Interview with MAN WITH A MISSION

After two years of musical activities, rock band MAN WITH A MISSION will perform abroad for the very first time in July at the Japan Expo in France. Through an interview with the band's vocalist and guitarist Jean-ken Johnny, JaME finds out how the band members feel about performing at the Japan Expo, as well as the unique backstory of these five men in wolf masks.


Please introduce yourselves.

Jean-ken Johnny: Hello everyone. We are MAN WITH A MISSION, a rock band from Japan. Head of a wolf and the body of a human being, artificially made android created by a mad scientist a long time ago. Believe it or not, what you see is what we are.

How did the band form? How did you meet one another?

Jean-ken Johnny: We were raised, no, actually we were made in the same laboratory. At first we were not made for playing instruments. A notorious professor made us for many evil deeds in the past. For what we have done and for many reasons we were iced in the South Pole. As we were iced we still were able to hear the music throughout the world, notice the beauty and the power which it has. We then promised our hearts that if we could get out of here one day, we would choose to create music, the one thing that moved our souls during those cold and hollow days. And now, here we are.

How did you choose the name MAN WITH A MISSION? Is there a special meaning behind it?

Jean-ken Johnny: The professor who made us named us. As he is not alive today, no one can know what the true meaning could be. But I believe that we, me and you, are all men with a mission. We all have something to do with our life and many people say we were born for that. Our band name might have something to do with that.

Could you explain the band’s concept?

Jean-ken Johnny: We intend to express all kinds of emotions, views, ideologies throughout this world and what we think and feel about it as well through our music. The most important concept, I believe, is to sympathize and share that feeling with all the people who listen to our music.

What is your "mission"?

Jean-ken Johnny: To tell you the truth, I’m afraid telling you the real mission of our band might get you in trouble, as I explained that we were implicated in many plots in history. Sorry, but I don’t want you to get hurt. No bad feelings.

Why does each member wear a wolf mask? From where did you get the idea to wear it? Is it more comfortable not to show your faces?

Jean-ken Johnny: We don’t understand what you're saying. We’re not "wearing" it. We’re made like this.

Where are you from? Did that place influence your music?

Jean-ken Johnny: We were made in a laboratory on an island which is not on this world anymore.

What kind of music do you make?

Jean-ken Johnny: Mixture, punk, rock, heavy alternative, dance, electro etc. We love all kinds of music and we believe that music is a free-minded culture. Therefore we ourselves make music from all kinds of elements.

If you had one song in your repertoire to counsel someone who has never heard you, what would it be?

Jean-ken Johnny: Maybe Fly Again or Don’t Lose Yourself.

You will be playing at the Japan Expo. As this is your first time abroad as a band, are you excited to be playing for an overseas audience?

Jean-ken Johnny: It’s our first time for performing in France, so we are pretty excited and really happy as well for this opportunity. Thanks for letting us play here.

Do you have any plans for when you arrive in France?

Jean-ken Johnny: Actually we might not have that much time, but Paris is one of the most beautiful cities on earth. We will probably be taking photos and movies for the band.

You’re going to release your second full album, MASH UP THE WORLD. Could you talk to us about it?

Jean-ken Johnny: It’s going to be a great album. As the title says, we intend to mash up everyone, everything in this world with the music. Full of ideas, passion, emotion, I think I like it more than the previous album we made. We hope you have time to listen to the album and have the same feelings too.

How do you proceed for writing lyrics and compose the song?

Jean-ken Johnny: I don’t know... sometimes it pops up, sometimes I lock up my room and think all day, just like everybody else. Nothing different for a wolf to make music.

About the Nevermind tribute -project. How and why did you decide to go on with the project? Did the song Lithium have any specific or deeper reason for you to cover it?

Jean-ken Johnny: Before we participated in this project, we already covered a different number from NIRVANA, Smells Like Teen Spirit. The other members as well as I love NIRVANA so taking part in the project was nothing but good and happy news for us. As we had to choose another song to cover, we chose Lithium, one of my favorite songs from NIRVANA. I actually begged and persuaded the members but as they loved the song too, it was easily decided. The number itself has a powerful libido—it rocks to the bones but at the same time it's really pop and catchy. It is a real masterpiece and it’s an honour that we covered such a song.

Can you please give a message to our readers?

Jean-ken Johnny: Bonjour everyone in France! We are MAN WITH A MISSION. It's a great pleasure for us to play in France. We know that we will defineitely have fun performing there and we hope you have fun with us too! Thank you all!