Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Yuichi Seki
Yuichi Seki was born in Japan, lived in Australia during his childhood and the US thereafter. He played guitar in a hard rock band called Psycho Susan during his college and post college years at venues like CBGBs and Kenny’s Castaways. He took time off to pursue other interests, but recently came back to writing music. His music currently leans toward more pop than rock, but his melodies are very catchy (you’ll be singing to his tunes!). He loves to write TV theme music, hybrid trailer music, instrumental cues, catchy commercial jingles, etc.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My mother is a violin teacher, and she wanted me to learn piano when I was really young. Because of that, I picked up some basic musical knowledge early on that ended up helping me later, but I hated having lessons and quit after a few years.
When I was a preteen, ABBA was my favorite band. I actually got to see them in Australia, where we lived at the time, and I even bought a piano book for their album Arrival. I started learning the songs on my own, just for fun. But I didn’t really get into playing music seriously until my teens, when I got my first acoustic guitar for Christmas along with a Rolling Stones songbook. That’s when I started learning chords and really fell in love with making music.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
I started out playing cover songs in high school, but I didn’t really get into writing my own stuff until college. A couple of my early originals sounded like a mix between Poison and Night Ranger—but honestly, they weren’t that great. I had some solid riffs, but the melodies and lyrics were pretty rough. Most of what I wrote was about girls and heartbreak, and like a lot of 80s songs, the lyrics didn’t always make much sense.
After college, I started writing more seriously with my band, Psycho Susan. We’re actually still together, but we changed the name to Mutant Bliss since my bandmate works with domestic violence survivors and I’m involved in elder abuse prevention now. Back then, my biggest influences were Guns N’ Roses and Alice in Chains.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
After about a 10 to 15 year break from writing music—thanks to having kids and other commitments—I got back into writing around the time I bought Logic Pro. I was between jobs then, so I had plenty of free time to mess around with music. Getting into computer recording was a total game changer. I could finally lay down all my ideas, experiment with sounds, and mix everything to a pretty decent level.
At first, I was writing more indie rock–type songs, but once I started playing with new synth sounds, I drifted more toward pop rock. Over the last couple of years, though, I’ve gone back to my hard rock roots and started writing heavier guitar music again.
This year, I’ve been challenging myself to write songs inspired by some of my favorite bands. One of them has a real Rolling Stones vibe. I tried to play like Keith Richards on one guitar and Ron Wood or Mick Taylor on the other. I even studied what Bill Wyman might do on bass and how Charlie Watts would approach the drums. It ended up being a pretty cool track, and people said it actually sounded like the Stones. I’m not planning to write a bunch of songs like that, but it was a fun challenge and a great learning experience. I’ll release a bunch of songs very soon including this song, but my latest one, a hard rock EP titled “Boulder” was released a few months ago.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
My current music leans more toward hard rock, with melodies that really stick – you’ll be humming my tunes in the shower! I like to think my melodies are pretty unique—they don’t sound like most of what’s out there right now. I’m Japanese, so some of my songwriting naturally blends Japanese melodic influences with Western rock, which gives it a sound of its own.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
Before, I didn’t really write lyrics that told a story. Taylor Swift is a great example of someone who does that so well—she really paints a picture. Lately, I’ve been trying to do more of that in my own songs, writing lyrics that take listeners into a story or situation they can relate to, instead of just focusing on whatever I’m feeling at the moment.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
Definitely Logic Pro — but honestly, the voice recorder on my phone is just as essential. Most of my song ideas come to me when I’m in bed, so having my phone right there to record them is a total life saver.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I’m pretty all over the place when it comes to what I like. For pop, I’m more into the production side of things—people like Jack Antonoff. I also like to listen and analyze older producers like Bob Rock and Mutt Lange. When it comes to rock, I’m not really feeling a lot of the new stuff, so I’ve been listening to the older music I grew up with.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
A lot of my family and friends have struggled with mental health issues, and it’s had a big impact on me. Writing about these experiences has become my main outlet. Being in family therapy helped too, giving me new ways to talk about these issues and understand them better. I’ve even incorporated some of the ideas and language from those sessions into my songs, which makes the music feel more honest and personal.
Also, I’m not really in touch with what’s going on with the younger generation, but talking to my daughters gives me a window into their world. I try to bring some of that perspective into my songs too, which helps keep my music fresh and relatable.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
A lot of people can relate to what I’m writing about—things like mental health struggles, what’s happening in the world (politics, wars, climate, etc.), and relationships. I try to write in a way that feels honest and real, so listeners can see themselves in the songs. My hope is that people can connect with the music and feel like they’re not alone in what they’re going through.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Music is my way of getting frustration and thoughts out of my system. Even if no one ever hears my songs, I know I’ve expressed something that stays with me forever. It’s incredibly therapeutic, and just putting those feelings into music helps me process them and find some peace.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
I did get to play with my hard rock band at New York City’s CBGBs a couple of times before it closed, eons ago, which was amazing, but I’d love to play in a huge stadium at least once. I can only imagine the rush of hitting a chord on a guitar and having it fill a massive space, with the sound resonating and the crowd feeling it too. That energy must be sureal.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
A supergroup with Eddie Van Halen on guitar, Neil Peart on drums, John Paul Jones on bass, and Chris Cornell, singing my songs would be incredible. Maybe in my next life!
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7sN3A7Ca8JxtG1mvhAnusV?si=nLuDzTcmS7STcQ75TK2KvQ
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/yuichi-seki/1437657571
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
I’d love to have a really talented artist—someone who can sing and play better than I can—bring my music to life. I’m not the strongest singer, but I like to think I can write songs that people relate to and create riffs that are fun and interesting. A great singer can really do my songs justice and take them to the next level, giving the music the energy and feeling to a wider audience.
Also, I’ve got this killer song called “You’re Going Down” that would be perfect for sports stadiums. It’s a high-energy hard rock/alt-rock anthem with a chantable chorus that fans can instantly sing along to. My dream would be hearing it blasted across arenas all over the world—it’d be insane to see crowds rocking out to it.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
Some of my songs are based on serious topics, but I don’t want people to think I’m overly serious as a person. A lot of my tracks have little bits of humor or playful moments tucked in. I hope listeners pick up on that and see that I’m just having a blast writing songs and not trying to be intense all the time.
