アナログ・シンセ・リヴァイヴァルの代表格として大きな注目を集めていたエメラルズの脱退・解散後、初のジャパン・ツアーでここ新潟にも訪れてくれたマーク・マグワイヤ。彼のエフェクターを駆使して幾重にもレイヤードされていくギターとエレクトロニクスというこれまでのミニマルなサウンドのイメージをある意味ひっくり返し、様々な楽器とリズムのエレメントと自身のヴォーカルをも交えた、何ともドリーミーでコズミックでエモーショナルでセンチメンタルでとにかく心が躍ってしまうくらい壮大で素晴らしいライヴ・パフォーマンスを繰り広げてくれたのでした！そんな彼に改めてジャパン・ツアーを振り返ってもらいつつ、ツアー先行で発売されたこれまた大傑作な新作アルバム『Along The Way』についてや彼の多岐に渡るプロジェクトの事まであれこれと聞いてみました！
My name is Mark McGuire. I am 26 years old and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, in America.
How was Japan Tour with Ken Seeno?
This was one of the best tours I've been on, Touring Japan is my favorite place, and Ken's music made the trip even better.
I got to see a lot of places in Japan that I had not seen before, it was incredible.
I watch the show in Niigata. It was so amazing! How was the show in Niigata?
That was truly one of the greatest nights of my life, and is what making music is all about for me.. Filled with lots of energy and lots of love.
It was very special for me to play in a temple, I am the luckiest person in the world.
Your new record titled "Along The Way" is so wonderful! How is the music made?
Thank you! This album was made using many layers of lots of different instruments, instead of just using layers of guitar like i have in the past. I spent 8 months recording the album, it was an intense and new experience.
What did you have the concept when you started to make this.
When I started recording "Along the Way", i just wanted to make something that wasn't confined to any type of music or style. I also started to develop the story of the album in my head very early, which is about personal spiritual development and attaining true knowledge in the universe.
I feel your music is so many kind of music. Do you think that you were influenced by any kind of music?
Everything I hear influences me.. I listen to all types of music, and try to listen to all sounds outside of music, and be sensitive to the sonic world that is a constant symphony.
You have so many music projects. Please introduce some projects.
Outside of my solo music, I've been in a band called Inner Tube with my friend Spencer Clark from The Skaters. It’s a really fun band where we make songs to emulate moods from surfing videos to try and create that feeling of being out and seeing life through the tube of a wave... I have a band with my friend called The Amazing Births which is like dark electronic prog psych rock kinda stuff.. I collaborate with other artists such as Trouble Books, Robert Turman and Aaron Dilloway, Matt Mondanile, working on lots of different ideas.. In the past I have worked in other collaborations, with artists like OPN, when we made our Skyramps album in 2008.
Do you have some japanese favorite artists?
Personally, I think the Boredoms are really one of the greatest bands of our time, and doing something on a completely different level than any other band playing in the world today. I heard many new artists from Japan on this tour which I thought were all amazing.. I am also a fan of older Japanese music from the 70s and 80s, such as the Yellow Magic Orchestra records, Taj Mahal Travellers, Inoyama Land, and lots of other bands... Japan is full of incredible music!
Please let me know near future plan.
Later this summer I am heading to Europe to do a short tour, and then to Australia and New Zealand to play some shows.. "Along the Way" should be out in America this fall some time, and I hope to play some more shows to promote it. I have been consistently working on many new recordings as well.
Please give japanese fans a massage!
To all my fans in Japan, thank you so much for truly making Japan the most special and wonderful place to visit for me. Your enthusiasm and sincerity has really touched my heart and I hope to return as often as possible to play for you again. Your support has really inspired me in a very real way.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
INTERVIEW in July 2013
TRANSLATED by Naoko Yamada
PHOTO by Satoshi Fukushima
TEXT by Masato Hoshino
MARK MCGUIRE
