Radwimps: “We don’t want to be a band you can define with one word”

When we meet Radwimps at a hotel near Hyde Park, the Japanese rockers are still on a massive natural high. The night before, they played a sold-out show at London’s iconic Roundhouse, their first UK gig in well over seven years. It’s a long overdue return that feels even sweeter for the trio – lead singer and guitarist Yojiro Noda, guitarist Akira Kuwahara and bassist Yusuke Takeda – because they originally planned this world tour for 2020. Then, of course, COVID-19 intervened and the band found themselves grounded.

Of course, Radwimps are also riding high thanks to their third collaboration with visionary film director Makoto Shinkai. Alongside composer Kazuma Jinnouchi, they created the soundtrack to Suzume, Shinkai’s animated coming-of-age tale that opened in November and became the fourth highest-grossing Japanese film of all time. The soundtrack album, which doubles as Radwimps’ 13th studio LP, recently won the Best Music trophy at the prestigious Japan Academy Film Prize.

Having formed 22 years ago during their first year at high school, Radwimps are clearly a tight-knit unit. But it’s Noda – the band’s songwriter and lead singer – who really takes the lead today. In a wide-ranging interview, he discusses being influenced by Britpop legends Oasis, the thrill of finally being able to tour again, and the “weird rock lovers” status that Radwimps take pride in maintaining.

NME: You’re over here in the UK, but have you been particularly inspired by any UK bands?

Noda: “For me, Oasis and Radiohead are two big artists that gave us influences – especially Oasis. When I was around 13-14 and just starting to play guitar, their music gave me so many influences. You know, [it was] how they touched people’s hearts and feelings with their melodies and chord progressions.”

So, did you kind of learn to play guitar by playing their songs?

“Exactly. Like, I can sing most of Oasis’s songs: ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’, ‘Live Forever’, ‘Whatever’, ‘Slide Away’. All those Oasis songs from that era, I used to sing a lot.”

You were meant to head out on a world tour in 2020, but then Covid happened. How frustrating was it for you to be grounded like that?

“It was a huge shock for us. Because, like, we planned that tour for more than a year and a half – I think maybe from 2018? We’d had so many conversations with the promoters and like, three or four months before the world tour [was due to start], COVID happened and it all vanished. It was really depressing. We weren’t sure what to do at that moment – like most artists [felt]. Yeah, it was really tough to get over it and move forward.”

Do you feel as though you’re only really getting over it now?

“Yeah. We were supposed to have this tour when we were 34, and [now] we’re turning 38 almost. That’s a huge difference for us. But yeah, we’re so honoured and happy to be here. Finally!”

Your most recent album, the soundtrack to Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume, came out in November. It’s the third time you’ve worked with him, but how did this collaboration come about?

“I think it was in 2020, around March, that [Shinkai] first texted me the whole script. He just sent it to me and said nothing in particular like: ‘Would you please make some music for it?’ He just wanted to see how I felt. So, I texted him back [with] how I felt. But you know, since I first received that script, I knew I wanted to make music for it.

“That particular time was when the whole COVID thing went [off] and the world tour was cancelled and stuff. So we were just [stuck] at our houses and studios and we had a whole bunch of time. It was a good time to focus on something other than the tour, so we just started working on the theme song for Suzume.”

So you didn’t have any visuals at all to work off?

“Well, [with] the past two movies as well, we didn’t have anything visually [either]. Because with animation, it takes two and a half years to make. It’s a lot of work. So it’s only the script that we have to build the [musical] creation form.”

Why do you think you work so well with Makoto Shinkai? In a recent interview, he described you as “two wheels of the same bicycle”, which is an interesting analogy.

“Wow, I’m so happy to hear that. So, since he gave us the script really at the beginning of the creation of his animation, he kind of got some ideas from the music that I made. And he kind of, like, [would] recreate and rewrite the script as well. So, we were sort of going back and forth with ideas. It’s a really pure system of creation: it takes a lot of time, but it’s really worth it.”

What are you most proud of in your 22 years as a band?

“Well, last night was actually one of the greatest moments – to play in the UK in front of 3,000 people, a sold-out show. We never expected that to happen when we started the band when we were 15. Actually, we’re living in a dream right now with this European tour and the North American tour. it’s all way beyond what we expected.”

This last question is a bit cheesy, but what do you want Radwimps to stand for as a band?

“Weird band, maybe. Weird rock lovers. Because last night, there were a lot of audience [members] who only knew the songs from the animated movies. But obviously, [those] aren’t the only songs we have. And like, we have this enormous energy as a rock band [with] all the solos and stuff. And last night, I could feel that the audience, you know, got surprised and shocked by those kinds of songs. But we always want to be creating some new styles and stuff. We don’t want to be a band that you can define with one word.”

Suzume is out now. 

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