Catching up with MLTR

Photo: Mumit M.

Yesterday was the day that MLTR (Michael Learns to Rock) put Bangladesh on the international pop stage. MLTR whose 7 studio albums have sold 11 million copies worldwide, do not need a lengthy introduction. The most downloaded song of 2006 was MLTR's “Take Me to Your Heart”, which speaks of the Danish band's success. This correspondent had the chance to talk to MLTR members -- Jascha Ritcher, Mikkel Lents and Kare Wanscher -- prior to the concert yesterday.

First off, let's talk about your newest album which is rumoured to be titled “Scandinavia”, which is also the title of the album's first released single.
Kare: Well, we haven't given the album a title yet. But, the last song of the album is “Scandinavia” and that's the song that captures the entire feel of the album. It's about being on tour and away from home and what that really means.
Does the new album have any surprise in store?
Kare: Not really. We tried deliberately not to change anything. We stuck to our musical boundaries, which the fans like, and hence you can expect a lot of our classics.
Mikkel: Well, it's always tempting to follow trends but this time we decided to focus on our own style of music. Jascher wrote all the lyrics unlike previous albums. So, this is a very personal album.
MLTR connects with Asian audiences on a different scale. Is there a particular reason for this? Most of your songs are released here first, even before in your home country.
Kare: Well, I think it's because the Asian audience likes love songs and our lyrics are simple and that helps us reach out faster.
Mikkel: I think it also has to do with the karaoke culture here, with people relating with simple lyrics and melodies.
Of all your Asian tours, which is your most memorable?
Kare: There are many. But as with most things, you fondly remember the first time. So, for me our concert in Vietnam in the 1990s is a very memorable one.
Jascha: Two wild concerts in Vietnam, definitely. People were trying to break in from outside just to watch us play.
Mikkel: But there are many different memories. Like the time I fell off the stage in Manila.
Kare: As wild as Vietnam was, I'd still say that it was a very positive crowd.
MLTR is genre-defying. Where does your inspiration come from?
Kare: We don't cater to a certain age group. But there are radio divisions in Europe, so songs are placed in stations that play particular genres only. So even if we don't want to belong to a certain genre, we're categorised under one.
Jascha: I think, in terms of lyrics, travelling is very inspiring. When you travel, you get to see many things and learn many things and this really inspires you.
Now, everybody asks why you named yourself 'Michael Learns to Rock' and we know why. But what if it wasn't MLTR?
Mikkel: Well, someone did suggest we call ourselves '500 Miles'. That would be a coincidence since there is a popular band here called Miles.
Kare: Jascha actually came up with the name 'Flowing River'. But it was too late to change by then.
Jascha: We also thought of 'Hits Only'.
What was your favourite song to work on?
Mikkel: “Someday”, from our third album. We produced everything for it and it really defined us and our future path. It's just a beautiful song.
Kare: Making the entire “Played on Pepper” album was fun. We produced the entire album. We would hit the walls, slap our knees and all that and if we liked the sound we would incorporate it. It was just the most fun experience.
Jascha: For me, every song/demo that we come up with and the process of finishing it is just fun. “Scandinavia”, a song which is really about what we feel, is a favourite.
So far, what is your view of Bangladesh and what is your message to the fans?
Jascha: We haven't seen much but this morning I took a walk out to the park nearby and it was very pleasant and safe.
Kare: Well, on TV we used to see reports on floods and cyclones, so we had an idea about the suffering of the Bangladeshi people. Now, knowing all this and seeing it up close, we think that the Bangladeshi people are very brave. They have guts facing all these challenges. As for our Bangladeshi fans, well we can't wait to see them. At this concert we will play 4 new songs, including “Anyway You Wanted”, and there will be a live debut of one of our newest songs. We can't thank the fans enough for supporting us.