Interview: Yako And Agata Of Melt-Banana On Their New Album, Going Against Tradition, And 32 Years Of Making Noise
Melt-Banana are anything but conventional. Everything from the way they make music to their performance goes against tradition. Rather than have a full band, they’ve been performing as a duo since 2012. Their music can’t be confined to one genre. Rather, it’s an experimental hodgepodge that includes rock, metal, punk, dance, synth, and punk. They make music on their own terms, so taking 11 years to release a new album isn’t abnormal for them. It’s just part of the process. The noise rock duo returned this year with 3+5, picking up where 2013’s Fetch left off.
32 years into their career, Melt-Banana continues to be an unconventional force in the music scene with their extremely fast, experimental, unhinged style and unique approach to songwriting and recording. They play by their own rules, refusing to cave to pressure or outside influences. And that’s how they like it.
During their UK tour, Agata and Yako took time between shows to chat with GENRE IS DEAD! about the new album, their writing and recording process, and what keeps them making music three decades into their career.
GENRE IS DEAD!: The new album, 3+5, is your first in 11 years. How did this album come to life? When did you guys start working on it?
Agata: I’m not sure how much time had passed after releasing our previous album Fetch, but maybe a few years later, I started making short demos, about a minute long, and would ask Yako what she thought of them. From those, we picked some songs and gradually developed them.
Yako: We tried out some of the songs live too, and little by little we were able to finish them and finally release the album.
Agata: So, it wasn’t like we went into the studio during a specific period and recorded songs that were already done to release the album. Over those 11 years, we worked on demos at home and in the studio, recorded sounds, refined the tracks, and made adjustments to the arrangements to finish it.
GID: 11 years sounds like a long time, but in other interviews, you said it didn’t feel very long. Were you guys already working on some music or was the time just right for a new album?
Yako: Yeah, 11 years might sound like a long time, but it didn’t feel that way to us. We were touring a lot during that time. In between tours, we would come up with ideas, so time just naturally passed.
Agata: I enjoy making music, but I didn’t feel any pressure like, “We have to put out the next album!” Although, a lot of people did ask when the next album would be released. In the end, it just took 11 years because we moved at our own pace.
GID: It’s got to be nice not feeling that pressure and being able to move at your own pace. That way you’re able to focus and make sure you’re happy with what you release. You guys don’t typically go the traditional route when it comes to making and writing music. When it came time to create the new album, how did you approach it in a way that differed from the way you approached your last album?
Agata: When I made demos for our last album, Fetch, I was thinking about how we would play them as a live band. But this time, I didn’t think about that. Also, for some of the songs, I started by making demos with synths and drum machines. Other than that, the way I wrote the songs didn’t change much.
Yako: For me, it’s always the same.
GID: Since you guys work at your own pace, how do you know when it’s time to get back in the studio and create new music?
Yako: Honestly, there’s no clear timing. It’s just when we naturally start thinking, “Maybe it’s time to make something new.”
Agata: It usually happens when a tour wraps up, or when we come across new equipment or musical ideas. Basically, it’s all about the mood.
GID: With the writing and recording process spanning a large amount of time, were there any challenges you faced when making this record?
Agata: Since I made some demos with synths, it was fun figuring out how to make the guitar and synth coexist. I even tried imitating the synth with the guitar. But getting everything to come together in a cohesive way was challenging.
Yako: It’s always a challenge. Sometimes Agata’s demos are really tricky.
GID: During that 11-year gap between albums, you guys weren’t just working on 3+5. So, what were you up to during that time? Were you working on other projects?
Yako: During those 11 years, we did a lot of touring and collaborated with Big D, HIRS, and Squid Pisser. We also did remixes for Cyralot and Coffin Prick. But Melt-Banana was always at the center, and we were constantly thinking of new ideas.
Agata: We also started a Patreon during the pandemic, where we released exclusive tracks, ringtones, and limited-time covers of songs like “Hitting the Wall” by Cows, “What a Wonderful World,” and [“Tubular Bells”] the theme from The Exorcist.
GID: 3+5 marks your second album as a duo following Fetch. What have you learned about recording and writing together as a duo since then?
Yako: We’ve pretty much been working on songwriting as a duo since the beginning, so there’s not much that’s changed.
Agata: There haven’t been many changes in how we record or write songs before and after Fetch. If anything, we’ve been using Ableton Live more often than Pro Tools for recording and songwriting.
GID: That makes sense. You two enjoy working with new tools and recorded sounds. Going off of that, in another interview I read Yako mentioned listening to the Katamari Damacy soundtrack during long trips. I am a huge fan of the series; it’s my favorite video game soundtrack. Has that soundtrack or other video game soundtrack influenced your music at all?
Yako: Game music might not have had a direct influence on us, but I think it has influenced us indirectly in many ways.
Agata: Yeah, that’s right. Yako always checks samples during soundcheck using sound effects like the ones from Super Mario Bros. It’s not just the music, even the sound effects in games are fun to listen to, so I think we’re influenced by things like that too.
GID: Looking back, Melt-Banana has been recording, writing, and performing music for over 30 years. At this point, you could tour playing only your older material and people would still come out to shows, yet you’re still making new music. What keeps you making music after all these years, especially considering the long gaps between albums?
Yako: Everyone wants to hear new songs, right? But more than that, I genuinely enjoy creating new things, so that’s why I keep making music.
Agata: I feel like creating new songs for each album is becoming more challenging. That’s why it takes time. But I do have a vague image of what I want to try next, and when I can bring that to life, it makes me really happy.
GID: Because you’ve been making music for a long time, your audience has grown. You’re playing to fans who have been following you since the start along with fans who are just discovering you with this new album. What’s it like to play these shows and see younger fans out in the crowd?
Yako: It makes me really happy. Seeing more younger fans reminds me that our music is reaching different generations.
Agata: It’s more fun when there’s a mix of people of all ages.
GID: Finally, the new album is out, the North American tour wrapped up in June, and you finished the UK tour in September. What’s next for Melt-Banana?
Yako: We have a few shows scheduled for the rest of the year in Japan, and once those are done, we’ll take a break for the New Year.
Agata: After the upcoming shows, I’m considering consolidating my effects board and making some updates to our live setup. As for future plans, we don’t have anything confirmed that we can announce at this time. Once we do, we’ll let everyone know through Melt-Banana’s website and social media, so I hope you’ll check those out. Also, if anyone is curious about what our daily life is like, I encourage them to consider subscribing to our Patreon.
Melt-Banana’s new album, 3+5 is out now. See their remaining tour dates here. To keep up with the latest news and to get a glimpse behind the scenes, check out their Patreon.
