BE IN A BAND OR DIE

Artists Off Stage - Shunkan

by LEXI MCCOY

Marina Sakimoto of Shunkan has been spending her quarantine in Los Angeles, CA channeling creativity, writing a song everyday, building a freelance business - and playing a lot of animal crossing.

Hi Marina!! If you had to choose any album to describe your current mood today, what would it be?

Hi Lexi! Well, today I am feeling more energetic and optimistic than last week, so the album I would choose is F♯A♯ ∞ by GS!YBE. Just kidding. It would be Here’s Where The Strings Come In by Superchunk. Not necessarily in a bubble gum pop mood, but enough energy and comfort to get stuff done.

Without being able play shows, we're asking artists how they've been spending their time during quarantine. What have you been doing to stay sane and busy?

Oh! I’ve been developing my freelance business for artist services under a new name (Tender Punk Studio) and trying to understand how I can best serve other musicians like myself. I’ve been doing live-stream shows and recording songs for my bandmates so we can still work on music during this time, because now more than ever I’ve been in a productive creative space and I don’t want that to go anywhere!

I was closely following your 25 songs in 25 days project where you wrote a song everyday for 25 days! Props to you because that's super impressive and inspiring. How did that go for you and what tips do you have for anyone who wants to try it?

Aw, thanks! At first I thought I had it in the bag, but by about day 10 I started to struggle as it was difficult to maintain the energy every single day. I’m creating a free .PDF workbook for anyone who wants to try it via Tender Punk, but I’ll say that it’s not as hard as you think! Writing doesn’t necessarily mean crafting, so I gave myself a limited amount of time and accepted whatever I wrote that day. I put a little more pressure on myself by writing lyrics, melody, and a basic arrangement to film on my phone, but writing anything a day is to be more expected and honestly probably healthier!

What have you been doing for self care during quarantine/any self care tips?

I’ve had to tell myself that it’s okay if a couple days are a blur. It’s okay to not do anything if you’re not in a great headspace. However, it’s also life affirming to find something that lets you have fun and gives you peace. Lots of Animal Crossing, drawing (poorly, I should note), and playing with my pets has been vital.

Our household (my boyfriend and best friend who are both in the band) has been taking turns lately for movie nights and it’s been so fun to watch such a wide variety of films! Gives us something to look forward to as we used to go to the movies all the time. We just started this triple feature of The Last Picture Show, American Graffiti, and Dazed & Confused.

What are a few songs you've been currently listening to?

I just made this quarantine playlist on Spotify, so I’ll give you some songs from there:

“She Plays Bass” by beabadoobee

“Cream” by Mannequin Pussy

“Natural Devotion” by The Spirit of the Beehive

“Numb’ by Meg Myers

“Superbike” by Jay Som

This interview is part of Artists Off Stage - a series of snapshot style interviews and photo-stories highlighting how musicians are spending their time during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

All interviews are done remotely as we continue to practice social distancing. For resources and information regarding COVID-19, click here.

Keep up with Marina Sakimoto + follow us on Instagram for more Artists Off Stage

Interview by Lexi McCoy