Exclusives

MONO have kindly agreed to answer a few questions for OngakuSHOCK! Make sure you don't miss them when they come to the UK!

You have just witnessed your 10 year anniversary. After such a long time, you all must have a very high understanding of each other’s talents and skills. Do you feel that your time spent together will in turn lead to changes in your music as years go by?

Yes, I think it's inevitable that we will evolve and grow as more years go by. During the last ten years, we've grown more comfortable as performing as a quartet and we are more aware of our strengths and weaknesses. Composing the albums have taught us about classical instrumentation and the kind of energy we want to create. I don't know if we'll ever really be satisfied. It's one continuous journey and learning experience.

Before your latest album ‘Hymn To The Immortal Wind’, you toured for 5 years and played many concerts. Were these 5 years important in the creation of your recent music? Did you change along the way and did any events in that period of time inspire a sense of meaning in ‘Hymn To The Immortal Wind’?

Yes, I think there was a lot of change during those last five years. We traveled around the world non-stop and met wonderful people who touched our lives. The emotion in our album stems from the stories we come across and we would not have been able to make this album if we didn't experience these people and places.


You are known for your very captivating performances live. Your songs are vividly full of passion, electricity and energy. Do you feel this through your music as you play live and is it this reason that causes ‘Mono’ to be such an experience to watch?

We love our playing our live show more than composing or recording. There is an interchanging of energies that is hard to explain. It's like a wave of life force and strength. Being able to share this with the crowds is very uplifting and it reminds us why we do what we do.

Your music is very beautifully and carefully composed. How is it you begin writing your music? Do you follow any particular steps in creating a song?

Once I have an idea for the album, I have an uninterrupted period of time where I try to translate the story into melodies. It’s really kind of impulsive and coordinated at the same time. For recent albums, arranging the strings and the other instruments is the most difficult part of writing. The songs are written from beginning to end alone in my room. Then we get together in our practice space to bring them to life and begin practicing.


After 10 years, you have achieved a great deal. Do your previous 5 albums inspire you to go on creating music? Have you any other inspirations that play a key role?

The friends we meet on the road, life, love, films, stories ...

Is there a particular song that the band enjoys playing the most during live performances? If so, what are the reasons?

Lately we really enjoy playing "Everlasting Light" because it works well as a finale song and the crowd seems to enjoy it.

The band tours a great amount and you have visited many countries. Do you have many fond memories from your visits to countries outside of Japan?

It's so hard to choose because we've been fortunate enough to visit so many countries. Recently we played in Shanjai, Beijing, and Hong Kong and that was amazing. We also had an incredible time in Australia, Taiwan, and Malaysia. This spring, we will visit some new countries in Eastern Europe for the first time. As always, we're looking forward to the states as well.
I am very thankful for all the friends we meet around the world. They keep us going.

How do you find Western fans react to your music compared to your Japanese fans?

Western fans tend to be more open and enthusiastic than our Japanese fans. I think this is just because of cultural norms. In Japan, fans tend to be a bit more reserved.

After your upcoming tour, what are your plans?

I will start writing songs for the new album. We'll take a break and get some rest.

Thanks goes to MONO for taking the time to answer our questions. I know I'm looking forward to seeing them, I know a lot of you will be too!

Aki, guitar and vocals of the band Electric Eel Shock, has kindly put some time aside to answer some of our most burning questions about the wonder that is EES. You might as well swap your undergarments for plastic bags now, we cannot refund for any dry cleaning issues raised after reading what Aki has to offer us!.

Recently you toured with many of the venues being in the UK. What were the highlights of your Sugoii Indeed tour?

It was a UK tour for us after an interval of maybe a year.
So the highlight came immediately, it was the first full of English
breakfast ! long time no eat......
Oh, of cause also we had another highlights, meeting old and new fans with
their big smile.
That is a moment to feel we can't stop to tour.
They still shout "S.O.S!", "Don't Say Fuck!" or "Speedy Joe!" these are our
very old songs.
Also they shout "Kampai!" is cheers for beer in Japanese.
They are hardcore fans.
Sometime they take a while time for new songs to became to regular song.
But it seemed our new songs "Metal Man", "Out Of Control", "No Shit
Sherlock" etc.. from new album "Sugoi Indeed" worked very well .
Our fans were crazy for these songs.
These songs are already our classic!
Oh! and .... Bruce Dickinson radio show was highlight again.... it was our third time to be interview with him... too many
highlights.......

Were there any low points on this tour?

We kept EU tour after UK tour.
But our tour van totally broke down in Germany...on the motorway near only
small village...on Saturday evening.....
still we had 400 km in just only 3 hour to make the show at the day.....
We tried hard to make it, drove over 200km/hour with rent-a-car.
Finally we arrived the venue just 5 minutes to go!
We were happy, we changed low point to high point.
But few days later... we've gotten big bills..... to repair, to rent a car,
back up hotels and cancellation, tow etc.......
Then we had to send Bob Slayer our manager and Danny Maines EES fan and uber Mechanic to go back to Germany to pick up our van and equipments
I think they drove their and back straight with no stopping - I think they have bonding road trip like brokeback mountain
They never say much about what happen. but good news is Van is all healthy again
It was new van for this tour and it has a yellow flashing light on top!


Is there any country you prefer to play in over any other? Why?

Still we haven't been South Africa and South America.
Especially I prefer to play in Brazil.
Because many my friends has been in there say Brazil is great country for
heavy music.
And ofcause there is Amazon in Brazil.
You know I am fisherman, I wanna get Amazon monster fishes !

You seem to have a lot of fun both on and off stage. We here at ONGAKUShock are big fans of your 'How to fish Rock & Roll style' series. Do you think you will make any more Rock & Roll instructional films?
We suggest 'How to bake a cake Rock & Roll style'.

Oh you know?
Bob Slayer he is plan to make video How to Hitchhike Rock & Roll style
We will do the soundtrack
We are pre-selling here
Along with EES first ever live album - check it out
We need fans to help make it happen
http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/224

According to your Myspace Page you take a lot of Influence from Ozzy Osbourne. Have you met him?

No.....only near miss.
We have played download festival before.
We played first night of the festival, and second night was the Ozzfest !!
So I thought " Oh, god! I can meet Ozzy ! finally !".
But... our shit, fat and bald manager a.k.a. Bob Slayer already booked
another festival at the same day of Ozzfest...
He choose money! instead of my dream...
Or he loves me? and jealous?
But either way he stay behind at Download and did meet Ozzie - He bastard

Are there any other legends of Rock you'd like to meet and why?

Of cause I can't meet him, but I choice Jimi Hendrix for this question.
Because he took over anything.
I want to meet him just as a musician, not guitarist.
I think it is not good question for Jimi about detail of guitar technique or
gears.
Of cause he is genius guitarist, but it is difficult to put him just in
category of guitarist and singer.
He is genius musician or just genius.
I want to drink with him, and junk talking.


Electric Eel shock have changed a lot over the years. Isn't it true that in the beginning there were 11 members?! Do you guys miss playing in such a large group, or is it better with just the 3 cheeky chappies we know and love today?

No more 11 members.....
It was sound like Santana meets Heavy Metal.
It was not bad, but it was really difficult to control the schedule.....
I love 3 cheeky chappies line-up, 3 is more than enough to rock.
Our drummer Gian and bassist Kazuto have very strong character, we are 3
front man trio.

Which out of the three of you has most say when it comes to writing new songs, or is it very much a group decision?

Always we make songs by three of us.
I bring the piece of idea, riff, melody or key word to practice studio, and
we build to proper song by jam session.
Very natural, no stress and fun.

When on tour, is there one member of the band that is impossible to travel with? For example, does Aki get too loud and drunk, or do Kazuto's feet smell?

Aki fisherman stink...
Kazuto oily man stink....
Gian soysouce stink...
All we three stink, so it is no problem.
Only big problem is Bob Slayer because he has special drunk, fat stink which is too evil
Fortunately he lazy too and he employ new tour manager for us recently - he is EES super fan Dan Pye and he smell of rainbows and dreams

On your website are some photos of Drummer Tomoharu 'Gian' Ito parading around stage in Hong Kong wearing only a sock. Do you do this often?

He does it always.
But you know? he arrested at Hong Kong about it, he spent two days in Police station and a day in court
He was all over Hong Kong tabloid and big crowd was waiting for him outside court
Bob Slayer had to spend much time in there with him talking to get him out - it is longest he has ever been sober!
In the end Gian had to pay a fine which was only like 20 dollars... very silly but apparently he was luck not to be banned from HK
So he never do it in Honk Kong or any Chinese town.
But you can see his 98% naked on stage in UK tour and rest of world

Do you think this could possibly be a permanent costume design? Maybe wear a hat and scarf also when playing in England!

Oh, good idea again.
I will let him know about it.
But I'm not sure he likes it or not.
Because he has something stuck in his mind, he takes time to choose the
socks.
He is very stylish guy.
He has played in jsut sock in very cold north of Norway in outside gig - and also desert gig in USA - he is not wire up right - like a faulty light switch

Jokes aside, you three have been playing as a band for many years now. Do you find that live shows are easy going, or are there still suprises?

Still surprise, of cause.
If not, it is hard to keep on tour.
Audience is always different and fresh.
Especially I like to play as opening act, because it is like a new
challenge, I like to give a show our gig to new people.
So it is always very exciting to play in new town or new country.
But even the city we play often is still exciting.
I love our fans, they make us exciting.
They make our show.

From the ONGAKUShock management and followers, we'd like to say best of luck
in the future, and humbly request that you continue to kick ass! After all,
Rock and Roll can rescue the world!

Thanks a lot !
We totally believe Rock and Roll can rescue the world!
But before Rock and Roll rescue the world, please rescue our skint, every
body !!!
All the best for ONGAKUShock.
Aki (Electric Eel Shock, Vo&Gt)