r/IAmA • u/mewplusminus • Jun 03 '15
Music We are Mew. AUA!
We just released our sixth studio album + - (plus, minus). You can pick it up on our web store, iTunes, Amazon, or at your local record store. You can also catch us on tour throughout all of 2015. Tickets and more at our official site. We will be here on reddit for the next hour to answer your questions. So Frengers, friends and other followers, send us your questions and will try to answer as many as possible. - Jonas + Johan
13
u/mooncrane Jun 03 '15
What was the idea behind the album cover for And the Glass Handed Kites? I don't mean to be rude, but it has made several "worst album covers of all time" lists. How do you guys feel about that?
15
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
We absolutely love it! m/m(paris) designed it. Their designs always stick with you, it's not something you just forget. So many covers don't really leave an impression. I think Michael and Mathias wanted to depict us kind of devouring each other, because we had been working on it very closely together for so long, and it's a sort of very dark sounding album
1
7
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
We absolutely love it! m/m(paris) designed it. Their designs always stick with you, it's not something you just forget. So many covers don't really leave an impression. I think Michael and Mathias wanted to depict us kind of devouring each other, because we had been working on it very closely together for so long, and it's a sort of very dark sounding album
7
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
We absolutely love it! m/m(paris) designed it. Their designs always stick with you, it's not something you just forget. So many covers don't really leave an impression. I think Michael and Mathias wanted to depict us kind of devouring each other, because we had been working on it very closely together for so long, and it's a sort of very dark sounding album
6
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
We absolutely love it! m/m(paris) designed it. Their designs always stick with you, it's not something you just forget. So many covers don't really leave an impression. I think Michael and Mathias wanted to depict us kind of devouring each other, because we had been working on it very closely together for so long, and it's a sort of very dark sounding album
8
Jun 03 '15
We absolutely love it! m/m(paris) designed it. Their designs always stick with you, it's not something you just forget. So many covers don't really leave an impression. I think Michael and Mathias wanted to depict us kind of devouring each other, because we had been working on it very closely together for so long, and it's a sort of very dark sounding album
1
u/PabloLuigi Jun 03 '15
I havent' seen it in "Worst album covers of all time" lists. Could you link an examble?
9
u/swabl Jun 03 '15
Jonas, I remember reading on the website circa And the Glass Handed Kites that you drew a lot of inspiration from your "recurring nightmares" - is that still true? Any particular ones you feel like sharing, or unexpected ways it influenced the new music, or just interesting anecdotes about them?
Thanks, and thanks for all the wonderful music!
13
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
I used dreams a lot on that album, it was kind of my method on that album. I still use it sometimes, but it's more about waking up with a certain feeling. I used to suffer from sleep paralysis, where you kind of wake up but not really, and there are still elements from your dream, even though you know that all the other stuff was just a dream.. it's hard to explain. Basically you are unable to move or open your eyes, even though you are (kind of) awake. Not very nice. Often following a nightmare. I used to dream there was a fox climbing on my wall, towards my bed, I don't know why
4
u/Yusada Jun 03 '15
I have that too. :( And both my parents, and my sister. You've turned it into some amazing art.
1
u/BroKing Jun 03 '15
I had that as a kid and it was the most terrifying experience! I told my parents I thought my room was haunted by demons.
I would dream each time that someone had there hands around my throat, just ever so slightly choking me. I couldn't open my eyes, move, or breath (that part was sleep apnea).
14
u/steamoven Jun 03 '15
Hello Jonas and Johan!
Mew has been my favourite band since I was around 15 years old; nine years and a "156" tattoo later, there's no replacing you! So thank you guys so much for all of your hard work and amazing music. :)
As for my question: This has probably been at least brought up a million times; but why aren't there any plans for you guys to visit Australia/New Zealand? Is it a distance issue perhaps?
Thank you! <3
10
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
Thank you so much!! There certainly are plans and dreams and workings, and we REALLY hope to make it a reality soon! Never been and always dreamt of going. We've been very close in the past, but yes it's far away, and logistically it just never panned out... yet!
12
u/ovaltine8 Jun 03 '15
Can you tell us more about the process of writing songs like "New Terrain" and "Western Silver Lion Cub"/"My Complications" that contain reversable lyrics and melodies?
15
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
Working in reverse reveal a whole different setting for your melodies. It's something we've used since Frengers (the middle bit of Am I Wry is a mirror image of itself). We find that the chord progressions and melodic structures become something you would have never thought of in forward
8
u/sospidera Jun 04 '15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyIk009wrGw&feature=youtu.be&t=119
holy shiiiiiiit. fuuuuuuuck
9
u/Yusada Jun 03 '15
Hello, Johan and Jonas. I am curious as to the significance, if any, of your many references to health and medicine in your music?
15
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
Hospitals are strange places. People disappear there, forever, but people also come into this world at hospitals. I guess it's a picture of some of the really big things in life, scary things and wonderful things
2
u/Yusada Jun 03 '15
This feeling is very potent in your music. Mission accomplished, I think. I was listening to Rows on the swings a few nights ago and it gave me a feeling of those things. You know, the ocean also gives me these feelings. It is teeming with life and unfathomable dangers so that swimming in the ocean, not knowing the massive and tiny creatures with whom you share the water, gives me a similar sense of life and the expanses of the world.
19
u/Pjulledk Jun 03 '15
Hey Mew a very big Danish Fan since year 2000 here. I've have One very good question that i hope you can/will answer.
What is the song 156 about, there is a lot of theories on the Internet but what is it Really about???
Best Regards Kasper
15
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
We've seen a lot of theories. We hope people will continue coming up with them. It's kind of a secret, sorry
27
3
9
u/SchizophrenianRedhea Jun 03 '15
Can we expect you to end your shows with Comforting Sounds? Or is Rows or Cross the river on your own the new ending song?
12
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
Comforting is hard to replace. People seem to get upset when we do. But yes, will not always end with Comforting, new things gotta happen
14
u/scalfin Jun 03 '15
What do you think of that clone Team Rocket made of you?
Also, how many times have you heard that joke?
10
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
No idea what you are referring to... we are in the dark here
7
u/spiralbatross Jun 03 '15
Pokemon's huge, and you happen to have the same name as one of the most famous legendaries :)
13
2
Jun 04 '15
Funny story, I discovered Mew in high school when I was youtubing videos of people catching mew in Pokemon Red/Blue. From then on I've been hopelessly in love with the band.
1
6
u/2paclovesbubblebaths Jun 03 '15
Hey Mew!
Thanks for doing this AMA. I love the band and your music. I’ve only been able to see you play live once in 2009 at the Trocadero in Philly. I’m really hoping you tour the states for the new album, which I also love. I guess that’s my question. Will you be touring the states? What is your favorite major city in the US? What band do you like to or would you like to tour with the most? Thanks for your music! :)
9
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
Jonas: I really like New York, probably where I've spent most time. Also really like Portland in Oregon, and Chicago. But in general really like the US a lot, and touring there.
Johan: Los Angeles. Can't help it
1
u/mewling_156 Nov 05 '15
I was at that show as well! also the only time I ever got to see mew perform live, hopefully not the last!
11
u/ovaltine8 Jun 03 '15
What is being said in the garbled radio-transmission-sounding voice at the end of "Cross the River on Your Own"?
12
6
Jun 03 '15
Hey! You guys are on my short list of "bucket list" bands I haven't seen yet! I heard there are U.S. tour dates in the works... is that really happening?
Also, I was nervous when I heard Kimbra was making a cameo on +-, but The Night Believer turned out to be one of my favorites. How did that collaboration come about?
7
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
We believe it's happening. We will have news soon You should come see us :)
Kimbra is a star, she sent me some songs through Rich Costey, asked if I wanted to sing on one, and I ended up singing on the song The Magic Hour, and in return demanded that she sing on our album too :) I love her album The Golden Echo, she is fearless about taking things as far as they can go, like a kind of progressive pop music. And, like us, she crams so many ideas into each song, that it almost shouldn't work, but does
4
11
u/ferro_man Jun 03 '15
When is your next US tour going to be?
14
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
we don't know yet, but I think we'll have some news on that pretty soon :)
7
2
1
1
0
Jun 03 '15
8
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
I'm not sure it did, that much. Apparatjik is an entirely different beast. It's more about having a creative playground to try out whatever ideas don't fit in our day jobs + having an immense amount of fun with it
7
u/vivianarivas Jun 03 '15
Hello, Jonas! I was wondering, why don't you have a song recorded in Danish? It would be really interesting to hear a song by my favourite band in their native language.
9
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
I sang on a song on a children's book/cd called Grønflammeskoven a while ago. It's a pretty weird book and a pretty weird album, with a lot of cool and talented folks involved
4
u/lovelylittlegirls Jun 04 '15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-D8sxMSUqM here's the song with jonas
7
u/tinypaperboat Jun 03 '15
Hi Johan and Jonas! I'm a huge fan, so thank you for doing this! This is a question for Jonas. What does "fear me, december" mean to you? I always wanted to know.
9
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
That whole song is about fear, I think.. and coping with life and death. December is always a sort of strange month, for many reasons. Can't go into much further detail
7
u/haumooon Jun 03 '15 edited Jun 03 '15
Hello Mew! How did the song "Rows" come about? And what was the process of writing that song like? Please tell me as much as you can about that song! I'd love to hear more! (It is an absolutely fantastic song! one of the best ever!)
7
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
thanks so much For the longest time, it was an instrumental piece that just grew and grew, it was almost like a film score, and then it fell into place when we got the chorus section, and vocals starting appearing. It's a bit of a travel through different spaces
8
u/Jojowdge Jun 03 '15
Question for Jonas,
I saw you guys perform on SXSW and during one of your shows there were some audio issues as you started playing My Complications. So during a short period as that was getting sorted out Bo asked the crowd for a beer and you asked (I believe) for some lukewarm Baileys. Why lukewarm Baileys? Did someone ever get you some? Next time you're in America I'll totally get you some. Which by the way, you guys are coming back right?
Love your music, +- is beautiful, thanks for doing this boys.
11
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
The first video we ever did was for a demo of Panda. It featured the band playing in a park and on a roof, and Johan was a waiter chasing us around to serve us with baileys (I have no idea why)
6
4
1
u/Jojowdge Jun 03 '15
I haven't had the chance to see this video yet, but going to look it up right now. Cheers
→ More replies (1)
6
u/seane Jun 03 '15
Mew! Love you guys.
You've done a lot of very small runs through the US, but never, like, a full on tour. Any plans for something like that? Been a real fan ever since the break b/t Frengers and Glass Handed Kites. Not quite OG, but I've been watching your tour sched. for a while!
8
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
thank you playing all of the US is quite an undertaking, but I remember doing quite a long tour back in 2009, where we kind of went around twice. But there are many places we've never played and would love to visit!
11
Jun 03 '15
Are you guys planning on ever releasing a b-sides/rarity collection?
Also related, are you planning on releasing any plus minus b-sides soon?
9
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
That's a cool idea. Maybe one day. We have a couple of b-sides from + - available on the Japanese version of the album, and there are "quiet session" versions of 7 of the songs available online somewhere :)
2
u/omega_8 Jun 03 '15
The "quiet session" files from the newsletter only consist 6 songs (satellites, water slides, witness, making friends, my complications, and cross the river on your own). What is the 7th song then?
6
u/Skiplicious Jun 03 '15
Hi guys! I saw you open for Nine Inch Nails a few years ago, not knowing who you were, and was absolutely blown away by your performance and music. What would you say was the overall reaction and feedback from NIN fans, and do you know why Trent Reznor picked you to open? Thanks!
5
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
Thanks a lot! NIN both band and fans were amazing to us! Trent is a super intelligent and cool guy. He just really likes the band, that was why he asked us. I think he got into us around the Glass handed kites record. And we actually felt we went down really well with the NIN fans, many have become Mew fans since then. Really happy to see NIN back on the road, we'd love to do more shows with those guys if possible!
1
u/darkpassengerdriving Jun 03 '15
Yes!!!! The first time I heard you guys was during the two Chicago nin shows in 2009. At first I didn't understand it. Then the zookeeper's boy got suck in my head. Fast forward a year later and I was getting the little angel logo tattooed on my leg. I owe nin for my discovery of you!
5
u/ina_mewkid Jun 03 '15
Hi! Thank you for a very nice coffee break (!) / interview at Angst Bar in Oslo a while back! I'm really happy with the result, and I hope you are too (if you got/get the chance to read it, that is ;-)).
So, for my question: What are your best tips for making a bad day a good one? I guess a lot of Frengers, like me, have gone through hard times, and found a lot of comfort in your music.
Have a very nice week, and I hope we'll meet again in Oslo soon, or at Skral Festival this summer! Thank you for taking the time to interact with us Frengers and for being awesome! (Jonas, kan du hilse Bo fra meg og si at jeg fortsatt har pingpong-ballen han ga meg da jeg støtte på dere to i vinter? Haha!)
Hugs from the colorful Ina Mewkid in Oslo
5
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
Hey Ina! Thank you!! We love the interview, and loved doing it! And a good pic you took. Meditation is sometimes good, when your feeling blue, I find. And being with good friends, or calling them up if you are far away.
I will tell Bo! :)
See you at skral!
1
u/ina_mewkid Jun 03 '15
Thank you so much, for responding/the tips/the very kind words! I guess I have to try out meditation on a regular basis, during the darkest times of the year. The winter can be quite hard sometimes, emotionally.
Haha, thanks!
Enjoy quality time with family and friends, and good luck on the upcoming gigs! (Can't wait to see the finished video of The Night Believer! Just watched the sneak peak, and WOW. It's brilliant!!! It was so much fun to find myself in there! And sorry for having to listen to my low key singing.......!)
(Btw, si ifra om dere har lyst på bildene i fullformat, så kan dere få bruke dem som dere vil! Jeg kan sende dem til Petroleum, i så fall:-))
Vi sees! :-))
→ More replies (1)
8
3
u/albot4000 Jun 03 '15
Hi Jonas and Johan!
I have to get the massive fanboy bit out of the way first (sorry! I promise it leads to my questions!).
Since first hearing the opening minute or so of "Am I Wry? No", (way back in 2003 when they used to still have CD listening stations in HMV stores!), I have been utterly hooked and a massive fan of everything you guys have produced. A shared love of your music was also one of the first things which drew me to my partner (9 years together this July!), so your music is hugely special for us to say the least. What I love most about your music is how you are able to combine so many diverse and distinct-sounding influences and create music which is both fragile and muscular, intricate, complex and challenging yet instantly accessible, and has such depth and range.
You guys basically combine everything I love about different styles of music in one sound, and I find it hugely inspiring as someone who tries to write their own songs but was constantly torn between different directions. I also have a high singing voice for a guy and felt I would never be able to sing convincingly or effectively along with heavier or louder music. Basically, you guys proved to me it is not only possible to fit it all together, but that it can sound absolutely bloody fantastic too, and so original! This was the lightbulb of inspiration which kept me making music all these years and getting hours of joy out of doing so, and so for that and so many other things, I cannot thank you enough!
My questions would therefore be:
-
Which of your influences showed you something was musically "possible" or gave you a similar "lightbulb" moment in the way you guys did to me and what as it?
-
What else drives or inspires you guys to keep making music?
Thank you so much for doing this AMA and for all the wonderful music and memories!
6
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
Thank you so much!
We grew up with 80es pop, good stuff like Prince and Kate Bush. But when we were teens it was probably Nirvana that attracted us to the idea of becoming a band. We'd done creative stuff before, but in a different way. It was just a new and exciting energy
It sounds a bit corny perhaps, but we inspire each other I think, more than anything else. Of course we keep our eyes peeled and our ears.. folded out(?) for new art and music
1
u/albot4000 Jun 03 '15
Oh wow! Thanks so much for replying! (sorry, really struggling to come up with a coherent, non-generic reply but I am just so excited I got to speak to you guys!). Massive thanks from me and my girlfriend! Wishing you all the best from sunny Glasgow! :D
6
u/jenne927 Jun 03 '15 edited Jun 03 '15
Please, please play Rows on Roskilde. I can see you havent had it in your setlist yet.
You guys rock, and I ""love"" the fact that you have avoided that word. Too used i guess.
Two questions:
-
Are you into any kind of sports?
-
Which is your favourite soccer team in Europe ?
Have a nice weekend. See you in July :)
6
u/mewplusminus Jun 03 '15
Will take it into consideration :)
Johan: Football (soccer) ! Jonas: no. I'm a geek
Johan: Chelsea FC
see ya!
6
u/ovaltine8 Jun 03 '15
Was "Witness" originally written to be more of a ballad than a rock song? The "Quiet Sessions"/acoustic version seems to suit the mood of the lyrics and melody so much more.
→ More replies (1)
7
u/timleeds Jun 03 '15
Hi guys - 2 quick questions...firstly, is there any chance of Mew albums being released in 5.1 surround sound - they would sound (even more) amazing!....secondly, are you coming to Toronto or nearby this year? Cheers...:)
→ More replies (1)
7
u/ovaltine8 Jun 03 '15
Jonas: Did you write the lyrics for "White Lips Kissed" or "Shiroi Kuchibiruno Izanai" first? What was the process like for writing lyrics in Japanese?
→ More replies (2)
4
u/SpencerReynen Jun 03 '15
Hi Mew, thanks for doing the AMA. Two questions- first is probably easier to answer than the second.
-
Do you write your music before you record it or do you just remember it after making it up? Because some of those guitar parts are beautifully complex and incredible, by the way.
-
I love the overall sound you achieve in your records, especially Frengers, which is my favorite of yours. I was wondering how much processing actually occurs when recording, mixing, and mastering, such as: is there a lot of EQ/compression going on, or quantization (the lining up of imperfectly played notes to a grid for correction, for those who do not know) going on the tracks, or is it just extremely well recorded, or a combination of both?
Thanks!
→ More replies (1)
13
u/ovaltine8 Jun 03 '15
Johan: How does it feel for you personally to play "Silas the Magic Car" live?
→ More replies (1)
6
u/sagla156 Jun 03 '15 edited Jun 03 '15
Hi Mew, I've two questions.
-
On Frengers you have 6 songs that is former songs from Half the World is watching me and triumf for man. Most of Them has changed quiet a lot, especially 156. How come, that you changed the intro and Feeling of 156 so much for Frengers?
-
Will you ever Consider Playing some of the original version of the song from your first two albums live in stread of the Frengers versions?
Thanks for 6 great albums!
→ More replies (1)
4
u/annimon Jun 03 '15
Hi Jonas and Johan!! Longtime Californian Mew fan here, I absolutely love +-, and I think it's your best album so far! Do either of you have a favorite song from the album?
I want to chime in and say that I hope you release a +- b-sides, Western Silver Lion Club is one of my favorites and I'm bummed it's only available on the Japanese version. And I would love for you to come back to San Francisco!!
Question for just Jonas: Any plans for Apparatjik now that +- is out? Once you're done touring?
→ More replies (1)
5
u/avaruushelmi Jun 03 '15
Hi Mew! You have been my favourite band for over nine years already and I can't even begin to explain how much you guys mean to me! I'm going to see you play live this summer and I can't wait!
To my question: are there any songs of yours that are kind of a continuation to each other? That they are about the same story but in different songs?
Lots of love from Finland!
→ More replies (1)
7
u/Nordpolarmeer Jun 03 '15
I love your music! When you write the lyrics for a song, are you sometimes afraid of cliches? How do you deal with this? I am a writer and I find this so difficult...
→ More replies (1)
10
u/sospidera Jun 03 '15
Jonas, I remember you saying that you got a lot of inspiration for lyrics from dreams, and something to the effect that you just sort of know when a certain lyric feels right, regardless of if it necessarily makes sense. How often do you find your lyrics to be "about" something in the proper sense, and how often are they more abstract, in that they just evoke a certain type of imagery or feeling, but not necessarily "mean" anything? That's always a balance that I struggle with when writing my own lyrics and often feel a weird sense of obligation for lyrics to make more "sense" then they perhaps need to make, but often feel drawn to lyrics that just feel right for some intangible reason, lol. Thanks, and hope to see you in the US sometime soon : )