In our final music interview of 2022, we speak to Japanese alt-rock band Ginger May, who expresses their passion to establish an original, recognisable sound.
Band Name: Ginger May
Members: Tanya (songwriting, vocal), Satoshi (songwriting, guitars), Toshi (bass) & Joey (drums)
Genre: Alternative Rock
Founded: May 2015
Originated From: Tokyo, Japan
Discography: Mesmerizer (Album, 2019), Acoustic (EP, 2021), Me and You (Single, 2022)
How would you describe your music?
We don’t really like labels considering the genre of the music. But let’s say the closest genre the band fits is alternative rock. We love to experiment and mix different genres. Some describe us as an electronic-industrial act, although we have many songs with different sounds.
Most of our melodies are pop-rock and we have incorporated funk, alternative rock and hip-hop into the sound. You can listen to it and decide for yourself!
What is your musical creative process like?
Tanya has the songs in her head from the beginning. She’d rather say all of her songs are reactions to events that occur in her life. She never writes about something that she hasn’t experienced.
Usually, the melody comes first. The best ones come in the shower. And when she has time she takes her guitar and create the bones of the song. After that, she creates the arrangement with Satoshi Higashida and goes to the studio to practice with the band.
Satoshi also writes songs for the band. But his process is a bit different. He creates whole songs step by step with his own view. And then Tanya reviews it and we change it together to fit the style of the band.
How did the band form?
At the beginning (which was a really long time ago), Ginger May was an internet collaboration of Tanya, Satoshi and some other musicians. Sometime after, the project began a new life in Tokyo, Japan. About seven years have passed since then.
Ginger May today is the collaboration of four passionate musicians who came together because of the need to write and perform original music in different genres.
How did you come up with your band name?
It may sound funny, but it really happened. We have chosen several suitable names in our opinion and drawn lots. Even though the name is significant (especially if you know that we have a song by the same name), we want to provide an opportunity for our listeners to think on It’s meaning themselves. For some, it will sound like a girl’s name, others like a girl with red hair. And if you are a deep diver into the old English language, you can find several more interpretations of this name. All of these are partly true.
Who influenced you within the music industry?
It is almost impossible to list everything that has influenced us. We love classical music, pop and rock music from the 50s and 60s, and rock’n’roll. As for more modern music, maybe rock from the 90s is the biggest influence since we grew up in that era. If you ask about specific bands, we can only name a few. For example, RHCP, Papa Roach, Evanescence, Skillet, The Garbage. Radiohead, etc. And also we would like to mention a few industrial rock bands like Rammstein, Zeromancer, Oomph!, etc, which partially influenced our sound.
Have you performed live much and what was your favourite gig to play at?
We had quite a lot of gigs, but mostly before the coronavirus pandemic. Due to the lockdown, live performances in Japan were rare for almost two years. Now it’s getting better and it’s great.
But even during the lockdown, we did not stop and gave online concerts. Now it’s hard to highlight any particular gig. The most beautiful thing about live performances is feedback from the audience.
What is the best thing about being in a band?
We’d be very happy if our music helps listeners to cope with the difficulties in their lives. When our listeners tell us how our music has helped them, touched them from the heart and influenced their lives, perhaps, this is the best compliment the band can receive.
What’s the biggest problem you’ve had to overcome so far as a musician(s)?
Maybe it’s the promotion of music. The fact is that in the modern indie music industry, due to the huge competition, musicians must put a lot of effort into promoting music.It’s not bad, but it detracts from the music-making process. We are not really sure that we have completely overcome it. But at least for now we try not to pay too much attention to it.
What plans have you got coming up this year?
This is a new chapter for our band since we started working with Messina Records. We are grateful to find people on the same wavelength as us. We released a brand-new single, Me and You with an amazing music video just a few months ago. And right now we are working on more new songs. So our short-term plan is to finish an album with a couple more upcoming singles.
What is your ultimate dream as a band?
Perhaps it is establishing an original, recognisable sound. It may seem simple, but we wouldn’t want to set any unrealistic goals. We do what we love – the music.
You can find out more about Ginger May by visiting their website and following them on Facebook and Instagram.
If you’re in a band or a musician and would like to appear on this blog, please contact me and I’ll forward you an interview template.
Also, check out my other Music Interview roundups from 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021.
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