JaME had the opportunity for a quick interview with Japanese-Canadian hybrid band MONKEY MAJIK before their North American tour with the Yoshida Brothers.
MONKEY MAJIK has established itself as a band able to effortlessly blur the lines between distinct genres and cultures in their music. They recently completed a successful co-headline tour with the Tsugaru-Shamisen duo, the Yoshida Brothers, that took them to Toronto, Ottawa—the home-town of vocalists/guitarists Maynard and Blaise Plant—and New York City.
In a quick interview just before the tour, we were able to get their thoughts on the city of Ottawa, working with the Yoshida Brothers and more.
MONKEY MAJIK’s sound incorporates a lot of different genres and seems to change a lot from song to song. How would you describe it to someone unfamiliar with your music?
Maynard: We have been called a hybrid band since we first began. I guess you can say it stands out in our songs as well. From Broadway, to indie rock, to rock 'n' roll and soul, we all grew up inspired by many different artists. Mixing all the genres together seems to “magically” work somehow. I've never really enjoyed an album where all the songs were one genre.
You have toured the US and Canada before in the past. Have you noticed any differences between how fans in North America and Japan react to your music?
Maynard: The screams are always changing, but the feeling is always the same.
I think our fans support the idea that our music is not directed towards a specific issue, or a current topic in the news, but more about looking in the mirror and recognizing the power within.
Maynard and Blaise, is there anything that you miss about Canada since moving to Japan?
Blaise: I travel back often enough not to miss much, but I would love to spend more time with my family.
If you were showing someone around the city of Ottawa for the first time, what would you want them to see?
Maynard: I would love to introduce someone to the cold weather in the winter just to see how they react. Poutine is my favorite, so that's obvious. Eating beaver tails...that's always a good reaction. “You eat beavers?” I really enjoy Ottawa in the winter. There’s so much going on, and I wish more people knew about it.
You recently became 'Ambassadors of Kizuna' between Japan and Canada. What were the highlights of that experience for you?
Maynard: Getting a broader perspective of Canada’s strong relations with Japan. Meeting new people from across the world.
You are touring with the Yoshida Brothers, who you collaborated with on the song, Change. How did that come about? Were you approached about working with them, or was it your idea?
Maynard: During that time we were working on a collaboration project with a few other artists before the release of Sora wa maru de, and I had brought up the idea to the band members of trying to get the Yoshida Brothers’ sound into one of our songs. We knew that they were so busy, probably touring the world, that they wouldn't have the schedule to work with us. To our surprise, they had a few days off, we met in Tokyo, and recorded in the studio before they went off on tour. It was one of the best recording sessions we ever had.
Also, was it difficult to integrate the sound of the shamisen into your music?
Maynard: Not at all, I remember before we met the Yoshida Brothers, I had recorded my voice poorly mimicking the sound of a shamisen.
Finally, do you have a message for your overseas fans?
Maynard: It will be a pretty amazing show! If you have time, come on down and join our party! See you soon!
Thank you to MONKEY MAJIK and Domo Music Group for making this interview possible.
