Mana's interview (RR 77)
- Thread starter Ascheard
- Start date
You expect the divine to tread unhallowed ground?
It is Gackt's loss. He could have been involved in something wonderful. I am glad they went with the three guest singers who have a personal connection to the band. Instead of having to deal with potential drama. And all three were excellent.
Just to add that if either Tetsu or Klaha had shown up, I would have been super happy. Oh, and there were other singers. The audience for Au Revoir, and Kozi and Mana.
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Better late than never was it?
So, here is my long-lost translation of file 400 if my memory serves me right.
@MorganIvy
File 400:
Key: I= Interviewer / M= The Lord of Darkness
Malice Mizer file 400 translation:
I: …Rather, you proceeded with a gaudier feel.
M: Well, as we expanded into the “major” realm, the ability to stage large-scale productions and performances became a reality.
In evolving ourselves and breaking all barriers of perceived limitation within our band, Malice Mizer would be able to achieve certain success. Presenting to the world an, “ultimate group of fine art” were my thoughts at the time.
I: And where did such confidence come from?
M: Firstly, I believe it stems from the quality of my musical composition. If the song, itself, is no good, then it doesn’t really matter how much production it goes through, it is still a bad song. I think my concept definitions and composition form an essential base for me.
Although there were many, when it come to Malice Mizer, that were drawn to our appearance at first glance, there was also a strong awareness of the quality of our composition. From the very first moment that we recorded “Memoire” with Testu, infallible composition was an absolute requirement for us.
I: What are the hallmarks of a “good” song to you?
M: I compose only to create great songs and, thus, I have no particular theory. I did away with the conventional definitions of “rock” and I haven’t really given any thought to the so-called, “chord progressions that sell”. It’s not like I have even learnt music theory to begin with, I can’t write musical notation and I don’t even really get chords.
I make a song by picking up the notes that I feel by ear whilst I’m on the keyboard. Everything is done by feel and, often, the arranger would comment, “these are unthinkable progressions!”. I compose according to my own world view. I think that the fact that classical music was constantly being played at my home (note: as in whilst living with his parents) may have had an influence on me. Although, as a child, I was not particularly interested in classical music myself, the complex sound of classical orchestration likely became deeply ingrained within me. when I am composing a song, it’s quite possible that the classical influence oozes out of me on its own accord.
In addition to this, I also incorporated elements not usually associated with a rock band such as French Pop and Bossanova. I sought out the sounds of the miserable and painful, the magnificent and the refined and graceful.
I: And it was that determined MALICE MIZER that was able to ride atop the “Visual Kei Boom” of the latter 90s period. You were labelled as on one of the “Big Four” and had appearances, not only on music-related programs but also on variety shows.
M: Ah yes, there was the “Big Four” wasn’t there? But, that was not a title of our own making and I wasn’t particularly aware of the name at the time. Although saying this may strike a nerve with our contemporaries lol, for me MALICE MIZER has always flown solo without giving much thought to others’ opinions. It’s not that we didn’t like other bands and their members or anything along those lines. To put it simply, perhaps saying that we always felt out of place (in their own world) is more correct.
So, here is my long-lost translation of file 400 if my memory serves me right.
@MorganIvy
File 400:
Key: I= Interviewer / M= The Lord of Darkness
Malice Mizer file 400 translation:
I: …Rather, you proceeded with a gaudier feel.
M: Well, as we expanded into the “major” realm, the ability to stage large-scale productions and performances became a reality.
In evolving ourselves and breaking all barriers of perceived limitation within our band, Malice Mizer would be able to achieve certain success. Presenting to the world an, “ultimate group of fine art” were my thoughts at the time.
I: And where did such confidence come from?
M: Firstly, I believe it stems from the quality of my musical composition. If the song, itself, is no good, then it doesn’t really matter how much production it goes through, it is still a bad song. I think my concept definitions and composition form an essential base for me.
Although there were many, when it come to Malice Mizer, that were drawn to our appearance at first glance, there was also a strong awareness of the quality of our composition. From the very first moment that we recorded “Memoire” with Testu, infallible composition was an absolute requirement for us.
I: What are the hallmarks of a “good” song to you?
M: I compose only to create great songs and, thus, I have no particular theory. I did away with the conventional definitions of “rock” and I haven’t really given any thought to the so-called, “chord progressions that sell”. It’s not like I have even learnt music theory to begin with, I can’t write musical notation and I don’t even really get chords.
I make a song by picking up the notes that I feel by ear whilst I’m on the keyboard. Everything is done by feel and, often, the arranger would comment, “these are unthinkable progressions!”. I compose according to my own world view. I think that the fact that classical music was constantly being played at my home (note: as in whilst living with his parents) may have had an influence on me. Although, as a child, I was not particularly interested in classical music myself, the complex sound of classical orchestration likely became deeply ingrained within me. when I am composing a song, it’s quite possible that the classical influence oozes out of me on its own accord.
In addition to this, I also incorporated elements not usually associated with a rock band such as French Pop and Bossanova. I sought out the sounds of the miserable and painful, the magnificent and the refined and graceful.
I: And it was that determined MALICE MIZER that was able to ride atop the “Visual Kei Boom” of the latter 90s period. You were labelled as on one of the “Big Four” and had appearances, not only on music-related programs but also on variety shows.
M: Ah yes, there was the “Big Four” wasn’t there? But, that was not a title of our own making and I wasn’t particularly aware of the name at the time. Although saying this may strike a nerve with our contemporaries lol, for me MALICE MIZER has always flown solo without giving much thought to others’ opinions. It’s not that we didn’t like other bands and their members or anything along those lines. To put it simply, perhaps saying that we always felt out of place (in their own world) is more correct.
Thanks youuuu ~ 
And sorry again for pestering you about it!
And sorry again for pestering you about it!
Thaanksss!
So finally it's confirmed Mana can't read notes.
I myself as a composer/arranger who writes down every single note/detail can't really understand how he makes such amazing compositions without that ability.... but maybe he learned it later? This interview was when?
What do they mean by big four?
Four big bands? Which?
Or just the four members of the Klaha era?
So finally it's confirmed Mana can't read notes.
I myself as a composer/arranger who writes down every single note/detail can't really understand how he makes such amazing compositions without that ability.... but maybe he learned it later? This interview was when?
What do they mean by big four?
Four big bands? Which?
Or just the four members of the Klaha era?
This interview was this year. There are different ways to "document" music. Using MIDI and computer recording programs are just as viable now as writing down music notation. I would image that Mana's computer music files are rather sizable and complex by the time he gets done putting a song together. He's been doing this way even during Malice Mizer. I hope whatever else he had on floppy disc has been transferred to something more usable now, lol.
The big four Visual Kei bands at that time, Malice Mizer, La'cryma Christi, Shazna and Fanatic Crisis.
What? Was La'cryma Christi that popular? I thought it was an indies band.
I would've imagined a big four would be like X JAPAN, Buck-Tick, SHAZNA and MALICE MIZER since I think those have sold the most. But I never listened to Buck-Tick, only one SHAZNA song and never listened to Fanatic Crisis or Christi.
Yes, you can document music using a MIDI controller and synthesizers. But you really would never have the same understanding of music without knowing notation and the tons of theory and composition behind it, then if you'd do it by ear and what sounds good. There's been many rock musicians and writers before who don't know anything about that kind of theory, but Mana seems to be the one who writes the best thought out music.
But still, compare anything on Bara no seidou to anything by Bach and it's nothing at all compared to it. But again I'm comparing one of the top three composers of all time to a Japanese rock musician haha. Well, it was more of a response to often I see comments by people saying Bara no seidou is better then Bach hahah, it's laughable. Like, even the first three minutes of Bach's Matthew Passion contain more depth then anything Mana has composed in his lifetime. Or most rock musicians.
That is not an insult AT ALL, Bach is just..... beyond godly to say the least.
The most impressive of Mana's composition are Bel air and Baroque, they do have a ton of depth to them. Especially the many time signature changes and modulations. But I think he depended a lot on his arranger back in the MM days, making his ideas come to life. Did memoire DX have an arranger.
I honestly think Mana's most ambitious composition: 聖なる刻 永遠の祈り, the long one of Bara no seidou really fell short. Show's hes much better at classically inspired rock then actually making a classical piece.
I would've imagined a big four would be like X JAPAN, Buck-Tick, SHAZNA and MALICE MIZER since I think those have sold the most. But I never listened to Buck-Tick, only one SHAZNA song and never listened to Fanatic Crisis or Christi.
Yes, you can document music using a MIDI controller and synthesizers. But you really would never have the same understanding of music without knowing notation and the tons of theory and composition behind it, then if you'd do it by ear and what sounds good. There's been many rock musicians and writers before who don't know anything about that kind of theory, but Mana seems to be the one who writes the best thought out music.
But still, compare anything on Bara no seidou to anything by Bach and it's nothing at all compared to it. But again I'm comparing one of the top three composers of all time to a Japanese rock musician haha. Well, it was more of a response to often I see comments by people saying Bara no seidou is better then Bach hahah, it's laughable. Like, even the first three minutes of Bach's Matthew Passion contain more depth then anything Mana has composed in his lifetime. Or most rock musicians.
That is not an insult AT ALL, Bach is just..... beyond godly to say the least.
The most impressive of Mana's composition are Bel air and Baroque, they do have a ton of depth to them. Especially the many time signature changes and modulations. But I think he depended a lot on his arranger back in the MM days, making his ideas come to life. Did memoire DX have an arranger.
I honestly think Mana's most ambitious composition: 聖なる刻 永遠の祈り, the long one of Bara no seidou really fell short. Show's hes much better at classically inspired rock then actually making a classical piece.
All I will say in this message is only my personnal opinion.
Some instruments are "easier" (all is relative) to learn by ear, or without knowing any musical notation.
For example, I had a friend of mine who played the guitar really well but was unable to read a score. It can be the same for the bass or the drums.
But I know several people that tried to learn the piano without learning the bases of solfeggio (musical notation, rythm), and they all gave up.
I'm not saying "guitar is so simple to play it can't even be called an instrument", far from it ! But it's seems easier for a guitar player to learn the keyboard by himself than for a piano player to learn the guitar by himself.
PS : I know that I only talked about learning an instrument, and it is not totally the subject of the topic.
English is not my native language, so it's not so easy for me to write down what I think... I would like to say a lot of other things, but I have a hard time to translate them.
In order to write/keep trace of the music, a musician with a good ear only has record it, and he will be able to relearn it pretty easily.
There is also the tablature system, for people who don't want to learn how to read a score.
I think that there's also a little bit of "I'm a sort of genius, a real one, not the kind that studied music during years !". It's common for musicians to say they never learn solfeggio, or they wrote this or that song in less than 10 minutes. We cannot know if it is true or not, so it keeps the legend going.
Some instruments are "easier" (all is relative) to learn by ear, or without knowing any musical notation.
For example, I had a friend of mine who played the guitar really well but was unable to read a score. It can be the same for the bass or the drums.
But I know several people that tried to learn the piano without learning the bases of solfeggio (musical notation, rythm), and they all gave up.
I'm not saying "guitar is so simple to play it can't even be called an instrument", far from it ! But it's seems easier for a guitar player to learn the keyboard by himself than for a piano player to learn the guitar by himself.
PS : I know that I only talked about learning an instrument, and it is not totally the subject of the topic.
English is not my native language, so it's not so easy for me to write down what I think... I would like to say a lot of other things, but I have a hard time to translate them.
In order to write/keep trace of the music, a musician with a good ear only has record it, and he will be able to relearn it pretty easily.
There is also the tablature system, for people who don't want to learn how to read a score.
I think that there's also a little bit of "I'm a sort of genius, a real one, not the kind that studied music during years !". It's common for musicians to say they never learn solfeggio, or they wrote this or that song in less than 10 minutes. We cannot know if it is true or not, so it keeps the legend going.
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I don't know if I agree with all of this, but the recording part is very true.
Mana did go to a music school after high school so there is no telling how much he learned there. Along with hearing a lot of music as a child and probably hearing his parents talk about it.
Thinking that a person can only do x if they had formal learning isn't always the case. People can and do learn from being exposed to things, especially children. A child's brain is amazing in it's ability to learn. Our brains can synthesis all kinds of information, not just from rote memorization. There is a lot more to it, but I don't want to make this too complicated. Just that some people also have a better ability to pull information, put it together in new ways, and be creative. And it doesn't always require formal learning structure.
Just wanted to say that Mana has never said he wants to compose classical music. It's always been creating rock music for him. So to compare that to a classical music composer, it's apples and oranges.
As for the Big Four, it was the four bands that were popular in Japan at that period of time. https://www.excite.co.jp/news/article/E1457512628220/ is just one of the articles that references it. It's not the Big Four of all time, but at the heyday of Visual Kei. That is what Mana and other people have referred to.
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I've been finding a lot of references to the Big Four recently, but I'd never heard of these bands being referenced as such 10 years ago (when I was more into vk)... is it a new-ish thing?
I found a blog about an event held with one person from each band (Közi went) a few years ago and it seemed quite interesting.. they also seemed to agree that Malice was in it's own category of sorts. Unfortunately it was all in japanese and Google translator can only do so much XD there was a video of the event (the blog post had screenshots) but I can't find it anywhere...
I found a blog about an event held with one person from each band (Közi went) a few years ago and it seemed quite interesting.. they also seemed to agree that Malice was in it's own category of sorts. Unfortunately it was all in japanese and Google translator can only do so much XD there was a video of the event (the blog post had screenshots) but I can't find it anywhere...
I dunno, how many of any of us were really following major-label VK in, like, 1998 when the boom was hitting its peak? I think most of us came later and were more into indies stuff.
Oh definitely, I'm basically only into MM anyway xD what I meant was that I don't remember reading that there even was a "big four" back when this was a busy forum, when I was super into the fandom and trying to get my hands on every piece of translated writting... (around 2004 to 2009, I guess?)
I'm questioning if they've been calling those bands "the Big four" since 1998 and I just didn't notice, or if it's something that started somewhere after the early 2000s
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Well, they must have been doing well back then because I can easily find their CDs in used record shops over here in Singapore - but nothing by Malice Mizer (that isn't bootleg).
I was so sure that the "Big four" was Gackt-era MM - minus Gackt ;o
If you look at Mana for longer than 45 mins straight you will actually become clinically insane.
Lol wait, seriously? Crazy fan-babble or actual (somewhat) reliable source?