With their pace and originality that can never be crossed over in one step, MAX have a one and only strength of presence. I asked them about their new song, for which we are anticipating a performance sharpened by the half year long tour that they've just completed.
So you ended up spending 3 days at the Budokan, the place where you left behind your
half year long tour.
MINA: It went so quickly!
REINA: Before we knew it, we were at the final!
NANA: At about the 5th or 10th , when we said 'We got about 40 more to go.', and I
thought 'This is so long!'(laugh) But after a while, it just sped by.
This was your first time doing such a long tour. Didn't you ever just want to get to the conclusion?
M: No.We changed the menu in the middle. If we'd done the exact same thing for the last
53 there might have been waves, though.
Speaking of with, you changed your outfits as well half way though to almost completely
new ones. Did that have a good effect?
LINA: Yes. When we changed our outfits, it was like we were doing a different stage,
and we changing some of the songs also gave birth to a new nervousness as well.
Individually, did you give yourselves a change of pace and mood?
L: I swam in the hotel pools, and went to the sauna and stuff. It felt really good, and I was
able to relax a little, doing the same things I did in Tokyo at our destination.
R: We all had alot of time to relax this year. We didn't have such a method like last
year, where we felt 'Let's end it with every concert!' I went to the hot springs in
Hokkaido, and took a bath with bath salts, and stuff.
N: I went to the movies. Because my head was full of thoughts about our concerts, the
best way to escape to a completely different world was through the movies. And since
the movies were empty, unlike in Tokyo, I could feel at ease. (laugh)
M: I just idled around. I read manga or watched TV in my hotel room. I think I created
some time when I couldn't think (about the concerts). But then when I woke up I'd revert
back sharply 'Today we have a concert!'
L:We all spent free time and off days freely. And if we wanted to be together, we'd all go
shopping or something.
Very adult. By the way, what do you think was the best thing you've gotten from this
tour?
R: I feel like I've gained the knoledge 'The are so many different people watching over
us warmly. And the feelings that in regards to that power, we want to give them, to send
them all something bigger.
L: Everyone's love. Even in places where it was our first time there, they really
welcomed us. And when the concert was over, they said 'Come again!' and 'Thank you!'
Those words made me really happy.
And you've released 'Ginga no Chikai', your first new song after the tour's end. It goes
an unexpected route, doesn't it? With a digital beta and a guitar sound.
MAX: That's right. We think that in an unexpected amount.
M: Because this is our first song of this type. In regards to the song, and the lyrics, when
we first heard it, we were really suprised.
How did you react to the image, at first?
N: Well, like the world trip of the lyrics, we felt we couldn't quite catch it. (laugh)
R: When they gave it to us, the impression it gave us was 'This isn't MAX-like.', and
thought 'If we don't try and sing it, the image won't come forth.'But when we heard it
finshed with our four voice together, we thought 'Oh, it's MAX.'
But that's good. Because rather than changing for the song, you brought the song towards
MAX.
N: We've continued to break new ground like that this year. Rather than 'MAX-like'
songs, we've had songs where we had to think 'How do we, MAX, make this song our own?'This
song was also that kind of challenge
.
R: This song had alot of personality, so we tried to make the dance something that
betrayed everyone's image abit.
Was it abit of a struggle? Deciding how to present it?
M: yeah. It was a struggle. Seriously. (laugh)
And the lyrics are abstract, and have alot of images.
L: It has a great scale, so we wondered how to transmit that best...Because it's a world
that your own imagination can widen alot. Singing, it's like we can take you away
somewhere. (laugh)
N: It has a 'wide, far off' image to it, but we want to do it with warmth.
Well, your last song was a sad love song, and Lina-san said then 'I don't want a love
from the past, I want to go forward!' It looks like your wish has been granted. Because
this is a love song about love that's currently advancing.
L: Well, I want to go on ahead alittle more. (laugh). This is just the halfway point. I think
that good things will happen if we can advace alittle more. I want to reach there by the
end of the year....Hee hee...
Where will you debut this song for everyone?
R: Maybe at the Chiba Marine Live. It's so large and wide there, it seems like it would
work really well there.
N: Lastly, let's fly. (laugh)
Well then, I won't be able to miss the Marine live.
M:It's such a short time, but we keep saying 'We want to do this' and 'We want to do
that'. (laugh)
N:We want to keep the flow going, but we also want to do alot of different things. (laugh)
Well, please do this and that. We'll give you a huge welcome. (laugh)
The loop of dry touch beat carves a definate rhythm, while the groan of the dramatic and hard guitar seems to reciprocate it. With it's digital beat and guitar sound, it is MAX's first dance tune which approache rock (although it is not 'digital rock'). Nevertheless, since it's MAX, in it's final form, it is a dance tune, but without a doubt, the main shaft of this song is the vocals. The imaginative lyrics, which are more like an image film than a movie have an unending feeling of scale. What takes you to the depths of this scaled and unlevel world is the profound vocals. The vocals, not split into main and sub, but into group, twin and solo are a technique that are a big hook with this song, giving it a three dimentional quality. Truely, MAX, who are incredibly cool when they sing rock, have made a unique number.