INTERVIEW: Taka – MONO

Since 1999, MONO have been delighting audiences across the world with their quirky instrumental music that holds literally no boundaries – it might be grounded in rock and metal, but if the band can find a way to fit another instrument in on the top, they will. Recently, Distorted Sound spoke to founder member Taka about their illustrious career, charting the highs and lows along with discussing latest record Nowhere Now Here.

Taka, thank you very much for speaking to us today. You’ve been a band now for a full 20 years. Do you ever reflect on your career to this date and think about how far you’ve come as a band?

Taka: It really has been a wonderful 20 years and it’s passed in the blink of an eye. We’ve met so many music fans throughout the world, and because of all the labels, booking agents and many others who supported us, we managed to get to where we are now. For that, we’re truly grateful.

We feel pure endless happiness when we’re working on our music. The fact we can devote ourselves like this is truly the most satisfying thing in such a deep level. Of course, it is important to be able to achieve some sort of a result, but simply being able to forget time, focus and work on music are the most irreplaceable and precious thing. Even now, we have the same hunger as when we were young. “This is not enough”, “We want to explore deeper” and “We want to keep on moving forward” are our most important motifs, not just for music, but to live as a whole.

Over the past two decades, which moments stand out for you, both musically and career-wise? 

Taka: Our first international show was at a venue called Mercury Lounge in New York back in 2000, and that night, in particular, was just horrible. We didn’t have any money so, to cover the flights, we sold our guitars and pedals that we didn’t really use; the audience was only five people. If I think about it now, we were the support’s support and of course, no one knew about MONO so it was an inevitable outcome, but I remember getting worried to the point of not being able to sleep that night. I was made aware that reality is not that easy and became uncertain about how to continue being active overseas – there were absolutely no funds as well, you know.  After our dreams got crashed that night, we were left with just anxiety and fears. However, exactly 10 years after that show, we did our first orchestra shows over two days again in New York and over 2000 of our fans from all over the world came to see us. The standing ovation after our last song is one of the most amazing memories which I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.

2017 was also a truly tough year. As the band grew bigger, so many things started to slowly change. Because of our troubles and eventual termination with our Japanese management and label, as well as our drummer’s departure, we were in a state of not being able to move forward. But I told myself “the darkest hour is just before the dawn”, and overcame it, together with our members and partners throughout the world. Now, I think it was a necessary happening in order for the band to welcome in our 20th anniversary; in order to continue as MONO, it time for us to underpin ourselves greatly. I have to say, some invisible great power just made this work. Through so many different kinds of troubles, we managed to become what we should be. Now the band is filled with fresh strong energy, like we were reborn. We feel that our new chapter has come. Also, you know you’re bound to face many kinds of problems if you continue a band for 20 years. I always think and feel that the “time of adversity is when you can understand life”. We always got stronger by swimming against the waves, and the most important and valuable thing in life is deciding what kind of dreams you want to dream for yourself.

Musically speaking, since a long time ago, I’ve been a fan of music like film soundtracks, where visuals float in your head while listening. After a while, I started to think I wanted to mix those elements with rock music and that’s when I started to self-teach classical music – after all, it’s the same instrumental music. In the beginning, however, because we’re basically a standard four-piece rock band consisting of guitars, bass and drums, things didn’t go as imagined but after experimenting in many ways, we were eventually able to find what we can call our own style of playing and by using pedals. Upon the release of 2009’s Hymn to the Immortal Wind and 2012’s For My Parents, we felt that we finished constructing one of the styles we were after as our goal.

For the last five to six years, I’ve wanted to find a new style that’s different from the symphonic feelings that I’ve intentionally tried. It was a continuation of trial and error, so I actually spent an enormous time writing music that echoes in my heart. As we went on tours however, I started to feel that there were not many songs that were suitable for live. This is why, with ninth album Requiem For Hell, I wanted to write songs that were louder, emotional and more suitable for live performances. Of course I tried my best and I thought they turned out to be great albums, but in all honesty I felt that they were nowhere close to the level that I aimed as a goal. Maybe this feeling will continue in the future as well.

For this album Nowhere Now Here, there was a feeling that I couldn’t contain before thinking about anything related to music. It was an important feeling to make yourself remain as yourself such as anger and determinations. I wanted to make all of that into music.

As mentioned above, you had a lineup change for the first time in your band’s history last year. What was it like to go through that process?

Taka: We informed our album producer Jeremy about our drummer leaving in December 2017. When we did, we asked him to introduce us to a drummer if he knew any; he introduced us to Dahm right away. He said, “he’s very nice, thoughtful, and a very experienced touring musician”. Shortly after, I sent Dahm two of our new songs’ demos and planned to play together at our studio in Tokyo in February 2018.

During that time, we also received a lot of emails from drummers all over the world asking for auditions, but in the end, we ended up not getting back to anyone. It was a really mysterious feeling but we had a strong hunch that it would go well with Dahm. We have a close to 20 years of friendship and absolutely trusting relationship with Jeremy, and so he naturally knew what kind of drummer we’d need. Because of this, we were not worried about it at all and always could remain positive.

When we met and spoke to him, apparently he’s been a fan of MONO for a long time and came to see us play in the US many times, so he already knew a lot about our songs that led to a very smooth transition, almost like this was already set up. Additionally, even though the new songs were written before we met him, it felt like they were waiting for him to arrive. Expressing the new album’s energy, vitality and power were definitely not possible without him; sometimes the sound is so loud that I can’t even hear my own guitars! He also has really good chemistry with [other band members] Tamaki and Yoda. He’s truly a fantastic drummer and it’s really fun playing with him.

When you come to record a new album, do you have a set approach or does it change each time?

Taka: Composing is a process of going inside your heart. I go down deep within and start to form my heart into songs by pulling out shining bright soul-like elements from the madness-like darkness. I myself get saved by writing songs. I feel that “it’s ok for me to live”, “there is a reason for me to keep being who I am” and by expressing these feelings of myself getting saved by my song writings and borrowing my trusted members’ power, I feel that I can always in certainty resonance with all the people in the world.

Have you continued to be inspired by the same influences over the years when writing new music?

Taka: Not particularly – of course, my core self may not have changed, but I always want to try something new, even by a little, that I’ve never tried. Little changes eventually lead to big changes, you know.

You added electronics to your sound for the first time on Nowhere, Now Here. How did that come about? 

Taka: For this album, I used a lot of electronic elements. This was inspired from working with John McEntire of TORTOISE AND THE SEA and CAKE for my solo project Behind the Shadow Drops in 2017, and I also had a lot of different inspirations and ideas that are different to the band’s sound this time around. I wanted to try creating an original unique worldview, much like one of Philip Glass’ early works, who is one of my all time favourite artists.

Over the course of your ten albums, would you say there has been one particularly challenging instrument that you have incorporated into your sound?

Taka: I don’t think I can choose! I always tried the best I could at the time for each album. If I dared to speak about it, I felt that I finally managed to create a film-like worldview I’ve been aiming for with fourth album You Are There. With the aforementioned Hymn To The Immortal Wind and For My Parents, I managed to be able to write even more grand scale music, incorporating an over 20-piece orchestra. With Nowhere Now Here, I think I managed to create a new unique piece of work that only we can do, incorporating some new essence.

Until now, you’ve been a fully instrumental band. Why did you decide to have Tamaki sing for the first time on Breathe?

Taka: With Breathe, there was something I really wanted to tell with words. In recent years, as the band grew and more people got involved, we started to have annoying business issues which are completely far from creativity, and because of the egos, we got really tired to the point of not being able to breathe. From such an out-of-control situation, we wanted to express our determination that we were going to cut the past and move towards a new surface with a song and lyrics.

When I told Tamaki that I wanted her to sing, she was very surprised, but I was convinced that she would be the only one who will be able to properly express these words by singing. As a result, her singing was more beautiful than I imagined. I feel that it turned out to be something that really echoes in people’s hearts.

Are there any songs on Nowhere, Now Here that you are particularly proud of?

Taka: It’s really difficult to choose one, but when I’m playing After You Comes the Flood, Breathe, Sorrow and Meet Us Where the Night Ends live, I get a very special feeling.

You’re coming back on tour this year to the UK in support of Nowhere, Now Here, a little over six months after you last toured. Looking forward to it?

Taka: Last year’s Meltdown Festival and European Tour were truly fantastic. I’m really looking forward to this year’s tour as well.

Your support acts are ARABROT and Jo Quail; Jo was supporting you last year in the UK as well. What made you pick her to play again? 

Taka: Jo is a truly fantastic player who can of course perform classical music, but also modern music perfectly, but the main reasons I was really drawn towards were her ability to compose music, and her originality and worldview. I also told her this but she’s like a white lion; very wild, strong and beautiful. At Roadburn, we plan to play the whole of Hymn To The Immortal Wind for its 10-year anniversary with Jo’s string quartet and I’m really looking forward to it.

Is there anything you still feel you have to accomplish as a band?

Taka: There are many things. We’ve so far played in 57 countries but I also want to play in countries we’ve never visited before and continue to create even more fantastic albums together. Our time in life is limited, so I hope to run through it together with music, with all my strength.

Finally, do you have any closing words for the readers of Distorted Sound and your UK fanbase in general?

Taka: I’m truly thankful for all the support. The UK has been a very special country to me ever since I was little, so I’m truly happy. As part of our 20 year anniversary, we plan to do some special events this year so please do come us live.

Taka, thank you very much for speaking to me today

Taka: Thank you so much for the interview.

Nowhere Now Here is out now via Pelagic Records. 

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