Interview with Moi Dix Mois

Moi dix Mois
Interview on 28 of March, 2005

It was 17:30 when the journalists took their places at the conference room in La Locomotive. In the background we could hear the staff making the final preparations for the upcoming concert. Midi:nette had put up a few posters of Moi dix Mois on the wall. After a while, the five members came in and took their seats in front of us, as elegant as we could imagine.
The staff then told us that we only had 30 minutes for the interview. First, the band introduced each member (from right to left): K - guitarist, Kazuno - Bassist, Juka - Vocal, Mana - guitarist and Tohru - drummer. Then it was the turn of the journalists to introduce themselves, and finally the conference could start.

You were playing at a live in Germany last Saturday (March the 26th), What did you think about the German audience’s welcome?

Juka: It was very heartwarming.
Kazuno: It was hard to hold through all of the live but they (the audience) still wanted more!
K: I'm really happy because we had a very warm welcome. That was a very good experience.
Tohru: I thought that it was very warm too. I was glad to perform at this live in Germany. Besides, a long time before the live I was already feeling something. My heart was beating very fast! *laugh*

Mana-sama, how would you describe the Visual Kei style?

Mana: I think that this visual, this sinister visual, shows the beauty and mystery of this world. The creation of my own clothes brand has the same aim: Beauty. [Moi-Même-Moitié].

While talking about the shop. You told us lately about selling your brand [Moi-Même-Moitié] in Europe. Is it still relevant today?

Mana: It’s still in the working phase. I'm looking for a partner in Europe for this. When that happens, then I would love to make this project happen.

What are the big differences between European and Japanese concerts?

Juka: For us it's the same, except for the audience. European people are more expressive. They have more reactions ...obviously. That's what gave me more energy and then I could give all of myself.
Kazuno: We had many concerts in Japan. But the idea to come here in Europe for a live is very important. Many people were waiting for that and we felt it... Finally, it was possible to make a concert here.
K: This is our first live in Europe. Firstly I worried about the reaction of the audience but as we started to play, all language barriers were broken, thanks to the music.
Tohru: I've grown up listening to Western music so now I am the foreigner, who people look and listen to as I did before. People here are waiting for us. This is a very important moment in my life. It's like the opposite thing has happened to me.
Mana: Our last album, Nocturnal Opera, isn't on the market in Europe. But seeing the direct reactions on these titles, I think that we could perhaps distribute my latest album here and perhaps in a special limited version.

About people already knowing the songs and the lyrics; don't you think it's because they download it on internet since your last album isn't on sale in Europe yet? Do you think they will buy this version?

[Pause, Mana asks the translator to rephrase the sentence]

Mana: First, there isn't only the music. There is also the visual side, our universe. It’s really sad if they only like the music. If you for example, look at the CD's picture you share this universe that you just can't download. I wish that people could love our entire universe.

At the moment, there aren’t any PVs (Promotion Video/Music Video) for Moi dix Mois’ songs. Do you think you will make one in the future?

Mana: We’re working on making a DVD of the European lives (Munich and Paris) where they will have sequences of each lives.
[The translator said that they will have videos and pictures of Mana]

Which bands have influenced the band?

Juka: In my childhood, I was already singing. I liked the Enka [Japanese popular traditional music]. My really first contact with music was with TV. Then, I've naturally started to listen to other music.
Kazuno: I was listening to many Japanese bands but I was already interested in Visual Kei for a long time.
K: I listen to 70's music like Jimmy Hendrix, a lot of Heavy Metal (K talk about bands like Manson, Led Zeppelin, Slipknot, Korn etc.)
Tohru: I prefer the end of 80's, the beginning of the 90's and a lot of Heavy Metal too (Slash, Slayer, Metallica etc). I was interested not only in the music, but in the visual side too. It started like this.
Mana: I started with Bach and some harpsichord [The translator explains to us that it's an instrument for the baroque period]. I like "French pop" with their whispering. That was an unknown style and I wasn't used to that. I was influenced by horror films too. I like them a lot. Both the music and the visual side of it.



Set List:
1. The Prophet
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2. front et baiser
3. MAD INGRAIN
4. Night breed
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5. unmoved
6. Pessimiste
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7. Vestige
8. Invite to Immortality Nocturnal romance
9. Perish
10. Mephisto waltz
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11. Dialogue Symphonie
12. Vizard
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13. Ange
14. forbidden
15. La dix croix
----------------------------- (Encore)------------------------
16. Shadow temple
17. monophobia
18. Pageant