MiA for SHOXX vol 258
Interview: NAOKO TAKEICHI
Translation: Myrkul
Translation: Myrkul
The things we can do now…
Even if we don’t talk about it, the feelings are the same.
May, 2014. MEJIBRAY was in the middle of their 3 years anniversary one-man tour through 7 capital cities. We were deeply moved by our 3rd anniversary, looking forward to the tour Finale at Zepp Divercity Tokyo, a livehouse where we had always wanted to perform at. This is when suddenly, Meto had an accident. All performances from Hiroshima onwards then had to be postponed, as well as the Live at Zepp Divercity Tokyo, the livehouse with the highest capacity we ever performed at.
So what are our feelings now?
MiA talked with us about the current situation and mood.
*
MiA: First of all, to everyone we caused trouble for renting the livehouses and to everyone we made worry, we are truly sorry. We really didn’t intend causing you troubles. And we are feeling genuinely apologetic for the people who planned on attending our Lives before the schedule got changed. I am sure, amongst you were people who came by train or even by plane just for our performance, or people who were looking forward seeing MEJIBRAY for the very first time. And there are surely also people who now can’t attend these Lives anymore due to the changed schedule… Therefore, we are deeply sorry. And you also worry so much about Meto’s condition… We are so sorry for causing you trouble.
— First of all, because your fans are really worried about him, could you tell us about Meto’s current condition?
Yes. Including myself, the members haven’t seen Meto yet since his accident (※ this interview has been recorded directly after the accident in mid-May). But our office president has met Meto, and he told us that Meto has suffered severe bone fractures, but he will most likely fully recover.
— So you couldn’t meet him yet.
Right. When we heard about his accident, it was at the day of our Live performance around 8 o’clock in the morning. Anyways, he was quite lucky under the circumstances. What a relief. If he had hit the ground differently, he might have died, so I am really thankful for his luck. Still, I started to worry about the side-effects he might have and Meto’s feelings and mental state as time passed… Then, around 9 o’clock, we were informed that the Live had to be cancelled. My worries about Meto were unbearably strong, but I felt, that we had to think about our fans who came to the Live that day and take care of as many things as possible. It was all very chaotic, and also was Meto confied to rest completely, so we had no chance to meet him personally yet. And because we had to move to the next place immediately, Meto was sent to the hospital in Hiroshima, while we were facing Fukuoka. We really wanted to see him soon because we were so worried, but we thought that even if the three of us went there now, Meto would only blame himself… “Anyways, now--[…]” [Scan misses a sentence.] […] So our office president helped us out by visiting Meto. However, we agreed that we now want to do everything in our might with all we’ve got.
— So that’s how it is… Meto must feel really responsible and overflowing with regret. Even more, people might even insult him angrily.
Possibly. But we can’t help it if people are angry since we can’t offer any solution. We are now doing anything possible as artists, not deeply thinking about any answers. Because this here isn’t the end. I’m sure that Meto is blaming himself right now. He must feel miserable, and I think he surely wants to quickly come back to the band at any rate, but in the future it would surely cause him problems if he now refrained from resting completely and overstrained himself. Therefore, I want him to think about nothing but resting for now. It’s also for the sake of the fans. Because we are firmly doing everything in our might, and also for the sake of our paitiently waiting fans, I want him to completely rest for now. And because we understand that Meto blames himself, we are doing anything we can do at the moment, postponing all our performances, but still we did acoustic Lives at Hiroshima and Fukuoka as a compensation and attended our planned in-store events with the three of us.
— You did acoustice Lives? You surely had to change the whole arrangement for performing acoustic. It must have been tough.
Yes. The moment we entered the livehouse, we started with the arrangement, uniting the three of us. I also brought no acoustic guitar, so the ESP staff, who already let us use their monitor, also lent me an acoustic guitar for the performance. While we could perform no more than three songs at Hiroshima, we played five in Fukuoka already.
— Though it was all so suddenly, you really gave your best. I’m sure, this thought also reached your fans.
That would be great.
— Earlier, when I talked to Tsuzuku, I said, “I wonder if you will be able to sing with a hoarse voice”, so he answered, “It will be alright. Because I will change my mood looking towards the future. Meto is a doll, so it is also possible for him to break at times, that’s why he was now taken to a lab for repair. When he’s fixed, he will come back to us, having Lives together again.” That’s what he said.
That’s quite like Tsuzuku. He doesn’t talk directly with the members about current or future things though.
— What? Really?
Yes. Tsuzuku and Koichi are like that. Well, we did arrange three songs for the Hiroshima acoustic Live right away, and we also did put our heads together over countless matters, but they never talked about what’s going on in their minds. But even if they don’t feel the need to talk about their thoughts, I’m sure that the feelings of us four are the same.
— So that’s your relationship, being able to work together perfectly. Being familiar with one another up to this point is really great.
There is nothing we can do about Meto’s accident, no matter what we say, so we must not waste the time that’s right in front of us. About Meto, it’s just like Tsuzuku said. He will definitely come back to us fully repaired. The road doesn’t end here. It rather starts from here. Therefore, I definitely don’t want us to waste this time. In the future, I want to tell about this time now as our turning point, where we grew the most, and so that this day will come, I want to do all I can do now, no more, no less. Our feelings are directed towards the performance at Zepp Divercity Tokyo together with Meto, and though we may be feeling frustrated, we want to keep our fan’s feelings in mind above all our frustration and repay them when we are able to perform as a band again. Now more than ever, I want to repay the expectations. I want to make music even beyond everyone’s expectations. And though Meto isn’t in the state for playing the drums right now, it seems like he will be able to use his hands again and make music, and you could say that he devoted himself to making music, that’s why I think we will concentrate on making music as soon as all of us are capable of playing again. Because we have plenty of time, you know? We only have to make the songs for next year which we already thought about.
— Around what time will the band be able to play again together? Are there any expectations?
The plan is to make up for the postponed Lives around September. It is also already planned to perform at Zepp Divercity Tokyo on September 25th. I definitely want us to be even better then in return for these circumstances. I want to be standing on stage properly again, and more than ever I want to meet the fans again as MEJIBRAY. And I don’t want you to think of us as pitiful or pathetic. We are the type that becomes stronger with every hit, that’s why we will definitely change for the better with this trial.
— These words are really typical for MiA, aren’t they?
Yes. Or better, because there is nothing we can do in times like this, it might on the contrary be a chance even. And on the contrary, it is fine for bands who are seeing MEJIBRAY as a rival, to think of our current situation as their chance. I think, it is even alright if there are people getting to know about MEJIBRAY out of this situation, or rubberneckish people reading this conversation here just out of curiosity. Because even if that happens, it will only make us stronger. Or, it will even become our driving force. We won’t lose to this situation, we don’t even know what losing means. Therefore, I want you to believe in us and wait for us. We will definitely show to you an even stronger MEJIBRAY than before. And in a few years, it might even have turned into a funny story. And lastly, one more thing. I am really sorry for making you worry. Meto will be fine, so please rest assured. And because we will keep carrying MEJIBRAY with good faith and will make it grow even stronger, please wait for us. Also, please stick with us. We are truly sorry that we made you worry.