Seven-piece, Montreal-based Japanese psych-punk band TEKE::TEKE’s debut album is called Shirushi (out May 7th), named after the practice of kintsugi, the art of mending broken pottery by fusing the pieces back together with seams of precious metals.

Of the album title, the group’s guitarist Serge Nakauchi-Pelletier says: “There’s always something hopeful that comes after destruction…. Next comes rebirth, and we get to learn again.”

TEKE::TEKE’s sound is anything but precious. It’s a brilliant blend of classic Japanese balladry, surf rock and psychedelia, featuring traditional Japanese instruments, and flute and trombone. The result is a unique modern-meets-retro sound that can, if playing in the background, serve as the soundtrack to the coolest movie you’ve ever wanted to star in.

Here’s a day in the life of TEKE::TEKE, as told by Serge Nakauchi-Pelletier and vocalist and visual artist Maya Kuroki, specifically where noted.

 

 

Date February 8, 2021

Time we woke up Way too early for rock musicians! 7:09 a.m.

Every day starts with An alarm song of the day selected by DJ Serge and snoozed twice. Today’s track was “Solari” by Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Breakfast consists of Our daily beverage trio : water, green tea and decaf + our daily fruit trio: grapefruit, blueberries and apples. Everything organic.

To get going we always Take deep breaths, stretch out and practice telepathy (slowly getting better at it ☺).

I don’t feel dressed without My onion looking head-top hair knot and my vintage Dior (real lens) glasses. — Maya
Color socks and cardigan. — Serge

Before we start working we must Acknowledge how blessed we are to be able to do what we’re doing.

Currently working on Creating fun content like videos and animation for the band. Doing some artwork for our upcoming singles. Preparing the release of our first full-length (out May 7th with KRS). Recording a cover song from a Kill Rock Stars artist for the label’s 30th-anniversary cover compilation. Rehearsing for a few upcoming streaming shows. Maya is doing some assistant Foley work on films and providing her voice for videogames. Serge is working on film and TV scores.

But we’d really love to be Doing exactly this except with some shows with the band and a real audience… Plus discovering new spots where to eat while on tour.

Book we’re reading: (Maya) Guide to Astronomy
(Serge) Be water my friend : The teachings of Bruce Lee (Shannon Lee) and Go Ahead in the Rain: A love letter to A Tribe Called Quest (Hanif Abdurraqib)

I don’t know how anyone ever
Keeps millions of dollars to him or herself while so many people are suffering. — Maya
Eats goat cheese. — Serge

If we had to play one album on repeat, it would be Aishiteiru to Ittekure by Nakajima Miyuki.

The perfect midday consists of A power nap followed by a sweet snack.

To help get through the day we need To breathe deeply and stretch out a little more.

Not a day goes by without speaking to Our cat Sakaki.

Our daydreams consist of Short trips outside our apartment and eating sweet pastries.

In a perfect day, in a perfect world We get to be lucky enough to live another simple day just as awesome as yesterday, doing our dream jobs and projects, having enough money to get by and eat good food, and having time to do lovely things like being with the kids, cooking, doing some DIY carpenter projects and growing veggies. Did we hear “hippie”?

We’ll always fight for The truth, for justice and for the environment.

Currently in love with Singer Yumi Arai, Deerhoof’s cover album (Love-Lore), and Madlib’s last record Sound Ancestors. — Serge
Artist Shinro Ootake. — Maya

Hoping to make time to watch The Kirishima Things, Hausu again, Zhang Yimou’s To Live again, Cha no Aji again, Boogie Nights again,   again…

By our bedside we always have Some plants, earplugs and a few guitar picks just lying there.

To help get through the night we Sleep as deep as we can and dream as crazy as possible.

Bedtime In COVID times, anywhere between 10:30 and midnight.

When we think about tomorrow, it’s always As if this was all just a dream.