Tokyo to Tinseltown: Wendy’s Wild Ride to the Sunset Strip

Tokyo to Tinseltown: Wendy’s Wild Ride to the Sunset Strip

On a sun-drenched afternoon in Hollywood, just hours before taking the stage at the legendary Whisky a Go-Go, I sat down backstage with Skye McKenzie—frontman of Tokyo-based rock band Wendy. With a guitar slung over his shoulder and a grin that hinted at both nerves and excitement, Skye opened up about the band’s journey from the quiet streets of Setagaya to the electric pulse of the Sunset Strip. Fueled by a love for ’70s and ’80s rock and a rebellious spirit born during the pandemic, Wendy is here to prove that rock and roll isn’t dead! From the meaning behind their name to the stories etched into their lyrics, this is a band with heart, grit, and a dream that’s quickly becoming reality.

We’re sitting here with the band Wendy at the legendary Whisky a Go-Go on the Sunset Strip. First off, introduce yourself and tell me what you do in the band.
Alright, I’m Skye McKenzie. I sing and play guitar.

Give me a little background on the band—where you’re from and what your music scene is like.
We’re from Tokyo, Japan. We all grew up in the same neighborhood—Setagaya, a small town in Tokyo. We’re childhood friends who came together because we love music, especially rock from the ’70s and ’80s. That love brought us together and led us to form the band.

Where does the name “Wendy” come from? I’m sure you’ve been asked that a thousand times—so let’s make this a thousand and one.
I grew up watching Peter Pan. When we were looking for a band name, we had a few ideas, but none of them felt right. We wanted something meaningful, something that connected to our childhood. I thought, “I can’t call myself Peter Pan or Tinkerbell,” but then I landed on Wendy. It sounded cute, but also kind of unexpected. When people hear “Wendy,” they think it’s a girl group or a solo artist—but we’re a rock band. I liked that twist. So that’s how we became Wendy.

Is this your first time in Hollywood?
It’s our second time here as a band, but my third time personally.

What do you guys think of Hollywood and the Sunset Strip?
We love it. It’s been a dream to play venues like the Whisky, the Roxy, and the Rainbow. We actually played the Rainbow a few days ago. We didn’t expect it to be so tiny, but it was super fun. That was the same day we arrived in L.A., so we were totally jet-lagged—but it was awesome.

What are you most looking forward to about playing the Whisky tonight?
We’re here to bring back that Sunset Strip rock vibe in 2025 and 2026. We want to prove that a few kids from Japan can help revive rock and roll. That’s the mission.

Pick two songs you’re performing tonight and tell me what inspired the lyrics.
Skye: One is called “Wild.” It’s about having fun in the city at night. We’re from Tokyo, but it could be any city—it’s about letting loose and going crazy. The lyrics are simple, and the song’s built on just two or three chords. We wanted something raw and fun.

The other is “Chasing a Song”—I even have a tattoo of it. I wrote it when I was 16. It’s about chasing dreams and coming to the Sunset Strip. And now we’re here, so it came true.

When you first got to Hollywood, what was your impression?
It was super sunny! People say that all the time, and it’s true. In Tokyo, we get a lot of rain, so L.A.’s sunshine is a nice change. I love it.

For people who missed tonight’s show, what can they expect from a live Wendy performance?
It’s powerful. Listening on your phone is one thing, but seeing us live is a whole different vibe. We give it everything. No words can really describe it—you just have to come to the next show. It’s electric.

Tell me about your debut album, Don’t Waste My Youth.
We released Don’t Waste My Youth as our debut. We formed the band during the pandemic in 2020. Schools were shut down, and the streets were empty. We were 15 or 16, and it felt like we had the world to ourselves. We did some wild stuff and poured that energy into music.

The title comes from how we felt during that time. There were rules and restrictions in Japan that we didn’t agree with—it felt like the grown-ups were wasting our youth. So we said, “Let’s make an album that pushes back.” That’s how Don’t Waste My Youth was born.

Your new single is called “Pull Me In.” What’s the story behind it?
We wrote “Pull Me In” while recording Don’t Waste My Youth. We were 18 at the time. It’s a straight-up rock song—classic and strong. The meaning isn’t super deep, but the vibe is old-school, like something from the ’70s. Paul came up with the riff. It’s not quite Led Zeppelin, but it’s in that zone. The music video is really cool too.

Any message for music fans here in the States?
We’re Wendy from Tokyo, Japan—three kids chasing a dream. We’re trying to make it big in Hollywood and beyond. We’d love it if you checked out our music. I promise you, we’re going to be the next big rock band.

(Interview by Ken Morton – Photos by Karyn Burleigh of Rock Edge Photography)

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