A CONVERSATION WITH… ONE OK ROCK
We spoke with ONE OK ROCK’s lead singer Taka Moriuchi about songwriting and modern rock music.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE ONE OK ROCK TO SOMEONE WHO HASN’T LISTENED TO YOU BEFORE?
First of all, we’re a Japanese rock band. Second, we actually sing in English. We look pretty young, but actually we’re getting old. We know a lot about the music scene and we’re not a band from the young generation.
YOU’RE CURRENTLY EMBARKING ON THE EUROPEAN LEG OF YOUR LUXURY DISEASE TOUR. HOW ARE YOU FINDING IT SO FAR?
It’s pretty good. This is our first time doing different tours - our headline shows and huge Muse tour shows. It’s crazy, but we’re having so much fun. We love Europe and it’s a while since we’ve toured in Europe.
HOW IS SUPPORTING MUSE AND HOW DOES THAT EXPERIENCE DIFFER FROM A HEADLINE SHOW?
We listened so much to Muse when we were young, so it feels weird. We’ve been in this band for almost eighteen or nineteen years, but Muse has been around longer than that. They have GRAMMYs and are such a successful band. I’m still all the time getting vibes from them and trying to put on a good show.
YOU SAID WITH YOUR LAST ALBUM YOU WERE TRYING TO TAKE A MORE INTERNATIONAL APPROACH TO MUSIC. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU NOW?
We’ve been spending time trying to break through to some different countries. We’ve learnt so much. I’m currently living in the US and I’ve learnt so much about the culture. This album is more rock. I feel really comfortable with this album and playing onstage.
DO YOU FIND CROWDS IN EUROPE ARE DIFFERENT FROM IN THE REST OF THE WORLD?
Yeah, totally different. We speak differently and our language and culture is different. But, also one thing is the same in every country, it’s like a vibes thing. There are really good crowds and there’s everybody singing together. In Japan the audience is a little bit quiet. Even without Covid-19 a Japanese crowd is quite quiet.
HOW WOULD YOU SAY YOUR SOUND HAS EVOLVED OVER YOUR ALBUMS?
The album before Luxury Disease was a pop album, I wanted to do more English songs. I was trying hard to be more smooth and reach out to fans with my lyrics and singing style. Now, it’s more the opposite - rock music. The melodies are more simple. The lyrics are more ‘never give up’, ‘keep doing your thing’ and stuff like that. We just finished a pop album and then we approached the more rock music sound. Now it’s time to put it together and more naturally for you guys, in a more ONE OK ROCK style.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT ROCK MUSIC IS LIKE CURRENTLY IN THE MUSIC SCENE?
Not fun. There’s so many rock bands and rock artists trying to… bring back rock culture and rock music. So many bands try but it doesn’t work.
WHO WERE YOUR EARLY INFLUENCES WHEN STARTING THE BAND?
I was used to boy bands, then I got fired and after that I needed something emotional, with energy or something from different music. Then when I went to the first concert… there was so much energy over there. I felt the energy but also, ‘oh shit, I want to do that.’ That’s why I decided to be a singer and make the band. For influences it was: Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Green Day. So many actually, Sum 41, Muse. A kind of emo-punk mixture of rock bands.
YOU’VE SAID PREVIOUSLY THAT YOUR APPROACH TO WRITING CHANGES A LOT DPENDING ON THE DIFFERENT ALBUM YOU’RE WORKING ON. WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT WRITING PROCESS LIKE?
Now it’s more like back to our style. Play some guitar, play some drums, play some bass and maybe at the same time in the studio everyone is jamming and singing some melodies. Then if somebody likes it, we will take it and make a song. We need a process for how we make it and how we create new songs. That’s why I’ve tried so many different new styles of writing music. I’m actually working on a new album right now. I have a real vision for the next one.