MEJIBRAY is a visual kei band that has been capturing much attention in and outside Japan with its outstanding costume and songs that are loud but melodic in and outside Japan. MiA plays a role as a band producer. In this interview, he gave advice to guitar beginners and also talked about future activities overseas.(Interview: Hikaru Takasaki)
- First of all, what did you think about the first ever outdoor one-man live, “Moumoku no Neko wo Koroshita Moudoku”?
Well, I honestly don’t remember (lol). When we participated in a summer outdoor live event, I realized it consumed much energy to perform outdoor. So I had made quite a lot of effort to become physically fit but it was still hard. I thought I was going to die after the first three songs and I felt dizzy in the last half. “Oh no…” (lol)
- MEJIBRAY is in its fourth year. Is there anything changed toward that performance as MEJIBRAY and also as MiA personally?
I personally had an intention for the first two years to promote myself with my technique. I had already decided at the time we started the band to diffuse my image as a fast player throughout the visual kei world within two years. It would be difficult to overcome the image if I was recognized as a bad player at the beginning. I started to add some performance after the third year and that part has changed.
Our band is really liberal so there is no such plan for the band. Like do what you want (lol). But I believe “This is MEJIBRAY music” has been established after four years. Our new song “Paradigm Paradox” is absolutely MEJIBRAY music. We try to release such songs and add something new at the same time. As for the live, our condition on the day matters the most so it’s really liberal.
- On the other hand, is there anything that hasn’t changed?
My personal thoughts and the goal haven’t changed.
- I’m quite interested in your goal.
It’s a secret. I don’t want to tell you. Well, let me just say for fans outside Japan that I want to be an oil tycoon (lol). Now I’m in the period to consciously add more performances to appeal to the audiences, however, I’m going to change that after the 6th years.
- Are you going to change the settings and the guitar that you are using now? Your present main guitar, signature model, suits perfect to your fast play style and you can play tough and rough, right?
Yes. I would like to make a guitar again like Flying V. But the guitar I ordered with ESP cost a lot despite it was the very first one (lol). I couldn’t compromise about the impact of its look so the body’s special painting, LED and the gold leaf… It took about eight months just for the head as I was particular about its shape and such. It produces intense sounds! I think guitars should make sounds depending on the situation rather than being able to produce some particular sounds. I want a guitar that can produce intense sounds that MEJIBRAY needs for now.
- You used to play the Flying V of Gibson as your main guitar before. And the present guitar is sharply formed. Do you prefer such odd-shape guitars?
Not necessarily. I like Les Paul as well. But I like V especially when I play on a stage.
- Could you tell me facilities other than the guitar?
Now I’m using Fractal Audio System Axe-Fx II which is a pre-amp like a simulator. The power amp is the one made in 1980 by VHT. Just like in the middle of analogue and digital.
- You would make all the sounds by the simulator for a while, wouldn’t you? I remember I thought it was quite rare at that time.
That’s right. It was the beginning of MEJIBRAY. My settings tended to be digital since I was in the prior band. At that time, other guitarists around me were saying “Digital is a shit” so I wanted to oppose to it and used the digital. I believed we couldn’t necessarily say it’d better to use analog and it was totally ok to use digital. Adjusting to the situation is the most important for sounds. I got settled with these settings two years ago when I started to think of lives more. It was just when we released “Messiah”.
- Have you ever collected effects pedals, by the way?
I have, I have (lol).I used to go to instrument shops in Ochanomizu when I was a student at a junior and a high school. Nowadays I’m again making an effect pedal and connect it to the amp… It’s sometimes bothering, though (lol).
- What made you start playing the guitar?
I wanted to play songs of Do As Infinity! Then I became so into Ozzy Osbourne and heavy metal. There I got to know about Dir en grey, the GazettE and Nightmare. Now we have bands like SiM and Coldrain but Japanese loud music wasn’t really active 10 years ago. I always came to visual kei when I looked for loud music.
- Which song of MEJIBRAY would you like the guitar beginners to play?
Probably “Messiah”. If you play the hardest one at the beginning, the rest would be easy. By the way, the easy one would be “Tro-syner” (lol). Since now it’s easy to get an environment to record, play the part to your favorite song, record it and listen to what you recorded. It’s a good practice. Listening to what you play from a listener’s point of view as is quite important. I’m happy when I meet someone who says “I play songs of MEJIBRAY!” at events like autograph sessions.
- I have opportunities to interview with younger visual kei guitarists. I feel your influence is quite big, MiA.
It might not be something to say by myself but I’m happy that there are many younger players who admire me. When I went to Shinjuku RUIDO K4 yesterday someone said “I like you!” (lol).
- s a representative of the younger generation, do you have any thoughts about present visual kei? There are many big events like LUNATIC FEST. this year.
I don’t really care about things around me. I’m fine as long as I like it so I don’t care things like visual kei scenes and such. I just observe what’s happening around me and think a strategy.
- Techniques like EDM and sequence had been quite heavily adopted in visual kei songs recently. However since this year, band sound has become at the center. How do you think about it as MEJIBRAY?
I think it’s true but we are not going to follow that. We want to establish and continue to be a pioneer.
- When did you gain such sharp eyes to overlook and elaborate the strategy?
I always had it since I was in the prior band but it has become stronger. In the prior band I wasn’t allowed to do things freely (lol). Thanks to the suppression, it exploded and now here I am. We don’t have any meetings as MEJIBRAY so I think it all by myself.
- Each member has own role in MEJIBRAY, right?
Yes. Tsuzuku takes charge of the lyrics, set list and how to express band’s color. But we are not interested in others so we don’t know what each member is doing. I come to the meeting first and leave first. We do have a kind of theme on costume every time. As for the costume that has various prints on its cloth in “Paradigm Paradox”, Tsuzuku started the idea and Meto followed but I heard about it the last! (lol) We decide on details in a meeting with a person in charge of costume.
- Are you interested in doing solo?
I have many things I want to do. There are people not in visual kei field who secretly invite me to do something together so I want to face music more freely. I’m also interested in things other than music and I’m already doing something new. I wonder if anyone notices. But it’s a secret (lol). I’m in a secret period. I’m reluctant to do SNS and expose myself in the media.
- Why is that?
I have lots of opportunities to get interviews like this or in magazines so I don’t want to tell unnecessary things on SNS… When I want to talk something deep I want to do it in a journal or through a proper media. I don’t want to disclose anything about me even what I’m thinking of and doing now. But I think there will be a time when I want to talk about these things again.
- So is the meaning of “Nyanko Jiru” that you often use on SNS is also a secret?
(lol) “Nyanko Jiru” is something about feelings. If I’m really excited it’s nyankojiru but it’s also nyankojiru if I’m feeling blue. It differs depending on perception!
- Lastly, could you give a message to our users?
To fans overseas, please invite us more as to riots or demos or signature-collecting campaigns occur! It would also be great if you would plan a tour all together and come to Japan (lol). I would love to perform overseas. Some foreign people uploaded videos in which they perform our songs. Last time I went to the U.S.A, someone told me “A friend of my friend is your fan!” We have got a lot of feedback from abroad since the very beginning of the band. We get comments on SNS like “Come to Brazil!!” or “Do you dislike my country, MiA?” (lol). We have got lots of offers so they are all under consideration. But we need to be successful in Japan first… We will keep going.
/official MEJIBRAY Poland facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/119113635105101/?fref=ts
MiA guitar gallery http://www.espguitars.co.jp/gallery/mia/index.html
MEJIBRAY official website http://mejibray.com/?aid=230
official instagram https://instagram.com/mejibraymia/
official Twitter https://twitter.com/MEJIBRAY_MiA
~D.s.Raven
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