We had the opportunity to talk with the LM.C duo and celebrate their 15th birthday with them!
LM.C is a Japanese visual kei duo. The sound varies between pop genres like pop-punk with some pop-rock and electro, in addition to raprock and a hardrock look. The duo consists of vocalist Maya, who at the time was supporting guitarist for Miyavi, and guitarist Aiji, a former member from PIERROT.
LM.C is a well-traveled duo, and they’ve been to Brazil 3 times: the first in 2009, on their first world tour. Then they came again in 2012 and, more recently, 2016, when they were featured on Anime Friends.
From 2006 until now, they have accumulated 11 albums, so there are soooo many songs for you to enjoy! To help you with that, the band is releasing an anniversary compilation containing all 27 clips since their debut and a brand-new clip of the song “JUST LIKE THIS”, which has been chosen by fans around the world as the most popular. Also, all the songs on this DVD have been remastered, so fans will be able to enjoy LM.C in the best quality!
First of all, congratulations to LM.C’s 15th anniversary, we are very happy to share this moment with you! Can you introduce yourselves to our readers?
maya: Hi, I’m maya, the vocalist of LM.C. How are you all doing? LM.C has been active for 15 years.
Aiji: Olá! I’m Aiji from LM.C.
We always ask artists to recommend a song for new listeners that come through here, which songs do you think are the best to get people started on LM.C?
maya: “BOYS & GIRLS”. There are many people who got to know LM.C through this song. I’d be happy if you could listen to the latest songs from it.
Aiji: I recommend all the songs, but I think the latest LM.C should be seen and heard the most, so I especially recommend “Campanella”, “No Emotion”, and “Happy Zombies” from “Brand New Songs” released in 2020. I also recommend “The BUDDHA,” which has become a staple of our live performances in the past.
Not all the suggested songs are available on spotify at this time, but we’ve put together a lot of songs for you to check out.
As a birthday present you are about to release a compilation of all your videography, what can you tell us about that?
maya: LM.C is a visual kei band, so the videos are very important . 15 years of LM.C’s history is on this album.
Aiji: All the music videos we’ve made so far are included on this album and the quality is better, so please get this album as a perfect preservation edition.
In addition to the past works, this time, the sound source of the song “JUST LIKE THIS!” which was voted the most popular song by fans around the world, has been re-recorded and included in the new music video, so please look forward to that as well.
Do you have any favorite music videos?
maya: The latest music video, “JUST LIKE THIS! -2021-“.
Aiji: I like “Bell the CAT” and “The BUDDHA”. Also, I think that “Sentimental PIGgy Romance” is the kind of work that no other visual rock band but LM.C.
Is there any memorable story from these 15 years on the road you can tell us?
maya: Being able to tour the world so many times. I still remember the vision I had at the first show in Brazil. A lot of people attended, and it was very exciting.
Aiji: My first world tour was one of the most memorable experiences for me. There were so many fans waiting for me all over the world, and I will never forget the excitement of performing with them.
Is it very different being in LM.C today compared to the beginning?
maya: I think there were some things we didn’t understand well, and we have been working continuously. What I do know is that the number of songs has increased. In the beginning, we were limited in the number of songs we could play live.
Aiji: We started as a unit when we were adults, so I don’t think we’re that different now, but I think we’ve got deeper.
What do you like to do in your free time? Can you tell us what you’ve been watching, listening to, etc?
maya: Recently, I have been enjoying listening to various kinds of music. I’m also interested in updating my music equipment to make it more enjoyable for me.
Aiji: I watch movies and dramas, and play games. As for movies, I check out the new horror movies and watch them often. My favorite horror movies are “THE CONJURING” series and “INSIDIOUS” series. As for dramas, I like “Stranger Things”, “Squid Game”, and “Breaking Bad”. The most recent game I played was “LOST JUDGMENT: UNJUDGMENTED MEMORIES”.
Many artists have struggled since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, what was its impact on LM.C?
maya: I’ve been reminded of how wonderful it is that the band is still together.
Aiji: Like many other artists, we have had to postpone or cancel tours.
And personally, what was it like to deal with the restrictions?
maya: I didn’t want to break the rules, so I was thinking about what I could do within the regulations. I will continue to think about it.
Aiji: I’m not hurry, so I’m trying to look at it positively. Also, I wouldn’t have started YouTube live-streaming if it wasn’t for the COVID-19 pandemic, so I think it’s not all bad.
What can we expect from LM.C in the future? Any post-covid world tour plans?
maya: We still don’t have any plans for a world tour or a tour in Japan. But I want to do a world tour. I want to go to Brazil again.
Aiji: I’m sure we’ll be releasing new songs in the near future, so please wait for that. I don’t have any plans for a world tour at the moment, but I hope to do it again someday.
We really miss you here in Brazil! What memories do you have from here?
maya: I was so happy when everyone sang along with us at the show. I’ll never forget it. That experience has led me to LM.C now.
Aiji: We miss Brazil too. [I remember] the conditions and facilities of the venue in Brazil on our first South American tour… It was amazing in so many ways. I was amazed at how enthusiastic the fans were. The churrasco I ate there was also an unforgettable memory. After this, I came to love churrasco so much that I even went to churrasco restaurants in Japan.
Thank you for this interview, could you send a message to your Brazilian fans?
maya: When I started LM.C, I didn’t think that our activities would last for 15 years. As long as we are alive and active, unexpected things will happen. So, if there is something you want to see happen, just keep imagining it. If you do that, your wish will have a better chance of coming true. I’ll see you again. Thank you for everything. Let’s keep up the good work.
Aiji: In the midst of the global pandemic, I’m sure everyone in Brazil is going through a tough time, but how are you doing?
I hope you are doing well, and if you have a hard time, I would like if you do listen to LM.C’s songs and be a bit happier. We haven’t been able to go to live in Brazil since 2016, so raise your voices to the live planning companies and event organizers. If you do, we can move one step forward to make another live in Brazil possible. I’ll see you there!
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