Malice Mizer
Quarter Maze 3, April 1993

Please introduce yourselves.

Tetsu on vocals.
Kozi on Guitar.
Mana on Guitar.
Yu-ki on bass.

How was the band formed?

M: Around August of 92' we two guitarists formed it.
T: Then we all came together and performed our first live on 31.10, and now here we are.

The drummer is a support member right?

T: On 15.3 our drummer....(retired), right now we've accepted a support member.
M: A support member named Ukyou.

What kind of sound are you releasing recently?

M: On 24.2.92, we participated in the omnibus “Brain Trash” released through BMG Victor with 1 song, “Speed of Desperate”. After, we did a free distribution of our 3.5 song tape “Sans Logique” at the 31.10 live.
T: Lyrics aren't included. It's just a kind of self introduction.
M It's currently unavailable. After that....
T: We might also hand out the one song tape we handed out in Osaka, “I know the reason for her sadness”, in Tokyo too. That has a proper song on it...

What is the origin of the band's name?

M: I like the image of Europe. I wanted to associate that kind of image with the band name, and as I was looking at pictures of European scenery and thinking to myself, the name Malice Mizer just popped into my head...I thought, “This is it!!” and used it.

And the meaning?

T: It's a divine revelation. That this band name came to be is also a revelation from God, an the meaning is “Malice and Miser” in French. God gave to us Malice and Mizery. There's also the meaning that you can see something once you've overcome that which was given (lol)

Who mainly does the composition and lyrics?

M: The two electric guitarists mainly do the compostion.
T: I do the melody line and lyrics.

How do you make them?

K: They naturally well forth.
T: God helps....(lol) They're not our songs, but God's. But being though of as that kind of band is bad (lol). There's not really any religious nuance in the lyrics. So, first I receive the original compostion from the two of them in a fairly boiled down state, and then we all listen to it together and boil it down even further.
K: Yup, we boil it down until the veggies disappear!
T: Skim off the scum (lol).
K: Add a tomato and it's good as gold! (lol)
T: If you rub in an apple then, the curry's even better (lol)
K: Mmmm, curry...(lol)

Lol. What do you want to express with your sound?

M: We want to reawaken the sadness that lurks in the depths of humans with this “mummy sound”, and lead those people to sadness.
T: We want to make them cry.
M: We want you to listen to our music in your rooms and cry sadly.

Individually, what is the thing that you want kept in mind after hitting play?

T: I'm the one writing the lyrics, so I'm the one who can convey what I want to the easiest! So I want to put a whole lot of emotion into the words, and I endeavor to leave their impression in the listener's chest word by word. The words, lyrics are important to me, and after just how much of that I can express myself is the current issue - I'm trying hard (lol)
K: During lives I lose all sense of consciousness. During the live I'm being manipulated by God too, so when I'm playing I'm not conscious either, and in the instant the live ends I'm like, “Du`her...?” lol
T: Oh, (kami ga) kiteta ze! (lol)
K: That's what it feels like. So I leave it to God (lol)
Y: Not to mess up. Every time I mess up (lol). This point, every time.
M; What we're endeavoring for? Feeling Gushing Guitarists!! Nah, lies (all laugh)
T: Woah~kinda guys (lol)
M: Cold at a glance, on fire on the inside.

Do you have any pickiness on the visual side?

T: I don't really, it's like isn't this good enough? I really should pay more attention to it but...for fixations I think Mana's got it real bad.
M: I haven't got a fixation at all...
All: burst out laughing
M: I really want to do blue jeans and T-shirts, no makeup, but the other members wouldn't forgive me, so there's nothing left but to wear this stuff.
T: That's terrible...(lol). But I guess to match with the songs it's necessary. I think we've given them a European sound, so we need something that will go with that. I'm pretty rough, but if I can have a classy feeling...
Y: I want to be as individualistic as possible, but in the end there's a limit to what can be done with clothing and makeup...In the end, that's a concern of mine right now.
T: When I wake up it's like I'm in a mailbox. “Today I'll wear this!” lol
T&K: IT IS GOD'S WILL! (lol)

And the issue from hereon?

T: Expressiveness at lives. Also, we've got to become better, and to increase the number of songs we have.
M: Let's be serious! With the sound that we play, to convey sadness to as many people as possible.
T: All sorts of people, with that sound....
M: WE WILL MOVE YOU WITH OUR SOUND.
T: Like Singing live savages, drunken dancing! (lol)

What is your ideal as Malice Mizer?

M: To produce a sound that will move anyone.
K: And wait for the day we will become Gods!! (lol)

Next, it's about the fans, but who is your audience?

T: There are a heck of a lot of young people aren't there?
M: Personally, I'd like everyone from kindergarteners to grandmas to listen to our music.
K: Boys and girls of all ages!
M: Our sound is not limited by age, and anyone from children to older people can be moved by it; that's the kind of sound we're aiming for, and the kind of people we want to come to our lives.

Well then, what is something you ask from your fans?

M: Listen to our music! Come back to this stimulating sound (lol)
T: I think we'll start changing a lot over time, so we'd like you to come to our lives without getting bored.
M: Girls please listen to it with your whole body. Boys, first come to our lives and listen to our music. Then copy it from ear!
K: Don't look at our fingers during the live I guess. Don't copy it from your eyes (lol)
T: From ear....Well, here, we were Rock Kids after all (lol). It would be good if guys came. I'd like if you valued us more on our sound than our looks.
M: And then create a copy band.
T: This time when we went to Osaka, there was something on the questionaire like “I will do a band like Malice Mizer” wasn't there (lol)

Something you want the fans to stop doing?

Y: Crushing our bonding!
T: Ah, it looks like there are cliques.
M: Everyone please get along.
T: Please don't take photos. If you take photos it's over after all.

Well then, changing the topic, what do you do on your days off?

T: I do the stuff any normal person would. I watch TV, eat, and other than that think about the band, and write lyrics.
K: I listen to prophecies.
T: When I went to his place before I was like, “Wait a minute, be quiet! Shhh!” and he was like, “Hahaha, gotcha” (lol)
K: Normally on off days I practice zen meditation.
T: If you practice meditation aren't you a Buddah? (lol)
K: I make sure to face straight towards the Mecca (lol)
T: That's a Buddah (lol) It's not a God!!

How about you, Yu-ki?

Y: I mostly sleep. There are times when I don't even know what day it is. I've thought I only slept one hour, but then it turns out it was the next day (lol) After I wake up I don't watch TV or anything, I just loll around.
M: I watch things like NHK's “World Trip”, things were there isn't really content, but there is scenery and BGM, collect various pictures of Europe, and while looking at the scenery I think of the image for our music. After that I play the piano (really though I can't play it lol), test various instruments, and search for the sound that I like. Italian horror films are very different from American ones, and there's something about the image...it matches well with my image. I guess I put an image to the songs while watching that.

Hobbies or things that interest you?

T: I don't have any hobbies. As for interests, myself from hereon. I am interested in what I will become.
M: I'm researching curry.

Is that a hobby? (lol)

K: It's true! Really truly true!! (lol)
T: I'd livedin Osaka before. And when we went to Osaka I brought him to a curry restaurant and he was like, “This place is really good.” (lol)
M: I can tell 30 different spices apart by smell (lol) And I am researching what kind of taste you can make with each of those spices. If I have the free time I'd like to mix my own spice and open a curry shop. I swear this is true (lol)
Y: Interest? Reading manga.
K: He reads manga and always laughs.
Y: I read manga and laugh all by myself (lol)
K: I've got no hobbies.

Is there a popular fun activity in the band?

T: I really have no hobbies, so I'm not into anything. When I go drinking I get riled up, but drinking is only me and Kozi so...
Y: There's “Monomonomono”.
T: Ah, the one that's published in JUMP! They say stuff like, “Ukyouuu” - there's a manga like that and it's pretty in (lol)

Well then, your weak points and strong points?

M: My weak point is that it takes me a while to compose a song. For my strong point, I'm docile.
T: Mana has a weak point! He never stops at the stop line. He always stops right in the middle of the pedestrian crossing (lol)
Y: My weak point is that when I brood, I do it endlessly, like I get mired down. My strong point is that in the end, I'm always composed, and perhaps I'm not thinking anything (lol). But I think it's more on the composed side. So I'm just chilling (lol)
T: Isn't it just that you're not listening? (lol) We'll all be talking together and I'll wonder if he's really listening, and if he'll pull everything together for us, but when I ask, “What do you think, Yu-ki?” he'll be like, “Huh?” and it turns out he wasn't listening at all (lol)
K: My strong point is that I don't think too hard about much of anything. If something bad happens I forget about it! Though I wonder if that's a strong point? My weak point is that I get lazy.

T: My weak point is that I talk to much – too noisy. But I think that can also cause some good times to, can't it? That's a strong point.

Have there been any major events recenty?

T: There was the leaning out of the window incident in Osaka but...(lol).

Was that in an equipment car?

T: No, a Benz.
K: A 560SEL (lol)
T: The support member Ukyou was like 'ukyouuu' and dashed all over this southern town in Osaka (lol)
K: It was a huge event (lol)
T: It really was a huge event! Lot of laughs (lol)

What makes you stand out from all the members?

T: Of all the members I'm the most frail, and my physical heath is good 1 or 2 days out of the year.
Y: I'm the strongest of the members. Just call me the officer of luggage carrying (lol)
K: Of all the members I'm the most perverse. The angle is warped. But the tip after being warped is dry. And what in the world am I saying (lol)
M: Well, I'm the most knowledgeable about horror films. A regular collector (lol)
K: You do have a lot of films. About on par with a video rental store (lol)

Well then, about your upcoming development as Malice Mizer.

T: We haven't chosen a drummer yet, but we'll let everyone know as soon as we do. We'll especially be sure to tell the fans.
K: Once we decide on the drummer we'll do it forcefully. We're aiming for a oneman this year!!
T: At any rate, in March and April we did 10 lives, and from about June onward we want to take our time with about 2 or 3 a month.
K: We'll polish over various things during that time.

And as for a tour?

T: This summer we'd like to do one to Osaka, Nagoya...even up to Touhoku if we can.

Lastly, a message to the fans please.

M; We're working through sound, so please listen to that music with your entire body.
Y: Please come to our lives.
T: Listen to the beautiful, sad Malice sound!
K: Each extra large portions at Yoshinoya!
T&K: Tres bien!