SCANDAL's HONEY Interview
Confidence as an all-girl band; a "debut" album in their 10th year

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SCANDAL, who is celebrating the 10th anniversary of their major label debut in 2018, will be releasing their 8th original album HONEY on February 14.

This album contains 10 songs, including their single "Take Me Out," as well as "Koisuru Universe" and "Futari" from their digital single. After completing their first 47-prefecture tour and joint-band tour in 2017, the girls have strengthened their groundwork as a band. The result is music that all-girl bands should play, and that only SCANDAL can play. The result is a vividly diverse collection of feminine charms.

Music Natalie spoke at length with the quartet, who are feeling a great sense of accomplishment from the completion of this work.

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Our first joint-band tour where it seemed like "We didn't make any mistakes in this way"
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──Firstly, please tell us about your first joint-band tour, "SCANDAL's Joint-Band Tour," held last October. In support of your killer tune "Koisuru Universe," which was produced with the theme of "a sound that an all-girl band should play," how was it appearing jointly with UNISON SQUARE GARDEN, 04 Limited Sazabys, and BLUE ENCOUNT?

RINA: To go up against all-male bands, it reminded us once again that we should take on challenges with our own weapons. "Koisuru Universe" was created with a sound that we as SCANDAL should play and lyrics that we should express, so we were kind of relieved that we hadn't made any mistakes in this way (laughs). We were also happy that we got our joint-band partners to say that "Koisuru Universe" is cool. We learned a lot, so it was a really inspiring tour.

HARUNA: Although doing joint shows isn't about winning or losing, this tour did make us feel that we didn't want to lose to our partners. Our fighting spirit was really intense and differed from when we play solo concerts or festivals. We were kind of surprised at ourselves (laughs).

TOMOMI: It definitely was intense, yeah.

RINA: This year marks the 10th anniversary of our major-label debut, but I still feel that we can get really fired up. In 2017 we performed at approximately 70 small venues in total, and although it kind of makes us feel like rookies (laughs), I think that's another charming thing about SCANDAL.



──MAMI, what do you think?

MAMI: Since all of the bands were playing to their strengths, I felt that even though they play music that's different from us, there were many points we had in common that we could understand each other. In fact, after talking to each other, we found that there were many aspects of each band's viewpoint that we agreed with, and I think it was a great benefit for us to be able to have a good exchange at the concerts. At the same time, I think that the audience of each band was also able to properly interact with each other, so these were concerts that connected not only us band members but also the fans' futures.

HARUNA: Many people who saw SCANDAL for the first time during our joint-band tour tweeted that they want to see us at winter festivals as well. At festivals we've actually also noticed while on stage some of those new fans in the audience, so I think it was a very fruitful joint-band tour in that aspect as well.

We felt that the position of all-girl bands in the scene and SCANDAL's place in it became certain
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──I get the impression that the direction SCANDAL is now taking with "Koisuru Universe" and your joint-band tour experience, which proved to be a major force, are clearly connected to your newly released album HONEY.

RINA: We were naturally heading in that direction during the production stage.

MAMI: Yeah. But on top of that, the reactions we received with "Koisuru Universe" on the joint-band tour made the path we should take even clearer. We felt that the position of all-girl bands in the scene and SCANDAL's place in it became certain, and that gave us a lot of confidence. In that sense, this album was made with a feeling of starting anew from here.


──I truly think it is a masterpiece.

MAMI: We're also very satisfied with it. I can't wait for everyone to listen to it and say whatever they want, good or bad. I feel that we have gained the ability to accept any opinion, no matter what it may be, by making this album.

RINA: I think we were able to make an album that was focused on what we want to do and what we like. I wanted to make music that the four of us should play together, music that would fulfill our role as an all-girl band, and with the 10th anniversary of our debut, we felt strongly about going on the offensive once again, so I think we were able to pack in all the momentum that SCANDAL has right now. I think the result is very exciting.

TOMOMI: I think we gained more muscle as a band through the 47-prefectures tour and the joint-band tour last year, and at the same time, we became more confident in our regular selves, which do not pass through the filter of musicians. I feel that this album, which reflects this, has somehow become our private space. I think we were able to incorporate the sounds that flow in the sphere where we live and the common language that we communicate with each other. In that sense, it turned out to be a very satisfying finish.

HARUNA: SCANDAL has changed in many ways with each new album, and we have always updated the themes that we wanted to present at each time, but this time I feel that we were able to create the ideal form that we have been aiming for for the past five years. I think that everything we have explored since we started writing music ourselves, and the image of the band we've envisioned since we started performing at various festivals, has been packed into these 10 songs. I really feel a sense of accomplishment.

I'm really happy that we were able to create something so fresh, energetic, and sharp, 10 years after our debut
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──This time, except for your singles and the song "Mado wo Aketara", everything from songwriting to arrangement was completed by the band.

RINA: That's right. (Making eye contact with the members) We're happy about that (laughs). That said, it's not like we didn't decide to include arrangers this time. It was more like, "This has already been arranged, so we can just record it as is." There was no pressure to do it by ourselves.

TOMOMI: Yeah, the atmosphere in the studio was very natural.
Even when we've asked an arranger for help, MAMI's demos were almost complete as is, and each member would just add their own flavor to it. So the flow is the same as usual.

HARUNA: Well, in the sense that we were able to do everything on our own in the usual sense, I think this album shows each member's underlying strength.

RINA: That's right. It simply made us happy that our director and agency manager, who has known us from the time that we couldn't do anything, said, "It's totally fine as it is." Somehow it feels like we've made another debut album. I'm really happy that we were able to create something so fresh, energetic, and sharp, 10 years after our debut.



──There are plenty of songs with lyrics written by RINA and music composed by MAMI.

RINA: I was writing songs whenever I thought of them (laughs).

MAMI: We were writing songs during our 47-prefecture tour, and even after the joint-band tour. However, tracks 1-2 were made at the last minute. I wonder how this album would have turned out without these two songs (laughs).



──Track 1, "Platform Syndrome," and track 2, "OVER," are fast-paced rock songs that make you realize that you're a band that lives to play concerts. I think these are songs that show what SCANDAL's good at, but why weren't they created until the last minute?

HARUNA: We unintentionally took a detour (laughs).

MAMI: That's right. I was aiming for a song that would blow your minds at concert, but for better or worse, I tend to be twisted, so I ended up with a weird dance number like "Electric Girl" (laughs). Well, in a flash of inspiration, I was like, "Ah!" and was able to make both "Platform Syndrome" and "OVER." Although it was at the last minute, I think I had the ideas and images for the songs in my head from the beginning.

An album that depicts the various emotions of a single person
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──"Short Short" is another song by the duo of RINA and MAMI. The soft and beautiful world view with many choruses gives the song a feminine charm.

TOMOMI: This song is very pleasant, although I have to be patient because I only play the same phrase all the way through the A-melody (laughs). The chorus suddenly becomes emotional, and I really like the contrast between the two.

MAMI: I think this is most emotional song on the album. Sound-wise, it is very simple, but I think we were able to create a sparkling atmosphere by adding color with our voices.

RINA: HARUNA's singing is also very clear.

HARUNA: Actually, everyone really liked the take I did while in pre-production, so we used it as is except for the parts where the lyrics were changed. I guess you could call it an initial impulse, or the voice that carried the feelings I had when I first heard MAMI's demo, and it fit the song. I discovered that such a thing could happen.



──The seventh track "Mado wo Aketara" (Open a Window) is a number that features lyrics and music by TOMOMI. This arrangement was done by Mizuki Masuda of Negoto. It has a very mature finish to it.

TOMOMI: I wrote this song about three years ago, when I was very depressed and had a series of nights when I felt like my soul was slipping away and I was left with only my body. Since I wrote this song about my own heart, I wanted to arrange it with someone close to me whom I interact with in my private life. I thought it would add some spice to the album.

RINA: I really wanted to do this song because I thought that the current SCANDAL could express itself well without stretching too far, both in terms of the sound and the lyrics that delve into the heart. I think the inclusion of this song lowered the album's center of gravity and created a theme for the album.



──You can also feel it in "Midnight City," which is another song that depicts the delicacy and vulnerability of women in a different way from love songs. I also got the impression that the inclusion of such songs gives the album depth and reality.

RINA: That's right. Some people may feel that "Mado wo Aketara" is in a slightly different place when listening to the tune alone, but when you consider it as one aspect of one person, it feels like all 10 songs on the album are connected. I really feel that it's an album that depicts the various emotions of a single person.

An evolution of each part glimpsed from HONEY
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──After a year full of live performances in 2017, your performance aspect has evolved dramatically, hasn't it? Each part was recorded with a lot of care, wasn't it?

TOMOMI: That's correct. The bass has a different rhythm in each song, and I did a lot of challenging things, such as using a funky phrase for the disco-like "Midnight City" instead of playing it in octaves.

RINA: Isn't your bass solo on "Electric Girl" one of the key points this time?

TOMOMI: Ahー, yeah. MAMI told me she wanted to include a bass solo, so I thought up a phrase and went to MAMI's house to try to match it, but the tempo was really fast. I couldn't play the phrase even though I had thought of it myself (laughs). I did my best to play it. Ahahaha (laughs).

RINA: I think the drums on "Electric Girl" have a very playful rhythm, as in the A-melody of the second verse, where the snare is changed at one point and a fill is played. Recording it was a lot of fun!



──Did you try anything else this time with the drums?

RINA: I don't really think about it myself, but I've been told by many people that I have a backward groove. So this time, I made a conscious effort to play the drums in a more forward position overall. I was very happy when the members said to me during recording, "It's quite forward for your drumming" (laughs).



──I see. The aggressive attitude and vigor that pervades the entire album may be due in large part to RINA's drumming. MAMI, what do you think?

MAMI: In the past, HARUNA and I often played the same chords on the guitar, but this time we completely separated them. I had HARUNA lay a solid foundation with power chords and low chords, and I focused on single notes on top of them. I think that's why you can clearly hear the two guitars in each song.

HARUNA: That's right. I think you can feel the difference from our previous songs just from the guitar sounds.



──HARUNA, your voice changes considerably from song to song, doesn't it? That was a lot of fun.

HARUNA: Recording vocals was a lot of fun. Everyone wrote lyrics that had a very personal and everyday life-feel to them, so I recorded the songs looking for a voice and a way of singing that would suit the lyrics. I think I was able to bring out a lot of unknown sides of myself in the songs (laughs). I have been experimenting with various aspects of singing over the past few years, but this time I think I was able to express what I have always wanted to do and what I want to show as SCANDAL in the future, through my vocals.

We had been heading towards this album called HONEY a little at a time for a while now
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──This album contains 10 songs, the smallest number of songs on an album of yours so far. Was there any intention behind this?

RINA: We currently have over 100 songs. So instead of unnecessarily adding new songs, we wanted to include only the 10 strongest songs on the album and emphasize our past songs during live performances. I felt that the story of the album as a whole was well-organized, so I thought this minimalism was just right at this point in time.



──I wonder how the songs from this album will intersect with those from the past to create a unique view of the current SCANDAL. I'm looking forward to your hall tour starting in March.

RINA: Yes! We plan to play all the songs from the album but there is plenty of room for more, so there are a lot of options. I'm really looking forward to it!

TOMOMI: When arranged as a setlist, there are surprisingly some past songs that do not disturb the world view of this album. In that sense, we realized once again that we have been gradually moving toward HONEY little by little for a while now. It looks like it will be an very interesting tour.

HARUNA: Since it's a hall tour this time, we can incorporate the atmosphere of the album's artwork into the performance. We want to create a hot space where people can enjoy it visually, but also get loud and go home all sweaty.

TOMOMI: Ah, also, [bassist] Yuta Tsujimura of BLUE ENCOUNT showed me how to step during the after-party of our joint-band tour.

RINA: Eh, you're going to incorporate that?

TOMOMI: Yes. I hope to incorporate it in my performance. I learned many things during our joint-band tour (laughs).

MAMI: Seriously? (laughs)

RINA: That's great. We're also looking forward to it (laughs).

 TOMOMI: Ah, also, [bassist] Yuta Tsujimura of BLUE ENCOUNT showed me how to step during the after party of our joint band tour.

RINA: Eh, you're going to incorporate that?

TOMOMI: Yes, I will. I hope I can show it off. I learned many things during our joint band tour (laughs).

MAMI: Seriously (laughs)?

RINA: That's great. We're also looking forward to it (laughs).

Star~world96 wrote:@Don Dio
They have brought up the reason why for the lack of Haru/Tomo duet songs. It was around 2015, I specifically forgot which interview, but in it Tomomi stated that Haru and her vocals together doesn't seem "right" anymore or at the moment. Idk, its something along the lines of that. I have to find that interview again lol.

Don Dio wrote:Regarding "Step"-- I think she means a form of dance.

As usual, good interview overall by Natalie.  My one criticism with her style and many of the other writers that interview the band for print is that they rarely ever ask follow-up questions.  It is as if they have a list of questions to ask the band and then run through them without paying attention to what the band is saying.  For instance, Tomomi says she wrote "Mado wo Aketara" a few years ago when she was feeling down.  She has stated this condition before in past interviews.  There is no need to get into why she was feeling down, but we know Tomomi wrote the music and the lyrics.  Unlike her past compositions she does not sing lead.  Why doesn't Natalie ask her that question?  

I can only assume that since Tomomi says she wrote the song about her 'heart" that it may be too emotional for her to have to eventually sing it live.  That's understandable.  [I recently saw Stevie Wonder perform and he broke down and cried during a tune he hadn't played live in over 30 years.  He couldn't make it through the song.  So this happens to the best and most-seasoned of performers].  Back on point: Tomomi doesn't sing lead on any song on this new album.  What was the creative reason for this?  Natalie brings up Haruna's singing , which is great, but she does not ask why the band has decided to no longer have her share vocals with Tomomi.  This is the second album in a row where they have shifted away from a signature sound quality of their music.  To my knowledge, no one has asked the band this question yet.

There is good information in the interview, and my favorite response may be Haruna commenting they "unintentionally made a detour" by writing two speedy songs at the last minute.  Another highlight was them insinuating that Mami produces demos that are well-constructed and thought out.