Interview: Taka of MONO
strumstrumstrumstrsum BBBBOOOOM strumstr - By Morgan Short, Nov 27, 09
Not much more needs to be said about the big MONO show tonight at MAO Livehouse. If you'd like to read more about the band and download some songs, click here.
SmartShanghai email peppered MONO guitarist Taka with questions and he was nice enough to answer them. Read on for Taka on the early days of the band, long-time MONO producer Steve Albini, musical and cinematic influences, their new album "Hymn to the Immortal Wind" -- just a bunch of shit, really.
Pre-sale tickets to MONO's concert tonight are sold out everywhere. Ample quantities of tickets are being held at the door, but it would be a good idea to get there early to make sure you get in. The concert starts at 9pm sharp, and will be running on time (so they say). Sugar Plum Ferry (Taiwan), and Hua Lun (Wuhan) are opening. Both those bands are pretty sweet in their own right.
***
SmSh: For people who don't know, can you talk about the beginnings of MONO? Who met who? Who did what?
Taka: I'd been playing guitar for a while and wanted to start an instrumental band. Yasunori (who plays drums) and I started experimenting together and eventually I learned that Yoda also played guitar. Yoda and I had already known each other from before. After the three of us got together, we needed a bassist so we found Tamaki through mutual friends. I'd write the songs and we'd try them out together as a band.
SmSh: What sorts of shows were you playing in those early days? I guess MONO did a lot of touring in the States and Europe. Who were your musical contemporaries at the start of the bands life?
Taka: Our shows were significantly louder back then because the songs we played were more noise-based than they are now. The tours were rough in the early days because we didn't have much of an audience. However, we were excited to tour internationally because we had always wanted to expand overseas. The bands I remember from those days are My Bloody Valentine and some guitar bands.
SmSh: The influences on your first album "Under The Pipal Tree" (2001) are Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine. At what point did you decide to break away from that sound and what brought about the change in direction?
Taka: I think it's just natural for bands to evolve once they've been together for enough time to develop a common vision. After "Under the Pipal Tree", we started to feel more comfortable as a quartet and we gained more confidence to start taking risks in our sound. Films, stories, being on the road, and life in general started to inspire us towards a certain sound. Our sound still growing and changing though.
SmSh: How do you feel when you look back on that album?
Taka: I think "Under the Pipal Tree" is a very young-sounding album, but it was a very important stepping stone for us. It was like our first attempt to make something together as a band. Ever album afterwards has also been a stepping stone that has taught us what we want to pursue sonically and emotionally in our music.
SmSh: I've read that earlier in the bands career, audiences were not exactly experiencing the music in the right way i.e. they would drink beer and talk throughout the performance. How are you being received by audiences these days? Are people more receptive to what the band is doing and watching the show in the "right" way?
Taka: In our early days, we played as loud as possible since it was difficult to get people to pay attention. But back then we were playing in more intimate settings for crowds who were mainly there to hang out, so no one was really familiar with us. It's been ten years since then and we are very grateful to have developed the following that we have. There is a very meditative interchanging of energies with the crowd that I just can't explain. This is why we love playing live so much.
SmSh: Looking back on all the touring over your career, which are your favourite audiences to play for?
Taka: It's really hard to say. We've found something wonderful about every country that we've been fortunate enough to visit. We never dreamed that we'd be able to tour the countries that we have.
SmSh: MONO is one of the most "unforgettable" bands to see live. Which have been your most "unforgettable" playing experiences over the years?
Taka: Our most recent unforgettable memory was our 10th Anniversary Show in New York with Jeff Milarsky and the Wordless Music Orchestra. The first show we ever played together ten years ago was also in New York. So it was so surreal to be playing a sold out show with an orchestra in the same city ten years later. I just remember feeling very thankful and lucky.
SmSh: Last year, you were invited by Explosions in the Sky to play at All Tomorrow's Parties. Can you talk about that concert? How was it?
Taka: All Tomorrow's Parties is such a great music festival. It was our first time attending/playing and we had so much fun. It was even better because we were able to spend time with our good friends from everywhere.
SmSh: You recorded your last three albums with Steve Albini, including your latest album, "Hymn to the Immortal Wind". How has your relationship changed with Albini over the years? And what is it about Albini that makes him the right guy to work with when recording?
Taka: Steve just really understands the how much we want our record to mirror our live show. We want to be able to record our album as if we were playing our live show because there is a different energy when we are able to perform together and lose ourselves in the song. As we've gotten closer to Steve over the years, there is little to discuss and we just get right to business as soon we arrive. Working with Steve is always smooth, fast, and accurate. We couldn't be happier.
SmSh: Can you talk about recording "Hymn to the Immortal Wind"? What was it like working with an orchestra?
Taka: It's been a very gradual process for me since I'd experimented with strings before on previous albums. Writing a score for the orchestra instruments was more difficult because there are so many pieces that have to be layered upon each other. I was nervous about how it would sound at first but it was such a wonderful experience working with the set players and conductor. I was able to communicate with them about the kind of mood and melody we are trying to make.
SmSh: Which classical composers would you say influence the band, and with contemporary classic composers do you admire?
Taka: Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Morricone, and countless film scores.
SmSh: What sorts of non-classical music is the band into these days?
Taka: Unfortunately we haven't able to listen to much music these days. I'm not too familiar with the current music scene.
SmSh: The term "cinematic" is often associated with your music. Do you count films among your inspirations? Also, if you could score the soundtrack to any film what would it be?
Taka: Films and stories are among our greatest inspirations. Breaking the Waves by Lars Von Trier is one of the films that I've been inspired by. I'd love to score a soundtrack for a spiritual movie, a period piece, an epic love story, and maybe even a science fiction film.
SmSh: I've read that the band is sort of dissatisfied with the term "post rock" used to describe the music. Why is that? If you were forced to put it into words, how would you describe MONO?
Taka: I'm fine with the term "post-rock" -- there have been many amazing post rock bands throughout the years that I respect. I just think we're just not entirely set on one particular genre because there are certain expectations and boundaries that come with it. Sometimes you just want to leave it open ended. I think I'd describe Mono as instrumental and meditative... Light, Dark, Heavy, and Uplifting sounds that allow you to release something.
SmSh: You doing your 10th Anniversary show with the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo. How did that all come about?
Taka: We haven't had a chance to do an orchestra show and celebrate our tenth anniversary in Tokyo yet so we were finally able to put it together.
SmSh: Do you feel performing with an orchestra the realization of a larger project of MONO creating contemporary classical music?
Taka: We do incorporate a lot of classical elements into our music but I think it balances out with the rock elements. I can see how we could be categorized as "Contemporary Classical Music" but we are still using guitar as our main instruments, especially during our live shows. I think our sound will continue to evolve as we grow older and tighter as a band.
SmSh: What's next for MONO? Have you plans for recording after the tour/ Tokyo show?
Taka: I will be working on material for the new album and we are also preparing some more tour dates in 2010. We're looking forward to the new year!
***
Here's MONO on the MySpace. Here is the event listing.
Sep 14th, 09
MP3 Monday:
21 Grams
We lose 21 grams at the exact moment of our death - by Morgan Short
- The Best of the Lit Fest
- Get that JUE Feeling
- Howie the Backstreet Boy
- Gossip Maven Perez Hilton
shanghai.talkmagazines.cn
- Mar 13 » Pervert Party Perverted?
- Mar 2 » Summer Babes
- Feb 10 » Myriad Forms
- Feb 5 » Hearts & Minds
- Jan 26 » Bachelor Party Suggestions
SmartShanghai presents:
Hassle free ticket purchasing and delivery for Shanghai's cultural and concert events.
More of SmartTicket here »
Hot selling:
May 1
Philharmonia Orchestra
The UK's foremost musical pioneer will perform selections from Beethoven and Rachmaninov conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy.
Details & prices »April 16-18
Formula 1 GP
The highest class of auto racing returns to Shanghai with all your favourite racing teams and celebrity drivers. Head on down to check out the fastest cars on earth.
Details & prices »