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