MAX
At AnimeFest 2004, Music Editor Daniel Womack along with the DVJ
staff conducted an interview with Nana, Reina, Lina, and Aki, the
four members of super J-Pop group MAX.
In an exclusive interview, the members of MAX talk about their
experiences in America, who their influences are, and why family plays
a big part in their success. They
were also kind enough to give our mascot an official name.
The interview was conducted on Sunday, 5 September at the Hyatt
Regency in Dallas, Texas.
Special thanks to Jonathan Nawrocki, Chris Simonds, Day
Acuna, and all the staff at AnimeFest 2004 for all their help to
make this interview possible.
Very special thanks to Jesse Oba of AVEX for the use of the
pictures and for setting up the interview.
DVJ:
As part of DVD Vision Japan we really appreciate you taking your
time to sit down and allowing us ask you some questions.
MAX: You’re welcome!
DVJ:
What were your expectations and feelings going into your US
debut performance?
MAX: This is actually our first live performance in
America. And we were looking forward to it very very much. We felt
that this is a fantastic chance or opportunity to convey the fun and
energy in MAX’s live performance to the American people. And at
the same time we were a bit nervously excited about it.
DVJ: What was your
impression of the performance and was performing here different than
in Japan?
MAX: This was our first time to perform live in Dallas,
and we feel very glad that everyone welcomed us with warm hearts and
open arms. We felt that it was a very fulfilling live event for us.
We hope it was fulfilling for you as well. So, being at AnimeFest it
was also very interesting to see everyone so uniquely dressed up in
different make-up and costumes when we were looking at them from the
stage. It was a very exciting and nice experience for us. Probably
the thing we’re going to take back and remember most from this
performance is just the fact that we were able to perform together
for the first time in this location, and establish a nice rapport
between the audience and ourselves and we feel that sharing and
enjoying in the music was probably our most important and best
feeling.
DVJ:
Who are your influences and some of your current favorite
musicians?
Aki – Christina Aguilera. Because she has a very
powerful singing voice and I love that about her.
Reina – Probably Koumoto Hiroto from the Blue Hearts,
his voice is incredibly powerful and sexy and always energetic. Also
Pink and Jet and Red Hot Chili Peppers – that kind of rock ’n’
roll music is some of my favorites.
Nana – Janet Jackson, when I was listening to Japanese
music a friend of mine showed me a video of Janet and ever since
then I watched her dance in her performance and I was moved by it.
Lina – Jennifer Lopez
DVJ: Your 1st
single was released in August of 1995. What do you feel is the
reason for your long and successful career?
MAX: We
debuted over 9 years ago and although that’s been a long time it
really has gone by right before our eyes so quickly. It’s kind of
amazing now that we count ourselves nine years - wow! A lot of
things have happened over those nine years but I think one of the
reasons that we’ve been able to stay together and be so successful
is that all four of us share the same dreams, visions, and values
and being together has helped make us the number one group. That’s
what we think.
DVJ:
Any special message for your US fans?
MAX: Hopefully,
someday soon we’re going be able to come back to America and also
do another live event. We’re
going to work hard toward that goal and so when that time comes we
gracious invite you to come and join our performance. Thank you very
much.
DVJ:
You [all] have done recordings that have been featured in movies,
commercials, and television. Have you ever had the opportunity to do an animation theme?
Lina: Actually our song “Feel so Right” was used as
the ending song for “Capitan Tsubasa J” which is a soccer anime.
DVJ: Were there other series would you like to do if you
had the chance?
MAX: It would maybe way before our time but you know we
are fans of “Urusei Yatsura” from “Rumiko Takahashi” so I
don’t know, so maybe one of our songs would have been nice for
that.
Nana: “Sailor Moon”
Reina: “Cats Eye.”
DVJ: Every one of your songs has it's own dance routine.
How do you create these wonderful moves?
Lina: Typically
what we will do is record a song, and then we will exchange ideas
amongst ourselves. Then we will involve a choreographer to help us
start things off. Then we will have yet another exchange of ideas
with the choreographer to add our input to kind of craft the
performance in that fashion.
DVJ: What emotion do you like to convey in your dancing?
Reina: It actually varies of course depending on our
songs. Maybe we will
have a very sexy song we will want to have a very sexy dancing
involved with that. Maybe will have a very powerful song so we will
want to have energetic dancing in there.
So we really hope to match the dance in our performance to
our music so it comes across as one piece.
DVJ:
MAX’s style has changed very much from the first album
“Maximum” to the new CD’s singles like “Love Screw.” How has it changed most for you?
Lina: So when “Maximum” came out it was really kind of
adjusted to the “Eurobeat” tracks and everything was kinda
conforming to the “Eurobeat” sound. [With] the next two or three
albums we were exploring more and trying to accept influence from
others and create our sound as well and as we have progress we feel
we have been able to create more of our one unique style.
DVJ: If you had the opportunity to perform with anyone who
would it be and why?
Aki: For me personally, I am a huge fan of “Christina
Aguilera.” So if she
got the opportunity to sing and perform with her it would be like a
dream come true.
Lina: “Jennifer Lopez.
Getting the Latin beat together and dance together with
Jennifer Lopez.
Reina: They are no longer together but Destiny Child is
the band. We have actually have gone to see some of their live
performance and have noticed all the similarities in [our] own
performance with Destiny’s Child.
So if we had the chance to perform again with them, [I] think
it would be pretty unique.
Nana: For [me] it would be Madonna from the 1980’s, to
able to return to that era and perform together with her.
DVJ:
What is the one thing you would love to be remembered for in you
musical career?
Reina: It is a really difficult question to answer, but I
would hope that people can remember us for being incredibly
energetic and bestowing a lot of that energy and happiness to our
fans regardless of how they feel or we feel.
That we are always viewed as people that are as happy, as
energetic and exciting as can be.
To be remembered as an energetic and exciting and happy
performer and as a group.
DVJ: What does your family think of having such famous
family member?
Aki: Every time that I come on the TV and my father sees
me he becomes overwhelmed with emotion and really can’t sit and
watch it. So [I] will
send him the promotional videos and stuff and he will watch it on
his own. He is very
proud.
Lina: My family really supports me, but at the same time
my mother will often caution me and give me advice when I am on TV,
she worries a lot about me she very concerned about my well being.
Actually my younger brother is kind of going through his teenage
years right now. So he is at a stage although he loves his famous
sister very much, he doesn’t necessarily want to be seen with me.
It could be things where maybe the pressures or troubles of
the world for being a family member of a famous person will fall
upon him. But they are
very supportive.
Reina: My family is also incredibly supportive of me, but
there is sometimes a strain because they still live in Okinawa and I
am in Tokyo, so there is a big distance gap there.
I will often hear “Leave this to you” and things like
that and it makes things kind of difficult.
And then I have younger siblings as well and whenever we get
together they always enjoy being with me and want to spend time
together.
Nana:
Very much like Reina, the distance is there between Okinawa and
Tokyo and that came up very early when we were young.
So we have been living apart for a long time.
So they also although they are very supportive they are
probably my number one fan, they constantly will call me and say
when is your next performance, when is your next CD coming out so
they are very not only supportive but they are inquisitive and
active as fans.
DVJ: You mentioned “Ride on Time” as one of your
favorite dance routine at this time.
Why is it your favorite right now?
MAX: So actually we rearranged [the dance moves] for this
song, the choreography. The
way it [all] works together makes us even feel good while we
sing. So it is a combination of the moves and the music
together at that moment it brings a lot of joy to us.
It is just a great combination.
Also a lot of our Japanese fans have pretty much memorized
the choreography for “Ride on Time” and so when we are doing it
they will be doing it together.
[EDITORS NOTE: Lots
of laughter by MAX, due to the fact both Music Editor Dan Womack and
Editor-In-Chief Matt Anderson raised their hands to admit to having
memorized the moves for this song.]
DVJ: Do you have traditions that you do before a live
performance and why?
Lina: So one of the things that is very important to us is
synchronizing all of our feelings and emotions together and so right
before a performance we will all give each other hug’s
individually and as a group to bring us together on the same page.
DVJ: I have one last question. What is the coolest thing that has happened while you have
been in the United States?
Reina: So probably when we were in New York, we did a
performance of just three songs it was very short but we were able
to work with dancers in America and kind of arrange everything and
make the performance. We feel that was our first step towards being
able to perform a longer set like we did last night in Dallas and
that was a very wonderful thing.
DVJ: That was the last of my questions but we do have some
gifts for MAX. These
are official DVD Vision Japan shirts.
EDITORS NOTE: At this time Music Editor Daniel Womack
along with Editor In Chief Matthew Anderson handed out the shirts to
Aki, Lina, Reina and Nana. The very excited group all talked
at once.
MAX: Thank you
MAX: Very cute!!!
MAX: Ahh, so big!
MAX: Amazing!!!!!
MAX: Does she have a name?
DVJ: Would you like to name her?
MAX: Is she supposed to be a Japanese person?
DVJ: She is Samurai Office Lady!
MAX: We like the name “Sakura”
DVJ: Then that is what she shall be named.
Aki: I like “Yamato Nadesico” but that is just too
long.
MAX: [all together] Thank you!
Many
thanks to the members of the Musical Active eXperience [MAX]: (l to r)
Aki, Reina, Nana, and Lina) for a wonderful concert, and for taking
time out of their busy schedule to talk to us. Also, thank you
so very much for giving our mascot "Sakura" a proper
name! We hope you come back real soon.
