indirectness in their lyrics seems to align with your own songwriting approach.
Oishi：I guess I’m a little shy about writing too directly, so I may have a tendency to avoid being too clear-cut. But I think GRAPEVINE influenced me in understanding that it’s fine if things aren’t always easy to grasp. Their lyrics are often seen as literary, but there are moments that really strike you, like “This scene feels familiar.” I always aim for my own lyrics to convey a particular mood or emotional shift. While using the full potential of sound, I want my songs to evoke something personal for each listener. I hope to create songs that make people feel their own unique response, rather than everyone having the same image in their minds.
Did you always have an interest in poetry and words?
Oishi: It’s a bit embarrassing, but I didn’t really read books much during my school years. I had trouble focusing, so I couldn’t really absorb anything. Even when I thought I was reading, I would just follow the words, and before I knew it, I’d be thinking about something else, like “Did I record that show?” Reading never really clicked for me, so literature felt like a distant thing.
You’ve always liked comedy, especially radio. Are there any radio shows that you’ve been listening to for a long time and that have influenced your personality or values?
Oishi: I started listening to the radio when I entered university and would listen on my way to school. One of the shows I listened to every week was Banana Man’s Banana Moon GOLD. I loved the segment called “Himpeki,” where they did parody songs. Unfortunately, it was recently discontinued after over 10 years, and I felt sad about that. I also listened to Diane’s Yona Yona… until it ended. I think I like the more trivial, carefree shows. I like the idea of people sending ridiculously silly emails and postcards, taking them seriously. I even sent an email myself. It’s fun to think of something foolish, almost like you’re doing work, like writing a thesis, but you’re writing things you’d never show anyone. I think I enjoy that time. It might be similar to the time I spend writing lyrics. I’m not sure if it shaped my personality, but if someone asks me what I like, I’d say radio. I probably spend more time listening to radio than music.
