I Don’t Like Mondays. reflects on 10 years of music with EP “FOCUS”

Debuted in 2014, I Don’t Like Mondays. is a dynamic four-piece band that fuses vibrant dance-pop with alternative rock. The lineup—YU (vocals), CHOJI (guitar), KENJI (bass), and SHUKI (drums)—draws inspiration from the sounds of the ’80s, skillfully blending Japanese and Western influences into a sleek, nostalgic sound. Their music evokes the thrill of nighttime drives, the joy of cherished days off, and the excitement of after-hours adventures.

On October 9, the band marked a major milestone with the digital release of their latest EP, FOCUS. Celebrating their 10th anniversary, the EP is a bold reflection of their past and an exciting look at what’s to come. It features 7 tracks, including 2023 singles like New York, New York, Lonely Dancers, and Sunset Girl, alongside four new songs. Both ambitious and reflective, FOCUS not only revisits the band’s decade-long journey but also signals their intent to push forward and evolve.

As they gear up for their 10th anniversary FOCUS Asia tour—with 10 shows in Japan and six more in Chinese mainland and Chinese Taipei—the band is ready to take their next steps. As a glimpse of things to come, check out their new music video for Shadow, the brisk and funky track off the FOCUS EP!

In this interview, I Don’t Like Mondays. opens up about their decade together, their creative evolution, and the road ahead.

Thank you for speaking with JROCK NEWS! And big news about your upcoming EP FOCUS! What inspired the creation of this record, and how did the singles Sunset Girl, Lonely Dancers, and New York, New York, lead into the writing process?

SHUKI: In our previous album RUNWAY, we managed to reaffirm the kind of band we aim to be and the music we want to deliver to the world. The word, FOCUS also has the meaning of focusing on the “band we aim to be”, something we discovered through our previous release.

The songs we release as singles are selected from numerous demos we have on hand. We felt New York, New York was the best song to kick off the year of our 10th anniversary. Next, we chose the dark, fast-paced track Lonely Dancers, and lastly, the easy listen Sunset Girl which perfectly captures the end of summer. These songs flow in a way that makes the FOCUS EP and our subsequent Asia tour something to look forward to.

If you had to describe FOCUS or your band’s broader discography in one word, what would it be? Is there a specific theme or message?

YU: “I Don’t Like Mondays”. This is true for FOCUS of course, as well as our previous discography. I believe this represents our masterpieces as a band.

What are some sections of FOCUS that stand out to you? Was there anything particularly difficult or challenging during the creative process? How do you think fans will react to the work, and have you received some feedback on the album already?

KENJI: We’ve always wanted to write a song like Flower in the rain, and now we’ve finally managed to bring it to life. It was incredibly difficult to express what we wanted, including the intricate approach to sound on this track. We went through a lot of trial and error before completing the song, since we really wanted to make it excellent.

The four album-only tracks on the EP haven’t been listened to yet, but we’re sure our fans will absolutely love them.

Can you tease us about any new upcoming content following the EP?

SHUKI: Nothing concrete has been decided yet, but we’ll work hard to create something to surpass FOCUS.

Congratulations on the band’s 10th anniversary! How does this milestone feel compared to previous anniversaries? What makes this one special to you?

CHOJI: With the album RUNWAY we reaffirmed the kind of music we wanted to make and what direction to take the band in. It just happened to coincide with our 10th anniversary, so in a way, this 10th anniversary marks a fresh start for us. I feel like we’re in a spot we couldn’t have reached at our 1st and 5th anniversaries.

Reflecting on the past decade, what are some pivotal moments that played a role in significantly shaping the band?

CHOJI: It’s [PAINT], the theme song for the TV anime, ONE PIECE. It helped us gain recognition in Japan, of course, but it also immediately introduced us to audiences worldwide. Thanks to that song, we were able to perform in places like Spain, Argentina, and Brazil, places we couldn’t have easily gone before.

I Don’t Like Mondays has performed in a few different countries. What are some unexpected things you’ve learned about your global fanbase? Has it influenced you personally?

KENJI: The level of enthusiasm is entirely different. Thanks to the ONE PIECE theme song PAINT, we were able to visit Spain, Brazil, and Argentina. In Europe and South America, people naturally react to music with their bodies. Even those who didn’t know much about us before were excited from start to finish. In Yantai, China, the audience also made flags of us and held them up during the concert, and even sang aloud in Japanese loudly during the RUNWAY tour in China. Being able to deliver our music to people who speak different languages and come from different cultures made us grateful to be as this band.

As far as how it’s influenced us, we’ve learned a lot from performing live. In Japan, there’s this culture of carefully listening to the lyrics, but in Europe and South America, people get actively excited just from the sound even if they don’t understand the lyrics. Sometimes the songs we thought would be quiet listens ended up being surprisingly lively, which expanded our live performance repertoire.

Do you have a dream city or country where you would like to perform but haven’t gotten the chance yet?

KENJI: We’d love to visit more countries in Southeast Asia, America, and Europe!

Your work extends beyond music to include fashion collaborations, like with designer Yohji Yamamoto. How do you see the relationship between music, fashion, and lifestyle, and what does this intersection mean to you?

YU: Regarding fashion, the bands we loved and listened to were all stylish, not just musically but also in terms of their fashion. Their fashion influenced us just as much as their music. Fashion is also quite important to us because we hope to inspire our fans in the same way. Additionally, I believe music is closely connected to all other forms of culture. Many people decorate their homes with records, which is another way to enjoy music beyond simply listening to it. The emotions we gain from our hobbies outside of making music often influence what we create.

We’ve read that you’re inspired by The Killers, as well as other artists. Beyond musicians, how do other art forms—like film, literature, or visual arts—influence your creativity?

SHUKI: I love movies, especially ones by Christopher Nolan. He often inspires me.

If you could go back in time 10 years and meet your past selves from before your debut, what kind of advice would you offer? Is there something you know now that you wish you knew back when you started?

KENJI: All of you, start working out sooner! And, set up your production environment as early as possible.

In the future, when you look back on your career many years from now, what do you hope the band’s legacy will be? How do you want to be remembered in the music scene?

YU: I want to be a band that keeps on making even better songs, even when we’re all old men.

If you could achieve one more thing as a band that you haven’t accomplished yet, what would it be? Why?

SHUKI: I want to perform live in space simply because it’s something no one in human history has ever done.

We just have to ask! Why don’t you like Mondays?

CHOJI: I think a lot of people hate Mondays because their weekend is over, and work or school is starting again. We named ourselves that hoping our music could blow away those gloomy feelings.

Thank you again for your time today! Would like to leave any final words for our JROCK NEWS readers across the world?

YU: Thank you for all your support! Let’s all look forward to the day we get to meet each other at a concert, and do our best in life until then.

I Don’t Like Mondays.’s EP FOCUS is available to stream and download now.