Article / Interview in Q Magazine, November 2012

[mellody]

freddiesdouble posted this on twitter today and said i could post it here, it's an one-page article (including interview) from the current Q magazine:

 

 

bigger version: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A8Zqj18CYAA2A3A.jpg:large

 

and here's a close-up of the receipt on the page:

 

[cathouzouf]

Thanks for posting... Couldn't see it on twitter

[Christine]

Thanks for posting.

 

Totally agree with the fact that great pop songs all died in the mid 80s.

 

I've typed it up in case anyone needs to translate because it's a bit hard to read. Or maybe I'm just

 

The Sanderson Hotel in central London specializes in the sort of super stylised blandness that can cause intense feelings of unease. Take one step inside the over-designed portals, lay eyes on the wafty "drapes" and steel furniture and you will immediately lose any sense of where in the world you actually are. All you'll be sure of is that you wish you were somewhere else. Thankfully a sane and steadying presence is here, for sat at one far flung corner, on a table surrounded by black curtains - oh yes - sits a pop star called Mika.

 

Tweedy of jacket, beaming of smile and glinting of eye, Mika's very presence is enough to make you feel a bit better about everything. This in itself is a surprise as, to be honest, this writer has, when exposed to Mika's music, generally been overcome with intense feelings of unease at what appeared to be an unholy amalgam of Leo Sayer and Freddie Mercury. However, Mika the person is nothing like that at all, he's aesthete, philosopher and repository of deep pop wisdom. This is someone who is only too happy to let his lunch go cold as he talks with passion and insight about Harry Nilsson, Sufjan Stevens, Serge Gainsbourg, the Brill Building, the rarely mentioned genius of Tina Turner, the amazing story of Eden Ahbez (who wrote the timeless Nature Boy) and a hundred other topics, all of which are, frankly, fascinating.

 

But first, let's eat. Claiming to be "starving", Mika orders next to nothing from the Malaysian menu ("Spicy food makes me want to vomit...") and we waste no time in tearing, manfully, into the first (£5, I know, bargain) bottle of sparkling mineral water.

 

With the privacy and psychic protection offered by the noir-ish curtains, and the knowledge that a plateful of spicy scallops is only moments away, Q decides to go in hard, basically suggesting that now he's up to album three, Mika presumably accepts that most people think of him as that annoying bloke who sang Grace Kelly and haven't thought much, if at all, about him since. Rather than take any sort of offence, Mika just nods and offers his own theory.

 

"I've recently had to dismantle my processes," he says. "I know I stand in this weird place where sometimes I'm really commercial and sometimes I'm not. I sit on the periphery and that is my biggest self-contradiction, but I am completely comfortable with that."

 

When Mika wrote his first album he was still at London's Royal College of Music, surrounded by musicians and friends. Then he became a pop star and so the second record was written in total isolation, seven months of just him and a piano. Mika's new album, The Origin of Love, was recorded with Nick Littlemore of Empire of the Sun, alongside "23 vintage keyboards, seven bass amps, toys everywhere!"

 

Someone, perhaps Littlemore, perhaps Mika himself, has radically turned down the whole Mikaness of it all and the result is a record that you don't want to smash to pieces and throw out of the window by track three. This, it has to be said, is immense progress.

 

So Q has finished its starter and is tucking into a bowl of nyonya kari laksa while Mika has barely nibbled his chicken satay. This is why pop stars are so thin, we think. Mika is onto his favourite subject, songwriting. And songwriters. And songs. He talks about Nick Cave, says "from Serge Gainsbourg I learned sex; from Leonard Cohen I learned poetry; from Elvis Costello I learned resentment and sadness..." and his keening enthusiasm lights up our comfortable cave. Mika is, at heart, a huge fan of nothing more than Harry Nilsson's 1967 LP, Pandemonium Shadow Show. Nilsson, naturally, began as a songwriter but he became an odd, uncomfortable sort of star when The Beatles, particularly John Lennon, took up his cause. In Mika's world, great pop music begins with Nilsson's debut, runs through Fleetwood Mac, the R&B stylisms of the Bee Gees and extends into Prince. Then, somewhere in the mid-'80s, it sort of keels over and dies.

 

"The purity of intent was lost," he frowns. Ultimately, you have to love someone who cares as much as Mika does. Sensing time is getting tight, Q ups the intellectual stakes and demands to hear Mika's Top 5 Pop Stars Ever.

 

"David Bowie," he grimaces. "David Byrne, Tina Turner. Oh f*ck...Elton John. Prince?"

 

Sayer? Mercury? It's like they never existed.

[BiaIchihara]

Thanks for posting.

 

Totally agree with the fact that great pop songs all died in the mid 80s.

 

I've typed it up in case anyone needs to translate because it's a bit hard to read. Or maybe I'm just

 

thanks for typing it up here ^^

[sookiee]

found the blog from the guy who makes those illustrations

 

http://matthew-hollings.tumblr.com

 

but nothing about mika

[dcdeb]

Thanks for typing that up, Christine

 

It's a great interview, isn't it? Just a little too short -- I would have liked to have read more!

 

Thanks FD, and Karin for posting!

[kath]

Thanks Christine (and Fred and Karin)

 

Great interview and good exposure.

[robertina]

oh good, an article on Q is always something

[eloise.shaw]

Wooooo yes! This is where my subscription to Q comes in handy!

[Marilyn Mastin]

What I loved most is that the guy from Q was genuinely impressed once he met Mika in person. Though I love to read interviews where the journalist is gushing about Mika and has always loved his music, the impact is lost when the guy/girl is obviously a fan. But this guy didn't pretend any of that. He made it clear he'd not been into Mika's music, but that this time he didn't want to smash the cd.

Mika also didn't take offence when the journo pointed out that many people see Mika as "that annoying guy who sang Grace Kelly, but accepted that that was what most people think of him as. He didn't get into a strop. He behaved like a gentleman.

This is good, because the readers of Q are not all Mika fans. It's quite a stuck-up magazine really. The readers on-the-whole would never think much of Mika. But now they've read how charismatic he is, how he answers questions in ways they probably didn't expect. How he doesn't gush over Freddie, but likes a variety of pop music and singers.

This is great publicity for him. I don't know if the readers would go out and buy his cd, but some may be curious about him now.

I do think that Mika's ability to charm the people who meet him, is something that will enable him to always have a career in music, even if its different from the career he has now. I could see him, for example, presenting a serious music show on TV or radio, at some stage in his life, since he is so knowledgeable.

Thanks for posting.

Edited November 24, 2012 by Marilyn Mastin

[Milda]

What I loved most is that the guy from Q was genuinely impressed once he met Mika in person.

Yes, me too! The interviewer clearly hates Mika's music and I'm sure he had similar feelings for Mika himself before he met him. You can ignore Mika's charm and intelligence when you see him on TV, but it's impossible to do so once you have to meet him in real life. And suddenly from 'that annoying guy' he becomes 'aesthete, philosopher and repository of deep pop wisdom' Maybe the interviewer won't become a Mika fan, but at least now he will respect Mika as an artist (at least I want to believe so). And as much as I would like Mika to become more popular, what I want more is respect towards him. I hate it when people think he is some kind of a joke.

[Marilyn Mastin]

Yes, me too! The interviewer clearly hates Mika's music and I'm sure he had similar feelings for Mika himself before he met him. You can ignore Mika's charm and intelligence when you see him on TV, but it's impossible to do so once you have to meet him in real life. And suddenly from 'that annoying guy' he becomes 'aesthete, philosopher and repository of deep pop wisdom' Maybe the interviewer won't become a Mika fan, but at least now he will respect Mika as an artist (at least I want to believe so). And as much as I would like Mika to become more popular, what I want more is respect towards him. I hate it when people think he is some kind of a joke.

And tbh I'd much sooner someone say they respect Mika as an artist, a philosopher, an intelligent and wise man, than have them say Mika's music is the best thing since sliced bread.

Even if people don't like his music, it doesn't matter, its their choice. But no one can deny Mika is such a unique individual who has taught his fans so much over the years, and can talk so knowledgeably about, music, art and so much other stuff.

His column, for example is always so good. We never know what he'll write about, but its always something thought-provoking and conversational.

We've always known there was far more to Mika than his music. We've always known he is far more than an ordinary popstar. It's very satisfying when others (especially cynical types) get to realise that too.

[flyingkites]

-- the result is a record that you don't want to smash to pieces and throw out of the window by track three. This, it has to be said, is immense progress.

 

Oh wow.

 

Thanks for posting Mellody and thanks for typing it up Christine - I'm barely in my twenties and struggled to read the scan.

[Milda]

And tbh I'd much sooner someone say they respect Mika as an artist, a philosopher, an intelligent and wise man, than have them say Mika's music is the best thing since sliced bread.

Even if people don't like his music, it doesn't matter, its their choice. But no one can deny Mika is such a unique individual who has taught his fans so much over the years, and can talk so knowledgeably about, music, art and so much other stuff.

His column, for example is always so good. We never know what he'll write about, but its always something thought-provoking and conversational.

We've always known there was far more to Mika than his music. We've always known he is far more than an ordinary popstar. It's very satisfying when others (especially cynical types) get to realise that too.

 

Couldn't agree more with everything you just said And about the bolded part... it's really such an amazing feeling when that happens I only wish this could happen more often..

[silver]

Well let's hope a few Q readers give the album a try.

[Marilyn Mastin]

Well let's hope a few Q readers give the album a try.

I'm hoping they will look him up on YT out of curiosity, then be in the queue for the album soon after that.

[Louiza]

Good article! Thanks FD and Karin:thumb_yello:

 

Is it in the December issue of Q?

 

btw hate spicy food too.

[Julia Welcomes]

The article is... interesting. I liked the illustration so much, I`d like to draw in a similar style as an artist:blush-anim-cl: (Thanks for the link)

 

But forgive me my stupidity - i didn`t get the last phrase quite well.

What did he mean saying "Sayer? Mercury? It`s like they never existed" What`s the mood behind it??

 

Does Mika deny Mercury`s input into music?

[Marilyn Mastin]

The article is... interesting. I liked the illustration so much, I`d like to draw in a similar style as an artist:blush-anim-cl: (Thanks for the link)

 

But forgive me my stupidity - i didn`t get the last phrase quite well.

What did he mean saying "Sayer? Mercury? It`s like they never existed" What`s the mood behind it??

 

Does Mika deny Mercury`s input into music?

What he means is that Mika is often compared to Freddie Mercury and Leo Sayer. But when asked who his favourite pop musicians are? Mika did not mention them at all.

So, in other words, Mika is not trying to be the new Freddie or Leo.

[Julia Welcomes]

What he means is that Mika is often compared to Freddie Mercury and Leo Sayer. But when asked who his favourite pop musicians are? Mika did not mention them at all.

So, in other words, Mika is not trying to be the new Freddie or Leo.

 

 

Thank you !!! If so - there`s nothing new to me.But the phrase is still so weird((

[furette]

Am I the only one who wonders if he finished eating at all? His food is so present over the whole article and then there is no clue how it ended...

 

But honestly, I really like the article. The style of writing is really great. It's not just an interview but kind of a story. I like that.

[suzie]

Just because he lists certain popstars as his favoutites it does not mean that he'd try to be like them.

@Julia Welcomes the journalist is acting stupid here with their sarcastic remark that now Mika no longer even thinks about Freddie Mercury or Leo Sayer. It's not that he was ever inspired by the latter. That's just how the UK press treats him: they ridicule him at any possible occasion.

 

As far as Mika not talking about Freddie as one of his inspirations any more (or not very often) I personally think is and was a mistake. He seems to have deliberately shied away from talking about Freddie and Queen early on whilst Katy Perry and Lady Gaga realized what a good idea that was to build their own fanbase.

[Marilyn Mastin]

Thank you !!! If so - there`s nothing new to me.But the phrase is still so weird((

Not really, but if you're not used to English in the way that English people are, its hard to read between the lines.

The fact is, from the very beginning, Mika was compared to Freddie Mercury and (sometimes) Leo Sayer. He used the Freddie comparison in GK and used to say it was a compliment. But he probably hated the comparrison after a while. I think it drew people to him sometimes, but also put people off him too. But Mika wasn't really trying to be Freddie, or anyone else. Mika is Mika and should never be compared to another singer.

But he always has been. So this Q person expected him to mention Freddie and Leo as favourites, but he didn't.

So its hard to explain, but basically, the journo realised that Mika didn't try to be like Freddie or Leo on purpose. He may have a similar voice, or maybe a similar style (in the beginning, perhaps, but not now) but Mika is actually, just trying to be Mika and that's all he's ever tried to be,

[Julia Welcomes]

He seems to have deliberately shied away from talking about Freddie and Queen early on whilst Katy Perry and Lady Gaga realized what a good idea that was to build their own fanbase.

 

Yes, that has always annoyed me.... He`s the only musician alive who`s compared to Freddie. He really should be proud of that fact, even now. Because this doesn`t disclaim Mika`s unique talent at all.

 

 

Not really, but if you're not used to English in the way that English people are, its hard to read between the lines.

The fact is, from the very beginning, Mika was compared to Freddie Mercury

 

I think the true reason for that comparison was the same level of musical talent. Not the talent, but its level. If people don`t understand Mika is all-sufficient as a musician, they are stupid and blind.

 

Oh Marilyn.... I`ve really though my English is good enough to understand a British journalist:blush-anim-cl: This was my linguistic "block" . You made me fall from the skies:emot-sad:

[Christine]

As far as Mika not talking about Freddie as one of his inspirations any more (or not very often) I personally think is and was a mistake. He seems to have deliberately shied away from talking about Freddie and Queen early on whilst Katy Perry and Lady Gaga realized what a good idea that was to build their own fanbase.

 

My sense was that Mika has never been particularly inspired by Freddie. For whatever reason he chose to mention him in GK (the name of Grace Kelly is also random and he could have picked any movie star or any woman for that matter) and has been forced to deal with these comparisons which is the only reason he's ever talked about him at all. Of course he was always complimentary towards him and treated it as a compliment but I just always got the impression that his real inspirations were Michael Hutchence, Prince, Michael Jackson, Harry Nilsson and a bit of Bowie and he really didn't listen to much Queen or model himself after Freddie.

 

I think just the fact that Mika mentions someone in GK, this song about others trying to be turn him into something he's not and something he doesn't want to be is sort of distancing himself from that even though the public took his mimicry as a sign of idolization. I just sensed from Mika that these Freddie comparisons were always awkward for him and he had to be careful what he said. That it was second only to the gay question for him to have to talk around an issue without saying what he really thought.

 

Oh Marilyn.... I`ve really though my English is good enough to understand a British journalist:blush-anim-cl: This was my linguistic "block" . You made me fall from the skies:emot-sad:

 

I think it's more a case of understanding British press than the English language. Even in early days the press was mocking Mika as some sort of love child of Freddie Mercury and Leo Sayer and they did not mean it as a compliment This whole article is some sort of backhanded compliment. It's like the writer is saying "Wow Mika is not quite the annoying one hit wonder we all thought he was."