The Pen Friend Club have been soaring over the expanses of West Coast Pop making musical waves across the Pacific Ocean for the past 10 years. Their bass player 西岡利恵 Rie Nishioka has been with the group since its beginning. Music runs throughout Rie's life whether on bass for the Pen Friend Club or leading her ‘60s garage combo named Schultz, playing keyboards for the '80s inspired act DEAR MY FRIENDS or her latest pursuit of playing solo. Stacked on top of all the music, she is also a fine writer and her words on her musical inspirations can be found on WebVANDA.
Further, it’s not everyday we come across a multi-instrumentalist as talented and versatile as Rie. In a way, she is like one of Wrecking Crew session musicians (e.g., Carol Kaye) in her support roles and also similar to one of the Brill Building singer-songwriters (e.g., Ellie Greenwich, Carole King) when she steps forward into the spotlight. Overall, she exemplifies the inspiring Japanese way of combining the aspects and elements of a vanished past with attention to detail and quality to create vibrant and eternal sounds we can hear now. Deeply involved and immersed are understatements when it comes to describing Rie and her music.
Special mention must be made to Patrick of Tokyo's Coolest Sound blog and drummer in Childish Tones feat. Beni Usakura as he made this interview possible through his encouragement, extensive translation and technical efforts to connect the world with Japan.
This interview is presented in alternating and corresponding Japanese & English.
You have been with the Pen Friend Club since its beginning. You play the roles of Carol Kaye/Brian Wilson/Al Jardine with some quite complex bass lines that lay the foundation for the group’s soft pop brilliance and ambitious arrangements.
Tell us about how you got involved with the long-running group who just celebrated their tenth anniversary?
Rie: Ten years ago, when leader Hirakawa invited me to form a band, I had no idea that it would be this kind of music or that we would end up continuing this long. As we repeatedly went to the rehearsal studio in the early days, the type of music he wanted to create quickly concretized. He's the one who does the bass line arrangements in the Pen Friend Club. I had always liked some music from the '60s and '70s, but it was a bit different from the Pen Friend Club's musical direction. By being in the band I got to know more music, and playing it was fun. As we did shows and recordings all along, it seemed that 10 years went by quickly, but despite that in the making of our new album I got to participate in creative areas for the first time, and that felt very new and different.
The Pen Friend Clubのメンバーになる前に、西海岸のハーモニーが充実したサンシャインポップサウンドを聴いていましたか？
Rie: The Beach Boysなども少し聴いていましたが、以前はイギリスの音楽を聴くことの方が多かったです。
Were you familiar with West Coast harmony/sunshine pop sounds before becoming a member of the Pen Friend Club?
Rie: I listened to The Beach Boys and others a little, but before that I listened to more British music.
ちなみに、ニューアルバムでは西岡さんが「The Sun Is Up」「At Least For Me Tonight」「People In The Distance」「A Better Day」の作曲を担当しました。「Floating To You」は平川雄一さんとの共作です。
I read that a new Pen Friends Club album has been recorded.
Would you be able to offer any details or descriptions on its direction?
Rie: Our 8th album will be released on Sept. 7, 2022 on the Sazanami Label. The biggest difference with the previous ones is that all songs are originals. Ricca–who plays acoustic guitars and sings backing vocals–and I participated in songwriting. Until now all of the original songs were written by Hirakawa, but this time other members also took part. I believe that the musicality of each one overlaps or brings differences, and I’d be happy if that can bring a new accent.
For the record, Rie composed the music of these songs on the new album: "The Sun Is Up," "At Least For Me Tonight," "People In The Distance" and "A Better Day". She also co-wrote "Floating To You" with Yuichi Hirakawa.
The Pen Friend Club / The Sun Is Up (Official Music Video)
The Pen Friend Club / Beyond The Railroad (Official Music Video)
Schultzというバンド名はどのように思いついたのですか？
Rie: Schultzは綴りは違いますがスヌーピーの作者名からとっています。
How did you come up with the band name of Schultz?
Rie: The name is taken from the creator of Snoopy, although the spelling is different.
Rie: When Schultz was formed it was a band of five female members. As some members had no experience of playing a musical instrument, it was interesting to go to the rehearsal studio and make sound with a sort of garage approach. But then as a member moved to Spain, for a while we stopped making music together. It’s after quite a while that vocalist Haruka Mukai joined The Pen Friend Club, and it’s at that moment that Schultz resumed.
Schultzは「Long Distance Call」「City Looks Still the Same」「I’ve Gone Away」「I Always Say What’s on my Mind」など、オリジナル曲がかなりあるようです。
これらの録音をする予定はありますか？
Rie: 具体的な予定はありませんが、いずれ録音は考えるかもしれません。
Schultz has amassed quite a few originals such as “Long Distance Call,” “City Looks Still the Same,” “I’ve Gone Away” and “I Always Say What’s on my Mind.”
Are there any plans to offer these recordings?
Rie: There are no concrete plans so far, but I might think about recording sometime.
2022年4月24日に開催された「Add Some Music To Your Day」配信イベントでは、西岡さんがキーボードを担当する80年代風バンドDEAR MY FRIENDSがデビューしました。このバンドについてもう少し詳しく聞かせてください。
DEAR MY FRIENDSはレコーディングセッションを行ったり、リリースの予定があったりしますか？
Rie: DEAR MY FRIENDSに関しても、現時点ではレコーディングの予定はなく、ライブを目的として活動しています。
I’m excited to learn more about and hear DEAR MY FRIENDS, which is the “80s styled” band that you play keyboards for and debuted at an installment of the “Add Some Music To Your Day” live streaming event that took place on April 24, 2022.
Has there been any DEAR MY FRIENDS recording sessions and/or recordings slated to be released?
Rie: Regarding DEAR MY FRIENDS, so far there are no plans of recording, as the goal is to perform live.
DEAR MY FRIENDSというバンド名はどのように思いついたのですか？
Rie: 名付けたのは私ではありませんが、曲名からきているそうです。
How did you come up with the band name of DEAR MY FRIENDS?
Rie: It wasn't me who chose the name, but it seems that it was taken from a song title.
DEAR MY FRIENDSにはSchultzのメンバーも参加されていますか？
Rie: Schultzでサポートをお願いしている2人のメンバーはDEAR MY FRIENDSでもあります。
DEAR MY FRIENDSの方は私が中心人物ではなく、3人が結成していたところに加入しました。
I’m also curious if Schultz shares any members with DEAR MY FRIENDS?
Rie: Two of the support members of Schultz are also in DEAR MY FRIENDS.
I am not the main person in DEAR MY FRIENDS, three others had already formed it and I joined.
DEAR MY FRIENDS (L to R) Bookie, Monko, JinJin, Rie
DEAR MY FRIENDS
■Monko ：Guitar, Vocals
■Bookie ：Bass, Backing Vocals
■JinJin ：Drums, Backing Vocals
■Rie ：Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Schultz and DEAR MY FRIENDS have the same bassist (Hiroyuki Anabuki), and Schultz's guitarist (Atsushi Jinno) is the drummer in DEAR MY FRIENDS.
Could you share more insight on your solo repertoire?
Are you planning to record as a solo artist? Also, do you have any plans to continue live as a solo performer?
Rie: Regarding my solo performance, it was for the other day’s event (Add Some Music to Your Day-April 24, 22). All of the songs were covers, and I chose songs different from the band’s, ones of music that I listen to usually. I played Buffalo Springfield, Grateful Dead, Jim Croce, Cowboy, and Brewer & Shipley. So far I haven’t planned to play solo regularly or do recordings, but I’d like to play again when there’s an opportunity similar to last time’s “Add Some Music To Your Day.”
Buck Owens and His Buckaroosの曲をレパートリーに含めることを検討しましたか？
Rie: Buck Owens And His Buckaroosはソロのレパートリーには入れませんでしたが、以前にSchultzで「Above & Beyond」をカバーしたことがあります。カントリーはSchultzの音楽性には異色でしたが私はこの曲がとても好きです。
Have you considered incorporating any Buck Owens and His Buckaroos songs into your set repertoire?
Rie: I haven’t put Buck Owens and His Buckaroos in my solo repertory, but previously in Schultz we played a cover of “Above & Beyond.” Country didn’t match with the musical style of Schultz, but I like this song very much.
現在の曲のレパートリーは、西岡さんがWebVANDAに定期的に寄稿している記事と連動することが多いようです。例えば、The Rising StormとThe Enfieldsについて書かれていましたが、「I’m For Things You Do」（The Enfields）と「Bright Lit Blue Skies」（The Rising Storm）がSchultzのセットリストに登場しました。
Your current repertoire of music frequently coincides with your writing projects which regularly appear on WebVANDA. For example, you wrote overview pieces on the Rising Storm and the Enfields. Songs by these groups, the Enfields’ “I’m For Things You Do” and “Bright Lit Blue Skies" by the Rising Storm have appeared in your setlists for Schultz.
Following this same pattern, will there be Seals & Crofts songs in your solo set?
Rie: On WebVANDA, I write about things that I like or have interest in, so this naturally goes along with the songs that I cover. I didn’t play Seals & Crofts last time.
What type of music did you listen to as a youngster?
Rie: I don’t come from a family of musicians, and personally I only started rather late to listen to music. In my early teens I listened to hard rock, and in my late teens I often listened to blues.
What made you want to become a musician?
Rie: As I went on pursuing the things I wanted to do, music has taken a bigger part of my daily life, but it isn’t my profession.
I saw that you have an affinity for the children’s television show Sesame Street?
While I knew Sesame Street had versions all over the world, I didn’t previously know of its long run and strong influence in Japan or the NHK version of セサミストリート Sesamisutorīto.
Rie: I started watching Sesame Street to learn English, but I liked that musicians do sessions with the characters. It was the reason I began listening to Elvis Costello.
Rie: In terms of Japanese bands, I have known many good bands by being part of the same event. Childish Tones’ lively and fun ambiance is lovely, and their distinct sound with low sustain has an atmosphere similar to Thee Milkshakes. I also love The Secret Meanies’ songs and sounds that have a dry and nostalgic feel.
I have recently been listening to a lot of Eiichi Ohtaki 大滝詠一 (“The father of City Pop”). Thanks to YouTube, his music has just started to become better known in the United States in the past 5 years.
How do you feel about the Pen Friend Club being one of the contemporary bands included in the exciting City Pop Movement?
Rie:Personally I don’t know much about City Pop, but sometimes The Pen Friend Club gets described as City Pop. It’s interesting how a different facet of the band may stand out depending on the listener’s musical taste.
4. Fastbacks-for What reason!
5. Alvilda-C'est Déjà L'heure
6. Program-It's A Sign
7. Falling Sugar-S/T
8. Beachwood Sparks-Across The River Of Stars
9. The Tyde-5
10. Redd Kross-S/T
