Exclusive Interview with The Binges’ Mayuko & Tsuzumi Okai
by Michelle Oberg
Dylan Squatcho, Mayuko Okai, and Tsuzumi Okai make up The Binges. RUKUS had the opportunity to sit with guitarist Mayuko and bassist Tsuzumi to discuss their inspirations, style, highs and lows, and what we can expect from The Binges. Here is their story…
RUKUS MAGAZINE: I have never seen two girls play like you. Mayuko, you play like Slash. What is it like to play hardcore rock music for a dominantly male rock world?
MAYUKO OKAI: Thank you! We just really want to be great musicians. We didn’t want there to be any difference in gender; we just want to kick ass.
RM: How did you get together to form The Binges?
MO: I got a phone call from Dylan, who was in the band Squatcho. They wanted me to reach out to my ex-boyfriend to audition for guitar player and I said, “Please let me audition.” They didn’t want a girl in the band, and after begging, they let me audition and I got the gig. We didn’t find the best chemistry with the other members after I joined the band and it kind of fell apart. Very naturally it transformed into The Binges and then I got my sister Tsuzumi to audition as the bass player, and here we are!
TSUZUMI OKAI: I was in a different band at the time and I had always wanted to play with my sister. I mean, we came here together from Japan and we are always together but never had the opportunity before so it’s been great. It was very exciting and I loved Dylan, the chemistry was so on point.
RM: How long have you been playing guitar?
MO: I started playing guitar a year before coming to the US, which was about 11 years ago, and I’ve been with The Binges for 6 years.
RM: Who inspired you to play?
TO: We played the piano as kids and when we decided to pick up the guitar it was fairly easy because we knew how to read music.
MO: Guitar was my style. Our parents were listening to great music when we were kids; our dad actually created The Rolling Stones fan club in Japan back in the 60’s. We grew up listening to The Beatles and The Stones. When I actually heard Eddie Van Halen play guitar I was like, holy shit this guy is not even thinking, it’s incredible. I want to do this. But I have so many idols. Song writing actually came from Classical music, from playing piano for 5 hours a day. When I hear music I write songs that don’t come from other bands. I actually think of Beethoven.
TO: For me, I was actually really enjoying playing the piano, and I was kind of lazy. But I will never forget being in the car with my dad after a piano lesson and hearing Jimi Hendrix on the radio. I heard the freedom, and it was really cool. I started listening to some of my dads Hendrix records and then got into metal. To me, picking up bass was something I was looking for but I didn’t know what I was good at. I tried guitar but I wasn’t good at it so my mom got me a bass and after a couple months it just kind of happened.
RM: That is probably one of the greatest lines I have ever heard any musician say, “Hearing the freedom in Hendrix’s music.” Your family is very supportive of your decisions and what you do?
MO: They are there for us 120% and inspire us to work harder and a lot comes from family love.
RM: Who has the major hand in songwriting?
MO: I would say me and Dylan. We love Dylan. He doesn’t think and write, he’s very organic; he just writes naturally. The instrumentals are all my ideas that I bring to the band. Growing up we couldn’t understand the lyrics, we didn’t speak English so we just heard the music and the notes and it was just the most powerful message to us. The way I create music is notes and rhythms. I am happy that Dylan can put lyrics to anything that I can create. We balance each other so well.
TO: Every time Dylan puts vocals to the melodies I am so shocked; it’s so awesome. It’s all about the chemistry. Of course we exchange opinions, and it can be intense at times, but anytime we get into rehearsal it’s so much fun.
RM: How long is your songwriting process?
MO: 20 minutes!
RM: Wow, how many songs do you have that you are working on right now?
MO: About 50 songs, they’re all a work in progress to decide which are the ones we want to put on another album. Right now we have 2 definite but we just finished recording a song for the Runaways tribute…
RM: Do you plan on releasing a new album next year?
MO: Maybe. Right now we feel very creative so we’re just working toward creating kick-ass shows. The music is more important and the live performances are far more special than saying it’s time for an album. We’d rather have our music heard than have our fans waiting. We have an amazing group of fans that grow by word of mouth and we are so thankful for all of them.
RM: For this “potential” second album, how many songs would you put on the record?
TO: About 10 or 11.
MO: We have about 20 songs worthy for an album, but we want the best ones from those.
RM: Let’s talk about your drummer situation. Currently, there isn’t one…
TO: [laughs]
MO: Oh god. Yeah, well we’ve tried A LOT of drummers and they can all play and love jamming out but we are waiting and looking for someone who we can say, “this is it.” Musically, right now Jason Ganberg from Purplemelon plays shows with us but he’s really busy with his band.
RM: What was your favorite show that you played?
MO: Viper Room in Hollywood in February 2010, without a doubt. Ray Luzier from Korn played with us for 3 shows. We jammed a few times and he said he loved our album but we didn’t want to ask him to play our original songs. Then we had this show coming up and nervously asked if he could play. He said, “I’d love to!” The energy and the vibe…it was a great experience.
RM: What bands are you listening to right now?
TO: ZZ Top. They never change band members; they’re amazing. It’s always just rock and roll.
MO: Of course AC/DC, Stones…but not too many new bands. I see great bands live all the time but it’s not like, “Fuck, I’m blown away.” We spend all our money going to shows.
RM: Before you go on stage, and if Dylan has one too, do you have any rituals?
MO: Stretching! It’s a huge part of getting ready. You don’t think about how many muscles you’re using when you’re really getting into it. When I don’t stretch the next day, I’m fucking dead. My whole body hurts.
TO: I stretch but I’m usually really quiet and getting in the zone. Mayuko goes and talks to everyone.
RM: Is there alcohol involved in your stage presence?
MO: No, not before but definitely on stage. If I drink before I get so red. It’s an Asian thing, and we get drunk pretty easily. Talking about Dylan and alcohol is a touchy subject. I mean, we’re called The Binges, but he was pretty bad at one point and I don’t want to get into it but he’s in great shape now. He’s in control, and we can party.
RM: You girls seem to have a good handle on the structure.
MO: There’s no example of affects from drugs or alcohol ’til you feel horrible but now we have examples from living and learning that I think everybody is taking care of themselves. We’re at our maximum of being in control. We’re serious. When we rage, we rage, but everyday we’re pretty straight up.
RM: Are there any artists you would like to work with?
MO: This is a fun question. AC/DC, Paul McCartney, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler would be amazing.
TO: ZZ Top!! Aerosmith, too. We saw them this year. Steven Tyler was absolutely amazing; he kills it. He’s unbelievable even after so many years. His voice is like wine… gets better with age.
RM: You had John Fields (Jimmy Eat World) work on your last album.
MO: Yeah, it was so quick and amazing. He gave us 5 days to record an album and we did 14 songs. It was military style, just banging ’em out. We were all on the same page and knew exactly what we wanted.
RM: Is there any producer you would like to work with?
TO: There are big producers that have made amazing records but we would rather work with newer producers who are just passionate about the music and perfection and making magic.
RM: What was the first record you bought with your own money?
TO: I started making copies from the library from cassette tapes because it was easy. They had a great selection.
RM: Pioneers of the illegally burning music via cassette tapes…
TO: I remember [Mayuko], you got Van Halen and I stole it from you.
MO: Oh god, I think you’re right.
RM: What’s some upcoming news for The Binges?
TO: January 20th we’re playing at the Echo with Night Horse. They’re a friend of ours. And February 12th in San Francisco, at Hemlock Tavern.
MO: And the Runaways tribute: it’s still an undated release. I have 400 riffs created this year so we accomplished a lot and cant wait to see everyone at our shows. It’s going to be rad!
RM: Thanks for sitting with me and we’ll see you at the show.
MO & TO: Thank you! We can’t wait.