An Interview with Shonen Knife in Texas

author: Cynthia

© Shonen Knife, Akira Shibata

Doing a tour that consists of 30 stops in the USA and Canada, Shonen Knife is going strong and nothing can stop them! In the middle of such an extensive tour, JaME was able to catch up with the band in San Antonio, Texas. They discussed many events that happened during the band's mid-years to anecdotes of current tours.


You're in the middle of an extensive USA and Canada tour. How is it going so far?

Naoko: it's going very well. We're happy to see Shonen Knife fans; they are always smiling so we are glad to see their happy faces.

Is there anything you miss from home?

Naoko: Food! I like Japanese food.

Etsuko: Japanese television. (laughs)

Ritsuko: Japanese sweets.

The name of the band refers to a child's pocket knife. Who came up with it and how did you decide on "Shonen Knife"?

Naoko: I picked it; it's an old brand name for a pencil sharpener. "Shonen" means "boy" and I think that the word has a very cute feeling and "knife" is very keen. So "cute" and "keen" combined together is just like our music.

In 1991, Shonen Knife caught the attention of the ever-popular band Nirvana. What was it like meeting them? How do you think opening for them affected Shonen Knife's future?

Naoko: Nirvana gave us an offer to join them on their British tour and, at that time, I didn't know of them. Our management showed me their photograph and they looked very wild so I was scared. (laughs) But everybody was saying that it would be a very good tour so I decided to go. After the tour started, I noticed that all the band members of Nirvana were very kind to us. Kurt Cobain was a big fan of Shonen Knife and he wanted to cover our song Twist Barbie, so I taught him the guitar chords. They played it at their secret gig in Britain. Also, their drummer helped us to set up our drum kit, so they were very kind to us. It became a very good opportunity for Shonen Knife and many people became fans of ours through Nirvana, so I'm very honored to have toured with them.

In 1998, you went to Microsoft's head office and performed a live show that was aired on the Internet. You had already achieved much popularity, but how was it, knowing that your performance was watched throughout the world?

Naoko: It was said that our performance was the world's first live streaming concert. Before that, we couldn't see videos on the internet, it was only pictures. Now we can watch videos online, but at that time, this was the first internet broadcasting. So I was very excited. During that show, two members from The Presidents of the United States of America joined us on the show. So it was very fantastic! We played in a studio at the Microsoft company. I was so surprised because the Microsoft company is very huge and there's a bus you have to ride to get to the different buildings.

Shonen Knife has contributed songs to various television shows, but a very popular one in particular is Buttercup (I'm a Supergirl) for the "The Power Puff Girls." How did you get this opportunity? Was this a brand new song created for the TV show or was it already created and picked for it?

Naoko: A TV or cartoon company had contacted us about it. It was a brand new song that I wrote for Buttercup, a character in "The Power Puff Girls."

Your outfits are very retro. Why did you choose this particular fashion style? Do you design your outfits yourselves or do you come up with the ideas for them?

Naoko: We are performers and I think performers should be more prominent than the audience. We're also tiny, and I think people might enjoy seeing us in matching costumes. Our original member Atsuko used to design by herself. Since she left, Etsuko has been designing our costumes and her aunt makes them.

You are very popular overseas, especially in the USA. How would you compare that popularity with what you have achieved in Japan?

(All members discuss the question in Japanese.)
Naoko: All of us think that it's the same in both the USA and Japan.

Shonen Knife has been together for about 28 years. What advice would you give to younger bands just starting out?

Etsuko: Younger bands, especially Japanese ones, practice too much! (laughs) They don't need to practice so much; they should relax.

Naoko: I think they're too earnest. Rock music should be a fan thing. Performers and musicians should enjoy it first and then the audience can enjoy it.

Naoko, you are the only original member. How do you think you've grown or changed as a person since starting the band?

Naoko: Basically, I'm always the same. (laughs) But I think my singing and playing instruments have improved a little bit. (laughs)

How about your music and lyrics? As the years progress, are you still writing about the same topics or is it different?

Naoko: It's still basically the same. I write lyrics about things through my daily life. I write about interesting topics when I experience them, so it's the same as it was in the beginning of Shonen Knife.

Ritsuko and Etsuko, you two are the newest additions to the band. What is one memory that stands out the most? How did you join the band?

Ritsuko: My first live stands out the most to me. I had sent a fan letter to Shonen Knife.

Naoko: She had her own band when she sent the fan letter, and suggested we play with them. Then I offered her a position as support bassist. She started as a guitarist in her band, but guitarists can always play the bass, too. And, she can sing.

Etsuko: Four years ago, I started as the support drummer. Then a year later, I became an official member. I had a big impression from when I was a support member because I was very nervous for the show. I didn't want to make any mistakes.

You've toured a lot! Do you have any funny anecdotes from things that have happened during these overseas tours?

Naoko: For me, something is happening almost every day. For example, for this tour on the first day, our hotel was canceled. The construction of the hotel was still going on. We made reservations, but the hotel didn't tell us. We arrived from Osaka to the JFK airport and when we went to the hotel it was closed. We had to find a new one.

Ritsuko: This is my first time coming to America. In every city, at every venue, Shonen Knife fans come to our show. It was a surprising thing to me.

Naoko: In the 1990s when I was touring, our tour bus broke down in the middle of the freeway in Florida. So we called for highway service and we arrived very late to the venue. The show was supposed to start around 11, but we arrived after 12. Only two fans stayed, but we still set up and played for them.

Shonen Knife hasn't released anything in about a year. Are there any upcoming releases or new songs that you're working on?

Naoko: We just finished recording our new album in Japan. It's the Japanese version and it'll be released in February. I'd like to record an English version and release it in America, too.

On a fun and personal note, please say something you like about the person next to you.

Etsuko: I like that Naoko can write fantastic songs.

Naoko: (about Ritsuko) I like her stage performance a lot! She's very energetic and her singing is very excellent.

Ritsuko: (about Etsuko) She's tiny. (laughs) But she's a very powerful drummer. She's excellent!

Please give a message to our JaME readers.

Shonen Knife: Please enjoy our album, Super Group, and also come to our shows. Shonen Knife can be very fresh so come and enjoy our shows. We'll continue releasing CDs and DVDs, so please check our website or MySpace. And we hope to come back to Texas again!


JaME would like to thank Tom for setting up the interview and Shonen Knife for their time. Live photos by Vicki.