All photos courtesy of Avex Entertainment Inc.

Very rarely will you catch an anime fan that hasn’t seen or heard of the year 2000 series FLCL (Fooly Cooly). Aside from the healthy dose of absurdity and weird humor that production studio Gainax graced its viewers with, it’s also noted for having a killer soundtrack, featuring a number of songs from Japanese rock outfit The Pillows and garnering a huge amount of international attention for the veteran group, which formed in 1989.

The Pillows’ international success has since moved beyond the popularity of the anime, and they have already made several trips to the US to perform their albums and promote their band. Featuring catchy songs with a strong rock rhythm and foregoing the visual flair that a lot of Japanese rock bands often turn to, The Pillows are definitely an interesting group.

This year’s Delicious Bump tour was exactly that, delicious. New York – Tokyo had the opportunity to interview them during their tour this past March. More after the jump.

New York – Tokyo: What type of person is the typical listener of your music? Has this changed over the years?
The Pillows: I haven’t really thought about it. I think people listen to rock music regardless of their age or gender, you know? Maybe there’s more guys recently?

NYT: Your work on the Japanese anime, FLCL, has provided a gateway for many Americans to become interested in Japanese music. What do you think about the language barriers between English and Japanese?
The Pillows: As much as it would be great if the people understood the words, since this is music, I think there’s something that translates through the sound and melody. Because of this, [our music] received great responses from the American audience.

NYT: Are you surprised that you are so popular in the US? Do you feel that Americans know you more then just doing FLCL?
The Pillows: It was surprising at first. But I think there are no borders to rock music. I think our music is gradually getting bigger than FLCL.

NYT: What album would you recommend for a person who just finished FLCL?
The Pillows: Our first album!

NYT: After performing live in America several times, how would you say your fans here differ from Japanese?
The Pillows: American fans are… very free and physical.

NYT: Since you’ve been a popular band since 1989, what have you noticed about the music industry today that is different from then?
The Pillows: Rock has been better received I think.

NYT: What was a major influence to your band when The Pillows first started out?
The Pillows: For me, it’s for self-expression.

NYT: Who is Buster-kun and what does he represent personally for each band member?
The Pillows: Buster-kun is a bear. He’s an evolved version of the stuffed animal that can be seen on our old album jacket.

NYT: What are your favorite songs to sing/perform, and why?
The Pillows: There are so many, but I’d like to think that the latest ones are the best ones.

NYT: What big projects, or new direction, if any are you interested in pursuing? Do you have any plans to do collaborative work with other Japanese (or, even, American) artists?
The Pillows: Not particularly. I just want to keep playing in a band.

NYT: Lastly, can you make any comments about your US tour?
The Pillows: As a band, we performed as if we were in Japan so there’s no real difference. However, individually, being in the same place as where most of my favorite bands came from is very inspiring. Even some ideas for new songs…

By Steven Fuller
Translation by Steven Fuller and Taeko Saito