FROM wedding playlists to heartfelt karaoke belts, Michael Learns to Rock’s (MLTR) songs have been the “soundtracks” for many ever since its first single I Still Carry On dropped in July 1991.
A popular band in its own rights, the Danish pop rock band’s entry into the music industry was celebrated by the masses, earning MLTR its own fanbase. In an era of boy bands and punk rock groups, MLTR found a niche in the 90s for its soft, melodious tracks that swooned its fans, complemented by its no-controversy and humble reputation.
MLTR’s legacy is akin to that of Bee Gees in the 70s, a “pop rock misfit” in disco prime – you may not know MLTR albums by heart but you have heard of its songs at least once.
Reentering the entertainment scene, MLTR is currently on the road and is set to play in Malaysia at the Arena of Stars, Resorts World Genting on Sunday. Leading up to its concert, theSun has had the opportunity to sit down with the band in an exclusive interview.
The band revealed after nine albums, with hits such as That’s Why (You Go Away), 25 Minutes, Sleeping Child and Take Me to Your Heart, which are still popular, it has more stories to sing now.
“We are older (now). We come with a bit more maturity and ‘history’. The people we play for now – we were part of the soundtrack of their lives because it started 20 years ago. Whereas back then, we were new and they (fans) were new. It was another feeling. We did not have as many songs.
“Back then, we did two or three albums. Now we have done nine albums, so we have more history and more songs to play. We used to be pretty young when everything started in the 1990s but now, we are a little more relaxed and mature,” shared guitarist Mikkel Lentz, 55.
The band members, including frontman Jascha Richter, 61, and drummer Kare Wanscher, 55, shared they always looked forward to coming back.
Drummer Wanscher said Malaysian fans “have been there” for them from the very beginning.
“They have always welcomed us and they have been there for our shows. Malaysia has a special place in our hearts and it will always have. It is a beautiful country and we have travelled around the country,” said Wanscher.
Here are the excerpts from the interview with theSun:
What do you like about Malaysia?
Lentz: For me, I really like the city. Kuala Lumpur is clean and green with a lot of trees and parks. It is a place where I go for a long walk. I like to walk around in KL. It is pretty easy to find places. I used my mobile phone to find my destination. It is almost like Singapore and Copenhagen. It has a bit of the same relaxed atmosphere.
What is your favourite song to perform from your discography and what is the most challenging song to perform on stage?
Richter: I like to perform the song The Actor because it always creates a special, meaningful atmosphere. It is the most difficult song to learn to play actually. It is difficult to make the song sound good when you try to play on a guitar or piano. We had to have the whole production for it to sound good.
Most of your songs are love ballads. How romantic are all of you in your real life?
Lentz: We are not wild guys. As for our personalities, we are pretty rooted. We do have families and kids. We live normal lives. We make music and travel and when we get back home, our value is pretty (much) family-based.
Please share anecdotes from fans who have mentioned how one of your songs has moved them or transformed them in some manner.
Wanscher: We actually get notes and messages from fans, telling us stories about what our music has done for them. It is touching to hear those stories. It could be anything, from being insecure to becoming more secure and getting more confident, or some people with illnesses shared they listen to our music to feel better. Some people would listen to our music whenever they felt good. So, our music is for both situations – for those who are happy or sad or for those who just want to experience something.
Lentz: On Instagram, a guy proposed to his future wife while the song Paint My Life was playing in the background. It was being filmed. He was down on his knees and it was romantic.
The music scene has changed. Back in the 90s, there were no digital instruments, AI-powered tools or advanced technology. Do you think these tools make writing and composing music much easier now?
Lentz: I think we are old-fashioned. We made the same kind of music 20 years ago. We have a new single coming up and we think it is like a return to MLTR sound and feeling. It is the same kind of song, it could have been in any of our albums.
Richter: It is not easier to write good music because of AI and technical tools. It is as difficult today to write quality music as it was 30 years ago. There is a bit different in quality when you listen to a massive amount of music out there. As songwriters, I think we need to spend some time to get the lyrics and music right.
How have you all managed to stay in touch with one another over the past 30 years and how has your friendship changed with time?
Lentz: We have been together since I was 19 years old. We are like brothers. We know each other very well and we have a brotherly relationship. We see each other many times when we travel and go on tour – that is basically when we catch up. We have this working relationship, which was very “giving”, if you can say that. We have different roles in the band and we take music seriously. When we work on our music, we are concentrated on the music. We have opinions and styles. We are like colleagues. We regard this as an art so it has something with heart to get it out as good as possible. We really enjoy hanging out.
What is your favourite concert venue and why?
Wansher: Some of our shows in India have been really memorable because there are so many people attending our concert – about 20,000 people. It is a stand-up show and they do not sit down, they dance and sing and put their arms up. It is a fantastic atmosphere and energy –that is one of my favourite places.
What is your preferred Malaysian dish?
Wanscher: Pretty much the same in Indonesia – fried rice. That is my
go-to dish.
Richter: It is hard to remember all the names of different dishes in Asia but we really like Asian dishes.
What upcoming projects are all of you looking forward to?
Wanscher: Recording more music. We are looking forward to our single. When we come back from tour, we will look into recording more music and that is the first project – hopefully, we could see the rest of Asia.
If you are an ardent fan of MLTR or their lovely music, catch the band’s concert Sunday evening at Arena of Stars in Resorts World Genting.
