MONO吉它手TAKA与THE STAR的独家访问，将在明日刊登于该报章，先为你送上未经修正的原汁原味版本。

1. You’ve got a steady fan base back home and in the United States where you’ve toured plenty, but what has finally drawn you to reach the fans in this region?

Last year, my best friend, Munaf (Explosions in The Sky), all the sudden showed up in Tokyo to visit me a day after EITS performed in Malaysia for the first time. He told me how wonderful the show was in Kuala Lumpur. MONO has toured the US, Canada and Europe many times but we couldn’t make it happened in Asia because of conflicting schedule in the past. As we are in the process of making our new album, there is no long-term tour this year. It made us possible to visit the Asian countries where we had never been before. In July, we are going to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Taiwan. We’re looking forward to our first visit to those countries.

2. Are you aware of your fan-base in this region, whether it’s big or small - or are you unsure of what to expect in the shows you play here?

Actually we have received many fan mails from the region. I have no idea how the audience’s reaction will be like at all, but I’m not worried. We will definitely make our show unforgettable one, once a life time experience for all, no matter how many people will be there for us.

3. How does it affect your live performance to be playing in a new place, compared to somewhere you’ve already played and know your fan-base?

It does not affect us at all. Playing our music live in a new place for the first time is a great experience for all of us. Unpredictable pure experience. We rather want to be open for this very special moment of our life and print it into our heart.

4. Bands from Japan are making a name for themselves in this region? (Toe’s coming here in August, and Envy will be in Singapore) – what do you think is the key to this?

I have no idea what the key is… They are great live bands. They must have the same intention as ours, to share the music with as many people as we can.

5. Since you play instrumental music, language is not a barrier. Do you think you would still reach as many fans in this region if there was singing in your music?

I can’t even imagine howit would going to be. We are doing what we can do best right now to convey our feelings and emotion through these our songs.

6. What has influenced the songwriting of the band over the years? Has this changed - ie. are you inspired by different kinds of things nowadays?

The first two albums are strongly influenced by the guitar oriented music. Since the 3rd album “Walking Cloud~” we released in 2004, I’ve become more inspired by the classical music and the soundtrack music. Most of all, Beethoven and Ennio Moricone are my two greatest heroes.

7. Your evolution as a band has always been subtle, maintaining the same qualities in your music. Is there any conscious direction you are heading in when writing your new material?

Since the 3rd album, I’ve started writing an actual story like a story board of film. I wrote the music according to the story. Every album after that has a certain theme and concept. I write music for the scenes of the story.

8. Your 2006 collaboration with Katsuhiko Maeda (World’s End Girlfriend) has been critically acclaimed - are there any musicians you would love to collaborate with?

World’s End Girlfriend had been my good friend for a long time as well as a great musician I respected a lot. We had established a great relationship and shared the mutual understanding toward music each other before we started working together. I believe it’s very important for any music collaboration. For music, expression, emotion, vision … those elements come before sound engineering. Without solid foundation of mutual understanding, respect and trust, the collaboration can easily end up as a simple jam session.

Right now, I have no specific idea who I’d like to collaborate with ‘cause I’m totally focused on making our new album at this moment. But I’m sure I would do it again in the future when I encounter a great musician like WEG.

Taka/ MONO

预售票明日截止，要买趁早。

虽然消息有点跚跚来迟，但还是突显了我们欲照顾学生的意愿。MONO马来西亚音乐会将增设学生特价票，每张为RM50，条件如下。

- 只在音乐会当天于ZOUK CLUB发售
- 须出示学生证和身份证
- 只限18岁以上者

音乐会尚未开始，何来照片？别误会，这是我们为各位MONO迷搜罗的过往现场照片，全部都经过精挑细选，请笑纳。看完了，别忘了到临近的ROCK CORNER（不是7-ELEVEN）购买入门票，预售票截止日期是7月1日。

MONO最新视频，演出现场是由“天空爆炸”主持的ATP音乐节，听了几遍都听不出是那一首作品，会不会就是正在录制的新专辑所收录的作品。据乐队的经济人透露，MONO将会在吉隆坡和新加坡的演出为大家呈献一些新的作品，想先听为快者，还等啥呢？赶快购票，预售票截止日期是7月1日。

另外，我们也会在本周六（6月28日）的Urbanscapes设立柜台，售卖MONO的门票。

电棒成军于2005年，在“摇撼新声代”初试啼音，当时的形式是双人组合，以笔记本为主要演出的媒介，颇具开创性。

随后，经过整顿，增添了人声和更多的配器，音乐开始变得更浑圆和饱满，以自成一格的表演方式穿梭于中英独立音乐场景。这当中的蜕变和提升不是显著的，是渐进的，是潜伏性的，当我们回头去检阅这支组合的“乐”绩时，会猛然发现他们的“跃进”竟然是可以如此的轻松自若的，他们真的没有“唱高调”，仅仅只是以一种“乐在其中”的方式把玩音乐，把欢乐传送给大家。

6月28日，电棒将首度登上大舞台，以“初生之犢”的姿态与其它的重量级乐队一较高下，我们拭目以待。

正在美国录制最新专辑的MONO今天捎来了佳音，根据吉它手Taka透露，专辑录音进行的非常顺利 （由Steve Albini亲自出马），估计会在明年中推出，期待啊！

另外，本周五（6月20日）的“吉”兴造音会为大家重点介绍MONO，想要透过国营电台体验他们的轰炸力和能量的朋友，记得按时收听，时间是晚上10时至12时，频道FM89.3。

Death Cab For Cutie前来东南亚巡演的传闻终于有下闻，但很遗憾的是，目前所收到的消息是这支源自西雅图的乐队只会在新加坡公演一场，据说是因为邻国的主办商开出高价，想要垄断市场，也有传闻说乐队可能在年底再安排另一趟亚洲巡演，届时将会到更多不同的城市演出，当然以上皆属传闻，可信度有多高，则不得而知。

新加坡的演出将在8月12日于Esplanade的演奏厅举行，票价是S$68，S$88，S$108，$128和S$148，想获得进一步的消息可在6月27日游览SISTIC网站。

在独立音乐投奔群众怀抱的年代，有这么一小部分人，因为逆反心理作祟而坚持远离大众，用本能去探索声音的可能性。The International Noise Conference (国际噪音会议)的宣言是：- 演出时间不超过15分钟，禁止使用“笔记本”和“混音机”等器材，禁止使用“回授”（Feedback/Droning)等手法，如此看来，剩下的只有人声和身体，还有所谓的感觉 。。。

来自邻国印尼的一支经典乐队，活跃于60年代，看到他们的现场演出视频，只有两个反应，先是目瞪口呆，再来就是无法克制的笑到前仰后合。

英文报The Star在今天刊登的报导，字里行间给予了MONO极高的评价和赞誉。

另外，在本月的14号THE STAR的全新网络电视节目Quarter Inch也将会介绍有关MONO演出的讯息，敬请留意。