Morning Glory
Interview – January 25, 2010
Morning Glory is a pop-punk band from Gifu, Japan. They’re all about fun, and it definitely comes across in their music. Rimina and Kanoko were kind enough to answer my questions about their history, influences and life in Japan.
Hello Morning Glory! Please introduce yourselves for our readers.
RIMINA: I’m Rimina. I play the guitar and sing lead vocal. I’m also the main songwriter.
KANAKO: I’m Kanako. I play the bass and sing chorus.
You met each other in school. Please tell us the story of how Morning Glory started making music together.
RIMINA: I’ve known Kanako since childhood. Since we hung out together every day, when I decided to make a band I invited Kanako. She kept refusing in the beginning, but she got motivated after seeing a concert of GREEN DAY. I was told that a band needs at least 3 persons (I didn’t know anything about a band… *laugh*), so an acquaintance introduced me to the former drummer, Yousuke.
KANAKO: I’ve known Rimina since we were 3 years old. We were in the same class until high school except for the elementary school. When Rimina suggested making a band, I thought she was crazy! (laugh) But we always gave it 100%. We didn’t know anything, but we just decided to give it a try and started writing songs.
What musicians do you look up to as inspirations?
RIMINA: From music that goes in a completely different direction from MORNING GLORY. I often get inspirations from an acoustic type of sound that has singing with a piano or a guitar. Since I have a thing for voices, basically I get inspirations from singing.
KANAKO: I get influenced easily as long as I think it’s cool, no matter what genre it is. It feel the same whether it’s from a famous band with a lot of experience and from a new band that just started.
What are your favorite live houses in the Gifu/Nagoya area?
RIMINA: Shibuya O-nest in Tokyo, ell.SIZE in Nagoya. These are the places where we had our first one-man lives in each of those cities, so it brings back the nervous excitement each time I go there.
KANAKO: MUSIC FARM in Fujigaoka. They always value each and every band that plays there.
When you’re not playing music, what are your hobbies?
RIMINA: As I like videogames, I (want to) play games when I have time.
KANAKO: I’m with my dog, Tai.
You offered a support song to [soccer team] FC Gifu. Are you big sports fans? Do sports have a large influence on your music?
RIMINA: I like watching sports, and I like playing volleyball. Since sports are a mixture of motivation and ambition, I get different feelings and inspiration from watching them. In that sense, sports can become an influence in making music.
KANAKO: I love sports. When I play, I’m serious, but I don’t last long because I don’t have stamina. (laugh)
What message do you want fans to take from your music?
RIMINA: I want them to feel it’s fun. Though each song has a different feeling, I’d be happy if the fans tell me that they want to play in a band because of MORNING GLORY.
KANAKO: I want them to smile and feel positive and fun so they can try their best tomorrow.
Do you have anything you want to say to your English-speaking fans?
RIMINA: I know they say that music is for anywhere in the world, but I never thought an opportunity like this would come. MORNING GLORY is a band that we started to have fun! I hope our music can deliver the fun we wanted to have.
KANAKO: It will make me happy if they feel something when they listen to our music. Let’s have fun together at our live show!!
(originally published on Nippon Rock)
