"hr3 pop talk: Mika": German article + short audio interview -- September 9, 2009

[mari62]

Thanks DANI56 for finding!

 

NEW AUDIO INTERVIEW LINKS

 

audio http://mikatube.com/audio/73/mika-@-hr3-germany-may-2009

d/l http://www.mediafire.com/?0gjiq874a8wek3d

 

source http://www.hr-online.de/website/radio/hr3/index.jsp?key=standard_document_37917202&rubrik=4476&seite=1#titel2

the article isn't available online any more

 

Here are the German original + google translation into English

 

 

Lidia Antonini berichtet für hr3.de aus der Pop-Welt. Wen sie dort trifft und was sie mit den Künstlern so alles erlebt, das gibt es exklusiv hier auf hr3.de zu lesen.

 

 

(© hr3, 09.09.2009)

Vor gut zwei Jahren kam er aus dem Nichts: Mika. Sein erstes Album "Life In Cartoon Motion" hat sich bis heute über fünf Millionen Mal verkauft!

 

Im Mai hat Mika in den legendären Hansastudios in Berlin seine neuen Songs vorgestellt. Etwa 20 Journalisten waren da, Mika spielte uns seine neuen Songs vor und erzählte von seiner Arbeit und den vielen Fragen, die er sich gestellt hat.

 

Anschließend interviewte ich Mika. Es war ihm wichtig zu betonen, dass er nach dem großen Erfolg und nach der zweijährigen Tour in das berühmte Loch fiel. Auch ihm hat niemand gesagt, wie er damit umgehen soll. Dann war Mika eines Tages bei Pete Townshend von "The Who" zu Besuch. Kurz bevor Mika das Haus von Pete verließ, sagte der: "Du hast Angst, nicht wahr?" Mika war überrascht, weil er dachte, dass er seine tiefen Zweifel gut überspielt habe. Aber Pete wusste es besser: "Es wird immer so sein, egal wie alt du bist und egal wieviele Alben du gemacht hast. Dein erstes Album war ein Versuch, und du hattest damit Erfolg. Mein einziger Rat ist: "Du solltest deine Arbeit als Handwerk sehen und wie ein Handwerker drangehen." Daraufhin hat Mika ein Studio gebucht, wochenlang täglich von 10 bis 19 Uhr gearbeitet, regelmäßig eine Mittagspause gemacht und ohne Druck Songs geschrieben. Mika erzählte noch über sein Projekt "Songs for sorrow", die es bis zur Veröffentlichung des neuen Albums nur im Internet gab. Danach gingen wir toll essen.

 

Etwa zehn Wochen später haben wir uns wieder getroffen, in Köln, in der Präsidentensuite eines großen Hotels. Wow! Ein Blick auf den Dom mit einer riesigen Terrasse. Mika sagte begeistert: "Wow! Look at that!" Er erzählte gleich von zwei Fans, die aus Frankfurt gekommen seien, um ihm ein Buch zu geben. So etwas wühlt Mika auf. Er weiß nicht, womit er diese Aufmerksamkeit verdient hat. Sein großer Erfolg macht ihn immernoch stutzig.

 

Zum Album sagt Mika erneut: Der coolste Mann der Welt habe ihm mit seinem Rat wirklich geholfen. Es war der alte Pete. Pete Townshend rückte alles wieder zu recht und danach fing Mika an, klarer zu denken und schrieb 65 Songs.

 

Mika liebt große Melodien und man ist überrascht, wenn man Mikas Erklärung dafür hört. Er glaubt, dass der Grund dafür der ist, dass er ein lausiger Klavierspieler ist. Er spielt ganz einfache Akkorde, er hat sich das Klavierspielen selbst beigebracht, weil er keine Noten lesen kann. Deshalb sucht er die Rettung in der Melodie und dem vielschichtigen Gesang und er macht alles so, dass man jeden Teil im Song mitsingen kann.

 

Sein erstes Album handelt von seiner Kindheit, das zweite von seiner Teenager Jahren. "I see you" ist sein "Stalker"-Song: "Egal ob ich mit jemanden zusammen sein kann, oder nicht – ich kann seine Fotos beobachten, ich kann ihn immer sehen." "Tauches you" ist eine Art George Michael Song, in dem es eigentlich um die sexuelle Anspielung geht. "Dr. John" ist sein Schrei nach Hilfe aus der Teenagerzeit: Mika hat sich Dr. John ausgedacht – er hat einen weißen Bart und magische Federn. Mika liebt die Vorstellung, dass ihm alle seine Fehler verziehen werden, so lehrt uns die katholische Kirche, oder?

 

Mit Mika zu reden bedeutet auch mit ihm zu philosophieren über den Sinn und Unsinn des Lebens, über das Geld (Mika muss erst lernen Geld auszugeben, er weiß einfach nicht wie das geht), über eine sehr einsame Stadt (Los Angeles, in der tolle Filme und tolle Musik produziert werden, aber die Menschen grob und arrogant sind) und über die Autos: Mika hat keinen Führerschein, aber einen Wagen hat er sich ausliefern lassen und nach dem er gebracht wurde, konnte ihn Mika nicht parken. Das war vielleicht eine verrückte Situation! Aber, er ist sicher, dass seine Schwestern den Wagen sehr mögen!

 

Mikas Musik klingt oft fröhlich, die Texte repräsentieren die Realität, die oft ernsthaft ist und diese Kombination findet Mika interessant.

 

Am Ende des Interviews sagt Mika: "Ich hoffe, dass ich nicht verrückt werde." Manchmal denke er, er werde es langsam. Sein Job ist schon etwas verrückt und gelegentlich fragt sich Mika: "Bin ich noch normal?"

 

Ach ja: als wir uns trafen, hieß das Album so wie die erste Single aus dem Album: "We are golden", inzwischen heißt das Album "The boy who knew too much", aber beim nächsten Treffen wird Mika das bestimmt erklären. Ich freue mich darauf.

 

Google translation:

 

Lydia Antonini reported for hr3.de from the pop world. Wen, and meet with the artists and what they experienced everything that is exclusively here to read hr3.de.

 

Just over two years ago he came out of nowhere: Mika. His first album "Life In Cartoon Motion" has to date sold over five million times!

 

In May, Mika has featured in the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, his new songs. Around 20 journalists were there, Mika played us his new songs and talked about his work and the many questions he has set for itself.

 

Then I interviewed Mika. It was important to emphasize to him that he fell after the great success and after the two-year tour to the famous hole. He, too, no one has said how he should handle it. Then one day when Mika was Pete Townshend of The Who for a visit. Mika just before leaving the house by Pete said: "You're afraid, is not it?" Mika was surprised because he thought that he had overplayed his deep well of doubt. But Pete knew better: "There will always be so, no matter how old you are and no matter how many albums have you done. Your first album was an attempt, and you were so successful. My only advice:" You should your work as a Craft and see drangehen as a craftsman. "In response, Mika booked a studio for weeks worked daily from 10 to 19 clock, regularly made a break for lunch and wrote songs without pressure. Mika still telling about his project," Songs for sorrow ", which until the publication of the new album only on the Internet existed. Then we went to great eating.

 

About ten weeks later we met again in Cologne, in the presidential suite of a large hotel. Wow! A view of the cathedral with a huge terrace. Mika said enthusiastically: "Wow! Look at that!" He immediately told two fans who had arrived from Frankfurt to give him a book. Something stirs Mika. He does not know what he deserves this attention. His great success makes him still puzzled.

 

Album Mika says again: The coolest man in the world has really helped him with his advice. It was the old Pete. Pete Townshend moved everything back to right and then Mika began to think more clearly, and wrote 65 songs.

 

Mika loves great melodies and we are surprised when you hear Mika's explanation. He believes that the reason for this is the one that he is a lousy piano player. He plays very simple chords, he has taught himself to play the piano because he can not read music. Therefore, he seeks salvation in the melody and the multi-layered vocals and he does everything so that you can sing any part in the song.

 

His first album is about his childhood, the second of his teenage years. "I see you" is his "stalker" song: "Whether I am with someone who can be together or not - I can see his photos, I can see him forever." "Touches You" is a sort of George Michael song, which is actually about the sexual allusion. "Dr. John" is his cry for help from the teen years: Dr. John Mika has devised - he has a white beard and magic springs. Mika loves the idea that he will be forgiven for all his faults, the Catholic Church teaches us, right?

 

Talk to Mika means to philosophize with him about the sense and nonsense of life, about the money (Mika must first learn to spend money, he just do not know how), about a very lonely city (Los Angeles, in the great great music, and movies are produced, but the people are rude and arrogant) and on the cars: Mika has no driver's license, but he has a car to extradite and after he was taken, but could not park Mika. Perhaps that was a crazy situation! But, he is sure that his sisters enjoy the car very much!

 

Mika's music often sounds cheerful, the texts represent the reality, which is often seriously, and this combination is Mika interesting.

 

At the end of the interview, Mika says, "I hope that I do not get crazy." Sometimes he thought he was going slowly. His job is a bit crazy and occasionally asks Mika: "Am I normal?"

 

Ah yes, when we met, was as golden as the album's first single from the album: "We Are", now called the album "The Boy Who Knew Too Much", but next meeting is intended to explain to Mika. I look forward to.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edited January 18, 2011 by Droopsy
adding German original + new links to the audio interview

[Naectegale]

t4p

[Foxxy]

Thanks for posting Lovely pic

[lollipop_monkey]

*would love a German speaker to translate*

[mari62]

*would love a German speaker to translate*

well, basically she's repeating what's written in the article and translating what he's saying.

 

at the very end of the audio interview Lidia says: "Mika is an outstanding artist, who's got a lot to give" and he thanks her for the compliment

 

Pls German speakers correct me

[suzie]

Thank you for posting it:thumb_yello:

[Dark Angel]

thx for posting his smile

[sienna]

Thank you for posting!

[violet_sky]

Hahhhhh! 'Mika's Popularität bringt ihn dazu, sich zu fragen ob er noch ganz dicht ist.' :lmfao: : Love it!

 

Mika's popularity makes him wonder if he has lost it already. Or similar.

[xlindee]

Nice

[Guest]

Thanks for posting

[kaatje066]

Thanks for posting girls

[Graciosa]

*would love a German speaker to translate*

 

Oh, with my English the translation wouldn't be better. I always thought the google translater doesn't work fine, but for me it sounded not so bad - o.k. my English isn't well.

[laura*]

TFP

 

You're not crazy. You're not normal. You're just DA MIKA!

 

[sarac]

Am Ende des Interviews sagt Mika: "Ich hoffe, dass ich nicht verrückt werde." Manchmal denke er, er werde es langsam. Sein Job ist schon etwas verrückt und gelegentlich fragt sich Mika: "Bin ich noch normal?"

I hope, I'm not going crazy. Sometimes he thinks slowly he is. His job is somewhat crazy and he thinks, Am I still normal??

 

Ach ja: als wir uns trafen, hieß das Album so wie die erste Single aus dem Album: "We are golden", inzwischen heißt das Album "The boy who knew too much", aber beim nächsten Treffen wird Mika das bestimmt erklären. Ich freue mich darauf.

And, oh yes, as we were supposed to met, the album was titled, like the first single, "We are golden", in the meantime the album now is called, "the boy who knew too much" but the next time we meet, he will surely explain why (the change in titles). I'm looking forward to it.

Verrucht to me = crazy

dicke = stupid.

Maybe he said dicke in the interview, I was reading it..

Edited September 9, 2009 by sarac
adding

[mikalollipop_karla]

thx for posting aww

[mariposa]

Ah, cool! Thanx for finding and posting!

[Soaring Simpson]

thanks for posting and translating

[Gracekelly85]

Thank you Dani and Mari 4p!

[chickadee]

65 songs???!!! Really? 65 songs? That's incredible. I wanna hear them all Mika. Couldn't you have released an album with 30 songs on it? I'd be prepared to pay for it.

[mellody]

thanx for posting! btw, the 2 fans he talked about who came to give him a book were the same who were dressed as sophie blackall characters in berlin.

[mellody]

65 songs???!!! Really? 65 songs? That's incredible. I wanna hear them all Mika. Couldn't you have released an album with 30 songs on it? I'd be prepared to pay for it.

 

dito. although, if it had taken thrice the time to be released, i think i prefer it this way.

[Jany]

she's got a strange accent

The interview she did with him in June was in a newspaper here in hessen with the same pic

[mari62]

First post updated with the German original + new links to the audio interview

[Louiza]

thanks for the new links Marina:flowers2:

I had missed this interview completely. it's a great one, love how he explains how to sing the melody:wub2: