Californian three piece Tashaki Miyaki followed up the release of the reverb drenched heartbreak of their debut EP last year. With the affecting recent single and video ‘Best Friend’with its seductive Mazzy Star-esque harmonies and swaying alt-country backdrops captured our hearts.
As they look set to release that single’s other track ‘Tonight’ we thought we’d catch up with them to delve a little into what inspires their bittersweet sound. That is rooted in pop classicism yet drummer Lucy’s longing vocals and the chrome-sound crafted by Rocky on guitars: nods its head towards the likes of the Jesus and Mary Chain, Mazzy Star and more recent acts like Best Coast and Beach House.
Hi Tashaki Miyaki how are you?!Where does the name come from is it Japanese, or not?!
The name is a bit of an inside joke. We are fans of Takashi Miike and I said his name incorrectly one night and thought it would make a good band name.
How many of you play in the group?
Right now we have been playing as a 3 piece.
When did you get together and was there a point when you realised this could be something special?
Rocky and I met a few years ago and had wanted to play music together but it never really worked…then I taught myself to play drums and suddenly it worked. It really just came out of us jamming together. Once we went into the studio with our friend Joel, who does all our recordings, we knew it was special.
How do the songs emerge?! They sound like little heartfelt inner monologues put to pop songs to me at least?!
That’s a cool description, I’m just going to agree with you.
Do you understand genres like ‘dream pop’, ‘shoegaze’ etc etc or don’t you think about perceptions when you write?
I don’t think about anything when I write…generally its more of an emotion or story or feeling moving through me and I try to capture it. I don’t think about genres ever to tell you the truth. I think more about sounds and feel…I do talk about 90s Dr. Dre and Wu Tang a lot though. I’m a real fan of 90s hip hop. But as far as genre goes, I have no idea…I really like old country music and 50s and 60s pop and soul…as far as the structure of songs goes that’s what I relate to the most…and the sounds are pieced together from so many different things. People love to categorize everything, I don’t personally like that, but I guess its necessary for some people to understand things. And for the record, I think “dream pop” is really pretty sounding and I don’t mind it.
How would you characterise Best Friend to those that haven’t heard it?And what’s it about? Where did you film the video and who with it’s really cool!?
Best friend is a song I freestyled to a drum loop I had made on garage band. I was searching for new ways to write, so I had started writing to drum loops and just making songs up from there. It was inspired by one of my best friends and the feeling of really caring for someone no matter what the outcome is…like a self-less kind of caring. Our friend Juan Iglesias shot the video…he has done all our videos. It was shot in LA. He just did a new one for our song “Tonight” that’s coming out soon.
What five records would you take with you on tour?!
Dr. Dre- The Chronic
Rolling Stones- Beggars Banquet
Patsy Cline- Greatest Hits
The Velvet Underground- Loaded
Neil Young- on the beach
You released an Everly Brothers 7″ with Rough Trade what’s your favourite Everly Brothers song and why?
The songs on the 7″ are our favorites, although the everlys didn’t write “all I have to do is dream” their version is the well known version. That song is one of my favorite songs of all time…its haunting and beautiful and true.
Are you hoping to come back and play over here again anytime soon?!
Hopefully!
Are you working on a full album yet?Or is it finished? Or are you more relaxed about when one will come together from the tracks you already have recorded?
We have started recording a full length. We are in the mixing stages….
